I went to Germany last year, and one of the most memorable parts of the trip was our visit to Dachau Concentration Camp. Two of the images are from the camp, and I am debating on the third image. I think I want to make the third image the peaceful countryside of Germany. I want to argue, that racial and religious intolerance allowed these things to go on during World War II. I hope to show the contrast between the complacency of the peaceful German countryside and the evil that happened within the camp’s walls. I hope to compare this to modern complacency, particularly in America towards racial and religious persecution. I want to make these images a statement of the danger of intolerance. After all this was not that long ago.
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9 Comments
The images are very good and give a nice perspective of the areas. I think your message will hit home with a lot of people. Great idea!
I would like to start off by saying, great pictures. These were all very well shot. I also think that the argument you plan to present is still prevalent in today’s society and therefore still can make a major impact. The beautiful photos, coupled with the history behind them make for a great presentation. I also very much like your idea of how such a beautiful place like Germany could be home to such horrors. You could go as far to say that in the process of making what the Nazis thought was a Utopian society, they also made a hell for others.
I like the idea of adding a picture from the country side. I really like the picture form outside the camp too. Your argument will be good after you add some stuff to the pictures in Photoshop.
I think the comparison will be a good project. Many people view Germany only in one light and showing both sides will open up new perspectives for people.
Great raw material. The contrast between the German countryside and Dachau is so great that most of the work has already been done for you- some little special touches will really make this a great final product.
Your argument could be very strong if you organize the right photos in the right order. I believe the photo of the gas chamber is quite chilling but the other two photos excluding the one of the German country side seem a bit ambiguous I don’t know what sort of statement of argument you will be able to make with them, they seem plain, and common, nothing sticks out in them.
I think you have great material to work with, these are moving pictures. You have good space to manipulate and add text as well so it should turn out really good. I like the picture of the countryside, its a different color scheme but I think that contrast is helping your argument.
I hesitate to call your photographs beautiful, but they are in a way. To respond to your question of whether or not to include the countryside image: I would encourage you to use it. We expect to see cold, gray pictures of concentration camps. So, to juxtapose them with a peaceful, green landscape is really moving.
You’ve selected a topic that all people – no matter their race, gender, age – will respond to in some way; it is intrinsically an emotional topic.
You do have some arresting images here. Unfortunately, you can only use three of them (unless you choose to combine some of them). I also think you have a viable rhetorical strategy to work with. It seems that you could easily find images of modern oppression to layer into your Dachau images. Moreover, many of your raw images look like landscapes or postcards, offering a stage for figures to perform. You may also want to consider using a very concrete modern example. Have a specific citation of modern intolerance will streamline your argument and make it more identifiable to an audience.