Photojournalism (The Execution)

Describe the difference between the video footage and the photograph of the Execution.

In my opinion the major difference between video and still image is that a still image will stick in your mind. It leaves you guessing, wondering what happened next. The Execution, taken by Eddie Adams during the Vietnam War, is a perfect example of such a feeling. We can see a Vietnamese general executing a prisoner, we cannot tell if he has shot, is shooting, or just threatening the man and so we are left to imagine this ourselves. Yet there was also a video reel shot of the moment, this showed the general execute him on sight, which not only ends all curiosity we may have had from the still image, but condemned the man for the rest of his life, forcing him to retire from his post. I guess in a way you could say that still image causes more controversy as a human mind without conclusive evidence will imagine endless possibilities, and due to this an uproar is much more likely. Another example of this is Thomas Hoepker's photo of a group of people appearing to relax as the Twin Towers burn behind them, this is similar as a video reel would have shown the people's emotions and body language over a period of time and not just a single moment that condemned them as much as this Vietnamese general.

Earlier I mentioned the creation of possibility through still image, photographers will always attempt to eliminate this by capturing the "decisive moment". This is the definition of a "perfect" picture, with a definite meaning. In my opinion this particular picture, The Execution, was taken seconds too early to capture said "decisive moment" as I think there are still too many possible outcomes from this image. Unbeknownst to the audience that would have viewed this picture the victim was shot dead seconds later, and if he had been falling to the ground,  still in shot then that would have been a perfect shot, again in my opinion.

Photojournalism (War Photography)

 Robert Capa/Tony Viccaro

• Describe the different circumstances that these photographers experienced as Photojournalists in WW2 
• Find and upload to your blog some work of theirs

As war photographers, Tony Vaccaro and Robert Capa experienced some of the worst possible situations of their time. However they worked for different publishers, Vaccaro for the military and Capa for Life Magazine. Due to this the images each man produced were censored separately, Vaccaro was not permitted to publish images of dead or dying Allied soldier as it was not appropriate propaganda. Capa was restricted by the same issue, but not to the extent that the pictures were destroyed like Vaccaro's were. Both men put their lives on the line to bring to the public an accurate representation of the war, opening many people's eyes to the horrors their fellow countrymen went through to keep them safe. In my opinion without the images they brought back, we would not have as good an understanding of WW2 as we do in current times. As a frontline soldier Vaccaro was closer to the action than Capa, and so found a lot more graphic images, not to say that Capa was a coward. As he is widely regarded as the bravest professional photographer of his time. Yet he was able to select the battles he documented, often choosing the more "glamourous" ones, a perfect of example this is he was once quoted to say "war is romantic." To me this shows his complete lack of knowledge on the subject. To watch millions die on the battlefield and then come out with a statement like that. I can assure you Vaccaro would never have said such a thing.