Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/07/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Good day Crew. Subject: Re: [Leica] Is this ethical? >>>>>Precisely. What most members seem to be saying is to keep photographing them, because we are within our rights to do so. That, in my opinion, would be legally right, but ethically and morally wrong. Let me make it clear, before the sky falls on my head, that that is only my view, and I will continue to follow it, but, as ever, YMMV. Cheers Jayanand <<<<<<< = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Hi Jayanand, OK CREW from real life day to day as a news photographer shooting life of the moment. You are on the street when a big car-vehicle crash takes place. Bodies flung out through the wind shield lying across what's left of car. "YOU START SHOOTING EVERYTHING, DEAD, DYING AND CRYING!" People all over the place helping, you are shooting and "someone demands you stop and go away" ? My response? I keep right on doing my job without hesitation! However? And most important! You take care at not doing close-ups of the bodies and never anything showing faces of the victims. "SO YOU CONTINUE YOUR COVERAGE WITHOUT HESITATION!" WHY? Well first of all it's a news type situation and there's lots of folks giving aid and or covering bodies!! It sounds like the photographer is nothing more than..."A COLD HEARTED SOB!" NOT SO! JUST DOING HIS/HER JOB!!" Will body pictures be published? NOT LIKELY! Images become ARCHIVE material never to be seen other than by researchers in the future. #2 Situation: Phone rings and you are quickly given instructions by the news city editor! "BIG FIRE WITH FAMILY...SOME DEAD!" You arrive, the fire is out and firemen are inside looking for victims?????? Now without a clue of what's going on nor what's happened you see firemen emerging with three stretchers, bodies covered. You start shooting and it's evening so your attached strobe on your 4X5 Speed Graphic begins flashing every time you "CLICK!" You are completely innocent up to this point as you do not know who the victims are? Just another news assignment on the night shift! When all of a sudden a man is screaming, yelling all kinds of obscenities at me as he runs toward me to stop taking pictures. I mean this man was completely out of control! As well as crying unbelievably so! While yelling..... "STOP TAKING PICTURES OF MY GIRLS!" THE VICTEMS???????????????????? His three young daughters! :-( I'm dead in my tracks! The camera dropped loosely in my hand by my side and I left the scene immediately!!!!! Both crying in fear of the fathers wrath and my emotions! How could I possibly continue? I cried and cried as I sat in my car trying to regain my composure before returning to the paper. You see this occurred on my second night shift working for a newspaper as an absolute rookie! Some assignments you just never ever forget! :-( But most certainly you learn about "compassion and when to stop taking pictures!" What the years have taught me is to use common sense and look at the situation if it were reversed???? And you were being photographed? Oh there's been times you walk away without a "click!" Wishing you were back home with your wife and children! This discussion without question " shoot, stop, or shoot?" Can go on forever. But the answer lies in the heart and soul and emotions of the photographer! And certainly not by the concepts of others! Certainly if you've never been there! Dr. ted