Pictures are a great way to bring back forgotten memories and familiarize yourself with what’s going on. A picture could have over a thousand meanings but you may only see a couple. These could include emotions, feelings, and messages. Recently there have been many protests due to the Ferguson incident. Photographers have been capturing these cultural moments in order to get a message to other people throughout the country. In the photographer’s image that I chose it is clear that there is a major problem that is affecting our community. Based on the image, police brutality seems to be hurting our people. Within the image I find that signs, body language, and the stylistic editing are used to get the photographers message across. The photographer is saying the black community needs help. The people who we see as our protection are the ones who are killing us.

Within the picture, the signs the people are holding up show what is affecting the community. The Ferguson is Everywhere sign is a demonstration of what the entire nation was feeling. Police brutality and murder was a major concern due to the fact that people of color were being killed by the police. These incidents are still affecting the world today. The Ferguson is Everywhere sign isn’t just limited to that time but police brutality and murder are still going on as we speak. The people in power have yet to cut down on this issue which is the reason for protesting. Previous incidents before this Ferguson protest are adding up. This picture was the result of people becoming more frightened. The bold letters that they wrote on their poster was an indication that this needs to be stopped immediately. The emotion that this word makes out to the viewer stresses the emotion of fear. Also the exclamation point stresses the emotion of anger. 

The main focus in the photographer’s photo is a young minority woman wearing a brown jacket with her hair tied and her hands up. I find it ironic that the main focus of the picture isn’t black. I feel as if the photographer is trying to point out that everyone is affected by this incident not just black people. The woman looks as if she is emotionally distraught. She has her head down angled towards the ground which is a sign of fear. The way her face looks and her hands are up indicating as if she has surrendered to having no control of the situation. When you look into her eyes you see pain, anger, and suffering. It looks as if tears are welding up into her eyes. The lighting in the picture is dim which adds to the sadness on her face. 

In the background you see many black women with their heads down however, they are not in focus. The black women you see are hurt which shows how serious the situation is. Also in the background you see different races of people. This implies that everyone is included and affected by police brutality. The blurred background helps you to focus on the main subject in the photograph. The photographer is trying to make you feel the same way she feels. The woman’s hands in the foreground are framing the sign in the background, which states that “Ferguson is everywhere; police brutality and murder.” This is central to the message of the picture because the hands are guiding you to what the woman is fighting for. This is a visual representation of what everyone is fighting for. Ultimately this shows how the people are coming together to stop the injustice of police brutality.

The stylistic editing plays a major role on how help is needed to stop police brutality. The dullness in the picture give’s the viewer a feeling of sadness. The darkness in the picture is solemn which points to the seriousness of the picture. However, there are a few light areas in the image. The woman’s hands are illuminated against the darkness of the picture. The brightness on the woman’s hands catches the viewer’s attention. Her hands once again guide you to the signs with the central message in the background which is the people’s reason for protesting.

The central message in this picture is that the black community needs help stopping police brutality. This problem is getting out of hand and this photograph is highlighting the issue. These four things are central to the message because they are what the photographer uses to grab the viewer’s attention. They also try to make you feel the emotions the picture is portraying. The photograph is a symbol of the central message that police brutality is affecting not only the black community but also the rest of the nation.
