For some of you out there it may be surprising for you to hear me say that I have dreams of becoming a war photographer. I've never been in a fight, I'm jumpy, and I have never had a strong desire to serve in the military. Anyway, that's the dream. I'm not sure why. But, that is not the main point of this post. This post is about a recent photo of mine that ran in the Daily News several days ago. I'm choosing not to post the photo for a couple of reasons. 1. It's old news and available for anyone to see on the Daily News' website. 2. The photo itself is not the main point of this post. Instead I wanted to talk about why I felt the urge to take the photo.
The photo is one of a man who had died of a heart attack and is being put into the ambulance on a gurney with a sheet covering him. Now there are several reasons I felt compelled to take the photo, mostly because I thought that it told the story, which is what photos are suppose to do. But there was another reason, this is why I mentioned the want to become a war photographer. I'd never seen a corpse before. I've seen bodies at funerals, we all have. But this, this was different. There was not the safety buffer of having the nice clothes and make-up to add color to the body. It's hard to explain but it's just a different situation. At any rate I saw this as my chance to start getting used to death, to get used to pointing my camera at the lifeless. I saw this as an opportunity to get a taste of what will be coming my way in the future. This was my Guinea pig; if I could summon up the courage to photograph this I'd have my foot in the door to photographing death in other forms. We all have our own fascination with death and destruction. Mine is that I want to have the chance to say "I've seen things you can't imagine." I don't know why but I do. Perhaps in that there is a sense of brotherhood for anyone who has seen the edge of human existence and been pulled away from it. Or maybe I'm just a damaged or "bad" person. Who knows, but that's how I looked at this. My first baby step towards my future.
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Just a thought Bobby...being a war photographer would no doubt have its share of unforgetable "shots" that leave their mark on any who view it. I on the other hand, feel some of the most poignant photos have been of those standing the test of "whatever" life tosses their way. The survivors too bear the marks of their struggle, sadness, and stoicism. Often this gives the viewer a much stronger impression of the harshness of life, rather than the casualties. As for your friend who passed, think of the reversal of fates. What would you wish for those left behind? I would place my money on you wanting them to live each moment worthy of their time here. Keep up the good works!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathy
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