A Close Reading of the WODR

Benetton’s catalog makes its argument against the death penalty in two ways: verbally, and visually. This section concentrates on the visual arguments made my Benetton, and the methods used to make these arguments. It will also analyze whether or not these methods are effective for Benetton’s purposes.

Benetton argue’s that these inmates can be related to; that viewers can connect with them on a humanistic level. To convince the reader of this fact, Benetton has employed a variety of strategies. This section will analyze three: light, focus, and props.

FOCUS

The focus of the pictures in Benetton’s catalog is not immediately striking. Looked closely at all of the pictures, there is one common theme: All the men’s eyes were in focus, and not much else. In fact, often the depth of field (or the range of the picture that is in focus) is quote short. In most examples, a man’s eyes would be in focus, while his ears and nose are not. Examples of this are best seen in close-ups [21] [29] [32] [40] [61] [80]. It can also be found in the other, more wide-angle pictures, although in these shots, the depth of field is longer. The intent of this strategy seems clear. The eyes are the "windows to the soul" and if Benetton could somehow get readers to see into the souls of these men, they would be one step closer to convincing them that the death penalty is wrong.

LIGHT

Light plays a very key role in the artistic content of these photographs, and in Toscani’s ability to draw attention from the viewer. Certain pictures use direct light to create a sort of path for the eyes to follow, as in the cover, which is a clear example of light as a vector. Others also utilize the light to give the inmates a "halo" effect; an angelic glow of light surrounding their body or face. Whether the light is meant to be directional or angelic, it most certainly is always used to isolate those parts of the picture that Benetton feels would make the most effect on the viewer – namely the eyes and face.

[Page 11] This photo is a good example of the halo effect, light seeming to radiate off this young man’s head, as though it were his bright aura. The rest of the photograph is relatively dark, allowing just enough light for some detail in the face.

[19] Here, the light is used solely to light his face, primarily his T-section: forehead, nose and some cheeks. The rest of the photograph doesn’t stand out – in fact because of the coloring, the rest of the picture blends together inconspicuously, making his face the most important aspect of the shot. This method is used on several of the inmates.

[39] Here, the light does fall on the man’s face and is used to highlight his features. But light is also used behind the subject. His background is lit, providing a kind of frame directly behind his head. This frame further isolates the inmate’s "important" features and directs the viewer’s attention. 40, 64, 88

PROPS

In several of the pictures, props, or icons are used to give an emotional appeal to the audience. They draw on symbolism to evoke compassionate thoughts from the viewer.

[Page 15]: Christopher Simmons almost looks like a nurse or EMT. His name badge, a prop that is clearly in view for the reader to see, is clipped fairly close to his face. This badge is a symbol that Simmons has some position among the prisoners – that he is a working member of the community. This also implies some respect and credibility to Simmons. A small, but valid symbolic argument.

[Page 29] James Edward Thomas may very well wear classes. The question that arises in my mind is why is he wearing them on top of his head in this picture. Glasses are typically seen as an intellectual piece, and could also be argued as a symbol of weakness, making Thomas appear to be both the intellectual and frail at the same time. By being placed on top of the man’s head, the viewer receives the same symbolism with the glasses, while Thomas’ eyes are clearly in view.

[Page 49] Not at all subtle, the Holy Bible carries with it many Christian stereotypes. The fact that he is holding this bible attached thoughts to Harvey Lee Green of repentance and forgiveness. His clean fingers clasped on the cover of the book add a prayer-like quality to the man. And the viewer most certainly could not see a praying Christian man as a sinner, much less a murderer. Because of the strength of the Bible as an icon, this picture is quite powerful and strong, supporting Benetton’s premise. Interestingly, if you note the tiny text on the page before, you learn that Green was already executed on 9-24-99.

[Page 51] Carlette Parker, in her bright yellow attire, is the only female inmate featured in Benetton’s catalog. She is shown entirely, from her handkerchief-wrapped head to her painted toe-nails. I would argue that in this picture, the handcuffs are used as a prop. No other inmates are seen with handcuffs on, even though all could be said to look more intimidating than this woman. Yet she is bound, her fingers interlaced calmly, her face void of much expression. Indeed, this picture is effective due to the whole package, supporting the empathy for a woman (who stereotypically is not considered violent).

[Page 54 and 55] Alberto Reyes-Camarena gets a two-page spread on pages 54 and 55. He also has a shot on page 56. If he already has one photo next to his text, what is the benefit of giving him such room? The answer would be his shiny wheelchair. This automatically leads a viewer to believe that this man can’t walk, evoking pity and compassion. This also is a powerful icon. We do not know if Camarena can or cannot walk, but with these small part of a wheelchair visible in the picture, our hearts go out to the man, and more sympathy and caring are felt, propelling Benetton’s cause.

[Page 59] Executions typically occur at midnight. By strategically placing a clock above William Quentin Jones’ head, it would appear as though the man has approximately 11 minutes to go. Even if this is not taken quite so literally, it can still argue that on death row, time is literally running out. This appeals even to the most cynical reader, each facing the reality that eventually they too must succumb to the power of the clock. Quite a moving piece. (Incidentally, if you will turn to your Benetton Catalog cover, a clock looms darkly over the entire picture.)

[Page 68] I point out the close up of Conan Wayne Hale only to make a distinction between this prop and the glasses also seen on page [29]. I feel that in this instance the glasses are also useful in stereotypically placing stigmas on the wearer, such as intellect and vulnerability. Here, though, the glasses are worn on the eyes. The distinction between the two? Simply, these glasses interfere less with the viewer focusing their attention on Hale’s eyes.

Other small elements add to the visual argument presented by Benetton. For example, the majority of inmates are expressionless, implying sadness. A smile or expression would make the inmates look happy with themselves – happy with what they had done. A neutral face eliminates that possible misunderstanding and could also show dissatisfaction, either with prison life or with one’s particular crime.

Also subtle, is the Benetton logo. It appears 12 times throughout the text, including the front and back covers. It is located when they have two pages with a quote from one of the inmates. Clearly, this is re-emphasizing the connection that the company wants to make with this statement. It promotes Benetton’s political activity by reminding the viewer who has sponsored this catalog.

Benetton wisely used several tactics to make their visual argument against the death penalty. Many of these tactics focus the viewers attention on the eyes, or "windows to the soul." This is done very well, because it concentrates attention on the human aspects of the inmates. Ultimately, that is what Benetton wants to do, because if readers relate to the inmates on a human level, they may be more likely to reject the death penalty. The actual effect of this photo-essay, however, is not necessarily powerful enough to change the opinions of death penalty supporters. In the end, it may only support the opinions of the readers that already agree with Benetton’s message.

Angela Gentry