Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]<< Enjoy your trees, sunsets, and weddings but don't knock the work we do. Happy Snaps, >> Sal et al, I was letting my fury die down before I replied to the LUGers who have never been in a situation where you might get shot while trying to cover a news story for them to look at from their armchairs, and you beat me to the draw. When I looked at the photo of the photographers in a group shooting the Palestinian rock throwers, I saw the helmets and flack jackets. As with soldiers who put themselves in harms way for their country, there are photographers and reporters who do the same to present their interpretation of conflict to the world. Just because they are side by side at a site of an incident doesn't mean that they aren't doing worthwhile work. It often means that they are looking out after one another even though they are competitors, since at any moment either side could turn on them. There is safety in numbers when working in an unstable environment. And there are plenty of dead photojournalists as testament. Filo, Ut, Adams, all formerly of the AP, and dozens of others who work for the wire services, and other independent news organizations put their well being, if not their lives on the line to bring important news photos to the world. Pack photojournalism happens, it's part of the process of the news business. It doesn't mean that every shooter at the scene isn't doing his individual best to present the event in a unique way. Sometimes it means you're a thousandth of a second better than everyone else. There are plenty of wire and newsmag photographers that I used to work with during my years at UPI and AP that I would gladly hunker down with in a dangerous situation. But I'd also try my best to kick their ass with a stronger image for the day. The joy of it was the competition mixed with camaraderie that people who haven't lived it can't understand. cheers Scott Stewart