Art, whether modern or historical, always seems to hold incredible importance in the minds of society. Today, art can come in forms such as music, films, architecture, and even novels; however, most have learned to associate art with paintings or photographs. Paintings and photographs, also called visual texts, can hold much more than surface meaning, as is the case in Toni Frissell's photograph, Nuns clamming on Long Island. 

Frissell's photograph, taken in September of 1957, depicts two nuns wading through the water at the beach on Long Island. The leg positions of the nuns in this scene helps the viewer see that the nuns are moving forward. The nuns are most likely Roman Catholic, which can be ascertained from their attire for the event. The nuns are holding their tunics up as they walk, which suggest that they do not want to get them wet. As the title of the photograph suggests, the nuns seem to be searching for clams, which can be supported by the facts that the nun on the left is carrying a bucket and both nuns are looking down into the water, as one would when searching for something. In the background, a calm ocean is at low tide, as the amount of visible sand on the beach suggests. In the bottom left corner of the photograph, beach grass is leaning to the left, which most likely means that there is a wind blowing from the right. This assumption can be confirmed true upon inspection of the nuns' attire, which is also pointing leftward as they face the camera. 

The overall design of the visual text has a large effect on how the image is interpreted. For example, the use of foreground and background in this image has a profound effect on how the audience perceives the nuns. The use of the vast, never-ending ocean as the background inflicts a lesser importance on the nuns in this photograph because they become only part of a much larger scene. This effect of foreground and background is achieved by changing the angle and zoom of the camera so that more of the ocean is captured.  The framing of the image is also very important to its reception. In the photograph, the nuns are made to be the center of the photograph, with the ocean behind them, and visible sand positioned to the left and right of them. This, once again, produces an effect of centrality upon the nuns, so that the audience first notices them, followed by their surroundings. Overall, Frissell's photograph depends quite heavily upon design in order to provide comprehensible material to the audience. 

Nuns clamming on Long Island is not directed towards a specific group or type of people, but rather towards the general audience. The image does not exclude any groups of people, and can be understood by most people. This visual text is demanding that the public reconsider their ideas of what nuns should be like. The image holds an important message, because it attempts to disconnect people from their preconceived notions of what a nun can and cannot do, and where they can and cannot be. People often think of nuns only being in a church, or only doing church related activities, when the truth is somewhat distanced from that idea. This image sets out to prove that nuns cannot be so broadly stereotyped, and does so quite effectively. The conveying of the image to the general public rather than a single group is a crucial factor in this case because it allows the strong message to be broadcast to many more people, and therefore exponentially increasing its importance.

This image also brings out quite a few different emotions from the viewers. First, there is an element of surprise within the image. This emotion lies in the fact that there is, as previously stated, a stereotype that all nuns are always in or near the church. This photograph of two nuns wading through the water of Long Island definitely can defy those notions, bringing out the surprise within a reader. Another emotion that captures the audience in this image is pity. In the image, as the nuns wade through the water, a blank, slightly morose gaze can be seen upon the faces of the nuns. The identical expression upon the faces of the two women suggests their lack of desire to perform the task. These same frowning faces are what leads the audience to feel pity for the nuns, understanding that they most likely grieve such a task as wading through water in a tunic in search for clams. A final emotion that is key in the interpretation of Frissell's image is a sense of isolation. In this picture, the nuns are the only people depicted. Frissell's precise timing of the image helps create a solitude about the nuns on the beach, a tactic that is also critical to centralizing the nuns in the photograph. Had more people been included in the photo, the nuns would most likely become much less important in the picture as a whole, thereby defeating the meaning and purpose of the photograph.  Overall, the use of emotion within Nuns clamming on Long Island is a great contributor to the meaning, interpretation, and importance of the image.

Toni Frissell effectively utilizes the elements of detail, design, intended audience, and emotion in order to convey a greater meaning to her photograph. Each element has a unique contribution to the final product, and when they finally come together, it is clear how these interdependent concepts form a true masterpiece. Nuns clamming on Long Island clearly demonstrates how there is so much more to an image than can be ascertained simply upon a first glance, proving the popular cliche, "you can't judge a book by its cover". 

Frissell, Toni. Nuns clamming on Long Island. Sept. 1957. The Carolina Reader. Fall 2014 ed. By USC Columbia Department of English. Plymouth: Hayden McNeil. 12. Print. 
