Photojournalism: Freda Degannes

The New York Times' feature "One in 8 million" captures the essence of photojournalism - snapshots of the lives of every day New Yorkers.

In the feature on Freda Degannes, the photographer pairs pictures of Freda on the street with the beginning of Degannes's narration. We are, literally, "meeting" Degannes for the first time. These photos provide the perfect bridge into her life. She finds out about her blood disorder from a "tiny cut." The journalist is letting us see the surface of Degannes' life.

From there, shots of Degannes in black and white - profiles, up close, on the subway - let us into the intense uncertainty she describes in her story. Most striking to me was when she describes the doctors telling her, "if you don't take this surgery, you have a 99 percent chance of surviving." The camera is closer to her face, which is in a semi-profile - Fred-Field style. Her stare off into space, remembering the shock. Her mouth almost forms a smile - she is clearly back in that time of her life.

And then: scars. The scars running across her belly last for several seconds on the screen. A simple close-up that tells more of the story than anything else. This was major surgery. Again, the photographer is using a shock of light on left, with a hazy shadow falling to the right, much like Fred Field. The light shines on the raised surfaces of the scars, the recesses of marks along her stomach.

This photo is the turning point in the story. From here on, were are inside Degannes' life - inside her home, where she is seen in the kitchen, next to artwork and plants that tell her personality.

The final shot of Degannes brings her story full-circle. From puzzlement, to uncertainty, to shots of Degannes post-surgery, of her stomach and home, we can watch Degannes grow and change. the photos grow more intimate as the story progresses, and her final look - laying back in the chair - captures her newfound appreciation for life. She says she doesn't feel like the same person - she has a belief in God and a wonder at the world around her.

The photographer for the New York Times used many of Fred Field's tricks. He's a fan of contrast - soft shadows on right side, balanced with shocks of light on the left. He's able to use backlight without obscuring many of the fine details- the ripples of the curtains are still visible in the picture where Degannes contemplates what she's given up.

That final toss of the hair in the soft light of the window perfectly captures Degannes' spirit and attitude. The pictures, largely profiles in the beginning, become focused around the front of Degannes' face. The photographer has a way with getting her to express her emotion - emotion never leaves the story. An underlying sense of tension, then joy.

The photgrapher's lighting of Degannes' face and movements captures all.