About Hello Kitty, the Eyes on You photo contest winner . . .

[AndyS]

34. I whole heartedly disagree with your conclusion.

Photography is a visual media. Beyond science and journalism the reason to make images is to share your vision and experiences with others. To impart to the viewer what you saw and how it affected you. If enlarging a kitten's eyes reveals how I felt when looking at this helpless little creature it's a valid use of the medium.

Of the four feral kittens in that litter only one is still alive . . . for now. I shoot mainly wildlife and nature. Most of it is simple recording, a 'capture' as it is called. In the half century I've been doing this I've learned one thing: it isn't "Mother Nature', it's "Mutha Fucking Nature". She, if it's feminine, just ain't very nice. As a photographer I don't involve myself. If the fawn is destined to die, so be it, it's nature's way and I just walk past.

By enlarging the eyes I invited the viewer to connect with the that kitten on a personal level. I let those viewers feel what I did experiencing the innocence of this soon to be gone creature. I only have a few seconds to do that before they scroll down to the next picture. I did it. It worked. DU connected with that kitten. It was a good thing.

I did this in part to bring the potential for creative expression out of the closet. Had I simply wished to deceive I'd done the same thing just not to the extent I did, gotten more votes and no one would be the wiser.