I chose this photo of my dad, from 1969; It has, of course, brought many giggles since then. My dad is using a "fancy" new-fangled hair dryer and his friend Bob (on the right) is waiting patiently for them to go to some party or dance.
Between age and the nature of film and prints from the time, this picture's colors are a bit of a wash- I believe this copy may have been touched up slightly after my dad scanned it. Since the main focus of the image is this crazy hair-dryer contraption, it is fitting that Bob, sitting more upright, creates a diagonal which draws the eye down. This effect is increased by the lightness of my dad's skin versus Bob's dark hat and coat. The cigarette Bob is holding adds a slight balance to the frame with the dot of light white in an overalll dark area. As this is more of a snapshot than anything, the lamp is quite cut off. There is enough there to show it is a lamp, but that is about it, which leaves the frame with an abrupt ending for a border. This does though, in some way, create an interesting visual space in which you can imagine the frame extending to include more of the room, allowing the imagination to fill in the details. The patter on the quilte behind the two of them also helps them stand out, without it almost the entire shot would be very neutral colors and it would drastically affect the ability to see the subjects of the photo.
. . . Ok, that's all I can do, I'm starting to laugh again.
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