Mad Hands - Haiti; 1959
(photo by Eugene Smith)
Eugene Smith is not only one of the greatest war photographers in history, but he has also mastered the use of symbolism throughout his images with lighting and other compositional features. In this photograph, the use of light is very important in portraying how the subject is longing for more than just physical freedom. The prisoner and the darkness that surrounds him is symbolic for reality. The reality being that he is confined in his own personal realm of hell and the light, which he is aggressively reaching for, is unobtainable. In this case, the light represents freedom and entraps the viewer of the connotation that the prisoner can touch freedom, but will never be able to grasp it. The prisoner will only be known for his eager hands and never by his face. His suffering hands shows the mental struggles he is attempting to overcome not taking into account that what the light offers will continue to be an obstacle he will never be allowed to cross.
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