USEFUL PHOTOGRAPHY 11

In 2010 in the UK, roughly one person got killed by a gunshot for each million of the population. In the US the equivalent figure was 32 people per million. Apparently, as many as 55 million households in the US own at least one gun.

Fear is doubtless one of the primary drivers in this particular arms race, but the 'right to bear arms' is enshrined in America's constitution and there can be little doubt that many Americans love their guns.

The latest issue of Useful Photography magazine features a large selection of portraits specifically produced for US gun enthusiasts to shoot at.

Perhaps these carefully choreographed images of terrorists, hijackers, armed robbers, psychopaths and other assorted crazies offer us a glimpse into the mindset of the National Rifle Association and their friends ("food, fellowship, fun and firearms") whose grand mission is "to preserve the 2nd Amendment and surround its' blessings with impenetrable protection in perpetuity".

Yet again, Useful Photography Magazine has collected a series of photographs that were produced with little or no artistic ambition and for a singular practical purpose and presents them in an alternative context, offering us new insights into the modern world.

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