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Weapon of Mass Destruction
Weapon of Mass Destruction
e301


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Propaganda (Classic Editing)
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5400
Location: Home
Date: Nov 17, 2003
Aperture: f/7.2
ISO: 50
Shutter: 2 sec
Galleries: Black and White, Political
Date Uploaded: Nov 17, 2003

 Sarin, cyclosarin, and tabun are G-series nerve agents that can act within seconds of absorption through
the skin or inhalation. These agents overstimulate muscles or glands with messages transmitted from
nerves, causing convulsions and loss of consciousness.

VX is a V-series nerve agent that is similar to but more advanced than G-series nerve agents in that it
causes the same medical effects but is more toxic and much more persistent. Thus, it poses a far greater
skin hazard than G-series agents. VX could be used for long-term contamination of territory.

If you were told this was the release mechanism from a canister of VX nerve agent, would you know better?

Photo is actually of a water-cracker, or mist-maker, sitting in the bottom of a pyrex bowl: it's a fascinating and sinister looking thing in its own right, and I was shooting it simply for interest, especially because of the bubbles forming on the plastic parts. It struck me that this might, in the wrong hands, be presented as evidence of WMD discovery.

The technical bit: adjusted to monochrome with the channel mixer - mainly the red, some of the green channels (it was lit with a blue lamp). sharpened, resized.

Hope people take it on baord as propaganda - i.e. an image in support of a political position. Not sure I'll succeed though.

Oh, and please, none of the 'uneven lighting' comments ...

Statistics
Place: 79 out of 133
Avg (all users): 5.0409
Avg (commenters): 4.8000
Avg (participants): 4.7246
Avg (non-participants): 5.1854
Views since voting: 1294
Votes: 220
Comments: 18
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Fujifilm X-T30
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 11/26/2003 08:46:39 PM
Greetings from the Critique Club:

A well done image, with good tones, contrast and lighting. Composition is also very good.

Perhaps the most critical I can be of this image, is simply that of subject: it doesn't stand on it's own. I understand you took it for the challenge, and that may be enough. Beyond that, I'm not sure where it's going: It's not recognizable by most (actually, at first I thought it was a carburetor!), yet its not really an abstract by most definitions (or at least mine: having stronger form or pattern focus than it is a pictoral representation of the object). And from a pure aesthetics, it's probably not something that I would hang on the wall.

But it's a very good capture for what it is and what you were using it for.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/26/2003 03:46:14 PM
Well, no uneven light comments at least. Can't tell what it is? Well that's the whole point really - in challenge terms, looks like I'm guilty of under-simplification again. From my comments above: 'If you were told this was the release mechanism from a canister of VX nerve agent, would you know better?' Answer, no.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-10D
Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC for Canon
 11/21/2003 11:23:23 AM
you FOUND one? What is this - I feel there is irony here that I'm missing, Is it perhaps part of a car engine? I like the b&w, perhaps colors wold detract from the simple composition.
Canon EOS-1000D Rebel XS
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
 11/21/2003 12:12:46 AM
Can't tell what it is. Normally I like abstract shots like this (this one is well done), but for this challenge it shouldn't be abstract because you can't tell what the message is. :(
Nikon D200
Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Diagonal Fisheye for Nikon
 11/20/2003 04:54:31 PM
i don't know what this is?
Sony DSC-F707
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
 11/20/2003 01:24:06 PM
interesting, but I can't figure out what the heck it is
Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC for Canon
 11/20/2003 10:56:04 AM
A beautiful image with very strong composition and fascinating textures but I have absolutely no idea what it is and therefore what the message might be.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 L IS USM
 11/20/2003 01:31:15 AM
I can't figure out what I'm looking at.
Canon EOS R5
Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
 11/19/2003 10:33:22 PM
That is a really interesting picture. I hope you state what it is in your description.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 11/19/2003 09:08:19 PM
If I could tell what it is, I might have a better feel for how this fits the title and/or challenge. It\'s an interesting display of lighting, lines and textures, but it doesn\'t seem to say anything to try to sway me.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens
 11/19/2003 07:06:04 PM
I wish I could figure out what it is. It certainly makes an interesting picture, though I find the right bottom corner a bit too dark.
 11/19/2003 05:04:36 PM
I can't make out what this is. Looks like my outdoor grill. Maybe you're in too close. Overall clarity and lighting are good. 6 -danny
Sony DSLR-A900
Lensbaby Composer
 11/19/2003 02:10:07 PM
I like this picture but for the life of me, and I have spent way to long looking at it, figure out what the object is. If I could identify the object and make a connection to the title I would have been able to give it a higher rating. [4]
Minolta DiMAGE Z1
 11/19/2003 12:46:12 PM
so they're found at last ...... ;o)
Olympus C-750UZ
 11/19/2003 11:30:25 AM
I give up. What is it? Crisp, clear, but...
Olympus C-3040Z
 11/19/2003 06:27:51 AM
pardon my ignorance, but i can't recognise wat is the object featured here... therefore visualising the "weapon" u were saying was not possible for me.
Nikon D40X
 11/19/2003 03:29:11 AM
Nice composition, interesting subject matter. 10.
Canon PowerShot A70
 11/19/2003 12:44:03 AM
It's late and my brain is not working. I cannot tell what this is. The photo is good but, without being able to tell what it is, it loses significance.
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