Bernie Boston Flower Power Analysis

On October 21st 1967 Bernie Boston while working for the Washington Star (a well-respected newspaper agency at the time) took the photo that would later define an entire decade. Oddly enough, the photograph was originally rejected by the Washington Star’s editor for being irrelevant and therefore was never published by the Washington Star. The photo earned its reputation when Boston submitted it into several photo competitions. My goal is to give this photograph the chance that the Washington Star never gave “Flower Power”. Within this report, I intend to analyze the image thoroughly, bring to light Bernie Boston’s intentions with this photograph and definitively prove that the Washington Star’s decision was incorrect. Before we begin let me describe the picture for you. The photograph was originally taken with a black and white film camera, which was standard for the time. The photograph depicts an unknown, unimportant, average young man wearing a lightly colored turtleneck sweater. Centered in the middle of the image, we can …show more content…
The image clearly displays the emotional tension each Military Police Officer. One can tell that the officers are worried, not of the protesters actions, but more of what their Commanding Officer might order them to do to the protesters. In this moment, they are in an offensive position, surrounding the “enemy”; rifles pointed at their target. Their stances give away that they do not like having their rifle pointed at other U.S. citizens. You can also tell from the protesters actions that they are just as nervous about having a gun pointed in their general direction. Most of the protesters are clearly trying to keep their distance from the officers. Even the young man placing the flowers in the muzzles appears a bit apprehensive with lips pressed tight while gingerly inserting the flower into the next