They said/We said: Only Terry Richardson and Lindsay Lohan could create controversy over a photo without even really trying

Photography by Terry Richardson
Photography by Terry Richardson

It’s a sign of something sad when we’re not shocked in the least to see these Terry Richardson–lensed images of Lindsay Lohan pointing a gun to her head. Richardson (or someone who knows better) evidently wasn’t crazy about them, because they’ve been stripped from his site just 24 hours after they were uploaded. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, we have one of the disturbing images for your viewing pleasure.

Richardson has been on a raunchy roll this week, first splashing 17 images of a naked Paz de la Huerta across his site and then uploading the soon-to-be-viral video of Kate Upton’s “many talents” as she runs across a beach in a bikini, plays with hula hoops in a bikini and finally pops out of her bikini. Lohan, no stranger to nearly naked photography sessions, was the subject of a series of photos in which she’s rolling around the Chateau Marmont in a bra, lounging provocatively on a bed and brandishing the aforementioned gun. The blurry eyes and heavy eye makeup aren’t really helping the whole “comeback” thing she’s been going for either.

If these images look familiar, it’s because Lohan posed in a nearly identical set of shots for Tyler Shields in 2010. She nuzzled up to a handgun for both photographers in the same dyed-black hair and dark eye makeup.

Though Richardson didn’t give an explanation for pulling down the images, we hope that he did it because he realized how offensive they were (making light of suicide is simply not OK), and not because of his artistic pride regarding Lohan’s previous shoot.

Do you think this is Terry simply being Terry, or do you think the images were a step too far?

THEY SAID…

Tyler Shields: “Wait, what(?!) HAHAHAHAHA oh man, s— happens.” [Fashionista]

Independent Fashion Bloggers: “At this point, nothing surprises us” [Twitter]

VH1: “Lindsay Lohan. Are you trying to ruin your comeback with these pictures?” [Twitter]

WE SAID…

Elio Iannacci, features editor: “It’s obvious that Mr. Richardson is running out of ideas as these Lindsay photos read as both desperate and derivative. They also push him closer to this disturbing Funny or Die spoof.”

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