Source: Photos by WTL© (2015).
Image: In this image enactors are playing the part of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (1519-1574) and his sailors as he most likely was rowed ashore for the first time in 1565. The brochure covering the celebration the Diocese of St. Augustine published details about the schedule, the Catholic hierarchy in attendance, the early Church in Florida, and details about the city's attention to observe historical authenticity. In the bow of this boat is Chad Light, then "enactor" who played the role of Menéndez for several years and who took his role very seriously. In an article about this boat, Margo C. Pope says this: "[Chad Light will step ashore] from 'San Agustín de Hispano [...] a replica 16th-century Spanish [...] chalupa [...] [Chalupas] ferried passengers and cargo from the tall sailing ships into a city's harbor [... A chalupa] is 37 1/2-feet long and hand-built of native woods. The frame is live oak and the planking is cypress (p. 23)."
Note: All photography is selection (i.e., cropping either mechanically or by the photographer's framing, lighting, angle, etc.). In this case, what is not shown is the fact that there were several anti-450th-celebration protesters in the water with placards and increpatory shouts along with two small police boats monitoring the demonstrators and carefully keeping everyone—enactors, protestors, and spectators safe.
Humanities Questions: (1) In what way do you get the feeling that this image approaches an authentic or believable reenactment of the actual historical event? (2) Knowing the content of the "note" above, how does that information enhance or detract from what you see in this photograph?