watertrade Posted February 8, 2007 I must have been hiding under a rock for the last 12 years I just saw the picture. I knew about Sudan but this has realy fucked me up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted February 8, 2007 i presume you mean this photo: " PULITZER PRIZE " winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine.The picture depicts a famine stricken child crawling towards an United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away. The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat it. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken. Three months later he committed suicide due to depression. i think there's something ironic in the fact the photographer ended up killing himself.....i wonder if feelings ov guilt had anything to do w/it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted February 9, 2007 Why the hell did he just leave? Couldn't at least get the kid to the camp? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dude Posted February 9, 2007 Why the hell did he just leave?Couldn't at least get the kid to the camp? I liked John Safrans rant about documentary film makers being like sick twisted perverted voyeurs that get off on seeing other peoples misery. And then there's the leftie pinkos that lap this shit up, this is worse than watching animal cruelty videos. Lets pat ourselves on the back for how righteously indignant we are, that we can look at photos like this and go.. it's terrible. Bono was right!! what a fucktard photographer too! sif he didn't help the child after taking the shot It's really twisted thinking about it. Or the multitude of other such photos that are praised for their harsh imagery. We congratulate people at capturing humanity at its worst, but what happens after it's been documented? At the same time though, the vietnam war photography, notably that naked napalmed girl running towards the viewer did go some way into creating more opposition to the war. Now war photography has gotten "embedded" and more exciting!! People aren't shocked anymore. What a wanker photographer, no wonder he killed himself, not for taking the photo, nothing wrong with that, but taking no action to help... actual douchebag. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kenny Blister Posted February 9, 2007 lol at 'leftie pinkos'... ...And Bono is the real fucktard Why the hell did he just leave? Couldn't at least get the kid to the camp? These questions have always bothered me. My guess is the photographer was travelling with a UN peacekeeping unit, or something of the like. He wouldn't have been in any position of authority and it may have been in their guidelines not to pick up people under any circumstances. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
penguin Posted February 9, 2007 (edited) yeah i agree with kenny Edited February 9, 2007 by penguin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted February 9, 2007 If photographers saved every life they saw in danger then they would never be able to bring us the images that change our minds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Μορφέας Posted February 9, 2007 (edited) That is disturbing on the deepest most spiritual level. Im disgusted, If I was that photography Id punch the UN Kunt in the face regardless of what his instructions were and wat he did. Doing nothing to help those in need, Being a bystander and not helping, is just as bad in my oppinon as causing the tradgedy. I hope they all visualised the next scene that happens after that photo everynight before they slept. Edited February 9, 2007 by tepa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted February 9, 2007 tepa, that was probably the 10th or 100th child with a death sentence they passed that day, so what would it have helped? To ease his mind? To ease yours? Let's not forget that before the images out of ethiopia a few decades ago no one gave a shit about starving africans. And it is only these images that constantly remind us that we have responsibilities if we want to be ethical human beings. I too am critical of photographers who never get involved in anything, but I do understand that in many cases there is nothing they can do and that they serve the victims better by changing them from statistics into images that stir our emotions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Μορφέας Posted February 9, 2007 iTS just wronnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng..... So what if the child died 30 minuets later, It would have been with dignity. its so wrong... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted February 9, 2007 iTS just wronnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng..... So what if the child died 30 minuets later, It would have been with dignity. its so wrong... what dignity? it's not like there is a hospital to take the child to or a vulture proof enclosure to hide in. Whatever the photographer would have done at that point would have been more to ease his own conscience than to actually be of any help. I know that I could not be a photographer in these situations because I could not detach myself the way they have to to be able to do their job. At least in an aid camp there is a feelign you can help and are helping, but away from these camps there is nothing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Μορφέας Posted February 9, 2007 ah true.. Fair enough torsten. Sudan is gone, Maybe things have changed for the better Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted February 9, 2007 so what would it have helped? To ease his mind?-----maybe he wouldn't then have commited suicide?i understand everything you're saying Torsten, but i know that if i was in the same position i would have to ov tried helping at least 1 ov the possible 100 or i too would have been unable to live w/myself....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Μορφέας Posted February 9, 2007 here here! As if the dog couldnt carry the kid one kilometre to the UN Food Camp! grrrrrrrrr.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sobriquet Posted February 10, 2007 Very disturbing, I could hardly explain this image to a friend without my voice wavering at points and a feeling of knotting coming to my throat and tears to my eyes. I don't buy the 10th or 100th story as if that were true there would be many more photos or images like this one. This child has been unfortunate enough to have its carers die before them, and it's much more common for the children and babies to die before the adults as they are more susceptible to disease and mostly dehydration through disease. Regardless the child is in a miserable condition and almost sure to die. Don't ask me why but this scene reminded me of Lawrence of Arabia, where the fellow had dropped off the camel and the fact is realised only after a long while has passed. The more experienced people of the desert tell Lawrence that it is a lost cause to go back for him, that death is assured for that person and anyone who goes after him. They say that 'it is written' that the man will die. Lawrence defies the advice and goes back for the man and brings him back close to a death by thirst himself. Later in the movie the man he saved is involved in an incident where he has shot dead a man from a rival clan. Lawrence not knowing who the culprit is, says that he will will personally execute the culprit so that the death is avenged in a way which does not leave any further room for a blood feud. He is shocked to see that it is the man he saved earlier while risking his own life. He draws the gun and shoots the man he saved, dead. The people say 'It was written then', confirming their earlier held belief that this man was doomed and had he been left to die might not have resulted in the death of another etc. I've seen many instances in which it was futile to do CPR on a person presenting clinically dead to a hospital but everyone goes through the motions for 15-30 mins. Why? Are they treating the dead person or themselves? Humans are strange in that way, but I agree that something, anything could have been done to help. Many things we do are ultimately futile. But does that mean we stop doing it? On an intellectual level it might be yes, but we lack the certainty that our actions might not in fact help. I think an event like this is sure to live in the mind of anyone who experiences it. Even if the man had personally carried the child the kilometer and the child had died in his arms on the way it would be a tremendous mental burden to take. I think one must remember that it was probably not just this isolated event alone that affected the photographer but the hundreds and thousands of images of misery and suffering that played on his mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted February 10, 2007 I understand that the photographer is not a superhero, he cannot save everyone all the time, etc. But seriously. He took the photo, it's gonna change peoples minds. Now that he has made his influencing mark, is it so hard to carry the child 1km to the UN food camp? I guarantee he has a car, it'd probably take less than half an hour to get there and back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted February 10, 2007 What pisses me off is that you folks are talking about this picture and how much it affects you, but you miss the purpose of it. This image is happening over and over again today. The Sudan crisis is not over. It just goes through lulls. The current Darfur crisis has killed more people than the famine this pic was taken in. But I guess in a few years time we can all sit around and idly discuss an image shot in 2006. I dout the photographer killed himself over just this one incident. He had been documenting famines, human rights abuses and civil wars in southern africa for years, but did not cope with what he saw. Without people like him we could all feel a little more comfortable with ourselves because we could ignore what is going on in other parts of the world. But it is the horror that he had to live thorugh that raises our awareness, so that we MAY be able to do something about it next time. Mind you, the disinterest in Darfur makes me think that he wasted his life and his suffering had little benefit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kenny Blister Posted February 12, 2007 For it's relevancy to this thread, I recommend people see the short film 'The Last Dog In Rwanda'. It's being shown as a part of Flickerfest (which I also recommend going to), otherwise you may be able to download it somewhere. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hagakure Posted February 12, 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Carter read this to become an instant expert on the issue Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conan Troutman Posted February 12, 2007 Photojournalist Kevin Carter was the first to photograph a public execution by necklacing in South Africa in the mid-1980s. He later spoke of the images "I was appalled at what they were doing. I was appalled at what I was doing. But then people started talking about those pictures... then I felt that maybe my actions hadn't been at all bad. Being a witness to something this horrible wasn't necessarily such a bad thing to do." check the wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Carterread this to become an instant expert on the issue Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conan Troutman Posted February 12, 2007 Carter, a white South African, spent only a couple of days in Sudan. According to Susan D Moeller, who tells Carter's story in Compassion Fatigue: How the Media Sell Disease, Famine, War and Death, he had gone into the bush seeking relief from the terrible starvation and suffering he was documenting, when he encountered the emaciated girl. When he saw the vulture land, Carter waited quietly, hoping the bird would spread its wings and give him an even more dramatic image. It didn't, and he eventually chased the bird away. The girl gathered her strength and resumed her journey toward a feeding centre. Afterward, writes Moeller, Carter "sat by a tree, talked to God, cried, and thought about his own daughter, Megan." http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/odds_and_odd...e_in_unfair.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pala Posted February 13, 2007 By the by: I didn't realise until now, but the photojournalist in (for those of you who've read that awesome book:) House of Leaves is based on this guy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
