In this image, a very important, current world issue is being shown.  This photograph depicts a Syrian village after being bombed by American planes.  In this image, we can see Syrian families and children whose homes have clearly been destroyed by American air strikes in an attempt to control and contain ISIS, the radical Islamic group that has taken control of much of the Middle East in the past few years.  With their public beheadings and public acts of terror, the United States and other world powers have been trying to destroy them, which sometimes results in the killing of innocent civilians and refugees.  Since the presidency of George H. W. Bush, problems for America always seem to crop up in the Middle East, and America never seems to be able to stay out of it.  Now, like thirty years ago, the United States has been involved with conflicts in the Middle East, and more specifically in this photograph, ISIS and Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.  In this image, elements of dominance, contrast, space, and organization represent the problems going on in the Middle East.

When first analyzing this image, there is not one single person or object that dominates the photograph, or a focal point. Focal points are essential to image analysis because it provides the viewer with an initial reaction to the painting or photograph which can contribute to their feelings on the rest of the image.  However, there is no definite focal point in this image, so one’s eye is just drawn to the rubble of the buildings and the Syrian people standing on top of it.  This is very important in this pictures context because it provides the viewer with a broader outlook and feelings toward the photograph.  The focal point could be group of people standing together on top of the rubble toward the middle of the picture, or the figure who looks like a child standing by himself toward the left of the picture.  Because there is no definite focal point, there is a lot to take in at one time and this could cause a viewer’s initial reaction of the picture to be different than if it did have a focal point.  Seeing the amount of destruction and people left without homes gives an initial impression of horrific violence and disagreement with the American government in carrying out with these airstrikes capable of razing small towns.  Also, the “focal point” or just the picture as a whole is important because it provides insight to a large number of Syrian citizens who are experiencing these bombings and airstrikes first hand.  The focal point gives us a window into the larger aspect of people whose lives are being harshly effected by airstrikes.  When seeing the destruction and displaced people in this picture, the first thought is that the United States is doing a bad thing in bombing Syria, when in reality, there are many pros and cons that should be considered and that are being considered by the American government and its allies.  Obviously in this picture, the cons are shown through the amount of destruction and people left displaced because of the airstrikes.  Because of this, the picture can be used as an example in the campaign against using air strikes in Syria.  The way the homes of innocent civilians have been destroyed and the distress caused by these airstrikes are caused is unacceptable, as they ruin the lives of many people like the ones in the picture every time an airstrike is initiated.  However, the pros include that airstrikes can possibly cripple ISIS who are one of the main threats to the United States’ national security.  ISIS is clearly a large threat that the United States has recognized and wants to get rid of it.  Although these airstrikes kill citizens and destroy towns like the one pictured, the United States sees this as the best option in defeated their threats.  Another way this picture shows this problem is through the contrast of different areas in the photograph.  

Contrast is also an element in the photograph above that symbolizes the problems with airstrikes and non-concentrated attacks on ISIS.  When looking at the background of the picture, we can see somewhat well-developed buildings that were not damaged by the airstrike.  This gives us insight into what the buildings and homes of the children in the foreground could have been like.  It even shows that the infrastructure that they do have in Syria is good enough to provide stable and nice-looking homes, and it makes it all the more unfortunate that these homes and families were taken by airstrikes not meant for them.  Another contrast that can be made in this picture is the blue sky and the green trees and shrubbery in the background of the picture.  This is a sharp contrast to the bleak, off white rubble that fills the foreground of the picture.  The fact that it appears to be a nice day and the presence of life in the background provides a large contrast to the destruction and presence of sadness and death felt when looking into the front of the picture.  By contrasting the background and foreground of the picture as well as the color and lack of color, we can get an insight into how these people lived and what was taken from them, as well as what they probably will never get back.  Another element of this photograph that backs up this point is the amount of space in the image. 

The amount of rubble in the foreground resembles a large amount of blank space, making the picture appear blank and lifeless.  Because of this space, we can see the bleak sadness and lack of shelter for the individuals pictured.  This bleak space can also represent the lives of the civilians whose families and homes have been destroyed.  Their life might appear to be very bleak and no sign of looking up, with their homes destroyed, their country in a civil war, and a government that does not care about them.  Prior to the airstrikes, one can imagine different types of building and homes for these displaced families, kind of like the kind we can see few of in the background of the photograph.  Like contrast, the different types of space and color show the vast difference in before and after the airstrikes occurred.  In the back, the open space is of nice, blue sky and the buildings that make it look like somewhat of a nice place.  This is drastically different from the space in the front of the picture, where it is just blank, white space full of rubble.  This makes it seem much less desirable then the blue sky and palm trees we get a glimpse of in the back. 

Another instrumental aspect of the picture is the organization.  The way the people are huddling around in a group and the exception of the one child by himself toward the left side of the picture provide us with insight into the situation and maybe the way these people are feeling.  The way they are crowded together could show their sadness and how they are consoling each other after their homes and most of their belongings have been destroyed.  Regarding the child standing by himself, it could show that his family and home has been taken from him, and also symbolizes the aloneness of the children and how they have no one to turn to.  Besides these to aspects of organization, the lack of organization also shows how devastating the airstrikes were to this town.  When looking at the buildings in the background, they seem pretty organized and well put together.  However, in the front we see the obliterated buildings and the lack of organization and almost chaos that has hit that town.  The lack of organization in this photograph in the buildings and scrambling people shows the devastation left by the airstrikes.  This lack of organization also shows the destruction of the airstrikes and the poor situation that these civilians have been left in because of them.  

Overall, this picture through its different elements of dominance, contrast, space, and organization gives us a look into the problem of civilians being killed by US and their allies’ airstrikes, and then the bigger, global problem of ISIS.  The terror ISIS has brought across the world the past couple years is no joke, and they are an evil organization that gets satisfaction over the senseless killing of innocent people.  However, the result from airstrikes initiated by the United States and its allies is destroying the homes of and killing innocent civilians like the ones pictured above.  This is very unfortunate, but the world is starting to realize it must go to drastic measures in order to destroy ISIS, and that can sometimes lead to the death of more innocent people and the destruction of lives and property as depicted in the image above.