Joseph McCarthy
Finalist : The Rory Peck Award for Hard News
Finalist: Sony International Impact Award

American
"World Trade Center Attack, 9-11-01"
Shot: New York, September 11, 2001
ARD German TV

Capturing the moment when the world turns grey, Joseph McCarthy walks his camera through the smoke and the rubble. Choking and talking to himself, he focuses on the people caught up in the horror. His pictures show people gaping at the sky in disbelief while worrying about where to park their cars, ambulancemen not knowing which way to turn but struggling to get oxygen and water to those in need, ash covered firemen staggering from the buildings in shock.

"It was a mass of panic and terror. I tried to keep hold of my camera but I think somebody was on top of it so I let go. I wanted to live." Joseph McCarthy

"I've just written down 'brave."
"Technically excellent, especially given the
circumstances."
"Although one has seen tons of hours of this stuff,
this piece still remains incredibly raw and affecting."
"365 days later, this still moves people."
Judges' Comments

ARD German Television were filming at the World Trade Center just after it had been hit by the first plane. As the first tower collapsed freelance cameraman Joseph McCarthy was separated from his crew. Alone, he continued to film, his camera aimed not only at the devastation of the buildings, but even more at the shocked people all around him. As the south tower suddenly began to collapse Joe, along with 20 to 30 other people, was trapped against the front glass window of #1 Financial Center, in danger of being killed from the tremendous amounts of collapsing debris or from suffocation in the ash and dust.

The judges were impressed by the detail of this work and its humanity.

"The last thing I remember thinking was that I hope it didn't hurt too much to die…
Then Lieutenant Tim McGinn shot the window out with his pistol and we all dived into the lobby for cover. We made our way across the lobby in thick smoke, ash, and nearly total blackness. Tim McGinn again shot the window out and we managed to exit to relative safety - though outside looked like an unimaginable horror of grey dust, flying papers, and choking sprawled bodies all around. I thought I must try to find my camera - I felt naked and strangely defenceless without it.
I re-entered the dark and shattered lobby and with the help of a borrowed FDNY flashlight crawled around in the darkness until I suddenly came upon my camera. I picked it up, exited the building, and continued filming until I was physically and mentally unable to remain any longer at ground zero"

Biography
A native New Yorker, Joseph McCarthy began his career as a photojournalist and writer. In 1984 he joined Fuji Television where he worked as a photographer, editor and producer covering major stories around the world and producing documentaries. In 1989 he won the award for Best Documentary given by the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan for his work on the documentary Shirohata no Shojo (The White Flag Girl). In 1994 Joseph joined RTL German Television's New York bureau. A year later he became freelance and since then has worked extensively for many American, European, and Asian broadcasting agencies. In June 2002 Joseph McCarthy was awarded the prestigious Deutscher Kamerapreis Koln Award in Cologne, Germany. He lives in New York City with his wife, Rieko.

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• The Freelancers' Choice 2002
  
  
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