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Danica Cantrell ENGL 340 01 2/28/12

All Eyes on Audrey

In 2012, we look back on Audrey Hepburn as a style icon, a recognized humanitarian, and for her charming roles in //Roman Holiday// //and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.// Being in this appointed time in history, I’ve always looked at Audrey Hepburn in her movies and photographs as a striking woman who managed to combine beauty with innocence, simplicity with depth, sophistication with spontaneity, and confidence with humility. Mark Shaw was asked by LIFE magazine to go in and photograph this up and coming movie star being on and off the set of Sabrina. What he managed to capture is a spunky, complex, elegant, down-to-earth woman doing everyday things. In the photo shoot Audrey Hepburn is seen getting her hair done, reading and generally lounging around the house, but despite this, looking glamorous. It is this juxtaposition of ‘casual sophistication’ typified by Mark Shaw’s photography that can be seen as a primary trend or pattern among the three images I chose from his shoot. ‍ Audrey Hepburn made her debut in her role in //Roman Holiday// in 1953, a time when women’s roles consisted of domesticity and family life, in the recovery from WWII. ‍ The audience of LIFE magazine in 1953 would have been middle-class white Americans. Mark Shaw began his career by majoring in engineering in New York, but ended up becoming a free lance photographer for LIFE magazine. He made his way to prominence through his photographing fashion and celebrity stars. He is most known for his photographing Jackie Kennedy when JFK was still only a senator (Charmed 10).

This is the context for which Mark Shaw, as rhetor, was commissioned to go in and photograph this rising star on the set of //Sabrina// (Charmed 11), and for the three pictures I chose from. The front cover of LIFE magazine December 7, 1953 featuring Audrey Hepburn sets the tone for understanding the purpose behind Mark Shaw’s work. She is sitting on the floor of what looks like a living room setting with a phone up to her cheek, casually dressed in a man’s shirt. ‍While this is not one of the pictures I chose to analyze, it’s important to note what Mark Shaw chose from among his pictures as the front cover, as it explains a lot. There are two pieces of text on the cover. The one says “Miss Hepburn at Home” and the other “What makes Audrey Charm”. ‍Only the second out of the three images I chose from his shoot appeared in LIFE magazine in 1953. The other two were part of a collection of negatives that were found in 2005 and published in //Charmed by Audrey: Life on the Set of Sabrina// in 2008. All three images I found by going online.



‍If ‘casual sophistication’ is the trend of the three photos, the first picture definitely emphasizes the casual element. This picture is of Audrey lying sprawled on a couch wearing only a man’s shirt and holding a book. It is full of discontinuous signs (Barthes). There are many denoted signifiers in the picture that one can be drawn to initially: Audrey’s eyes, her bare legs, the striped couch matching the curtain above, the large pillow she’s leaning on, or the large book she’s holding. ‍ She apparently did lots of reading on the set, so the fact that she has a book is not forced, but this whole pose the more one looks at it looks a bit self-conscious or concealing and the signifier is her closed mouth. The fact that she’s holding a book connotes curiosity but also perhaps introversion. I think some women might, like me, identify with this image of solitude. The plant beside her on the right connotes a sense of freshness or aliveness, and the connotations associated with her face angled towards us, and her eyes wide are friendliness, approachability, and contentedness. While Audrey’s obviously trying to have some personal time, she’s allowing Mark Shaw to photograph her, which gives credence to the ethos of the rhetor (Faigley). We as the audience also feel allowed into Audrey’s private world, which would have been refreshing both to people in 1953 as it is for people in 2012.

Looking at her arm back behind her head, it’s as if she’s posing. This element of posing (reminiscent of old Hollywood starlets), along with her earrings and makeup, which accentuate her features, evokes this element of glamour and style. It was said that, “If //Roman Holiday// had made Audrey a star, //Sabrina// confirmed it. ‍Hair dressers advertised “Sabrina” cuts to match Audrey’s suddenly chic short hair, and her clothes in the movie—designed by Givenchy in Paris” (Charmed 19). This contrasts with the large pillow and man’s shirt she’s wearing, which are metaphors for comfort, ease, and relaxation. One must also note that she is in an indoor setting, and a homey one at that, which is the non-coded iconic message. ‍ The coded-iconic message is the fact that domesticity and home life were central for women in the 1950’s. Her exposed legs and hips, which would connote sexiness and are at the center of the image, contrast with her face (that our eyes are always led back to), which appears innocent and sweet. There’s a real contrast between the striped sofa and curtains and her plain white blouse; in fact her plain white shirt lies between the two striped elements in the room (in terms of composition of the picture), making her the focus despite there being interesting patterns around.

The vertical lines from the stripes on the couch and curtain contrasts with her body being so horizontal. The black and white coloration of the photo is a denotation that one can’t fail to notice. Mark Shaw’s choice of black and white connotes a timeless feel to the picture, a quality that is reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour. Perhaps Mark Shaw is suggesting that Audrey too is and will be worthy of being placed in such a category. Through all of this our minds rest on the conclusion that Miss Hepburn is a beautiful contradiction: the epitome of the dyads of relaxation/vigor, style/casualness, and movie star/everyday woman. At the same time she is both opening up, denoted by her open body language, and holding something back, the turn of her head and eye. This “everyday” quality that the picture exudes makes us identify with Audrey, and all that she represents.

‍The second picture is of Audrey strolling along side ‍ her Beverly Hills apartmentduringtheshooting of Sabrina. Some signs in the picture, or the text, that one can pick up right away are the white picket fence to her left, the brick pathway she’s walking on, the white house to her right, the fence off in the distance, the tree to the front left of her, and the fact that her head is turned back towards us. Like the first picture, we are being given the chance to peak into Audrey’s private world, and once again, she is allowing us to follow along with her. The signifier of this is her directly looking at the camera (thus at the audience) and she has a slight smile. At the same time, compared with the first image where her body is open and vulnerable, her back is turned on us in this picture, which connotes and is a signified of secrecy or privacy. Like the first image, her mouth is closed and is a signifier of silence, or reflection, which may be a form of pathos. However, her face is turned towards us, beckoning us to watch her.

This time Audrey is outdoors in front of her house, which connotes informality and a homey vibe; people reading LIFE magazine in 1953 would appreciate seeing this movie star on a level with themselves.‍ There is a sense of privacy also in the fact that she is framed by a fence on the left and a house on the right, which are signifiers, and not just anyone is allowed back there. The picket fence is a readymade that people in 2012 would understand, for its connotations of the 1950’s typical post WWII family life. In the context of this picture, the picket fence and paved path are metaphors for idyllic life in Hollywood which we want to identify with. This coded-iconic message and its connotations may not have existed in the 1950’s; to the audience of the 1950’s they would see the fence in this picture as nice fence. ‍However, Mark Shaw may have used it as a method of pathos to reach his audience in the 1950’s, and it still works for people today. Also, the fact that he captures her walking on a path has connotations that she has a straight shot ahead of her, a future that is //paved// out before her; but with her upper body and head facing back, she's still looking to the past.

The tree as a denotation to her left connotes freshness and naturalness, and being so close to her face it works to compliment her face; thus it inspires the same connotations for her. However these natural, unpretentious connotations contrast an alluring sexuality that is apparent. Despite her being all clothed in this one, her clothing is rather tight-fitting, her backside is exposed to us, and her eyes and smile are aimed at us. Like the first one, I feel like she's beckoning to the viewer to watch and/or follow her, while at the same time she’s obviously doing her own thing. What she's wearing (the pants and white blouse) connotes independence and self-sufficiency, which contrasts with the styles typically seen of women at the time in pretty feminine dresses. Her unique, chic style would inspire identification both with audiences then and now. All in all, this juxtaposition of ‘casual sophistication’ is evident in the photo due the iconicity in the image.

‍The third image in the series is different than the other two in the fact that Audrey’s face is the center of attention, with the rest of her body only partially in views and completely covered at that. Her hair, her eyes, her open mouth, the fact that she’s getting her hair dried, etc are all part of the iconicity of the image. It depicts Audrey in a setting and in a position not many movie stars are shown in. She’s not in her //Roman Holiday// princess attire, with her hair and expression all composed. The iconicity of her wild, spiky hair connotes a quirky, fun-loving, unique girl, which today enhances our understanding of this charming Hollywood icon. However, despite her seemingly happy self denoted by wide eyes, open mouth in a smile, and wild hair, there’s an element of being caught off guard: her solitude is being invaded. Mark Shaw clearly thought this moment in time was worthy of being captured (Berger) and it would have reinforced in 1953 ‍ that despite the fact that she's a "working woman" her down time includes appropriately feminine past-times (coded-iconic message).

‍However, this particular image was never published in LIFE magazine ‍, but Mark Shaw’s hope in shooting these types of photos was to show her as a down-to earth, everyday woman who just like everyone else gets her hair done and doesn’t always look perfect. The ironic thing however, is that despite her crazy hairstyle and surprised/caught-off guard expression, Audrey Hepburn looks particularly chic and stylish. Also the fact that there’s a lady behind her with a towel to her hair shows that Audrey Hepburn doesn’t just wake up in a ball gown with perfect hair and makeup—it takes a team of professionals to help her get her ‘look’. But whether she’s all dolled up or in the process, Mark Shaw wants to show the public audience that she’s still the same girl. Her beauty, classiness and good humor, denoted in her sidewise glancing eyes, open mouth and wild hair, transcends context (time or place). Likewise her beauty and charm appear to be something that resides within her, because no matter where she is, or what she’s doing (shooting a scene on Sabrina or getting her hair done), that beauty and charm radiate outward.

I‍t’s this contrast or juxtaposition of ‘casual sophistication’ that is patterned throughout these three contiguous images by Mark Shaw. ‍While only the second out of the three was actually published in LIFE magazine in 1953, the intent and purpose still remain: To show Audrey Hepburn from a perspective that few ever get the chance to see: Her at home reading, relaxing, getting her hair done, smoking, eating, riding her bike—everything that would humanize this seemingly goddess-like portrayal we usually see. Since it was only in 2008 that a whole collection of negatives were found of Mark’s shoot, we can safely say in 2012 that Audrey appeared to be a whimsical, fun-loving, stylish, deep, beautiful, elegant, girl who had typical every-day experiences like anyone else. But she was different in the fact that she was a combination of so many contradictions, and many people saw that in her time. Anthony Beauchamp said of her: “I couldn’t fathom that she was real. There were so many paradoxes in that face. Darkness and purity; depth and youth; stillness and animation. She had a fresh new look, a beauty that was ethereal” (Charmed 34). ‍It was these contradictions that inspired Mark Shaw and made him want to capture this free-spirit in his photography shoot, and it is these contradictions that have made generation after generation fall in love with he r. ‍

Works Cited 1.) Barthes, Roland. “Rhetoric of the Image.” p. 152-163. 2.)Berger, John. “Understanding a Photograph.” 3.) //Charmed by Audrey: Life on the Set of// Sabrina. Insight Editions. 2008. Print. 4. Faigley, Lester. “Understanding a Visual Argument.” p. 85-103.


 * Peer Review**

Does the writer understand the concept of a rhetorical analysis and does the paper demonstrate its application? Why or why not. Give suggestions.
 * 1)**
 * Yes. Each of the terms is used properly and make the point of the paper clear. Such as the in depth metaphorical analysis in the first picture. However the use of more citation would be helpful to explain where this information came from.**


 * 2)** What argument / communicative purpose does the paper describe for the photographs it uses. Is it appropriate? Effectively presented? Why or why not. Give suggestions.
 * The communicative purpose as far as I could gather was to demonstrate the casual sophistication of a celebrity of the time period. This is communicated nicely, however, it would have been nice to hear more of why people would want to see her in a relaxed setting. As suggested by the professor, it would be better to get some more incite to the audience of the photograph as well as having this trend make itself clear as the analysis goes on.**


 * 3)** What is the argument claim put forward for the photograph(s) under analysis in the paper? Is it appropriate? Effectively presented? Why or why not. Give suggestions.
 * I believe I already awnsered that question in the one above so, yeah.**


 * 4)** What did you like about how the various visual/rhetorical theorists (Berger/Faigley/Ramage/Blakesly&Brooke/Barthes) were used in the paper? What could be improved about how the paper uses these theorists? What suggestions do you have for the writer? Be as specific as possible by discussing each theorist one at a time and how the paper uses them. Also, give suggestions of theorists that the writer does not use but might be useful in his/her rhetorical analysis.
 * The sources were used to their full potential in terms of points to analyze for each of the photographs. I did like that you used a single analytical option as a focus for each image. Maybe try adding more to it? Try using more examples of Ramage's theory of identity when discussing these photographs and the audience they are meant to be seen by.**


 * Rachael Ward**

PHOTOGRAPHY AUDIENCE PROFILE SHEET

Viewer’s Name: Viewer’s Job Title:


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kind of Viewer: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Primary || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secondary ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Education: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> probably college or at least high school degree || I personally am a college student in Lancaster, PA. But anyone who has google can see his images, no matter education. ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Professional Experience: || housewives, mothers, professional women || I have worked in retail in the past and interned with my high school. ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Job Responsibilities: || housewives, mothers, professional women ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Personal Characteristics: || White, middle class women usually. ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Personal Preferences: || Into fan magazines, would be into soap operas ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cultural Characteristics: || early 1950's ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude Toward the Photographer: || The audience would have known about Mark Shaw from his photographing JFK's family, particularly Jackie Kennedy and various fashion photos. ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude Toward the Subject: || They would be interested in a celebrity like Audrey Hepburn being in a semi-domestic sphere behind set of 'Sabrina' ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Expectations about the Subject: ||  ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Expectations about the Photograph: ||  ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reasons for Viewing the Photograph: || in LIFE magazine ||  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">*Way of Viewing the Photograph: ||  ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Viewing Skill: ||  ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Viewer’s Physical Environment: || Home setting probably ||  ||