Photo Analysis: Obama

Caption: President Obama meets with National Incident Commander US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen for a briefing on the BP oil spill at Coast Guard Station Gulfport in Gulfport, Mississippi, on Monday. 

This image portrays characteristics that make me have more confidence in Obama's leadership abilities, than another image that is just a close up during the same meeting. Here are a few reasons why:

• Caption Analysis
• The caption alone implies that the President is getting the most up to date information by being briefed on the response updates by an expert. The caption is reinforced by the following visual characteristics as well:

• Non-Verbal Gestures/Facial Expression/Body Language
• His open hands imply understanding, and make him more open to the audience
• We can tell the picture is spontaneous and not posed, as he is in mid-conversation
• His face has an expression of trying to figure something out... concern for the crisis perhaps
• People
• Not only is the President here, but also National Incident Commander, US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen. This implies a sense of teamwork, and a network of expert support.
• Clothing
• The Admiral is in what appears to be a daily uniform, and Obama is in casual dress, with his sleeves rolled up. I feel this paints a picture of professionalism on the Admiral's part, and a sense of "rolling up your sleeves", or getting in the midst of the problem, and coming to the people's level.
• Background
• In the background we see an American flag, implying patriotism. We also see images of response workers working, as well as maps images of the response to the oil spill, which displays that efforts are being made to respond, and that there is a plan of action being carried out. This subtly leads the viewer to have a more trust in the ability of Obama and the other leaders to address the spill in a competent way.