1. The photograph shows an American soldier capturing a German soldier in 1944 Belgium, showing that mercy can be shown to enemies. It was likely taken to show victory over the other side or could have been altered for propaganda. 2. Another photo by Robert Capa shows an American medical officer treating a German POW, suggesting enemies can still help each other in war. It was likely published to argue against war by showing humanity. 3. A photo by Charlie Waite shows a lone tree in a field of purple flowers under a blue sky, capturing natural beauty. It could represent loneliness or disconnect from society. The photographer aims to showcase nature's tranquility.

1. Photographer Image Analysis
Robert Capa:
1) –
Purpose –
This picture, taken by Robert
Capa, is a picture of an
American soldier capturing a
German soldier during 1944,
Belgium, could have possibly
been taken to show that despite
having fought against each
other, the victor can choose to
show mercy to their enemies,
something which takes much
honor and discipline to do since
any man with a gun can shoot. This picture has been shown on Robert’s website
and much like the picture on the right, this picture is likely to have been bought
by newspapers with stories concerning war, except this picture could be
interpreted as propaganda to show that one nation’s side is winning, show that
the enemy’s soldiers are actually merciless killers with a caption exclaiming how
the soldier was later killed (propaganda towards the opposite side), or to
portray the same message as the picture on the next slide and how they can put
their differences aside. The true purpose of the picture however is unclear since
the photographer did not share his reasons, although we can only assume it was
to show the victory of one side and the loss of the other in a way that does not
portray death.
Composition –
The use of the rule of thirds in the above picture is very useful in analyzing the
composure of the overall picture, and how the photographer planned it out. So,
as we can see, the main subject is obviously the young German soldier, mainly
because of the fear that is visible in his face and the surrendering pose, serving
as a way to show the masses that the enemy is just like them, innocent.
Meanwhile, the American soldier is off to the right side, attracting minimal
amounts of attention from the viewer since he is doing nothing but pointing a
gun at an unarmed man in a way that shows he really does not want to do it due
to the fact that his arm is limp and has no enthusiasm, providing further proof
that not all soldiers that are taking part in the war are there to kill and make
others suffer.- Due to the way the picture has been composed allows the viewer
to focus more on the two soldiers in the foreground, as the majority of the
background has been blurred out for not being as important as what is truly
going on.
Image –
The way the image has been taken shows that it is very likely to be taken at the
moment it is taking place rather than being staged since it definitely looks like

2. the two men are wearing their normal attire and have not been affected in any
way whatsoever, although there is a possibility that the photographer could have
instructed the two men to pose in a certain way that allows him to capture the
picture a certain way. Once again, it bears close resemblance to the picture on
the next slide, as it too is black and white to represent the seriousness of what is
taking place. However, the bright beautiful setting and background highly
contradicts the whole dark situation and what the picture is portraying,
especially since a landscape filled with snow isn’t necessarily the darkest setting
for war since its so white and clear, even though the cold that comes with snow
can represent the cold and harsh environment of war.
Meaning –
The photograph’s meaning is likely to be to show that people can be merciful in a
time of conflict no matter their previous actions, whilst slightly showing the type
of people and their ages, to show that they too have been affected by the war by
being sent to fight. From this, its visible that the overall theme is forgiveness and
how enemies are truly able to show mercy on those that have fallen to them.
Overall, the picture truly makes a statement about the fact that people can still be
friendly towards each other even if there is conflict between their nations and
they have to fight against one another, and that it does not always have to end
with one side being killed by the other.
2) –
Purpose –
Another of Robert Capa’s
more recognizable war
photographs, this picture
was taken to perhaps
show that even during a
time of war and conflict,
enemies can still share a
moment in which they put
behind everything and
help each other out, as is
the case in the photo
above, showing an
American Medical Corps
member treating a German prisoner of war. The picture has been uploaded to
Capa’s very own site, Magnum Photos, along with his collection of pictures. This
type of picture is likely to be bought by newspapers that write stories against
war and all it brings, showing civilians that there is absolutely no need for it as
an attempt to reach out to the higher members of government.
Composition –
As shown through the rule of thirds applied to the picture above, Robert Capa
has composed the it in such a way that it splits the overall picture between the
two men almost equally as we see both the German and American man share the
middle square and take up a small amount of the outside squares. The way the
picture was taken has been done in a way that it blurs out the background,

3. making it almost disappear in into the back whilst the two subjects stand out
greatly from everything else, dragging the attention of the viewer towards the
two men.
Image –
Just like majority of war photography and possibly due to the time it was taken
and the cameras not being powerful, this picture’s black and white color pallet is
great at showing how serious the picture is and how its depressing in some
ways, despite the actions being good. The fact that they are both wearing their
war fatigues also shows that no changes have been made and how they have not
been altered to behave/look a certain way, although it could very well be a
staged picture.
Meaning –
As already mentioned the meaning behind the picture could be to show that
although both soldiers are enemies, they can put their differences behind them
and help each other, so in a way the theme of this picture is humanity and how
everyone can truly unite as one in the end.
Charlie Waite:
1) -
Purpose –
This photograph taken by Charlie Waite
is likely to have been taken to capture
the beauty of the flower fields
portrayed in the picture, whilst also
capturing the lone tree in the middle of
nowhere. The peace and tranquility
captured in the photo makes it a nice
picture to look at, making this style of
photo perfect for the type of magazine
that dedicates an entire page to one
image. Likewise, this image could very
well be used for religious pamphlets
and flyers, since it fits well with
religious book quotes and makes the
person reading feel spiritual and
peaceful with themselves. Apart from
being shown on magazines and leaflets, the photographer could monetize this
picture on the internet by allowing his pictures to be purchased online for a
higher quality than viewers can download on an external website.
Composition –
The picture above is structured in a way that purposely places the tree in the
middle of the photo, although it does not seem like it since the shot has been
taken whilst the photographer was standing up. Although the lines laying out the
rules of third make it seems as though the horizon is not perfectly on the actually

4. in line with the line corresponding to it, it still has been composed to have the
horizon on the top horizontal line. The picture has also been split in a way that
focuses on three of the columns of flowers, which close in on the single tree in
the middle of the field, whilst the other columns are utilized to show how vast
the fields truly are, another thing that can be noticed from the fact that the
picture is taken so far away from the tree and all that can be seen is the sky and
the endless amounts of purple.
Image –
The picture’s color really fit in well and complement each other since both are
bright and colorful, and the use of the natural lighting really does make the
observer realize that nature is truly beautiful and requires no artificial lighting to
make it stand out. The fact that the image also has some dark shadows in
between the columns of flowers also makes each column stand out from both
each other and the rest of the picture. As mentioned, the way the picture has
been captured has been done so that the natural lighting makes the picture
unique and highlights specific parts, and by the looks of the shadows the Sun
(natural lighting) should be located somewhere on the top left of the picture, out
of frame and is possibly rising since the sky is baby blue which causes the
shadows that we can see. It also seems like the subject for the picture is the lone
tree, even though it is darkened out whilst being surrounded by beauty and
color.
Meaning –
As slightly mentioned in the paragraph above, the meaning of the photograph
could possibly be a way to represent a person (the tree) that is introverted and
excludes themselves from society, hence the darkness seen on the tree, whilst
the rest of society and the world around that person (the tree) is beautiful and
always blooming. However, it also seems that since the person (the tree) has
been disconnected with society and the natural way of life for such a long time,
its almost as though that person cannot reconnect with them, which is visual in
the difference between a tree and a flower and the large difference between the
two. So, the themes of this picture could be tranquillity, as much as it can be
melancholy and the sadness of a introverted person’s life.

5. 2)-
Purpose –
Another picture taken by Charlie Waite, I think that the photograph has been
taken because the photographer found the fact that the lighting on the trees and
the way that it makes them dark, whilst it contrasts the bright orange and blue
background, makes the trees seem as though they are silhouettes drawings on a
canvas. This gives this picture a look at seems unrealistic and unnatural, and to
further add onto the unrealistic features of this photo, since the setting is made
to look as though the photographer is in the desert then it is questionable why
the desert would have what looks like snow on the ground. This style of picture,
much like the previous picture, this picture is likely to be purchased by
magazines and shown in perhaps a photographer magazine, that speaks about
the photographer themselves and their other pictures. Likewise, this picture
could also be available to be purchased by fans and photograph enthusiasts from
the photographer’s website for a higher quality picture which can be used as a
wallpaper, allowing Charlie to monetise his work in a simpler form.
Composition –
The composition of the picture has been done so in a way that aligns the horizon
with the bottom horizontal line, hence utilising the rule of thirds to organize the
way the picture has been composed. Not only does the horizontal line align, but
the photographer’s choice to capture so many of the trees and the vast landscape
and the angle, all of these features come together to create the picture above and
it truly has been composed in such a way that it does not look like a natural
setting but rather a painting, ultimately making this photo a natural
phenomenon. The equal spread of the trees throughout all of the squares gives
enough for the viewer to be able to observe, although it is visible that as the
picture moves from left to right, the trees and the perspective changes, as the
trees are closer on the left than they are on the right.
Image –
The contrast between the bright and the dark colours serves as a good colour
pallet for such a picture and what makes the picture successful and unique. The
colours that are visible also gives the overall picture the surreal look and what
makes it seems so much like a drawing rather than a real life phenomenon. As
much as they complement the look of the picture, the colours are actually pretty
dull and not attractive (at least to some viewers) which is quite strange seeing as
the landscape captured is out of this world. All the lighting in the picture seems
to be from a natural source (the Sun) and is used very well, especially as the way
the picture was composed it allows the light to add a slight shadow on the dunes
in the back and successfully lights up everything in the frame. However, the most
important factor of the lighting is that the darkness it provides the trees and the
side the camera is facing enough darkness to seem unreal and astonishing. The
subject in the image (the trees) has been selected due to how well they fit in with
the idea that the picture is not an actual place but rather a painting.
Meaning –
It is likely that the picture does not have any meaning as it is a simple picture of a
landscape that is a very uncommon sight. However, it could be that the meaning

6. behind the picture is all about how beautiful and unnatural nature can truly be,
which an oxymoron is because nature is supposedly the most natural aspect of
Earth.
Steve McCurry:
1) -
Purpose –
Known for his large
variety of photos ranging
in themes, from
landscapes to war
photography, it is no
surprise that Steve
McCurry has taken some
spectacular and beautiful
portrait photos such as
the picture of this Indian
man on the right side.
Much like the rest of
Steve’s portrait pictures
they tend to portray the
person in the picture in their natural state, without having to be told which way
to look at the camera or pose which creates this type of picture in which the
person can truly show what they truly are like. This type of picture is like to be
shown off in various art conventions and expos alongside other portrait pictures
as a collection. Likewise, it is plausible that this type of picture is bought by and
shown off in various photography magazines for its composition and hidden
meanings that observers are able to come up with.
Composition –
The composition of this picture of the Indian man has a very simplistic style due
to the subject obviously sitting still in front of a plain background, so it does not
take much to make the subject the main focus of the photo. Although, since the
background is quite dark in comparison to the man, it really does bring out some
of the finer details and features in the man, ensuring that the viewer does not get
distracted by any figures or objects in the background. Further establishing on
the fact that the picture only consists of one subject, the fact that there isn’t much
empty space in the picture confines the picture to the man. Likewise, the
headspace is minimal, clearly demonstrating that the photographer really is
familiar with taking quality pictures of people making it an added bonus. As can
be visible in the picture, the man’s posture makes his positioning be slightly to
the right (left of the man) and not quite in the centre of the picture frame,
something is quite strange when it comes to portraits. However, the structure of
the picture and the use of the rule of thirds allows us to analyse that there is a
clear layout as both the man’s eyes and the man’s shoulders both are aligned on
the line, making it organised and well structured. As mentioned the man is not
quite in the middle of the framing, but when we look at the rule of thirds we can
visibly see that the entirety of man’s head is within the middle squares since they

7. are the more important squares in a picture due to viewers looking straight to
the middle of the picture.
Image –
Since majority of the colour within this picture is already introduced by the man
through his colourful beard and hair and all the shading within said beard and
hair that the main source of the light causes. Like already mentioned, since the
background is very plain and boring, it allows the man to stand out and catch the
viewer’s eye, especially since there seems to be an outline around the man that
separates his figure from the background. The fact that the subject is standing
out from the background is due to the aperture being low enough that blurs
away all the unwanted space in the back whilst maintaining the focus on the
subject, which allows for a crisp photo as the final product. From the picture it
seems likely that both photographer and the subject were inside a structure,
which could cause it to become dark for the camera to produce such a bright
photo, hence the ISO would have perhaps been adjusted to light up the subject.
Although the shutter speed is just as important, it is unlikely that Steve would
have had to change the settings for this option since the subject and he are
standing/sitting still. The man in the picture is seen to be wearing his normal
attire; shirtless, decorated with all of his chains with perhaps some religious
items, and his normal style of hair. This not only makes the subject more
comfortable because he is in his natural state but it is actually what the
photographer wants resulting in such a successful and beautiful picture.
Meaning –
The meaning of this picture is likely that Steve wants to show the man in his
natural state with no interference, capturing his essence and a slight glimpse of
the type of person he is; religious and seemingly wise as can be identified
through the look in his face, age and perhaps his beard (long beards can often
represent wisdom in some cultures). Apart from the things stated above, it is
unlikely the picture has much more of a meaning due to it being part of Steve’s
collection of portrait photos.
2) –
Purpose –
Another picture taken by Steve McCurry, this
picture is part of his collection of portrait
photographs. The picture of the woman on the left
side portrays her as almost posing for the camera
as she shows off her fashion sense and exotic style
of clothing, something which she probably would
not be able to do but perhaps her dream is to
become a model. Her carefree expression also
shows that she does not worry about what others
may think of what she is wearing due to it not being
so common to see people with this type of style in
the location she is in (South Africa). However,
within Steve’s gallery of portraits, another person,
this time a black male, is wearing the same exact

8. clothing minus the hat, but instead of having it around his upper body he has the
cloth over his back whilst still wearing the same sun glasses and the same chain
as the woman is. From this, it could be presumed that Steve either stumbled
across a couple with very similar tastes in clothing or perhaps he is asking
people to put on some props and wear it whichever way they want as a form of
expressing their sense of style. This picture along with many others is likely to be
shown off during expos and perhaps purchased by photography magazines that
praise the photographer, and might also be featured/shown off in some fashion
focused magazines.
Composition –
This portray photograph of a stylish woman has been composed in a form, just
like many of Steve’s photos, that places the subject right in the middle of the
frame with a minimal amount of empty space around the subject. The picture has
also been taken in a portrait layout so as to capture more of the subject due to
how much space the hat takes up, but in a way it aids in the composition of the
picture when it comes to applying the rule of thirds. As can be noted within the
picture and the rule of thirds layout placed over the original shot, rather than the
eyes and shoulders resting on the horizontal lines like the previous photo, this
time the photographer placed the top of the woman’s head and the shoulders on
the lines. However, once again this picture’s composition shows the woman
slightly off centre in the middle square but instead slightly to the right (her left),
as a result of her natural pose so it’s much more believable than if she was right
in the middle of the picture.
Image –
Once again we can observe that the way the subject looks is due to the tweaking
of the ISO and Aperture settings, allowing a slight brightness to be added to the
subject to bring the main focus of the picture out from the background, as well as
blurring out the background to draw viewer’s attention to the person. The colour
in the picture is a very interesting choice, as majority of the colours visible are all
quite bright and complement each other pretty well, although the vibrant blue on
the sun glasses stand out much more than the rest of her clothing making it a
great point to centre due to the attention it grabs. The natural lighting provided
by the Sun makes it so the photographer does not really need to change many of
the settings of the ISO due to the highlights on the person already being provided
by the shadows. The costume used in the picture, like already mentioned, could
perhaps be some props given to the woman since it was also seen on a different
man person, and it could represent what type of person she is due to the way she
has dressed up and her plausible taste for fashion.
Meaning –
Although not stated, it can be assumed that the meaning of this picture is to show
what type of person the woman in the picture truly is, through the use of
inanimate objects.