The Dilemma of the Photographer: To Help or to Document?
As the photograph circulated globally, Fournier faced criticism from some quarters, with people questioning why he didn’t help Omayra out of the lahar. In response, he explained to the BBC that rescuing the girl was impossible, given the circumstances. “There was an outcry—debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture,” Fournier recalled. “But I felt the story was important for me to report, and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it.”
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