Richard Drew (photographer)

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Richard Drew
Born (1946-12-06) December 6, 1946 (age 78)
Occupation Photojournalist
Notable work The Falling Man
Children4

Richard Drew (born December 6, 1946) is an American photojournalist best known for his work with the Associated Press (AP). Over a career spanning more than five decades, Drew has covered a wide range of major world events, from political movements to global tragedies.

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He gained international recognition for capturing “The Falling Man” photograph on September 11, 2001, which depicts a man falling from the North Tower of the World Trade Center during the terrorist attacks. The image became one of the most iconic and controversial photographs of the 21st century, symbolizing both the human cost of the tragedy and the ethical challenges of photojournalism.

Career

Drew began his career with the Associated Press in 1967 and was one of four press photographers present at the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles in 1968. Over the decades, his assignments have included coverage of political conventions, Olympic Games, and breaking news events across the United States and abroad.

In 2001, he took the photo titled The Falling Man , which captured the image of a man falling from the World Trade Center towers following the September 11 attacks. [1] A British documentary 9/11: The Falling Man about the photo premiered on the Discovery Times channel on September 10, 2007. [2]

Despite the controversy surrounding The Falling Man, Drew has maintained that his intent was to document a truthful, human moment in the chaos of the attacks. His work has been exhibited and discussed in numerous documentaries and books exploring the ethics of journalism, visual storytelling, and the legacy of 9/11 imagery.

References

  1. Cauchon, Dennis; Moore, Martha (September 2, 2002). "Desperation forced a horrific decision". USA Today . Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  2. Gehman, Geoff (September 29, 2007). "IMMORTAL PLUNGE ** "The Falling Man' documentary examines passionate response to Sept. 11 photo". The Morning Call . Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.