Taken at Oregon State Hospital
This was an intriguing portrait was taken by Mary Ellen Marks at the Oregon State Hospital in 1976. This portrait adds a very strong photograph to herbed of work taken at this hospital. After looking at all of the images that Mary Ellen Marks chose to include in her body of work, I found this one especially compelling. Her face is placed in the middle of the image in order to give a symmetrical type of composition. However, the hair that hangs on the left side of her face causes the image to be asymmetrical. The expression on her face adds some mystery to the story. This is because she shows a very unique type of expression. The way her eye is open wide and her eyebrow curls, we see a very worried looking demeanor. This definitely causes the photographers audience to ask why she gives off this expression. The image also gives a very well rounded sense of balance. The portrait was shot in black and white rather than in color. This way, viewers are forced to focus on the geometry and story told by image.
Ward 81, Oregon State Hospital, Salem, Oregon, 1976300B-035-09A