Joury AlDabbous

IB English SL
Ms Rene O’Neall
November 29 2022

Don McCullin Image analysis

According to McCullin, it's critical to focus on the uncomfortable aspects of our lives. "You are
required to testify. You can't simply turn your head "In the exhibit, he is quoted. He also has no
preference in the matter. The title of this image is called Northern Ireland, The Bogside, Londonderry. It
was taken on 1971 by Don McCullin. This is a snapshot of the violence in Northern Ireland. McCullin has
captured the decisive moments of this scene, exploiting the repetition of line in the horizontals of the
windowsills set in the wall, the stripes on the soldiers’ shields and the plank of wood the young man
holds above his head to order his composition. As the subsequent images show, here the repeated
linear motif emphasises a moment of calm before an outburst of physical aggression. By using a slightly
lower camera angle, the photographer helps to show the vulnerability of the boy. This is further
emphasised through the boys posture which looks to be scared since he only has one weapon which
wont really do much. The grainy effect on the photograph also shines a light on the grime and dirt in the
places where people had to fight. This suggests a stark juxtaposition to the stereotypical “American
Dream” life that many people are able to envision. This shows just how detrimental this war was, and
also the magnitude of change that the people there experienced in a short period of time.

This picture is in black and white, it removes any distraction of color and helps the viewer focus
on other aspects of the photo, such as the subject, the textures, shapes and patterns, and the
composition. As for contrast, I can see the difference between the white shirt of the boy that mostly
stands out, to the dark background and jacket he is wearing. The police are all in black also making them
stand out because of their dark clothes. I am able to see shadows in this picture, the shadow of the boy
standing in front of the wall can be seen. The message of this photograph is perhaps the atrocities that
the kids faced in this war.  This is very effective because the audience is unable to see these said
atrocities seeing as the only clear aspect of the photograph is the kid and the police. However, the
expression on the little boys face tells the story all on its own. It tells the audience the fear and anxiety
the kids felt for extended periods of time and this helps the audience create a “personal” connection
with the kids in the war. This sort of photograph may be particularly effective on mothers who have sons
in the war because the use of the boys gaze helps build on the pathos of the photograph.
Northern Ireland, The Bogside, Londonderry 1971: “It was inconceivable at the time that the
violence would continue unabated for another 25 years” (Credit: Don McCullin/Tate)