Tibetan self-immolates as photographers just continue shooting .....

[ed9119]

This makes for interesting discussion

Its in today's papers ..... image of a Tibetan protester in New Delhi self-immolating and running down a street shouting "Free Tibet!" as photographers in the image are seen continuing to shoot

images credit: AP

image credit: AFP


Should we stand aside, continue shooting the action and to allow him to execute his form of expression?
Should we interfere and try to save him ?

 

[yqt]

If I'm there as a reporter/photographer, I would have to cont to shoot.
Anyway, given the state of burning and his state of mind (he proberly do not want to be save), without the proper equipment and traninig, I don't think anyone can save him.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Firstly, it was so quick, u will need a reaction like Ulsain Bolt in order to react accordingly, and without proper knowledge on wat is happening and tools available, its hard for anyone to get close,it could be terrorize act and u will get ur self injured too since its fire we are talking about, and i guess, within 30-60seconds.....its done deal......this looks like self inflict incident, so its hard to use rational judgement against irrational incident like this

 

[voxies09]

why they must burn themselves

 

[spree86]

This is not new, there is a very famous photo of a Vietnamese monk immolating himself. The photo is often voted as one of the most powerful images last century.

 

[ed9119]

yes its not new ..... topic of thread is ..... to help or to continue shooting...

 

[spree86]

yes its not new ..... topic of thread is ..... to help or to continue shooting...

Yup, I am just sharing. From a journalistic point of view, one shouldn't get involved but then again, it's hard not to help the person.

 

[Sgdevilzz]

Yup, I am just sharing. From a journalistic point of view, one shouldn't get involved but then again, it's hard not to help the person.

I mean.. he's on fire.. what can bystanders do? Use their saliva and hoping it extinguishes the fire? lol

 

[Rashkae]

yes its not new ..... topic of thread is ..... to help or to continue shooting...

If, by some coincidence, I happen to have a fire extinguisher next to me, of course I'll help. But the odds of that, especially in India, are nil.

Plus, he would have 3rd degree burns already over most of his body - he will die an even slower death if you extinguish the fire now.

 

[edutilos-]

yes its not new ..... topic of thread is ..... to help or to continue shooting...

This seems to be cropping up every few years.

May 2011: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/rangefinders/900746-photo-ethical.html
May 2008: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/gene...od-thought-moral-judgement-photographers.html
Sep 2007: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/kopitiam/310784-drawing-line-between-life-photography.html
Even as early as 2002: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/general-tech-talk/15089-humanity-before-photography.html

Usually it's Kevin Carter with the vulture and African girl though.

Sadly, there is no right answer. One side of the fence, you have the people who say: How much can you help? Can you even help? Even if you help he might not be saved? It is better if you take down the photograph and spread awareness, you can save Tibet/save more African kids/etc.

On the other side, you have the gang that will say that: It matters to that person at that time, you save the life instead of making postulations that your photographs help, blah blah blah.

At the end of the day, you just have to make a decision and live with it. Like Kevin Carter, and many other people did.

Talk is cheap on the Internet - you may have 20 people claiming that they will summon every ounce of strength to drop their camera and force their kidneys to produce sufficient urine on the spot if they have no water bottles to help put out the fire, but in reality, these 20 people will just snap away. Cheers.

 

[Zeisser]

This is not new, there is a very famous photo of a Vietnamese monk immolating himself. The photo is often voted as one of the most powerful images last century.

He was the first to do that during the Vietnam War in protest against the then reqime. If my memory serves me right
the first sucide bomber was a female who killed then Indian PM Rajiv Ghandi which started the trend of sucide bombers.

 

[Yutaka Go]

You should take your photo but you must try to save him after taking your shot.

look at the story of Napalm girl from Vietnam war.
Phan Thi Kim Phuc - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

She was badly burnt. The photographer who took her photo send her to hospital.

Later, he went back to check on her and discovered that the Vietnamese hospital is unable to treat her and leave her beside the dead.

He send her to a US Army hospital to get proper treatment and that save her life.

We must act like a professional photographer but we must also act like a decent human being.

 

[cks2k2]

He was the first to do that during the Vietnam War in protest against the then reqime. If my memory serves me right
the first sucide bomber was a female who killed then Indian PM Rajiv Ghandi which started the trend of sucide bombers.

Not sure if she was the first, but certainly the Tamil Tigers popularized the technique. They even taught the Palestinians.

 

[betta01]

Here is a grown adult man with the deliberate intention of killing himself by fire.
Honestly what can the photographer do??

Personally I will just continue shooting.

 

[ed9119]

Here is a grown adult man with the deliberate intention of killing himself by fire.
Honestly what can the photographer do??

Personally I will just continue shooting.

sad but true..... i am leaning in your direction

if however halfway he has a change of heart and start screaming for help then i will try to help

 

[ronniegogs]

You have to live with the consequences of your actions and questions like these drove Kevin Carter to commit suicide later....

 

[betta01]

sad but true..... i am leaning in your direction

if however halfway he has a change of heart and start screaming for help then i will try to help

I agree with you

Or if the man had caught fire by accident or act of nature, I sure will have drop mine gears and master available resources to help him.

 

[9V-Orion Images]

Passed by a burning pyre in progress by the Ganges River at Varanasi and the smell is absolutely horrid and I can't help it but feel nauseated. Not sure if it is psychological but the odour seems to linger around for a couple of days.

 

[9V-Orion Images]

Some guy in the US tried to commit suicide last year and was saved. After being discharged from hospital, he decided the sue the samaritans and paramedics for interfering and leaving him disabled.

If my memory serves me right the first sucide bomber was a female who killed then Indian PM Rajiv Ghandi which started the trend of sucide bombers.

There have been suicide bombers since people have been able to strap explosives to their body.

 

[ricohflex]

Bystanders are not usually equipped to stop this kind of fire. The protestor would have wanted PRESS photographers to shoot and video to show on TV. Because he did not want to die in vain. He wanted to send a message. Only the media can do that. Though he wanted it, the photographers have to decide whether they should take the photo/video instead of trying to help him put out the fire.



In the case of Viet monk there was a TV footage in black and white and in the TV documentary, a Viet male bystander knelt and kowtowed (forehead touching the ground) to the burning monk, in front of everyone on the street.