Youngblood: Camera vs Gun

Elizabeth Barret’s documentary film, “Stranger with a Camera”, examines the responsibilities of the stranger behind the lens. This documentary is filmed in the depths of the Appalachian Mountains in a poverty stricken Kentucky coal mining town. It documents the events of 1967 which took place there and a story of two strangers who shared an unfortunate connection. One of the strangers held a camera, while the other held a gun. The confusion and chaos between the two strangers escalated to the death of the photographer, Hugh O’Connor, after being shot in the chest. This tragic story caught media attention from around the globe, but in Barret’s documentary we see the story from both perspectives and justice is given to where it is deserved. In the 60’s Conner had been hired to produce a film about poverty in America. They set off in search for the ideal “poster children” for the war on poverty. Connor was a good man and a great film director for the National Film Board of Canada. Their efforts to find the right photo lead Connor to a small town called Letcher County.

While in town they found many opportunities to document the people and the life of those affected by poverty. However, many people started to get sensitive about all the photos since a majority of them depicted the poverty of the town. People were worried that the worldwide media attention would bring upon a negative perspective of the town. However, on his way out of town he located a perfect photo opportunity alongside of the road. The shot was of a coal miner sitting on a porch with his daughter. The miner had just come home from work and was dusted in coal from head to toe. Conner asked the miner, permission, and then started taking shots. Meanwhile Hobart Ison, the owner of the house, drives by and spots Connor on his property. Ison, who is a local, has come to despise photographers and the media because of the recent coverage of the poverty in the town. Outraged he stops and pulls out his gun. From his perspective Connor is trespassing on his land and invading privacy by shooting photos. After warning them he pulls the trigger as they were heading to their vehicle. Connor is shot is the side of the chest, his injuries are fatal. Ison could have handled the situation differently, but was within his rights as the property owner.