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Remember the slightly crazy cinematographer in the movie Apocalypse Now? His prototype, British photographer Tim Pag, died of liver cancer on August 24. Tim Page once told reporters that war photos are the best weapon against war. In The Vietnam War: An Eyewitness History, author Sanford Wexler describes Page as a great photographer: "He was ready to go anywhere. When he was hit by a shell, he would choose to move on with a bandage. ”
Flee death several times
Page did not have the dream of becoming a photographer in her life. "My dad introduced me to photography." On his 7th birthday, his dad gave him an Old-Fashioned Ensayne camera as a gift. When Page experienced the joy of taking the first photo, interest was like a spring of water. At the age of 17, he decided to leave home to take the plunge. The note he left for his parents read: "Dear parents, I am leaving home for Europe and other countries in the world, and it is not clear how long I will be away. ”
As he writes about "experiencing adventures," Page traveled to Nepal, Thailand, And Laos, where he worked as an English teacher, worked in a chewing gum factory, sold cod liver oil capsules, light bulbs, watches, and smuggled cigarettes and marijuana in Thailand. While in Laos, he used a Pentax camera to document the attempted coup d'état in Laos, and because of these photos, he was hired by The United Nations International (UPI) as a war photographer and officially began his career as a war photographer.
During the Vietnam War, Tim Page came to Vietnam to take war photos. Writer Michael Herr described Page as Vietnam's most extravagant "wig maniac" and noted that he "likes to decorate his field gear with strange props, scarves and beads." Page is also a lucky person who has escaped the "clutches of death" countless times. He has suffered four fatal injuries. The last time was in April 1969, when Page jumped from a helicopter to help carry the wounded, when the man in front of him stepped on a mine. When he was taken to the hospital, his skull was broken, his heart stopped for three long periods, and the doctor issued a death notice, but he miraculously took his life from the hands of death and continued to return to the battlefield to shoot. In terms of anti-war, Page also made a certain contribution. He tried to persuade daniel Ellsberg, a former U.S. military analyst, to provide classified Pentagon documents to the media. The documents show how the U.S. government deceived the public with its actions against Vietnam and fueled the anti-war movement in the United States.
The death of a friend haunted him all his life
While shooting in Ho Chi Minh, Page worked with fellow photographer friend Sean Flynn. Sean Flynn is an American freelance photojournalist. During the Vietnam War, in order to take distinctive images, Flynn often participated in operations in remote areas with special forces and irregular forces, going in and out of dangerous areas. In April 1970, Flynn and photographer Dana Stone rode into Khmer Rouge-controlled areas on motorcycles and were captured by Khmer Rouge guerrillas. In 1984, the two were pronounced dead.
Speaking of Flynn, Page admitted that he "often thinks back to him." "We could have been brothers, in fact I feel like we are brothers." Page wrote in his memoirs, "We could spend hours in the same room, barely talking, doing our own thing, but our minds were still communicating, and this magnetic field was like an intimate relationship between lovers." ”
In 2010, two bounty hunters claimed to have found them somewhere, reviving deep memories in Page. He drove to look for Flynn's remains. "His soul is still afflicted outside. As Asian tradition holds, a person can only rest in peace if he is buried. "After arriving, the U.S. military has blocked the site. Still not giving up, Page asked the nearby villagers if they had some memories of the foreigners who had been captured before. Even if he never succeeded, Page's efforts have honored journalists who died or disappeared in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
"The war is over, and So is Sean's fate." Page said. "It was always quiet in the cemetery and everyone there was resting. All the tribulations of life will pass, and eventually we will return to the tranquility of nothingness. ”
It's not just a place of war
The significance of the Vietnam War was profound and enduring for Page. During the filming of the Vietnam War, he was left with not only fear of shells and dangers, but also nostalgia for Vietnamese customs and customs and memories of joining forces with the "brotherhood" to overcome difficulties. His "fraternity" includes photographers, writers, and television producers. They are regulars on the battlefield, understanding fear but still groping forward. Page later recalled: "We gathered on the hill, we gathered around the fire, we took speedboats, we smoked good opium and drank fresh beer. It is certainly dangerous to do this in a war full of shells. We'll also be intimidated by difficulties, but from another point of view, it's all real adventure. Vietnam, this is definitely a great place. ”
In 1968, Page returned home from work, but since 1985 he has returned to Vietnam every year to visit the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City for a long time. His memoir, Requiem, is in the collection, which contains photographs of all the photographers who died and disappeared during the Vietnam War. He confessed that he missed his "old partner" very much and often cried. The reporter once asked him: "Many of your colleagues did not survive, and you yourself almost died, why do you want to go back?" Page sighed: "Every time I turn on the TV and see the photos, videos or stories of my teammates, I feel very glaring." Vietnam, on the other hand, also has a special allure. In a sense, it's like a bad drug: once you've been there, you're immersed in its culture. He concluded: "I don't think anyone who has been through a war will ever walk out completely." ”
News and image source: CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, some of the images are from the Guardian
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