Happy Mother's Day

May 11, 2014 10:20 AM

Moments of the Human Condition, a photo-essay by renown photo-journalist Peter Turnley.
Some powerful highlights:
Ft. Wayne, IN, 1974
Rwanda, 1994 (NSFL)
Kosovo, 1999
Basra, 2003
Seville, 2010
Havana, 2012

Another essay: French Kiss – A Love Letter to Paris.
Own portraits, from Pakistan, 1988
Tiananmen Square, 1989
Gulf War refugees. Jordan, 1991.
(Previous FPP’s are mostly 404’s.)

posted by growabrain (9 comments total)

Pretty wild that ten years later, in war torn Basra, a half-billion dollar sports stadium has been built, one of the largest in the Middle East.
posted by oceanjesse at 10:43 AM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's kind of odd seeing images of Ft. Wayne mixed in with everything. They don't feel out-of-place, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:45 AM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

except for the cars, they don't even seem out of time - there are still streets that look like that in ft wayne and other midwestern cities
posted by pyramid termite at 10:56 AM on May 11, 2014

Thorzdad - The Indiana photos are part of the McClellan Street show by twin brothers Turnley, taken in 1972-73
posted by growabrain at 11:09 AM on May 11, 2014

Thanks, growabrain!
Wow. Those could've been shot today here in Muncie.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:48 AM on May 11, 2014

Most of these pictures feel complete in themselves or with just the little accompanying captions.

But the Havana 2012 picture makes me want to know the whole back story. Where is the groom? Has he left for Miami? Right after the wedding? Will he make it? Will he be able to send for them?

Sorry. I know that's probably not the real story. Just me jumping to conclusions based on a lot of uninformed cliches. But the pic still leaves me wanting to know more about them.
posted by marsha56 at 12:33 PM on May 11, 2014

The Somali child in 1992 is looking straight at the soul of the viewer. He's not asking for help, unlike some of the children in other shots of war-torn areas, but rather judging and assessing.

And marsha56, that's funny because I looked at the photo of the bride in La Habana and thought that she was a second time bride taking strength in that quiet moment from her oldest child as she waits to see how this marriage turns out and if it will be more happy than the last. Interesting to see what each of us reads into it.
posted by librarylis at 8:27 PM on May 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

The Cuba photo looks more like a quinceanera to me.. A celebration for a girl turning 15.
posted by SLC Mom at 6:09 AM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]

That's a Hallmark card by 1994 Rwanda standards - a refugee camp, with a child holding an IV bag for a live mother.
posted by thelonius at 11:02 AM on May 12, 2014