Sometimes - okay, lots of times - I find myself in Google images, looking for photos of obscure or funny or oddly specific things that relate to this blog or doing some research for paid articles and future projects. None of those images have been used this month though: it's Snappy September from beginning to end.
In Google images the moderate-safe filter is always on, but, as we all know, things can slip through.
Without giving away the search topic, let's just say that I found myself looking at a series of photos that were definitely not going to inform or amuse my Litter Ninjas.
An innocent subject produced three images of a woman, mid-thirties maybe, spread eagled on a bed. A beer bottle had been placed somewhere that was not likely to slake her thirst but was going to refresh parts that other beers won't reach.
I was mesmerised. Her face was clearly visible: attractive, but looking tired and slightly anxious, despite the wobbly smile. Her figure was 'normal' and, if clothed and upright, she could have been my friend, co-worker, neighbour, shopkeeper, accountant, high court judge.
I kept looking, wondering who she was and why she agreed to being photographed in such a way.
Suddenly my eyes started to fill up with tears. In the third photo, her lower stomach was crepey and wrinkled; sure signs that she'd had a baby or two.
How I wished I could be like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance who dragged her broken friend off the stripper stage and took her back home to comfort, cry and heal.
4 comments:
Yep. It's a sad reflection on society - the fact we have to ask why - who knows, there is a story behind every picture. It's huge pity that there isn't a price on compassion - maybe that's why it's priceless. Great post.
Some images can disturb us, move us, as you say, Kath and cause us to want to intervene.
Have you seen Lynn Behrendt's work, her series of images: http://ia360705.us.archive.org/0/items/WhatIsBeautiful/WhatIsBeautiful.m4v
Not for the feint hearted, any more than what you describe here.
Lynn Behrendt is interested in notions of ugliness and beauty, which in some ways your post touches on here though yours is more psychological, sociological perhaps than aesthetic, though come to think of it so is Lynn's.
Oh this is sad, Kath. Maybe she was just so desperate for money and this is the only way she could get some? And maybe it was enough to see her through and she never had to do this again.
I hope no-one had blackmailed her into it. That's worse.
Google images aren't always what we'd like them to be are they?
Although I've never come across any like that.
Pandora I guess the internet can highlight the lack of compassion too - a private photo or one that she might have felt pressured into, is now available for millions to see. Very cruel.
Elisabeth I'll check out Lynn's work when Sapphire's not about to walk into the study and look over my shoulder!
It's desperately sad, River. To think that she's somebody's mother and felt like what she was doing was what she *had* to do. I'm sad that I saw it, yet I couldn't look away from her face. Yes, her face.
Post a Comment