Nick Ut, Exactly 35 Years Later

When word broke a few minutes ago that Paris Hilton was headed back to jail, we were stunned. Not because Paris was back in custody, but because the Associated Press photo of her crying in the back of a police cruiser was taken by the one and only Nick Ut. Nick, of course, was the photographer who shot young Kim Phuc, the girl wounded during a napalm  attack near the village of Trang Bang, thus creating one of the iconic images of the Vietnam War.

Just to note how funny life (and careers) can be, get this: Nick made his famous war image on June 8, 1972. Who would have imagined that 35 years (to the day) later he'd be photographing an unhappy hotel heiress being shipped off to jail and getting front-page coverage for doing so?
—David Schoauer

Comments

[Hudson Gardner]

I think it's a perfect reflection on what the people in the USA care about. Then: world issues and wars, now: tabloids. Pretty metaphorical.

[Stan Banos]

From world changing, history making art/documentary to front page drivel.
The American Dream!

[D]

Does this mark the death of photojournalism?

[Altaf Qadri]

Photojournalism has taken a back seat for major newspapers around the globe. What we seeon the front pages are celebrities, sports icons etc.. leaving small room for real issues. May be thatz also the reason why nothing happened when US forces slapped an unoffical censorship on photography in Iraq. Who cares.

[Kurt]

What's even more interesting is the full image, which shows the reflection of someone (Ut?) in the car window taking a photo. Can be seen at the top of this news story:

http://tinyurl.com/389tyx

[David La Spina]

He works for the AP; it's his job to cover the 'news' in his region. From dog shows to war to Paris...it's all just pornography for the masses. We all looked!

[Michal Daniel]

Speaking of pornography, given today's paranoia about publishing images of naked children, not one chance in hell would the Vietnam image be published today, were it new.

[Keith Nolan]

Could this photograph become like its predecessor, an iconic image? This time for an angry public sickened by celebrity nonentities and its encouraged diversion from the important political issues of our times. It is the 21st century version of bread and circuses!

[Justaglasgowguy]

Re nudity, the Vietnam pic was nearly not shown for exactly that reason, the little girl, Kim Phuc, was naked. And is it not the owners of the press that control what we see, not the readers. Lots of us are looking elsewhere for our news, rejecting the garbage of the mainstream press. The interwebby thingy is good for that I hear.

[andrebonito]

Mr Ut works for The Associated Press a an american based but world wide newsagency and he has to report what is happening near the bureau where he is an employee, like anyone of us will you please that newspeople are not saints priests or missionaries? They are workers, just workers of an industry more seen than the others but an industry.

[sam]

Photojournalism has taken a back seat for major newspapers around the globe. What we see on the front pages are celebrities,sports icons etc.leaving small room for real issues.
sam

Utah Treatment Centers

[Aaditya]

appreciated

[RaiulBaztepo]

Hello! Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource! PS: Sorry for my bad english, I'v just started to learn this language ;) See you! Your, Raiul Baztepo

[PiterKokoniz]

Hi !!! ;) I am Piter Kokoniz. Just want to tell, that I like your blog very much! And want to ask you: will you continue to post in this blog in future? Sorry for my bad english:) Thank you! Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia