In this image a large group of Pakistani people are in a mob/protest that is clearly against the United States, most likely relating to the U.S.'s use of Pakistan in conducting its war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. This is known because at the center of the group is a large, upside down American flag being burned and the surrounding individuals cheering in support.
Within this crowd are numerous cameras and video recorders capturing the flag burning, showing that the act is being done not for the individuals at the event but for the effect it will have on the individuals watching its portrayal through video, photos and news. If this image was not broadcast, then it would have a limited effect as its message would be only conveyed to those who already support the group's cause. However, by taping it and broadcasting it, it can be viewed by a larger audience and have a recruiting effect.
In other words, without the cameras the event is insignificant and ineffective but with the cameras it becomes a successful publicity stunt.
If the image was a close up of the burning flag, it would still have a powerful effect, but its context would be lost. Seeing the group who is burning the flag puts the image into the international context of terrorism and thus makes it both more relevant and more powerful.
This image has taught me how an event is effected by the use of mass media. Because of mass media, a simple isolated act can gain national, and...
The photo was taken on November 20, 2000 in New York City.
This image captures the connection between young people and name brands because it shows young people leaving a name brand store carrying name brand logos and, in all likelihood, wearing name brand clothing. Thus, everything in the picture is connected, all leading back to the looming brand in the background.
Interestingly, the girls and the models seem to be polar opposites, giving the suggestion that the power of a name brand is with its "promise" to make one more fashionable, like the people found in the windows.
The photographer choose this moment to take the picture because it provides both contrast (between the shoppers and the models) and a connection (between the shoppers, the store and the merchandise). It also brings in the Holiday concept, a time that has become synonymous with buying name brand goods.
The effect of having the girls walk in front of the sign with Gap merchandise is again to show the connection, and the power, name brands have on our psyche. The store looms like a god-like figure and the shoppers dutifully taking away the goods, hoping to become more god-like.
This image has taught me the connection, and the power, that name brand corporations have on influencing our purchasing and spending habits.
