On Thursday we listened to an intense audio conversation between Jonathan Worth and Lisa Potts. Lisa was a stab victim in the face of protecting the school children she worked with at a school in 1996.
She shared her eye-witness story of how the attacker lept the fences, drew a machete to attack the children and anyone who got in his way. In her desperate effort to save the children, Lisa put her own life on the edge, a true heroin. She spoke in detail about where he cut her and the children; then she spoke of the aftermath of the media attention surrounding the story as well as the jury court case.
But as a photographer working for say, the Guardian or the Independent, how would I go about photographing her? For me, I think I would photograph her infront of the school doors, representative of her protective persona getting the children to safety. But without a cliche strong pose, I would let her relax in front of the camera, like she can now relax with the ordeal not only over, but the culprit serving his sentence. Although I can’t dictate the weather, having a big light source (clouds) would give a nice soft light. Preferably as well, she spoke of how she wore a red cardigan and how she didn’t want the paramedics to cut it (because it was from Next!). But, I think it is a symbol of her courage. The cuts and the pain didn’t phase her heroic efforts in saving all the children. She even said that the red cardigan meant that the children weren’t unsettled by the blood with its cardigan mask.
It’s hard to say though! Until meeting her myself, it is difficult to dictate what would be best, exactly.