This photograph immediately struck me. Before even reading the title I knew what this image was about. The way this man has his arms stretched out reminded me instantly of Jesus bearing his cross and being crucified. This man is obviously bearing a great burden. The way his arms sag under the emotional weight of his trouble shows this without words perfectly. It almost looks like he is holding up the shoddy roof over his head. After reading what this image is about I learned that he really is holding his roof up by himself, if only barely. As i start to see past this strong image of a man bearing a burden other elements come into play. The sky is one of a bleak sleepy morning, a time of wondering what the day has in store. it looks like rain, but the viewer hopes it wont because we know that roof wont do much to cover this man who has clearly suffered. The water is dead and motionless, almost a mirror that causes great reflection in this man. His head is hung not only under this weight but in contemplation, possibly about something so trivial as the weather or something greater like if this sea before him will provide as it has so many times before. Then i see his gloves. Already i know he is a blue collar man but the gloves tie this image together for me. The man me see that he is a really just man. Hes cold. Hes learned through the years that gloves with help with preventing his hands from becoming raw from the hours of pulling up the ropes of his oyster nets. His hards are what he uses to provide for himself and possibly his family, so he must protect them. Lastly just the organization of this plays into the overall visual photo. This singular man is huge in the foreground, this maks him look important. The sea in the background seems so minuscule, its just a line, but in reality no matter the change this man can bring about by his hands he is really just a dot while the sea is what really matters in the end.
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