The New York Post photo
December 7th, 2012 at 2:00 pm by David FarrarPaul Harper at NZ Herald reports:
A New York newspaper’s front page photo of a man’s final moments before he was hit by a subway train has sparked outrage.
New York Post freelance photographer R Umar Abbasi captured Queens man Ki Suk Han, 58, desperately scrambling back on to the platform after a “deranged man” pushed him off the platform at Times Square.
The image took up the entirety of Tuesday’s New York Post front page with the headline “DOOMED” and the subhead “Pushed on the subway track this man is about to die”.
I thought the photo and story were appalling. This man has family. There is no news value in seeing a man be killed.
Abbasi told the Post he was using the flash of his camera to warn the driver, however the published photo has been widely condemned by the Post’s readers and other media.
I think that is bullshit. The photo is near perfectly focused and centered on the man.
However I think Abbasi bears the lesser blame. He may have been too far away to help, and a photographer’s instincts will kick in to record it. The decision I criticise more is the newspaper editor who made the decision to publish it, especially in the way they did.
I understand Han was on the tracks for 22 seconds before the train came. It is appalling that he was not helped up by anyone. He may have survived. Arguably, he may have been better to lie flat on the track, but hard to think calmly in such a situation. Also I am unsure if all trains are high enough above the track that they can pass over a human. Anyone know?
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December 7th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Depends on which station in NYC. Some have pits like the underground in London, some dont.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
TV One news last night had a chopper up in Auckland, doing their best to get footage of the concrete slabs that fell and killed people. I’m guessing at that point their bodies were still under there. All class.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
The whole “warning the driver” thing may be bullshit, who knows.
But most DSLR lenses have auto-focus, and the newspaper could have easily cropped the photo to put the man in the middle.
No evidence either way.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
That was a bit of a shocker to be honest.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
There is a post on some options here. New York uses a “3rd rail” to power their trains so lying between the tracks is risky.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/explainer/2012/12/new_york_subway_death_what_to_do_if_you_re_pushed_onto_the_subway_tracks.html
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:18 pm
Don’t New York subway trains run the “third rail” between the tracks, which provides the power to the unit? So
Vote:a) there wouldn’t be much room between all three rails,
b) if you touched the centre and either of the outside rails you’re fried and
c) there must be a pickup under the train, so you’d get hit by that and/or attendant hardware anyway?
December 7th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Yeah. Someone should have helped him up. Pretty obvious really. Were there people near enough to do so? Sounds like a tragic accident (in the sense that we consider the deranged person to be a force of nature given they were deranged). Photos of it are not classy.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
More on the photographer.
http://www.imediaethics.org/News/3640/Clues_that_abbasi_lied_about_new_york_post_subway_photo_.php
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Multicultural diversity.
Blackman pushes Asian onto tracks,photographed by Arab.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Nice observation.
But did you notice Hitler was white?
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Perhaps with such publicity on the hazard they will look to improve safety on the underground. The new stations in London (e.g. Jubilee Line Extension) have glass walls and automatic doors which the train lines up next to.
Alas human solidarity is not alive and well in NYC.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
RRM
Godwin.
Besides I thought everyone was going to get on under the half white President,isn’t that what He promised.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
@kowtow, Godwin’s law is relates to comparisons of Hitler, not just the mention of him.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
What’s the story?
That New Yorkers are outraged that no one tried to help this person or that a photographer – whose natural instricts are to photo something did not do this?
Mine is that New Yorkers were outraged.
Are they all retired firefighters (who charged into burning buildings on 9/11) now?
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
bevan
Vote:both RRM and your comment are pointless. RRM references Hitler in a meaningless comment.Even without the comparison rule ,it ‘s still enough (for me) that RRM has brought Adolf to the table as it were. The pointlessness of his comment in itself satisfies the rule.
December 7th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Here’s a cool picture of Hitler on a sled-
http://imgur.com/2XLHW
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Kowtow –
I merely observed that Hitler was white – that’s not an analogy or a comparison so not Godwin’s law.
What was the “point” of your comment about “multicultural diversity”?? Do tell!
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 4:10 pm
The photographer was interviewed for 10 minutes on NBC’s today show – http://on.today.com/YOB7IG. I thought he seemed pretty credible.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Hitler’s so white I could hardly pick him out with all the snow there.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
So a ‘photographer’ has time to evaluate the situation and think: “I need to use the flash of my camera to alert the train driver so he doesn’t hit the bloke on the tracks” and then the additional time to pull out his camera [mobile phone?] / perhaps select the correct app [if it was a mobile phone] / focus it [if it wasn't a mobile phone] / aim it at the subject / take a picture…
The other option would have been to run over / grab the poor bugger and try and help him back onto the platform.
The ‘photographer’ was totally gutless. The editor who decided to publish the photo, has appalling judgement.
The thought that they have both made a profit from this, is a total disgrace.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
OK ,I was wrong…………
Umar’s not an Arab,probably a Pak though.
Still very multicultural.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
both RRM and your comment are pointless. RRM references Hitler in a meaningless comment.Even without the comparison rule ,it ‘s still enough (for me) that RRM has brought Adolf to the table as it were. The pointlessness of his comment in itself satisfies the rule.
But you bringing up the race of the perpetrator, the victim and photographer is completely relevant to the topic? IMO RRM bringing up Hitler being white was to show the absurdity of your own comment was.
Do you even believe the shit that you’re shoveling?
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Long live multiculturalism. But only in the West, of course.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Man dies on electric train system………”sparks” outrage !
And Beavan , why has the race of the various protagonists got nothing to do with the story?
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Elaycee, it was a work camera – it was being carried and it had automatic focus.
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 9:58 pm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20616635
Vote:December 7th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
Thanks SPC – good article, but it didn’t mention the race of everyone involved.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 1:29 am
Not all are, and lying down near the powered centre rail is dangerous all on it’s own. Some stations have space under the platform but the only thing that is wise at all stations is to walk/run to the far end of the platform.
It gives the train more time to stop and leads to a ladder up (nearly all underground stations in the world have access to rails/platforms at the end of platforms).
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:23 am
Let me explain to you in case you were unaware – kowtow is a Christian. As a result, he has no sense of compassion, and in a thread about a man who is sadly killed by a train and family grieving, he feels it appropriate to make a jibe at multiculturalism, because as a Christian he has no sense of empathy and only knows how to judge and be crude like a Pharisee, personifying his Saviour Jesus Christ in the best possible light for all to see what a shining example how his life has been changed. So basically if you ever feel the desire to worship God, just look to kowtow for an idea of what it’s like to be a Christian and have a Christian attitude.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:28 am
Hey smits ,try this for compassion…..”Go fuck yourself”.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:30 am
You are doomed to purgatory for your abusive language kowtow
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:35 am
That’s OK,I’ve got rellies who can build a little church somewhere and hey presto,paradise found:)But let’s not take the thread that way,it’s tedious.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Oh no, a thread is only improved when the fundie-mentals comes out to play.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:43 am
The ironic thing is that’s what the photographer said when people asked him why he didn’t save the man who was pushed.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 9:45 am
How are the f undies going to include bum sex into the debate?
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
miken mental. See 2 can play that game .
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
This is a great photo. What’s even better, though, is that the photographer was able to help the girl.
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/vietnam-napalm-girl-turns-40/
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
yeah, take that milky. ooo errughh.
Vote:December 8th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
ooooh erggg
great contribution.
Vote:December 10th, 2012 at 11:30 am
His work camera would have auto focus and is probably 39mp if it is a pro level camera so big enough to crop.
RE no one helping him. I assume the crazy guy who just pushed someone onto the tracks was close by. If you went to help, their is the risk you would get pushed too.
The biggest issue is the news paper which had time to consider it, ran the picture but even worse, with just a terrible headline. They could have done a headline with compassion to lessen the impact of the photo.
Vote: