Auschwitz 65 Years Later

This is an image of Auschwitz taken 65 years after the closing of the camp. Take a moment to look at this photo and consider that approximately 1 million people were killed at this camp (that would be 1 out of every four people living in Sydney).

Key Visual Techniques

There are some powerful visual techniques being used in this photo. Take 5 minutes to point out at least 5 aspects of the photo which stand out to you and how they relate to the great anguish that was experienced at this site (create a post on your blog with the photo - don't try to copy and paste photo it won't work).

• Consider the use of vectors, line, contrast, composition, colour, and perspective (there are more techniques)
• How can the visual elements in the photo evoke empathy and reverence from a viewer?
• How is Auschwitz represented in this photo?
• Find another photo of Auschwitz that you feel has an important representation of this place that caused so much pain and destruction. Analyse the use of visual techniques which make it particularly engaging. How does it represent this location?

1. Auschwitz is represented as a dark, cold place. There is no colour or life; it's dark, desolate and baron wasteland almost. This ins't the kind of place you expect to see someone happy it; there's no colour, no grass, it's no beautiful scenery, there's no plants (represent life, give oxygen), etc. It's not so much what's in Auschwitz that makes it so bad, it's more what's not in this Auschwitz.
2. Barb wire: dark and threatening, adds to the affect of fear and lack of freedom from within Auschwitz.
3. Lines: show and demonstrate order the Nazis would've have. Auschwitz is viewed as a highly planned and thought out space/camp. The perfectly straight lines show how well organised the building of the camp was.
4. Sun isn't bright and vibrant - it's cold and quiet winter sun
5. Vector lines of watch tower and long shot make it darker and colder. The only curved line is the one that keeps the people fenced in at the top of the barbed wire fence. 

The long shot of this building in Auschwitz from a low-medium angle makes the building look bigger and perhaps more threatening than it actually is. Once again, there is no colour, no plants, no sun and no life. There is snow and a dark cloudy sky, the poor weather adding to the drama and threat that Auschwitz poses. The building is a perfect line of symmetry and is quite threatening; The Chimneys are symmetrical in every respect, all the windows are the same size and the road is perfectly cleaned of snow, adding to the discipline of the Nazis.