Pulitzer Prize Photo Review

Photographer - Damon Winter

Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign - 2009

The most striking part of this image is the setting. The precipitation instantly sets this photo apart from other typical campaign images. It takes the viewer deep into the scene. The act of centering President Obama in the composition is also a critical part of what makes this an award winning photo. The eyes are drawn directly to the center. For the purpose of this photo, that is very important. During a campaign, the audience needs to be drawn to the candidate, not the fact that it may be a beautiful or stunning photograph. Another fascinating component to this photo is the lighting. The light located to President Obama’s left near the bottom, backlights him from this angle. This creates an intense separation between the President and the rest of the scene, again drawing the viewer to the subject immediately. The light also is illuminating the precipitation and water on his jacket. Once more, this is setting a mood atypical for campaign photos. The final piece of the image that holds relative importance are the microphones. If it weren’t for these, it could simply be a picture of President Obama outside during inclimate weather. However, with the inclusion of the microphones into the frame, it is clear that he is giving a speech.

Another critical concept we must discuss is the representation and symbolism of the components. These particularly are what makes the photograph work due to what the photo represents. Returning to the precipitation - yes, it presents an interesting scene. However, this component represents so much more. This campaign represented individuals who have been oppressed and marginalized their entire lives. For these people, many times they needed to work harder than others just because of the color of their skin or where they were born to achieve the same results. This has created a society where immigrants and people of color have to work extremely hard no matter the conditions. President Obama didn’t let some bad weather get in the way of his speech. He believed that change needs to happen and that there may never be a perfect time to get this message across. That’s why the precipitation is the most important component of this piece. It resembles the struggle and the fight of anyone who has been oppressed or faced inequalities because of who they are. The next critical component with deep symbolism is the composition technique being practiced. The positioning of the President creates a sense of power and determination. There’s no messing around with this candidate. He stands tall, strong, and appears unbothered by the weather. The centering of President Obama indicates the stability of his values and his leadership abilities. The final component, which was not mentioned above, is the color-scheme and brightness. This photograph was clearly taken during dark hours. Without the lights, there is a strong possibility that the President could not be seen. First, the light shining on the subject represents that he is a shining beacon of hope for the nation, and the darkness, symbolizes the dark times which the American population is currently in. Lastly, the color scheme simply works as complimentary colors.

All in all, this image won the Pulitzer Prize not solely because of the stellar components and techniques that were used. It won because of the duality of the compliments. Everything in the image represents something that resonated with millions of Americans at the time. The country was on the brink of history and this image depicted the sweeping change about to come.