To Shoot or Not To Shoot? An Ethical Dilemma.
By Joe Valencia
@WanderPhotog (143)
United States
March 4, 2017 6:48am CST
As a photographer, this is something I think about a lot. When I see some news stories or a video posted on social media of someone in distress I think, "Why are you not helping?" There are times when someone may have just learned of a loved one’s death, they are clearly anguished yet, someone is recording or photographing them. It is then that I wonder why they can’t just have a private moment; do we really need to memorialize this with a photograph? This really came to the forefront the other night when President Trump addressed Congress; he spoke of US Navy Seal Ryan Owens who had recently been killed during a raid. His wife was there and, during the ovation, the camera was trained on her, her grief still fresh. It felt like an intrusion and, after a short time, it made me uncomfortable.
I’ve never had to give this much thought – when someone is in need of assistance photography doesn’t even enter the equation. The most important thing is to make sure everyone is safe, and then I can get some shooting done if the situation warrants it. I guess that would make me a really bad photojournalist but I can live with that.
So, what do you think? Do you shoot or help?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@besweet (9860)
• Ireland
4 Mar 17
Photographers are there to memorialize the events, I think they should take the pictures if they are allowed to be present in the events. It is a job like everyone's else, they surely should have ethics and help if someone is in need. But shooting the sad moments is part of the job.
1 person likes this
@WanderPhotog (143)
• United States
4 Mar 17
Yes, I agree to a degree but not entirely. That's why I think I would probably not be a good photojournalist. I, personally, don't think a persons grief is necessarily an important part of the story and therefore doesn't necessarily have to be shot. There are times I feel the situation is being exploited and don't agree with doing that.
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@besweet (9860)
• Ireland
4 Mar 17
@WanderPhotog I am looking at the same situation from a different angle, I think that it is appropriate and part of the job to take the picture and then decide if it can be published. In my opinion the ethics part comes in later, when you decide if its appropriate to publish and commercialize the pictures.
@BarBaraPrz (45675)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Mar 17
I have the same thoughts about people shooting stuff when they should be helping...
Brings to mind Harlan Ellison's late 60s column The Glass Teat later published as a book.
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