Composition Project

This Photo is called "War Underfoot" and captures a man walking through bullet-case covered streets in Monrovia, Liberia circa 2003. The vantage point used draws attention first to the citizen walking the streets, and then from his feet to the streets. By cropping out the person's identity, the photo further emphasizes the state of the street. The lighting creates a solemn tone, as if the abundance of post-war evidence is not enough. Although by placing the passerby in the middle of the photo violates the rule of thirds, the depth perception created by the bullets compensates, since focus should really be on the street and not on the person.

Photographer: Carolyn Cole
Source: Pulitzer.org