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The following photo was taken by Photographer Kevin Carter and won him a Pulitzer price in 1994
I've seen the photo before. And many of you surely have seen it too.
What brought this particular photo again to my attention was a recent essay I read in a Norwegian newspaper.
The picture was used as an example of 'staged photos' - apparently Carter waited for more than 10min for the vulture to come and sit down as the girl was bending over on the foreground. The point that was stated in the essay, was that if one has to come this far for the point of showing the drama of human suffering - in this case hunger in Sudan, then we should really question the integraty of the so-called photo journalists. Since the ultimate outcome for such 'manipulation' or 'stage' is to draw most of the viewers sympathy and empathy as a human being towards others. Should people still feel the urge of giving if they know the picture was 'staged'? Is this >right<??
To me, first of all.. this photo doesn't count as 'staged'. The photographer had no say in what are supposed to be in the photo. Yes he waited for more than 10min to take the shot. But that is a world of difference to someone says you you and you stand there and you at the front, turn your head to the right.
btw, Kevin Carter died a year later (1994) at the age of 33 by committing suicide (CO poisoning). |
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