Most Iconic Political Image- Matt

Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima would be ranked for Americans as the most iconic political photographs ever taken. Notice how I mentioned it to being applicable to Americans only. Different cultures have different histories, making for different ideas about iconic images. This image was taken near the very end of World War 2 by a man named Rosenthal. It was actually the second incarnation, as the first flag raising that day did not create an adequate photo. The purpose of the image is to display American Courage, and perhaps no photograph displays this more than this image. The image involves six men, half of which were killed in the skirmishes that followed. 

The flag sits nearly alone in the sky, taking up a considerable portion and lying directly in the center of the photo. The flag itself is the first thing that will catch your eye, and it will follow the flag down to the soldiers. The sky is grey and desolate but the flag stands proud. Because the shot is taken while the flag is sending, it is not lying at a 90 degree angle, more like a 50 degree angle. That’s because this image is supposed to represent that these men were trying to show the world America’s power, but that it was a work in progress. By having an action shot it creates movement and a storyline; will these men live? This image won the Pulitzer Price the same year it was published because it so accurately describes America. People can latch onto this image because it is so iconic.

I’m resistant to call this image documentary photography because it was staged. This was meant to show the power of America, although it does accurately depict the scene; it lacks any pictorial features and instead is a clear images. That’s why if I had to classify this iconic image Documentary would be the closest.