What first drew me to this image entitled “Dog Training” by William Vander Weyde is the fact that this images does not appear to be a photograph, but rather a painting or a drawing. The glass covering the image gives it this feel because it makes it look glossy and possibly brings out the light captured in the image. Besides this glossy glass, this image has many other aspects that make it good art.

            The first aspect of this image that makes it great is the subject or the white dog in the right corner of the image. He is sitting on the ground while the man in the black suit is pulling his mouth open exposing his white teeth. This position shows a different side of the subject that many people probably do not see all the time as the dog seems angry and uncomfortable. The details, which include the moon shaped eyes of the dog and his pulled back ears, also show that the dog is uncomfortable.

            The frame is very interesting because the person and dog are all the way to the right. The man’s face is not revealed, only his hands which for a “c” shape over the dog’s mouth. To me, this frame shows that the center of focus is not the man, but the dog. Therefore the image reflects the dog’s emotions and not the man.

            The frame also reveals a shadow on the left side of the image. This is because the contrast of colors from black to white is lighter on the left.  At first glance, I thought the shadow was a reflection of the dog in a silver mirror. Maybe it is the reflection of both the man and the dog because the shape does not seem to fit just the dog alone. For example, there is a shadow under the dog’s body that makes him seem more three-dimensional.

Due to its unique feel and the fact that it represents many different aspects of photography, I feel that this image is indeed an interesting work of art.