The image of the USA's former president Donald Trump with a clenched fist began to spread immediately after the assassination attempt over the weekend.
The image became iconic the second it was taken, says Anna Clarén, head teacher at Nordens Fotoskola Biskops Arnö.
The clenched, raised hand, the waving American flag, and the red blood on his cheek against the clear blue sky.
The photographer must have felt "there it was", says Terje Lindblom, lecturer in photojournalism at Oslo University.
The image has all the details and symbols needed for an image to become historic, according to Lindblom.
"Symbol of struggle"
The former president stops before leaving the scene, raises his clenched fist, and the crowd begins to chant "USA, USA".
The raised clenched fist is a classic symbol of struggle, says Terje Lindblom.
The American flag is a strong symbol for the American people, and many Americans have a strong connection to it.
With the flag's position next to the hand, the struggle and nationalism are linked, he says.
The situation in front of the lens
There are several reasons why the image gained iconic status so quickly, according to Anna Clarén, head teacher at Nordens Fotoskola Biskops Arnö.
It's mainly about the actual situation in front of the camera lens. The polarized situation in the USA and the world, as well as the image's skilled composition, are also of great importance.
The light falls perfectly on the main object's face, which is also one of the world's most powerful people. Then, the background is simplified with the American flag against a blue sky.
Photographed from below
The fact that the Secret Service agents, dressed in suits, bend down and embrace the former president with full focus while Trump himself has focus on the crowd is an important part of the image's composition.
It's also photographed from below, which gives him an elevated and powerful position, says Clarén.
The red blood on Trump's ear and cheek becomes historic because it signals that he is injured and exposed, according to Terje Lindblom. The red color, which symbolizes strength, anger, love, and passion, becomes a contrasting color to the blue sky and makes the blood stand out clearly.
The fact that it also matches the colors of the American flag makes the image very good, he says.
Corrected: In an earlier version, a surname was incorrectly stated.
Evan Vucci, who is a photographer for Associated Press (AP), took the image of the American ex-president, which is already being referred to as historic. He has been photographing Trump for eight years and has also taken other notable images.
He photographed, among other things, the man who threw a shoe at President George W Bush during a press conference with Iraq's then-prime minister.
Vucci received the Pulitzer Prize in 2021 for his images of the protests following George Floyd's death.
