Friday, April 13, 2007

Pictures of the Week: April 7-13

The photo of the Taiwanese veterinarian's severed arm in the jaws of the crocodile caused much debate about whether it should be included in this week's Pictures of the Week gallery:
 
 
Some on our staff thought that the image was too gruesome and that it was not even a great photo. Others thought that it was gross, but interesting. Ultimately, I decided that it deserved a place in this week's gallery, that it was a significant news event, that the image, though unpleasant, immediately gets your attention, whether you had heard about this fairly well publicized event or not. In fact, I think the photo is interesting and even well composed. It is a photo that demands you to look at it and wonder: Is that real? How did it happen?
 
In short, it is a provocative, newsworthy photo and the best part is that it had a relatively happy ending. The arm was recovered and reattached, and although two shots were fired at the crocodile in the rescue workers' effort to retrieve the arm, it appears the croc was not wounded and was unharmed.
 
So what's your opinion? Were you drawn in or repelled by the image?
 
To see all of the photos and to vote on the the image you think is the best, please go to Pictures of the Week.
And don't forget to sign up for the weekly alert that I send out each week as soon as I publish the newest gallery.
 
-Lee

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Both drawn in and repelled....like most humans I suppose...

Nancy

Anonymous said...

The photo certainly tells a story. I just looked at National Geographic's Week in Photos and they went with a tighter shot. I like the whole bending curve of the animal off into the water. I could do without that piece of dangling flesh though.

Anonymous said...

I wanted to read what happened & to see if it WAS real, but I do not think its a great photo.  It is very disturbing!
Marie

Anonymous said...

It reminds me of the pictures that I have.

Anonymous said...

    I  found it a very interesting picture. Shows that you should be careful in everything you do in life.

Anonymous said...

YOU SEE IT YOU GOTTA SHOOT IT OTHERWISE IT'S GONE! WHO OFTEN DO YA SEE AN ARM IN A GATERS MOUTH!  kEEP ON SHOOTIN!

Anonymous said...

One part of your mind says "Ugh!!!" but another says "Geee!!!"
"Riveting" is a good description for this photo.

Anonymous said...

I think this is a great photo. In today's world this is not as shocking as it would have been yrs back. We see so much worse now. The world has so much tragedy in it. The fact that the hand still makes a fist immediately caught my eye. It's also amazing that the arm was able to be reattached, thanks for letting us know that part of the story as well.

Anonymous said...

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.EW.