I missed a great opportunity today…

As I was getting ready to go to work this morning, I thought about taking my camera in with me. It would be nice to go out shooting in London at lunchtime. But then I thought no, I’ve got a lot on today, I don’t need that distraction and I’d rather finish earlier to make a start on the 3-day weekend.

So anyway I’m walking through town towards the station and there’s clearly something wrong. The traffic is far too heavy for 7.45am. It turns out there’s been a big smash on the main roundabout in the centre of town. A small hatchback has tangled with an articulator and has come off second-best, ending up on its side. There are police in attendance, ambulances, firemen standing by with a hose to douse down the car if necessary, more firemen preparing to cut the car open… any my camera’s on the desk at home.

There were no other photographers around. I expect that even if the local paper had got a call-out, their guy will be stuck in traffic somewhere. I’ve often thought it would be nice to get some work in the local paper – just for fun (and pride I guess), I’ve no ambitions to be a professional – and here was a great opportunity and I blew it.

The moral is obvious: Make sure I take the camera with me!

But putting it in perspective, my day hasn’t been anywhere near as bad as that guy in the hatchback…

Was he injured? Do you even stop? Why did you want to take a picture? Chances are that in the car was a regular guy, not someone newsworthy .

OK, there was professional medical care on the scene, but take it from someone who has been photographed whilst being put in an ambulance it is not what an injured person wants or needs.

Sorry, but people like you make me sick and ashamed to be a photographer.

This story reminds me of a recent trip to Atlanta with my family; on the way back we watched an 18 wheeler jacknife across 2 lanes of Interstate 20 and end up in the median; as we approached we saw the car that had braked suddenly in front of it off the other side of the road upright but heavily damaged. After seeing that everyone involved was up and walking around with no or minor injuries we left just as the police and ambulance got there. It was only later I even remembered the camera was in the back of our car all along. In defense of the original poster, my thought was not so much that if I had taken pictures they might be newsworthy, but they also might be of use to those involved if the matter ever went to court (since it did involve a commercial driver it certainly seems likely).

Always happens doesnt it.

Usually with me its a sunset im missing....the other morning on my way to the airport about 4.30am the scenery was amazing...all misty and grey. would have made a fab shot! but - i had a plane to catch and will prob never ever be up at that time of the morning again!

Yes, the moral of this story is to always have your cam available. I never leave home without it. Granted I may not have it on my person 24/7 but its normally readily available. It's just goes with the addiction we all suffer from, Photography

I used to shoot for a local newspaper as they needed me, sports, accidents and all. I heard of an accident a few miles from my home and went to take pictures. A truck and car collided. A guy was thrown from the truck and died there. I took enough pictures until they called out his name and it was someone I grew up with. So that was about it for me. The way I see it now is that it's borderline disrespectful taking pictures of accidents where someone is killed.

This is why i want a little P+s, there small and can be taken anywhere.

I just read this quote, and i thought that i was some what relavent to the subject.

"The worst thing is to feel that as a photographer I am benefiting from someone else's tragedy. This idea haunts me. It is something I have to reckon with every day because I know that if I ever allow genuine compassion to be overtaken by personal ambition I will have sold my soul. The stakes are simply too high for me to believe otherwise.

I attempt to become as totally responsible to the subject as I possibly can. The act of being an outsider aiming a camera can be a violation of humanity. The only way I can justify my role is to have respect for the other person's predicament. The extend to which I do that is the extent to which I become accepted by the other, and to that extent I can accept myself."

-James Nachtwey (war photographer)

In defense of StewartR, he said that there were police and ambulaces there. He didn't have to worry about checking on or assisting the people involved. I've also come across several accident scenes & not had a camera. Oh well, no biggie to me, I wouldn't want to profit off someone elses tragedy. But there is a place for pictures like these, I just don't want a part of it.

Seems to have touched a nerve and I'm truly sorry that someone did that to you. I agree to exploit and injured person for profit is just wrong.

However the OP did not say he would take these kinds of photos. A shot of an accident that tied traffic is a newsworthy event. One of the most memorable photos I've ever seen is of the fireman covered in fine layer of ice.

Drew

I kept wanting to take my camera with me to work and the one day I seriously considered doing it, there was the Oscar Mayer weiner mobile in the parking lot. I was a little mad cause that's something you don't get to see everyday!

I'm sorry you feel so strongly about this Gary, but I can't help thinking you're being a little harsh.

This was a road accident which had totally gridlocked the town. As drparker observed a couple of posts back, that is a newsworthy event - at least to the local newspaper. If they'd been able to get a cameraman there, I'm sure they would have.

I didn't mention in my first post, and to be honest I hadn't really thought through, what I would have done if I had had my camera with me. Obviously the emergency services had the situation totally in hand so there was no issue about whether I could or should have tried to do anything to help. So if I'd taken photos... I realise this is a personal opinion, but I think shots of the scene would generally be OK; shots of the emergency personnel doing their jobs would generally be OK; shots of people suffering would generally probably not be OK. I have no desire to stick a camera in the face of someone who is injured and I'm disappointed that you should automatically assume that was my intention. Just because it's happened to you doesn't mean that all people with cameras think like that.

assuming makes an a%^^*le outa you and me.


Just an old saying that i carry around in my warped ol' mind...

There is a fine line with this sort of photography. Remember some of the most meroable photos have come from capturing peoples tradgey. Having said that I photographed a couple of people just about drowning in rough seas once. NEVER AGAIN.

Awesome quote, Kfry. Thanks for sharing that.

Regarding the original topic, I've come across a couple of situations where I've kicked myself because I didn't have my camera... not for quite a while, though, because after enough of those moments I began taking my camera everywhere