
Twenty-six men putting everything on the line to be faster than he who stands next to him, as they plummet towards the seemingly inescapable reality of death that could very well await any one of them at the next bend. This was an era in the sport when men risked death for the chance of achieving glory. So how is it conceivable that those who have been pitted against one another might find camaraderie among those who risk their own lives to take from them that glory that each desires? This photograph uses the elements of color scheme, camera focus, and gaze to show the true relationship of these two men in order to argue that some of the closest friendships can be forged in some of the fiercest realms of competition.

The first of these elements that catches the viewers eye is the color scheme of this photo. The two men are both wearing bright red racing suits, and they appear to even be of the hue of red, despite being on different teams. This is highly significant because red is often a color that is symbolic of aggression and anger, but these two men are wearing the same color jacket together whilst talking and smiling at one another. This contributes to the message of the piece because it shows the two men that wearing what is close to being the exact same suit, which becomes a commonality between them, symbolizing the bond they share with one another in such a dangerous profession. The color scheme of the photograph comes into play once again when examining the areas around the two men, and how much duller they are in color by comparison. This is also symbolic of the strength of the bond formed by the two men, because it shows that neither the stresses of the things occurring around them nor the fans watching them from the stands are as important as the bond shared between them (TheGroomOfTheStool). The message of this photograph is greatly strengthened through the use of color scheme, which uses symbolism to give the viewer a greater comprehension of how the relationship not only withstands the strains of the two drivers’ profession, it is strengthened by it. 

The next and perhaps most subtle element that contributes to the message of the photograph is the focus of the camera. The photographer chose to use a two shot that included both men in the photograph with a heavy focus on their persons, so that everything in the background is blurry and difficult to see. This is significant because the background being blurry is emblematic of how the things going on around these men are hardly significant to the relationship shared by the two drivers, despite the pressures that my come from cheering crowds, screaming engines, and the ever-looming reality of the threat to one’s own livelihood and life that the man in front of him represents. The heavy, yet equal focus on the bodies of the two men is symbolic of how each has an equally and largely significant role in the life of the other (ThGroomOfTheStool). The focus of the camera used to capture the image of these men is highly significant in helping to define the message of this image because it serves to show the strength of the connection between the two drivers so that the viewer might begin to grasp how such a friendship could be created in such an intense atmosphere. 

The final visual element used to help define the message of this piece is gaze, which serves to give the viewer further insight into what is occurring both directly and indirectly between these two men. Starting with the man on the left, his eyes are clearly fixated on the face of the fellow driver sitting next to him, while his companion appears to be looking off into space, but only in an effort to focus on his statement, which is evidence of his open mouth and his head leaning towards his fellow driver. It is also crucial to note that both men are smiling during their conversation, despite all that is occurring around them in the frenetic atmosphere of a racing paddock. This is important to the definition of the photograph’s meaning because it continues to show how both men have seemingly tuned out the chaotic and dangerous world that they reside in so that they might get the chance to have a light-hearted conversation with someone they care for (TheGroomOfTheStool). The photographer was very deliberate in the way he captured the two men together so that he might show the mutual respect that each driver has for an equally fierce competitor, while also examining the elements of friendship in order to allow the viewer to develop a greater understanding of how such a bond could be formed in spite of the circumstances pitting the two against one another.

This photograph of these two drivers serves to examine the true essence of the bond between these two men through the use of several visual elements so that the viewers might understand how friendships can be forged through competition. The photographer was able to use color scheme to show the symbolic nature of the scene in order to convey that the two men are brought closer by the commonality of their profession rather than being divided by it. The focus of the camera used to take this photograph is crucial in conveying the importance of each driver to the other, because despite the enormous pressures put on them by their occupation and the tumultuous environment that they have to inhabit, they inhabit it together. The gaze of the two drivers seeks to demonstrate the value each places on the other, as they are visually showing that they are devoting their valuable time to the other, which further shows the care they have for each other. In Conclusion, the use of color scheme, focus, and gaze were of paramount importance in demonstrating the strong relationship between these two fierce competitors so that the viewer would gain a greater understanding of the importance of having someone who understands the struggles and challenges that can only be known by those who face those very endeavors alongside them.   
