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| The portrait of Bibi Aisha © Jodi Bieber |
The World Press Photo of the Year 2010 premier award winner is South African photographer Jodi Bieber. She photographed a 18 year-old Afghanistan girl, Bibi Aisha, whose ear and nose were cut off by men. ( In local culture, a man who has been shamed by his wife is said to have lost his nose, and such treatment is considered punishment in kind. For more details, please visit World Press Photo or Times.)
As a photographer or human being, we could feel the pain of the violent and unfair sexual discrimination. The photograph is beautiful. Jodi was trying to show her beautiful side, ever though her nose was destructed. In this case, the photograph is a therapy, helping her to build up confidence. Indeed, the story behind the picture is astonishing, even outrageous, but in term of the originality, I think it's little bit weak.
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| Afghan Girl© Steve McCurry |
For me, Jobi's photograph is "obvious", whereas Steve's Afghan Girl is "mysterious". It is because this photograph is purely relying on its composition, framing structure and the gorgeous charming eyes to appeal to public. And her background was unknown in the 90s. (The photograph of the 12 year-old girl was taken in 1985 by Steve McCurry and published in the same year in National Geography. Steve didn't know who she was until he started to trace back the photograph in Afghanistan in 2002.)