PHOTOJOURNALISM

Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima is a historic photograph taken on February 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal. It depicts five United States Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the flag of the United States atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.

We have been discussing how media is mediated, that is, re-presented. Even photography is mediated. However 'true' or 'natural'  a the subject in a shot may appear to be, it has been blocked, framed and cropped. It is important to note this because claims for truth are made about photography as it appears to be the most scientific and transparent of all media.

It may be captioned in order to anchor its meaning.

The particular subject of a photo has been selected as significant whilst another subject has not. The lighting has been chosen for a specific effect: think of how lighting might be used in wedding photos, estate agents' photos and advertising.

A photo may be placed within a collection that also confers meaning: think of police 'mug shots' as opposed to school prospectuses . It may be placed in a location that confers status (an exhibition or museum) or makes claims for historical truth. It may be reproduced for other purposes.


We pay a virtual visit to the Newseum in Washington in order to view its Pulitzer Prize Photographers Gallery and discuss why Rosenthal's photograph has enduring appeal, why its status as an eye-witness account imbues it with special significance and why it became a potent symbol. You should research what uses have been made of this photograph and relate your conclusions to the framework above. It became one of the most famous single photos ever taken; it mobilised the support of the American people that Franklin D.Roosevelt  needed to finish the war against Japan and it enabled the Treasury to raise 220 million dollars in war bonds when it was used as the symbol of the seventh war loan drive.

When accusations were made that Rosenthal had staged the photo, it caused great controversy. Why would this be? Fifty Years Later, Rosenthal Fights His Own Battle: AP News

The Newseum, Washington DC Award-Winning Images and Photographers Who Took Them

Marines Raise the Flag on Iwo Jima

Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal took this photograph of U.S. Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. Rosenthal won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for photography.