MAGNAchrom v1.6 now available

[Jiri Vasina]

Michael, I think it is a fantastic photo. Has several layers of meaning in it, and I had to stare at it for a while to figure it out. And that is what photography is about... to let also the viewer to use some of the brain cells too. (Unless you ran over the squirrel intentionally, which I doubt ).

[Gordon Moat]

Well . . . not so thrilled about the cover. Sure, it is different than having some tart on there, but maybe next time you could have a tart in a hot car running over the squirrel.


Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[Bruce Watson]

I don't know -- I kinda think it is beatiful. Anyone else think so too?

Striking maybe. Interesting even. But it's not beautiful. It's yet more of the American obsession with death and decay. I used to think that one day we'd grow out of it, but it never lets up.

It's to the point now where people even think it's beautiful, which is twisted. Most definitions of beauty point in the direction of a person or thing which gives pleasure to the senses and pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.

If you are taking pleasure in the death of animals, if squashed dead squirrels pleasurably exalts your mind and/or spirit, you've got bigger issues than the definition of beauty.

[tim atherton]

It's yet more of the American obsession with death and decay. I used to think that one day we'd grow out of it, but it never lets up.
.

Actually, from my perspctive, the opposite seems true.

People would do almost anything to avoid thinking about the reality of death and decay. They'd rather it didn't exist at all. An attidued that has been growing rather than declining.

Yet I don't think you can get any more "real" then such issues

[MJSfoto1956]

If you are taking pleasure in the death of animals, if squashed dead squirrels pleasurably exalts your mind and/or spirit, you've got bigger issues than the definition of beauty.

Wow!! That sure is a stretch! Of course I'm not taking pleasure at the death of an animal. But in a way, death is (yes it is) beautiful. To avoid the topic of death (in conversation, in photos, etc) is itself a hangup. Does this mean that we as photographers are supposed to "avoid" death at all costs less we be castigated with subtle innuendo such as this? Does your concept of beauty trump all others? Who gets to call the shots -- some cabal of exalted photo gurus who have the last say in the matter? I think Christina has stuck her neck out to "think outside of the box" -- and I for one want to congratulate her on it.

Sorry Bruce, but as an artist I think you are completely off base here. And frankly, you have hurt my feelings with the your not-so-subtle implication.

[Kirk Gittings]

It's yet more of the American obsession with death and decay. I used to think that one day we'd grow out of it, but it never lets up.

Whoa, look at the art of any country with a Catholic history (christ on the cross......) or any of the high native cultures of Central and South America? This is very common worldwide.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I don't know -- I kinda think it is beatiful. Anyone else think so too?

I never said I didn't like the photo--just that it isn't the sort of thing that usually sells magazines, and that one of the attractions of _MAGNAchrom_ is that it doesn't have to sell itself in the customary way.

[JW Dewdney]

If you are taking pleasure in the death of animals, if squashed dead squirrels pleasurably exalts your mind and/or spirit, you've got bigger issues than the definition of beauty.

I'm very surprised at this comment - coming from someone who purports to have enough visual and intellectual sophistication to be a photographer. You seem to deeply confuse representation with meaning- to such an extent that you assume that the display of a deceased creature is representative of the photographer's support of 'killing of innocents' and furthermore - the editors support of your projected idea. I'm sure you're a great guy in a lot of ways... but you might profit greatly from seeing things in a more open-minded way.

[Bruce Watson]

Wow!! That sure is a stretch! Of course I'm not taking pleasure at the death of an animal. But in a way, death is (yes it is) beautiful.

Use a dictionary. Look up the definition of "beauty." Use the word correctly. That's all I'm saying.

[tim atherton]

Use a dictionary. Look up the definition of "beauty." Use the word correctly. That's all I'm saying.

Apart from the fact that dictionaries provide the most limited, minimal rather than comprehensive descriptions (at least turn to dictionary of art for example)

Lets see:


"A combination of qualities that delight the senses"

"the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses"

"a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality"

not too hard to argue that the picture in question can fit any or all of these fairly easily and obviously has done so at some level for a number of posters on this thread - ergo it is beautiful in terms of the dictionary definition