Photo Analysis activity

Activity #2
In a blog posting: Download the photo that gives you the most confidence in President Obama’s leadership abilities. Explain your choice by connecting what you you see and read in the caption (connotation)  in the picture with what you feel (denotation). Then answer the questions.

Of the two photos, this is the picture that would give me the most confidence in President Obama's leadership abilities because he is portrayed as an active participant in the briefing. He looks like he is in charge and speaking with authority. The caption reinforces this idea by saying he is meeting with the incident commander rather than passively being updated, as is portrayed in the other picture.

WHAT DO YOU SEE? (Observations) Nonverbal gestures (arms, hands, fingers) Facial expression (head, eyes, mouth) Body language (distances, code matching) People (age, gender, ethnicity) Clothing (type, color) Background (objects, setting) Camera angle

What does it mean? Consider the following questions: Is the photograph posed or spontaneous? What message is this photograph trying to convey? What questions does this photograph raise? What if a new caption was written? Write one. Does the new caption change the way the photo was viewed?

1. The photo appears to be spontaneous because it was taken at a briefing and the president is in the middle of discussing/explaining something.
2. The message I get is that the president is in control and things are progressing. The pictures in the background say that he is knowledgeable of and involved in the containment/clean up process, which is organized and moving forward. Both he and the official overseeing the efforts look calm and concerned. The president's casual, professional clothing style adds to the calm and in control look. 
3. This picture makes me wonder why the official in charge is not doing the speaking. Seeing the president doing the talking in this snapshot politicizes the disaster for me. I would prefer to see the person actually overseeing operations do the speaking with the president actively listening.
4. See image below with my new caption.

my suggested caption : Say what? President draws criticism from top official when he declares the Gulf Coast off limits to everyone forever in response to the Deepwater Horizon fiasco..

The new caption changes the dynamic between the president and Thad Allen as well as the the audience's opinion of the president. Adm. Allen is now looking toward the president in subtle surprise over the announcement, his gestures appear closed, guarded, as if he doesn't want to disagree with the Commander in Chief in public view but does not agree with what is being said.

The president is causing shock around the country because he looks so serious when making an irrational, blanket statement.