December 28, 2013

"For me, pictures like this are so troubling because they ask core questions about the contradictory nature of photography."

"On the one hand, the photo is a tremendously disturbing representation of evil and chaos."
On the other, it is such a perfect and unique example of this evil that it transcends the constant, predictable, numbing pictorial representations of equal or greater violence that usually just slip away unseen. These are such troubling thoughts to think. Ten years ago, I would have felt some of the violence before I could acknowledge my respect for the photograph. Now I feel them both simultaneously. Perhaps that’s the great achievement of the photograph. But what do I know anymore? I guess I’m in too deep.

7 comments:

madAsHell said...

The bodies are wrapped in sheets. There must have some ritual to the murder. What message do the wrapped bodies convey? Who would understand that message?

caplight45 said...

"Who would understand that message?"
Anybody living in Mexico. Do not mess with drug cartels.

caplight45 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jaed said...

Me.
I.
I.
My.
I.
I.

averagejoe said...

What's disturbing about that photo is the utter artlessness of it- a professional photographer took that shot? Sheesh, just think of what Weegee could have done with that tableau...

mccullough said...

I'd like to see a photograph of the photographer photographing that photo.

Trashhauler said...

It's a rather antiseptic shot. I suspect they'd shy away from any view of real chaos.