This is the picture every photographer fears . It is the picture no newspaper wants , they have meetings over pictures like this . This picture is tragedy wrapped in futility , wrapped in sadness . The backlash , the phone calls , the threats of cancelation.
It is a hard picture for North American media. There is no happy ending , no saving grace . Only a news photographer could take this picture . This photograph stays with the photographer , it haunts them . Anyone who has shot this type of photo knows it , everyone has one or more . This one looks right back at you and touches you.
What would anyone of us do in that same position . I cannot judge . I know my wife would have picked up the baby ,held it , gave it comfort . Paul Simon says in one of his songs , “men are machines , women are rivers”, it is better to be a river.
If there can be perfect evil , and perfect joy , there must also be perfect sadness . Award winning sadness , a sadness so perfect that it takes the life of the person who recorded it. Perfectly, another sees the perfect sadness and steps up to help.This is our brutal world.
They love us because we got THAT moment absolutely right , because we do things that help , we do things that let other people help , they love us because we cause things to change for the better .
They love us because the poor and powerless sometimes get their say or because we love to go to war , but we never stick with it .
Photographers have an incredible capacity of empathy and they can be overtaken by it. Rest In Peace Kevin Carter
Photographers face the possibility of confronting the violent and surreal events of the day in a deep and personal level.These depths sometimes seem unfathomable . Like it or not we often have no choice in the things we are sent to. Somethings get through, it but the mind cannot process the terror .
Violent dreams are a way the brain tries to cope.I met a woman , badly burned in a house fire . She told me that she had the same dream every night for a year . She dreamed that She died in every dream . After a year she still dreamt about death , but SHE did not die . Untreated the brain tries to work it out .
Surviving deep depression and mental anguish needs professional help.
Photographers experience a high rate of post traumatic stress from things they see on the job . There are effective non drug treatment. Some of the drug treatments have dangerous side effects that can result in suicide .
Because of the photographs , treatment can be very effective . Pictures help the doctor or occupational therapist understand and direct the best strategy for a cure . Anyone bothered by the things they see on the job should not hesitate or be afraid to seek treatment .This treatment is most often free of charge. People in our business simply do not believe in PTSD ,but report these incidents anyway to company management .
I recently met a photographer that experienced a serious violent incident and decided to try to GUT it Out on his own .After a short conversation the photog got medical help and is well on his way to adjusting to the incident in a healthy way . The treatment works , self medicating is dangerous and ineffective with an unhealthy prolonging effect. .
Family doctors are well equipped to start the journey. Sooner is better.
Topic: An interesting personal insight from Glen Pearson (Read 1485 times)