Why did the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer commit suicide three months later?

Everyone is familiar with the photo "Hungry Sudan". The scene in the picture is heartbreaking: a naked, bony little Sudanese girl is lying painfully on the barren land of Africa because of hunger. In the distance is a huge vulture, eyeing the dying skinny life.

(Hungry Sudan)

This photo was taken by kevin carter, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism. However, Kevin committed suicide shortly after winning the lottery. Why?

1In March 1993, kevin carter and his colleague Siwar came to a small village in northern Sudan to interview and film the local famine and war. One day, they came here by helicopter of the United Nations humanitarian relief organization to distribute relief food.

During the break, kevin carter was deeply shocked by what he saw: groups of scrawny refugees, including many hungry children, hobbled towards the food distribution area. He took out his camera and took these worrying photos with a heavy heart.

To ease his mood, Kevin went into the nearby bushes and took a cigarette out of his pocket. Just as he was about to light a cigarette, he heard a faint sobbing nearby. Kevin looked inside and happened to find a little girl who was too hungry to lift her head and was trying to climb to the soup kitchen. Just then, a vulture circled and fell behind the little girl, waiting quietly. ...

Professional sensitivity prompted Kevin to raise his camera, hoping to capture the picture of vultures spreading their wings and wait quietly for 20 minutes. And the little girl in the camera is still trying to climb to the top of the food distribution point with her last strength. ...

Until the end, the vulture didn't fly. Kevin pressed the shutter, left this photo that touched the nerves of people all over the world, and then drove away the vultures. After the shooting, Kevin sat on the ground, lit a cigarette, cried loudly and repeatedly recited the names of God and his daughter.

(kevin carter)

1On March 26th, 993, The New York Times, USA published Kevin's photo entitled "Hungry Sultan" for the first time. Subsequently, this photo was reprinted by major media and caused strong repercussions around the world. On the one hand, people sympathize with the tragic fate of the Sudanese people, on the other hand, they strongly condemn Kevin for not saving the little girl by taking pictures, which has triggered a heated discussion about "professionalism and journalist's conscience"

1In April 1994, the hungry Sudan won the Pulitzer Prize for Close-up Photography, which is the highest prize in American journalism. On May 23rd, Kevin walked onto the platform of Columbia University Library and accepted the award. Late at night on July 27th, just three months after winning the prize, Kevin committed suicide in a car in Johannesburg, South Africa.

With Kevin's death, people generally attributed his suicide to being condemned and tortured by his conscience, because his last words to the world were: "I am really sorry for everyone, and the pain of life far exceeds the degree of joy."

So, Kevin committed suicide just because he couldn't face the condemnation of the world?

In fact, the little girl in the picture went to the rescue station with her mother, but her mother was too busy collecting food to take care of her. And when taking pictures, Kevin is also extremely painful and contradictory. He told his colleagues afterwards: "I wanted to take pictures, but I shouted' God' in my heart. But this is work, and the rest can only be said later. If you can't do this, don't do it. "

John kaplan, one of the judges of the Pulitzer Prize, also confirmed that there was a note in the photo, suggesting that someone would help the little girl. She is not alone in the desert. Moreover, the little girl has a ring on her hand, which shows that she is receiving humanitarian assistance. The judges also believe that if the little girl needs help, Kevin will not hesitate to step forward.

Unfortunately, however, john kaplan's statement was weak and drowned in the aggressive crusade of people all over the world.

(Kevin Photography)

In fact, Kevin's suicide was caused by multiple factors. In addition to the unbearable condemnation of the world, the pressure of life and the death of friends are also one of the reasons.

Kevin 196 1 was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and he was very disgusted with apartheid since he was a child. /kloc-at the age of 0/6, Kevin graduated from a Catholic school, and then enlisted as a soldier in the South African Defence Force. But in the army, Kevin was often besieged by white soldiers for supporting blacks.

Later, Kevin left the army and worked in a photographic equipment company, and became interested in photography. Until he filmed the controversial Hungry Sudan and won the highest honor award in the press.

However, the great honor did not change Kevin's life predicament. His marriage was very bad, and he was frustrated in love one after another, so he had to raise his young daughter alone. Even though he later became famous, gained a long-lost love and fell in love with a teacher's girlfriend at first sight, he broke up quickly for various reasons.

1In April 1994, his friends Ken and Moninho Vichy went to South Africa to film a violent conflict. As a result, Ken was shot dead on the spot, while Moninho Vichy was seriously injured and lying in the hospital dying. The unfortunate death of a good friend hit Kevin hard, prompting him to have the idea of suicide.

What worries Kevin most is that he can't make ends meet and can't even pay the basic living expenses. In June, 1994, he received an interview group in Mozambique. In order to alleviate his financial crisis, he readily accepted the task.

But when he returned from Mozambique, he left a pack of undeveloped film in the rest area of the airport, which was his hard work and all his hopes. He anxiously returned to look for it, but there was nothing at the scene.

This almost became the last straw to crush Kevin and made him determined to end his life.

So, people also saw these contents in Kevin's suicide note: "Despair! No phone, no money to pay the rent! No money to raise children! No money to pay off debts! " He finally wrote: "I should go to Ken."

On July 27th, Kevin drove his car and stopped by a river where he used to play when he was a child. He fixed one end of a hose on the exhaust pipe of the car and put one end into the car. Then he put down his seat, turned on the walkman and fell asleep quietly. ...