More Than Just Pictures The earliest known surviving photograph made in a camera was taken by Joseph Nicephore in 1826. As technology evolved, so did photography. More advanced technology gave way for better quality photographs. Pictures allow us to capture memorable moments and to be able to share those moments with other people. So how does photographing change or shape our understanding of those memorable moments? And how does a single picture like the flag raising of Iwo Jima taken by photographer joe Rosenthal during WW2 in 1945 become one of the most powerful and most iconic pictures of all time? During disparate times like world war 2 and the terrorist attack of New York in September 11. people will always be looking for answers and hope, and photographs serve as a source of hope and information for everyone around the world. …show more content…
Although this picture didn’t become as famous as the one taken in Iwo Jima, it still holds great value because like the Iwo Jima picture it shows a nation that has been devastated by some harsh events and has gotten up. This simple picture has the power to connect a nation together, bring the patriotism out of all Americans and make them want to stand up and do something about the situation and simply bringing everyone together. This picture also helped to show the people how united we are as a country and despite the situation we will always manage to rise from the ashes. Photos such as this one have a huge impact in the people specially during hard times like September 11. As simple as the picture can be it will have an impact in just about everyone who sees it. It will shape and change the viewer’s understanding of the event reflecting that photograph. may saw that picture as a sign of hope and relief and other as a sign of victory and
Joe Rosenthal is a photographer whose photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, has become one of the most recognizable photos in American history. It became so famous that it won a Pulitzer Prize the same year it was taken, used to create the Marine Corps War Memorial, and used as the photo for a war-bond poster in 1945 which raised $26 billion (Pulitizer). As such, I argue that this photo illustrates the brutality of the fighting that occurred on not only Iwo Jima, but throughout World War II, and also makes a strong argument for the theory of liberalism. However, first it is important to identify what exactly makes this photo so revered and why it was selected.
The image on page 42 was taken by photographer Joe Rosenthal. It featured a scene where U.S. Marines raised the American flag on the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima in 1945 on February 25 (Muller 42). According to the text below the picture, on the day it was taken, 7,000 American lives were lost in trying to capture the island from Japanese troops (Muller 42). The overall purpose of the image is to convey the message that America is strong, united, and resilient. When looking critically at various elements of the image, one can see aspects of ethos.
I will discuss about the last photo with the children looking at bubbles. I believe that this image is a great photo. The emotional impact of this image makes this a great photo. Since MLK day was a few days ago this image really interested me.
What makes the Iwo Jima image remain so historical, powerful, and iconic. It shows six Marines, that had a mission to do and they are completing it without any of them searching for recognition. It stands as a reminder that nothing is impossible, if one has the will to face the improbable. It is truly the epitome of teamwork. It shows sacrifices and hard work soldiers/marines endure to help defend our country.
The influence of Hollywood can be seen increasing or decreasing the public’s perception of a person, group, or cause in the matter of moments. John Wayne is one that can be argued to have had am extremely large impact on the creation/influence of war films through personal views. In Allan Dwan’s film Sands of Iwo Jima, the most expensive film to date, he we give John Wayne the nod for the lead role of Sergeant Srkyer, whose job was to lead a group of inexperienced Marines into Iwo Jima. This would be Wayne’s first Academy Award nomination, thus solidifying his emerging influence in Hollywood. Though John Wayne had no military experience whatsoever, his political beliefs, and his portrayal of an American within his films helped him gain support from high national figures.
Throughout history, photographs have been known to depict and represent culture, character, information, and ideology. Through specific elements of form, and close scrutiny, photographs give a representation of the “bigger picture” by providing content and invaluable information that text, on its own, does not produce. Dr. Carol Payne, a professor of art history at Carleton University, wrote an essay in 2012 for the Oxford University Press. This essay focused on the relationships between photographic images, Canadian culture and identity, and indigenous people. Her thesis was to discuss how an image can present a sense of national identity (Carol Payne 310).
In war, there is no clarity, no sense of definite, everything swirls and mixes together. In Tim O’Brien’s novel named “The Things They Carried”, the author blurs the lines between the concepts like ugliness and beauty to show how the war has the potential to blend even the most contrary concepts into one another. “How to Tell a True War Story” is a chapter where the reader encounters one of the most horrible images and the beautiful descriptions of the nature at the same time. This juxtaposition helps to heighten the blurry lines between concepts during war. War photography has the power to imprint a strong image in the reader’s mind as it captures images from an unimaginable world full of violence, fear and sometimes beauty.
Imagine a world where communication is difficult, there is not a lot of entertainment, and places are hard to get to. This actually was the world in the 1900s-1910s. Technology has come a long way since the early 1900s. Our world has become more advanced and fast paced due to the advances of technology. Over the last 100 years, technology is by far the biggest change in our culture.
Sometimes though, omitting an image means shielding the public from the messy, imprecise consequences of war- making the coverage incomplete and even deceptive.” (Daghett 2) This reflection shows that Daghett does not want graphic imagery to be shown merely for shock value, but rather that she believes it has an instrumental role in keeping the public informed and aware. While a noble thought, there are many questions that can be raised from this sentiment. For example, what would factor into determining what photos are necessary or unnecessary for the public to see?
A photograph can mean so much to different people, but it’s ultimate purpose is to capture an important moment in someone’s life and be able to hold onto a physical copy of a memory. Photographs enact a certain nostalgia for the past, the good times or perhaps an important person or location; it’s a memory you want to last indefinitely. It’s a subject many people don’t touch on when they examine a film like Blade Runner (1982), but director Ridley Scott’s film does place an emphasis on the importance of photographs and what they can mean to people. The film depicts photos as a gateway to nostalgia, the immortalization of important figures and how photographs can deceive their owners. When you hold onto a photography they are generally a preserved version of a past memory that is important or a time of happiness.
As many as 13 photographers were commissioned by the FSA and produced well over 270,000 images (prints and negatives) during this time span. Not only did the FSA provide visual proof of the social and economic problems facing America, these photos are significant for they exposed the disparities of living in America and helped shape policy and social reform after the First World War. They set a precedent for a new genre of storytelling that combined visuals with words, and collectively remembered for documentation of strife and discontent in America. The FSA photos and documentaries are part of history and continue to be included in numerous photo books, magazines, newspapers, news services, museums, and exhibits as one of the most convincing examples of documentary photography. In retrospect, this form of visual advocacy served a higher purpose that elevated art as a form of social awareness and brought legitimacy to social reform and to the masses.
The Ontology of the Photographic Image André Bazin André Bazin through “The Ontology of the Photographic Image” examines how the mechanically produced photographic image is superior to the manual plastic arts for preserving humans and reality through representation. Bazin explores the existence of the photographic image through his essay. Plastic arts were used in the Egyptian civilization to preserve human beings.
First, the black and white picture makes an appeal to emotion. The monochromatic colors help to evoke a nostalgic and sentimental feeling while also giving it a sense of timelessness. That probably explains why this photo still persists in people’s memories after so many passing years. Furthermore, the placement of the soldiers and flag in the middle create a central focal point for the viewers. The eyes are following the straight pole of the flag downward into the ground and from there the rubble surrounding the scene become much more noticeable while also indicating the devastation of the battle.
Just as Sontag emphasises in her essay, photography is useful tool that captures the memories, defenses against anxiety, and brings familiarity. In additional, personally I also believe that photos can empower the world by sharing
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 Introduction: This chapter would analysis photography under conceptual review as the main concept of this study, it would look at the history of photography, types of photography, and types of cameras available till date, followed by empirical review and lastly the theoretical framework would come at the end of this chapter. 2.2.1 History of photography The concept of photography was coined out of a Greek words “photo” meaning light and “graphy” meaning writing and when merged together the word means writing with light. Although different scholars proffered different definitions of photography, the concept, however still remains the same.