[Leica] Stories

[neal at nairobisafari.com (Neal Friedenthal)]

>It's one of the best photos anyone ever took. But a couple of years ago
>the now deceased girl's parents in effect withdrew their release, and
>Smith's widow, Aileen, agreed to it. The photo can never again be show,
>reproduced, etc. etc. They said they every time they saw it it renewed
>the pain, and kept them from healing. Which may be true. But the
>agreement caused all sorts of debate among curators, photo ethics
>mavens, etc. I have to say I'm in the camp that says a release is a
>release is a release. And that images should belong to the ages.

>B. D.


I have to agree with you on this, B.D.  Although I can sympathize with the 
parents the image is too powerful and too important to be withdrawn from 
public view.
In my opinion this photo is the very essence of photo journalism. I am 
almost brought to tears each time I view it.  Smith took some of the most 
powerful and memorable
photographs ever taken, none more-so than this Pieta of mother and child.

Neal F