saddest photo i have seen

I find it impossible to understand why he couldn't have helped

without the focussed. single track minded work of photographers like him the world wouldn't see these images though, to shock and make them think - a fine line to tread.

I couldn't do it - I feel the same about war photographers - some have done superb work but the ability to stand by as atrocities occur and photograph them? cold was the right word

That picture makes me so sad....and the fact that that son of a bitch didn't run over there and take that little child into his arms makes me incredibly angry. He had every reason to be depressed after being such a f*cking a**hole.

That might be true boomerang, but he was at the scene. He could
have taken the picture, and picked up the child afterwards to help.

I doubt that there are many people, who would leave a starving
child next to them, and walk away. That was a most callous act.

It was heartless and cruel and cold and I can't even think about it.

I think that child was one of many many many many many.

I know and that is what makes it even sadder.

I agree osso..
but.. a few feet away?
A simple few steps?
Even in a group of thousands, that child was a few feet away..

I just cant excuse not helping that child in my mind.

Fact of the matter is , I WASNT THERE.. so I cant really say anything.

Gut instinct is to similarly condemn the man, but know nothing about the circumstances surrounding the incident, and, for all its poetic savagery, there are cold-hearted men and women in air-conditioned offices who have a lot more to do -- either through action or inaction -- with the surrounding tragedy than this guy did.

He was there in the first place, more than most. He had probably seen countless starving children and felt powerless, as he probably was - what did he have to give just one of the scattered thousands. He had his ability to document. I can understand his profound depression.

he had his ability to document, yes, and he did.
Those same arms and hands could have assisted that child to food.

Im stepping off this soap box.
I can understand the overwhelming feeling he must have had. I really can.
BUT- i wasnt there. I dont know what he was going through or what he had or had not done.
He suffered from depression? I think that may have been an understatement ...

i just don't understand......

More complicated, Dag, from this -

http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/odds_and_oddities/ultimate_in_unfair.htm

It had been reported, early in this post that he had committed suicide.

more on the relief mess in those particular years -
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/sudan/SUDAWEB2-16.htm

Kevin is not around to tell us if he simply walked away, as reported, not helping the dying child or if he perhaps shared a candy-bar with her that he happened to have in his pack, or maybe he even carried her to nearby help (we do know that not everything we read is gospel), or went himself back to camp to get help for her (perhaps not being emotionally capable himself of ?'taking it' a moment longer, given the abhorrent horrors he had been witnessing for some time). There could been all manner of scenarios around what occurred or did not occur right after this photo was taken. Kevin did not provide a story to the press and tell of his "heroism" in feeding, saving, or otherwise assisting this child. Whether he made the effort or not was not really the issue behind the picture. The picture is about something larger than Kevin, a photographer, taking a photo that would and should generate enormous emotion in the well-fed world outside of this childs environs. Kevin did not personally create the situation the child is in. We did. The world. With greed, ignorance, cultural and governmental differences, among many other excuses as to why we want to keep what we have to ourselves and not share. Kevins job was to tell us about it and he did, with this image. It is the horror of a dying child, alone, not being helped that breaks our hearts because we all know "we" are the Kevin that walked away without helping. It is easy for us to berate Kevin for his (perceived) behavior. It is easy to say "well he was right there and I was not". It is easy because that was my initial reaction when I started reading this thread and then I looked at myself and know that I would like to think that I would have picked the child up and brought her to get some food. I would like to think that, but I have not been in the position Kevin was, have not had his emotionally tolling history, have not seen, lived near, been disheartened by, felt useless and helpless by the situations he has had to review, photograph, study, taste, touch and smell. I'd like to think I would be a fabulous person, but I might be disappointed to find I am probably lacking.

Hmm...
ouch.

heeven,
you are so right it hurts.

A tumult of emotions here.

What I can say is wouldn't it be nice if there was a group of united nations that did more than think and talk about 'helping others less fortunate' (that quote taken from the Lions Club)? This international group of haves would actually help the have-nots. The current "united" nations is useless and a @!!#*!% joke!

I believe I read that so much of the aid and relief that was raised earlier never made it through because of corruption and the 'politics' of the region. I do not believe today is any different.

It takes such a picture and TV news coverage to get people to feel (fleetingly) and open their pocketbooks, but....

'let those who send all their spare cash to the needy cast the first stone'

yes

also the quote at the top of the article 'War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left'.

we can't know all the facts and without these images the hearts and minds of the world aren't touched - I do hope he did help her though - as Osso (?I think) said - one of many many many and such a daunting sickening sight - who to help?

Couldn't agree with you more on that!