Account of the Tiananmen Square Photograph

As the tanks neared the Beijing Hotel, the lone young man walked toward the middle of the avenue waving his jacket and shopping bag to stop the tanks. I kept shooting in anticipation of what I felt was his certain doom. But to my amazement, the lead tank stopped, then tried to move around him. But the young man cut it off again. Finally, the PSB (Public Security Bureau) grabbed him and ran away with him. Stuart and I looked at each other somewhat in disbelief at what we had just seen and photographed.

I think his action captured peoples’ hearts everywhere, and when the moment came, his character defined the moment, rather than the moment defining him. He made the image. I was just one of the photographers. And I felt honored to be there.

- Charlie Cole

Three different accounts of taking the photo of the Man in the White shirt who stood up to the Chinese tanks. Very interesting and powerful accounts, especially conveying the tension of the situation on the ground.

via Kottke who excerpted the same quote, but I felt it was the best from the three as well.