We always talk about...back in the day. Back in the day we had more reporters and more pages. Back in the day we ran a lot of pictures and we ran pictures without question of accidents and fires(when I say without question--we did discuss the sensitive nature of running pictures sometimes). Now we run fewer pictures of accidents--the accident has to be substantial and have an impact on our readers. In other words---does the reporting of the accident aide or give a greater understanding of life in this community? This is an important question and a good discussion to have for all stories we publish. This accident I covered today was simple---there was a vehicle on its side that sounded a like it might have some visual interest--so I went out to shoot it...because I didn't have anything else really pressing to do. When I got there...there wasn't any urgency really--everyone appeared uninjured, they just needed to get them out. So I made some pictures and asked some questions about what was going on and got this frame that showed the bottom of the van and the driver being helped up an icy driveway to be checked out. So....do we publish? The roads were icy and there apparently was another accident a few hours earlier in virtually the same spot. So does that now make it newsworthy? Again...is there an impact on the community that this picture might affect? When I left tonight I didn't ask if this was going to be published, I suspected not and I am alright with that. I don't believe there was negligence on the drivers part or the streets department--it was an accident....stuff happens...nobody was hurt. Does make for a good topic of conversation for a photojournalism class though. Meadville Tribune photograph by Richard Sayer.
PS. The picture was published with the added news that charges were pending on the driver and a little more on tricky road conditions that caused more than one accident. The impact here is--during this time of year with warmth melting, but night still below freezing we must take more care travelling than usual.