[magkelly]

What It Feels Like To Be Photographed In A Moment Of Grief : The Picture Show : NPR

This is an interesting article. As a photographer I know that moments like this should be captured but as a person I have a real problem with things like this sometimes. What do you think? I think the photographers at the very least should have introduced themselves et all. I would have. No doubt some people there would have still been upset at me being there, doing my job, but at least I'd have them understanding that they have my sympathies too....

[VisualDarkness]

The fact that she is not in unfounded fury actually makes it sadder. She seems to understand the picture taking and she can even appreciate the aesthetics of the pic, the problem is that he felt like a safari animal out there during a moment of grief. I think she is pretty reasonable and the photographers could surely have spoken to her afterwards. Though from the photographers view reading people can be really hard and they may have thought that the less interaction the less harm done, proved to be wrong in this case.

It isn't black or white, it's right in the center of the histogram.

[JinDesu]

What are your thoughts? Should photographers interact with their subjects in moments of grief, or is it more respectful to leave them alone?

It's such a difficult question. I personally think photographers should not spray and pray in moments like this - at the very least show a somber attitude (and use the silent function in your cam, or get a k-5). However, these photographers are paid to take pictures, and their bosses don't care about whether or not they offend people...

But I also wouldn't want to risk the ire of someone by stepping up to them and interrupting them directly....

[bigted]

Personally I find it somewhat lacking in taste to take a picture of someone in such a state of grief. However where do we draw the line? She was in a public place and we can't expect total privacy in a public place. If the reading public stopped buying into sensational journalism then maybe the need for this type of image would disappear.

[VisualDarkness]

Personally I find it somewhat lacking in taste to take a picture of someone in such a state of grief. However where do we draw the line? She was in a public place and we can't expect total privacy in a public place. If the reading public stopped buying into sensational journalism then maybe the need for this type of image would disappear.

At the same time that would pretty much kill catastrophe and war photography and I find both to be important. Grief and sorrow are probably the strongest emotions we have empathetic and a good way to bring up the bad tings in the world to the surface.

[BrianR]

It's newsworthy history happening in a public place, your expectation for privacy is going to be pretty low.

This is the time for discreet rangefinders or quiet mirrorless cameras and not high speed spray and pray. This would should make sense from the journalists perspective too, you don't really want to be interfering with a somber scene like this, just record it.

Personally, I couldn't take pictures like this. I can't even bring myself to photograph animals in distress.

[steve sessem]

these guys did not know how to kill noise of the shutter,, or were they still in
"" I am a photographer I can take any picture I want""
let the drama begin if you try and stop me mode