9.28.2007

Questionable Photo

http://bop.nppa.org/2007/still_photography/winners/OPY/104928/187447.html

Carolyn Cole of the LA Times won BOP Photojournalist of the year for this photo. However, I do not think the picture was appropriate for news. When I look at this picture my stomach literally hurts. Portraying the dead bodies of two children online or in a newspaper seems unnecessary and too graphic. One must remember that online news is easily accessible and all kinds of people could come across that photo. As a news consumer I did not enjoy coming across this photo. I believe the conflict between Israel and Lebanon and its consequences could have been displayed more tactfully. For instance, the tenth photo in the Picture Gallery at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2550369.ece is a good example of how to display violence in less gruesome way. This photo allows the consumer to understand the gravity of the conflict without seeing any dead bodies. I feel as if Cole's photo was put up to shock people and I don't think people need those types of images to understand what's happening.
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1 comment:

Jess, Brendan, and Melanie said...

Not to get too political, but I think it's important to note that there are multiple reports that the Lebanese waited hours for the news crews (with photographers) to arrive before evacuating the bodies of children from the building. And there wouldn't have any children's casaulties in the first place if Hezbullah hadn't been using schools and hospitals as human shields for their bunkers. I know it's not related to the idea of questionable photos, but I just wanted to put that out there.

8:47 AM

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