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Tiananmen Square photographer
remembers iconic shot of man and tanks
By Davis Archibald
January 25, 2008 | When Jeff Widener, photographer
of the famous Unknown Rebel photograph, saw
the tanks lined up entering Tiananmen Square he felt
he had a good picture because of the composition of
the tanks.
Then the man who is now known as the Unknown Rebel
walked in front of the tanks and stopped.
"I thought, this guy is going to screw up my picture,"
Widener said.
Widener took the shot anyway and it has become one
of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century,
published in newspapers all over the world.
After the crackdown began, the Associated Press office
in New York had sent a Telex to the Beijing office asking
for photos from Tiananmen Square, but asked that no
one put themselves in danger to do so, Widener said.
Widener decided to go to the Beijing Hotel for pictures
of the protests because of its good view.
The infamous shot was taken from a college student's
window at the Beijing Hotel during the crackdown.
Widener's photos will accompany music inspired by
the Tiananmen Square protests in a presentaion this
week that started Thursday and will continue Friday
night, as part of the Juniper Chamber Music Festival.
Remembering Tiananmen Square pairs Widener's photographs
with the compositions of Tan Dun, musical director for
the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Widener had the first night shift when the crackdown
began on the protests and knew something was going to
happen.
"I told the reporter I had a bad feeling," Widener
said.
During the night Widener shot pictures of the crackdown
before getting hit by a brick, which gave him a major
concussion.
According to Widener he had the flu and coupled with
the concussion caused by the brick he was unable to
get back into action right away.
And according to Widener the combination of the sickness
and the concussion probably saved his life. Had he not
been hurt he probably would have been on the front lines
of the protest.
"I was scared. I'm no hero, I don't like bullets."
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