RE: devil photo controversy/I am photographer

RE: devil photo controversy/I am photographer

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-09-18

Mark,<br><br>I'll post your message and URL to the NPPA list tonight. I looked on Poynter but couldn't find the story. Guess I didn't look hard enough. At least they are inlcuding your input.<br><br>So. Not that you want it, but have the supermarket tabloids contacted you yet?<br><br>Sean<br><br><------><br>Sean D. Elliot<br>The Day<br>s.elliot@theday.com<br><------><br>Director<br>National Press Photographers Association Region One<br><------><br><br>>----------<br>>From: Mark D. Phillips<br>>Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2001 2:25 PM To: Elliot, Sean<br>>Subject: RE: devil photo controversy/I am photographer <br><br>>Sean,<br><br>>Thanks for responding to me. I would appreciate anything that you can do. Post it on the discussion list. I am amazed at the need to defend my reputation at a time like this. Send them to my site so they can read my side of this.<br><br>>Thanks so much,<br><br>>Mark<br><br>>BYTW: It is still on Poynter, but they posted my response on Robenesko and are procucing a follow up.<br><br><br><br>>>Mark,<br><br>>>I hope in the time it's taken me to respond you've found some <br>>satisfaction.<br>>>I certainly think someone should have talked to you in the process of discussing your photo, the image in the smoke and any question of manipulation. It is a pretty poor example of journalism to have done otherwise.<br><br>>>That said, I notice the story and photo are no longer on the Poynter web site. I'm not sure this qualifies as a suitable solution. I doubt I'll be any help getting to talk to Vin Alabiso. I would be glad to post a letter from you to the NPPA's discussion list. That would at least get your <br>>voice<br>>>heard by a couple thousand photojournalists. <br><br>>>I'm open to any other ideas you might have. <br><br>>>Sean<br><br>>><------><br>>>Sean D. Elliot<br>>>The Day<br>>>s.elliot@theday.com<br>>><------><br>>>Director<br>>>National Press Photographers Association Region One<br>>><------><br><br>>>>----------<br>>>>From: Mark D. Phillips<br>>>>Sent: Monday, September 17, 2001 8:33 PM To: s.elliot@theday.com<br>>>>Cc: melsean@ctol.net<br>>>>Subject: devil photo controversy/I am photographer <br><br>>>>Sean,<br><br>>>>I have not been a member of the NPPA since 1994(?) but I feel I must contact you. I was a member of the organization for over 15 years. I <br>>shot<br>>>>the photograph of the World Trade Center burning that people are saying <br>>or<br>>>>implying was digitally manipulated to include the face of the devil. <br><br>>>>As the photographer at the forefront of a controversy, I find it <br>>amazing<br>>>>that NO ONE has bothered to talk to me about this image and give me the opportunity to defend my reputation. I would never "doctor" an image. <br>>The<br>>>>"face of the devil" occurred.<br><br>>>>I sold this image to the AP for one time use prior to knowing it <br>>contained<br>>>>anything beside the twin towers burning. I transmitted this photo only minutes after it was shot.<br><br>>>>As a photographer for three newspapers, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse, I am amazed that anyone could call my reputation into question. I was inundated with email through my company website, http://www.stellarimages.com, to the point where I had to put up an <br>>open<br>>>>letter bringing everyone back to the fact that it is a photograph, not <br>>a<br>>>>religious or moral statement. Everyone has to look at this photograph <br>>and<br>>>>decide on their own what it shows.<br><br>>>>Vin Alabiso still has not returned my calls. He is making statements <br>>when<br>>>>he never talked to me. I stand by my reputation of 25 years. I am no longer in the "news" business, starting an Internet company in 1994, <br>>but<br>>>>everyone I have worked with in the news industry knows the high <br>>standards<br>>>>I maintain.<br><br>>>>I invite you to read my open letter on http://www.stellarimages.com or http://www.markdphillips.com and would hope that you could contact me <br>>to<br>>>>discuss this. It has left a very bad taste in my mouth. <br><br>>>>Sincerely,<br>>>>Mark D. Phillips<br>>>>President, StellarImages<br>>>>718-858-8980 (work)<br>>>>718-522-1341 (home - here now)<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>

Tue, 18 Sep 2001 17:16:11 -0400

RE: devil photo controversy/I am photographer