Newseum Photograph

"Two Men With a Problem" by Paul Vathis

This photo of Kennedy and Eisenhower has a background story behind it that is depicted in this moment captured on film. This photo was taken after the Bay of Pigs invasion had failed and Kennedy was seeking advice from Eisenhower. Their bent heads, rigid postures, and contemplative figures express the mood of the photograph and of the moment in history. This photograph really draws in the viewer with the angle at which the photographer captured the subjects. The photographer could have easily placed Kennedy and Eisenhower in the center of the image but by setting them more to the left of the image, the audience gets a view of the cottage. The pathway that Kennedy and Eisenhower are walking on directs the viewer’s eyes to the cottage. The framing of the pathway keeps the viewer’s eye on the image’s main points of interest, which are Kennedy and Eisenhower and the cottage. The pathway directs the viewer’s eyes and keeps them from straying away from the images’ center points.

The photographer used a deep depth of field when capturing this image because the background of this photograph is kept in focus. If the photographer used a shallow depth of field then all that would be in focus would be Kennedy and Eisenhower. Although that might have been a decent photograph, the deep depth of field captures more than just the Presidents, but also the feel of the entire environment surrounding them. There is a sense of loneliness, peace, and quiet contemplation that would not have been captured as well if the background was not in focus.

What makes this image so powerful is the story behind the photograph and the honest feel that the photograph gives off to the viewers. Kennedy and Eisenhower did not pose for this image and that is what makes this photograph more real. In my opinion, this photographer managed to capture a compelling scene in history in an amazing photograph. I think the photographer managed to capture a story rather than just a moment in history and whatever their initial message was, they succeeded in relaying several messages through this image. I was initially attracted to this photograph because although it may not be as dramatic or compelling as some of the other images in the gallery, it has a story and a feel that is present even if we only see the backs of two men.