TOW #10 - The Situation Room

Movies have been created, books have been written, and articles have been shared, all stemming from the same night in American history, the night terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALS.  The photograph was taken by White House photographer Pete Souza in the intense moments during the raid on the home of bin Laden.  The photograph serves to reveal the focus and intent with which the mission was carried out, and how, even from thousands of miles away, the hearts of everyone involved were beating.  An interesting aspect of the photo is how the main subject is not even included in the frame.  All of the people in the scene are gazing intently at some unknown object, presumably a screen with updates from the mission.  While it's almost annoying to the reader that this object of interest is unknown, it makes for even more mystery and excitement.  Obviously the moment was very intense, and by choosing to focus on the reactions of those involved, instead of the object of intensity, Souza was able to capture the true feelings from the moment.  In addition, the photograph alludes to information that is already known by the audience.  It is known that the raid was carried out in the middle of the night (in Pakistan), but because of the time difference it was only around five or six PM in Washington.  Therefore, while the rest of the city, and the country, was making dinner and getting ready for their night, this group of people sat in the situation room and watched one of the most important moments in US history.  Information that is also alluded to is what exactly the President and his team are watching, presumably the very moments when bin Laden was killed, as well as the updates that followed.  Another aspect of the picture that is interesting is the faces that are present in the room.  Among the most noticeable are President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.  The viewer identifies these faces and can discern how important of a moment it must have been for all three of these leaders to be in the same room at once.  Finally, the fact that the photo takes place in the Situation Room of the White House, with a long history of militarily important moments, helps the reader to understand the intensity of the moment.

Photograph by Pete Souza