 Even as science continues to evolve, there is likely no end to man’s conquest of what happens after death. The photographer captures this photo to illustrate the presence that the eternal world has on man kind’s journey. This message is shown through careful placement of light beams, composition of the photograph, the relative size of the humans, the shape of the structure, and also through the use of line direction and shape. These characteristics offer a unique metaphor of life’s journey in comparison to the explorer’s in the photo’s journey.

The position of the light is the first thing to notice when analyzing this photograph. The beams of light pop into the observer of this photo’s eyes immediately to give the illusion of some higher power. This is made possible by the light starting outside of the photo from some infinite sky and continuing all the way to the floor of the climbers. This is important because it captures the four main climbers in its light. Being a part of this illumination places the climbers into something greater than themselves. It emphasizes that through whatever struggles they have gone through to get to this point, they are being watched over. Although having clearly not reached the finally to their journey as they look out in the distance, the light shows that despite not being finished they are still being protected. 

The photo is clearly divided horizontally from bottom to top with intent. From bottom to top the picture is separated between hell, earth, and heaven. Appearing as a barren landscape left far behind by the climbers, hell is represented to show the struggle they have left behind. With no light permeating to this portion of the photo it gives the impression that there will be no protection here. This plays to the photographer’s theme of using the divine to influence the journey by describing hell, or a rough patch as a place to get out of using heavenly strength. Shifting to the middle third shows earth as human’s know it. Relatively flat and full of emotion as shown by the human’s staggered positions. This middle ground underlines the choice that humans have during their journey on earth between good and evil. The upper level of the photo can best be described as heavenly. Since the area “above” earth is reserved for this higher level of being the upper third is reserved for wonder. The capturing of this photo allowed for a perfect transition of the three zones of life and the afterlife showing the journey a human can take when influenced by spiritual motives. 

The humans themselves are sized rather minutely given the large scale of the photograph. The photographer is conveying that humans aren’t as important as they think they are. As though the photographer is aware humans think they are the whole universe he places them in the center; but as a reminder of nature and the unseen’s presence he dilutes their size to create characters with unrecognizable features. This dilution impacts the picture by showing it is less about humans and more about outside influence. It is easy to think that humans are in control of their own destiny but the photographer wishes to contradict this by shaping the humans as they do. They offer an explanation that the divine world around them is created and shaped through other influences that are much larger, not only in the picture but in life’s journey as well. 

The rock carved structure seems anything but man-made. It reaches high above the ground with swooping curves allowing the light to be captured on camera. Sprouting from the ground it shapes to reveal an opening. The photographer shapes the curved gateway to chart the path of its explorers. In a broader sense it reveals the journey they have taken and all humans will take in life. All in order to be presented before the gate. As the struggles of their expedition are behind them their sole focus is on their finish line. This great archway reveals a world unseen and unknowable to the camera similar to how heaven is received here on earth. The photographer leaves this trail of mystery in order to teach not about the finish of life but about its journey toward success every single day. 

The photographer does a fantastic job of capturing the perfect line structure throughout the photo. The long diagonals of the lights shape perfectly onto the subject of the image. These lines trace the reader’s eyes directly toward the humans and also away from the rather dull edges. By tracing the reader to these people it shows an immediate attempt by the photographer to associate the explorer’s with more than just their struggle to get to where they are. It is clear the intent is to associate them with the pure light upon them. The lines that make up the structure which is the cave are jagged and impossible to predict. The same can be said for the imperfect and plentiful rocks behind the travelers. It is these lines that show life’s not so smooth moments. These lines are in contrast to the rather perfect and soft lines of the light to display an awareness of life’s struggles. 

The inspiration of life is not found in its conclusion or reward but in the struggle to find it. By framing the conclusion of cave exploration, the photographer creates his theme of how divinity can shape our lives and shape someone into a better person through an imperfect journey. The photographer does this by shedding singular beams of light into an other wise dark image. They then compose the photograph brilliantly to compare and contrast heaven and hell. Humans are made to seem meek when compared to the natural world based on the distance of the photograph. The shape of the cave is photographed to represent different aspects of the journey and finally the use of line direction and width plays an important part in shaping the photograph. 