My name is Jonathan Foster. I'm a 3rd year photojournalism major at RIT and this is my exploration of the ideas of truth and freedom. “In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He answered by setting me free.” Psalm 118:5
“There is no such thing as a little freedom. Either you are all free, or you are not free.”- Walter Cronkite
“My fault, my failure, is not in the passions I have, but in my lack of control of them.” - Jack Kerouac
"Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."-Thomas Jefferson
Written and photographic work may not be reproduced without permission, available at jdf9658@rit.edu.
Thank you,
-j. foster
true Freedom
There was a two-car accident in the Eastbound lanes of the New York State Thruway today, around 3pm. A Westbound motorist with EMT training was the first person on the scene, who stabilized the c-spine of an injured woman until emergency crews arrived from Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS. There was a possible head injury, and four people were taken by ambulance to two hospitals.
I tried to make photographs with my longest lens (35mm ƒ1.8 ~ 52mm) while being sensitive to the situation. Someone who appeared to be traveling with the woman (several people spoke a common language, and most spoke no English) from a different vehicle used a cameraphone to make pictures. I worked until asked to leave by the New York State Police officer who responded to the scene. One man said, “You need to leave, that’s disrespectful.” And another said, “You need to get out of here with that camera.” Politely, I disregarded without trying to draw attention to myself.
I can’t help but go back to Weegee’s photographs from the ICP yesterday, just 24 hours prior. I don’t understand how photographing this is disrespectful. I didn’t cross the guardrail, I wasn’t in people’s faces. They just reject cameras as something for entertainment, or voyeuristic, as if any practical purpose for my pictures would be overridden by the spectacle of a car crash.
At least this woman was alive. I’ve been there; I can relate to that picture. That motorist probably saved her life. I left without hesitation because I did not need to distract the responders or cause any other compound accidents, but I left without names. Next time I’ll make a better photograph, the frame I wish I would have made this time. I only shot 8 total, of four different pictures. I owe it to this woman to do better.
From the Batavian:
http://thebatavian.com/howard-owens/two-car-accident-possible-head-injury-reported-thruway/31252
40 Wall ST Building Supervisior Mike Falsia stands with security guards during the Occupy Wall St protest, September 17, 2011. “It’s not gonna have any impact whatsoever. They need to be where is it, the Lincoln Memorial.”
Officer Jean-Pierre of the Queens South Task Force jokes,”All the moneys underground, so you just have to go to the subway and start digging,” with Swiss tourists at a roadblock on Nassau and Pine, September 17, 2011, during the Occupy Wall St protest.
Officer Breslin directs two women off of Wall St during the Occupy Wall St protest, Saturday, September 17, 2011. An area in the financial district was secured by New York City Police Officers after threats to property from protestors.
Marco Golandrea waves an Adbusters corporate American flag along Broadway, near Zucotti Park in Manhattan, New York City, New York, Saturday, September 17th, 2011 during the Occupy Wall St protest.
More to follow 9/18/2011.
