Death and Decay

This image is poetic and showcases many elements of death and decay, as well as grief and letting go.. Elephants are known to have funerals and visit the bodies of their dead, so this account of an elephant participating in this wake is an incredible capture of a natural behavior that proves how animals experience complex emotions as we do. The photo evokes powerful thoughts- and makes me wonder what the relationship of these two animals was like in life. It is a gorgeous shot.

I love these gorgeous mushrooms emerging from the ground where bodies lay in decay, mushrooms are such a powerful symbol of decay and rebirth when the living return to the earth. The juxtaposition with the graves is absolutely perfect, a quality shot of the "darker side" of the circle of life. The composition of the image is perfect; I love the graves towering over the rising fungi. Quite an evocative piece with a great narrative.

This image on a surface level is gorgeous, with beautiful lines and the warm and cool light contrasting with the surfaces of the concrete planes. But its deeper meaning is both disturbing and powerful- a memorial to mass murder and the hell that European Jewish people endured during the Holocaust. Those that were murdered are honored here in this brutalist memorial, a physical reminder of what evils we do not have the power to undo but can and must prevent from ever happening again.

These iconic white crosses are quite well known as a symbol of how many individuals are lost to war. I think this is the most stark and evocative image I've ever seen of these graves before, a truly captivating shot that highlights the magnitude of the sheer amount of loss. They stand together in the harsh light like rows of soldiers. A very beautiful and sorrowful piece.

This is definitely one of the more compelling cemetery shots I've seen. The narrative here is quite evident- many shovels that labored together by unseen hands to create a hole in the earth for the body of a human being. I like that this image has no living subjects but tells the story perfectly, rows of old graves of those long gone and the new ground ready to be filled. This image to me represents both an element of grieving and the inevitable passage of time.

I absolutely love the viewpoint of this image and the depth- each room as your eye travels further back is another color, another disjointed shape with plenty of beautiful leading lines blending into each other. I think this image suits the theme of decay well; the earth is reclaiming this structure and someday it will be beneath the sands. Nothing lasts forever. Well captured!

This image is such an excellent perspective of a tragically overlooked issue that presents itself all over the world. Millions of mammals die every day on our roads- most people are desensitized to this and pass on by without another thought. Getting on eye level with the subject- capturing the drops of blood- the life essence -dripping onto the pavement, with a slow-shutter bike passing by are all fantastic creative choices by the photographer that add so much dimension to this piece. On top of that, it is deeply emotional, tells a story, and is quite compelling.

The mummified carcass of this rat is certainly contrary to the beautiful painting behind him. I have to wonder how he got there- if he died there, and if his last moments were surrounded by the beauty of the painting behind. This evocative piece caught my attention immediately as it captures some of elements of life, death, and decay all neatly together.

This grim image is complete with many details that really pull the whole composition together in my opinion. The dark empty sockets, curling horns, rotting hair, and even an old spiderweb add so much detail and texture to the piece that drew my eye in immediately. I also love the rich green background, I think without the color with a different backdrop the subject would be at risk of appearing washed out. The green really helps the subject pop and elevates the image quite a bit to my eye.

This image is truly heartbreaking and shocking. It stands out to me quite a bit as not only a compelling image but a narrative that is important and tragic- an animal in the throes of death surrounded by filth and decay. Unfortunately, the circumstances of her death are entirely due to human carelessness and waste. I think this image is quite well composed, which is quite impressive because I can't imagine how difficult it would be to shoot this subject matter, and I commend the photographer for bringing this issue to light with such a powerful piece.

This is such a stunning landscape photo that captures the beauty of the desolate and arid desert with the added bonus of camel remains in the foreground. This shot is simply stunning and I think the addition of the camel skull to the image really sets off the evocative moods of decay and death in the remote desert, as well as the pose of the head against the leading lines of spires and valleys behind.

I absolutely love this image- the stretched and bound cranefly is completely at the mercy of the carnivorous sundew, and the tension of the fight is quite evident in the image. It is pretty clear who the winner is here- the hungry plant slowly enveloping its prize. I love how this image adds another dimension to this contest showing predation and death on such a small and unique level. It is a fabulous capture.

This image is a perfect representation of its title, The Circle of Life. The death and decay of this elephant brings new life to the world as its earthly body nourishes the land that gave it its entire life. The eye contact in this shot is phenomenal, deep from within the bowels of a cadaver, such a grim and powerful image. What I like most about this shot is although it may feature some of the more unpleasant imagery of death, it is a fantastic reminder that there is beauty in it as well, and life goes on and on and on.