While still oozing a white stream of gas and flames, a pain-filled canister sits in the hand of a masked African American man mid-throw as he aims it back at its sender. This scene played out in Robert Cohen's photograph one night in St. Lois. The tear gas was shot at protesters rallying after the ruling of the officer accused with the murder of Michael Brown. The emotion and subject matter this picture captures have lead some journalist to say that this is one of the most powerful images in America in 2014 (Jeanfaivre par.1). Apart from the powerful time in history this picture depicts, the way multiple elements of design are used together in this picture make it also visually powerful.

One of the most prominent element of design in this image is contrast, it is used to direct the viewers gaze to a specific part of the image. Upon first glance of this picture the eye is drawn to the sparks and gas coming out of the canister. Its vibrant white color is a stark contrast from the almost pitch black background. By making the can the focus of this image the artist is trying to indicate the gravity of the situation. Stressing the fact that officers actually fired a can of tear gas at citizens there supposes to be protesting. Following the smoke through the picture, the bright light and smoke give way to the other protestors standing behind it, showing that the protestor throwing the can is not alone and that others feel the same way he does. Finally the eye is drawn to the contrast of lights and darks in the thrower's shirt and pants emphasizing his action, not only is he protesting injustice, but he is also sending a message that he will not endure such injustice any longer. The way the contrast leads the viewer glance through the image adds to the images strength.

While contrast moves the eye through the image color is used to invoke emotion. Most colors have a preconceived emotion attached to them, but these preconceptions do not always hold true. In most cases, the color white represents hope and peace, but in this picture the bright white color is almost painful to look at, indicating the pain brought by the color's source. Also the bright white feels intrusive and out of place in this dark color dominated image. The black in this image, though usually thought of as the color of despair and malus, has a somewhat comforting feeling. Seeing how almost the whole image is dark and with black being the most present color, it is as if the black background is enveloping and protecting the protesters. Another significant color present is blue, which is associated with peacefulness and a calm nature, however the jeans where the blue is found, are in anything but a calm pose. Through color artists can convey deeper emotions to their audience and invoke deeper thought when the color is paired with an emotion the audience in not use to.

Along with contrast and color, symbolism is another key element in this picture. With this, the artist draws the viewer in and connects with their audience. The American flag shown in the thrower's shirt is a great example of symbolism. The flag is a symbol representing the United States as a nation, so this man, because of his shirt, could be a portrayal of the entire U.S. population. The man's actions could then be symbolizing that, as a whole, the U.S. people are fed up with the unjustified police action against African Americans. To further this symbolism the man is masked and not given a concrete identity, thus symbolizing that this man can be anyone of us. We also can see that the man in holding a bag of chip and the fact that he is dressed similarly to the average American shows that any of us average people can be doing what he is. The more symbols a picture has the more connections the audience can make with the subject matter and the stronger a piece becomes.

The placement of the objects in the image is another element that makes this picture powerful. Placement can make or break the whole piece, this is why position is so important. In this image a bright ball of light can be seen coming from the can of tear gas in the middle of the page. Because of its position, all of the action and movement look like they are emanating from this light. The column of smoke is pouring out from it, the man's arm can be seen coming from the side of it, even in the background the protester's excitement is emitted by the light. This canister is also the main visible source of light in the foreground. It centralizes the image and gives it better balance by lighting both sides of the image evenly. Having the light as the main focus lets the viewer focus more on the scene socially, with the context of the scene in mind, rather than personally, thinking about the man's emotions. If the photographer had made the man was the focus, the viewers would be more interested in the emotions and thoughts he had at that moment.  If the position of objects in in an image is not strong enough then the image is doomed from the start.

Separately theses individual elements are strong, but when put together they create a powerful piece of art. One example is that the light of the canister illuminates and brings attention to the stance of the protester throwing it. Another example is the protestors in the background showing support, that along with him holding a bag of chips, helps further the idea that the protestor in the American flag shirt symbolizes the American population. The stagnant, dark background helping the viewer focus on the bright light and movement in the foreground is also an example of elements complimenting each other. Having any of these element by themselves would not have made this image as powerful as it is. The elements working together give the image its strength and in Robert Cohen's photograph of protesters in St. Louis, they came together to make one of the most powerful pictures of 2014.

