This image was taken during the 1993 Sudan famine, by South African photojournalist Kevin Carter. In his documentary, Carter was able to capture this image of a vulture eagerly awaiting the death of the starved baby, who collapsed on her way towards a feeding station.
This image really captures the world beyond our everyday lives and shows people the brutal betrayal of poverty and starvation that’s happening around the world. A clear message derives from the image, and that is the world is set apart by greed, corruption and evilness. Whilst our comforting objects surround us, innocent children are left to reap the horrors of our lapse attitude and lack of support. We as humans are cruel and manipulative, and let preventable suffering happen. It shows that us humans always think it someone else’s responsibility to look after the poor, and by giving to charity is enough to solve the problem. Photos like this one, proves that charity doesn’t always work and that people need to actually go out and help the problems resolve.
The common phrase ‘a picture can speak a thousand words’ is justified accurately in this image. The audience can feasibly see and understand the intentions of the vulture and predict the child’s fate; made evident in the suffering and pain shown in the child’s weak and meatless body.
This iconic image has affected everyone around the globe, and because of photojournalism and images like this one, the world is more aware of poverty and starvation that’s occurring around the world.
References:
Carter, Kevin (1993) Vulture stalking a Child http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/vulture-stalking-a-child/ (Date accessed: 4/12/2012)
Body-Evans, Alistair, (2006) The Journalist, The Vulture and the Child
africianhistory.about.com/b/2006/04/12/the-journalist-the-vulture-and-the-child.htm (date accessed: 05/12/2012)
Journo. 