Thomas Hoepker Controversial Photograph
Photographers, have to make some tough decisions in their career. Right before they click the button that freezes time for eternity, thousands of thoughts are running through their minds. Do they take the shot or lose an opportunity and how many people will be affected by this photo. A photographer thinks about every opinion a person could have about the photograph before it is even taken. On one of the most important days in history, one of the most iconic photos was taken of 9/11 by Thomas Hoepker.
In Thomas's Hopeker photograph above it shows New Yorkers relaxing in the sun as the cloud of smoke rises from the twin towers. Hopeker didn't publish this photo until 2006 because of it's possible opinions. He states " I felt, was ambiguous and confusing: Publishing it might distort the reality as we had felt it on that historic day"(Hopeker2006). I believe Hopeker was right about this, people were not ready for the possible metaphor of this photo. Its a disturbing idea that these people could just being sitting in the sun with what looks like no care about what is going on behind them. There were many thoughts about this photo one thought being by Frank Rich, from New York Times wrote "He saw in this undeniably troubling picture an allegory of America's failure to learn any deep lessons from that tragic day, to change or reform as a nation: "The young people in Mr Hoepker's photo aren't necessarily callous. They're just American.""(Jones2011). There was also another thought about how a photograph doesn't show what they say, the people could be talking about 9/11. When Rich says "they are just Americans," I think it is true. America is the place to be and a place some strive to get to because of its endless possibilities. I believe America has a stigma around it that makes it where nothing bad happens, America is the place of moving on. When something bad happens we rush to fix it creating a imaginary perfect world. This photo has sadly become one of the most iconic photos from 9/11 surpassing some of the more horrific photographs. I think this is because nobody wants to forget what happened that day but they want to remember it in a nicer way. People don't want to come to the realization of a situation, they just want to live and have it as a memory. As Jones says in his article "life does not stop dead because a battle or an act of terror is happening nearby"(Jones2011). Events become memories, the lives lost become memorials and the people that lived through the event become quite about it. The people in this photograph just represent the culture of Americans, we experience something then change the subject to something lighter.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/02/911-photo-thomas-hoepker-meaning
https://wevelostcontrol.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/thomas-hoepker-9-11.jpg
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2006/09/i_took_that_911_photo.html
This is a really good point! Every time I hear stories of other's opinions of that day, all I hear is how everyone was crying and screaming and that it was one of the worst days in American history. While that statement still reigns true, I never thought about the fact that some people that weren't right next to the scene may have been affected differently. To them, they may not have wanted to know what was happening because of the tragedy behind it. It looks to me like they were just trying to enjoy the nice sunny day by, like you said, "changing the subject to something lighter." I don't think this picture even just represents the culture of American's. I think anyone around the world might want to repress something terrible happening by changing the subject or trying to ignore it. Although it was one of the most tragic days in American history, this picture does prove a good point, that nice things can still happen, even during bad times.
ReplyDeleteThe photograph represents a time in America where people felt the need to be censored about 9/11.People seemed to be very careful about what they said because controversy came along with the topic. What this photo does though is bring the discussion to the forefront to talk about controversial topics even when they may not be the most appropriate. The author does point out the stigma that America holds within itself. The stigma that America faces is that when a tragedy happens is that the country tries to quickly fix the tragedy and try to turn it into a lighter topic. Though with America having this stigmas the countries vitality is threatened. Others may begin to see that we don't grieve and mourn for as long as we need to. People may feel that America isn't taking as long to recover. What people need to remember is that tragedies that happen in America are never forgotten. This country continually will try to memorialize tragedies that happened in the present and past. The photograph allows people to discuss what America can do to change the stigma.
ReplyDeleteI agree that is was a good idea for Hopeker to wait a couple of years to release the photo because it shows a group people have a conversation while there is a huge amount of smoke rising from the city and it doesn't look like they seemed worried. you made a good point when you said events become memories, the lives lost become memorials and the people that lived through the event become quite about because it is something they wouldn't want to keep as a memory.
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