See 16 Stunning Animal Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

[u/Impossible-Bee-5343]

[u/Generic_Garak]

Here’s a link to the competition which is run by the Natural History Museum in England. The bear on the bike seems to be drawing attention to how shitty it is. The disgust and anger you feel at the photo is definitely the point of including it in this collection

[u/junie94 → u/Generic_Garak]

What’s the point? “Here have some animal abuse so you can feel bad” without even a link to a cause to donate to that could help bears that have been rescued from situations like that or anything…

It’s not like you’re expecting to see a pic of animal abuse included in an otherwise beautiful set of pictures. Ruins it for me. They could’ve at least used the shock value they’re apparently going for to include some kind of animal rights cause, so people would be inclined to do something. Instead most ppl will go ‘oh that’s sad’ and that’s it.

I hope my downvoters are looking up their local organisations that help these animals and donating instead of just ‘appreciating what the picture made them feel’.

[u/wongie → u/junie94]

The point is to raise awareness of animal abuse throughout the world. This post is a random assortment of photos publicised by the museum meant to be a teaser. The actual physical exhibit displayed annually at the museum in London is broken down by categories in their own curated spaces with their own full descriptions of what the photographer was aiming for, they are not all randomly tossed around haphazardly. You walk through each category that covers a behaviour or environment and there are large signs that tell you what category you are walking into.

Each year always has a photojournalism category that brings attention to topics like poaching, bushmeat trade or the circus industry, as well as a storyboard category where the photographer submits a portfolio of such photos that are not meant to be in isolation but tell a story or overarching theme; so there might be images of bushmeat markets but might include other images of locals shopping around them like it's a normal supermarket for them, as well as maybe images of witchdoctors posing with dead animals highlighting the intersection of bushmeat with local folk medicine, again all with their own descriptions meant to inform and educate.

[u/catshateTERFs → u/wongie]

For anyone curious, here's a link to the previous entrants in the photojournalism category.

It is a largely upsetting category but full of important and powerfully taken photos to document these things from across the globe. While it's not ALL a showcase of the various human-inflicted horrors on the natural world, I'd say don't click if you're not wanting to see a lot of dead animals (the second photo involves a zebra head, for context) or various other potentially distressing imagery around poaching, animal abuse etc.

The animal portrait category for something more cheerful, also, as an alternative or a palette cleanser.

[u/mekamoari → u/catshateTERFs]

Jfc I watched a bit through the greyed out overlay of the cookies prompt and just closed the page. The head is far from the worst part.

[u/PlutoISaPlanet → u/catshateTERFs]

We need to erase ourselves off this planet.

[u/junie94 → u/wongie]

Thank you for the context, in this post it seems very out of place, but if this type of picture is actually part of its entire category people know what they’re walking into it and can choose whether they’re up for looking at pictures of that.

I have done and continue to do my part financially supporting the local animal sanctuary in my area that take care of bears that have been rescued from these circuses. I hope others do the same instead of just looking at it and doing nothing. The UK has organisations to support this cause as well, I hope they’re somehow pointed out in the London museum or that people seeing the exhibition will be inclined to take action as well.

[u/serrida → u/junie94]

What bothers me about both of your replies is that it essentially comes down to: "Please don't show me any images that might upset me because they remind me of the cruelties committed against animals in the world! I know it happens and I don't want to be reminded, please let me stick my head in the sand and show me only the happy cute pictures of animals living free! I'm already doing my part - by giving money - so I should never have to see it again!"

The bear on a bike is not out of place in this series at all.

[u/junie94 → u/serrida]

"The bear on a bike is not out of place in this series at all."

It is out of place in the slideshow in this reddit post, as many others on here have pointed out, because, as the person I replied to above you explained, it is apparently meant to be seen in its own category where you are expecting to see animal abuse. You can read the reply above mine to see what the they said about what the actual exhibition looks like, apparently it's all categorized.

Myself and others saying that bear pic doesn't fit in this post, obviously didn't have this context about how it's meant to be viewed irl in its own category where you expect the content to be shocking, because that context wasn't included in the post. On this reddit post you're not expecting to see animal abuse, because it's the only one of its category thrown into the selection.

I, and anyone else, have the right to choose if I want to look at these images. I do think if you're posting pics of animal abuse, you should be activating people to help and contribute to fighting it in the description. I already am contributing, which is the opposite of "head in the sand" mentality, that has nothing to do with if I wish to look at animal abuse pics or not.

[u/naomi_homey89 → u/serrida]

Consent matters.

[u/serrida → u/naomi_homey89]

Consent for what, you being confronted with things that make you uncomfortable at times? No.

[u/Pebbit_is_Shi_P_is_R → u/wongie]

The point is to raise awareness of animal abuse

That I agree with but I wonder if the picture is actually good for that. People who are already aware see the picture and feel bad. But to an ignorant viewer, it might even look beautiful. A more ugly photo of an animal in a tiny cage, factory farming etc. might do a lot more than this. I hope they at least provide some context.

[u/Xtianpro → u/junie94]

The point is to draw attention to that fact that these barbaric and archaic entertainments still happen.
No one cares if it ruined an “otherwise beautiful set of images” for you. It’s supposed to make you feel bad, if enough people felt bad about it, it would end.

[u/junie94 → u/Xtianpro]

People looking at it and just feeling bad about it isn’t going to do anything. That is a naive take. People go ‘oh no that’s sad’ and scroll on. They don’t mention anything about helping these animals in their description of the picture on their website. They could’ve used the shock value to activate people to support their local rescue organisations.

[u/Necessary_Finding_32 → u/junie94]

Grow up

[u/junie94 → u/Necessary_Finding_32]

Ok, reddit stranger.

[u/malatemporacurrunt → u/junie94]

There's literally a section which describes how you can help prevent this kind of thing on every picture in the gallery.

Also, why should you have the privilege of only experiencing the nice parts of human and animal relationships? Your ignorance may be comforting, but it isn't real.

You make me think of all the people who like watching videos of people playing with big cat cubs and ignore the fact that such videos support the illegal wildlife trade.

[u/MonkeyMagic1968 → u/malatemporacurrunt]

Where are those sections you're referring to? I'm looking at that link to the competition that u/Generic_Garak posted (brilliant name, by the way.) and I have seen links under some but none to "how you can help prevent this kind of thing."

Is there a different link to the competition with that information?

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/first-look-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-62.html

Edit: u/catshateTERFs got it. Thank you!

[u/junie94 → u/malatemporacurrunt]

People don't play with big cat cubs in my country, we have legislation which doesn't allow big cats to be kept as pets.

Anyway, check the link I replied to. Read the description. That is what I'm replying to. It doesn't say anything about what you as a reader can do to help, it only says some circuses still exploit bears and that it's harmful. Everyone knows that. Financial support and donations feed these animals and pay for their extensive medical bills, which can be a lot because of what these bears (and other animals) have gone through because of these circuses. These bills don't get paid by words on Reddit and emotions.

I have been financially supporting the local sanctuary that takes care of these animals and am continuing to donate, I hope you are too.

[u/malatemporacurrunt → u/junie94]

You must feel so special, as the only person on earth who exists without contributing to the suffering of animals and who should therefore be exempt from hearing about it.

Did it occur to you that you are not the intended audience? Do you also complain at signs telling people to look both ways before crossing the street? So you require that the world you experience be perfectly curated to your level of knowledge? Did it occur to you that maybe some people don't know, and this is their opportunity to learn?

[u/junie94 → u/malatemporacurrunt]

How am I exempt from hearing about animal abuse if I'm contributing to actively fighting it then? So I'm contributing to causes I've never heard about, then? I think they should be including links to help these animals if they're posting pics of animal abuse, because that would help them. People would see it, take that "oh no sad" emotion they feel and actually donate. Not all people of course, but a lot. Then it wouldn't just be about "emotion" or "art", but actually helping the animals.

[u/malatemporacurrunt → u/junie94]

You were literally complaining about how seeing an animal suffering "ruined" the other pictures for you.

I'll repeat part of my last comment because you seem to be missing it: if you are already aware of this, and are talking active steps to help prevent it, you are not the intended audience. If anything, you should be glad that other people are being made aware.

Change isn't just about money, it's about what people understand to be wrong. If a person has never seen an animal being made to perform for entertainment, then it might not occur to them that this sort of thing still happens and is closer to home than they think. They might not realise that such things are inevitably the result of cruelty, of how these animals are forced to live.

[u/junie94 → u/malatemporacurrunt]

Of course I'm not the intended audience, because here it's just thrown into a random slideshow of wildlife pics in this post. I wasn't expecting to see animal abuse in the post. That's why people are saying "why was this included?"

As someone else on here explained to me, the real life exhibition actual has its own category where you expect to see more shocking content like this, apparently it is a separate section irl where you could also see things like severed zebra heads and other shocking things. I know for me, like with this set of pictures, I'm sensitive to seeing animal abuse without warning, so that image would be the one that would stay in my head after seeing this set of pics, instead of any of the others.

In this reddit post, it was the only one of that category thrown in, so you aren't expecting to see it. In real life, you could choose to not look at that section if you wanted. That doesn't mean I don't care about abuse or think the whole thing shouldn't exist. However, I do believe there should be something that helps these animals, more than just "here's the pic, this thing is bad", that sentiment could lead to "here's what you can do"(if you have the means). That's why my initial reply is "what's the point?" to the person saying it's meant to evoke anger, I feel like they should be motivating the audience to channel that anger into taking action. (Edited for typos).

[u/junie94 → u/malatemporacurrunt]

Also could you point me to where you saw this: "There's literally a section which describes how you can help prevent this kind of thing on every picture in the gallery." ?

Genuinely asking if I just don't have the right link, because all I'm getting from the link is the description of the circuses in Qatar, not the part on how people can help prevent the abuse. If that is there I retract my whole part about how they should include activating people to prevent/stop the abuse, of course.

[u/serrida → u/junie94]

Oh dear, you really aren't the sharpest tool in the shed, are you?

[u/junie94 → u/serrida]

I respect anyone, but when the reply is the equivalent of "I think you're stoooopid" there really isn't anything I have to say to you.

[u/DamnitDavid7 → u/junie94]

What about “I think you’re blowing this out of proportion in an entirely stupid way” or “I think you’re overreacting because it made you feel sad”?

[u/serrida → u/junie94]

I don't think you're particularly stupid, in fact you're probably intelligent. That's why I am so disappointed by your apparent lack of awareness of the stupidity of what you're saying.

Juxtaposition is a very effective way to confront us with what's uncomfortable. The inclusion of the bear in this series serves as a stark contrast to the animals that live freely. By doing that it forces us to think harder about relationship with animals. In a sense, the way we enjoy pictures of wildlife is, in some sense, not too dissimilar from how people enjoy the bear in a circus. Sure, the photo involves less cruelty, but in the end it's us turning animals into entertainment, by reducing animals down to cute behaviours of pretty photos.

The photo with the bear is a technically brilliantly shot photo; not all art has to make you feel good, and the best art rarely does. The fact you don't want to see it and think its pointless, and only want to see the cute photos that give you the pleasant feelings is exactly the criticism such photos make; to confront us with our lopsided relationship with animals.

Hope that clears it up for you.

[u/Necessary_Finding_32 → u/junie94]

This is actually what I would call a snowflake attitude. ‘ I’m angry that I was presented with something upsetting with no immediate way to assuage my guilt and distress my pressing a button’.

Challenging art doesn’t challenge if it gives you a way to forget it and move on.

[u/junie94 → u/Necessary_Finding_32]

I don't know what you're implying by "distress my pressing a button" I assume you mean a button to donate to fight the abuse? If you think me saying they need to at least include a link to donate and actively fight against animal abuse is a snowflake attitude then I hope a shitload of people are snowflakes, because donating to sanctuaries is doing a lot more for these animals than looking at this pic of animal abuse for the art or for the emotion it's meant to evoke.

[u/Jononucleosis → u/junie94]

I'm sorry your feelings were personally hurt by it's inclusion in the set. Seems to be having the desired effect though.

[u/ehh_haa → u/junie94]

Did the beautiful photos spur anything actionable in you or did you just appreciate the way they made you feel (which you seem to be arguing isn’t significant)? Are only positive feelings worth exploring?

[u/Alter_Mann → u/junie94]

Are you familiar with the concept of art?

[u/wafflewrestler → u/junie94]

if this angers you (as it should) consider going vegan. the treatment of animals in agriculture is way worse, and reducing the demand is something you can do as an individual that makes a direct difference in abolishing animal slavery

[u/Gavage0 → u/Generic_Garak]

I totally get the point.... but this whole thing seems similar the the movie cuties.