Dear friend,
In a class, fifty-some years ago the topic of a tribe that believed that being photographed steals ‘part of your soul’ was broached. We had a good laugh and it became a running joke for the semester.
Today, my opinion has flipped 180 degrees; I think they were on to something.
There can be a part of you in a powerful photograph.
What it is, I do not know. But it is there.
Adding to that, I was shot in the face RVN 1969, so I carry a lot of baggage looking at that photo. (NOTE: I firmly believe the bullet first struck the earth before hitting me. The back of my head is still here and working well.)
Because we live in a safe and comfortable country, few of us have experienced such violence. Most have only experienced the fake/synthetic violence of TV-movies.
Ever see a movie where after the shoot out, the character exits the hospital with a permanent tracheostomy tube and colostomy bag...?
Because we all have different histories, a powerful photo is like a Rorschach image; we see different things.
About this photo and others like it? Don’t know.
It does not appear to diminish the officers?
I see “Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver and repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat. “
I see bravery, fortitude, strength.
And looking makes my hands sweat, HR up...
No real answer about the photo, just my opinion.
Interesting and good first person post.
Photos can and do bring up memories, or better said pictures of our own experiences which flash through our minds.... because what we see as we walk through life we see through our brains.