Randall Cosco gets Adbusters shown on CNN

Vancouver based photographer Randell Cosco has burned a few bridges and flags in his life, but he wasn't quite prepared for the hoopla his image that currently graces the front and back cover of adbusters would cause.

A congressman held said magazine up on CNN and threatened to ask President Bush to sue Cosco. The flag was printed across the front and back of the magazine, with the words "You're either with us, or against us."

Cosco, known for his sardonic images, did not see the CNN report, but was surprised when he started getting calls from friends and relatives, who told him that "some congressman was holding (the magazine) up on a talk show and saying, 'I don't know who this Randall Cosco is, but I'm going to speak with the President about suing a photographer in another country.'"

"I don't deliberately go out to photograph controversy," says Cosco, "It's not controversial for me. It's true. I don't understand why people get upset. It's a photograph. Enjoy it."

He had only one chance to burn the flag right, so Cosco wanted to get a nylon-polyester flag. He finally found one at the Acme Prop Shop. It was 47 years old and had apparently been used in the filming of Legends of the Fall. The shot was taken at night in his garage, with a Hassleblad and an 80mm lens. Cosco, who's also burnt the Canadian flag, had no qualms about burning this flag, adding, "I figured I was going to be documenting it." The Vancouver Courier photographer says: "I believe that a good photographer is somewhat like a good actor. Sometimes you have to play the villain."

The cover of adbusters.

You can see more of Coscos work at www.thephotographersgroup.com