The famous sailor kiss, a picture I have always admired. A picture that represents many different feelings and stands for so much more than just what meets the eye. A picture that illustrates freedom, peace, love and unity, one that represents a life changing moment in history. Seventy years ago in September in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese came aboard the USS Missouri and surrendered to the United States, signifying World War II was over. News had broken earlier about this and on August 14th, 1945 this famous photograph was taken in the middle of Times Square in New York City. Caught in the middle of celebration and joy, Alfred Eisenstaedt captured this famous kiss, between a sailor and a nurse, for Life magazine. This moment has become one of the most famous war photographs of all time because it truly captures what the end of the war felt like.  By looking at the gaze, color and focal point in the photograph, we see the importance of this monumental event which shows us how everyone felt about the history being made.

The gaze is something so powerful in this image, that truly stands out. The sailor and the nurse are engaging in reciprocal gaze. It shows the power behind this kiss, so much is going on in the world and in the background but for just a few seconds the gaze is so strong and so real and focused between the two people. It signifies the passion and joy everyone was feeling because of the world changing news that just broke out. By looking at this photograph you would have no idea that these two people didn’t know each other, the photographer didn’t catch their names and it was a mystery for years who the famous sailor and nurse couple were. It turned out that they did not know each other at all and George Mendonsa, the sailor in the photograph, was wrapped up in excitement and jubilance and swept a random woman dressed as a nurse off her feet. The way the camera captures the gaze they are holding shows passion. The crowded city streets shown in the background show all of the faces of how the United States feels tremendous joy. The way this photograph was captured shows how peace is reigning again for the first time in years. The color combined with the gaze explains the emotions that were felt in this moment. 

The swept off her feet kiss was a brief and impromptu encounter with only heightened emotions as an explanation for it. The black and white works very well for this photograph because the primary focus is the emotions that the world felt in this moment. Color could have taken away from the ultimate theme and goal for the photograph and what it was meant to capture. Based on the time period this photograph was taken, color photography was not an option, so the black and white is standard and traditional however if it was in color it would have had a different feel and meaning. Black is a color for power and independence and white is freedom and peace. All of these feelings are encompassed in the photograph based on the news, this is what the country is feeling. Black stands for the end, but with the end comes a new beginning. With the war ending and the country being flooded with peace and joy, the bad ending is now turning into this new beginning captured in the photograph. White highlights what is important and in the image above the couple in the background there is a flood of light, symbolizing a new beginning and that there is light and brightness and hope to look forward to. The black and white photograph shows the timeless association with the image. The moment captured in the image shown through the color as well as the focus is one that will forever be important in history, it is timeless. 

The way the camera is focused on this kiss and this particular couple speaks volumes for what the photographers vision was for this photograph. The focal point is this incredible “swept off her feet” kiss that was caught in the moment of joy and excitement from all in Times Square. The photograph is known as “The Kiss” and it has become famous because it truly encompasses the exact feelings these people felt when they found out the news. While in person this encounter taking place in the photo was not where all the attention was, this is a small glimpse and just one instance of true joy, this was happening all over with thousands of people. However, the photograph all of the attention is just on this one couple. Why wouldn’t the photographer capture multiple people at once to really showcase the feelings of all during this moment? I think the purpose of focusing on just one kiss, was to show the true, raw, and genuine feeling taking place. 

The focal point being this kiss, helps to understand the meaning of the picture and that was to capture how people took this just released news. The photographer did this by angling the camera directly on the couple up close, making the background stand out less and the kiss stand out more. 

Through the elements of gaze, color and focal point, the viewers of the photographer get an inside look at the emotions felt after release of news that the Japanese surrendered and World War II was over. The different elements contribute and lend a hand to the photograph being timeless. This was the photographers ultimate goal, to have a photograph truly show how it felt. This photograph was a cherished reminder of how it felt for the war to be over and the gaze, color and focal point help to illustrate that. This incredible moment in history is captured in a powerful, genuine way and anyone who sees this photograph will forever be reminded of the world changing news and the peace, comfort and joy brought back to our country. 

