
Certain visual texts convey ideas that transcend time, race, religion and class. They inspire generations of people by expressing what words never could. Capturing an image with the ideal context and people at the ideal time, does more than any written text ever could. While written texts often struggle to quickly and powerfully evoke a reaction from the reader, visual texts immediately convey powerful emotions and thoughts. The classic saying, "A picture's worth a thousand words" is an understatement. The most moving and powerful images explain more about the human condition than the most eloquent and well-written stories could ever hope to. The photo of a Russian soldier before the Battle of Kursk uses juxtaposition, symbolism and cropping in order to show the effects of war on individuals and society as a whole. 

The use of juxtaposition is obvious in this photo. There is a clear contrast between the soldier in the foreground and the blurred soldier in the background. (Karapetyan-Milshtein). This is used in order highlight the different emotions felt by the two soldiers. The soldier in the front appears nervous and worried. His facial expression is solemn and intense. The cross in his hand makes one believe the soldier is praying, perhaps asking God to make his death swift and easy. Staring into oblivion, his eyes search for any glimmer of hope that peace could prevail. The soldier finds none, and at this moment the hopelessness of war becomes excruciatingly clear. The soldier finds no hope nor peace and has no other option but prayer. Conversely, the soldier in the background is determined and not afraid. This soldier doesn't seem to mind the fact that these moments could be his last. He is not focusing on the possibility of death, but rather the possibility of life. His eyes are not searching for hope in hopeless situation. Rather, he's searching for an answer to the challenge at hand. In this picture an obvious correspondence to our natural reactions of fight or flight are displayed. The soldier in the foreground would rather run than fight the enemy, while the solider in the background feels the opposite way. While neither attitude is wrong nor right, we as humans, are forced to chose one or the other. In this image, juxtaposition is used perfectly to detail how stressful situations in life, like war, affect different individuals differently.

The symbolism of the cross is one of the main focuses of the image. The soldier is holding a cross attached to a chain in his right hand. (Karapetyan-Milshtein). The Christian cross represents many different things to different people. The image automatically becomes relatable for religious viewers as they may recall a time in their life when they had nothing to lean on but their faith. During these intense situations, people tend to grow stronger in their beliefs. In life, challenges force people to grow and become stronger. The challenge of war is one of the most intense challenges in the world and drives people to become deeper in their faith. The cross not only causes the image to be more relatable, but also conveys certain emotions to religious viewers. Feelings of hope and optimism emerge, which allows the viewer to feel more involved in the image. If the viewer is not religious, the cross gives insight into importance of faith to the subject. It gives the viewer a glimpse into what's truly important in the subject's life. In what may be his last moment alive, the subject prays which emphasizes how impactful religion has been in the his life. Coloring is also used to convey symbols. Not only is the cross in the middle of the image, but it's also the stands out because it seems to be shining. While everything else is black and white, the cross quite literally, symbolizes a glimmer of hope (Karapetyan-Milshtein). Through connotation and imagery, the cross symbolizes feelings of hope and optimism in a situation surrounded by despair and hopelessness. 

The cropping of the photo is used effectively in order to draw attention to the soldier in the foreground. Cropping the image so only two soldiers are visible and only one is in focus, allows for a more personal experience for the viewer. (Karapetyan-Milshtein). Solely focusing on one person immediately allows for the viewer to view the subject as a human being rather than just a person in a picture. Facial expressions and minute details are brought into the spotlight by cropping. Only allowing the viewer to see the image in this way gives the photographer more power over what the viewer thinks. If this were a wide shot of many soldiers, the photographer couldn't control what the viewer is seeing, and certain aspects would be lost. The details of the soldiers face as well as his emotions wouldn't have been captured as accurately, therefore diminishing the raw emotional connection between viewer and subject. By cropping the image, the photographer is able to control what the viewer sees, and in what light they see it. 

This image is extremely powerful and moving. It shows viewers what real fear is. More likely than not, it shows a man's last moments before death. It forces the viewer to imagine themselves in that situation and how that could feel. What emotions are running through the subject's mind at this time? Fear, hope, anger? Is he reminiscing to happier times, or is he just hoping to get through the moment. This image forces us to think about what it could be like realizing death is upon us. It forces us to visit a reality we don't want to visit. It forces us to uncomfortable place. It forces us inside the soul of a man who will soon perish for a cause greater than himself, the salvation of the free world. 

