Welcome to the latest edition of Chatting the Pictures, a weekly, micro-edition of the Reading the Pictures Salon. In each 20 minute webcast, co-hosts Michael Shaw, publisher of Reading the Pictures, and writer and historian, Cara Finnegan, discuss three prominent photos in the news. The program is broken into three segments: “The News,” “The Look,” and “The Pick.” “The News” examine a hard news image for its content value. “The Look” focuses on a news photo for its artistry and style. And “The Pick,” asks what made a high profile photo so unique to editors or the public.
“The News” photo this week was taken by John Moore for Getty Images. We explore how this image of Hondurans traveling northward to seek political asylum has been reframed and even co-opted by domestic American politics and President Trump.
For “The Look,” we discuss a unique photo by Craig Ruttle posted on Instagram in the aftermath of multiple pipe bombs mailed to well known Democrats who have been the target of attacks by the President. In the image, a CNN anchor, Kate Bolduan, stands in front of a camera after CNN’s headquarters at Time Warner Center in New York was evacuated. In the background is an NYPD bomb disposal unit.
“The Pick” this week features a propaganda photo distributed by the Saudi Press Agency. The tense, painful and clearly staged image features Salah Khashoggi, the son of the slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, being greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while cameras loom.
You can find all the Chatting the Pictures replays here.