Floyd Burroughs, sharecropper

Title:  Floyd Burroughs, sharecropper
Creator:  Evans, Walker, 1903-1975, photographer
Published: 1935 or 1936

Walker Evans was an American photographer best known for his work for the Farm Security Administration(FSA) documenting the effects of the Great Depression. Most of his work from the FSA period uses the large-format, 8x10in camera. During this era his goal as a photographer was to make pictures that are "literate, authoritative, transcendent".  He was born in November 3, 1903 at St.Louise, Missouri, U.S.A. and Died April 10, 1975 at age 71.

I chose one of his pictures that was called "Sharecropper'. It was quite interesting due to Floyd Burroughs facial impression. He looks more lost, depressed and lonely farmer. I could see in his face that he was thinking of what's going to be on the table for supper, where will I get them or will i be able to provide for the next day. Very sad impression knowing that their time was very hard to survive versus our lifestyle now a days.

Being depressed is a very heavy burden especially when you are the head of the household. It's a fear of every fathers of how will they survive with twenty dollars or one loaf of bread for the next two weeks or next pay day. I wouldn't imagine myself in his shoes. I would kill myself just to be free of depression and not seeing my family struggle.  However, life back then was not as easy as life today, I know that we are going through the economy crisis but we still have roof over our head, food on the table and clean clothes to wear or money to spend for wants.

Looking at the portraits itself, I could see that it is a powerful image. You could see black and white color, dark to lighter and the way it's presented. I can see the wall on his side with it's detailed colored in black and white and the pattern of the lines on the wall. His clothes too, I can see the bottons clearly and so does the pocket on his chest with the white shirt his wearing. Very nice picture.

Overall, I would say that, " It was a hell a life back then versus our life now a days". Meaning that his life back in 1930's was hard and depressed compared to lay back life in 2011.