Ben Heine’s “Dream Road” merges imagination and reality through creativity. The sketch in the foreground creates an interesting contrast with the natural background. This contrast in texture and color gives the photograph a certain studium and punctum, which are according to Roland Barthes, two crucial components of a captivating photograph.

Eddie Adams’ photograph of the Vietcong prisoner’s execution reveals two things about human nature: our fear of death and our disregard for human life. The studium exemplifies the evils of war and the punctum reveals our flaws.

Photograph of Opening Day at Yankee Stadium back in April of 1923. Really captures the times and historical context as well as the personal emotions.

The Falling Man’s expression of a precarious bond between life and death also exemplifies Barthes’ ideals. Ultimately, The Falling Man represents the excellence of photography that Barthes describes through its studium and its punctum, as well as its natural setting and emotional impact and effect on Spectators.

-Joe Derosa