final exam extra credit

1. The man in the photo, Ki Suk Han, was pushed into the subway rails after trying to calm down another man who was harassing someone in the station. He tried to get out, but failed due to lack of strength. As Han nears death photographer, R. Umar Abbasi, takes out his camera and starts taking photos, using the flash on the camera to stop the train from hitting him.

2. The photographer claims he took the photo to save Han. He says he tried to signal the diver to stop the train with his camera flash.

3. I think the photographer could have helped the man out instead of taking the photo. It would have been much faster than setting up the camera, and might have had a more positive outcome.

4. I think it was a good thing to do in this situation, but I don't think it was the greatest thing he could have done. This is because he could have helped the man out or gotten others to help, but he used a small light to try to signal the driver.

5. I think since the photo was supposedly a valiant effort to prevent his death, that its okay to use the photo on the front page of the New York Post. The photo is said to not be a blatant non effort to help the man, so the use of it is not completely wrong.

6. Capturing life as it happens (in photos) is the definition of photojournalism. I think its more important because capturing life, rather than helping or saving one, is the job of a photojournalist.

7. I think if the situation calls for it, (maybe this one) where a life could be saved, the photographer would be able to do that, but any other situation is unacceptable.

8. I do think photojournalists should avoid influencing the effects they photograph. I think this because its unethical to give the public a "done-up" representation of something rather than the real thing.

9. I think in this situation, the most appropriate response would be to help in a way that is more influential than taking photos.