Dorthea Lange (American, 1895-1965). Migrant Mother. Nipomo, California. 1936. Gelatin silver print. 16 15/16 x 12 5/8" (43.1 x 32.1 cm) Purchase

How to read a label

Dorthea Lange spent part of her career as a photographer for the U.S. government's Rural Resettlement Administration, which later became the Farm Securities Administration (FSA). The Federal government turned to FSA photographers to document American life during the Depression, and more importantly, to raise American awareness and sympathy for the plight of families such as this mother and her children.

1. Does this information change the way you see the work?
   
   
2. Do you think this image says something about the daily life of this family? Why or why not?

Lange happened upon this family by their tent in a pea pickers' camp in California. She took six photographs of the family, starting from forty feet away, moving closer and closer to them with each photograph.

Do you think seeing this family from forty feet away would be different from how you see them up close in this photograph? Why or why not?

Select a few photographs of current events and people (perhaps national or world leaders, political events, conflicts, or natural disasters) from a newspaper, magazine, or a Web site.

What do you think might be going on in these photographs? Can you imagine what the photographer might have left out of the photograph? Do you think the photographer's decisions influence the way you see the image or read the article? Point out specific examples to support your ideas.