Drugs, Alcohol.......Dead End...!!by
philupComment by ubique: G'day Phillip, from the Down Under Chapter of the Critique Club.
The idea is not perhaps all that original, but I think you & Randy have done a pretty good job on it. It's true that the degradation and despair of drug/alcohol abuse is never more graphically portrayed than in the toilet. The juxtaposition of the two (drugs & toilets) has such strong allegorical appeal as well, especially to the sort of people who design anti-drug public service promotions. They would imagine this image would be a very effective poster in such a campaign.
I can't agree with the commentator who suggested it was somehow overprocessed. I think the raw and harsh feel you have established is just right for the subject & location ... it even captures the unlovely, morgue look typical of public toilet flourescent lighting. It's not supposed to be pretty.
I also applaud your chosen point-of-view, which is 'human'. In other words, you've presented the scene just as it would appear to a person walking in and finding this loser (sorry Randy) passed out in the stall. It's more in keeping with the 'documentary' photograph impact that you were obviously after. So I think all the technical aspects of the photograph are just fine; everything is consistent with the position you were taking ... this is no time for elaborately artistic composition or processing effects.
My only reservation about the image as a cautionary device against alcohol & drug abuse is that this is not what most abusers look like and behave like. They'd never pass out in the john. They look and behave just like me. This image has little potential to influence them, because they don't identify with it. Of course, all that is beside the point for you; you were just entering a photo contest, not trying to change the world! And your image was deservedly given a pretty decent score by the DPC voters. Nice work.
Paul.
Message edited by author 2005-11-14 06:05:26. 
Photographer found comment helpful.
