In the rehabilitation center for disabled children in Thuy An, near Hanoi, children whose parents fought in Agent Orange infected regions are cared.

This image has been selected for discussion. It is not necessarily the "best" picture the Elves have seen this week, nor is it a contest. It is simply an image that the Elves found interesting and worthy of discussion. Discussion of photo.net policy, including the choice of Photograph of the Week should not take place here, but in the Site Feedback forum.

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No doubt this is a photo of impact, surely not an image one explores for technical details... I think it is worth even more if seen in the context of the shocking folder where it belongs: Roland, in my opinion, produces extremely strong documentary photography, the kind of stuff I would want to see properly exposed and wouldn't be surprised to find at World Press Photo...

This photograph was a proper choice for the POW i think. And not only this one, but the whole reportage is astonishing. Congratulaions.

I want to forget for a minute the subject matter and look at the photo:

 

the baby is on the floor, slightly on the right side off center, but her glance is on the left, putting the balance of the pic back again. The two beds create a good symmetry... or a frame for the action itself.

 

There could have been, of course, different interpretrations of the same them, but given this one, there's nothing left to be wished except a slight burning of the highlights. But I also see that these (highlights) give some more "light to the image".

 

Said this: a picture like this serves also to bring our focus on forgotten matters.

 

It is not enough to be in an orphanage with a camera, you also need to be good... and the author today seems damn good... now I'll go to look at the rest of the reportage!

this photo has so much deeper meaning, it drives you crazy thinking about it, the angle the child has been photographed at reflects the childs incocence very well. congrats on an exttremely thought provoking photo.

Good to see a photojournal/ documentary shot chosen as POW. No question the image has a powerful impact upon viewing. It's very successful in conveying it's story to the viewer

It's a powerful portfolio, and given the context of the image grants it even more weight.

 

However, over time I've become increasingly annoyed at the pretentious "rule" that pictures taken in orphanages, of street people and destitute children *must* be in B&W for some absurd reason.

Courageous work.

 

Just yesterday afternoon I saw a child in a stroller, pushed by a Navajo couple in Albuquerque's newest shopping mall. Perhaps the result of uranium mining in the 50s...or less dramatic environmental toxins? There are children like this in Boston, Leningrad, Athens, Tokyo, Mexico City. The war continues.

What a powerful set of images are contained in this folder! I am reminded of the reaction of my hawkish father-in-law when the evening news showed the picture of the children running naked from a napalm bombing in Vietnam: "Well, that's it. They'll never keep the war going now."

 

He sounded disappointed, but the point was made: photos can change things. I hope that these teach someone somewhere about the horrors of war. Where are our news media now in Iraq? Most of the abuses and horrors are being documented by the soldiers themselves with small digicams. The press has become too cautious in saying it, showing it, as it is, especially where civilian casualities are concerned.

The best POW ever. A reminder of the power of photography to change the way we think and feel.

Landrum...we're in perfect agreement. My father, 32yrs an officer in two wars, retiring in 58', didn't wake up until Watergate...which conveniently terminated the Congressional investigation into the 1968 GOP conspiracy that kept the war in Vietnam going for 100% more deaths on "both" sides.

Scott, you wrote you are annoyed at the rule that street and orphanage photos "must be" taken in b&w. I think thats not by chance. A fancy commercial or sports photo could be great in colour, but in my eyes, b&w has much powerful expression abilities. Some strict people could say that a good photographer has to be to able reason every element on his photograph. Colour itself is a layer of the communication, that should be used with care, and can confuse an otherwise good photo.

Thanks Elves. Roland - strong work causing us to stop in our tracks and reflect. Regards,

It will be interesting this week to see how much of the discussion of this photograph will center on the image itself versus the politics.

It will be interesting this week to see how much of the discussion of this photograph will center on the image itself versus the politics.

Well, if I was the author of this photo, and this photo would have been chosen to base a political discussion, I would be more pleased than if people would be discussing about contrast and so on...

Gotta love the contrast!!!! (Sorry Bruno, couldn't resist)...

 

Great image. Body pointing one way, head pointing the other with that amazing expression. Naturally framed by it's environment. Just a great image.

 

Dave

I think this is a good reportage photograph which would work as part of an article discussing the issues made plain in the caption, but as a photograph in itself I'm not bowled-over. For a reportage photo to really impress me I have to understand more of the issue from the image itself, without need for a caption... though I may be missing some detail that isn't clear on my screen. This shot would not be out of place in a national paper or magazine, but I wouldn't make it the cover shot of that paper/mag...which is how I think of Photo of the Week. However, on reflection, I think I have rated this image overharshly because of its position as PoW - if I had found it by chance I would probably have given it a 5/5 or higher. I haven't looked at the rest of the portfolio yet as I don't want to be swayed on this pic by the quality of the others... but I expect to find other impressive images there. Best wishes.

A more-than-worthy choice for photograph of the week. Thank you, Mr. Schmid, for your time and effort in undertaking this project.

Having looked at the other images in the folder I am more impressed with this image, and think it works very well in the context of the others... it probably would be a good cover shot - showing the positive caring/human side of the story rather than scaring sensitive people off with a more disturbing image. If I could withdraw my low rating I would. Very good work.

A strong message is carried at its best by a great technique. But looking at your portfolio I find really hard to concentrate my mind on technique: my heart freezed. Congratulation for finding the courage to photograph such a terrible subject and thanks for showing it to the world.

 

Best regards

Alberto

I don't get it. Taking the photo by itself I don't find much of interest here, though (like Ed S.) I wonder whether I'm missing something that other folks can see. Far as I can tell the subject is a child eating soup from a bowl on the floor. Nothing in the photo itself suggests why the child's eating that way -- crippled? No table? Childish whimsy? We can't guess. The photo might illustrate an article that explains what's going on, but there's no article. The caption suggests the subject is disabled, but how?

 

I'm probably missing something obvious. Still, other photos in this portfolio look like better choices to make the photographer's point, stronger images in every sense.

About time for Roland! Not my first choice in the folder, but that is perhaps not the point. Besides, I think they need to be considered as a group. I remember when Roland announced this folder in the People Photography forum. For further reading, I highly recommend Agent Orange (ISBN 1904563058), by Magnum's Philip Jones Griffiths.

"A fancy commercial or sports photo could be great in colour, but in my eyes, b&w has much powerful expression abilities."

 

It used to be that B&W as the only choice available. Since then tho', Hollywood and advertising agencies (now becoming one and the same) have learned to do color so well that B&W looks "realer" than color in many instances, IMO.

 

(Or perhaps is just early conditioning. When I see the much more rare WW2 combat still photos and movie footage in color it looks faked too. I'm used to seeing the real world depicted in B&W.)

I would have prefered a lower perspective (closer to the floor) and tighter subject framing. The subject is compelling, but a more dramatic image may have been possible... not sure what the environment would allow for.

 

The portfolio is very powerful, to say the very least. Tragic.

I've look at this folder a few times now, and every time it leaves me with tears in my eyes. I hope that one day humanity can learn to live together in peace.