Although the 1960s and 1970s were a relatively prosperous time in the United States, the epoch was rife with social protest. From the early 1970s Garry Winogrand freely photographed various social events and political protests in a style that was distinct from the conventions of photojournalism. Winogrand was not overly interested in the sociological dimension of the image and, on occasion, he was accused of being more concerned with form than subject matter. Winogrant felt photography lacked the ability to tell stories and negated the medium as a tool for social reform.

In this image, taken during a protest for peace in Central Park, Winogrand focused his attention on a moment that may initially seem trivial: an employee from the park is carefully holding a folded American flag against his chest. The photographer rejected the notion of “the decisive moment” posited by Henri Cartier-Bresson years earlier since he believed any moment could be important. His photographs, rejecting sentimentalisms and political predicaments, portray reality in a direct and cold way without touch-ups, opening new paths for street photography.