Eddie Adams: The Ethics of War Photography

Street Execution of a Prisoner, 1968 by Eddie Adams

Images like this one make for uncomfortable viewing, however they have a hugely important role in history. This shocking photograph was taken in 1968 by the photo-journalist Eddie Adams. It captures the exact moment a bullet enters the head of a suspected Vietcong guerilla called Nguyen Van Lam. The man holding the gun was Colonel Nguyun Ngoc Loan, chief of the South Vietnamese Police.

Technically, the image is an incredible demonstration of the skill of still photography as a document of honest reportage; the courage needed to go into dangerous situations and calmly take a good picture is something that requires a huge degree of detachment and self-discipline. However, pictures like this one undoubtedly raise questions about the ethical implications of media coverage in war. Was the man executed because the media was present? Surely it was important that there were independent witnesses there? According to Adams after the incident the Colonel exclaimed, 'They kill many of my men and your people,' and then walked away. The reaction to this photograph was so profound that it fueled anti-war sentiments in the US, exposing the brutality and casual violence of the Vietnam War.

Tom's Hands

I took this photograph in 2001 whilst working on the archaeological illustration of a huge assemblage of artefacts excavated in South County Dublin. After drawing this beautifully worked Neolithic flint arrowhead I asked one of the archeologists to hold it in his hands for me. Tom, was over 70 at the time and had worked hard all his life. I imagined that the the person who crafted this seemingly fragile stone weapon thousands of years ago, may have had similar hands. I love the juxtaposition of the delicate artefact, which is capable of inflicting fatal harm when used correctly, with Tom's large and weathered hands.