On September 11, 2001, a few members associated with al-Qaeda hijacked four planes in the United States. Their targets were the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and The White House, both located in Washington, D.C.  Due to a few brave passengers who attacked the cockpit, the plane headed for The White House flipped over and crashed into a rural field in western Pennsylvania. In the entirety of the attack, over three thousand people were killed, including more than four hundred police officers and firefighters. Figure 1 is a photo taken by Todd Maisel of courageous firefighters, Todd Heaney and Frank DiLeo of Engine 209. They are carrying an injured firefighter from the rubble of the fallen tower on September 11, 2001 in New York City, NY.  There are a number of elements that contribute to the theme that figure 1 is portraying.  By looking at the combination usage of the elements, we see desperation displayed by the firefighters, which is important because it demonstrates how impactful the event of 9/11 really was on not only your every day average person, but the heroes who put their lives at risk every day.

First, there are not many colors to look at in the photograph. The dullness of the picture surrounding the firefighters really emphasizes the men themselves. They’re surrounded by varying shades of grey in not only the objects - the concrete, the vehicle, the rubble – but also because of the ash and smoke that was caused by the collapse of the towers that seems to be settling over everything.  Besides emphasizing the heroic men, the dull color can also be really drives home the sense of loss and depression for the viewer. Due to the amount of deceased after the terrorist attack, the color grey is a perfect representation of loss. Directly after the incident and even now, 9/11 has a very somber effect on American society. It has left many families, and our community as a whole, distraught.  It is also a bit ironic that white and grey are the colors that are casting the depression that this image conveys and not black or dark gray.  The color seems to be overwhelming, much like the tragedy itself.  

One of the things that stands out in the photo is the bright color of the stripes on the rescue worker’s jackets.  Since all of the other objects are varying shades of white and gray, the neon yellow stripes really pop out and catch the eye.  The bright stripes on the black jackets also seem to be symbolic where the fireman are the bright stripes and the blackness of the jackets are the tragedy.  The colors of this photo are important because they project the overall tone of despair that I believe the photographer is trying to portray. 

Next, the perspective of this specific photo is known as a long shot. The firefighters whole bodies are in the frame and the shot is focused on mostly them. The overwhelming white/gray, coupled with the amount of space and the large, white, fallen columns emphasizes the fireman in their dark jackets with their glowing stripes.  The isolation of the firefighters also makes you focus on the struggles that they are experiencing in this moment. Aside from saving the lives of others during this horrendous event, the men struggle to survive this catastrophe themselves, which this shot is really focusing on.  I believe it really shows that this disaster was so bad that our first responders, the people that save the lives of those that are in harm’s way and are struggling, are struggling themselves.  There is great significance to the way this shot was taken because it really displays the remoteness of these men in their time of need. For all of the brightness of the stripes on their jackets, they still seem to get lost in the shot due to the whiteness.  

Lastly, all of the men appear to be walking towards the viewer.   It gives us a sense of incompleteness because we don’t actually know who or what they are walking to.  In a few steps they would be out of the frame so there is no end to the story.  No ambulance or stretcher or medic.  And the fireman on the end, reaching out toward the viewer as if asking for assistance or support while the other two men are looking at the ground with their heads hanging low, as if they’re giving up and are helpless. They are hunched over and coated in ash.  It’s as if the disaster is settling directly on them and their body language and expressions are reflecting that.

It is important to understand how each of these elements alone has an impact on the viewer.  The color, the overabundance of white and gray, which makes the fireman seem smaller and makes them stand out due to the dark coats and neon stripes.  The perspective of the long shot of the photo that while it captures the entire image of the firefighters, still makes them seem small and hopeless next to the collapsed buildings and all-encompassing ash.  The lines of the photo don’t seem to have a beginning or an end, leaving us without closure for these men.  Each of those elements along contributes to the sadness of the situation.  When combined, all of these elements make the image even more impactful.

 