AUCKLAND (RNZ Noon to Nine/Pacific Media Watch): Media commentator Gavin Ellis has praised some "brilliant pictures" in a new book published late last month to mark 10 years of the Pacific Media Centre.
"What it brought home to me yet again is the power of the still image," said Dr Ellis on his RNZ Nine to Noon media commentary yesterday.
"We tend to think now of moving pictures but there is something about the still image - and indeed the black and white image because some of the images in this book are black and white photographs that nail the moment.
"There is a picture in there of a woman who was accused of sorcery after the death of a young man in Papua New Guinea and she was mutilated. She lost her hand in the attack.
"An extraordinary picture of her, with these deep dark eyes filled with emotion, staring at the photographer over the stump of her hand. A compelling picture."
Ellis was referring to an image by Russian photographer Vlad Sokhin, who captured a series of images of sorcery and violence against women in Papua New Guinea in his Crying Meri collection.
Listen to Gavin Ellis at 7min 45sec.
Solkin was one of the 15 photographers associated with the PMC over the past decade who donated their work for the project.
Ellis also highlighted an image from Kabul after a suicide bombing and John Miller's last picture of photographer Fernando Pereira, who was killed in the 1985 bombing of the Rainbow Warrior by French secret agents.
While Ellis acknowledged the fact that this book is a special edition produced as a souvenir of the 10th anniversary of PMC and will be available in libraries, he urged the publishers to reconsider their "no sale" policy.
The co-editors of the book are Jim Marbrook, Del Abcede, Natalie Robertson and centre director Professor David Robie.
More information about the book
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