Gone – Not Forgotten
Paul Breden - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
On a recent trip to DC member Paul Breden captured this unique view of the “The Wall”. It could be considered “photojournalism” in that it manages to tell a complete story of not only the physical monument itself but also the emotional impact on the visitors as they solemnly pass. Paul took advantage of the highly polished and reflective stone to get the names of those remembered in sharp focus while the background is softly diffused but still clearly recognizable.
Camera: Canon 5d MarkII
Lens: Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Focal Length: 88mm
Shutter: 1/100
Aperture: f/ 8.0
ISO: 800
It is rare to find a photo that in hindsight couldn’t have been improved. In some cases circumstances at the site are such that what one might prefer just is not possible. There is a natural tendency when looking through a viewfinder to leave excessive headroom and I believe that is what happened here. A slight lowering of the camera would have reduced the upper background and sky area and left more room to show the feet of the couple and allowed them room to “step forward”. The second improvement would be to wait until the 3 guys on the left side had moved out of the picture. Imagine how powerful the scene would be if this area were open except for the long line of visitors in the background.
So easy to let our activities distract and overwhelm us, but when we pause in moments of sobriety, images like this supply us much to reflect on ………………
Paul,
You caught the power of the Wall. The image immediately brings back memories of Buddy Paul, one of the big kids in the neighborhood, who was killed by friendly fire in 1965. I was in 8th grade and it had a huge impact on me and all the other kids. The fall of Saigon happened the spring I graduated from college. Great image. Pat