(Some) 911 Families & The NY Post Reach The Point Of Hysterical Critical Mass

[JohnBckWLD]

Is it any coincidence June rhymes with loon?

The nearly immediate squelching of Starbucks Cafe Coolers (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=121276) ads back in June 2002 has come full circle. This time, via the NY Post. Some (well, at least two) 911 family members are expressing outrage at Marsh Insurance ads in NYC subways (http://www.nypost.com/seven/06112007/news/regionalnews/9_11_kin_rip_evil_eye_ads_regionalnews_dan_mangan.htm)A series of subway ads from an insurance company that lost nearly 300 employees on 9/11 has some victims' relatives up in arms, because the models in the photos appear to have the Twin Towers reflected in their eyes....

"I was just livid," said Valerie Montgomery, 53, after seeing what she believes to be a reference to the towers in the ads by Marsh..."I took a look at the picture, and I thought, 'What the hell is this?' What's wrong with them?" added Montgomery, whose brother-in-law, Marsh & McLennan Assistant Vice President Joseph Mangano, died on 9/11...

"I thought, 'What else could they be trying to depict?' " said Evelyn Zelmanowitz, 68, a Brooklyn woman whose brother-in-law, Abe Zelmanowitz, died...Here's a larger photo (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/JohnBuckWLD/?action=view&current=911eyes.jpg)

From my vantage point, it's just the latest bout of over-reaching. I almost sympathized with their aforementioned Cafe Cooler campaign. I quietly rolled my eyes over the ongoing battles over the memorial. I shrugged when newly paved downtown streets were closed & subsequently torn up in the search for shards of human bone. Even though I don't consider the site any more hallowed than random roadway asphalt an EMT has to scrape the brain matter off of, I don't publicly blame the families for feeling differently. But this latest "offense" is just too much.

At least this time, the advertiser is standing up to this latest bout of hypersensitivity, essentially telling the NY Post to fuck off (http://www.mmc.com/news/pressReleases_297.php) and stop trying to stir the shit.

Note to Valerie Montgomery & Evelyn Zelmanowitz: Sorry ladies, grief is no excuse for delusion, paranoia, misplaced anger or stupidity

[Miller]

If that's supposed to be the WTC in the reflection, does that make the dark, humanoid shadow standing in between them King Kong?

[CynicalGabe]

I agree. Looks like a bit of bad photography to me (I think the image in the eyes is the photographer surrounded by the lighting equipment), combined with misplaced anger and a generous helping of shit-stirring.

Kudos to the company for standing up.

EDIT:
I just read the press release, and it seems I was right.

As was relayed to the Post last week, the photos used in the campaign were taken by world-renowned portrait photographer Martin Schoeller, whose work is characterized by a lighting technique in which he reflects light from two five-foot high light stanchions into the subject's eyes. He has used the technique for more than a decade and has photographed hundreds of people using it, including President Bill Clinton and numerous celebrities.

[Sarahfeena]

Wow...that IS reaching. I never, ever would have thought that the WTC was being represented there. Are we now supposed to assume that any two identical items, standing next to each other, will be construed this way? Bizarre.

[susan]

Next we will see protests of such shocking examples as this (http://www.filtsai.com/cooking/carrot_cake/grate_carrots.jpg) and this (http://p.vtourist.com/1/1147962-Architecture_Art_outdoor-Chicago.jpg) and this (http://www.skybluepink.com/images/chopsticks.jpg).

[Tuckerfan]

Frankly, it looks to me like the cover of one of those "true crime" books about a rapist/slasher, with the implication that you can see a reflection of the killer in the victim's eyes.

[Squink]

Here's a larger photo (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/JohnBuckWLD/?action=view&current=911eyes.jpg)Huh, I see V.I. Lenin (http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/lenin.html).

Here's a larger photo. (http://www.badastronomy.com/pix/lenin/face_440_hilite_inset.jpg)

[Zebra]

I agree. Looks like a bit of bad photography to me (I think the image in the eyes is the photographer surrounded by the lighting equipment), combined with misplaced anger and a generous helping of shit-stirring.

Kudos to the company for standing up.

EDIT:
I just read the press release, and it seems I was right.



Except for the part about it being 'bad'. Well I guess IYHO, but this sort of thing is very popular in portrait photography.