This picture is named “NYC (Cat in Corner of Truck)” and was taken by Ken Heyman in 1956 (Printed 1962). The photo shows a block of what seems like rusted iron on top of a block of concrete that are connected to a wooden crate with a hole that a cat has snuck in for shelter. The composition of this particular photo is what stood out to me the most with one side of blocks that do not have spaces in them and the blocks that do on the other side. One side look inanimate while the other side does. The cat being what the viewer would assume to be the subject looks more like a subset to the picture as an entirety. This is even further implemented by the the wheel of the truck on the bottom and the concrete block next to it. I wonder if it is a construction truck and the purpose of the photo is to make it vague. The cat itself is also the only aspect in the photo that is completely surrounded by shadows which adds to its untrusting and mysterious nature.
This particular photo inspires me because I have a cat myself and part of why I decided to take this course besides my Dad is to take better pictures of my cat. It is difficult to get a good shot of cats especially feral ones that are on the street due to their distrust in humans. I find that Heyman embodied the view of a cat in their environment by utilizing squares and corners as some sort of comparison to how small the cat is. This then calls forth the reason why street cats are a product of their surroundings trying to fit in to keep themselves alive.
Good description of the contrast between the cat and its surroundings and the plight feral cats.