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When one of my colleagues alerted me to this image by retweeting it this morning, my gut instinct was to shout "No way! That's fake!" But minutes later we discovered that the image was shot by Getty Images photographer Rich Lam.
I was beside myself.
The "too-good-to-be-true" element of this photo is the juxtaposition of the riot cops and the couple who made a bed out of the littered street following last nights' Stanley Cup Playoffs in Vancouver.
We've got an interview with Lam coming up around 2pm ET to find out just what was going on that led to this photo. Check back in a couple hours.
UPDATE: 6/16/2011, 2:20pm ET -- I just had a conversation with Rich about this image.
After shooting the final game for Getty Images, Rich Lam headed to the streets to photograph the protests.
“We were in front of the bay where looting and burning was taking place,” he said. And that’s when it happened. From dogs to horses, tear gas to pepper spray, “it was just mayhem.”
Police started pushing everyone out of the streets. At one point Lam looked back and saw the scene above — two people on the ground. His initial instinct was that they were hurt.
“I looked back and thought someone was injured and I shot that. I framed it up, juxtaposed with the policemen.”
Lam didn’t realize what he had captured. He turned his images in to the photo editors who were processing the volumes of photos chronicling the events of the night.
A little while later another photographer from the Getty team came up to him and said “nice picture of the couple kissing.” Unsure of what he was referring to, he returned to the editing room.
“Oh my God – they’re making out!” Lam said.
In retrospect Lam said “it was just crazy – for them to do something like that. I don’t understand why people riot to begin with.”
Some others have their suspicions, and with good reason. Comments like those from Jess, below, give me reason to think the couple are performers of some kind:
I saw the same couple make out in the middle of the road (on the divider between oncoming traffic in Yaletown a week ago. Pacific and Homer to be exact. It looks like they like the thrill of making out in public with people watching.
A photo that appears to have been taken at the same location makes it look even less organic. CNBC's Darren Rovell along with Steve Poller and Sara Lauch questioned whether the two intentionally staged themselves there.
UPDATE: 6/17/2011, 12:00pm ET --
nineMSN.com has uncovered the identity of the male in the photo, after an interview with immediate relatives. The website says that Hannah Jones, from Perth, told them that the man is her brother, Scott Jones, 29, who lives and works in Vancouver.
Late yesterday Getty Images reached out to Lam, who provided his employer with the entire series of images.
You can see them here: http://bit.ly/kwz2JD
UPDATE: 6/20/2011, 9:00am ET --
This morning the couple in the widely-seen photo appeared on the today show. Scott Jones and Alex Thomas address accusations that the photo was faked. "I was just trying to calm her down. It seemed like the thing to do," Jones said. Continue reading...
Related content:
More photos: Stanley cup finals
More photos: Riots break out after the finals
Amusing "Dear Vancouver" tweets out there.
Leave a Comment:
I'm geeked to hear what led up to this. Lots of incredible shots by Lam, but this one from Mark Van Manen via National Post is pretty remarkable too.
It is a great way to get 15 minutes of fame. Pretty soon there will be tons of clever people trying to out do each other for a Utube viral post. ORRRRR the E they took kicked in. My guess is it is a slick trick to get some twitter time.
Let me save everyone a lot of time. Drugs.
That's just plain judgmental, you are everything that is wrong with society. The couple obviously loves each other and are a perfect example of finding peace during war.
"Make love, not war."
Of course it is love, in a completely wrong place. At the exact contrary time. Maybe it looked like the end of the world.
No way is it love. It's lust. If they were truly in love with each other, they would've been concerned for the other's safety amidst all the violence, burning, dogs, tear gas, pepper spray, etc.
Hormones led the way here--plain and simple.
It's wayyy more likely that they don't even know each others last names.
By the look of her ass, I hold not a shred of blame for the gent, nor his raging testosterone.
Beats the hell out of the moronic surroundings, now doesn't it?
I agree, this is not love... it's horny. So the question is ... how horny do you have to be to make out in the middle of a riot?
Like dogs in the street. No brains, just hormones.
That's fine, Molly-3618979, it's addressing the statement, but this isn't:
Read the first rule if you haven't:
23 deleted, merrymolly calling everyone 'dolts'. See above.
I saw the same couple make out in the middle of the road (on the divider between oncoming traffic in Yaletown a week ago. Pacific and Homer to be exact.
It looks like they like the thrill of making out in public with people watching.
You're sure they have made this a stunt? LOOOOOOL
Having a few drinks with friends one night in a few years. wheres the craziest place you ever did it. "On the street in the middle of a riot with cops in riot gear going by" ..."Come on we are being serious here".....
It's called "Double-Planking"
7 deleted, Busby banned, multiple of John Q. Public, Esq., also banned, both steadily trolling. Don't register multiple accounts.
"Mommy, where was I conceived?"
"Boulevard, honey, it's a long story. Ask your father."
Sex & violence? Maybe fires and destruction turn them on...
Sometimes, there's no accounting for motivation.
That is so hot! I love the apparent disinterest by both the couple and the police/rioters for each other's situations.
Not sure if it applies to all Canadian women but thats a nice rear end there!
True passion. It just shows their love for each other, regardless of whats happening in their surrounding. Till death do them apart - the perfect vow.
All I have to say is: great photo.
It's obvious, they're Boston fans.
Rock on.
i wonder if she "pulled the goalie"?
This is a great shot.
I love Vancouver!! The most lovely city in the world as far as I have seen. I hope their image survives this. From a guy who ought to know,....I mean,....look where I'm from.
Ha! Detroit can be beautiful, too.
Vancouver deserves some credit for how hard they're going after their own. 50,000 people like the Facebook page Vancouver Riot Pics: Post Your Photos, which says:
"Above all else, respect others. Address issues and arguments and refrain from making personal attacks."
So by claiming that this couple is on drugs and making negative comments about their personal intentions toward each other based purely on mass social attitudes toward teenagers and the act of merely kissing isn't personally attacking the mentioned couple in this picture or disrespecting them whatsoever? I think it's no secret that it is.
One should look at this picture and see art. Why pick apart every detail and make negative accusations? At first glance, this photo should be viewed as a portrait of hope. Among hate and violence, they found hope and comfort in love. 'In all this chaos, we found safety.'
Thanks Tyler! You are the first person I have ever heard say so. Detroit does have its pockets of beauty, greenbelts, parks, and there are a lot of improvements on the drawing board. People that come here to live or visit are shocked when they get to see some of the neighborhoods around here. It ain't necessarily ALL like what they heard. Young people are being attracted to the MidTown District of the city again, and Detroit, of all places was the only place in S.E. Lower Michigan that actually enjoyed an upsurge in real estate transactions last year.
I understand the N.Y. Times did a story profiling the growth of night life for young people in Detroit. A really cool place to go on a weekend night. Restaurants, pubs, galleries, theaters, etc...
One thing accelerated the demise of Detroit: The 1968 riots in the city. I hope this does not produce the same effect in Vancouver, but I doubt it will because this kind of blight and crime seems abolished by Canadian government. I have been to Windsor, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Banff, Jasper, Kamloops, Quebec City, etc... and could not spot light nor crime in any of those towns. All of them are clean, beautiful, peaceful cities. I'm sure they got their problems, but nowhere near what American cities do.
...Off the post and in!!!!
During a time when mankind is at it's worst, there is a sliver of hope that out shines it all. Maybe there is hope after all for us...
Great shot...period!
That fellow's about to score!
I love this pic!
Epic pic, definitely Boston fans!
Must be Bruins fans. WOOOOOO
Passion and youthful indesecretion my a$$. A staged photo is just as sincere as Anthony Weiner's resignation.
Cialis - Sometimes the right moment comes at the wrong time.