9-11 "The Falling Man"

[Bennie]

I have just seen a very disturbing documentary, about the famous "Falling Man" shots taken on 9-11. It is an extrememly well done documentary, which features the photographer who took the shots, and the newpapers who chose to run the shots. And needless to say, the horror of viewers who saw the shot.

As an ex PJ, this documentary made me think long and hard if shots such as this should have ever seen the light of day, because it made the viewer ask themselves, "what would I have done...."

It made me curious to know what the boundries for PJ should be, and if indeed there should be any boundries at all. It was after all real. It was heartbreaking. But it was also someone's loved one.

200 people are believed to have leapt from the towers . We will never forget them, or the other thousands that lost their life that day.

If you decide to watch the video link documentary below, please do so with the full knowledge that, while well done, is disturbing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU

I'm curious to hear from other PJs as well as people who would normally pick up a paper....what are your thoughts about most likely the most famous, and infamous shot taken in the last decade.

[TXhummer2]

I have always felt that those of my brothers and sisters that took the temporary freedom of flight way out rather than being burned in the flames of terrorism exhibited the courage of America. Such courage should be documented and displayed.

[Bennie]

And I have to agree with that. Although the viewer is left with such hopelessness, aggrevasion, and heartbreak.
Jonathan Briley, what is believed to be "The Falling Man", was to me a very brave individual, who chose his own way out. He firmly believed in God, as a son of a minister, and knew fully that he would live on. This is not said as an overall reference to religion, but what his family believed he thought at that crucial moment of decision.

IMO, it is equally important to the Eddie Adams photograph of the executed Viet Cong, or the photographs taken during the Holocaust. These are all very heartbreaking photographs to view. But they are all real. We can turn our heads away, but these things still happened.

But what of the family and friends who had to see these things? Was it more important that the world saw the truth?

I think it was.

[GypsyHighSide]

I think the images are important and should be shown . . should be viewed. While not easy to look at. The images give testament to the terror that was brought to our shores that day. To the decisions people were forced to make.

[Marc Kurth]

Originally Posted by GypsyHighSide

I think the images are important and should be shown . . should be viewed. While not easy to look at. The images give testament to the terror that was brought to our shores that day. To the decisions people were forced to make.

Yes Sir - I do agree. It wasn't pretty, but that's what happened.

[Bennie]

But you guys know, that this photograph was never shown again. The public outcry nearly shut these papers down.

As a footnote, the "Falling Man" is thought to be Jonathan Briley. I'm not sure that putting a name to the image was the best thing. However, they were able to show who Jonathan was before 9-11. And that is powerful in itself.
His family is split on the image. His sister, who believes that Jonathan was the "Falling Man", has such beautiful memories of him. ....And why he might have chosen this way out.

[lscottpht]

I truly believe that images such as this should be shown. It is real and while we may not want to face reality, I think people need to see it sometimes. These powerful images help make us create change. That's what we, as photojournalists, hope for as we take such powerful shots. Not that I have ever taken anything that powerful, but I go out there to show what is happening with the hope that some good will come out of it. I have images from Haiti which the newspapers here refused to publish. They were certainly horrific, but at the same time, without this kind of image, no one believed what was happening was real. They all said it was false rumors, including the American Embassy. The Embassy actually contacted me about these images, so I gave them to them so they could see what was really happening. Anyway, in regard to this particular image, it does show the horror but also the bravery.

[Bennie]

And I agree firmly with this.

Sometimes the real world, the F'd up people, the suffering are too much for people to deal with. After all, most of us spend our lives going from work to home, and maybe we watch the world news.

But I'm pretty sure all of us saw the full story of 9-11. We've seen planes crashing into the towers, people running down the streets, the aftermath of debrise and the heros.

But how many saw the "Falling Man". It was shown in about 100 papers on 9-12, and has never been seen again.

Even though, his desperate image is the most documentary piece of the day.

We all understand the horror of 9-11. But this single image makes us understand the choices people had to make that day. It is, IMO, and extrodinarily significant photograph.
It puts us into a mindset of what we would have done, or thought. As any great work of PJ will do.

But is was too hard for us to witness or think about. We as a community, were incensed.

[lscottpht]

I totally agree, Cindy.

[brad]

Originally Posted by Bennie

As an ex PJ, this documentary made me think long and hard if shots such as this should have ever seen the light of day, because it made the viewer ask themselves, "what would I have done...."

This is exactly why I think the images should be shown. The most powerful images, PJ or otherwise, make the viewer think... what would I have done... what if I had been there... This is the role of journalism as well.. to document.. to make the viewer/reader understand what it was like to be there.

Journalism's role should never be to shield us from the truth. It should always reveal it... no matter how horrible.

[Bennie]

So here is the question that begs asking....why did so many news agencies cut away from, or worse yet, airbrush out the jumpers?

And why did the only photograph of a jumper (that was circulated at the time), encounter such hatred for the photographer and the newspapers who chose to run the photograph?

I think we have all witnessed that the news of late has little to do with the news of old. News is a whole different animal now than it was during the Viet Nam wars. It's been made "reader friendly", somewhat due to this particular photograph.

I agree with Brad, that journalism shouldn't shield us. It should educate us. Even if that education is a horrible reality.

But others say it was "sensational".

[S-Man]

Originally Posted by Bennie

So here is the question that begs asking....why did so many news agencies cut away from, or worse yet, airbrush out the jumpers?

And why did the only photograph of a jumper (that was circulated at the time), encounter such hatred for the photographer and the newspapers who chose to run the photograph?

I think we have all witnessed that the news of late has little to do with the news of old. News is a whole different animal now than it was during the Viet Nam wars. It's been made "reader friendly", somewhat due to this particular photograph.

I agree with Brad, that journalism shouldn't shield us. It should educate us. Even if that education is a horrible reality.

But others say it was "sensational".

Here Here!
I can't stand the media of today. They only show us what they want us to see in a very biased light. BBC seems to show more of whats "real" news. They show what's going on around the world for what it is.
For instance, for the last two days I have not been able to find any news on TV that have anything to do with something besides Ike. I'm sure there are murders, kidnappings, robberies and other noteworthy events going on in Houston, they just fail to report on them because they're scandalous bastards that like to report on the most scandalous event at the time.

I'll step off my soapbox now...

[ttusa]

I just watched this video, and as difficult as it is to view, I think it should be seen. We as a country cannot afford to forget these horrifying events. Our country needs to remain strong so that we don't have another September 11th.

[JPalmer]

I'm watching it right now... Wow.

[mmuhlenkamp]

That was a good documentary, and such a powerful image. It made me very sad, but I'm glad I watched it. Thanks for the link Cindy.