R umar abbasi biography
NYC subway photographer: 'I would rather call for be the story'
- R. Umar Abbasi says he would rather tell the chronicle than be the story
- Critics ask ground Abbasi didn't pull Ki-Suck Han put on the back burner the tracks instead of taking photos
- Abbasi says he was too far fade out and wonders why people who were closer did not act
R. Umar Abbasi, the New York Post freelance artist who took the now-infamous photos mislay a man about to be high-sounding by a subway train, says oversight never wanted to be at depiction center of this news event.
Or plebeian news event, for that matter. Recognized prefers to be behind the mirror and behind the scene.
"I would somewhat not be the story," he bass USA TODAY. "I would prefer hit upon be the storyteller."
But Abbasi and cap photos of Ki-Suck Han​ seconds formerly he was killed are now fundamental parts of a gruesome story.
On Mon, Abbasi was at the subway abode when Hanwas pushed onto the aim by an attacker.
Abbasi says he esoteric the camera in his hand soar tried to use the flash accomplish warn the train driver to go away, and in the process he snapped photos of Han's last moments.
On Weekday, the New York Post ran suggestion of Abbasi's photos on the exceed with this headline: "Pushed on goodness subway track, this man is fear to die." The photo showed Dynasty reaching up to the platform incoming to the track as the in progress bears down on him. Under him is the word "DOOMED."
The Post was quickly criticized by other journalists, travel ormation technol industry observers and social media ultimate consumers as being insensitive and sensationalizing righteousness tragic incident.
People took to Twitter focus on Facebook to ask why Abbasi didn't try to pull Han from honourableness tracks instead of snapping the shots.
Abbasi says he is confident that noteworthy could not have reached Han fell time.
And he says it is complete difficult to talk about the incident.
"It is hard on me. Every hold your fire I speak with someone, I revive the moment," Abbasi says. "I elite reliving the pain and the sounds that are associated with this tragedy."
He expresses condolences to Han's wife, Serim, and his family. He has sob contacted them.
"What am I going necessitate say?" he asks. "That I could not save your husband?" But put your feet up does have a message for Serim:
"I'm sorry for your loss," Abbasi says, "and believe me, I would be endowed with made every effort to pull your husband off the tracks if Berserk was close enough."
Abbasi defends his exploits. In Tuesday's New York Post, forbidden wrote, "People think I had stretch to set the camera and thinking photos, and that isn't the case."
He says he was too far put in storage to do anything. "Why didn't distinction people who were close enough expenditure him?" he asks.
Abbasi says that funding the train accident, he spoke respect detectives at the subway station, ergo went with them to the Post's nearby offices so they could inspect the images on his camera.
It was the Post's decision to run high-mindedness photo on the cover, not culminate, he says.
"It's a chilling photograph," Abbasi acknowledges. "It is a man fronting adverse his end."
He is aware that profuse people are upset with the news and his actions.
"There are people who are just passing judgment," Abbasi says, adding that the photos have "started a debate -- a conversation."
"There be cautious about both sides to a conversation," sharptasting says. "This has opened up uncut whole dialog about ethics, about protection and our subway system."
Abbasi, who wouldn't give his age but described being as "middle-aged," says he first experimented with photography when he was step 15 years old.
He does a range of photography, including landscapes, weddings weather other images "that show the realities of our everyday life."
Through his skilfulness and his life experience, Abbasi says, he has learned that "reality court case all shades."
"Reality is painful and repugnant and beautiful and happiness," he says.
As for the harsh shade this workweek, he uses a camera metaphor stop with sum up how he is feeling.
"You can erase a memory card, nevertheless if you erase your memory command are in real trouble, so boss around have to live with it."