What would you have done

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Sean&Karen

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I heard a couple of interviews from amateur photographers about taking pictures in Boston during an after the bombing...

My question to you, if you were there would you keep taking pictures or run over and help people?
 
I have often wondered why when something is happening there always seems to be somebody standing there with a camera. ;

It happens with fights/ disputes/ police incidents all the time. ; People would rather whip out their cell phones to take pictures and don't bother actually helping. ; Disgraceful.

If people in Boston were doing what Sean described, they should be charged criminally with endangering an injured victim.
 
Instinct 1 for me would be to help in any way I could. ; I'd consider taking photos only on my way to help, after I've helped, or if I was asked to not help and make way for first responders once they've arrived to help.


I've been there before - though admittedly in the days before cellphone cameras and digital. ; In 1994, Northridge Earthquake, and I was within 6 miles of the epicenter, where we were hit hard. ; I was an avid photographer and was always taking photos and had my camera nearby...I still spent the first 10 hours after the disaster event helping however I could, and didn't get around to taking photos until the following day.


After our trio of hurricanes, of which two were serious enough to cause damage throughout my neighborhood and town, I took some photos - during the hurricane, and right after each. ; I went for walks in my neighborhood with my camera to survey damage and see what I found. ; But I always stopped and put the camera down to lend a hand cutting down a tree, clearing debris from front doors to help people out, helping clear the roads, and anything else I could do. ; Photography was something I did when there was nothing else useful or contributory I could do - as I still had a desire to document the event as much as possible.


I don't mind seeing video of folks at the Marathon who were filing already, then kept filming as the blasts went - they were just as shocked and surprised as anyone, and kept filming probably without even thinking much about it. ; Most seemed to trail off their filming, or start helping, after a few minutes as things started to soak in as to what happened. ; The only ones I mind are when a dozen people are all trying to help dozens of injured strewn about, and you see one person with a camera walking amongst the downed victims and rescuers, taking photos even as people are yelling out for help or assistance. ; I've heard the argument of a journalist's duty a thousand times, but the human side of me cannot make sense of it - to not offer any help when you are capable of doing so. ; Probably why I couldn't be a journalist.
 
But then again everyone thinks they are the next NatGeo or reality TV star so why bother helping anyone...
 
Sad but true. ; The very definition of 'celebrity' has been so bastardized as to be unrecognizable. ; Hey! ; I'm on You Tube! ; I'm in a reality show! ; Worship me!
 
Now, to play devil's advocate, I'm reading that a lot of those photos and video have become invaluable evidence in the investigation.


To be frank, I don't think many people would even know what to do in order to render and kind of help. ; These are things that aren't taught anymore unless they are pertinent to your job.


I've also read articles that have stated that with the increase in fear of the outside world, we have become more inward facing citizens. We don't communicate with our neighbors anymore which makes us less empathetic toward the plight of "strangers".


I personally believe that the rise of Reality TV, YouTube sensations, 24/7 news cycles has created a more narcissistic society.


I personally don't know what I would've done. ; I'm afraid that I would've been so overwhelmed by all the emotion around me, then noise and the chaos (aggravates my audio processing disorder and autism) that I would've wandered around aimlessly until something obvious that I could do hit me upside the head.
 
If I had been there on some sort of assignment to photograph the marathon, I probably would have alternated between helping and taking pictures. I don't think I could watch people in pain and needing help and just stand there doing nothing. If I were there just watching and snapping pics, I'd put the camera away and pitch in.

Erich
 
for me it's no other choice possible. I put down the camera and pick up the bandages. I'm one of those people who usually has a pair of ems gloves in all my coat pockets just in case ya got to rock-n-roll on short notice
 
There's the difference. You're trained. If the person in front of me had serious injuries, I wouldn't know what to do other than scream for help.

Erich
 
I"m still impressed with the story I heard about the guy who held closed the femoral arteries on a child which saved her life
 
I personally believe that the rise of Reality TV, YouTube sensations, 24/7 news cycles has created a more narcissistic society.
Click to expand...


I agree. ; I think Sean's original point goes to the fact that some of these people were going in solely for the purpose of taking pictures so they can somehow profit from them and gain some notoriety from the photos. ; Is it too far off to imagine someone selling pictures of the carnage to the tabloids or news agencies ?


Not to mention the safety and effectiveness of the first responders...
 
Taking photos for profit in a situation like that is just disgusting.

As far as what I would do, I would have stopped shooting. ; But like Erich I have no training and wouldn't know what to do to help other than to get out of the way of the first responders. ;
 
With an incident like that, the first responders would be telling you how to help, what gear to jockey, etc.
 
It's true. ; When I was first helping to try to dig people out of the earthquake, we were already there and trying to help knock doors open or pull people through windows before emergency personnel were able to get there. ; I didn't know officially what to do, but when someone is screaming 'get me out of here' and sticking their arms through an open window that's half the normal size because the first floor that they're on has collapsed partially and aftershocks are rolling through every 30 seconds, you pretty much just do what feels right - you break out the window glass with a pipe, clear out the frame with a towel wrapped around your hand, and pull that person out.


Once first responders finally arrived, they took control with their training and knowledge, but with something as overwhelming where they cannot possibly handle all the victims and rescues themselves, they will quickly assess who among those standing around might be useful and tell you how to pitch in. ; Being a large guy, I was immediately put to work with a group who was helping to move cinder blocks and cement walls from partially collapsed buildings to gain access to rescue those trapped inside - the fire/rescue personnel chose where to access with their training and knowledge of how not to pull down the wrong piece of wall that's holding up the roof and causing a collapse. ; And if they need you to back out of the way, they'll usually tell you - and the best thing you can do is listen - help when you can, and get out of the way when they ask.
 
Either way, I hope I never have to find out how I'd react. Maybe it's because I've already had something traumatic happen to me, but I have no doubt it'd be easier for me to handle mentally if I was the injured one rather than to see someone else hurt and be helpless to help them. Did that make any sense at all?

Erich
 
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