Photographing crime scenes.

Grant

Grant

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My dream career is a press photographer. I want to be where the action is, and report it to others.

Today was a bit of a b****r. I had a late night working, and a hell of a struggle getting up, I was informed that someone had died in the town center (Just around the corner from me) so I tried to have a look, to no avail. Every. single. avenue was completely cornered off. There was literally 60 odd police dotted around the entire area guarding each section.

So it was by this time that I knew I'd need to see what the deal was. I popped back home, put on something a bit low key (Not last nights shirt!) and took my camera with me. In a backpack, of course. I found an entrance to the car park (which is directly above the scene, and would've been perfect to get some shots from) and snook past the entanglement of police barriers. There were still 3 different locations where the police could look up at me at any time, and nab me for entering a crime scene, but nevertheless I was covert!

I took a few snaps (This is where I wish I had a nikon as opposed to a canon) and was shocked at how loud the bloody shutter was in complete silence! Jeez. Gave me a jump.

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I then snook back round and onto the major road (which you can see is just RIGHT at the top of that picture ^) and took a few more shots with my 12-24 and 50mm.

One of the shots I was particular proud of, simply because of the message it puts across. When details emerge of the guys death, I can only hope it was speed related. This puts my mind at ease through a variety of avenues, such as thugs beating him to death, or other such nasties, and helps my picture. That sounds so wrong, it's unreal. But there we are.

Here is the picture:

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I felt a sense of guilt, I felt a sense of dismay. I was getting a buzz off of someone else's tragedy. But this is what I live for, to report. With pictures, not words.

I can't help but think this would've been all mildly easier, albeit slightly more boring if I'd have just asked the police if I could take a few shots.

I've contacted my local newspaper, and hopefully the pictures will make Mondays print.

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I really like that 2nd shot, but, i doubt id have risked being stopped by the police to capture it myself...

Whilst in London, i visited the Trafalgar Square toilets.. nothing to odd or relevant in that, until I tell you there was a leg stuck out from under a locked toilet door, at first due to the odd angle it was coming out at, I thought ¨ouch I bet that hurts¨ then I spotted a trickly of blood... at this point I nearly threw up, im a bit squeeming and can only imagine this is the first dead body ive actual seen... :S

Then i thought, WOW what a photo oppertunity for a ¨Macabre¨ photo... Then I thought, no, im in the middle of a large public gents toilets, the last thing I want to do is get out my camera...

I promptly left and informed a copper about what Id seen and he went in to investigate.
 
I've contacted my local newspaper, and hopefully the pictures will make Mondays print.

Good luck - I was at a nasty near fatal incident the other week and the amount of ghouls around pointing phones and some poor sod on the ground was unreal. No crime scene left at all and and loads of idiots ringing the local rag.

Yours pics are much better thought out and I like the one of the Cop sitting on the ground doing his notes - or using his Blackberry to send his pics into TP!!
 
Yeah it hit front page, and the identity of the man is a mystery, it's a shame.
 
Grant said:
Yeah it hit front page, and the identity of the man is a mystery, it's a shame.
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RIP no one deserves to die unknown , even if it is a fact of life. some one somewhere loved him once.

however brave shots, now u got a few in your local rag u might be able to get a few more and free lance for them a bit, foot in the door and all that :)
 
I first read this post a few days ago, and have considered carefully what I have to say, and apologise in advance if what I say offends.

I think that all such captures are distasteful, and are an affront to the dignity of the person who died.

I was a police officer for many years, and people who stopped at the scene of an accident, and those who took photographs were considered a bloody nuisance, and regarded as pretty ghoulish. Press photographers were granted access only when it was considered in the public interest. Pictures of murder/accidental death scenes were totally out of the question.

In your case, trying to profit from the death of another, however indirectly shows, I believe, a lack of respect for the dignity of the deceased, and the feelings of his family.

The reason you had so much difficulty gaining access to the site, is because the police wanted to exclude members of the public, for the reasons stated above.

I can easily understand your enthusiasm to get such a picture, particularly if you have ambitions to become a photojournalist. Your ingenuity is to be applauded, but I just wish you had chosen another subject.

Again, I'm sorry if these words offend, but I felt I had to say something.

OK, I'm an interfereing old barsteward!!;)
 
Ultimately everything is news and gets reported by someone, why not death, its not like he was lifting the tent corner and taking pics, he was tasteful and respectful in his reporting imho
 
ppp said:
Ultimately everything is news and gets reported by someone, why not death, its not like he was lifting the tent corner and taking pics, he was tasteful and respectful in his reporting imho
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As I said, it was my opinion, and something I feel quite strongly about. Others may not feel the same.

I know it happens all the time, and nothing is going to change that.

Taking pictures of a place where someone has died.... tasteful and respectful??:thinking:
 
Just to set a point straight, these photographs weren't taken under the intention of profitability, I wasn't expecting to make money by sending them in.

The thing is, and what nullifies me to your opinion to an extent - is the amount of 'white tents' you see on the news every day, houses, parks, all shot to show the viewer, listener, reader the location.

I appreciate you find it distasteful, but the same can be said for war photography, an avenue which must be recorded, and one which must be made publically available. I'm sure the pictures of the deceased there are just as, if not more disrespectful - but are in the name of reportage.

I understand there's a fine line, and doing this sort of work means you often cross both sides, people agree - people disagree, but at the end of the day that's what it's all about.
 
I do not have a problem with what you did at all, You did not get in the way, you were not a "nuisance" you kept your distance and got a tear sheet out of it for your book. Well done.
As for not taking them with the intention of making money from them, why the hell not? That's what you want to do, then do it. I get grief all the time for this sort of stuff and ...... well just don't get me started.
 
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