The Image Deconstructed - Casarrubias

Photographer Christine T. Nguyen lives in Durham, N.C. and is a staff photographer at The (Durham) Herald-Sun.

I selected this photo because the first thing that caught my eye was the dog. I loved the fact that this pictured reflected the partnership of Elizabeth and her dog. I also selected this photo because I loved all the aspects in it, the couch, her expression, the frame, the window, and especially the light coming through the door. I learned that Elizabeth Fox lives with her dog Tootles and Danny an in-home caregiver. Elizabeth suffers from congestive heart failure, diabetes and arthritis. Because of her medical conditions she cannot longer function even when it comes to simple things such as walking.  Elizabeth does have family that visits her and whenever she feels up to it she will even visit them too, however; her medication keeps her asleep most of the time.

This picture made me feel very sad.  It was very self-explanatory and as I read the story I confirmed that it was indeed sad. After I read the story it became even sadder because I learned that Elizabeth was ready to die and at the same time she asked God to let her get better if it wasn’t her time yet. The photographer Christine Nguyen did a great job while capturing this picture. She reflected Elizabeth’s pain, helplessness, yet still faith. It was hard for Christine to take these pictures because they reflected Elizabeth’s struggles and vulnerability. What surprised me about this picture was that although the picture reflects a very vulnerable old lady, Elizabeth was a very strong minded woman as Christine stated. Overall this story was heart touching and more than just telling a sad story, it was a real story that reflected what senior citizens can experience towards the end of their years.