Comments on: Who Shot It Better? Breastfeeding from TIME & Babytalk

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:04:09 +0000

I believe the Time Magazine’s cover accomplishes it’s goal of getting attention to a very uncomfortable subject. Many American’s will cringe while many Europeans will find it to be the norm. From my review on this subject, it appears the nutritional benefits outweigh the stares. http://www.classicmemories.com/

By: Antonio

Antonio — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:38:08 +0000

After reading the answers, I guess that you all must be USAmericans. USAmerican society would rather see violence instead of seeing something normal and natural. Hypocrisy it the most exported product from anglosaxon countries. You are not valuing the picture, by the way, very appropriate for the article’s headline. What are you gonna say next? that It is a sin.

By: 1

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:21:14 +0000

-1′

By: G. Hoffman

G. Hoffman — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:44:18 +0000

That boy looks more like a 5 year old! I think that is what is the most jarring thing about the photo. That kid looks old enough to be weaned and drinking from a cup.

By: pam

pam — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:31:58 +0000

The only countries in the world where young males can nurse on demand up to 5 or 6 years old are all in the Middle East. It is a very old tradition and one that has not stopped. The attitude that accompanies it as a child and expands as you grow older is one that we are all familiar with. The label “attachment parenting” is new but the type of parenting that it describes has been around a long, long time. Agree with the following comments;

My daughter was breastfed by my wife up to 1yr of age, after that it gets kind of weird and inappropriate in my opinion, beneficial or not.

By: jaime guttierez

jaime guttierez — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:58:20 +0000

I wonder if anybody can take a tug at that nipple or is just for her kids…? Will she keep it up when they are teens? I mean, why not right? Everything goes!

By: David Moses

David Moses — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:46:11 +0000

I knew before even reading the comments there would be words like ‘gross’ and ‘inappropriate’. Even with an explicit request to judge the photo rather than what we presume the article to be.

Point being, the Time cover is extremely successful. Great idea, perfectly executed – it illustrates the story and will sell magazines and generate buzz. That sounds like appropriate to me.

Also, a woman’s body (and her children) is her own business.

By: Catherine H.

Catherine H. — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:36:32 +0000

I think both do a good job making a point. When the majority of women breastfeed only up to the first year (hello, or when teeth come in!), it seems rather disingenuous for the magazine (not the photog – I assume he was following guidance provided) to chose this photo but hey, that has nothing to do with photography! Attachment parenting has many aspects to it, so choosing the one aspect that applies whether one is attachment parenting or not, seems political and meant to make people think all breastfeeding moms are doing this for years! I equate all the controversy over breasts, and breast feeding with the very weird nature of human brains to turn something healthy and beautiful into something ugly – its weird!

By: Mike Buchanan

Mike Buchanan — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:34:17 +0000

The Time cover, definitely. The mom’s expression is perfect. It seems to pull out all of the intimacy typically associated with breastfeeding, which is something I haven’t seen before. There is nothing new or engaging about the Babytalk photo.

With respect to your editorializing, I don’t think that using an unattractive mom for the shoot would do anything to help “desexualize the breast.” The photo would just be more awkward and possibly suggest a different story.

By: Dave G.

Dave G. — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:30:53 +0000

Schoeller’s is a brilliantly-conceived and deftly-executed portrait that immediately challenges and engages the reader with a clear idea. Martin has earned a home in the pantheon of great magazine photographers for his consistent ability to make such images.

The latter shot is just a baby and a boob. Skin shown for the sake of generating controversy.

There really is no comparison…