American society is in a time where people's voices can be heard from anywhere. Social media has taken over the world, but mostly in the United States where a simple tweet can lead to a nation wide outcry. Lately, the most important issues within American society and social media alike has been the unjust treatment, by law enforcement of the Black community. African American people feel they are targeted by law enforcement simply because of the color of their skin while law enforcement denies those claims yet continues to murder black men in cold blood. Both sides stand behind their arguments which makes this situation very tense. If you are not part of either community it is difficult to pick a side. On one hand, African American men are being killed by police for no seemingly no reason while on the other hand, the people who keep us safe say that these men gave them reason to be shot. Video evidence on social media makes the cops out to be cold blooded killers, but it seems the situation is too murky to be resolved peacefully. In the picture I have chosen to analyze, you are put in the middle of this situation and can understand what's going on without any words. The visual text of the image takes you inside the scene by using various visual elements. 

The compositional elements within the image make you focus on the center of the image. The movement of the police officers combined with the still calmness of the women create a centerpiece you are immediately drawn to at first sight. What creates such a centerpiece driven photo are the lines on the exterior of the picture that draw your eyes to the commotion in the middle. The police officers standing in a line formation do not generate any focus but they do direct your attention to the middle. In combination with the lines, the shapes also make you focus on the center of the image. On the frame of the image there are a lot of flat, two dimensional objects, while in the center of the picture it is only three dimensional figures that are in a tense situation. 

When the audience looks at this picture they can tell it's in the middle of action. Once you look at the image you can see the dominant figures in dark clothing that stand out due to the light, straight background. The proximity of the action captures you right away. The background is completely still objects and straight lines. There are so many officers lined up that all look the same that the repetition of them add to the suspense in the middle. The plainness outside the center in the image adds to the techniques to capture your attention. In the middle, there are heavily armored police officers that are reaching out for a woman who is very peaceful. The woman's posture resembles a heavenly pose which adds to the dramatic nature of this image. Her heavenly poster is a symbol that adds a dramatic reaction to the image. It almost doesn't seem real because of the difference in body language between the people in the middle. The mystery behind the action is why the center of the image stands out instantly.

 The visual elements portray the overall theme and message of the picture. This image is meant to give the audience a look into an important moment without any sub text yet give you an understanding of what is happening. The lines, shape, and form all contribute to getting the meaning of the image across to the audience. These elements make the image easier to understand. No subtext is needed to give the audience an impression of what's going on because they can tell that it is the most important part of the picture. The visual text also works by combining the image with symbolic references. There are holy connotations with the woman and Jesus because of the peacefulness of their posture in the face of an enemy. There is a deeper meaning to this image which makes the overall message even more interesting.

We are in a time in society where race is a very delicate topic. Many people are split on the issues between police and the african american community and the nation seems divided because of race. This image takes you to the middle of the tension from this issue. The compositional elements within the image make you focus on the tension in the photo. The plain background shines light of the middle of the picture and adds more drama to the action. When the audience looks at this picture they can tell how tense this situation is. The heavily armed police officers add a lot of weight to the intensity of the picture. The contrast between the officers and the peaceful woman also adds to the drama. Overall, this image does an impressive job of encapsulating such an intense moment without using any words to describe what is going on. You can see into the divide between races in America in just one photo. 