In Death

[Nick Lukey]

I was in two minds about shooting this Hare, I have not posted this to cause offence.

I was struck by the violence of the scene against the backdrop of the snow, how pretty everything looked, and I rounded a corner and saw this.

Should I have not taken the picture?

Living in the countryside, I see animal deaths by the dozen, but this was rather poignent for some strange reason.

 

[Pete Askew]

A potent image indeed and full of contrasts.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

No offence taken, It's a very powerful image.
It's something that we have all seen on our regular commute on today's roads, unavoidable to an extent.
I think that you have framed this well.

 

[Nick Lukey]

I have dithered for so long over this image, in fact I hesitated for at least an hour before posting it.
I guess because we all see the beauty in images, and this image is not shot that way.

Not so long ago, I was driving down one of the lanes, and saw ahead of me a Buzzard and a Carrion crow having a tussle over a dead pheasant (roadkill) I got to within a few yards before the Buzzard won and launched into the air with its prize, in fact I missed it by a few feet it was that close.
Now that would have been a money shot.

 

[Kev Pugh]

I see no problem Nick, its a sad fact of living in Narures Garden, just sad that people dont have a little more concern about it.
I had discussed this topic a while back with @Dan Cattermole and the rights and wrongs of making a personal project on Roadkill

 

[Brian Moore]

Not a pleasant thing to see. I appreciate that your sensitivity and concern over posting it, Nick.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

Without sounding condescending, death a has a brutal self explanatory fact to it. Whether it be an animal or a human being, consequently it is what it is.
I think what makes a reaction to see death so unexpected is predominantly down to the level of sensitivity (through countless number of reasons) by what the individual is viewing, photography or reality. People could be absolutely mortified by what they see here, others may not.
Humans naturally fear it and have every reason to.... it is the unknown, however, it is the inevitable truth and we should not dismiss that.
I think it takes guts to approach, photograph and display it.

As @Kev Pugh said, we had discussions about a roadkill project. I guess you beat us to it Nick.

I don't like Robbie Williams, there're are plenty of things I dislike about the bloke in which I will not go into. But one thing he did say which has stuck with me in similarity, and that was "I'm not scared of dying, I'm just not ready yet".
Would I take risks to photograph things if that weren't true?
I've come too close to it myself not to be feared by it.
Rambling on.... Sorry... :/

 

[Paul Lange]

It is a very stark image with its own kind of beauty, if you can look past the subject matter. Death is part of the natural order of things, it inevitable.

 

[Nick Lukey]

I was quite worried about the fact that I saw a kind of beauty in its death, it felt almost like it had been placed in that position. I feel much better for showing this image now.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

So you should

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Nick I like this a lot. Life can be brutal and it would be a bad place if pics like these are censored by ourselves.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

As many have already said here, they see no obstacles in posting such a picture, neither do I. One can of course discuss whether there is a beauty about it, but that is in the eye of the beholder. I had a similar encounter in Scotland some years ago, which reminds me of your picture. I'll post it next, no competition intended.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

An image that causes a physical reaction in the viewer is a wonderful thing