Photographing a New York City subway death: Examining the ethical responsibilities of the photographer and the New York Post
Open Access
Author:
Matulonis, Sara Elinor
Area of Honors:
Journalism
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Steve Manuel, Thesis Supervisor Steve Manuel, Thesis Honors Advisor John H Beale, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
photojournalism ethics New York Post photography journalism Han Abbasi
Abstract:
On Dec. 3, 2012, Ki Suck Han was pushed onto the tracks of an oncoming subway train in New York City. Photographer R. Umar Abbasi, in an attempt to use his camera’s flash to warn the subway driver of Han’s presence, captured a series of images of the victim in the final seconds of his life. The following day on Dec. 4, 2012, the New York Post ran one of Abbasi’s photographs on its front page, along with headline “DOOMED.” The purpose of this thesis is to examine issues of photojournalism ethics as they relate to Abbasi’s decision to photograph Han and the New York Post’s decision to publish Abbasi’s photograph on the front page. Research includes case studies of past photojournalism ethics issues, as well as an analysis of how images portraying death fit into the ever-changing world of photojournalism.
