Untitled (photograph of two girls holding armfuls of flowers) c. 1970

Paul Gittings created this photograph, of two girls holding flowers, date unknown. The image evokes ideas about innocence, beauty, and the traditional representation of girlhood, which is further enhanced by the sepia tone. However, let's consider this image within the framework of gender and representation. The girls are dressed in long gowns and carefully posed, almost like figures in a classical painting. Are they props in a tableau that reinforces societal expectations? Are they developing alternative narratives? What does it mean to ask children to perform idealized versions of themselves? These questions push us to consider the power dynamics inherent in image-making, and the ways in which photography can both reflect and shape our understanding of identity. It is important to consider our own emotional response to the image.