Necessary Pictures

[Georg R. Baumann]

Warning! The slideshow in the below link contains explicit pictures that deal with famine, war, hunger, illness and death.

http://tomstoddart.com/iwitness.html

Comment:
Ever since I developed an interest in photography, Tom Stoddart is known to me. To me, he is a truly exceptional photographer. While I personally produce unnecessary pictures, Tom does not! His work, as well as the work of so many others in his field is a mirror he holds up to us living in the oil and technology driven world that has developed fundamental wealth by means of conquest, exploitation, world bank policies of so called structural reforms, and has left a trail of war, devastation and anarchy behind in many of these countries.

Photography at it's best.

Tom Stoddart:​

Its is sad but necessary that these photographs exist!​

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

..it is sad but necessary that these photographs exist!

What else can one say? Very, very sad indeed.

 

[John Angulat]

Powerful, moving, heart-wrenching.
We may debate forever the depth of human suffering or humankind's inhumanity.
There's no debating how well Stoddart's told the story.
Thank you for sharing this.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Amazingly evocative images such as Stoddards', should not be relegated to a fast flash slide show. Each image deserves time and space. Otherwise no justice is done to the photography or to the victims shown.

In all, there were moments of reflection and remembrance where humanity triumphed over cynicism, neglect and cruelty. One of these, the man with the cello by the graveside of a lost companion, was the most heartening for the human spirit being treasured, even when those lost cannot possibly give anything more of themselves.

Asher

 

[Georg R. Baumann]

@Cem - Yep!

@John - We shall debate.... we shall

@Asher - Initially I had the same thought on the slideshows approx. 4sec speed, but when I saw this the first time, I did not expect this length of presentation and the variety of places. I think it was a conscious decision and a wise presentation, I really think it needs this speed of flow. By choosing this speed, it gives us a sense of the immense scale, and truly leaves one overwhelmed. This photographic essay left me sitting jaw dropped at my desk, engulfed in a strange cloud of strong emotions, feeling despair, anger and sadness at the same time.

 

[Asher Kelman]

@Cem - Yep!

@John - We shall debate.... we shall

@Asher - Initially I had the same thought on the slideshows approx. 4sec speed, but when I saw this the first time, I did not expect this length of presentation and the variety of places. I think it was a conscious decision and a wise presentation, I really think it needs this speed of flow. By choosing this speed, it gives us a sense of the immense scale, and truly leaves one overwhelmed. This photographic essay left me sitting jaw dropped at my desk, engulfed in a strange cloud of strong emotions, feeling despair, anger and sadness at the same time.

Georg,

I thought of that too, glimpses moving fast over ones eyes. But then 1-4 seconds is far too slow. We get the sense of it in a flash. If the entire set of images moved liked that, then it would be one work of immense scale. Like this, it needs both enormous patience to wait for the next image and forbearance that one has not time to really respect each scene of crushed humanity as it deserves.

In fact, I hate flash in most of its uses. I want to be able to look at things and take responsibility.

Asher