Tackled!

This photo depicts the running of the Olympic flame to its home this year in Beijing, China. Of course we already know that every time an Olympic event is held the flame is always paraded in hopes of inspiring unity and hope in all that see it. It’s an especially great honor to be one of the runners selected. However, it also brings a great responsibility, not so much to the carrier, to make sure that the flame makes its trip unharmed. As you may know, the games this year have brought up an amazing amount of controversy due to the fact that they are being held in a “communist” country. Due to this newfound controversy additional guards must run alongside the main torch bearer so that he may be able to run unhindered and without fear of being attacked by a random protester.
This brings me to my question for you. Provided with this knowledge, the knowledge you already have, this photo, and the abundance of info sitting at the keys your fingers are laying upon; what are your feelings about the games and their meaning being held in a country where the people there have very little freedom? Do you think that this may help with the “melting” of China’s communist grip? Or do you think that this is something that is only being done to pacify the inhabitants to prevent future uprisings?

"Cat"

Andrea Turner's Entry

The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of "Cat," and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it," she said. "I think that's what he would have wanted." How could this picture be used for an essay about the families of Marines?

The Marlboro Marine

This photograph was taken by Luis Sinco, of the Los Angeles Times, of Marine Lance Cpl. James Blake Miller smoking a cigarette after the battle of Fallouja. The story is as much about the power of the photograph as is it about the effects of war on the human soul. The story Miller tells about his life after coming home takes all the varnish of glory off of any war story. Sinco shows what it is like to be in the middle of an intense military conflict. What emotions do you feel while looking at this photograph? Why do you think he resulted to smoking, or does smoking even have an affect on him?

Stricken Child

The photo is the “Pulitzer Prize” winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine. The picture depicts "stricken child" crawling towards an United Nations food camp located a kilometer away.
The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat him. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken.
Three months later he committed suicide due to depression. What are your first reactions upon looking at this photo? How does this picture make you feel? Why do we have to wait for pictures like this to take action against injustice and crying need?

"Rescued"

The elephant is the revered national symbol of Thailand. Its sacred image can be seen throughout the Kingdom as testimony to its central role in the history and culture of the Thai people. A century ago there were over 100.000 elephants in Thailand. Today estimates of the remaining elephants vary from 5.000 to as low as 2.500.
This photo of Sampran, a wild bull elephant, is treated at the Lampang National Elephant Institute in northern Thailand for infections caused by a poacher's snare .
How does this photo make you feel? Do you think it is okay that people have the right to do this to harmless animals? Do you think anything could be done to stop this extinction process or do you think poachers have taken it too far already?

Atomic Bomb Aftermath

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks during World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at the order of U.S. President Harry S. Truman. After six months of intense firebombing of 67 other Japanese cities, the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" was dropped on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945, followed on August 9 by the detonation of the "Fat Man" nuclear bomb over Nagasaki. These are to date the only attacks with nuclear weapons in the history of warfare.
The bombs killed as many as 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 80,000 in Nagasaki by the end of 1945, roughly half on the days of the bombings. Since then, thousands more have died from injuries or illness attributed to exposure to radiation released by the bombs. In both cities, the overwhelming majority of the dead were civilians.
The picture to the left represents the aftermath of the Hiroshima bomb in Japan. Knowing that the U.S. possesses one of the the strongest military defenses, does this image strengthen or weaken your opinion about the current war we are in? Are we turning the Iraq war into a image of devestation as pictured in World War II? Or are we helping? In relation to the image explain your feelings on this photo and its relation to the war we are now in. Is the U.S. too powerful? Or are we not doing enough and should enforce consequences such as the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on the current countries we are engaged in war with?

Children as Soldiers in Africa

It is estimated that there are more than 120,000 children , around the age of seven, that are being used as soldiers in Africa. The young boys that are recruited fight on the front lines of combat, participate in suicide missions, act as spies, and often carry messages across enemy lines. While the young girls that are used as soldiers rarely fight, they are mostly subject to sexual abuse and taken as wives for the rebel leaders. After being recruited by Warlords the young children are drugged, brainwashed, and trained so that they feel no emotion when it comes to killing. And a lot of the children have to pass a test after being recruited, the test is for them to kill their whole family. Why do you think that leaders of militia groups in Africa target children when it comes to recruiting new soldiers? What do you think this does to their mind?

Mass Meat Recall

This is a photograph at the Hallmark/Westland meat packing company in California. This past February the largest meat recall in history was made. The recall comes after the government confirmed that "downer cows", which are cows so injured or sick that they can't stand up, were processed and entered into the nation's food supply. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had to recall 143 million pounds of frozen beef from Hallmark. About 37 million pounds of this recalled beef went to school programs in 36 states, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten. A USDA veterinarian is SUPPOSED to check each downer cow and make sure it is not diseased, but that hasn’t happened.
What is your reaction to hearing this information? Did you know that this had just taken place? Why do you think that contaminated foods would be distributed to the public? What do you think has happened to the regulations that were put in place to keep this sort of thing from happening?

The U.S. soldier leans against the wall attentively with his weapon during a cordon and search in the Rashid district of Baghdad as an Iraqi girl leans against the wall, relaxed while blowing bubbles. Different people in different worlds sharing the same space. Contrast the different roles of the two people in this image? How is it compelling to you? Does it change the opinion of your look at the war?

This is a photograph taken by Marc Riboud in 1967. It was taken at an anti-Vietnam War march outside the Pentagon. It captures the core values of the hippie movement.

Kasmir (the woman with the flower) later said, “All of a sudden, I realized ‘them’ was that soldier in front of me—a human being I could just as easily have been going out on a date with. It wasn’t a war machine, it was just a bunch of guys with orders. Right then, it went from being a fun, hip trip to a painful reality.”

What does this picture say about our right to free speech through expression? Was the woman “asking” for trouble? How does this picture represent the time period? Does it or does it not apply to the present day?

Miracle On Ice

This picture was taken after the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team won the gold medal in an upset victory against Finland. Known as the “Miracle On Ice” USA beat the Soviet Union, who were the returning champions from previous years, as well as Finland in the championship. Despite being the underdogs in both games team USA prevailed against all odds. In 1980, the United States were emerging from a troubled decade. The 1970s had been marked by a gruesome end to the Vietnam War, Watergate scandal, extremely high inflation, unemployment and energy crisis. Furthermore, the Soviets started the rebirth of the Cold War. Therefore, it was no surprise that the Miracle On Ice became known for “giving the country a reason to feel good again.” How do the players and fans facial expressions make you feel? How does this picture symbolize America?

This is a picture I took in my home town New Orleans, Louisiana.  As you stand on the corner of Burbon and Royal street in the french quarter you can see the St. Louis Cathedral.  In front of the Cathedral there is a statue of Jesus, and when the light shines on it just right you can see a giant shadow of Jesus on the church.  It has been amazing to see this in person so many times, but the picture captures it just as well.  After hurricane Katrina hit many areas and families, even some of my own family was left devastated and with absolutely nothing. New Orleans has come so far since Katrina and is not stopping any time soon.  The city and the people in it are so strong and have battled through so much.  This picture to me shows that God is watching over the city and of course all of us.  I truly believe everything happens for a reason and even though this was a horrible incident I think God is watching over us.  How do you view this picture? and what do you think this statue means?

Female circumcision is a tradition that has been practiced for thousands of years in some African and Middle Eastern countries. In this photo, this young girl is undergoing female genital mutilation. Several women take hold of her and open her legs wide. After separating her outer and inner lips, the operator, usually a woman experienced in this procedure, sits down facing the child. With her kitchen knife the operator first pierces and slices open the hood of the clitoris. Then she begins to cut it out. While another woman wipes off the blood with a rag, the operator digs with her sharp fingernail a hole the length of the clitoris to detach and pull out the organ. The little girl, held down by the women helpers, screams in extreme pain; but no one pays the slightest attention. The operator finishes this job by entirely pulling out the clitoris, cutting it to the bone with her knife. Her helpers again wipe off the spurting blood with a rag. The operator then removes the remaining flesh, digging with her finger to remove any remnant of the clitoris among the flowing blood. The neighbor women are then invited to plunge their fingers into the bloody hole to verify that every piece of the clitoris is removed. It is also done to demonstrate their virginity on their wedding night; and because "uncut" girls with the ability to enjoy love-making are considered more likely to be promiscuous, unhygienic, and prone to diseases such as Aids. In this age of political correctness, do Americans and other people have the right and authority to say this practice is barbaric and should be stopped?

This is Nate Robinson in the 2006 NBA Slam Dunk Competition. He is shown here dunking over the one time NBA Dunking Champion Spud Webb. Both players are known for their jumping ability despite their size (5.9 and 5.7 respectively).

Now that you know a little bit about this picture, how do you feel the athletes of today in all sports honor the past, while still setting a good example for the youth and future of the sport?

Eddie Anderson...

My photo is in "The Photo Book" on page 117. The photo was taken by Philip-Lorca DiCorcia. Be sure to read the caption.

Altough this photo is "somewhat staged", I thought the photo makes a impression. What do you think the photographer is trying to say with this photo? Why do you think that the man is looking into the window but not at the food?

Amanda and her cousin Amy, Valdese, North Carolina, 1990

This picture from "American Beauty, " a series by Mary Ellen Mark, shows two young cousins in a small wading pool. "Mark saw the young rebel smoking a cigarette in the wading pool as her mother watched. The girl defiantly blew smoke into the camera as Mark captured the moment." Notice how much older the girl with the cigarette looks than her cousin. What do you think Mark's purpose was in capturing this image? What do you think it says about life in America? Does it make you feel anything specific?


photo from:http://www.pcnw.org/facultyPages/maryEllenMark/memark01-big.jpg
quote from:http://influx.uoregon.edu/2004/html/mem.html

The United States of America

How does this picture portray the United States as both united and divided?

Child with a Toy Gernade in Central Park

This is a very striking picture of a boy holding a gernade clinched in his hand with that seem to point to a deperate future, hysterical and militarized. This picture catches your eye because of the contrast of calm nature with violent- seeming nature of such a young boy. Take notice of even the skinny tree trunks compared to the young boy's stick-like legs and the representation of two different worlds. Why would the boy look so anxious and destressed in such a calm, serene, public place? He looks as if he has already been thorough war because of the expression on his face and his features. What about is body language and facial expressions makes him look already look like a victim of a war? Why would he be made to portray such a graphic image?

Singing Children

My Picture is in the Photo Book. Pg.177.. Be sure to read the caption..

How does this picture compare to what it might have been like with the same age group of kids in the United States during the same time frame? How could it have been different? What do you think the stars and rockets on the wall are meant for in regards to the children?

"Hands" Michael Wells

Look at "The Photo Book" page 486 ("Hands" Michael Wells).

It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words. How does this picture exemplify this? How does it aid the missionary's cause in Uganda? How can it be used, for what purpose?

Be sure to read the caption!

Mother Teresa's Feet

Fixed on her feet, the photographer was captivated. 

Sometimes photographers communicate a message through artistic shots, contrast, or a variety of elements included.  Other times, the frame is simple with only the bare image speaking to the viewer.   

How is this bare image, of Mother Teresa's foot so powerful? 

What does it symbolize?

How does the picture speak?

Sample Blog ~ Veggie Race

Sample Blog Post:

Analyze this picture. How might you incorporate this photograph into an article about childhood obesity?

Sample Blog ~ Night Before the Wedding

Each of you will post one photograph with one writing prompt this term. You should respond to a minimum of five of these blog posts with an organized short essay before the end of the term. Please make sure each post has a few responses.

Here is a sample post:

Take a look at this photograph of Blake Miller, a US Marine lance corporal, returned to his boyhood Kentucky home after being honorably discharged from the military, following a tour of duty in Iraq. Now home, Miller attempts to get his life back on track and marries his high school sweetheart Jessica. (http://bop.nppa.org/2007/still_photography/winners). Analyze the picture and offer your opinion about what the photographer hoped to capture. Consider all elements of the photograph: his haircut, the cigarette, the background, the wedding veil. What argument might you create to serve as a caption for this photograph?

Welcome to Our Blog!

Instead of keeping a regular journal, we will use this blog to post pictures, comments, and replies to other classmates' work. I will post the first assignment soon! Check back!