Title – “Marilyn, 28 years old, Las Vegas, Nevada, $30′

Philip-Lorca DiCorcia

The title straight away is symbolic as it could be representative as it’s in relation to the iconic glamorous celebrity Marilyn Monroe. The makeup on the woman who is the central focus point of the image and the place of the place located on her face infers this. The woman looks almost trapped as the composition of the image and the body language falls in the frame of the buildings. The man behind the woman in the photograph almost seems to be watching over. Arguably, the man could be representative of the rest of the public who are aspiring to be like the woman in the image, emphasising the American Dream. The woman is wearing a red top and lipstick which is significant as the colour suggests seduction and romance but also death. Furthermore, this could suggest how the woman in the image was aspiring to follow this American Dream but has now resulted to prostitution and sex as she is a ‘fallen star’. The facial expressions also suggest this as she appears sad. The subject does have exaggerated features which makes her look rather masculine which is portraying a more of a exaggerated version of a woman. The lighting of the image is focused solely on the woman, this could be lit from a spotlight above. The lighting does slightly resemble the butterfly lighting which is flattering on the face. The location of the shoot gives an impression of being glamorous but the fact the man and woman are both sat on the floor of the streets could again symbolises the idea of the woman being a ‘fallen star’.

My own example of Dicocia’s work- A photograph that tells a story, this photograph was taken in a very local place near my home where I grew up featuring one of the closest friends who I have grown up with. Furthermore, this photograph holds many memories and is special to me.