These devastating photos by Chris Jordan show the effects of pollution on albatross chicks on an island in the north Pacific ocean. Although the images are disturbing, I also find them to be completely mesmerizing.
Chris Jordan – Journey to Midway
10/18/2009
Dalton, I so agree. I hope you don't mind that I also wrote something on my blog (after reading your facebook post) about this work. It made me re-think my cynical atitude about recycling — not that I don't recycle, but I've never felt it could make much difference and tend to think we should focus more on large-scale polluting — coal mines and the like. These photographs really show the importance of each bottle cap. The way Jordan sequenced them with that last image, plus the effect of seeing so many (not like if you were walking on the beach and saw just one), was quite powerful.
Ellen, I'm glad that you posted the information on your site. I think the more people see these images the better. This is the first time in a long time that I've felt such a strong reaction to work like this, and I keep returning to look at them again and again. You're right, it makes the problem seem relevant on such a personal scale.
thanks for the linkt Dalton. Real power of photography right there. Nothing fancy, just simple, direct and profound. Trumps a thousand words on the subject somehow.