On the morning of December 7, 1941, 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 wounded at the attack on Pearl Harbor. Fearing further attack by the Japanese, government officials urged President Roosevelt to sign the Executive Order 9066. This removed 120,000 Japanese Americans from their home and relocated them into internment camps. Hundreds of photos were released after the termination of these camps showing how the living conditions were. The Photograph Entrance of Catholic Chapel, taken in 1943 by Ansel Adams shows faith, freedom, and friendship by the use of lines, the contrast of light and dark, and the smiling facial expressions of the women and children. Long, upward extending tree branches on both edges of the photograph move the viewers eyes to a large white cross above a wide building. Electrical wires stretch out from the bottom of the cross and out of the frame to the right. No windows can be seen, but there is a single vent above the door. The Two large white doors are fully open revealing a black room. The Priest, in the center of the photograph, stands looking down upon a group of smiling women and children in the foreground. To the right of the closely huddled group a fairly well dressed man appears to be talking to someone just outside the viewers eyesight. One way Adams depicts life in the camps is through the use of lines that directs spectators to an important object in the photograph. Extending branches on the sides of the image lead to the slanted roof where a cross symbolizes the Japanese Americans faith during a difficult time. In the Christian religion a cross symbolizes faith in god, because he sent his son to suffer and sacrifice himself to repay for human sins. The cross is a main focal point, numerous abstract and concrete lines point to this symbol of faith. One small child in the crowd looks up toward the cross, and two electric wires from the right side of the photograph leads to the bottom of the cross. Life at the internment camps was not enjoyable; they had to plant and grow their own food, raise their own livestock, and make any clothing they would need themselves. Prisoners of these camps went through many hardships along the way, however, they never let go of their faith. Another technique Adams uses is color contrast of the bright white doors opened to a black room to reveal the priest and his congregation displaying a sense of freedom and hope. The dark black room in the background represents the challenging struggles of the life in camp, however, the large open white doors
