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What makes a great picture?

July 30th, 2008

There is always one…Part three

Posted by: John Voos
Tags: Reuters Photographers, , ,

Continuing this mini-series of highlights from the Reuters picture file, my eye was caught by Robert Galbraith’s photograph shot in California on July 29. Robert was there to photograph the fires near Yosemite National Park, and saw this figure of an angel in the remains of a home burned in the fire.

In conditions such as this it is easy for the eye to miss what is nearby, because there is so much to photograph on a large scale, and it can be exhausting to work in an area that is dangerous and physically demanding.

We know that in its normal environment the figure wouldn’t have merited a second look, but the appeal of this image is not just that it is well observed in the circumstances, but also that it is simple, and the angel itself stands as a symbol of hope amid the charred destruction.

mdf16288.jpg

4 comments so far

Unfortunately HOPE really little good, planning for catastrophes and taking proactive steps to minimize their destruction are the only solutions.

The world is full of prayers and mourning because devastation is recurrent - but Science does not rely on prayers

- Posted by Public Relations

I found Bob’s photo beautiful. Of the 4,000 homes threatened, only 21 homes were lost because most local residents do plan and have a good fire defense. Their personal disaster planning and exceptional fire fighting science saved this community. But even the best planning and advanced scientific methods can’t always stop a disaster; then, a simple photo of an angel can remind us that hope is what gives us the courage to re-build.

- Posted by Donna

I found Bob’s photo beautiful. Of the 4,000 homes threatened, only 21 homes were lost because most local residents do plan and have a good fire defense. Their personal disaster planning and exceptional fire fighting science saved this community. But even the best planning and advanced scientific methods can’t always stop a disaster; then, a simple photo of an angel can remind us that hope is what gives us the courage to re-build.

- Posted by amir

i thing this picture is nothing

- Posted by amir

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