The 2012 Pulitzer Prize Winner: Massoud Hossaini: girl reacting to a suicide bombing
http://lightbox.time.com/2012/04/16/the-2012-pulitzer-prize-winner-massoud-hossaini/#1
Columbia University has announced the 2012 Pulitzer Prize winners — and they include Afghan photographer Massoud Hossaini, whose picture of a girl reacting to a suicide bombing took the title in the category of breaking news photography.
The explosion of which the young girl, Tarana Akbari, is a survivor killed more than 70 people. Among the dead were seven of Akbari’s family members, who had traveled to Kabul in honor of the holiday Ashura; nine other relatives were wounded. The Pulitzer announcement calls the photograph, featured here, “heartbreaking.” Hossaini, who works with Agence France-Presse, is a native of Kabul and was raised in Iran. He was a political activist prior to taking up a camera, and got his start photographing Afghan refugees living in his adopted country. He returned to his home country in 2002 and is still based there.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It is more heartbreaking that the photographer ignored the pleas for help because he was busy taking pictures. Is it important to capture the horror of war and terrorism? Yes. Is it more important to put down the camera and at least try to be a compassionate human being? Yes.
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/in-the-midst-of-a-horrific-scene-tears/
"Mr. Hossaini was focused on what he was seeing and hearing: shouting voices, sounds of confusion. A few other people began to approach the circle. Some tried to pick up bodies. “I was taking pictures and I did want to help,” he said. “But I just saw that the bodies were completely destroyed and I said, ‘O.K. I can’t do anything for them, so I have to wait for whoever comes.’”
Behind him, he noticed a group of women and children. One woman stood on the corner, covered in blood. “Women were asking me, ‘Help, help, help,’” Mr. Hossaini said. “I couldn’t. I was recording and I was taking pictures.” One of the women who was holding a baby, called out for help — her other child had died. Another man lifted the child from the ground. But blood was pouring from its head. The man placed the child back on the ground and walked away."
The picture of him in a celebratory pose in front of this photo is beyond heartbreaking - it is stomach-churning.
