American Photography

Watching this video really opened my eyes in regards to the role photography has played in shaping our society. In the past i have viewed photography as a form of art, but never the spark of social change. A photograph can convey so many things, it captures the emotion it sees through the view finder for eternity.
It can also let us have a glimpse of thinks that we would not be able to experience. It acts as a tool to shed light on the unknown or unexplained. Without it i feel that the world would be a different place. We all have those images that stick out in our heads. A photo is a physical representation, or the source of that. One thing that i found interesting was the fact that the digital camera was created to improve photography. The point was made that what do we compromise when we need "the memory." What history would be lost?
The photo that i chose is "V-J Day in Times Square," by Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14, 1945. It depicts the celebration at the end of WWII. There is a bit of mystery surrounding this photo. There was so much action going on and so many photos being taken that Eisenstaedt forgot to get the names of the two, and there identities remained a mystery. The reason that i chose it was that even during a time of great world strife when it was all said and done our military does so much for us that we need to show them our appreciation and gratitude for the service and protection they provide for us.