The Execution of Leonard Siffleet

By: Yasuno Chikao

            This photograph was taken by an unknown Japanese soldier at the orders of Yasuno Chikao, the sword wielder shown in the picture. This picture appeared in LIFE magazine and Australian newspapers It is interesting to point out that this photograph was found on the body of a dead Japanese soldier and is the only surviving depiction of a western POW being executed by a Japanese soldier. The man about to be executed is Sgt. Leonard Siffleet, an Australian commando of World War II.

Siffleet and two companions were on a mission in Papua New Guinea when they were ambushed and captured by a large group of local tribesmen who later turned them all three over to the Japanese. The men were beaten, interrogated and tortured for approximately two weeks.

            On the afternoon of October 24, 1943, Siffleet and his comrades were taken to Aitape Beach, bound and blindfolded, and in the presence of a large number of Japanese citizens, beheaded.

            This photo is an obvious example of conflict, not only because it was taken during a time of war but because it depicts an action that isn’t something people were accustomed to seeing at that time. It also would hold proximity to those close to Siffleet.

Chernobyl

 By: Sergei Supinsky

            This photograph displays a kindergarten room in the abandoned town of Prypiat, Ukraine. Dust consumes the assorted toys and lone gas mask that lay forgotten in the school room. This picture was taken by Ukrainian photographer Sergei Supinsky in 2010. 

            On April 26, 1986 during a system test at reactor number four of the Chernobyl plant there was a sudden power output surge. As a precaution workers attempted an emergency shutdown, leading to an even greater spike in power output which caused a reactor vessel rupture and a series of explosions. Authorities ordered an immediate evacuation of the town, forcing people to leave everything they had behind. The city now stands frozen in time. School books still lay open on desks. Tables still lay set for a meal that won’t come. A ferris wheel stands in the middle of town that will never grant another smile.

            This photo contains a variety of news elements. Impact is obvious to see. Proximity would apply to those located within the vicinity of this town. For individuals who had to leave their lives behind on a whim, this could hold some conflict.

       “The Passion of the Che”

           By: Freddy Alborta

This photographs depicts Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara after being killed by Bolivian officers with assistance from the CIA. Freddy Alborta took this picture on October 10, 1967 and has been noted as the primary source for Che Guevara images.

            Aside from being a revolutionary, Che was also a myriad of other things, including a physician. It was that role that helped lead him to who he became. Traveling throughout Latin America as a medical student he witnessed things that brought him to his conclusion that the only way to implement change was through world revolution. Che played a large part in the Guatamalan overthrow of  Dictator Batista and the Cuban Revolution.

Che went to Bolivia to help “liberate” them from their government. His group was well-armed and had early success against Bolivian forces. He had planned on only dealing with the Bolivian military, which was poorly trained and armed, and wasn’t aware that they had been supplied by the United States and trained by CIA officers. On October 7, 1967 an informant led a group of 1,800 troops to Che’s camp, where he was surrounded, wounded and captured. He would be tied up in a local schoolhouse for three days before the president of Bolivia ordered him to be executed.

            This photograph holds several news values. Conflict, impact, and prominence are all relatively simple to point out. Proximity would affect both the people of Bolivia and those in Latin America.

Johnny Cash’s Finger

 By: Jim Marshall

            This photograph shows legendary, country music icon Johnny Cash expressing his growing resentment towards the Nashville country music establishment. Jim Marshall took this photo in 1969 when Cash was at San Quentin Prison performing for inmates. The image never surfaced until 1996 after his album “Unchained” won a Grammy. Cash and his producers decided to publish the photo in Billboard Magazine as a “thank you” to the Nashville country music industry.

            Jim Marshall was a dominant photographer of the ‘60s and ‘70s, focusing mainly on musicians. Marshall is responsible for the famous picture of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival and was the only photographer allowed backstage at the Beatles’ final concert.

            Cash’s resentment for the Nashville country scene developed as he grew older. He felt like the industry had abandoned him and fellow pioneers of country music for younger, more pop-oriented country artists such as Garth Brooks. In fact, his Grammy-award winning album named above was almost completely ignored by the industry.

            Conflict is displayed from two different angles here. The first is blatantly obvious, the second is conflict between Cash and the country industry in Nashville. Cash is also very well-known, making it an issue of prominence.

“The Kiss”

 By: Richard Lam

            Richard Lam was among the thousands of people flooding the streets of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 15, 2011, but he wasn’t fighting, setting fires or pillaging. He was taking pictures. Following the Canucks game seven loss to the Boston Bruins, downtown Vancouver exploded into anarchy. Hundreds of people were injured or arrested, several people were stabbed and a handful of police officers were hurt. But despite all the horrible scenes taking place that night, Lam managed to capture a truly beautiful moment amid all the destruction.

            Lam is a freelance photographer for The Canadian Press and other various publications. He is based in Vancouver, British Columbia and specializes in editorial, sports and commercial photography. Lam is also the official photographer for the University of British Columbia’s Athletic Department. 

            The lip-locked couple in the photo got caught up among rioters and were being forced down the street by police officers wielding riot shields. Alex Thomas was tripped up during the squabble and fell to the ground. The officers eventually passed her over as her boyfriend, Scott Jones, swooped in to help. Still laying in the street, Alex was hysterical and unsure of what was going on. In an attempt to calm her down, Scott leaned in to give her a loving kiss. This is what Lam captured on film.

            This image depicts conflict, timeliness and currency. It is also bizarre in the way that this is very unusual and isn’t something you may ever see again.