Axios interview: The 9/11 photographers who ran toward the danger
"This is history, this is history." That's what photojournalist Spencer Platt was thinking 25 years ago as he photographed the events unfolding on the morning of 9/11. Why it matters: Platt and fellow Getty photographer Mario Tama told Axios what it was like on the ground that day. Trained as photojournalists, their instinct was to move toward the danger to document history. Tama had just been…
Spencer Platt and Mario Tama, two seasoned photojournalists, recounted their experiences on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001, in an interview with Axios. Both were trained to get as close as possible to the action, but faced a dilemma when the sheer scale of the disaster struck.
Tama, who had just started working for Getty Images two months prior, and Tama found themselves in the midst of chaos, documenting the collapse of the South Tower. He recalled the horrifying sight of a plane hitting the tower and the subsequent pancaking of the building. Amidst the dust and darkness, he managed to capture a poignant image of the men he sought refuge with.
Platt, on the other hand, witnessed the impact of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower from his vantage point in Brooklyn. He rushed to the Brooklyn Bridge to capture the event as it unfolded, taking pictures as the North Tower burned in the background.
Reflecting on their experiences, Tama noted the cognitive dissonance of being both a photojournalist and a civilian witness. He emphasized that the training of photojournalists is crucial in verifying information and maintaining editorial standards in an era where images can be easily manipulated. Platt echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the impossibility of suppressing their personal identities while fulfilling their professional roles.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
