Visual Literacy Assignment # 1

For my first blog and my first assignment for Visual Literacy, I am to talk about a photograph from a newspaper or website and describe the image’s effectiveness in conveying its message by using three examples from the book Photo Idea Index. The image I took was an image from a Los Angeles Times article online that was dated on August 19, 2009. The image is of U.S. Soldiers inside a C-17 bowing their heads in respect of the caskets inside the plane; each casket is a fallen brother or sister in the war in Afghanistan. Each casket has a U.S. flag, honoring those who had fought for their country and died in its name and what it stands for. The image is truly powerful for it shows the cost of war, but how the shapes, colors, and lines/curves of the image due help show the true price of war. The shapes of this image are powerful, epically the flags on the caskets. The flags are rectangular, but how the flags hug the caskets make them less like American Flags and more like blankets for the soldiers as they now rest in peace. This shaping makes it so that these soldiers where the cost to keep our liberties safe. The shapes otherwise where nothing more but the length of the plane showing how many bodies there are, and it’s circular opening of the plane shows a somewhat comforting feeling stating they are finally at peace The line and curves of the photo are just as important to show the impact. The soldiers honoring the fallen are in a straight perfect line with one another. The caskets are in prefect straight paths showing that the Army shows as much respect as possible for those who have fallen and for those who have served. The coloring of the photo is also important. The caskets have direct lighting making them the center of attention in the photo, making the viewing think of what the cost of the war really is, and if it is still worth fighting for. The bright lights make the American flag on the caskets really show out and show the pride of the Army and the fact that these soldiers fought for was in the name of the country. These concepts do indeed make the photo much more powerful and therefore much more effective in understanding the message of the cost of war. I am also sorry, I haven’t had luck getting the photo up so I am adding the link of the direct photo. Thank you.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0120a55d449e970c-300wi