“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality” – Alfred Steiglitz (quote used to describe this photograph)

This photograph was taken by Sally Mann of her eldest daughter for her publication Immediate Family. This photograph can be seen as controversial because it’s of a girl who looks around 12 years of age holding a cigarette. I think the controversy makes the photo more powerful because it draws your attention. The girl is holding the cigarette in what can be deemed as an ‘adult pose’ which could also be described as the girl ‘playing adult’.   The background is blurred you can just make out that they are in woods outdoor type of environment.  This is done to make to main focus of the photograph the girl. There is also a strong contrast between black and white this makes the subject stand out more. In this photograph we don’t know what happened before or after, I think in this case the less we know about what is happening the more interesting the photograph becomes.