Photojournalism and Bias
Photographic Principles:
Subject Expression: Chief Petty Officer Graham Jackson's expression is one of sadness and pride. By looking at his face, the viewer is able to recognize the emotion he feels. The tears we see running down his face add to the emotion of the picture.
Background Compliments Composition: In the background we see others mourning the passing of President Roosevelt. It adds to the solemn emotion of the photograph. It comes to show how many people were truly touched and saddened by the passing of the president.
Black and White Image Color: The image is in black and white. It works as a representation of the lack of life there was in the event captured. The black and white adds to the feeling of mourning and loss represented in the photograph.
A photojournalistic image that I think represents "truth" is the "Afghan Girl" picture taken by Steve McCurry in 1984. It's a photo of a young Afghan girl with beautiful green eyes looking directly at the camera. It captures her intense stare and the reality of life in a refugee camp. The photo can represent the struggles faced by many people during the Afghan war. Her face is a representation of truth about the harsh realities of war and displacement. Steve McCurry's decision to capture her photo brought attention to the refugee crisis and it allowed viewers to empathize with her. To me, this photograph shows that truth can be represented through the eyes of individuals. Eyes can tell a lot about what a person has been through. The truth in "Afghan Girl" can be determined through emotional knowledge. The girl's eyes communicate her pain, making viewers connect with her struggle.
Photographic Principles:
Quality of Light: The light in this picture makes the image of her face look bright and clear. Her eyes are properly illuminated for all to see. The illumination of everything leaves nothing for interpretation, it helps with the expression of her emotion.
Keep it simple: There is not much going on in this picture. It allows for the viewer to focus on only one thing; the girl. The simplicity of the image removes all distractions and emphasizes details of the girls face and expression.
Contrast: I think the use of green and red colors contributes a lot to this image. The green background makes the green in her eyes pop out even more. The subtle green under her garment also adds to the contrast, the photographer was able to capture this very well.
A photojournalistic image that I don't think fully represents "truth" is the photograph called "Lunch atop a Skyscraper," taken by Charles C. Ebbets in 1932. The photo shows 11 construction workers casually eating lunch while sitting on a beam high above New York City. It seems to depict workers enjoying a break, but it leaves out the reality of the dangers they used to face. The image romanticizes the idea of bravery, but at the time many workers were working in unsafe conditions. The photo isn't exactly authentic; it was staged to capture an iconic moment, which can distort the true experiences of those workers. By emphasizing just this moment, the photograph doesn't tell the full story of their struggles. Don't get me wrong, it really is an incredible image, but there's a difference between an incredible image and a truthful one. I don't think the photo does a good job of revealing the truth about the lives of these workers, it makes their hard work and sacrifice look like a walk in the park. I think this image can be analyzed using the way of knowing called perception, which focuses on how we see and interpret things. This is similar to yellow journalism, where stories can manipulate public perception. While the photo looks cool and shows the workers having a break, it can create a misleading idea about their dangerous job.
Photographic Principles:
Depth of Field: The men in focus are clearly depicted to be far away from the city in the background. This helps in showing how dangerous the conditions were. It directs my attention to the men balancing on the beam, while also taking note of how high up they are and how far the buildings in the picture really are.
What Feelings Does the Image Create?: The photo makes viewers feel fear because the workers are sitting so high up on a beam with no safety gear. It also gives off a sense of camaraderie, the guys seem relaxed while eating together. It shows the scary thrill of working on tall buildings and also how dangerous their job really was.
In or Out of Focus: For the time in which the photo was taken, I think the men on the skyscraper are in great focus. We can tell what each of the men are doing and who they're talking to. It allows the viewer to immerse themselves into the photo even more by resonating with the everyday element of having lunch with your coworkers.
Works Cited:
https://aboutphotography.blog/blog/story-of-lunch-atop-a-skyscraper
http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/06/what-are-the-four-ways-of-knowing-woks/
https://time.com/3764064/mourning-fdr-in-a-classic-photo-the-face-of-a-nations-loss/
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