War Photographer Flashcards
Dark room
Place of tranquility and peace. Safe from the dangers of the other half of his work
Alone
Photographer is an outsider, he floats between both worlds
Spools of suffering
Harsh ‘s’ reminds us of the harsh world he works in. Personification, the spools aren’t suffering but the images that they hold are of suffering, idea that the spools being the suffering to life once developed
Ordered rows
Photographer is trying to make sense of things. Spools are compared to soldiers - dead or alive - as they are set out in ordered rows. Idea of mass graves
Light is red
Idea that the room is lit like a church (sanctuary lamp). Connotations of blood
Softly glows
Tranquility and peace - not a harsh light
Church
Poet compares the environment of the dark room to the inside of a church - suggests that it’s an important place or a place of quiet where you reflect
Priest
Idea of a priest saying a mass in a changing/preaching tone for effect and praise. In the similar way a priest prepares for a funeral mass by remembering the dead so too does the photographer remember those who died in his photographs
Mass
Emphasises how important his job is. His job provides a service to society. Process of developing these images is compared to a religious ceremony. Despite war being a contradiction to the teachings of the church
Belfast, Beirut, Phnom Penh
Shows extent of unrest in the world. Alliteration - idea of camera winding on and images go past as he remembers them
All flesh is grass
Metaphor from Old Testament. Life is short and even shorter in war zones he visits
He has a job to do
Short sentence structure - he is professional. Puts his feeling aside to take a good photograph. Breaks the calm of the dark room
Solutions slop in trays
Sound of the work makes us feel like we are there. Literal developing in the tray suggests idea of solving the political problems which cause war. Solutions which he doesn’t have of course
Hands which did not tremble then though seem to now
Contrast between the calmness when taking the photo to his panic state when developing them
Rural England
Now working in a familiar part of the world. Idyllic setting. Idea that England is peaceful with beautiful countryside and is pure. Comparison with chaos of war.
Ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel
Struggling to adapt back to normal life after witnessing such horror. Our problems are little in comparison. Can be improved be good weather.
Explode
Contrasts with the quiet and solitude of dark room and tranquility of England
Running children in a nightmare heat
Emotive shocking image. Innocent always suffer more. Children’s feet instead of soldiers making it more effective as children are more vulnerable. Emphasises the danger of the places he’s visited. Young and innocent are unsafe
Something is happening
Injects suspense. The image is gradually appearing as the photo develops. Created tension and anticipation due to short sentence
Ghost
Ambiguous. Suggests the faint image emerging and that the man in the photo is dead.
He remembers the cries
Incident haunts him. Recalls the reaction of the wife seeing her husband die. Shocking and highlights the consequences of war. Reliving the traumatising memories. Shows effects of war on the dead and living.
How he sought approval without words
Remembers taking picture without asking. Morally questionable? Necessary to spread the awareness
Stained
Blood leaves mark on ground when dried. Eternal mark on memory of photographer. Never forget the image of the dead. Ingrained in his mind.
Foreign dust
Emphasises troubles happening elsewhere. We will forget troubles because they aren’t ours. Blood is cheap in these places and is spiller often.
Agonies
Demonstrates the effects of war on people’s lives. Shows the suffering and pain caused by violence.
Black and white
Ambiguous. Could refer to the black and white images just developed. Could refer to black and white as a symbol for good and evil. Seems to be suggesting the importance of telling the truth in black and white
Sunday’s supplement
Suggests that the pictures are viewed as secondary importance and aren’t significant enough to make main headlines. Not interesting enough to the reader
Between the bath and pre lunch beers
Cynical tone. Suggesting that although the images may evoke some sympathy it is short lived. Suggests the selfishness and the absorption of society as these people’s suffering is not as important as their pre lunch beers.
He earns his living and they do not care
Sense of pointlessness as the photographer leaves on another assignment knowing well people don’t care about his images. Feeling of sympathy and admiration for the photographer as he continues to share the suffering despite the lack of compassion of society
