Roger Fenton's "Valley of the Shadow of Death" utilizes visual composition to convey the loss of war primarily through the presence of cannonballs in a barren landscape. The option that most accurately reflects this is:
4. Cannonballs in a barren landscape hint at the missing dead.
In this photograph, the juxtaposition of the untouched terrain and the scattered cannonballs serves as a poignant reminder of the violence and destruction that occurred, while simultaneously evoking a sense of absence and loss. Rather than celebrating battle, Fenton’s composition emphasizes the aftermath of conflict, suggesting the lives lost and the devastation wrought by war. The emptiness of the landscape contrasts starkly with the presence of the cannonballs, highlighting the weight of absence — both of the deceased soldiers and the violence that their presence once entailed.