Ethics - Joplin, MO

[Izzy]

For many who know me I normally dont have a whole lots of ethics when it comes to getting the shot. However I ended my Route 66 project in Joplin a few days ago. It was madness down at ground zero. People were struggling to get their lives back to livable. It was destruction like I have never seen before.

It was the best part of marshal law in the area. I am guessing that this is because of potential looters. Aside from stopping at lights no one was allowed to stop anywhere. And there certainly was no parking in the area.

I took pictures in the car by waving my camera at areas of interest and just rapid fired. This was so I could share this with my wife when I got home.

If I could get access to the area on foot to you think taking pictures adds insult to injury? I would have walked a mile to come back to get the shots, but it just seemed so wrong.

What do you think?

[jdepould]

I think not publishing images from the area would be unethical.

That said, they need to be tasteful.

[Jim Poor]

There was a news report recently about how the residents feel about gawkers. Good points were made.

[mad editor]

It's news. It happened. The photos are there to be taken. I don't think anything that is out in public is off limits, but what do I know? Just another left wing,radical, pinko journalist here.

[Izzy]

I just wanted to ad that my car was jam packed full of my most expensive gear (computers) and no place to really hide it. The darn dilemmas

[smc1377]

Oops, that reminds me to reply to a skincare foundation that asked me to go down to Joplin with them while they handed up sunscreen to residents and volunteers alike and document it. I'd say in this context, I'd fully feel good about taking pics. But just as a gawker, I'd feel bad. But I can't go anyways.

[SwissJon]

Depends what you're planning to do with the photos.. Pass them on to news agencies.. Go ahead. Keep them to yourself, you're just another rubberneck, move along.

[Izzy]

I would TRY to pass them on to new outlets and most likely fail.

Most likely they would end up as some sick body of work in my urbex fine art folio.

[dgrierms]

The idea here is to somehow connect with the people in the area instead of just walking by and snapping photos. Ask them their story (e.g. "where you in the house when the storm came through? what was it like?), empathize with them and then take a few photos. Yes there will be a few people that get upset with you. It is just part of it, in my experience. I used this method on the MS Gulf Coast a few months after Katrina blew through in 2005. We were in a vehicle and didn't come across many people to talk to but those that I did meet were ok with what we were doing.

Bottom line: be professional about it.

[Jim Bryant]

I hate to tell ya, but without a media credential, which would have allowed you into the area to get better pictures than what has already been taken and sent to publications, you might have a tough time selling drive by shooting pictures. I could be wrong. The real news was right after the twister hit and the followup during first week. Remember, "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough." - Robert Capa -