Bangkok: US photojournalist James Nachtwey shot in leg, returns to duty next day

[webfact]

65-year-old photojournalist shot in leg, returns to duty next day
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Victor Morozov

BANGKOK: -- A veteran American photojournalist returned to cover yesterday's election one day after being shot in the leg.

James Nachtwey, 65, was shot while covering Saturday's gunbattle near the Lak Si district office.

Nachtwey told the Wall Street Journal he was "extremely lucky" and that the bullet passed through his leg.

“There’s an entry and exit," he said. "I’m walking now. I’m okay.”"

Nachtwey, who has covered conflicts as a photojournalist for 30 years, said [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/02/03/65-year-old-photojournalist-shot-leg-returns-field-next-day


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-02-03

[Costas2008]

I do admire these people, that they risk their lives to keep us informed.

[bigbamboo]

Are you watching, Herr von Nostitz?

Edited February 3, 2014 by bigbamboo

[Thait Spot]

I have enormous admiration for the man

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[londonthai]

In fact, after paramedics cleaned his wound and trying to take him to hospital, he discharged himself and carried on with filming. When everything was over he went to hospital by himself. An unusually brave man, beyond call of duty.

Hope his shooters will be cought and punished. Judging by his beheviuor he might have pictures of them on his own camera, so waiting for shots

Edited February 3, 2014 by londonthai

[MJP]

This man is a legend.

Watch The War Photographer. It's on YouTube.

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[Lakegeneve]

I'm leaving aside the obvious problem that police and army personnel (some were within meters of shooters) stood by without intervening at Laksi on Sat, to mention a couple of other issues.

Something very disquieting about the Laksi shootings was that at least 2 of the shooters were wearing green armbands which are very similar to the armbands worn by Thai & Int journos. Very clear in some of the pics.

The FCCT stated yesterday;

The FCCT condemns the use by non journalists of light green armbands and headbands that can easily be confused with those armbands given out by the TJA. The FCCT believes that this use makes it even more dangerous for journalists working legitimately in Thailand in what is already a risky situation.

The FCCT calls on all sides in this conflict to ensure the safety of journalists working on the ground.

It puts journos lives at great risk and further confuses the already murky waters.

The other issue that is of concern is journos - especially freelancers - who do not have suitable protective gear (proper helmets, chest protection with body armour, ideally other body armour and definitely suitable clothing) working in such situations.

If you looks at pics and videos you can see the clear distinction between journos from the major agencies and freelancers. This was one of the issues with the Italian jounro killed during the 19 May crackdown when you was in the firing line between Red Shirt guards and soldiers - he was completely inappropriately attired for such a situation.

I've met James before in years past and the guy has obvious experience in conflict zones for such situations and I defer to that. However, I have to say that given what he was wearing - or more to the point not wearing - at Laksi I think that he is most lucky he didn't suffer greater injury.

Thank god for that.

[Tywais]

Mr. Nachtwey has been a contract photographer for Time Magazine since 1984, done work for the Magnum Photos cooperative and was a founding member of the VII photo agency.

He has documented wars, famine and genocide in places such as Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, Afghanistan and Chechnya. Among the honors he has received for his work are the Robert Capa Gold Medal, which he won five times. He is also a two-time recipient of the World Press Photo Award and was the subject of the 2001 Academy Award-nominated documentary “War Photographer.” In 2003 Nachtwey was injured during a grenade attack while on assignment in Baghdad.

More details here on the incident - Wall Street Journal

[FalangBaa]

Hey, you can't really call it "shooting raw footage" unless you get shot in the foot and then return immediately with a raw wound. I wonder if it hurt much, because his surname means "pain in the night" in German?

[Emptyset]

Are you watching, Herr von Nostitz?

Nostitz was there as well... does he need to get shot to prove himself or something?

[ikurauni]

I am glad that he is okay. He is a real pro working with a hole in his leg. He said he is lucky but I am not sure if I can say that. Stay safe, James.

[Suriya4]

He must know the direction of the bullet.

[onewhowalkswithbuffalo]

Legend

[fstarbkk]

I had the privilege of working with James many years ago. He's a brilliant photographer, a journalist of the highest caliber as well as a true gentleman. May the gods watch over him, as he puts himself in harm's way, to get the story in a way only few photogs know how.

[KC 71]

Fairplay to the man

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[kamahele]

It takes some big balls and maybe a little bit of crazy to brave the type of situations he does. Glad he wasn't seriously wounded and will continue to keep the rest of us looking from afar (is Nothaburi afar?) informed

[zydeco]

Mr. Nachtwey has been a contract photographer for Time Magazine since 1984, done work for the Magnum Photos cooperative and was a founding member of the VII photo agency.

He has documented wars, famine and genocide in places such as Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, Afghanistan and Chechnya. Among the honors he has received for his work are the Robert Capa Gold Medal, which he won five times. He is also a two-time recipient of the World Press Photo Award and was the subject of the 2001 Academy Award-nominated documentary War Photographer. In 2003 Nachtwey was injured during a grenade attack while on assignment in Baghdad.

More details here on the incident - Wall Street Journal

Sounds good, except for the Robert Capa medal. Capa was a left wing partisan who was eventually found to have faked combat photos during the Spanish Civil War. It's never very profitable when journalists and photographers carry an agenda, left or right, into their workplace. Not saying this guy was. Don't know anything about him, but I do know about Capa and distrust any award associated with his name.

[Halion]

This is ,at least to me the most outstanding thing that has happened. 65 years of are and takes a round straight through his leg and carries on and treats it like a minor incident. Many in this nation could learn from his courage and resolve.

[bigbamboo]

Are you watching, Herr von Nostitz?

Nostitz was there as well... does he need to get shot to prove himself or something?

What a strange comment.

I'm just saying this is a man he should aspire to be.... no dramatics just objective.

[Roota]

Sounds good, except for the Robert Capa medal. Capa was a left wing partisan who was eventually found to have faked combat photos during the Spanish Civil War. It's never very profitable when journalists and photographers carry an agenda, left or right, into their workplace. Not saying this guy was. Don't know anything about him, but I do know about Capa and distrust any award associated with his name.

Well let's just point out that Nachtwey is the most acclaimed photojournalist of our age, and that the Capa Medal, which was created by fellow pj's after Capa's death in action, is the most prestigious award in the profession. Not much reason to distrust either of those two.

As for Capa, as far as I know there is controversy over exactly one of his photos, i.e. the Falling Soldier, with a number of experts (including his main biographer) coming down on the side of its authenticity.

In any case, anyone who has worked with Jim Nachtwey can assure you that he is a man of the highest personal and professional integrity. This latest incident shows yet again his dedication to, as he would say, 'bearing witness'.

[zydeco]

Sounds good, except for the Robert Capa medal. Capa was a left wing partisan who was eventually found to have faked combat photos during the Spanish Civil War. It's never very profitable when journalists and photographers carry an agenda, left or right, into their workplace. Not saying this guy was. Don't know anything about him, but I do know about Capa and distrust any award associated with his name.

Well let's just point out that Nachtwey is the most acclaimed photojournalist of our age, and that the Capa Medal, which was created by fellow pj's after Capa's death in action, is the most prestigious award in the profession. Not much reason to distrust either of those two.

As for Capa, as far as I know there is controversy over exactly one of his photos, i.e. the Falling Soldier, with a number of experts (including his main biographer) coming down on the side of its authenticity.

In any case, anyone who has worked with Jim Nachtwey can assure you that he is a man of the highest personal and professional integrity. This latest incident shows yet again his dedication to, as he would say, 'bearing witness'.

Not just one of Capa's photos but the entire series of them have pretty much been proven to have been faked. (Google Capa Falling Soldier). The "official biographer" (aka "approved" biographer) stands pretty much alone except for the photographer's association that puts out the medal. Independent scholarship has been fairly conclusive. Capa faked photos, and he faked the most iconic photo of the Spanish Civil War, the Falling Soldier. Millions of readers and political policy were framed by this faked photo, which is why it is always wise to ask questions about what you are seeing here and today, in Bangkok. I'm not talking about Nachtwey, but there are a lot of photos out there of the past few days I'll bet we find were faked, photoshopped, or otherwise altered.

[Roychua]

A very dedicate professional and a fine example for all other profession.

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[surangw]

too bad much of his and others work does not make to the western media.

[tomyummer]

It sucks that he has to put his life on the line for such a stupid reason.

[londonthai]

but there are a lot of photos out there of the past few days I'll bet we find were faked, photoshopped, or otherwise altered.

so far, neither you nor anybody else came with any prove.

implying that james has any political agenda is to dishonour him and other photojournalists on bkk streets documenting the madness of protestors