Painting a Picture with Photographs

Photography has been a powerful tool in history. It has captured moments in time that have been turning points in our history, such as the photograph of Elizabeth and Hazel. Will Counts photograph captured the hatred from Hazel, while capturing the calm demeanor of Elizabeth at the exact same moment. This photograph is a historical icon that was used as a tool for change for desegregation. Although, what the photograph did not capture, was how terrified Elizabeth was walking down the street. It did not capture the tears in her eyes. It also did not capture how ignorant Hazel was. She was not necessarily filled with hatred, but filled with ignorance. She came to the protest to skip school and be part of the excitement, always wanting to be the center of attention. This is not excusing her actions, but the point is trying to portray that a photograph, while it can capture a truth, is only a snapshot of a moment in time and it does not tell the whole story.

Elizabeth was continually photographed over the years after her experience at Central High School. She was invited to conferences and political events. She was always shown in the photographs in her calm and quiet demeanor, even sometimes smiling. What the images do not show is how much Elizabeth suffered through the years after Central High School. Although the book does a good job painting a picture of her life through words, there are no images of the other side of her life. There are no photographs of Elizabeth barely being able to get out of bed, or her rundown house, or her children who she could barely take care of. This side of Elizabeth's story is not shown in images. She was a hero in everyone's eyes, and no one wanted to see her in this light. No one wanted to see her as a casualty of the war she helped to fight.

Images are so powerful and we have to be careful on how they are used and what we are trying to say. Photographs have changed history and will continue to have that role in our society. The word snapshot is a photographic term. And I think this is a very important term to keep in mind, a photograph is a snapshot of a moment. It tells a story, but not the whole story.