WARNING: Upsetting Image (Dead Dog) Route 1 S images.

[cherrygirl]

Originally Posted by zephod

I have several things to say. First, it's a sad scene but not so much the dog as the people standing around. If she'd just been hit as is suggested by the scene I feel sorry for all of us if our society has devolved to the point that giving the poor animal a bit of succor in her final moments is beneath them. I see people standing and watching not helping. I see a woman leaning on her car seemingly annoyed by having to stop and or wait. I see a man and woman who could well be the owners doing nothing and an overall lack of emotion.

I just want to say that I see the complete opposite in this photo. I mean how many dogs and cats have we seen on the road dead that obviously no one stopped. I think it says a lot that there are four people who have taken the time to stop.

[Known]

I didn't want to come to revisit this topic with the purpose of explain the images artistic integrity, but after reading some of the responses I feel it's absolutely necessary.

Zephod made excellent observations, namely, "see a woman leaning on her car seemingly annoyed by having to stop and or wait. I see a man and woman who could well be the owners doing nothing and an overall lack of emotion." This is the artist intent. I couldn't have said it any better.

That's it. This scene cleary generates a huge myraid of responces and emotions, so much so that the majority of responses on this forum to my posts were suggests to take them down or question how such a scene could be art. Why then are those involved so placid? Why is (what seems to be the owner) so complacent with the situation? Clearly there is a massive juxtaposition between the subjects in this photograph and the audience (you). A juxtaposition that society tells us should not be there. IE: The owner should be sad. The other people should be distraught. Instead, you are confronted with what seems to be more along the lines of annoyance and apathy. Why?

That is the question I am asking with this work. I feel that the work is able to bring these questions to the surface without relying on "shock" or "train wreck" mentalities. While elements of this work may be darker or grim it is certainly not nearly graphic enough (subject matter wise or actual subjects) to brush it off as shock.

What I am capturing here with this image is something brutally real, something brutally honest. (Without the use of excessive gore or shock!) It has absolutely the highest level of journalistic integrity an image can capture because it represents the emotions, or lack of, these people actually are expressing. I believe comparing this to a shock stunt is both short sighted and a jab to photography as a whole.

I believe it's important to recognize that because an image depicts death, sadness, or tragedy does not assign it a role as a "bad choice" of subject matter, nor as a shock image, nor as any negative connotation that may be placed on it by individuals who may not personally prefer that form of work.

You know what they say in the debate with pornography and art afterall, "You can see it in their eyes."

[Known]

Although writing this is a bit self-defeating, my intention here was never to create (and is still not) controversy. There is plenty of that already in the art world for far bigger matters and competing in that fight is redundant.

I'm not trying to be another Duchamp.

I hope that, whether this work is your cup of tea or not, you are able to look at it objectively as art and give your opinions. I wont be posting in this thread again as I feel that any more would be defending ego rather than attempting to shed more light on the work.

I hope to comment on all of your works (which are superb and the reason I joined the DPS community) and post more of my images for feedback. (I'll be putting a series of 4 x 3 buildings and farmer market shots up in the coming days.)

[kirbinster]

I think the image is fine, its just reporting on the story of life and what you see from behind the camera. Those that don't want to look at it can look away, but it is part of life.

[China Rose]

Although i do not care care for the pictures personally I do believe that good art will inspire an emotion in other people and that is what this has done. it is a negative emotion but a powerful one as we can all see by how many people have called for it to be removed. even tho I don't like the picture i respect its right to be here. censorship is a slippery road I dont think that we should go there. we have a category for nudes but we do not ban them we do not call for them to be removed.....shame on you

[mattpalmer08]

Am not sure thats the kind of photos people want to see... its not even a decent photo to add insult to it. Maybe post something a little more tasteful and a little better shot next time