Dead Hogs at Breakfast

I spent the first half of last Friday in Vienna watching Myron Mison and his Jack's
Old South cook team prep a 200 pound hog for the smoker. They were competing in the Big Pig Jig last weekend. This was their Whole Hog entry. This photo above told the story. Wish it had shown the hog's head, but I could not squeeze in at the other end.

Sometimes I know when I am shooting that a certain photo will not make it into the paper. Editors have a tendency to shy away from pictures of dead things, especially if they are cut open. The old "Viewing at the breakfast table" rule. I knew this one was not going to be in print. I had already shot the photo that ran as play art last saturday of them carrying the hog on their shoulders. Hoped it was not too objectionable.


I decided a long time ago that it is not my job to edit as I shoot, omitting images I think may be objectionable. I try not to shoot images just because they are sensational. I try to document as honestly and faithfully as I can. That is my job. It is the editor's job to decide which one's we can put in the paper.

The photo didn't make print, but is was used on the website. Guess we have a little different standard for the online stuff, which is not a bad thing.