Thanks for all the wonderful comments and interesting ideas. I feel much better about the decision I made to avoid this issue. If it had been my job already, or I had been there, it may have been a different situation, but as it is it best for me to stay away.
I have to agree that, given the chance, if a photographer is in a position to report a story to the world, they should take that opportunity. Unfortunately, I would not have been doing anything more than hundreds of others were already doing in a inappropriate hope that I would get a chance in the profession by capturing an image. Which I still feel is the wrong way to go about it.
I think my main holdup was my reasoning. Had my reasoning been to document the tragedy, and not for personal gain, I probably would not have stopped myself.
I feel much better about the entire situation now. Thanks again!
