Assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey

This is a greatly sad but nevertheless fabulous shot taken just after the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated by an assailant identified as Mevlut Mert Altintas:


The image has full IPTC metadata (both legacy and Core). The photo credit I show above is as dictated in the metadata. It originally appeared with the presentation of the shot online, but the published photo credit in the site where I saw it now reads only "AFP via Getty Images".

Best regards,

Doug

Yavuz Alatan is the photographer. I saw him explain the situation on TV. He had just photographed the ambassador, laughing at his camera. Two minutes later, the shooting took place. He dove under a table and from there he kept on shooting (photos). He was very emotional about what took place.

Hi, Cem,

Cem_Usakligil said:

Yavuz Alatan is the photographer. I saw him explain the situation on the TV. He had just photographed the ambassador, laughing at his camera. Two minutes later, the shooting took place. He dove under a table and from there he kept shooting (photos). He was very emotional about what took place.

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Thank you for that further background.

Today, one never know when one will become a "war correspondent".

Best regards,

Doug

Doug Kerr said:

Today, one never know when one will become a "war correspondent".

Best regards,

Doug

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Don't you mean to become a 'Weegee'?

Hi, Paul,

Paul Abbott said:

Don't you mean to become a 'Weegee'?

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Well, another apt metaphor!

Best regards,

Doug

Another stunning shot:


Best regards,

Doug

Nothing like having a good photographer on hand for a murder.

Doug Kerr said:

Another stunning shot:

Burhan Ozbilici/Associated Press​

Best regards,

Doug

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I heard he was taken out by police, alive but later reported as "neutralized"! Well he won't be telling anyone too much now!

It is sad for the murdered man's family but my reaction was, what do we expect? Ordinary folk to just celebrate art while folk they identify with are mercilessly wiped out.

His death is not justified but easy to understand.

Asher

https://www.dpreview.com/opinion/88...hy-the-world-needs-professional-photographers

The photographer:
“I was, of course, fearful and knew of the danger if the gunman turned toward me. But I advanced a little and photographed the man as he hectored his desperate, captive audience,” Ozbilici tells the LA newspaper. “I was thinking: ‘I’m here. Even if I get hit and injured, or killed, I’m a journalist. I have to do my work. I could run away without making any photos… But I wouldn’t have a proper answer if people later ask me: ‘Why didn’t you take pictures?'”

Obviously, there have been two photographers on the scene since we have pictures taken from two different locations in the room. From the captions, I gather that the photographers are Yavuz Alatan and Burhan Ozbilici. Yet dpreview reports as if there was only ONE professional photographer, courageously clicking away in front of a murderer.

Jerome, Cem and Doug,

Yes the shots are amazing, dramatic and timely. History and tragic consequence are recorded well.

The much admired "professionalism", however, might be overstated.

I do not think this so much to do with so called "Pro-status". It just happens to be a great scoop and very rare opportunity, the adrenaline of which can get any dedicated and experienced photographer to react to "opportunity" of a lifetime.

It's the years of taking advantages of countless momentary opportunities: hummingbirds, a couple embracing, a child jumping over a puddle or a road accident that prepares a photographer for this exceptional moment. Then, there's the adrenaline rush that kicks in and harnesses all that skill and then this is the "brave professionalism" that folk fawn as wonderous!

Have you ever seen a surgeon tackling a victim of multiple stab wounds. Now that is professionalism!

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Have you ever seen a surgeon tackling a victim of multiple stab wounds.

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Actually, no. I do not seem to have many friends, relatives or neighbours that were stabbed multiple times recently. Or suffered multiple gun wounds. In fact, I prefer it that way.

Or was that a rhetorical question?

Jerome Marot said:

Actually, no. I do not seem to have many friends, relatives or neighbours that were stabbed multiple times recently. Or suffered multiple gun wounds. In fact, I prefer it that way.

Or was that a rhetorical question?

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Yes, Herome, it was rhetorical. This is what I have seen. Incredible discipline and cool nerves and skill no matter the pressure and impossible odds. I have seen people brought back from what we all thought was certain disaster by absolutely perfect sequences of difficult choices by a skilled surgeon. That is my standard for professionalism.

So, I have problems with folk going gaga over the ordinary, but obviously good, photographer who happened, by fate, to be witness a horrible murder. No special skills here, although being a high profile assassination, the images are extraordinary.

Hi. Jerome,

Jerome Marot said:

Obviously, there have been two photographers on the scene since we have pictures taken from two different locations in the room.

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I think I have seen photographs credited to at least three different photographers, but I didn't take notes as I was browsing so I'm not sure of that.

From the captions, I gather that the photographers are Yavuz Alatan and Burhan Ozbilici. Yet dpreview reports as if there was only ONE professional photographer, courageously clicking away in front of a murderer.

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As, yes, dpreview.

Best regards,

Doug

Doug Kerr said:

As, yes, dpreview.

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So you've noticed, haven't you?

Hi, Jerome,

Jerome Marot said:

So you've noticed, haven't you?

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Umm, yes.

In fact, many years ago I was active on their forums, but my psychiatrist (Carla) made me give it up.

Best regards,

Doug

Doug Kerr said:

Another stunning shot:

Burhan Ozbilici/Associated Press​

Best regards,

Doug

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"Stunning shot"

Very loaded comment!

The fellow is stunning

His actions are stunning

.....also so tragic!

He is so right and so very wrong!

Asher