Image Detectives: Compositional Analysis

Assignment Prompt

Prompt

First Draft

A Blunt Message

The power of “The Blunt Reality of War” stems from its unique angle in focusing on its subject. The image depicts the blatant dehumanization of a captive during the Vietnam War. The forced position of the captive, arching his back among tall grasses, makes the photo more akin to a nature documentary rather than a war photo. The guntoting soldier behind him is analogous to a hunter having just bagged, as well as tagged, his prey. The image suggests a flaunt of power, a representation of the power of the United States over its weak, emaciated enemies.

The vectors of the image factor in heavily to the perspective the audience has. Upon initial viewing, the head of the subject with his jet-black hair and distinct blindfold provides itself as a central focus, from which one can allow his or her eyes to drift to the various elements within. One may follow the erect grass to the top of the image, going to the soldier. One may allow their eye to follow the curve of his body, from the shaft of his gun to the tip of his loose-hanging cigarette. Alternatively, one may follow the uneasy curve of the subject’s back, taking note of that ever-ambiguous object on the right. On the other hand, one may be inclined to note the striking contrast of the man’s bright, tan skin against his dark shirt and notice the suspicious tag. What do these small details, this cigarette, this tag, have to do with the image on a grander scale? At that, why did Schutzer choose to keep only the subject, the blindfolded man in distress, fully in frame?

Rather than choosing a straight-forward head shot of the image’s subject, Schutzer takes an above-angle shot that, while keeping the subject’s head as the focal point, shows
much more of the scene than needs to be depicted for a simple execution photo. Schutzer’s distance from the subject, a kneeling blindfolded man, allows several additional objects to enter the frame: a soldier standing behind the man, a gray object to his right, and another soldier off to the left. The soldier behind the captured man towers over him; he is deadly with his drawn rifle, yet passive with his relaxed stance and cigarette. This potential killer is being understated by his calm body language, slouched and curved unlike what one would think of a well-disciplined soldier. In a situation where a man’s life is on the line, how can one simply be so uncaring, and what system would lead to this lack of emotion?

“The Blunt Reality of War” is an apt title, for Schutzer hides the implied meaning of his photo within its clever composition. Obviously, with the gun and the “blunt” title, the image proposes that war is violent and people die at the hands of others, but the image hides a second, more subtle meaning: war is impersonal, faceless. The subject of the image is blindfolded, his sense of perception obscured, and all he can be sure of is that he has met his end at the hands of the enemy. In many ways, the audience too is “blinded:” the only other prominent figure in the image, the soldier with the gun, has his face is out of frame. The other objects are so out of frame that one cannot feasibly tell what they are, especially the ever-present gray object on the right. Through this obscurity, the audience may relate to the subject and his potential fears he has before death, dying at the hands of an enemy he will never know the face of. What aides this suggestion is the sole-focus on the man, as he is the only one who shows some semblance of identity, and even then, he is obscured. What can be assured is that he truly is there in the eyes of the audience, for all he was sure of in that moment was that he had himself.

With a lack of identity in the photograph, where the only head is blindfolded and has a taped mouth, this scenario depicted feels interchangeable; the actors in this image can easily be different people and there would be a similar effect. Hinting at a greater significance, the anonymity could be a nod to the dispensability of lives during war. So many men went to Vietnam to serve their country, but so many men were replaceable. Rather than enlisting, tens of thousands were drafted by force and many died or were lost in the conflict. If these men were lost, they would have more on standby. With such great losses of life, many would become desensitized, potentially treating killing as though it was a job, picking up habits like smoking to nullify the psychological effect killing had on them. With a lack of humanity in war, it only would make sense for Schutzer to depict such conflict without a person’s most defining feature: a face.

Reflection

I believe that I am well on the right track with my analysis of Schutzer’s photo, and really I believe I need to improve on minor stuff, such as focusing on better word choices and grammatical errors.  The most major element I lack is a brief “layout” of my ideas, a list near the beginning of the analysis where I list what I’ll be analyzing, but that’s it.  My focus on the choice of angle and inclusion of an analysis of the actual composition are adequate, I believe, and after showing my rough draft to the professor and getting her approval, I will proceed with minor revision.

Final Draft

A Blunt Message

The power of “The Blunt Reality of War” stems from its unique angle in focusing on its subject.  The image depicts the blatant dehumanization of a captive during the Vietnam War.  The forced position of the captive, arching his back among tall grasses, makes the photo more akin to a nature documentary rather than a war photo. The gun-toting soldier behind him is analogous to a hunter having just bagged, as well as tagged, his prey.  The image suggests a flaunt of power, a representation of the power of the United States over its weak, emaciated enemies.  The photographer, Paul Schutzer employs the use of vectors of attention and downward-angle shot to portray the subject in a powerless state, demonstrating the military’s deadly presence over the enemy.

The vectors of attention contained within the composition greatly influence the audience’s perspective.  Upon initial viewing, the head of the subject with his jet-black hair and distinct blindfold creates a central focus; from here the audience can follow other vectors to explore different elements within the frame.  One may follow the erect blades of grass leading to the soldier.  One may follow the curve of the soldier’s body, from the shaft of his gun to the tip of his loose-hanging cigarette.  Alternatively, one may follow the uneasy curve of the subject’s back, taking note of that ever-ambiguous object on the right.  On the other hand, one may be inclined to note the striking contrast of the subject’s bright, tan skin against his dark shirt and notice the suspicious tag.  What do these small details, this cigarette, this tag, have to do with the image on a grander scale?  So, why did Schutzer choose to keep only the subject, the blindfolded man in distress, fully in frame?

Rather than choosing a straight-forward head shot of the image’s subject, Schutzer takes an above-angle shot that, while keeping the subject’s head as the focal point, shows much more of the scene than needs to be depicted for a simple execution photo.  Schutzer’s distance from the subject, a kneeling blindfolded man, allows several additional objects to enter the frame: a soldier standing behind the man, a gray object to his right, and another soldier off to the left.  The soldier behind the captured man towers over him; he is deadly with his drawn rifle, yet passive with his relaxed stance and cigarette.  This potential killer is being understated by his calm body language, slouched and curved unlike what one would think of a well-disciplined soldier.   In a situation where a man’s life is on the line, how can one simply be so uncaring, and what system would lead to this lack of emotion?

“The Blunt Reality of War” is an apt title, for Schutzer hides the implied meaning of his photo within its clever composition.  Obviously, with the gun and the “blunt” title, the image proposes that war is violent and people die at the hands of others, but the image hides a second, subtler meaning: war is impersonal, faceless.  The subject of the image is blindfolded, his sense of perception obscured, and all he can be sure of is that he has met his end at the hands of the enemy.   In many ways, the audience too is “blinded:” the only other prominent figure in the image, the soldier with the gun, has his face is out of frame.  The other objects are so out of frame that one cannot feasibly tell what they are, especially the ever-present gray object to the right of the subject.  Through this obscurity, the audience may relate to the subject and his potential fears he has before death, dying at the hands of an enemy he will never know the face of.  What aides this suggestion is the sole-focus on the man, as he is the only one who shows some semblance of identity, and even then, he is obscured.  What can be assured is that he truly is there in the eyes of the audience, for all he was sure of in that moment was that he had himself.

The scenario depicted in “The Blunt Reality of War” lacks identity and personality; the subjects in this image can easily be different people and there would be a similar effect.  Hinting at a greater significance, the anonymity could be a nod to the dispensability of lives during war.  So many men went to Vietnam to serve their country, but so many men were replaceable.  Rather than enlisting, tens of thousands were drafted by force and many died or were lost in the conflict.  If these men were lost, they would have more on standby.  With such great losses of life, many soldiers would become desensitized, potentially treating killing as though it was a job, picking up habits like smoking to nullify the psychological effect killing had on them.  With a lack of humanity in war, it would only make sense for Schutzer to depict such conflict without a person’s most defining feature: a face.