NEW ORLEANS, LA (September 7, 2005) – The National Press Photographers Association opposes any attempt whatsoever to prohibit or restrict photography and videotaping of any events, including the recovery of bodies, following Hurricane Katrina.
Photography, both still and video, is an essential form of speech and a fundamental part of the Constitutional right to freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
“It is entirely inappropriate for a federal agency to make demands on what journalists can and cannot shoot and publish,” NPPA president Alicia Wagner Calzada said today from the scene of the hurricane’s aftermath in New Orleans. Calzada is a staff photojournalist for Rumbo in San Antonio, TX, and is on assignment covering Katrina’s aftermath, which now includes the effort to recover bodies from homes, buildings, and outdoor areas as flood waters are pumped out of the damaged region.
“While events surrounding this disaster are emotionally charged it is important to remember that government agencies should not be allowed to decide what images or stories are important to the public. As we begin to look at the events that transpired after Katrina, stories and images from the area will play an important role.
“We are sensitive to the grief and the loss connected to Hurricane Katrina and are attempting to deal with these images in a way that preserves the dignity of those who have died, but we also believe that these images are a critical tool in telling the story of this terrible tragedy and a part of honoring those that have died is telling their story.”
Calzada said that images from the storm and its aftermath will be used later to describe what happened, and to help with decisions that will affect efforts not only now but also for future disasters. “Attempting to dictate what images should or should not be made, or published, gives the impression of a federal agency that is more worried about its image and how they will be perceived than it does an agency focused on dealing with the problem at hand.”
The National Press Photographers Association (www.nppa.org) is the professional society of photojournalists. Established in 1946 and based in Durham, NC, NPPA is also the publisher of the monthly magazine News Photographer.
For more information please contact NPPA executive director Greg Garneau at +1.919.383.7246 ext. 10 or via eMail at director@nppa.org.
