

Visual texts have unique ways of representing a theme or idea. Visual texts clearly need to be interpreted differently than written text so the author has to use new strategies to help the reader understand the underlying message. Before this photograph was taken, there was a robbery and assault reported to the police so an officer showed up and found the African American boy described to be the suspect. The boy got into a quarrel with the officer and he ended up getting shot so he fled and then was shot again and killed after he stopped and approached the officer. This stirred up lots of anger and tension in the Missouri town and much further due to the unfair treatment of African Americans by the police. The photograph’s utilization of the three elements of color, staging, and emotional appeal convey the significance of one man standing against a larger group and relate it to those who also oppose oppression

In a visual text, color is one of the first things the viewer will notice so it is crucial. A color scheme can entirely control the emotion of a photo. In this example, there is primarily dull colors with almost no contrast at all. The colors in this photo resemble a gloomy mood. The fact that there is no contrast in color means that everyone is feeling unstable. The color black is often used to symbolize death or fear and everyone in the photo is dressed entirely in black. The sign is white with black writing on it and the color white represents peace or surrender. One might predict something bad will happen in the given situation because the color pallet is emitting an aura of terror. The photographer displays the colors seen in the photo to show even though it is dangerous, this fearless man is fighting the oppression.  The photo is not very colorful, so the viewer will most likely be attracted to the staging next.

The placement of everything in the scene is another important element because it draws more or less attention to different objects based on where they are. The closer something is, or frankly the bigger it is, the more likely it is to draw the viewer’s attention first. Generally, this is the most important aspect of the visual and relates the most to the theme. In this example, the single man facing the police line has the greatest significance, so he is positioned in the middle of the foreground. He is also the clearest because he has the most focus on him, everything else in the photo is somewhat blurred. The photographer wants the audience to focus on the man because he is standing up for what he believes in no matter the risk. The police officers in the middle ground are still important to the scene because they are the oppressors. In the background there is a cloud of smoke and what appears to be a calm neighborhood. This is placed in the background because it certainly is not what the reader should be drawn to but it is a good thing to note because it shows that there is havoc in a normally safe place. The photographer uses a long shot in this case in order to ensure the viewer will be able to see everything that is going on around the man as well. What is seen in a visual can be something that really happened, and sometimes these moments hit some harder than others emotionally.

To many people, especially those of African American descent, this photo brings back distressing memories of police brutality directed towards them. Although it does not look like much in the photo, this visual depicts one man who is going up against an entire line of armed officers in order to stand up for what he believes in. This is so symbolic because it is a white man standing up for the equality of blacks and whites alike. He shows to the police that he means no harm with his right hand raised, which is a universal symbol for surrendering. The man has his head down which also shows he is peaceful and does not want to put anyone in danger, he just wants to get the message across of equality for all. He is holding a sign to let the oppressors know his beliefs and him standing in front of them shows he will stop at nothing to get his point across. All the characters in the frame are shown to be giving reciprocal attention which is important because it shows both parties are fully focused on the other and they understand what the other wants. Seeing the man put himself in harm’s way to demand equality makes the audience feel frightened yet hopeful for him. They are drawn in at an emotional level because they are in favor of what he is demanding but are also terrified because of the armed police force who greatly outnumber him. The photograph succeeds in attacking the audience’s emotions with a photo that the audience knows about and some can relate to.

This visual illustrates the theme and allows the viewer to see what it looks like to oppose an oppressor. Using color, staging, and personal appeal, the photographer is able to illustrate the instability in the scene. The colors in the photo are all dull and present a somber mood. There is also no contrast; almost everything in the scene is of very similar color or shading. This lack of contrast keeps the viewer focused on the situation shown and not on something else that stands out. The staging in the photo is what draws the viewers’ attention to the objects closest first and then further back. The first thing seen is the man who is the center of attention and is the reason the police are all lined up. He is part of a riot for racial equality, as seen by his sign, and all the police in the middle ground are what cause the tension in the photo. The police and the scenery in the background are a little blurred in order for the viewer to realize that they are present but as to not develop the theme nearly as much as the man with the sign. The photo is able to attack the viewers’ emotions because it is part of many riots that occurred in this period and it makes the audience terrified for the man because he is showing he is peaceful and will not harm them but there are so many cops ready to make a move if he does anything wrong. This visual text contributes to the theme of fighting for what you believe because its uneasy mood and focus on the white man fighting for African American people shows that some people feel so strongly towards their beliefs, they will risk their life for them. 
