Comments on: Reflections on a plane crash and a bus ride

By: MARK DAVEY

MARK DAVEY — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:53:15 +0000

Like you I always feel “at risk” in a traditional passenger plane. I get through this by thinking: “Hey the pilot wants to enjoy his life.” I have another friend who feels similarly his answer down fly unless it is a light aircraft and you know the pilot. I was 37 before I took a scheduled flight. I have photographed lots of car wrecks but never worried about driving motorcycles or cars as it is a control thing!

By: Skyler Reid

Skyler Reid — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:48:21 +0000

I’m interested in how you approach people who are recently grieving in order to photograph them. In my (limited) experience I’ve seen people respond very negatively to the idea of any kind of journalist around in a time of tragedy, especially a photographer. Yet looking at your pictures you’re obviously able to get quite close to these people. Any tips?

By: Peggy Johnson

Peggy Johnson — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:59:55 +0000

I have traveled a few of those mountain-perched roads. I have flown on some rickety third-world airplanes. When the engine of one Peruvian plane exploded on take-off while at a tremendously high mountain town, all I could think of was chugging the first of three or four straight-up scotch drinks. When the plane landed, a flight attendent ripped off his seat belt and fled into the limping machine’s bathroom. What rattles me perhaps the most is the thought that while I have a choice in such matters, electing what roads to travel and skies to fly, most native peoples do not. It is those for whom I feel the most frequent pangs of anxiety.

By: abby sivan

abby sivan — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:08:56 +0000

what a wonderful description of the difficult but important work you do. keep it up Rickey

By: joan r. rogers

joan r. rogers — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:13:00 +0000

although i am your mother, and looking as objectively as possible at this entry, i am extremely touched by your elequence and your humanity. i know that your job exposes you to all things and most people would pull back emotionally after all these years, but you still feel in the moment and that makes you a better photographer and person.

By: Dario Ayala

Dario Ayala — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:17:43 +0000

Rickey, you touched on something that I’ve been wondering for a while: working in a dangerous city.
What extra precautions would one take working an area known to have a lot of gang activity, muggings, and general violence? Especially carrying more than a Car’s worth of equipment in a couple of bags.
Maybe sometime in the future we’ll see something on the subject on this addictive blog.

-dario