The Bomb Site Was a Stage
The Boston Marathon finish was constructed for photographers and video crews.
The finish of the Boston Marathon was likely the most photographed spot on Earth at that moment
Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Walking past the finish line the day before the Boston Marathon, I
couldn't help but note how it is constructed more like a stage than an
athletic venue. There's more scaffolding to hold a catwalk for
photographers, videographers, and media than there is to actually mark
the finish line itself.
On race day, that catwalk and the whole finishing stretch on Boylston
Street is packed with photographers, some from various press outlets,
but the vast majority from MarathonFoto, a company that sells images to
runners as souvenirs. Last year, I ordered photos of myself, running
directly in front of the bank of world flags where the first bomb went
off. It's difficult to overestimate how many photographers are taking
photos, virtually constantly, for the entire time that finishers are
crossing the line.
All this seems likely to make the finish of the Boston Marathon the
most photographed spot on Earth at that moment. In addition to the press
footage and images that we see on the media today, the bombs that went
off were likely captured by dozens of other professional photographers,
not to mention countless amateurs. Directly opposite the bomb site was a
grandstand that had seated VIPs and guests of honor from Newtown.
While everything about the bombers is at this point unknown, it's
hard to escape the conclusion that they planned their bombing to be on
stage, a spectacle guaranteed to be captured thousands of times. It
would be easy to be assured of exactly how the videos and photos would
work, as there would be thousands of public images of past years' finish
lines and ample time in the days before the race to be among the
throngs who make the finish a tourist destination. The bombers weren’t
simply choosing a crowded location for the bombing. They were choosing
one guaranteed to offer the greatest visual spectacle.
All this means that as the thousands of MarathonFoto images are
combed for evidence, we'll consume this spectacle an overwhelming number
of times, with images of every split second and every possible angle.
Read more on Slate about the Boston Marathon bombing.
No comments:
Post a Comment