Photos in the News-Short Essay 2

Images add an element to news stories that cannot be fulfilled otherwise, and as a result news stories act as a large caption describing events and opinions within photos. Frequently, photos are needed for the reader to get a more full idea of what the article is describing. Photos work with an article to tell a story and often educate readers on current events around the world. Particularly, in politically tainted events abroad, photos are integral in showing the tangible impacts of foreign affairs. Images can both work to benefit the argument of an article but can also belittle the authenticity and reliability of the article as well. In this paper I will outline the ways that supplemental photos to news articles can both help and hurt the evidence surrounding a story concerning long-lasting conflict in Syria.

This photo is positioned at the top of an article in the New York Times that describes recent events in Syria. The caption of this photo describes that; “People gathered to search for survivors under rubble after what activists said was a Scud missile hit in Aleppo's Tariq al Bab neighborhood on Friday” (Gladstone & Saad, 2013). The authors further articulate that rebel districts in Syria have been attacked by the government regime using scud missiles that are both inaccurate and brutal. These attacks have killed several innocent civilians and wounded and trapped even more. The dark colors and unidentifiable people in the foreground of this image help to give the article as a whole, an ominous tone at first glance. The smoke and ruble in the background also help to set the stage for a story that articulates desolate events occurring remotely from the US. The events that have recently been taking place in northern Syria are illustrated in this photo. This photo, in conjunction with the title of this article, “Scud Missile Attack Reported in Aleppo”, help to set the stage for the reader to feel sorrow for the victims of these attacks and identify themselves with those that were targeted.

The Washington Post uses this photo in another article concerning the Syrian regime’s attacks against rebel forces. The way this photo is taken from below the missiles gives the reader a very specific first impression. The intimidation factor that this photo possesses creates an oppressive tone, and because this image is placed at the top of the article it introduces the story to its audience with predisposed thoughts of tyranny. However, the caption that The Washington Post places under this photo is fairly inconspicuous and reads; “A South Korean museum displays replica Scud-B missiles somewhat similar to the Scud-Ds fired in Syria. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)” (Fisher, 2012). This caption makes these missiles seem much less threatening and even out of place to the reader.  They are not even real missiles or in the same country as the news story, and this simple fact change the perspective drastically on the legitimacy of the article. Knowing the context of this photo works against the mission of the article to educate American readers about the oppressive regime within Syria.

            Images leave a trace on all stories in and outside of the news. However, news articles greatly benefit from photos that can help to tell the story as well as attract an audience. Unlike the almost effortless and unrelated photograph within the article in The Washington Post, the photo imbedded in the article from the New York Times does an impeccable job at bringing out emotion within the reader. By using a photo depicting civilian people, the New York Times is able to create a connection between its intended audience and the people in Syria being affected by President Assad’s regime. These photos are in conversation with the text of the article to bring about a new perspective and an element of reality within the readers.

New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/world/middleeast/scud-missile-aleppo.html?pagewanted=1&hp

Washington Post article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/12/12/what-syrias-scud-missile-launches-tell-us-about-the-regimes-thinking/

Works Cited

Fisher, M. (2012, December 12). What Syria's Scud missile launches tells us about

the regime's thinking. The Washington Post , p. 1.

Gladstone, R., & Saad, H. (2013, February 22). Scud Missile Attack Reported in

Aleppo. The New York Times , pp. 1-3.