This is a photo by Richard Billingham:

(I do not think the photo has been manipulated)

Settings:

- The setting on this photo shows a possibly outdated house (clearly uncared for) as you can see a wide range of objects in the room. An example would be the deckchair the man pictured is sat on; it's quite random and does not go well witht the cabinate / shelves in the background. I think the alcohol in the background could suggest a reason for this. Perhaps the owners do not care about presentation?   It would explain the art located on the walls that looks misplaced and untidy.

- I cannot see any religious symbols in the room so perhaps he is an athiest.

- I think this photo was taken in the 80/90's due to the furniture litering the room, if that is not the case then it could be the fact that it's outdated.

- It could be taken in Britain as there is a mug in the background (intended for tea or coffee but the can of alcohol next to it suggests otherwise). A message of this photo could be what alcahol can do to a person, how it effects peoples way of living.

Costumes:

- The man in the photo is wearing a jacket / blazer which, in my opinion, doesn't seem to add up considering what he's doing to the cat and the state of the house.

- Perhaps the reason he's wearing formal attire is because he's come home from a day at work. the reason he may be acting the way he does in the photo is because he could be angered by something.

Expressions and mood:

- This man looks angry and irritated, clearly by the cat. It appears the cat has tried to bite or scratch him and he's relatiated by pushing it off (causing the cat jump). It's quite an extreme reaction, potentially infulenced by alcohol.

- Despite the quite dull background, the mood of this photo is quite the opposite, shocking people who come across it and allowing them to react with a range of emotions.

- "I would suggest this is quite a natural feeling photo, it doesn't appear at all staged - even the camera angle is slanted." This was a comment made when I began the course. Since then, I have looked over the photo and my analysis and can see that many of the photos from "Rays A Laugh" are possibly staged to make a point, just inspired by real events.

Lighting:

- As you can see, towards the right of this photo, this moment was captured under natural lighting from the window.

- Perhaps a far fetched interpretation, but the natural lighting could demonstrate that this is a natural occurance, not just a manipulated / staged photo and that it has a real meaning. the lighting of the photo still creates a dark atmosphere which hints to the viewer of the photograph that there is a dark meaning behind this image, reflecting the tone.

Props:

- There are no props in this photo as such, but some objects in the background include:

1. A deckchair
2. Can of alcohol
3. Flask on the table