Horrible way to break into Photography?

[Scik]

I live in Huntington, Utah, which if you have been watching the news is the scene of the most recent mine disaster. It's a tiny town of 2,000 people, in a county of only 10,000 people. When I first heard about it, early Monday morning, my first thoughts were to see if I could get any dramatic shots of this. I don't know any of those involved personally.

As a poor photographer whose primary income comes from the sale of simple family portraits, the opportunity to freelance such a major event did seem titillating.

I did not however act upon this. Even though the town is now filled with reporters from local to nationwide, "The Emery County Review" to "CNN", I could not get myself to actually go down and take the pictures. It seemed to be a horribly tacky dilemma I have been having with myself.

So, I guess my question for everyone is... What would you do? How important is it to not miss that once in a lifetime opportunity? What would you be capable of to get the photographer job? Could you ignore your conscience to advance your career? and most importantly, am I showing scruples or idiocy?

[Nicole]

I dunno, I think it's a pretty personal thing. I find it kind of ghoulish and morbid to thrive on disaster like that. (Mind you, this is me personally, so I know that lots of other people have absolutely no problem doing it, and that's fine ). So yeah, personally, I'd miss the one in a lifetime events that revolved around disaster. Maybe that means that in 50 years I won't be making a million dollars on a polaroid, but that's something I'm willing to live with (yes, I know she didn't set out to capture it, it was just the only example I could think of). Happy once in a lifetime opportunities are much more my thing. I'm pretty attached to my own set of ethics / conscience.

[thenimirra]

As a reporter myself who had to cover the Columbine shootings, I would say that it's our job as photo or print journalists to accurately document an event to the best of our ability. That's the best we can offer the families who are involved, the victims and the viewers or readers of your media.

In your case, I would say, if you have the opportunity, then take the shot. Sometimes it's about being in the right place at the right time. Do we say that those people who took shots of the 911 terrorists attacks, planes hitting the building and people jumping out the buildings were being vultures or do we honor those shots as a photographic memory, so to speak, of the event?

For those who weren't there, they need our "eyes and ears" to help make sense of an event.

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by thenimirra

Do we say that those people who took shots of the 911 terrorists attacks, planes hitting the building and people jumping out the buildings were being vultures or do we honor those shots as a photographic memory, so to speak, of the event?

I actually think that's a pretty personal opinion as well .

I think a lot of reporting can be classified as being just over the line of just reporting and trying to get the viewers by showing things in a sensationalised manner (not that this necessarily was, but I do wonder what the value was of showing people jumping to their deaths rather than just showing the overall devastation, or what would be the value of say showing a picture of a corpse with a bullet hole in their head laying on the ground). So yup, totally personal.

But then again, this is probably why I'm not a photojournalist

[thenimirra]

I understand where you are coming from Nicole. At first, even I had a hard time seeing those shots after 911. After covering Columbine, I just didn't think I could handle any more devastation or being forced to cover it as a journalist.

However, when I think back to 911, it is those haunting shots that come to mind, those images that were so searing and hard to look at during the moment of the event, that I immediately am able to visualize now. Those photos were so strong and immediate and they captured the horror of that day, the decisions many people were forced to make as well as the heros within so many who took it upon themselves to risk their lives to save others.

It's a tough call: one of my college professors told me to do only what I know will allow me to sleep at night. That was meaningful for me because I have a moral compass. What worries me are the reporters who don't have one and can sleep at night no matter what they do in the day!

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by thenimirra

It's a tough call: one of my college professors told me to do only what I know will allow me to sleep at night. That was meaningful for me because I have a moral compass. What worries me are the reporters who don't have one and can sleep at night no matter what they do in the day!

I think that sums it up perfectly (at least my opinion)

[sunsetter]

[I] think that if you are from out of the ares of the disaster it is not as personal and easier to photograph, being right there makes it harder.

[prrs4me]

I think the difference might be timing. If you are in an area where a disaster occurs I would say whip that camera out and start shooting. If you hear about a disaster and get in your car to go there just to look and take pictures that's something else. My husband and I still have not felt the need to visit and take pictures of Ground Zero and we live in New York. But if I was there at the time and had a camera I might have taken pictures.

[Tiberius]

As photographers, I think we have a duty (self-imposed) to document our lives and the events that happen around us.

That said, I wouldn't have any problems in taking photos of that. However, it's stupid to just stand there and take photos if you can actually help, and it's also stupid to stand in the way of people who are trying to help.

So, help, if you can, and if you can't, take photos without hindering. It's not morbid curiosity, it's documenting an important event.

[windrider86]

As a person who works in advertsiing as well as in the media, I think it is our obligation to capture these images for the rest of the world. yes it can be intrusive and yes it makes you feel really bad. But if no one took these pictures of these horrible disasters the world would never know what the images were really like. We need to remember and learn from them.