Your Turn: Rielle Hunter Speaks Out (in Words and… Whoa!)

Although I typically wouldn’t pay much attention to Reille Hunter, these pictures call up various issues (not new, of course) between the public figure, the media, the publisher and the photographer, as well as hit some rough chords concerning gender and public culture.

These two photos accompany an interview feature in yes, GQ in which Hunter strives to tell her side of the John Edwards story — free of payment, she and GQ emphasize.  (Not to be overlooked, there is one more decidedly Mommy-free pic in the slide show.) To provide a jumping off point for discussion, here are snips that stood out from two reader comments on the slideshow:

There is clearly a “disconnect” between the article and the photos. She (Reille/Lisa), portrays herself as an enlightened, honest, open moral individual and the pictures show otherwise… (from CitizenUSA)

This is an awesome series of photos… I somehow doubt that this poor woman realized what the effect of them might be… it also seems to me that the photographer, Mark Seliger may well have a devilish sense humor–especially if he was the one who suggested the poses for these photos, as well as possibly having had a hand in determining which ones were selected for publication…! I could easily see a “naive” person lulled into “assuming” that the photographer might have their best interests in mind, when in fact, they’re going to make a statement instead! (from bengregg)

As is standard BAG practice, I am intentionally not delving into the backstory of the photo shoot (which I’m sure many blogs and trade photo sites will cover, and some of you will likely also in the thread) to allow us, according to our mission here, to focus on the visual dynamics. Of course, it’s difficult to consider these photos without also tackling who is exploiting who.

(photos: Mark Seliger)