Case Study: Migrant Mother

In the reading for this week I learned about Dorthea Lange's image, Migrant Mother. This image quickly rose to be one of the most reproduced images. I find it interesting that through being reproduced it has been able to take on many different meanings. In one sense it represents the Madonna and child while in another it depicts human distress. It is even more interesting to think about how the title even changes the way the image is viewed. Being titles Migrant Mother gives a whole different perspective than if it was called Seasonal Farm Laborer’s Family. This is simply because it gives the sense of something more – there is a father somewhere off camera working, it is not just this woman and her children.

I also find the framing to be of significance in this image. Of all 5 images that had been taken of this woman and her children this is the only one that does not include any sort of background. This simple fact is what makes this image; it is so incredibly versatile. This woman can be anywhere and any one. This photograph can be applied to a multitude of difference situations and still carry a strong meaning.