Peter Menzel and John Travis

Peter Menzel

Context
Peter J. Menzel (born February 7, 1948) is an American freelance photojournalist best known for his coverage of scientific and technological subjects. He travelled the world and went to different corners of the world, to richer and poorer countries to photograph families. Menzel captured the different possessions that each family had and showed the different between the richer and poorer countries. As well as showing the different possession they had in relation to rich people and poorer people he also displayed the different cultures in different countries by what they looked like and what they own. 

Photography

This picture was taken in Somalia. We can tell that this is a poor country because the house the family is living in is not a stable or luxury house, it looks like it is going to fall down. Although the family seems poor they have a lot of traditional and religious things, this makes us think that this may be a very traditional and religious country. I think Menzel would've wanted to photograph this family because although they are in a poor country and look like a poor family it is visible to us that they care a lot about their religion.

This photograph was taken in the USA. We can tell that this is a more wealthier country because not only is their house stable and big the houses surrounding it are too. By looking at the possessions they have in their house they seem like a wealthy family who are more focused by the luxuries in life as they have a piano and a tv for example. I think Menzel would've wanted to photograph this family because he wanted to capture how many Americans live as the majority live like this.

This photograph was taken in Japan. We can tell that this is the poorer part of the country by the lack of possessions they have. When we think of Japan we associate them with technology but this gives us a different interpretation as we realise that different parts of Japan may be wealthier than others. I think that Menzel would've wanted to photograph this family because he wanted to show that what we originally think about Japan is wrong.

Progression
I can use Menzel's ideas in my work because I can photograph different types of people such as poorer and wealthier people. 

John Travis
There wasn't much to say about this photographer so I cannot relate any context to his work. However, I was attracted to his work so I would like to use his ideas in my work.

Photography

These are some of John Travis's work, I like how he takes photo's of the person and their possessions and edits both the pictures together. This is a good way to represent them and their possessions because by having two separate pictures we can link the object with the person easier.