Feeling Like A Jerk
Former Alabama Governor Guy Hunt lies in the Mount Vernon Primitive Baptist Church near Holly Pond Tuesday during visitation. Hunt preached at the church during his life. Photo by Gary Cosby Jr. 2/03/09
Every now and then something happens to put you in a really bad situation not of your making. This happened to me yesterday. I was assigned to cover former Governor Guy Hunt’s visitation prior to his funeral today. The Governor passed away late last week and a visitation was held for him in one of the churches where he used to preach. Our reporter had been in touch with the funeral home that was handling the visitation and they told us there were no restrictions to media activity. You already begin to see what is about to happen?
I walked into the church and began shooting pictures as discreetly as possible. I shot about eight or nine frames over the course of about ten minutes and was approached by a man who was very polite and informed me the visitation was private. Now I am feeling like a total heel with nothing I can do but apologize. It turns out he is the Governor’s son which I didn’t know as we talked. He politely asked for my film and I had to explain that I was shooting digital. So he then asked me to delete the images in his presence. I had no choice but to comply. As I began deleting frames, he saw a couple that he said were okay so I left with a State Trooper who was also very polite and had served as Governor Hunt’s body guard during his time in office.
He took me down in the cemetery to where the grave stone was and I shot there. We had a very nice conversation and I asked him to please apologize to the family for the intrusion. It was then that I found I had been talking to Governor Hunt’s son. I was even more flummoxed than before. I explained that we were really misinformed by the funeral home and he assured me he would explain it all to the family. The situation was not one of my making but there I was anyway, right in the middle of it and feeling like a total jerk.
Normally, a governor’s funeral and associated activities are mostly open to the public. In this case, Governor Hunt was also a Primitive Baptist preacher and he and his family have deeply held religious beliefs. Apparently photographing the open casket during the visitation violated their beliefs which just made the situation worse. There was a public ceremony today prior to the burial which we did not cover. While everyone was extremely polite during a situation that could have been very tense, I still marvel that I could have been in the situation at all. I hated violating the family’s privacy but it seems to have turned out okay. 
The Governor’s son allowed me to keep a couple of images that did not show the open casket which let me have a photo to turn in for the paper to run. I am very grateful for his graciousness during what must have been a difficult time for he and his family. While I hate that I was in the situation at all, I am grateful for the outcome.
Photos copyright Gary Cosby Jr., The Decatur Daily. The opinions expressed in this blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
A similar situation happened to me at the service for the mayor of the city of Selma, CA. A family member approached me and asked me to stop shooting after my editor said that I was cleared to do so. I felt awful and although they did not ask me to delete any photos, I chose not to run any. I ended up getting a nice graveside shot. But i know how bad it feels when you feel like you are imposing on someone’s personal moment.
corey ralston
4 Feb 09 at 1:32 pm
Sorry to hear this but it happens I suppose. Of course you know that deleting is not permanent, but you would not use them.
What were you using to shoot, if I may ask? Wide lens at f/1.4 and ambient light? I assume under the circumstances (when you thought you were OK to shoot) you would not have wanted to use flash?
Michael
Michael Willems
4 Feb 09 at 3:36 pm
I don’t understand why you deleted the photos at their request. Apologize for intruding and then leave. Let your editors decide to publish the photos or not.
Bryan
Bryan
4 Feb 09 at 3:48 pm
Bryan, I wondered how soon it would be before someone asked this question. Under the circumstances I believed that the family had every right to request this since I was not supposed to have been permitted to shoot photos inside the church to begin with. We were the only media outlet who was not properly informed on the matter. Technically, I might have had the “right” to keep the photos and let the editors decide; however, I am the first editor and I felt the right thing to do was to delete the photos as requested. As it turned out, the gentleman allowed me to keep a photo that was very usable and both of our needs were fulfilled. Stepping on someone’s deeply held beliefs and intruding in a private ceremony are not things that I want to leave in the hands of an editor who may not care. There was also the upcoming “public” ceremony the next day so we were not losing a story or an opportunity to report on the funeral by my accommodating the family’s request. On the other hand, if I had insisted on keeping the images I could have caused considerable problems for other media who needed to cover the memorial service.
The lens used was a 24-70f2.8 on an EOS 5D body. ISO was around 1000. And yes, it was available light. I would never use a flash in a situation like that.
Gary Cosby Jr
4 Feb 09 at 4:14 pm
One reason I like the 1D series bodies, Gary, is that they have the “Silent” shutter mode that make the shutter click a bit less harsh.
Michael
Michael Willems
4 Feb 09 at 4:28 pm
Thanks for the insight to your thought process, Gary. Sounds like you made a good decision that worked well for all parties involved.
Bryan
4 Feb 09 at 6:29 pm
I know you made the right decision, but if the Funeral Home gave you permission to be on their property then you really had no obligation (except the one you felt) to delete photos.
Michael,
The 5D shutter is about as loud as the 1D series (with the “silent shutter mode”. The Nikon shutter is the one that sounds like a door slamming. My friend says it is to let everyone know you are in the room.
JP
4 Feb 09 at 7:34 pm
JP, I probably didn’t make it clear but we were actually on private property at a church where the Governor was once a pastor. The funeral home we spoke to was the group handling the arrangements but the visitation was at the church.
Gary Cosby Jr
4 Feb 09 at 8:10 pm
I think you made a great call.
I am sure your respectful, and calm demeanor helped to avoid a potential situation that would be unnecesary for this type of event, and ended up with a couple of shots that can be published.
We all get too wrapped up sometimes, and we forget to be kind to others. I really like how you handled the situation.
David Wong
6 Feb 09 at 11:50 am
Gary, you did the right thing. I’m happy to hear that some photographers are willing to do what’s right in this type of situation. So many times I read about their refusal to delete and ‘their’ rights.
Joe
6 Feb 09 at 2:18 pm