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Kevin Carter - Pulitzer Prize Winner

Sunday, February 7, 2010 6:00:19 AM

,


Most everyone with an internet connection has probably seen the picture. Maybe a lot of you have heard the story, I had not. Just in case you are one of the people like me that had not heard the back story, let me enlighten you.

In March 1993 Kevin Carter made a trip to southern Sudan and took this photograph. The picture would later bring him the Pulitzer prize. The girl had stopped to rest while struggling to reach the food drop (we were told a refugee camp), nearby a vulture is waiting her to die. It is a horrific picture that gave people a true look at the dire condition in Sub-Saharan Africa. Kevin then came under a lot of scrutiny for spending over 20 minutes setting up the photo instead of helping the child.

"I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings & corpses & anger & pain... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen... The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist."



Three months after taking the photo, he committed suicide.

Kevin had hitched a ride on a plane that was going in for a food drop. When the plane landed, Kevin jumped out and set up his camera. He was told they would be there for only thirty minutes.
The child looks alone but her mother is behind Kevin at the plane getting some food. There were other mothers and children around. The vulture landed and Kevin waited and watched over the child hoping the buzzard would spread it's wings for the shot. It didn't and time ran out. Kevin shewed the bird away and jumped back on the plane to take off. He never did learn the fate of the child or any of the others for that matter. I'm glad it wasn't what I thought when I first the picture. "Couldn't the camera guy help her?"

Kevin was part of a group of four fearless photojournalists known as the "Bang Bang Club" who traveled throughout South Africa capturing the atrocities committed during apartheid.
One of Kevin's friends in the club was killed by a stray bullet in pursuit of their calling and this contributed to Kevin's depression.

Kevin drove to one of his boyhood favored places and piped his exhaust into the cab of his truck. He could not live in a world that he had so closely witnessed.

For more, please Google Kevin Carter. It is an interesting read.

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Comments

Dacotah Sunday, February 7, 2010 10:03:16 AM

sad

Loiscakkleberrylane Sunday, February 7, 2010 1:42:37 PM

Very sad to see the end of a life anywhere, whether it be suicide of a very talented man or the starvation an innocent child.

"Couldn't the camera guy help her?" Well, he did help and in a much bigger way than if he had not taken the shot. He's let the world know, and very graphically, that there is a need out there. My first thought after reading this post was, how can I get in touch with the people making the food drop. Maybe I can send money or something.

We all hear the adverts on TV for Save the Children, etc., but this photo has more impact than all those commercials put together.

Rickcwbywz Sunday, February 7, 2010 5:10:15 PM

The way I understand it, there is food but the government takes it and stores it.
In places there, it is like the country is made up of lots of gangs (tribes) that usually fight between each other.
Some of the people go to America and get educated. They acquire guns and come back to lead attacks on other villages. That tribe rises to run the country. They kill all the other tribes.
Or like in South Africa, after centuries, the natives decided to take back their land from the white settlers. Raiding ranches and killing anyone there.
Populations are made slaves to work gold and diamond mines.
It is a harsh country. Not at all like Edgar Rice Boroughs pictured it.

H82typ Monday, February 8, 2010 2:10:50 AM

Very sad. rip Kevin.

studio41 Tuesday, February 9, 2010 8:05:38 AM

how tragic- all of it.

Unregistered user Friday, February 26, 2010 12:19:43 PM

welcome to the real world people writes: ....coz this world is not made pleasure...we are here to learn

Rickcwbywz Sunday, February 28, 2010 4:30:19 PM

And what have we learned?

H82typ Sunday, February 28, 2010 6:11:07 PM

Don't take controversial pictures. whistle

Unregistered user Wednesday, March 24, 2010 2:31:15 AM

Anonymous writes: It s the pain of humanity, the lose of life, innocents, and the pain of living with what we have become! We are all challenged every day, some small events, some horrific life changing events (pictures). The answer is what we all seek. If the answer is not seen, witnessed, or experienced………….then the end is closer to all of us. I’m sure a great philosopher would find the right words. I can only leave you with more questions, as I seek answers myself… …….

Unregistered user Saturday, April 3, 2010 4:49:56 PM

sikander writes: I have see al this 1st time in m life its make me tense n sad n its great word done photogh

Unregistered user Tuesday, April 13, 2010 9:02:37 AM

Anonymous writes: great job but sad ending ..... even if he help her just he can lift her and drop in the safer place ... that even her mom can do but the photo shown what life Sudan people living .... great really great .....

Unregistered user Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:38:22 PM

silva writes: fico com o coraçao na mao tenho na mente que samos tao egoista ao ponto de nao se emportar com o mundo que estar ai fora,tenho 2 filhos e tento nao pensar como seria a vida deles se nos tivese nascido na africa,mundo ta na hora de abrirmos os olhos e cuidar de nossos irmaos,que deus lhe de força para continuar vivendo

Unregistered user Monday, April 26, 2010 9:23:13 PM

Gerry writes: Incroyable. Cacun d'entee nous avons une responsabilité pour cette situstion

Unregistered user Thursday, May 6, 2010 4:29:25 PM

Anonymous writes: That last image there with the guy on fire was NOT taken by Kevin Carter. It was taken by Greg Marinovich (1990) in Soweto, South Africa for The Associated Press. Kevin Carter's image (1993) was with The New York Times... in Ayod, Sudan South Africa.

Rickcwbywz Thursday, May 6, 2010 10:40:17 PM

"Carter was the first to photograph a public execution by "necklacing" in South Africa in the mid-1980s."

Greg was a friend of Kevin and was one of the "Bang Bang Club".
This picture was accredited to Kevin when I researched. Though it is Greg's picture, it is very possible that both men were at the scene.
Greg was also a Pulitzer prize winner.

Unregistered user Wednesday, May 12, 2010 4:20:39 AM

Anonymous writes: i think it is fair enough to take the pictures that shock the world, as no one would ever want to see them, but to then not try and save another is disgusting.... i'm sorry for the family of Kevin Carter to have lost a family member, but i feel for the little child more!!!!

Rickcwbywz Thursday, May 13, 2010 10:04:28 PM

You don't understand!
Kevin rode in on a plane for a food drop. The child's mother was just feet away collecting food for her and the child.
Kevin was told that he only had 20 mins. Before he got back on the plane, he did chase off the vulture. There was nothing he could do to help.
This is why he took his own life. he just couldn't live with the things he has seen.

Unregistered user Thursday, May 20, 2010 6:40:36 PM

Gooner writes: this photo is now doing the rounds on social networking site and again im seeing comments about why didnt he help her. why should he if people are there to help let them, the child was in no real harm that could be helped. yes ok theres a vulture and the little one is malnourished. food was being handed out behind them and the mother was getting food. for all those that are say why didnt he help her answer me this; Beggar in the street its freezing cold, do you give them a jacket or even money for a coffee or do you walk right on by ? people there is no difference between the two. Kevin's life if you read and look at some of the photos he had taken shows that by the end his mind was a mess. couple that with depression from the death of a close friend while out in the sudan and its no wonder he wanted to end it. too many people live in a fantasy world where everything is everyone elses fault and not theres, going back to the question i asked. that beggar dies because of the cold is it your fault that hes dead ? you didnt help him so dont try and criticise others. if you stop looking at the world throuh rose tinted glasses you may see that everyone is going to die, unfortunately some are taken earlier than we wish just my 2p

Unregistered user Thursday, May 20, 2010 8:13:31 PM

Anonymous writes: Excuse me, Rick, but you speak of the natives taking back their land and executing white farmers, etc, in South Africa... I believe the country that you are actually referring to is Zimbabwe. You should get your facts straight before posting such damning information on the Internet.

Unregistered user Thursday, May 20, 2010 9:06:53 PM

Anonymous writes: Well said Gooner xx

Rickcwbywz Thursday, May 20, 2010 10:23:06 PM

Yes, you are right. What I should have said was "southern Africa". The area, not the country.
Sorry. Please don't let the internet damn me smile
They just set people on fire in South Africa.

Unregistered user Friday, May 21, 2010 1:07:55 AM

Anonymous writes: Thank you, Rick for setting us straight. I just saw some application on facebook asking for people to join their page to see this photo, but with no prior explanation of what actually was happening while this photo was being taken. It truly does make a difference that Mr. Carter was helpless and actually looking out for this child while the mother went to get food. I am so sorry for Mr. Carter's family and the pain that he had suffered during his career. Truly sad and he is remembered for the good of opening our eyes to the tragedies that are happening around us. It is a good reminder to us all that we here in North America are truly blessed and need to be kinder to our fellow man.

Unregistered user Saturday, May 22, 2010 12:50:59 AM

Anonymous writes: Sorry Gooner I don't agree with you. There is a massive difference to a beggar in the street and that poor child. Hardly anyone helps a beggar in te street because you can never tell if they are real beggars, its proved that a lot of beggars/homeless have more money than us working people and some have better accomodation and in many countries there shouldnt be all that because of government help. You can clearly see that child is in desperate need for help instead of kevin standing waiting to see if the vulture spread its wings he could have took the photo and went and moved the child to the refugee camp that was situated a few meters away, regardless of the fact the mother was only a few feet away, if i seen a child needing help id help straight away. Of course he wouldnt learn the fate of the child but i dont think you have to be a brain surgeon to see that it is more than likely the poor soul died. i agree that it should be published around the world to show what is going on and i dont believe kevin was a bad person at all but i do believe he could have done more an not just came across like he was using it as a massive photo opportunity and exploiting that child, if he hadnt took over 20 mins to set up the equipment/shot then he could of helped that child if for nothing else but humanity and conscience reasons!!

Rickcwbywz Sunday, May 23, 2010 3:15:31 AM

Originally posted by anonymous:

if i seen a child needing help id help straight away


This is true of many of us... the ones of us that make a living by a more civil means. Most of us have that luxury.
Judging from the traffic generated by this post, I would say Keven did more for the people as a whole by taking the shot instead of picking up the little girl of some stranger and trying to make the mother hold the child rather than grapple for food.
It is also obvious that in doing his job it bothered him a lot more than it has bothered others.
It is nice to know that he has stirred so much passion, even in death.

H82typ Sunday, May 23, 2010 7:00:17 AM

True enough, Rick. But, I just can't help thinking what more good he could have done if he didn't suicide. sad

Not a photographer,myself, but I've read that sometimes you don't even know you've shot something really good til you look at the proofs in high pressure situations. The camera is on "rock 'n' roll", as it were, 1 frame every 2 seconds - that's 30 frames in one minute.
Remember that pic of the Vietnamese guy getting his brains blown out? I doubt the photog had the chance to say,"Wait! The lightings not right!" The guy had his finger on the trigger and the camera was snapping where he pointed.

Rickcwbywz Sunday, May 23, 2010 2:30:12 PM

Originally posted by H82typ:

Remember that pic of the Vietnamese guy getting his brains blown out?


Eddie Adams... yes, another photo that rocked the world and yet another misunderstood photo.

Adams portrayed Loan, the shooter, as a hero. The guerrilla captain, being executed, had just killed many of Loan's men. It was an act of passion, not cold blooded murder.
And it was an act that turned many against the war.
After the war, Loan immigrated to the US where he opened a store in Virginia. He was well thought of in his community. He died of cancer.

H82typ Sunday, May 23, 2010 3:35:45 PM

Not being all that familiar with the story, I'd say it wasn't Adams that portrayed Loan as anything. Life, or Look, took that photo and ran it on the cover and... The rest, as they say, is history.

rip @ Mr. loan.

Unregistered user Sunday, May 23, 2010 9:02:33 PM

Stacey Hagerty writes: Often I wondered why he would take his own life but having seeing the images its obvious, how sad it is....

Unregistered user Sunday, May 23, 2010 11:51:12 PM

janine writes: have stumbled upon this by chance and dont know anything other than what you are all typing here but have to say, yes there are people out there who maybe dont need to beg for money but who are we to decide who is who, how do we know that one person we decide is possibly faking it for money isnt actually one of the many that dies in the cold alone on the streets...we all make a judgements whether right or wrong but thats just what we do...without pictures like that we would never have this discussion and i for one, like many others would be non the wiser. thankyou x

Unregistered user Saturday, June 5, 2010 12:35:03 AM

B writes: I've been reading these posts with interest and with a feeling of renewed respect for my fellow human beings. The loss of Kevin Carter and his co 'Bang Bang Club' friend was tragic. The photos they took are still raising heated discussion across the world - what a legacy. I can't imagine what they saw when they closed thier eyes at night, pretty much everyone who is here will never (thankfully) have that experience 1st hand but are now knowledgeable of these atrocities because of the life threatening risks they took to show the world. Respect for these guys please and learn from what they died to show us.

Unregistered user Saturday, June 5, 2010 10:03:34 PM

akis writes: i feal very sad wen i see those photos!i wiss to all people ther in africa,have good luck,and gad help them!im cook meny years in finland,and i wiss one day i gow to africa,in sudan or sowear else small viletze to give food to the people,and i dont cear if i must to give all day and knight,only i wand to helpthem,becouse they realy NEED HELP!!

Unregistered user Friday, June 11, 2010 9:24:04 AM

George Sideris writes: We, all white and fat asses will pay for it one day. And it is not our body to pay, but our souls will do for sure.

Unregistered user Sunday, July 4, 2010 12:21:26 PM

ragav writes: some say he jus left d child there is a good part according to human basis .

Unregistered user Monday, July 5, 2010 5:29:17 AM

Zirah writes: A man so talented took his life for the pains he has witnessed others go through, It is unfortunate that no one could say what happened to the child. It is telling the world leaders that they are not doing anything. The pain and human suffering continues amidst the abundance the world has.Africa has no leaders and the good if a man is yet to visit the continent. I'm African.

Unregistered user Sunday, August 1, 2010 12:06:38 AM

Alex C. writes: I just saw this picture and I keep crying. I felt like throwing up because this is so sad. I've seen plenty of starving children but this one just twists my stomach. I cannot forget this picture. I cannot stop crying over this picture. I cannot stop crying over the man who took this picture, who committed suicide. I will never forget. I just can't.

Unregistered user Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:42:47 AM

Anonymous writes: that was acutlly a sudanese child if you read u on it. this article was mostly fictional. please google kevin carter if you would like to know the real story

Rickcwbywz Thursday, September 16, 2010 3:36:11 PM

"made a trip to southern Sudan and took this photograph."
Yep, you could say Sudanese.


"For more, please Google Kevin Carter. It is an interesting read."
No, this article isn't "mostly fictional" other wise I would have said "This is mostly fictional, read the real story on Google".

Did you even READ the article?

Unregistered user Tuesday, October 5, 2010 1:59:16 AM

Anonymous writes: I'm sorry but let me get this straight. A photographer went to Sudan to take a picture of a helpless life without helping the toddler in anyway; oh yeah he scared the vulture, many thanks. He comes back, wins an award and takes his own life, sounds pretty selfish to me. Sorry this may sound harsh but I have no sympathy for people who commit suicide why couldn't he go back to African countries and actually help out other helpless children; waste of a life, simple; it hurts to see people actually witnessing such things yet not helping in any sort of way. I hope one day I can say I have had any sort of impact on such helpless lives.

Rickcwbywz Wednesday, October 6, 2010 7:01:46 PM

You have seen the pictures. You have no excuse. Why don't you go?

I don't judge the people who decide to do nothing either.

Unregistered user Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:11:53 AM

strange writes: i beleive that crater should have done something to hep the girland given her some food

Unregistered user Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:13:13 AM

strange writes: anoymous is right

Unregistered user Wednesday, October 20, 2010 4:06:40 AM

Anonymous writes: Sad world, unfair too, who is setting these up (god?) why we,re here? what is the point if we all going to die one day or night ,if we lucky or unlucky to make it all the way to 80 years old , what would be wating for us after that point, is really haven exist? These are the ?????? with no one can answer but , still it,s painfull to see some sad pictures like kevin took. I would take my life too if I see somthing like that and keep filming........

Rickcwbywz Thursday, October 21, 2010 7:15:38 PM

@Strange - You miss the point. The photographer was on a flight into the village to do just that... bring them food! The girls mother was just out of sight of the picture getting the food. The whole village was just behind the photographer. It is his job as an artist to make the picture as emotional as he can. He is conveying a message about the conditions there.

Unregistered user Wednesday, October 27, 2010 7:05:23 PM

Phly writes: Thanks Rick,the article states clearly that the mother was ryt behind Kevin.U can't blame Kevin when our government are more interested in changing street names,developing transport routes,all these costs millions. Then we come complaining on how cruel photographers are. Kevin of all people did his job to the extreme, his job was to convey a message to leaders. Who in turn responsibility for service delivery. Thank you Kevin I think you done your purpose in life. R.I.P.

Unregistered user Wednesday, October 27, 2010 8:01:30 PM

Nyam's writes: 1st "he comes back, wins an award and takes his life, sounds pretty selfish to me" guys lets be real this is not smething that happened two years ago, its not like Kevin went down there to do the well extrems that he did because he knew that there were fruits to jolly about afterwards, the guy did his job to more personal extent and still rendered what we quarrel about today..good work Mr. Carter 2nd " I believe that crater should have done something to help the girl and given her some food" wait a sec did someone even notice this, do not tell me that you actually got to this conclusion when you read the article but that's if you even read the story...how many times does "the mother was behind Carter in a plane to collect food" has to be posted really?...He helped pretty much at a very short interval and still left behind something you can talk about...Again Kevin Carter that was your legacy and to me and the most you are still a legend God bless you and R.I.P YOU ARE THE MAN

Unregistered user Thursday, October 28, 2010 11:44:27 PM

we are lost writes: I will die 4 a better world

H82typ Friday, October 29, 2010 4:10:09 PM

Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, already.

wait

Unregistered user Wednesday, November 3, 2010 11:48:30 AM

bttmstr writes: it is all sad by all means, but non changes the fact that people who have little means of economic survival are the ones reproducing the most among the world's population. so who is really to blame? do you just endlessly feed and feed and send more food when the situation never improves because of the constant polulation increase? this is just a natural way of population control.

anthonzi Monday, November 8, 2010 12:52:34 PM

Hey Rick,

"The child looks alone but her mother is behind Kevin at the plane getting some food. There were other mothers and children around."

Do you think you could provide references for this? There are so many rumors going around about this photograph and not enough facts. If this is indeed true, there really have been some very insidious half-truths put out there, even by the mainstream media! It would help immensely if there were some verification on this.

Thanks

Loiscakkleberrylane Monday, November 8, 2010 11:56:36 PM

So many different thoughts here! I still think that he did everything he could to help - he took a shot that has made us all start talking and thinking and has made us all aware of a situation. This was his talent and he used it in the best way he could and by the looks of the comments here, in a really emphatic way. What could he have done that would have helped more? Maybe the child did die, but how many more have been saved from people whose hearts have gone out in response to this photo? To those that feel that Kevin should have done more to help this child - may I ask them - what did THEY do to help? After seeing this horrific situation, did they do something to help alleviate it?

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