Disgusting challenge: " Bloodlust - (Full Colour Only)"

I was wondering what's the point in hosting such a challenge theme? I think it's rather disgusting than any kind of art. No creativity out of it either. Luck of respect to the dead animals also. I'm not going to participate, nor vote, not even look at the entries. There so many other themes you could pick.

I agree, and hope it will get deleted.
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Aloha,
jan/aja
FCAS Member #128, Oly Division
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jkats wrote:
No creativity out of it either. Luck of respect to the dead animals also.

I disagree. It is related to animals slaugthered for food- not just dead animals killed for fun or by accident. So, I do think there is respect.

If we eat meat, we should face that it is that what the meat comes from- and photographing this may be not only as creative as any other challenge but we are also likely not to see toddlers shot against the sunset in this one.

Not sure whether I participate in this, though.
Peter

p3142 said:

jkats wrote:
No creativity out of it either. Luck of respect to the dead animals also.

I disagree. It is related to animals slaugthered for food- not just dead animals killed for fun or by accident. So, I do think there is respect.

If we eat meat, we should face that it is that what the meat comes from- and photographing this may be not only as creative as any other challenge but we are also likely not to see toddlers shot against the sunset in this one.

Not sure whether I participate in this, though.
Peter

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Agreed 100%

The more we distance ourselves from the source of our food, the less we actually understand about nature and how the foodchain works, which is part of the urban disease.

Ignoring the fact that animals die to feed us is far more disrespectful in my view.

I can understand a dislike of the subject if you are a vegetarian, but if you eat meat then it is sheer hypocrisy.

Western culture (or more specifically Anglophile culture) has an aversion to blood and carcasses that is not seen elsewhere in the world apart from vegetarian based cultures such as Buddhism.

We've already had one Challenge deleted in the past 24 hours, what next?

This is hardly Sensation at the Royal Academy!

DemiLion said:

The more we distance ourselves from the source of our food, the less we actually understand about nature and how the foodchain works, which is part of the urban disease.

Ignoring the fact that animals die to feed us is far more disrespectful in my view.

I can understand a dislike of the subject if you are a vegetarian, but if you eat meat then it is sheer hypocrisy.

Western culture (or more specifically Anglophile culture) has an aversion to blood and carcasses that is not seen elsewhere in the world apart from vegetarian based cultures such as Buddhism.

We've already had one Challenge deleted in the past 24 hours, what next?

This is hardly Sensation at the Royal Academy!

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I come from a part of Greece where we love meat believe me and so do I. Also living in a small town i've witnessed death of animals (sometimes even did it myself) quite a lot to know the process before it comes in my plate.

However what's the point of taking a picture of a chicken's cut-off head after it's slaughtered? Is this some kind of art i don't understand? Does it make anyone happy to see dead animals in blood? We kill to eat and that's it. Taking picture of it is disrespectful. It's like a soldier fighting for freedom takes pictures of enemies he kills. What's the point? Is it an achievement to remember?

What makes this challenge more eligible than another of nude humans? Maybe i should host a challenge about people having sex. Or about dead humans with their guts out. Great art!

Well that's just my point of view.

jkats wrote

jkats said:

However what's the point of taking a picture of a chicken's cut-off head after it's slaughtered? Is this some kind of art i don't understand? Does it make anyone happy to see dead animals in blood? We kill to eat and that's it. Taking picture of it is disrespectful. It's like a soldier fighting for freedom takes pictures of enemies he kills. What's the point? Is it an achievement to remember?

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Contest quoted:

Take a shot of slaughtered uncooked animals/animal parts destined for human consumption. It must be dead and retains some of its original shape

Jkat,

I respect your point of view, but there is no need to actually show blood. The challenge - despite the theme wording which is provoking without doubt- does not request blood to be shown. There are quite a few still lives by old (eg dutch) masters showing inter alia a chicken or other aninmal, generally without blood.

There is also a famous and very artistic German Photographer, Robert Haeusser, who has made a series of photographs of slaughtering a pig in the rural areas of Rhineland-Palatine. Yes, I do think that was art too and no, I do not think it was disrespectful.

By participating in previous challenges, I came to reflect on what I want in pictures and what not. That has caused improvement for me. I hope the disputed challenge will cause some DPR members to reflect on not just how to shoot beauiful pictures, but how to shoot meaningful pictures.

Peter

Here's some muse for your shots

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1747&Itemid=257&bandwidth=low

I also like to say that my 2nd Challenge Series entitled, "U live, U learn U love, U learn U cry, U learn U lose, U learn U bleed, U learn U scream, U learn" is dedicated towards learning by exploring beyond what we do everyday. To participate in some of the series, you might be asked to move out of your comfort zone.

Life (and Death) ... It's is a Jagged Little Pill.

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Have fun and improve your photography skills at http://www.fujimugs.com

THOSE are hard on the stomach, as are some of the other winners.

and yet, it is important to NOT look away because what the winners show must be looked at so as to be able to act or at least have a clear judgement of facts otherwise forgotten or disregarded.
Peter

p3142 said:

and yet, it is important to NOT look away because what the winners show must be looked at so as to be able to act or at least have a clear judgement of facts otherwise forgotten or disregarded

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But given that the boob of a woman was too much for some on this site to handle, I wonder how much tolerance there will be for a screen full of pig entrails.

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Arrrrrrh !

Bart.

Come on, Bart.

Look at movie ratings. A boob is a sure way to an X rated movie. A gory scene with lots of killed people may cause a PG.
Peter

I totally get the narrative that is behind the photos in the link you showed. I also agree that most people have no understanding (let alone reverence) regarding the source of their food. On one level, they know that the piece of beef or pork loin that is neatly wrapped up on a tray in plastic wrap once belonged to an animal, but photos like these really bring that home.

That being said, I personally don't feel the need to view photos like this, regardless of how well done they are. I'm not squeamish (was a foot surgeon for 8 years), but I just find them unpleasant, esp. the images of the living animals in the slaughterhouse. Some were just plain disgusting. I've watched "Fast Food Nation", "Food, Inc.", read books like Omnivore's Dilemma, and those are a few reasons I seldom eat meat. These photos are a compelling reason to become a vegetarian, and to me, that is the value in them.

Unpleasant and upsetting are constantly hammering us in daily life; the continuing oil spill in the gulf is a good example. I like looking at art and photography to get away from that, as I imagine many people do. If I think about that example in particular, it fills me with rage, profound sorrow, and a whole range of emotions that I don't enjoy experiencing.

So, assuming that challenge goes to fruition, I won't be looking, voting or otherwise participating in it either. Not because I have any moral objection to it, but I simply don't want to spend my time viewing things like that.

Bring on the butts and boobs - takes a lot more work for those to be offensive to me .

p3142 said:

Come on, Bart.

Look at movie ratings. A boob is a sure way to an X rated movie. A gory scene with lots of killed people may cause a PG.

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People are still going to object regardless. It's not an adult site with adult sensibilities.

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Arrrrrrh !

Bart.

Actually, I am pure vegetarian but did eat meat, etc in the past. Still, I see no reason to photo dead animals/animal parts - bloody or not - for the sake of 'art' - there are so many more natural forms of art available to us in the world to photograph.
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Aloha,
jan/aja
FCAS Member #128, Oly Division
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1007&message=14354990
http://aja2.deviantart.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmitchell_photography/
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Listen,,Im such a newbie to the challenges i dont even really qualify to express my opinion, but here it goes!

Although the images are unpleasant and even disturbing to me, it is still an appropriate challenge. We have all been desensitized to the realities in life. We like to sit in our own little worlds thinking that everything is perfect! God forbid we see something to remind us of the realities in life. There was a picture of a pig getting ready to be slaughtered while in the background you saw one on a hook. That is very upsetting and disturbing. But, I didnt have to click the link either. I heard on Howard stern about the procedure at a slaughter house. Before that, I never thought twice about it. And seeing that picture will make me think again about it.

So, my curiosity got the best of me this time I think the challenge is OK. Do I want to see those pictures?? Absolutely NOT!!!! I wont see them, I cant because I get too emotional looking at them. So I just wont look again at those pics or participate! But, its still a valid challenge.. In my opinion.

...Let them have their challenge but sensor it so I dont have to look at all. But, it should be allowed, nonetheless

Yes the Challenge is in a way disgusting - but so is eating meat . Not looking at the challenge entries is IMHO a copout - you disagree with aspects of the challenge - but do not want to see the blood . When we were swinging from the trees we ate nuts and berries - and were fine . Meat - especailly red meat is not healthy food anyway . However the cahllenge does as has been said force people [ hopefully ] to look at where their food comes from . One example that gets me is people at spring time looking at the fields of newly born lambs - say - it is beautiful scene etc , which it is and then go in and order lamb chops for lunch .The lambs have a lifespan of 12 weeks !!.
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jim flavin

Jim Flavin said:

The lambs have a lifespan of 12 weeks !!.

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Not strictly true. They have a lifespan of 8 to 52 weeks, dependant on the type of meat required, the growth rate and the intended market. 20-36 weeks is a more usual average.

jkats said:

I was wondering what's the point in hosting such a challenge theme? I think it's rather disgusting than any kind of art. No creativity out of it either. Luck of respect to the dead animals also. I'm not going to participate, nor vote, not even look at the entries. There so many other themes you could pick.

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I'm with you on this, I've just been searching to see if there is a complain button in the challenges area but could'nt find one. I am nauseated that anyone can be allowed to host such a sick challenge, I did look through the hosts own entries to various challenges and there are many photos of bits of murdered animals this host has entered into competitions.....

I hope its removed or that no one enter, this challenge is twisted and vile imo..

Patchandcrew said:

I'm with you on this, I've just been searching to see if there is a complain button in the challenges area but could'nt find one. I am nauseated that anyone can be allowed to host such a sick challenge, I did look through the hosts own entries to various challenges and there are many photos of bits of murdered animals this host has entered into competitions.....

I hope its removed or that no one enter, this challenge is twisted and vile imo..

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It's comments like this that make me want to pick up my camera and photograph an image for the challenge.

Apart from the emotive language in the title, exactly how is this subject from the Bakery challenge? It is photographing food and the process of the food chain.

Can I suggest that you spend your life getting less outraged, and try learning about different cultures throughout the world?

Photography is both a medium of art and of record; unfortunately not all subjects are pretty flowers or cute kittens.

DemiLion said:

Can I suggest that you spend your life getting less outraged, and try learning about different cultures throughout the world?

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Its what I have learned about different cultures throughout the world that makes me outraged and an active participant in trying to get barbarities stopped.

Patchandcrew said:

DemiLion said:

Can I suggest that you spend your life getting less outraged, and try learning about different cultures throughout the world?

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Its what I have learned about different cultures throughout the world that makes me outraged and an active participant in trying to get barbarities stopped.

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What is barbarous about photographing a butchers shop?