Warning: More human than human

[smokingboot]

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/photo.do?photo=2370&category=52&group=3

Comments

[squeezypaws.livejournal.com]

My first thought was couldn't he rescue the poor thing rather than taking it's picture. But yes powerful stuff.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

It never occurred to me that the animal might have been alive when he first saw it. I really hope not.

I am trying to work out why this photo hits so hard.

[squeezypaws.livejournal.com]

I don't know for sure and I don't want to click again to check! I hope you're right. I think being confronted with something helpless like animals or children dying or recently dead can be particularly shocking, dead cats on the side of the road, those cows on pyres following foot and mouth, not least slaughtered infants in news bulletins... something about the embarrassing futility of their existence; there are no silver linings are there? No "well they had a happy life/good innings".