Fall Final Exam Extra Credit

1. The man, Ki Suk Han, had tried to calm down a homeless man who was harassing other people in the subway station. The homeless man had pushed Han onto the track, when Han approached him. Han wasn't strong enough to lift himself all the way back off the tracks. The photographer, R. Umar Abbasi, was unable to reach Han in time to lift him off the tracks to save his life. Abbasi attempted to get the attention of the train operator with the flash of his camera, causing the photo to be taken.

2. The photographer took the photo because he hoped that the flash from his camera would notify the train operator that something was wrong. He was hoping that the operator would see the flash and stop the train before it hit Ki Suk Han. 

3. The objective of the photo had not been to commemorate the event. The photo was taken in the attempt that the flash of the camera would alert the train operator to stop. I think that the photographer had taken the picture as an attempt to help save the man, so the photographer had a warranted reason to take the photo.

4. The photographer says that he knew he wouldn't be able to reach the man in time. The only thing he could do was to either yell at other people to help or to take the photo and hope the flash would be able to cause the train to stop. The photographer did the best he could've in the situation. 

5. I disagree with the fact that this photo was used as a front page photo. That is because the event had just occurred, and gave the victim's family little time to mourn the tragic death of Ki Suk Han. The use of the photo on the front page is insensitive and unnecessary, considering the topic of the story.  

6. Morally, any human being should attempt to stop an event as tragic as this event was. If an event is life or death, then capturing of the event as it happens is irrelevant. If a person can save someone, and avoid the tragic consequences caused by any "bad things".

7. A photographer should involve themselves in an event that could end tragically, even if it is one that they photographed. Ethically and morally, it is unacceptable to not interfere and influence the event. 

8. Photojournalists aren't just their profession. They are also people, and by just existing they are influencing the events as they occur. Due to that, again, if an event is life or death, then photojournalists are morally obligated to influence the events, even if they are photographing it.  

9. The responses from the photo are all about how Abbasi should have done more to try and help the man. The appropriate response for photographers (and just generally humans) is to do everything they can do to help in the moment.