Birmingham News photographer Jeff Roberts was in the path of one of the tornadoes that blew through Alabama on Wednesday, April 27.
In this video, he describes what he saw and how he decided to pick up a camera and start shooting instead of “becoming part of the story.” (Columnist John Archibald describes the family’s situation here, and more about Roberts’ photo and its quick fame here.)
Seconds after facing his own near-death experience, Roberts did ethics in journalism.
The result was this iconic photo – and something for media ethicists to discuss on the topics of:
* Becoming a part of the news: When should journalists put down their cameras (or pens, or laptops) and assist in a situation?
* Privacy: When are there “private moments” that photographers should avoid?
(Note: Author Chris Roberts is not related to photographer Jeff Roberts, but they worked together in the 1990s at The Birmingham News.)