Keith Haring once said “There are some images that I will only use once, and not use again because they don't seem to really hit the nail right on the head, but there are some which are so strong they have to be reduced; sometimes just reusing them makes them stronger.” Johnathan Bochman’s photo of a protester at a Black Lives Matter protest following the shooting death of Alton Sterling is just that type of photo of which Haring spoke. Originally just another photo for the news agency Reuters, the photo has become a central and pivotal photo for the Black Lives Matter movement and the more overarching movement to end police brutality. As it has been shared and reprinted over and over again, it has only served to become more moving and powerful. It perfectly captures the feeling of isolation and stacked odds felt by so many black Americans. Even the perfectly placed crack on the ground, which would have been covered milliseconds before Bochman took his photo, shows the divide and isolation. The location of the photographer, the juxtaposition between the dress of the officers versus that of the protester, and the arrangement of difference in numbers on each side all work together to clearly further the support of  the protester that we can only assume photographer Johnathan Bochman has by sharing the photograph.

The first component of this photo that furthers a message is the side location of the photographer. This angle provides for a very defined jaw line on the subject, evoking a sense of power and grace. Also, the side angle makes the subject look as thin as possible, which makes Schuster 2Schuster 2her seem more innocent and helpless. As a viewer, it is impossible to look at this slender, graceful woman standing alone against two larger men coming to grab her without sharing in some of the fear and suspense of the situation. Even possibly more important, for all we know there might be one, ten, even a hundred people standing behind the protester, but the scope of the lens makes that completely irrelevant because all we see is the lone woman standing up in the face of overwhelming odds.

Another extremely important factor of this photo is contrast, specifically between the dress of the police officers and the protester. Compared to their imposing full riot gear, the protester appears almost naked with her dress flowing in the wind. This juxtaposition only plays into the message that the photo seems to emanate of black Americans facing odds that are stacked against them. Furthermore, the contrast of these two factors successfully draws our attention as viewers to the subject of the photograph, which of course is the protester about to be arrested. Another contrast in their dress is the full body, matte black gear of the officers versus the patterned and designed cut out dress of the protester. The matte black armour seems to represent a stern, all encompassing power working against the fight for freedom and equality, respectively personified by the beautiful flowing dress worn by the protester.

Contrast continues to be an encompassing factor of this photo in the arrangement of the entire composition. For one thing, the arrangement of the body position of the protester is upright, calm, and powerful, while the police officers are caught in a moment of urgency. It almost appears that the officers are being blown back by the mere presence of the protester. While surely unintentional and very ironic due to the obvious fact that the protester lacks any control of the situation, I think this accidental factor of the photo actually only furthers the message that it is used for. Isolated and against impossible odds, the subject is still pictured as a Schuster 3Schuster 3powerful one as she calmly stands in the face of her oppressors, and they seem to be literally blown away by it. Another big contrast in the arrangement of the photo is clearly exemplified in the separation caused by the crack in the road, just being crossed by the officer further away from the photographer. On one side there are the two arresting officers, backed by a wall of similarly clad officers that actually manage to almost black out an entire section of the photo. Conversely, on the other side there is only the lone protester, backed by naught but an empty, well lit cracked road. The symbolism in this could not be more clear if there were a sign laying it out. The brave, lone protester stands in the face of impossible odds, elegant and strong. Whether on purpose or not, this factor alone has been key in making Bochman’s photo such an instrumental one in the furthering of the Black Lives Matter movement. This arrangement makes the protester a martyr and symbol of power for the movement. 


The photographers placement, the contrast in dress of the officers and protester, and the arrangement of difference in the numbers on each different side of a crack just in front of the subject all work together to clearly further a stance siding with the Black Lives Matter movement and the movement to end police brutality. It has been compared to the likes of “Tank Man” from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. This is rightfully so as it perfectly captures the struggle of it’s intended audience just as “Tank Man” once did. Taken completely on a whim, Bochman’s photograph which was originally just another photo for Reuters has turned into a nationally and internationally cited source of injustice in today’s America. With so many factors working together to create the power that viewers see in it, Bochman’s photo is undoubtedly one of those images that Keith Haring once spoke of that “hits the nail right on the head,” and only becomes stronger with each recreation and viewing. 