Photo Analysis- Nagasaki

As many of you may know, August 9, 1945 was a devastating day for the Japanese. Americans dropped an atomic bomb over Nagasaki in order to have the Japanese surrender. This was the last major act of World War II. Nearly 40,000 people were killed due to the bombing of Nagasaki.

The picture to the left is what was left of the entrance to the Sanno Shrine after the atomic bomb was dropped. It was located 900 meters south-east of the atomic bomb's hypocenter. Although there are not many subjects in this photo, there is one  vertical subject that really catches the attention of the viewer. The torii, a traditional Japanese gate, and the rubble surrounding it are the main focal points of this picture. The torii is not in the center of the photograph but it still has a bold presence in the photo. The rubble somehow paves a path to the torii, therefore it is also a significant part of the picture. If you look towards the back of the picture there seems to be smoke coming up from the ashes. The smoke gives the picture a background and an enclosed feeling to it. The rubble gives the picture an out-of-control feeling but at the same time the torii gives off a calm peaceful feeling. The light source seems to be coming from the upper left corner (behind the torri) because there seems to be a shadow on the surface of the torii.

The image is so depressing because there is so much destruction and what once was a beautiful shrine is now  obliterated. However, we cannot ignore the fact that the image is in black and white. When an image is in black and white it evokes a sense of sadness but it also highlights the important stuff like the torii. This was taken by a photographer and it feels like the viewer is standing right on top of the debris and rubble.

This picture cannot get more real than this. It's apparent that the photographer captured what really happened after the bombing of Nagasaki. This much destruction could not have been fabricated or portrayed differently by the photographer.