The American Political and Social Landscape through Visual Communication (EC Blog)

On Thursday, October 28, 2010, I attended a presentation in the Annenberg Auditorium in which photographers Nina Berman and Jon Lowenstein displayed their a series of photos detailing American life. Nina Berman(created the collection Homeland and Purple Hearts) focused focused on documenting the lives of injured veterans. She felt that the images presented in the media about the Iraq War failed to give Americans a clear picture of the conditions abroad.She often pictured the men alone in a domestic setting in order to show the transition from a "warrior" to a disabled veteran.Throughout the discussion of her presentation Berman discussed the importance of showing the ordinary lives of individuals. She appeals to the emotions of her audience yet does not wish to place her work into a category of being anti-war or pro-war.She draws attention to their scars and lost limbs and uses her interviews to show how their ideas about war and being a soldier have changed. Often the men remarked that they joined the army because their liked the adrenaline-rush or feeling like heroes. However, they felt they had been denied the truth. In AMST 252 we often discuss the use of propaganda by the government and institutions to condone war and violence.

Berman's photo of War Veteran marrying High School Sweetheart

Lowenstein's photo of Immigrant workers

Jon Lowenstein (creator of the collection called Shadow Lives USA) instead focused on displaying the lives of immigrants. He wanted to provide Americans with pictures that displayed both sides of the issue. He stated that often people are led to believe immigrants only come to the U.S. to work while many are motivated to leave due to social unrest and violence. He wanted to use his photos to encourage people to create a solution that will benefit both groups. Just as we have discussed in Writing 140, Lowenstein sees the imporatnt of not only appealing to emotion but also informing his audience.His photos showed the obstacles people go through trying to cross the border and their determination.He called his audience to realize that immigrants are also entitled to the pursuit of happiness.