using photoshop, cropping and anchors. DRAFT 1

This is the original image that i found after searching "Police Brutality" in google images. The aim was to find an image that can be manipulated with cropping, photoshop effects and anchors (heading, headlines).

I cropped the other figures out to put focus onto the main officer and the lady on the floor. The image shows aggression, and violence, i wanted to capture it for my first image. This has not been hugely manipulated with the anchor. I dimmed the pallette around the figures so that the woman, in the last 3rd of the rule of 3 of the image is highlighted, and the officer to the left is also illuminated slightly, drawing the eye to them. I made certain that the most violent part of the image is slightly to the right, as our eyes are not drawn to the exact centre of an image, where the officer is grasping the woman's hair. I then adjusted the colour contrast so that the image is more vivid and dramatic. Due to the caption i didnt feel it would be appropriate to have a lot of colour, keeping the pallette subdued and bleak but with definate strong lines and shadow. Finally, to appear that there is a lot of movement within the image i blurred the background, leaving the two people in focus, drawing the eye to this part and enhancing the struggle. I added the caption "To serve and Protect? Police Brutaility shoots to a new level." i wanted a strong font, this almost looks like a stamp, connoting the idea of police stamps and re-inforces the irony and legitimacy of the photo so the audience feel that this is a true image and trust it. The pun used makes people think, i put "shoots" on one line in a large font to highlight the lack of control in this era.

I noticed from the orginal image that the woman has her hand up like a fist, so i decided to crop only her, and root a back ground story from this. I made sure that the orginal officer pulling her hair was not visible, and due to the lack of focus and high exposure it is not obvious that she is collapsed on the ground. The use of high exposure suggests that this is a close up photograph, from somone else seeing the view, because the image is out of focus and that she has been caught in the act. The fact that her hair is being pulled up now doesn't look like she is being assaulted, but now about to assualt somebody else. The font again connotes strenght, urgency and seriousness of the situation, highlighting that this image is not to be ignored. i chose blue, as it is a contasting colour but also linked to "Police Blue" as this alerts one's attention anyway.

Finally, i noted this officer in the background. From his body language you may guess he is stunned and does not agree with what is going before him. I played on this completely and cropped him, cutting out the violence on the face of the image. Firstly i dulled the tones down, adding blues and greys to the black, enhancing the mournful body language of the head hung down. His shoulders low and he is clutching himself as if he feels at danger. i adjusted the exposure so that his helmet is bright white, connoting the idea that he is almost getting blinded by this, he is exposed and vulnerable. To complete the image i added the caption to provoke sympathy and manipulate the audience.