Powerful Images...

[sproggy]

...that land on stoney ground.

Iraqi girl car bomb victim dies in arms of American soldier.

[wasp_f15ting]

Yep those are helicopters on the ground.

[danielreal2k]

Power of Mother Nature.   Argue with her and she'll f*cking kill you.

[gazzyk1ns]

Cuh, typical woman.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

COR!

WHAMMY!

[Circusfire]

...that land on stoney ground.

Iraqi girl car bomb victim dies in arms of American soldier.

Oh my. Where is that image from?

[sproggy]

Full blog here

[All Surrogate]

A grain of sand holds ten thousand galaxies.

Hubble Ultra Deep Field


The Galaxies, Like Stars.

[Uncle Gripper]

I'm not really sure that these so called powerful images of dying or dead children are anything other than extreme voyuerism.  I could link a few pics from Ogrish of a Brazilian favella murder victim, a whore that had been raped and strangled, or an unfortunate Indian gent who was crossing the road and is now squashed with his brains painted all over the road.

The fact that death is a theme merely draws emotion in a cheap way.  Death is always going to be powerful, particularly that of a child.  The other pics posted above, to me anyway, convey the sense of power more. The dead child conveys a lack of power, an impotence, defeat.  

It isn't nice.

[sproggy]

I'm not really sure that these so called powerful images of dying or dead children are anything other than extreme voyuerism.

Quite right, and I'm glad no-one has been tempted to post any such images in this thread.  Because as you rightly said, that would be cheap voyuerism.

It isn't nice.

The first image resonates strongly with me for a couple of reasons, that I shan't go into here.  A surprising number of people have responded to it the same way you did Uncle Gripper by denouncing it as mere 'rubber necking'.  To me the image raises more than just the death of the young girl, tragic as it is, because surprisingly my initial empathy was with the soldier and what thoughts were going through his head as he held the dying girl in his arms.  Did he feel partly responsible perhaps?  or loose his faith in God or the reason for joining the armed forces?  Did he go home a hero?  who knows.

Debating whether or not foreign troops should be in Iraq is a moot point but it astounds me how governments can justify leaving their troops in Iraq after witnessing events such as this.  Never before has so much first-hand detail been laid at their feet that they seem fit to ignore.


EDIT: Probably serves me right for trying to use pictures instead of words again.  Too ambiguous I suppose.

[Sovereign]

a few here, hope they don't take up too much space

Kumbh Mela, 70,000,000 people all simultaneously batheing in the ganges





Stars and Stripes on Saddam's face, PR disaster par excellence

[terminallyrelaxed]

Eugene Smith


The Wake


Country Doctor


Cover


Soldier With Canteen

Don Mccullin


Shell-shocked Marine, Hue 1968

[terminallyrelaxed]

Annie Leibovitz

[terminallyrelaxed]

Sorry, for a minute there I thought you said 'arresting images'....

[sproggy]

Good stuff tr and Sovereign

I've been turning this image over in my mind for a few years now.  I've had it on my hard drive for so long I've forgotten who the photographer was (anyone know?)



The power of an image is purely subjective and by it's very nature voyeuristic.  In this instance is the dad reflecting on years of self-abuse that could imminently leave his son an orphan or is he just pissed off because the kid won't stop crying?

[Oscar]

You sound like you know some of the story behind it sproglette. What self abuse? His eyes seem to be focused on something, not just reflecting. What's the story?

[George]

Nice thread Sprog.

The power of an image is purely subjective and by it's very nature voyeuristic.

The nurture/nature thingy innit?

It's how we get to that position that some would argue we are conditioned from the very start to respond to; the circumstances we are brought up in, the things we fetishize and voyeurize, going so far as to propose that there is no such thing as instinct for we all al taught how to gaze in awe at the majesty of wonder.

My candidate:

[Munday's Chylde]

[sanchopanza]

Hale Bop.  I was petrified when that appeared, just because it did, and not a single fucker seen it coming!  Just shows how easy it could happen.

[Almost Yearly]

What?

[Catalogue Trousers]

I was always a sucker for a bit of good iconic flag-waving following victory over a tyrannical bastard. Just a pity that the Soviets (and every other nation) always ended up with their share of the latter.

[Baxter]

Pish I like to keep it old school with Ansel Adams




What's that photo where the photographer just insulted the subject until she started crying?

[mook]

What's that photo where the photographer just insulted the subject until she started crying?

Wasn't one of Max Hardcore's was it?

Serious question, I've been looking for that photo of a middle eastern girl who has the most beautiful blue eyes, if my memory serves me right she's wearing a reddish head-covering of some sort,  it's a pretty famous image. A few years later the photographer returned and captured an image of her in the same pose as a middle aged woman, (ring any bells?). If anyone here can find it, I'd be well chuffed. I've googled my self into a frazzle with no luck whatsoever.


Ta in advance.

[mugwump ji sum]

[mook]

That's the one, thanks mugwump ji sum.

I searched via Time, Newsweek and gawd knows what else, but came up why nothing. Just shows you how much of a numpty I am that I didn't even think to have a butchers at National Geographic. Thanks again for taking the trouble to search it out for me.

[Santa's Boyfriend]

(picture)

I was always a sucker for a bit of good iconic flag-waving following victory over a tyrannical bastard. Just a pity that the Soviets (and every other nation) always ended up with their share of the latter.

Check this one out:

[fanny splendid]

Is it on your site, the picture of the marines erecting a McDonalds sign?

[The Region Legion]

afghan girl

She really let herself go, didn't she.

[Al Tha Funkee Homosapien]

No wonder they all wear Burk......no sorry I can't do it.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

What's wrong with that gag?

At least you didn't say "That's what I'd have done if I'd have got hold of her- staring like that- fucking provocative."