Originally Posted by Roygbiv

Somber photography can also make one look more douchey, but at the time U2 were "superheroes." If they pulled that stunt today we'd all laugh at them, like how they titled their second album this decade "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb." That's an inspired title, but we all scoffed. So the predominant perception at the time allowed them to get away with the photography, which in turn made the album seem more mysterious, and everyone loves mystery, hence the reason why some people thought Achtung Baby had too much flash. I thought that the raw photography was perfect for the era.