The August 17th issue of TIME magazine contains a cover story about the ongoing rise of virtual reality. Unfortunately for TIME, it�s not the story itself that has everyone talking � it�s the cover photo.
Here�s what the cover looks like in its entirety:
After laying eyes on the photo, the Internet and media immediately began criticizing and mocking TIME for its choice of photo. The portrait shows Palmer Luckey, the 22-year-old wunderkind founder of Oculus Rift, wearing the VR headset he invented. Critics say the portrait makes Luckey look goofy and nerdy, playing off stereotypes instead of portraying him as a rising titan of tech.
�Time magazine�s cover is the greatest threat to VR,� PC Gamer proclaims. �Is Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey setting up for a Karate Kid-style crane kick? Is he flapping the wings of a virtual pelican, swooping into the ocean for a mouthful of delicious herring?�
�No one likes the �Time� cover on virtual reality,� writes USA Today. Forbes reports that debate is raging online about �whether or not TIME�s cover has killed VR.�
TIME has taken the criticism and jest in stride. After the cover photo spawned a new Internet meme, the magazine shared a collection of its favorite parody images yesterday:
Even though the cover may look like a portrait of Luckey that was slapped onto a stock photo of a beach, it appears that it�s actually the result of an on-location portrait rather than a photo manipulation job. Photographer Gregg Segal made the photo for TIME by visiting the Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California, to photograph Luckey (Facebook acquired Oculus Rift for $2 billion last year).
This second photo from the same shoot shows that Segal decided to photograph Luckey in front of a large painting of a beach at FB HQ:
Photo by Gregg Segal for TIME
We�re guessing that Segal actually had Luckey jump into the air in front of the mural to make it look like he�s floating on a beach.
It may seem like most people disapprove of TIME�s cover photo choice, but Segal and TIME do have one notable supporter and fan: Luckey himself.
The VR pioneer tells GameSpot that he wasn�t surprised by public reaction to the photo.
�I don�t get caught up in it too much. I think it�s fun. I love the cover,� he says. �People have said, �Oh, this is going to set virtual reality back so far.� I�m like, are you guys really giving that much importance to an old-media cover?�
�It�s insignificant in the scheme of this massive explosion in virtual reality�s popularity. I love the cover; I think it�s great.�
Started out doing photography at the age of 6 using an uncle's old 1940 kodak brownie box camera. At 15 years of age, I decided to buy my very own 1975 Praktica SLR camera. I now shoot with a Nikon D850. I do unpaid TFP and commercial paid work.