Picture Analysis

This image is of women protesters clashing with policemen during a demonstration in Istanbul against Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, an international accord designed to protect women. Turkish conservatives argued its principles of gender equality and non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation undermine family values, and promote homosexuality.

The most prominent feature of this image is the hands and how they instantly draw the viewer's eyes to the policeman's eyes. The eyes appear to be full of malice as they gloom directly at the woman who appears to be desperately trying to fight back with the help of another woman, yet both appear to be helpless and incompetent, this gives the image a strong feeling of oppression and aggression - one male policeman is so much more powerful than two women protesters. The redness of her fingers could suggest she's desperately using as much power as possible to keep the policeman back.

The shot is slightly tilted, suggesting this image was taken quickly or it was one of several snapshots, exhibiting the chaos going on during the taking of it. It puts the viewer in perspective as if they're at the protest themselves, and the tilting feeling emphasises on the havoc as though everyone is pushing or falling around desperately. The use of natural lighting also adds to that affect of making the image seem more realistic. In the background we can see a man with a hand on his head, he appears in distress or even disappointment at what's happening at the scene.

The men in the background however, don't seem to be affected at all by the police, to me this appears as discrimination towards women, or the abuse of power, suggesting 2 new possible captions for this image, because there shouldn't be so much aggression for protesting the protection of women since women are killed in Turkey everyday and this move of one man's decision puts all their lives in even more danger. This also makes me question why the policeman is using a shield, which can, with much force, help knock more than one person over. The prominent scratches and dirt we can see on the shield suggest how desperate these or even other women are to pushing the policeman back or even so the fear they have because their lives are already at more danger after Turkey's withdrawal from the convention.