Photo of man about to be killed by subway train

[Jennasis]

For starters I am absolutely disgusted (but not surprised) that the New York Post would use that photograph on the cover. The Post is just a tabloid piece of trash. here's the story with photo attached if you haven't seen it WARNING: it is very disturbing! http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/should-this-subway-photo-have-been-published/

The photographer is receiving a LOT of heat about not doing something to help the man (and yes, the man who was pushed onto the tracks died). They did catch the guy they believe pushed the man.

So, what do you think about the Post using that pic on the cover? What do you think about the photographer?

 

[luvmy3]

If you are disgusted that they used it, why would you post a link to the photo? You could have just started a thread asking people what they thought

 

[Jennasis]

If you are disgusted that they used it, why would you post a link to the photo? You could have just started a thread asking people what they thought

I'm disgusted that they would use it to sell newspapers by putting it on the cover. I'm not selling anything. Nor did I post the photo. I posted a link to a story about it that includes the photo so people who want to know what the story is can judge for themselves. I also included a warning before the link.

 

[jrmasm]

Awful.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm disgusted that they would use it to sell newspapers by putting it on the cover. I'm not selling anything. Nor did I post the photo. I posted a link to a story about it that includes the photo so people who want to know what the story is can judge for themselves. I also included a warning before the link.

Oh, I see its not that you are disgusted by the photo, its about the profit from it, thanks for explaining.

 

[Maria1985]

That s always the case．

 

[FireDancer]

I understand why people are jumping on the photographer but I don't think the picture is the problem, it is the perceived lack of helping the guy. At first I felt like you did but after hearing some people in NY talk about it it seems like the man waited until just before the train was coming to push him so there wasn't really any time for anyone to help him. I've also heard that the man pushed was pretty intoxicated which kept him from reacting quickly himself and getting to the side of the tracks where someone could have even reached down to help him. I wasn't there though so perhaps the people I heard talking about it were wrong.

So, if all of that is true I really don't think the photographer or anyone else really could have saved him and, in that situation, I don't think snapping the pictures is that bad and since we show death in the paper all the time showing something immediately preceding a death really doesn't bother me. It is also a good reminder that we are surrounded by crazy people so don't do anything that might contribute to the situation.

Just my opinion.

ETA: A photo of the self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc won Malcolm Browne the Pulitzer prize and World Press Photo of the Year. It is a picture that went all over the world and is much more disturbing than this picture yet I've never once heard any criticism of that photo.

 

[SaraJayne]

I can't look at the link, sorry. It's just too disturbing for me. That man has a family ~ a family that will someday probably see that photo (as it's all over the media now). His wife said they had an argument before he left that morning. Can you imagine?

I can't say what I think about the photographer, not to mention the piece of trash that decided to put that photo on the front page.

The photographer refused to talk to CNN unless they paid him, if that tells you anything.

 

[Rylee]

I find the whole thing very disturbing.

I am disgusted with the photographer for selling the photo.

I am disgusted with the newspaper for publishing the photo, so sorry for the victim's family.

The photographer said he wasn't close enough to help the man, (said he was actually farther away than it appears in the picture) but I wasn't there, so I can't pass judgement on that. Also, can't speak of any other witnesses that may have been close enough to help.

 

[Jennasis]

the photographer was on the Today show this morning. he said he was too far away and there wasn't enough time to help.

 

[Geoff_M]

I agree, the Post has clearly sunk to a new low....

Listen, disturbing photos of people about to die have been published in newspapers for decades, and decades. Some have even been awarded Pulitzer Prizes. So what's so unique about this example?

 

[NHdisneylover]

I can't bring myself to look at the link, so my opinions are based only on what is in this thread.

We take trains and streetcars nearly every day.

I stress to my kids all teh time that they need to stay back and never be close enough to the edge to slip or be pushed off. I know that as teens they do nto always listen.

I can easily, easily imagine that someone could witness such a horror and not have any time to get to the man or help him and that trying to help him would only result in multiple deaths--so, if timing was tight n this case I cannot fault anyone for not assisting.

Taking the photo in itself is not a bad thing. It could be evidence to help in a conviction--or somehow useful in trying to create better safety. It might also be a useful tool to help people understand just how very serious the safety concerns are (sort of like showing teens photos of drunk driving or testing accidents to get it to sink in how dangerous that is).
Selling the photo...that strikes me as wrong though, profiting off of this tragedy.

 

[Buckalew11]

Probably why no one helped...they were afraid the pusher would push them?

It is horrible all the way around although I do not have an issues with Jennasis posting this thread or a link. Not sure what's up with that??

 

[kimblebee]

The photo isn't 'bad' but that headline is awful!

 

[FireDancer]

Taking the photo in itself is not a bad thing. It could be evidence to help in a conviction--or somehow useful in trying to create better safety. It might also be a useful tool to help people understand just how very serious the safety concerns are (sort of like showing teens photos of drunk driving or testing accidents to get it to sink in how dangerous that is).
Selling the photo...that strikes me as wrong though, profiting off of this tragedy.

Professional (and even amateur) photographers profit from pictures of tragedy and death all the time. Photos of war, photos of accidents, photos of the aftermath of natural disasters. How many photographs and videos of the planes hitting the towers have we seen? Those are photos and video of the death of hundreds of people and the event immediately preceding and causing the deaths of thousands more.

I guess I just don't see why all of a sudden a practice that has been pretty common since the advent of photography (remember Mathew Brady's civil war photographs) is wrong in this one instance and not the countless others of the exact same thing.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Professional (and even amateur) photographers profit from pictures of tragedy and death all the time. Photos of war, photos of accidents, photos of the aftermath of natural disasters. How many photographs and videos of the planes hitting the towers have we seen? Those are photos and video of the death of hundreds of people and the event immediately preceding and causing the deaths of thousands more.

I guess I just don't see why all of a sudden a practice that has been pretty common since the advent of photography (remember Mathew Brady's civil war photographs) is wrong in this one instance and not the countless others of the exact same thing.

Well, for me personally, feel f your JOB is to go to dangerous places to document things for the world (like war photographers) then you should be paid--but other than that, I would not like to see anyone profiting from photos of tragedies they just happened to be there for. I know t happens--I can still feel it is wrong.

 

[nmmom95]

Professional (and even amateur) photographers profit from pictures of tragedy and death all the time. Photos of war, photos of accidents, photos of the aftermath of natural disasters. How many photographs and videos of the planes hitting the towers have we seen? Those are photos and video of the death of hundreds of people and the event immediately preceding and causing the deaths of thousands more.

I guess I just don't see why all of a sudden a practice that has been pretty common since the advent of photography (remember Mathew Brady's civil war photographs) is wrong in this one instance and not the countless others of the exact same thing.

While I don't disagree with you in theory, it's sad that no one helped.

 

[crazyme5kids]

While the photo is disturbing, and I agree the Post is a crappy paper, I don't have a problem with the photographer taking it and documenting what happened. That's what photojournalists do, take pictures to document events for the world to see.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I totally agree with you. Its disgusting.

I'm disgusted that they would use it to sell newspapers by putting it on the cover. I'm not selling anything. Nor did I post the photo. I posted a link to a story about it that includes the photo so people who want to know what the story is can judge for themselves. I also included a warning before the link.

I can't look at the link, sorry. It's just too disturbing for me. That man has a family ~ a family that will someday probably see that photo (as it's all over the media now). His wife said they had an argument before he left that morning. Can you imagine?

I can't say what I think about the photographer, not to mention the piece of trash that decided to put that photo on the front page.

The photographer refused to talk to CNN unless they paid him, if that tells you anything.

Thats so sad, i cant even imagine how the wife feels right now. I honestly cant believe that the piece of trash had enough time to snap a photo but not enough time to run over and at least try to help him? Words cannot express what i think of that photographer. Disgusting.

This photo is completely inappropriate for front page news. Im sorry, what on earth were they thinking? Even the headline is wrong on so many levels. Sick people.

 

[eliza61]

I guess I just don't see why all of a sudden a practice that has been pretty common since the advent of photography (remember Mathew Brady's civil war photographs) is wrong in this one instance and not the countless others of the exact same thing.

I think some times it's the "implied" motive behind the picture. I think war photography is a bit different. Many times even today pictures are the only way for the general public to learn what's going on. I'm sure the civil war photographers were paid but more so because that was their livilihood, their jobs. No w maybe Matthew was sitting down holding a bidding war on his photographs, who knows.

Now I think the problem is (and FD this is only my opinion) we are in an age where we see a basic breakdown of human compassion or decency. with technology being what it is, anybody with a phone is taking pictures and wanting to be paid. I wonder if the post gave a moments thought to the fact that this person have had a family, loved ones, kids before they reduced his exsistence down to a by line? Somehow I highly doubt it.

When we take our video with camera phones, do we give one nanosecond of thought to who we could possibly be destroying before we upload it to you tube. Nope. Our first thought is "how many hits' can my video garner.

So now IMO the emphasis has changed. It is no longer, what a unspeckable horror or what a tragedy has occured, it's now "ooh, look at this gruesome story, how can we play it up for maximum effect and how can I get paid for it".

Now we make profit from tragedy. The "goryer" the better.