Photog attends funeral of infant killed at zoo: Is it the right call?

I honestly don't know. I'm making a generalization of why he didn't need to be in the church. And as I said, i don't think he was. But like I also said, even if a totally irrational person who did attend the funeral came after the photographer, he then becomes a distraction. It wouldn't be his fault, but a distraction nonetheless.

 

Can't agree with you there. If you're going to tell the story and the family is OK with your presence, you absolutely go to the church.

As I said, if the family isn't OK with it, I wouldn't do it. If they're OK, the only way to tell the story well is to be there.

 

And we don't know in this case if the family was OK with it. He never mentioned it . . . or I missed it. Look, I'm not saying the situation I described is fair. But, in the grand scheme of things . . . if there is a commotion because some guy tries to grab the photogs camera because he doesn't think he is there, and it becomes one more thing the mourning family has to deal with, it isn't necessary. Stay outside, away from everything, and get the photo.

 

What really was the genesis of the photographer writing this explainer? I can't find any evidence of a swelling controversy around this, and it seems like the funeral was a fairly public event. Reporters covered it as a news story; the priest even gave them a text of his homily.

 

It is a damned if you do damned if you dont situation. This was a story that was told not only in Pittsburgh but around the country. The photographer took a good photo and didn't seem to be intruding. If I were the publisher at the Pittsburgh paper I would run it with no problem.

 

I was wondering that myself. Whether it was his intention or not, to me it came off as him becoming part of the story.

 

Was this child and family public figures, or have they tried to make themselves public figures since this death?

If no, then I think staying away might be the best answer.

 

I've covered funerals. Be respectful, be invisible, do not approach anyone for a potential interview unless you've specifically discussed doing an interview beforehand. If it's a public event, you have a right to be there. At the same time, I think you have an obligation not to make a terribly difficult day harder for those mourning a loss.

 

I agree. I remember once covering a triple funeral. Three kids died while drowning. One kid jumped in, couldn't swim, the other friend jumped in, he couldn't swim, and the third kid jumped who wasn't a great swimmer. One of the toughest assignments I've ever had and once I was finished, my editor had another assignment for me. I told him, 'I'm done for the day.' He didn't push the issue, which was good for both of us. I needed several drinks to calm down.
Covering a funeral is a tough assignment and depending upon the cause of death, almost unbearable.

 

That is a horrible, horrible story.

I, too, am curious why he posted his explanation. But I can't imagine that kind of event.

 

This. The only funeral I covered I spoke with a family rep beforehand and made myself as small as possible. I sttod in the back of the church, turned on my recorder, took notes and did not even come close to approaching the family. It was a statewide story (the fifth carbon monoxide-related death in six weeks) and I had enough to write the story. It was the toughest story of my career.

 

It looks like this was part of a "behind the scenes" blog for the staff photographers. Just a photo and some thoughts on it. So in that context, I don't think anyone had to spur him to write it.

A lot of good points here. My thoughts:

-- The "we feel your pain, too" line is an empty platitude we use too often.

-- A funeral of an nonpublic figure is never really a must-cover event, but it can be an opportunity to add perspective to such a tragic and odd event. (And yes, it's odd. If this toddler had died of cancer or a birth defect, it wouldn't be in the news.) Spot news coverage has to be bang-bang facts facts facts. Painted dogs maul toddler to death at zoo. Kid fell from wooden railing. Quote from police. Quote from zookeeper. Define painted dogs. Done. That story needs a follow-up, and the funeral is a chance to put out a clear-headed, thoughtful recapturing of what occurred and how.

A good follow-up with the funeral as a news hook can also add value through humanizing the people involved. That's not to say the newspaper needs to pretend they know Elizabeth Derkosh or has to portray her in any particular light (or at all), but to most readers, she's just The Woman Who Let Her Son Fall Into A Zoo Pit. Here, she looks like someone you might know, or someone you could one day be.