Once bitten, Twice Shy

Once bitten, Twice Shy

“Once Bitten, Twice Shy”, is a photograph created by Tom Chambers in 2007. Chambers was brought up on a farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; he was part of a very religious and conservative family. He joined the Navy shortly after high school, and was shipped off to Vietnam. It was at this time Chambers’ eyes were opened and his view on the world had changed. Therefore, Tom Chambers’ “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” has a   very strong subject matter, which also double as biblical symbols; such as the baby lamb, the woman holding the lamb, the duplication of the snake, and the contrast between subject matter and it’s surroundings.
The subject matter that first draws you in is the baby lamb being held. The lamb itself looks very soft and is bright white, it is also being held, almost cradled in the woman’s arms. Biblically the lamb refers to “The Lamb Of God”, which symbolically is   Jesus Christ acting as the sacrificial lamb to absolve man kinds sins. The lamb in the photograph and “The Lamb Of God” can interrelate, because of the whiteness and purity that has been associated with both a baby lamb and Jesus Christ.
Another subject matter in this piece is the women holding the lamb. She is wearing a pale lace dress, and standing on white cloth. Biblically the woman is most likely to be; Eve, from “The Garden Of Eden” or Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Both scenarios are very plausible, the pale white dress indicates purity, and both women at one point in time obtained purity. The woman is also standing on white cloth's to protect her feet, still remaining completely pure. Eve was without original sin until she ate the forbidden fruit, and Mary remained pure through immaculate conception. It is very possible that both woman may be represented in this photograph, and it both may in fact hold the “The Lamb Of God”.
The last interesting subject matter in this piece is the duplication of the snake. There is a snake coiling up the woman’s leg,...