| Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Nick Ott speaks to the press outside the LBJ Presidential Library during the three-day Vietnam War summit on Thursday, April 28, 2016. Camel won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for her Vietnamese children fleeing their village after the Nepal bombing. As part of the Vietnam War summit, UT participated in a panel discussion entitled “The Power of a Picture” with former White House photographer David Hume Kennerley, who also won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the Vietnam War. Photo by David Hume Kenerley at LBJ Library on 04/28/2016. Pictures in the public domain. |
Very few photographers who have hit the shutter release can say that they have captured an image that has changed the world. Although there are those who can, and one of them is Nick UtAn award-winning photojournalist who captured the iconic image titled ‘The Terror of War’ while documenting the Vietnam War for the Associated Press (AP).
This ImageAlso referred to as ‘Napalm Girl’, shows a naked 9 year old girl, Fan Thi Kim Fook, Four children in military uniforms and four men rushing towards the camera. Behind them was a black cloud of smoke, the result of a South Vietnamese Nepalese strike aimed at a different location. This photograph was published in newspapers and magazines around the world, and proved to be one of them The Defining images that have changed public sentiment surrounding the Vietnam War. It was also the film that won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography and the 1973 World Press Photo of the Year.
Below is a photo of Kim Fook standing in front of an iconic image before an exhibition featuring Ut’s photographic work captured in Vietnam:
June 8th will be Ut’s 50th anniversary An opinion piece for the Washington PostUt looks back to why this picture was captured, how the rest of the day ended, and finally the question arose as to whether a picture could help end the war.
Below is a photograph of Phan Thị Kim Phuc with another photo taken by Nick Camel:
Ut’s depressing account details why he was inspired to become a photojournalist, how he finished the Vietnam War documentation and what happened, and then, he pressed the shutters of a series of pictures that resulted in the now-iconic picture. His story shows that while we often see war photojournalists as documentaries of conflicts around the world with the ability to distract themselves from what they are capturing, the reality is that they are often at the center of what is happening and much more. Involved in comparing pictures offer.
Ut ends his piece and says:
‘I’m proud of my pictures and the emotions and conversations that have created around the world. Truth tends to be necessary. If a picture can make a difference, or even help end a war, then the work we do is just as important now as ever. ‘
You can read the full story in the Washington Post using the link below:
Feedback | A picture can change the world. I know, because I took one that did.
