Awesomely bad portraits of Olympic athletes

JOE KLAMAR/AFP/GettyImages

A photo exhibit of Team USA 2012 opens in New York on Friday. A press release from the art gallery reads, "You will not see world-class athletes like this anywhere."

Critics will say that's because the pictures by AFP photographer Joe Klamar are terrible. They pick at the lighting, awkward poses and shoddy backdrop.

JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images

His supporters call the work honest and original. AFP defended Klamar in a blog post addressing the controversy.

Klamar himself has said he was forced to improvise. It was the first time for AFP to attend the U.S. Olympic Committee's Media Summit and he expected a group event. Instead, photographers had to set up their own mini studio spaces.

Klamar took about 300 photos that day. Some see them as an insult to hardworking athletes at the top of their games. Others see a refreshingly unscripted moment. What do you think?