This is the cover of
Garden and Gun magazine, November 2008 issue.
Garden and Gun seems like a strange combination at first, but makes
sense when paired with the magazine's description: "21st Century Southern
American." The color scheme of forest
green, pumpkin orange, and off-white fits with the autumn theme. On the cover is a black and white picture of
a couple shooting a rifle. The camera
angle is on a lower level than the subjects; therefore catching the soft light
on the curve of the lady's cheekbone and the calm, watchful eye of her male
companion. She wears an expensive
hunting shift of a custom long-sleeved blazer with black piping, plaid cuffs,
leather belt and gloves. The gentleman
is dressed in a wool sport coat. The
classic aesthetics in this cover gives it a timeless illusion that it could be
from 1957 or 2012. This cover is the
embodiment of the true southern couple. Southern
women are generally known for being demure, intelligent, and outspoken. In this situation, the model or 'ideal
southern woman' is concentrating on shooting her firearm. She's not flighty or
unsure of herself, she's fully confident in her abilities. There is another side to the lady that lies
beneath the surface: her trust and reliance on the man for correct advice and
guidance. This markets to a broad
spectrum of southern women who desire men to be gallant and gentlemanly. Following the social customs is very important
to southern women, as a boorish and chauvinistic man would not be appealing. See how the gentleman has his eye fixed
firmly on the horizon and his left hand on her back? He wants to protect her from the recoil of the
gun, and allow her to walk away with a good experience.
The magazine features
articles that include exciting outdoor sporting activities, like wrestling Reds
on the Biloxi. It mentions the Mississippi--which
most southerners relate to proudly as, "mighty." There's an article about the Greenbrier resort
in West Virginia, and the
traditional, invitation-only "Belle
Meade foxhunt." We have things
central to southern culture here:
fishing, hunting, shooting, relaxing, and boasting.
With all of this, it's
easy to overlook the main point of this magazine. We've established that is
appeals to the '21st Century Southern American' but what does that mean? Gathered by the article choices and places,
this magazine is enjoyed by people with substantial amounts of disposable
income. Using money, they can explore
the Mississippi river, go on foxhunts, fish in Biloxi, and stay in pristine,
historical resorts. If they have the money, why not spent
it? People should be allowed to have an opportunity
to enjoy themselves and participate in the classic
aspects of southern American culture--without sacrificing style and class.
Out of all the blogs that I have read up until this point, no one has used proper structure. I am so glad that I don’t have to tell someone to write in paragraphs! On another note, rather than having me geek out about your wonderful grammar, I really enjoyed your piece. I would not normally look at the cover of such a magazine, and the way you delve so deep into the analysis of it is beautiful. I especially liked how you paid close attention to the photo and how it is timeless. When you quoted the cover I was very pleased; not many of the other students had done that.
ReplyDeleteYour approach to beginning the topic started rough, being mostly of a factual nature. Quickly, however, it blooms into an artistic direction. Talking about the camera angle and the pose the couple is in, and the possible story behind it truly bring it to life, rather than being a flat cover of an airbrushed celebrity. It was refreshing to read about the cover of something else that isn’t convincing the consumer that they need to lose weight or buy certain clothes. This cover is telling us all to live and let live; don’t let go of your individuality. Overall, I really enjoyed your piece.
Let me just start with say that you have a wonderful analysis of the magazine cover! You pointed out details that I would normally ignore, like the colors of the magazine signifying that it was fall, the black and white photograph creating a timeless quality, and the way the light hit everything in the picture or that angle that the photograph was taken at. Normally, I wouldn’t think about things like that. I would just look at the outfits of the people featured on the magazine and wonder why on earth they were holding a gun. Also I would be confused more by the name of the magazine, than the picture. Guns and Garden? That sounds like a bad combination, but by explaining the photograph and the fact that it was a southern magazine, I understood more clearly. I understood that perhaps the average southern lady doesn’t just focus on gardens and tea sipped out of delicate china, but also on guns because they are strong, and confident. Through your analysis and explanation of the magazine cover, I’ve caught a rather small glimpse into the lives of southern women. It seems to be an entirely different culture than what I am used to here in the south west.
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