The {photograph} often known as ‘Napalm Lady’ has not too long ago sparked important debate within the media, with an issue surrounding its authorship to Huỳnh Công “Nick” Út. Whereas the Related Press (AP) reaffirmed his authorship, World Press Photograph now formally suspended the attribution to Út.
The picture, formally titled The Terror of Conflict, was captured in 1972 in the course of the Vietnam Conflict. It reveals a nine-year-old woman, Phan Thị Kim Phúc, working down a street after struggling burns from a South Vietnamese napalm assault.
The {photograph} reworked international perceptions of the Vietnam Conflict and is widely known for igniting main anti-war protests that contributed to the conflict’s finish.
In 1973 the picture earned the Pulitzer Prize and was named World Press Photograph of the Yr. For over 50 years, it has been attributed to Út, a Vietnamese AP employees photographer.
His authorship was first questioned in January 2025 when the documentary The Stringer, directed by Bao Nguyen and supported by visible evaluation from Paris-based analysis group Index, raised questions on Út’s authorship.
This documentary offered compelling proof that the photograph really might have been taken by a Vietnamese stringer for AP, named Nguyễn Thành Nghệ.
After a year-long investigation, the AP maintained its place that Nick Út is certainly the photographer of the picture in query.
“The AP has concluded that there’s not the ‘definitive proof’ required by AP’s requirements to alter the credit score of the 53-year-old {photograph},” acknowledged the group. Yow will discover its ‘Investigation claims’ right here.
This conclusion contrasts with the assertion issued by World Press Photograph.
“Guided by our judging procedures we conclude that the extent of doubt is just too important to take care of the prevailing attribution,” acknowledged Joumana El Zein Khoury, the group’s govt director.
“On the identical time, missing conclusive proof pointing definitively to a different photographer, we can not reassign authorship both.
“We have now formally suspended the attribution of The Terror of Conflict to Nick Út. This suspension will stay in place until additional proof can clearly verify or refute the unique authorship.”
Following the discharge of The Stringer documentary, World Press Photograph initiated its personal investigative evaluation into the authorship of The Terror of Conflict.
The evaluation integrated insights from the documentary in addition to AP’s in-depth inner inquiry. World Press Photograph approached the evaluation “collegially, transparently, and with the intention of understanding – not accusing.”
You will need to be aware that World Press Photograph’s position is to not function a ultimate decide or arbiter; as a substitute, it performs a crucial position in “acknowledging doubt, putting occasions in historic context, and understanding the layers of narrative.” This strategy is important within the fields of photojournalism and documentary images.
The {photograph} will now carry the next revised be aware:
“On account of this present doubt, World Press Photograph has suspended the attribution to Nick Út.
“The obtainable visible proof and the seemingly digital camera used on that day point out that photographers Nguyễn Thành Nghệ or Huỳnh Công Phúc might have been higher positioned to take the {photograph}. Importantly, the {photograph} itself stays undisputed, and the award for the {photograph} stands.
“Solely the authorship is below evaluate. This stays contested historical past, and it’s potential that the writer of the {photograph} won’t ever be absolutely confirmed. The suspension of the authorship attribution stands until it’s proved in any other case.”
For extra insights, you’ll be able to learn the ‘Abstract of investigative evaluation’ by World Press Photograph, launched on 16 Could 2025. The report explores the background, methodology and unresolved points (together with Út’s place, technical clues, and one other potential writer), and ends with a conclusion.
We should wait and see if future developments will present identification clues in regards to the photographer of The Terror of Conflict.
Additionally, we’re ready on a solution concerning the continuing query of whether or not this picture was captured with a Leica M2 or a Pentax, as AP not too long ago stirred controversy by questioning that assumption.
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If you wish to learn extra in regards to the ‘Napalm Lady’ saga, take a look at our information in regards to the Controversial documentary challenges the authorship of one of the vital well-known historic images ever taken, and Sorry, Leica – iconic ‘Napalm Lady’ photograph might have been taken on a Pentax digital camera.