Passed an accident on the way home...take pictures?

So we were on our way home from the lake tonight and we were passing an accident that probable happened within 5 minutes of our passing. No medical teams were there yet, and it appeared that a woman was killed on a motorcycle. There were about 20 people standing around, no one seemed panicked, no one was trying to help her...she was pretty mangled, and presumably dead (in my eyes). I had my camera with me, but couldn't bring myself to stop for fear of people thinking a was an ignorant turd.

What's the etiquette for something like this? Should/would you stop? I thought having a pic may be useful for some kind of investigation, possibly, but I couldn't get past a possible crowd reaction.

If the police need a photo, they'd take one. I can't imagine it's the type of photo you'd want to look at, so etiquette aside, I'd ask yourself why you'd want to shoot it.

Believe me, seeing the accident was enough for me, but I didn't know if taking pics was the 'appropriate' thing to do. I've taken pictures of a house fire before, and was kind of on the fence about that one as well, but this was different. I was just asking what the reaction would be of people here, that have more experience.

Yeah, personally I would have passed on taking photos.

Nothing with it if you come out with a powerful image. The story has to be told one way or another. I've got a few dead people in my collection.

Here is the news pic that was just posted:


http://triblive.com/cs​p/mediapool/sites/dt.c​ommon.streams.StreamSe​rver.cls?STREAMOID=lVl​rS18al1ALWtEqysq8z8$da​E2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYs1UPY​qczm1Aw_ sr$qcUK6yWCsjLu883Ygn4​B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmX​F$9l$4 uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy​0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y​6N_U_C ryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpe​g


NEW KENSINGTON — Two people died in a motorcycle accident that occurred Friday night along Tarentum Bridge Road.

The identities of the deceased were not immediately available. One of the victims is believed to be a 25-year-old woman. A Westmoreland County 911 emergency dispatcher confirmed the deaths.

Two medical helicopters were dispatched to the scene. No information was immediately available concerning the second patient.

The accident occurred shortly before 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Tarentum Bridge Road and Carl Avenue.

Tarentum Bridge Road was still shut down in both directions at 10:15 p.m

It bothers me to no small degree that a woman was presumed dead. If that accident had just happened, she should have been getting some kind of assistance until trained professionals arrived to transport or make the declaration. If she was not verifyably dead, as in severed head, SOMEONE should have been doing something. No pulse and/or no breathing at the scene of an accident is NOT a death, it is someone in desperate need of first responder care. I wouldn't wish those circumstances on anyone, but I hope if this ever happens to someone you care about, SOMEONE tries to help. Here comes my plug.... Please take a CPR class. The life you save may be that of someone you love. What follows is a link to the American Heart Association's "Find a Course" web-site. Please consider it.

http://www.heart.org …CM_303220_SubHo​mePage.jsp

I'm sure there will plenty of people who will say they wouldn't have a problem with it and would, but personally I'd pass on it.

Yep, you would be an ignorant turd. What if that person on the road was your daughter or you sister. Would you like to have some joy happy photog stop by to grab a few quick snaps?

And the more people in the way the more likeky there will be more accidents plus you hamper rescue personnel arriving on-scene. Is "telling the story" worth a person's life? That is sick, IMHO. I congratulate you for passing on the photo.

GilBean

I'm sure there were people snapping iPhone shots, which to me is ignorant. I was asking about taking pictures as a photographer, not as a guy with a cel phone. I know it's a touchy subject, and people will be on both sides of the fence, and I'm not even sure which side I'd be on.

Ace and Deuce wrote in post #14811780
I'm sure there were people snapping iPhone shots, which to me is ignorant. I was asking about taking pictures as a photographer, not as a guy with a cel phone. I know it's a touchy subject, and people will be on both sides of the fence, and I'm not even sure which side I'd be on.

And what would be the difference from the guy snapping photos with their iPhone versus you with your DLSR? I see absolutely zero difference.

Hogloff wrote in post #14811828
And what would be the difference from the guy snapping photos with their iPhone versus you with your DLSR? I see absolutely zero difference.

Ditto. The tool is irrelevant. The act is the issue.

Ace and Deuce wrote in post #14811780
people will be on both sides of the fence, and I'm not even sure which side I'd be on.

I think you will find the majority of people against it for one personal reason or another. Most people like puppies and rainbows, but a few of the great shots in history were of atrocities.

Come on man! You don't need to ask this, you already know the answer. Just try and find your inner decency.