Adlai Stevenson arrival at Los Angeles airport, March 28, 1956
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The image represents a political eruption amidst Adlai Stevenson’s land in Los Angeles.
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2020-11-25T08:51:57-08:00
The image represents a political eruption amidst Adlai Stevenson’s landing in Los Angeles. Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic presidential candidate in 1956, was an authoritative political figure, with significant media attention and a robust support system. The number of people awaiting his arrival shows Stevenson’s importance during this time and showcases the promotional aspect of photography. Citizens in attendance holding signs that include “Adlai We Welcome You” show Stevenson’s promotion. When people saw this scene from home, it could make them wonder about his popularity and it could sway their political views. Promotion and advertisement in photography play a critical role in politics. The uniqueness of the photograph stems from the chaos in the picture. The photographer, Gray, captured a moment when everybody was scrambling, trying to get Stevenson’s attention. The angle Gray takes, above all the chaos, is also interesting. How is he able to capture this moment without being on the ground level? Is he standing on stairs? Questions like these intrigue the audience, and the angle makes us feel like we are floating on air. The ability to capture this chaos from such an angle in such clarity also shows the Kodak Camera’s evolution. As technological advancements were being made, photography’s impact became even more significant—the ability to photograph these scenes had an emotional effect on the viewer and our country's history. The amount of cameras being held in this photograph, in particular, showcases this importance.
