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What is “too far” with an image?
How do people decide what is “too far?” It’s usually subjective. The “taste filter” falls upon the final decision maker and there’s nothing an illustrator, designer, or photographer can do about it. Suck it up and move on. If you fail to get past the “taste filter” enough, you are not a reliable vendor. I believe in going as far as possible in my thought process and being pulled back by editors, rather than self-editing and second-guessing my client. I want them to have my best. If they think my best isn’t for them, then the working relationship won’t produce a great product for them, I won’t be happy doing the work, and it will show. Let’s face it: the money isn’t enough these days to worry about losing a client. The only upside to crappy fees is the strength it gives you to walk away proudly. Certain images that shocked people decades ago aren't seen as even a bit disturbing today. In the Second World War, Life magazine ran the first photo of the bodies of dead American Marines, lying on a beach in the South Pacific (inset image). Obviously, the larger image of the beach at Tarawa is even more disturbing. Had that image been released to the public, who knows what the effect would have been on the morale of the American public.![ww2.001](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/ww2.001.gif)
![sailornurse](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/sailornurse.gif)
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Images need to motivate!
The web moves in the blink of an eye and mistakes can be fixed faster than a retraction can be printed. It is also possible that, as we saw with the recent turmoil in the Middle East, news has become immediate with people able to post images globally. It is important, as professionals, to know the product/consumer/reader and create appropriately. The wrong image posted to a site will become viral, be shown on Web Soup and Tosh.0 and become a PR nightmare for a company or publication. A recent viral blunder was a famous clothier that put a picture of a pair of pants with a male model who was rather…“excited” to be wearing the pants. Splashed all over the internet, I believe it to be the best form of advertising, but obviously I’m not the best when it comes to being a “taste filter.” Aside from little mishaps that occur, usually in print, it is important to remember the power magazines that featured photos and illustrations had to the public. LIFE magazine was the premier, over-sized magazine that gave people a view of events and people around the world. National Geographic showed scenes few would ever witness and became the favorite of teenage boys with shots of bare-breasted tribal women. That, of course, was before the days of the internet when a simple click on a “I’m over 18” button led to a portal of porn videos. The New Yorker, although revered for its brilliant writing, is probably more popular for the cartoons it publishes, even though most of them make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Power of the image!Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon…
Pronounced “Dee-ann,” Diane Arbus (1923-1971) was a photographer from a privileged upbringing but known for her stark images of “unusual subjects.” Her images were, stark but truthful and they gave life and a humanity to her subjects who were…shunned by society as “imperfect,” “odd,” and “freakish.”![da.twingirls.001](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/da.twingirls.001.gif)
![da.birthday](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/da.birthday.gif)
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Sickening or fascinating?
In March 1993, photographer Kevin Carter made a trip to southern Sudan, where he took the now iconic photo of a vulture preying upon an emaciated Sudanese toddler near the village of Ayod. Carter said he waited about 20 minutes, hoping that the vulture would spread its wings. It didn’t. Carter snapped the haunting photograph and chased the vulture away.![vulture.001](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/vulture.001.gif)
Taking images a step further
Amnesty International is known for not holding back. For obvious reasons, they cannot. For the creatives at advertising agencies, AI is a dream client. One can push beyond convention and reach for the strongest impact and visuals that will have an impact that will stick with the viewer for as long as possible, if not forever. These print ads by JWT, UAE incorporate not only powerful images of torture, but the placement in the magazine's center spread used the staples in the victim's wrists as part of the message.![amnesty.001](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/amnesty.001.gif)
![amnesty.002](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/amnesty.002.gif)
![amnesty](https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/cdn-origin/uploads/2012/03/amnesty.gif)
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What about video?
Do I have to go into the power of video? With the advent of affordable video cameras, ordinary people caught incidents that shocked the world. The Rodney King beating by Los Angeles police was one of the roots of the L.A. riots that spawned even more shocking video of violence that found its way into living rooms across the globe. Now that every cell phone has video cameras, images are uploaded to Youtube by the millions. One of my favorite public service ads from decades ago was one by the American Cancer Society. Search as I can, it just doesn't seem to be on any web site or Youtube. It started with an elegant, beautiful woman smoking a cigarette. As she continues smoking, she is further covered by tar until she is completely covered and screaming in horror. The tag line was, "if what happens on your inside happened on the outside, you would quit smoking." It was so disturbing that it didn't run long. The public's sensibilities back then couldn't handle such a strong message. A shame, as it was very powerful and well thought out...except for just how strong of a message it was. Another favorite of many was this commercial that ran for many, many years... But shock, horror and sorrow isn't the only strong message. There's enough of that in our daily lives. As a former member of the Usual Gang of Idiots at MAD Magazine, I believe that humor has a strong message, too. My favorite commercial from the "Got Milk" people was this one... Unfortunately, the humor must have been a bit too over the top for the American public and the commercial didn't get a lot of play. I thought it was brilliant but I have weird sense of humor. Thumbnail image ©Nick VeaseySpeider Schneider
Speider Schneider is a former member of The Usual Gang of Idiots at MAD Magazine and has designed products for Disney/Pixar, Warner Bros., Harley-Davidson, ESPN, Mattel, DC and Marvel Comics, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon among other notable companies. Speider is a former member of the board for the Graphic Artists Guild, co-chair of the GAG Professional Practices Committee and a former board member of the Society of Illustrators. Follow him on Twitter @speider or add him on Google+
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