Visual images are one of the biggest influences on the way we can perceive the world around us. The commercial is one of the most prolific form of communication. Both advertisers and journalists utilize images and photographs to help shape the opinion of the people they are exposed to.
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| Photo Source:http://100photos.time.com/photos/sergeant-ivan-frederick-hooded-man |
An example of this is the journalistic photo of "The Hooded Man, an Iraqi man being detained by U.S. troops in the Iraq War. In 2003, Sergeant Ivan Fredrick took this photo of a man being tortured by U.S. troops in the Abu Ghraib prison. The photo was one of many cruel photos take by U.S. soldiers torturing, humiliating, and harming imprisoned Iraqis. This photo was featured prominently in mainstream media, evoking a lot of different emotions from the people who viewed it. Similar to the "Napalm Girl" photo, this one shows the harm that is done to the other side during wars. Without getting into controversies of the war itself, this image evokes feelings of the brutality and violence both sides, including the United States, commits in war. The man in the hood is being stripped of any humanity or individuality he may have had by being covered up by a hood and striped of his clothes. He is being inhumanely tortured, and conjures up feelings of remorse to the people in the Middle-East that some people may have never considered. He is standing on a box, being forced to balance himself in fear of being shocked by the wires inserted into his body. He is also in a Christlike pose, which is eerie in itself, as it is clear he was being mocked by the people in charge. You cannot help but feel remorse and pity for this human being treated as anything but that.
Another example of images that evoke emotions and sell a certain worldview is this advertisement by Pedigree, focusing on dog adoption. While more of a light image than the previous "Hooded Man", it evokes emotion in a similar way. Obviously, adopting dogs is a a good thing to do, and this advertisement definitely conveys how it benefits both the dog and owner. The man's life in the first image is a solitary one, with just him enjoying the view of the ocean. In the next image, he has a faithful canine companion, and shows just how much dogs can really improve our lives. Adoption gives the dog a place to call home and an owner who loves him, and gives the owner a friend who will love them unconditionally. This ad is certainly effective in conveying the message and worldview that it intended to.
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Image Source: https://adsoftheworld.com/media/outdoor/pedigree_dog_1
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