Initially my eyes were drawn to the naked child screaming in fear, for her life running towards the lens. Secondly why is she and other young children running for their lives? This image, known as ‘Napalm girl’ was taken by photographer Nick Ut in 1972 during the Napalm attack in Vietnam. Just from looking at the expression of the running children’s faces shows the absolute fear in their eyes, but what happens next. This photograph makes me think for many different reasons, maybe it makes me think more than others as in more developed countries we are rarely faced or open to these horrors. I don’t often think deeply about what else goes on in the world such as this attack, perhaps I should. It makes me think how lucky we are yet often I/we don’t appreciate it, but often in less fortunate countries all over the world people are put to their strengths possibly every single day. It makes me wonder if the children were brought to safety after this photograph had been taken and it makes me think how I would feel if it was my brother of sister, that maybe we should make more time out of our day to think.
Izzy Percy
L1 Photography, University of the West of England
UWE Bristol Photography Research Group 