1944

Civilians taking shelter in the Caves of Fleury-sur-Orne near Caen, France, 1944.

Though it is in direct opposition to his other WWII photograph included in Humanity, George Rodger again proves his talent for chronicling life during the Second World War by capturing this moment of tension. This moment depicts individuals seeking to hide from the Battle of Caen that was waged between German soldiers and the British Second Army, and the anxiety is tangible through the subjects’ positions. Be it the anticipatory glances of the children, the halting stare of the man with the pipe, or the civilians who look to be engaging in conversation just for a brief distraction, it cannot be denied that this image is anything but stationary. The impact of the wartime dangers is in the very atmosphere of this photo, stoppering the breath of the viewer along with it.