Today’s Post arrived normally on this post-Super Bowl morning. It was a little too far up the driveway, but I’m not going to quibble. As is my usual practice, I glanced at front page of each section and then set aside the paper until after breakfast.
I was struck by the pictures featured above the fold on the front page of each section. Two were Super Bowl related, one wasn’t; but the three of them had vastly different tones and conveyed unique moods.
Joy. Elation. Giddiness. The picture on Page A1 shows Ravens DB Chykie Brown lying in the confetti making a “snow angel.” I saw it last night and thought, “What a wonderfully exuberant action. That is a man who is supremely happy and is demonstrating his giddiness like a child during a day-off-of-school snowfall.” Baltimore DB Chykie Brown (23) celebrates.
The Opposite: Boredom; or Something Like It. The picture on Page B1 (Metro section) shows five home-school students in a biology class. The story is about Virginia’ consideration of the “Tebow Bill” that would permit home-schooled students to take part in public school athletics.) The expressions on the students’ faces conveys what appears to be boredom. Granted, the picture is probably posed, and perhaps they were asked to refrain from smiling (“This is a serious story.”); but the overall feeling of the picture is negative, somber. It looks like they do not enjoy learning. Biology class with home-schoolers in Warrenton, VA.
And finally, Legs, Legs, Legs. The picture on Page C1 (Style section), shows Beyoncé and her dancers performing during last night’s Super Bowl halftime show. Let me say up front that I am not a fan of Beyoncé; but all I’ll remember about the performance are the skimpy costumes and the legs, legs, legs. And that, of course, is what landed on the front page of today’s Style section. Beyoncé is a beautiful woman — from the neck up, too — and has a pretty good voice. I’m sure there were more-flattering pictures that the Post could have printed. Oh well. The overall mood of the stylish (stylized?) picture has less to do about Beyoncé than it does about the photographer. Beyonce, dancers during Super Bowl halftime show.
So, three different pictures; three different moods:
- Giddiness
- Somberness
- I-Don’t-Know-What-ness
What do you think?
Patchwork Jumble 