How would you describe the image above? There actually is no right ot wrong way is there? Its purely personal and I could almost suggest that its also dependant on what day it is, how you feel today, how you feel about certain topical subjects, how its affected you or how it could affect you.
Everyday the media outlets use images and film to portray the message. They do it in a way thats designed to manufacture emotion and muddy the waters where feelings come in to play. They do a damned good job. You only have to take in to consideration what images came out of Vietnam back in the fifties. The ones that came out of Ethiopia during the famine and New York after the twin towers fell. Its all done the same way but with different messages and different audiences.
The documentary and reportage photographers of the second world war era had a job that was difficult enough in the first places, with a final hurdle that was the hardest of them all. The images had to be cleared for propaganda by the German Authorities. I wonder how many times images were taken that never made the press. Henri Cartier Bresson, one of my idols and probably the best know of them all was a tremendous street photographer. Many of his iconic images were binned by the authorities for fear of propaganda and portraying a message that portrayed the invader in a derogatory way.
Next time you look at a photograph, approach it with a different mindset. Put yourself in the photographers head and say to yourself….” What was the photographer thinking? What is he trying to tell us?… Whats the story here?” Believe me, its a deep process and you will start to question yourself but more over , the images.
So, lets go back to the images above. What does it say to you?? I’d love to know your thoughts. Please send me a message.
Thank you for taking time to read this.