Difference between revisions of "Beitler Photograph"
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| − | == | + | == Lawrence Beitler Lynching Photograph== |
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| − | + | On August 7, 1930, three young men were thrown in jail in the city of Marion, Indiana because of previous actions. Later these young men were forced from the jail, beaten, and prepared to be lynched. Right before the lynching took place, one of the young men escaped his near death situation. The others were not as lucky. These young men were Abe Smith, Tom Shipp, and James Cameron. The bodies of Smith and Shipp were left to hang long enough for a photographer to catch a glimpse and take a photo. Lawrence Beitler took this infamous picture. | |
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| + | ===Lawrence Beitler=== | ||
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| + | Small-town professional photographer, Lawrence Beitler, was 44 years of age at the time of the Marion Lynching. His career in Marion started when he arrived in the city in the year of 1917. Beitler made his living by taking photographs that usually consisted of weddings, babies, school and church groups, and public events. | ||
| + | On the night of the lynching, Beitler took out his 8-by-10 inch view camera, tripod, and flash powder to take the on of the most famous lynching photographs in American history. After spending days printing the photos, he sold them for 50 cents apiece. It is estimated that there were 50,000 copies made. Beitler spent the next few days selling his photograph until he was forced to stop by the state police. | ||
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| + | ===The Photograph=== | ||
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| + | Many conclusions can be drawn from the Lawrence Beitler lynching photograph taken in Marion, Indiana. | ||
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| + | ====The Crowd==== | ||
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| + | Analyzing the crowd in the Marion Lynching photograph helps give a further understanding of people in this time period and their reactions to this event in history. The spectators in the crowd are all white and show to be nicely dressed. The use of flash in this picture reveals an audience bigger than first perceived. Many people in this photograph look at the camera, some more distinct than others. The person who displays this trait very clearly is the middle-aged man with the Hitler style mustache and the tattooed arm that is pointing specifically to the bodies hanging. His intense, wide-eyed stare indicates that he feels no remorse to what has happened. His placement in the crowd and the hand gesture suggest that he may have worked with Beitler to stage the photograph this way. A young couple in front also looks at the camera but with a softer gaze. The couple appears to be no older than the victims are. The smirks upon their faces also suggest that they too are not remorseful toward this action but happy to what has happened. Another woman in the front is displayed with different characteristics than the others in the crowd. This woman is wearing a long sleeved coat with a fur collar in August, while everyone else in the crowd is wearing short or rolled up sleeves. She is also the only one in the front who is not looking directly at the camera; instead, she looks over her shoulder with a somber look on her face. This look portrays a sense of sorrow to what has happened. | ||
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| + | ====Abe Smith and Tom Shipp==== | ||
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| + | Hanging in the tree are the bodies of Abe Smith and Tom Shipp. The flash from the camera helps reveal the bloodstained bodies of the victims and the tattered clothes from where they were beaten before they were hung. The photograph also displays the victim on the right wearing no pants or shoes. This indicates that someone in the mob ripped them off his body. In turn, the picture shows a cloth hanging over the bottom half of the victim on the right that someone has placed there. | ||
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| + | ===Uses of the photograph=== | ||
Revision as of 17:40, 18 May 2011
Contents
Lawrence Beitler Lynching Photograph
On August 7, 1930, three young men were thrown in jail in the city of Marion, Indiana because of previous actions. Later these young men were forced from the jail, beaten, and prepared to be lynched. Right before the lynching took place, one of the young men escaped his near death situation. The others were not as lucky. These young men were Abe Smith, Tom Shipp, and James Cameron. The bodies of Smith and Shipp were left to hang long enough for a photographer to catch a glimpse and take a photo. Lawrence Beitler took this infamous picture.
Lawrence Beitler
Small-town professional photographer, Lawrence Beitler, was 44 years of age at the time of the Marion Lynching. His career in Marion started when he arrived in the city in the year of 1917. Beitler made his living by taking photographs that usually consisted of weddings, babies, school and church groups, and public events. On the night of the lynching, Beitler took out his 8-by-10 inch view camera, tripod, and flash powder to take the on of the most famous lynching photographs in American history. After spending days printing the photos, he sold them for 50 cents apiece. It is estimated that there were 50,000 copies made. Beitler spent the next few days selling his photograph until he was forced to stop by the state police.
The Photograph
Many conclusions can be drawn from the Lawrence Beitler lynching photograph taken in Marion, Indiana.
The Crowd
Analyzing the crowd in the Marion Lynching photograph helps give a further understanding of people in this time period and their reactions to this event in history. The spectators in the crowd are all white and show to be nicely dressed. The use of flash in this picture reveals an audience bigger than first perceived. Many people in this photograph look at the camera, some more distinct than others. The person who displays this trait very clearly is the middle-aged man with the Hitler style mustache and the tattooed arm that is pointing specifically to the bodies hanging. His intense, wide-eyed stare indicates that he feels no remorse to what has happened. His placement in the crowd and the hand gesture suggest that he may have worked with Beitler to stage the photograph this way. A young couple in front also looks at the camera but with a softer gaze. The couple appears to be no older than the victims are. The smirks upon their faces also suggest that they too are not remorseful toward this action but happy to what has happened. Another woman in the front is displayed with different characteristics than the others in the crowd. This woman is wearing a long sleeved coat with a fur collar in August, while everyone else in the crowd is wearing short or rolled up sleeves. She is also the only one in the front who is not looking directly at the camera; instead, she looks over her shoulder with a somber look on her face. This look portrays a sense of sorrow to what has happened.
Abe Smith and Tom Shipp
Hanging in the tree are the bodies of Abe Smith and Tom Shipp. The flash from the camera helps reveal the bloodstained bodies of the victims and the tattered clothes from where they were beaten before they were hung. The photograph also displays the victim on the right wearing no pants or shoes. This indicates that someone in the mob ripped them off his body. In turn, the picture shows a cloth hanging over the bottom half of the victim on the right that someone has placed there.
