VISUAL REVIEW #1

The first thing that I noticed about this photo and that struck me was the angle. The photo angle was positioned in a way that makes you feel as though you are standing directly in front of the soldier. It makes the depth and desperation of the emotions in his eyes and stance even more powerful. The angle also captures what is happening in the photo in the most personal way possible. When you look at the photo it feels as though the soldier has his hands up to YOU and is pleading with YOU. However, at the same time, it feels almost threatening and slightly unsafe. Guzy captured the man's facial expressions in such a clear light. He looks confused and is toting a pistol in his left hand, a pistol that is directly pointed in the viewer's direction. In addition to that, we see the man on the ground clothes torn and tattered. His face is illuminated by the light so we can clearly see the pain and distress on his face as he reaches up for a helping hand. The movement in this photo is also something that drew me in because it is telling the story of the scene unfolding behind the U.S. soldier. The background of the photo includes a plethora of movement from onlookers. Hands up, walking, jeering, etc. Another soldier in the background seems to be disciplining a woman from the crowd, her body is captured as tense and defensive in the way she is standing. It was really interesting to delve into the background and really look deeper into the commotion behind and around the soldier. I say this because when you look you see angry onlookers, confused onlookers, people on top of a container simply trying to get a better view of the scene, and then you see it. A man on the left peacefully pointing his camera at the scene aiming for the perfect shot. He seems so relaxed, focused, and unbothered as he is surrounded by angry hoards of people who are yelling and jeering. I thought this was an interesting point to add to the analysis because should we have seen his photo we may have seen the photographer of this renowned photo, Carol Guzy, in the same peaceful stance, capturing the infamous scene.