The Gowin's series follows Maggie Cooper, a relative of theirs, over a vast period of time. Each of the photographers captured Maggie alone or with other members of the family, but the two styles were clearly different. Emmet seemed to capture Maggie doing everyday things. His pictures had much more contrast than those of Elijah. Many of his pictures were in a square format and printed at small sizes around 5"x5". Some of the shots were circular with a fair amount of distortion and heavy vignetting. Emmet also showed a few photographs that showed Maggie's surroundings without her in the picture, and even a color picture. I felt that this single color picture was out of place. Maybe I would have been more accepting of it if there were other ones mixed throughout the show, but it was only this one.
Elijah's photos were much larger and set in white wooden frames. They were much more grey than the other work. Elijah's work was far different from Emmet's in that he showed these dreamlike scenes as opposed to the reality that the others focused on. In these, Maggie appears to be working on experiments or creating figures. The depth of field is very shallow and, in most, Elijah chooses to refrain from showing her face. He cropped her head out in some and put her far out of focus in others.
Overall, I really enjoyed the show. I honestly couldn't choose one photographer's work over the other. I enjoyed both of their styles and together they made the show very strong. It showed different dimensions and aspect of this woman's life. We can see this woman's life over decades and how her appearance, surroundings, and thoughts have changed. Leaving the show, you feel like you know this woman as if she were a member of your own family. I found this show to be very interesting and entertaining.
