The dirt and path aligns perfectly with the shadows in this photo to create a leading line that shows where these people are probably taking the box they are carrying. Additionally, the way in which the two people are centered in the middle of the photo allow the viewers eyes to be immediately drawn to them and the box. Even viewing this photo with no context it seems quite ominous. The dark sky, large shadows, dark run down buildings and the lack of view of the peoples heads make me feel a bit on edge. I think the long depth of field which allows the content of the background to be prevalent in the photo lets the audience know that the background plays an important role in this picture and contributes to the overall story the picture is trying to tell. Knowing that there are human remains in that box, from a person who starved to death, and knowing that this picture was taken in the midst of a war makes it even more dark. I think it’s really interesting and impressive that Rodriguez was able to use the content of the picture to allow people to feel a bit on edge before even fully understanding the context of what exactly is going on.
Good observations of shadow and depth in the composition as it relates to content.