The photograph was taken by William Eggleston. The subject of a photograph is an old man, sitting on a bed in a dark bedroom, holding a gun. What made me think was this mans backstory, where was that picture taken and why is he holding a gun? I have found these answers in Anne-Celine Jaeger’s book ‘Image Makers Image Takers’ where she interviewed Eggleston among other things about this picture. He simply explained that the photo was taken in a small town in Mississipi called Morton in 1972 and the man used to be the night watchaman of the town where he would keep the peace. Right before the image was captured the old man was showing his bullet wounds, what also adds more character to the picture.
I like that the composition in this photograph is really simple yet eye-catching, on the other hand maybe that’s exactly why. One way or another the image communicates a lot in it’s clarity. I think what’s also appealing about this photograph is how the old man was caught candid, while telling his story and how his gentle grip around the weapon and his lack of any intense facial expression makes the images atmosphere so special.
Kamila Lozinska
L1 Photography, University of the West of England
UWE Bristol Photography Research Group 