Introduction
For this project to be carried out, eight pictures of a pool were used. Taken in the summer, the pictures represent a balance between suburbia and nature. In many ways, these pictures convey an important environmental message.
Thesis Statement
Because of the unique combination of urban background and the green elements, as well as the presence of such details as the cast iron, the change in the pictures of the pool not only shows how different an object may look in various settings and in different color casts, but also prompts a range of ideas about the frailty of nature, the notorious conflict of nature vs. nurture, and the meaning that different cultures attribute to colors.
Frailty Of Nature
Though each of the pictures was taken at a different time and from a different perspective, all of them display the delicate balance between the natural and the artificial. There is a certain touch of grace in the way that the two realms, the man-made and the natural ones, collide in these shots.
One of the most memorable pictures, the one in which the pool is viewed through an iron fence and across a gravel road displays the nature vs. nurture conflict, which has been discussed for ions and has yet not been resolved. The fence seems to represent the line drawn between the man-made world and nature. To make the metaphor even more impressive, the picture captures a small plant growing from under the gravel road.
Thus, despite concerning a change that occurred within a relatively small amount of time, the pictures under discussion make one think of a much greater change, i.e., the change that occurs to the environment as soon as the effects that the products of the civilization have on nature start taking their toll.
Comfort Of Suburbia
The pictures, however, also touch upon a range of topics apart from the environmental issues. In addition to providing a striking contrast between the realm of nature and the suburban universe, it also shows the transition from desertedness to coziness. Indeed, with all appreciation for nature, the first two pictures look very hostile, mostly because of the absence of details. The pool portrayed in the second, the third and the fifth pictures look as if it was carved from a dystopian universe and placed in the modern XXI century world.
After such elements as the fence, the sofa and the black beach beds were included, the place started taking a more hospitable form, with a few elements of a homelike atmosphere finally being introduced. In the given context, the red color may be interpreted as a transition to a warmer and a more inviting atmosphere.
Capturing Emotions
The pictures of the pool, though seemingly simple, stir an entire palette of emotions. Because of the pool being deserted in each of the shots, the spaciousness that borders emptiness creates a feeling of sadness.
The given impression is enhanced by the abundance of different shades of brown. This sadness is, however, mixed with the feeling of hope, which the blue elements, particularly, the pool and the sky, represent. Thus, the depressive urban atmosphere is mixed with the leisurely and relaxed one, thus, creating the feeling of soothing melancholy.
In some pictures, the seemingly incompatible colors create a very peculiar impression. For example, the alarmingly red sofa in the third picture might seem completely out of place when to put right next to the pool and being surrounded with pastel colors. The distractingly bright red color, however, serves a very interesting purpose in the given setting.
The contrast between the colors stresses the significance of choice between a comfortable environment and a more challenging one. One might argue that putting such a strong emphasis on the sofa is unreasonable, seeing how the given element represents a suburban and, therefore, more relaxed lifestyle. However, one might argue that the red color was used as a symbol of the danger that modern people put themselves into by taking a back seat to active struggle and indulging into the delight of suburban life.
The picture, therefore, stirs a range of very unsettling ideas about the impact that a man has on the Earth in general and on its flora and fauna in particular. While most of the pictures contribute to creating a very relaxing atmosphere because of the careful use of several shades of brown and grey colors, the given shot makes one ponder over people’s impact on the environment and, therefore, causes a feeling of anxiety in the viewer.
Conclusion
The pictures of the pool taken at a different time and from different angles help reveal some details concerning the suburbia, as well as the urban lifestyle in general. Despite the fact that the environmentalist message gets lost in the bright red color of the sofa in two of the pictures, the line between the natural and the man-made world has been drawing quite efficiently. Each of the pictures shows the two worlds in a very delicate balance and hints at the necessity to take care of both nature and the city.