A picture is worth a thousand words.  Everyone has heard this phrase at least once in his or her lifetime, but what does it actually mean?  Images have a deeper meaning than what seems to be predominant on the surface; images can provoke ideas, thoughts, and even emotions in the viewers mind.  In the photo series “Ferguson, Uncensored” by Tim Dickinson, motifs are heavily prevalent just beyond the surface of the picture; these are used to subtly convey the theme of innocence perceived throughout the entire work.

In “No Tears,” a small child still young enough to be carried, can be seen masking her face with a rag.  This visual text may function differently when placed in a different situation.  For example, when taken out of context, nothing about this image screams wrongdoing or police brutality. The calm look on her face makes it seem as if nothing is wrong and she is simply holding a blanket to keep her warm while she is outside observing something in front of her; but when taken in the context of “Ferguson, Uncensored,” the meaning behind the picture changes drastically. 

The child seen in the picture is shielding her face with a cloth in order to protect herself from tear gas being fired by police.  The focus of this picture is clearly the child’s face, as it is the only in-focus object illuminated within the frame.  By allowing the viewer to concentrate on the subject’s face, it allows one to connect on an emotional level through her facial expression and the cold look in her eyes.  As the child covers her mouth and nose with a white cloth, she serenely gazes off into the darkness that surrounds her, provoking feelings that she is trapped in this situation with no where to escape.  Other images such as, “Smoke in the Streets” and “Protected,” relay the common themes of being alone and self-protection through depictions of being surrounded by darkness and being alone.  “No Tears” depicts the regular occurrences that citizens of Ferguson Country must live with.   The blank stare on the girls face demonstrates her immunity to the constant chaos surrounding her, rendering her emotionless to the events unfolding in front of her.  Children are constantly molding to the environment that surrounds them and who they become depends on how they are raised by others, making the embodiment of true innocence.   Innocent civilians being mistreated are a common theme in Tim Dickinson’s work; the abuse of this child contributes to this theme in “Ferguson Uncensored.”  

The visual text in this image is directed towards citizens who do not realize the impacts of these events, specifically showing law enforcement officers the trail of destruction they left behind.  Tim Dickinson, a journalist, published “Ferguson Uncensored” in hopes of spreading awareness of the tragedies taken place in Ferguson, Missouri.  By displaying a child shielding herself from tear gas that had been fired by police officers, which are supposed to be protecting and serving the public, Dickinson paints a picture in the viewer’s mind that more harm than good has come out of this situation. This image appeals to the viewer’s emotions through forcing feelings of sorrow and rage. Under no circumstances should a police officer be firing tear gas at innocent children.  The viewer is left feeling bad for this child, while also angry at the fact that she has been put through such terrible endeavors.  This picture symbolizes the many harmless citizens of Ferguson being deeply impacted by the intense and unnecessary tactics of police officers.  

The title, “No Tears,” functions as a double meaning in the visual text.  The child must, literally, shield her face from the tear gas, while also she must stay strong mentally during this emotional time in her life.  A child’s instinct is to cry in times of danger and stress. By showing a toddler who has held herself together in a time of extreme tension, combined with the title, “No Tears,” the battle of emotions within the image is felt.  This image is designed to bring about feelings of sorrow and grief for this child who has just been put through extreme measures at a young age, for seemingly no reason.  Not only does the image depict citizens of Ferguson as the victims, but police as the criminals.  The situation demands the viewer to pick a side, to be with or against the police.  The caption states, “A child uses a rag to shield her face from tear gas being fired by police on August 11th, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.”  By portraying police officers firing tear gas at innocent children, the police morph from the protector, to the enemy.

There are unstated assumptions of the argument that the image brings about.  First of all, it is assumed because of her young age that the child is innocent and has done nothing to deserve tear gas.  Furthermore, due to her facial expression, it is safe to say that she has been through similar experiences prior to this occasion.  She can be seen quietly observing the events that unfold in front of her without shedding a tear or questioning what is occurring. 

In Tim Dickinson’s “Ferguson Uncensored,” a series of pictures clearly depicts the events that took place during the Ferguson, Missouri riots.  The images display the harsh tactics of police officers attempting to settle down riots, while at the same time inflicting punishment on innocent civilians.  By displaying the emotionless face of an un-phased child who has been forced to cover her mouth and nose with a cloth, the image leads the viewer to come to a conclusion that contributes to Dickinson’s motif of police unjustly endangering innocent civilians.  
