As a recent photography graduate, and an even more recent NYC resident, I felt drawn to get myself out there and photograph the memorial of such a tragic American event.
I arrived at ground zero and began trying to think of an angle. The challenge was finding something different to shoot that all the other hundreds of camera holders wouldn’t get. Thats when I realized, that there are hundreds of other camera holders. I thought back to my education and remembered that I was taught to shoot what I see. I decided to photograph the photographers, to document the documenters, if you will.
I think that its a beautiful thing to live in an age where human life is captured from anybody with a SLR to a point and shoot. It does make getting a new shot more challenging and it is a bit heart wrenching when I notice a lot of dials pointed to ‘A’ when I spent so long learning ‘M’. When it comes to an event like 9/11 though, I do think it was overall a great thing everyone was taking all these shots of their own, because everyone has a story of their own from that day 9 years ago. Everyone has a reason why they were drawn to this event.
I was overall surprised with the reactions I got from people as I went up to them and asked them simply if I could take their photograph. A lot of people said no, but plenty said yes. It was a lot of no’s from those with the point and shoots and basic SLR’s, what surprised me was the yes’s from professionals. I felt this give-and-take feeling professionals put off, like they realized they constantly took others photographs, it was fair to let someone take theirs. I think this was a great lesson.
I enjoyed my experience. A few of the folks I met I ended up having really great conversations with after I took my shot. We talked about everything from the masses of cameras, to 9/11/01 and what we were doing that morning, to our views on the new islamic community center, to our opinions on the conspiracy theories involving the attack.
This was a terrible event in American history, it was great to see that so many people made the effort to come record and embrace the memorial.
Thank you to all the 40 photographers who allowed me to point a camera at them Saturday morning.
Here are a few of the folks I recorded…
Alex Rodriguez
Freelance Photographer
Officer-who requested to stay anonymous
Hobbyist Photographer
Yoko Ando
“just-for-fun” photographer
Migul
Hobbyist Photographer
Carl Glassman
Editor and Co-publisher of the Tribeca Trib
Jason Florio
Professional Photographer
www.floriophoto.com
Bernadette Difuntoruim
Beginning Hobbyist Photographer
Alexandria BenOthman
Documentary Photographer
Annaelle Margerotte
Amateur Photographer
Eric Ford-holevinski
“Aspiring-Advanced Amateur” Photographer
www.EricFordH.com
Sheila Phalon
Professional Photographer
