i decided to review a photo essay today, specifically one from the atlantic. you can find it here and check it out for yourself, but i just wanted to share my thoughts really quick. the official title of the essay is "Whose Streets? Our Streets!", and it was made as a collection with a few different photographers organized by the Bronx Documentary Center. it's a look at social and economic change throughout the years, centered around the residents of the bronx and their response to being unfairly moved out and oppressed.
i found the actual content of the photo essay to be really engaging, with many photos that simply REQUIRE you to look at it for longer than usual, just to figure out what's actually happening.
like in this photo. i can't even fully describe my initial reaction to it, because it's so dependent on your political opinion. it incorporates elements from both sides into one single protest message. the low angle emphasizes the impact that the protesters are having. he cross is centered, because that's what you're supposed to be focusing on. everything about this photo is perfect. it also shows the general theme of the essay. passionate people using techniques to emphasize the message of their protest. that's what's so great about this essay.
what emphasizes the messages of protest against an unfair and unjust authority is the feeling of being at
these protests that I really get from all of these photos, including this one. the framing of Giuliani in the center, blurred and out of focus, draws attention to the people and the signs. this isn't about Giuliani specifically as much as it's about the people and their anger. every single sign held up by a protester is legible in some way, and i found navigating them to be a fascinating experience. for example, the calls to "arrest dictator giuliani" are higher up than a sign that reads "i'm afraid..." which shows the varied opinions felt by all living in the city at this time. they wanted change, but were also afraid. not just of the way things were right then, but how they could be if nothing changed.