Recommended This Week

(UPDATE: Amazon is now sold out of the remainder. If you go to the link and click "Available from these sellers" and then click on the "New" tab, there are two sellers advertising "multiple copies available" [TSCBOOKS and BORDEEBOOKS].That means that each of these sellers has some remainders, albeit at a somewhat higher price. Note that these sellers may still appear to have copies available even after they sell out, so don't be too disappointed if you take a shot at this and miss.  —MJ)

This week's "Recommended by M.J." book is Aftermath: Unseen 9/11 Photos by a New York City Cop by John Botte. It's a remainder—i.e., a closeout, a new book sold at a bargain price—that you can buy for $9.99. At that price, no one is making any profit from it whatsoever, so if you're one of those who object to the book for that reason, don't be troubled. There's been a lot of controversy swirling around this book, and I personally think it's a shame, if not an injustice, that the author has been so relentlessly criticized. He was a crime scene photographer with the NYPD and a talented amateur documentary photographer whose work was admired by Bernard Kerik (then Police Commissioner, since disgraced), who sent Botte in on 9/11 to document the scene.

John Botte has taken it on the chin every which way for all kinds of things, which strikes me as yet another playing-out of the always popular game "blame the photographer." He was "on the clock" while photographing at the site; some people feel he should have been "helping," as if documenting at a disaster scene isn't one of many valid ways to be useful. He's been accused of "profiting" from 9/11—right, as if one photobook is any kind of effective way to cash in (anyone who's put out a photo book is shaking their heads. More photo books lose money than make money, and the very fact that this one is remaindered points to its not being one of the latter). And never mind that being on the scene damn near killed the photographer—it ruined his lungs and his career (he's been on disability since 2003), and led to more medical bills than the book will ever begin to compensate him for. He's even been criticized because the book has the same title as art photographer Joel Meyerowitz's book on Ground Zero—which Meyerowitz, incidentally, started shooting on the 23rd of that September (Botte was there from the 11th onwards).

The Botte book is, among other things, the only book of pictures of the 9/11 disaster shot with a Leica camera (an M6) in black & white, which led to Leica issuing a John Botte commemorative M7, mainly to present to Mr. Botte for his heroism. (The camera, as far as I know, has been withdrawn from public sale. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) Sadly, this has let him in for even more criticism, as people with nothing better to complain about accuse the photographer—blameless as can be—for further "profiting" from 9/11. Here's what renowned Leica repairperson Sherry Krauter said about John Botte's camera: it "was made specially for John to pay tribute to his fallen colleagues, and to John himself who sustained life-threatening injuries in his service with the NYPD at 911. This camera is not being produced by Leica in any quantity whatsoever, nor will it ever be. This camera was made specifically for John and is the only one of its kind.

"John is one of the most talented individuals to walk thru my door in 30 years of repairing Leicas. The old adage that states, 'If a picture is worth 1,000 words,' John's are worth 5,000 words! He had an opening at the Frankfurt airport at the first anniversary of 911. It was one of the only shows I know of that was held over for an additional term. Several million people were able to view his work. He is an extremely talented photographer. I look forward to John's book, Aftermath, which is the only book of its kind, shot entirely using Leica cameras and black and white film."

(A final note: If you want to express outrage about John Botte or his book or his Leica, please go do it elsewhere. I think it's bullshit. The world needs more documentary photographers, not fewer, and anyway, this post is just to recommend a remaindered book that is being cleared out at a loss—I assure you, its author is not profiting from it.)

Share this post with a friend

___________________

Mike

Comments

[Glenn Brown]

This man will be remembered by history in a very powerful way. The truth in photography is witnessing, no matter how wonderful or tragic the event. Countless photographers have died in the act of being an eye witness and we benefit by having the images to make up our own opinions. 911 was a catastrophic event and for me books like this and the Bruce springsteen album "The Rising" make it real and unforgettable in our lives.

[Stan B.]

You think Americans would be complaining about the injustice done many 9/11 volunteers who are now slowly dying without the benefits of proper medical care...

[fernando]

sadly, this kind of criticism bestowed on Mr. Botte (being sarcastic) is endemic of the poisonous atmosphere of "debate" for transforming ideas into only BW (no pun intended) and discarding a lot of subtlety and nuance. It seems that finding out information is beneath these "debaters." No longer are the days good for wearing one's heart on one's sleeve.

[Matthew Allen]

Photographers can't win, can they?

This post reminded me of another rather interesting book on the subject - "New York September 11" by Magnum Photographers. It also appears to have been remaindered as I picked up a copy for $6.99 Canadian when I was in Cole's in Halifax, NS recently.

Matthew

[Rodger Kingston]

Is outrage so depreciated that we can misdirect it to a courageous photographer doing his job?

Where is the outrage at the lies that got us into the Iraq war? Or at the knuckleheads who deregulated us into the current financial meltdown? Or at those who attacked us on 9/11, and those others who ignored the warning of the first WTC attack instead of building up our defenses against it happening again?

I am grateful to (and in awe of) John Botte for his commitment and courage, as I am to Joel Meyerowitz, Robert Capa, Ernest Withers, Susan Meiselas, and so many other photographers over the last 150+ years of photographic history who have put themselves at risk to show us who we are and point the way to what we might become.

[John Camp]

Bought mine. Thanks for bringing it to our attention, and the link.

What was the controversy about?

JC

[Matthew Brown]

What specifically annoys me is that someone like John Botte, who is not profiting in any meaningful way from the tragedy, is pilloried, while those who exploit 9/11 for political ends don't catch much at all.

[Brian White]

Hear, hear.

[Ken Tanaka]

I'm with Matthew Brown. Countless billions of dollars have flowed into already-deep pockets as a direct result of this event. Those who would offer criticism of Mr. Botte for this book (a) don't understand that fact, and (b) don't realize how little money really is made from photo books.

[Arthur Shapiro]

Thanks for bringing John Botte and his book to my attention. People who usually deprecate others like Mr. Botte and his accomplishments are usually those who sit on the sidelines and throw poison darts from there. Why don't they use that energy to get into the game and take the risks others do.

[David Bennett]

That's why I love ya, Mike.

[Scott]

I don't understand why anyone would deprecate a photographer from making a living shooting meaningful images that elevate in a difficult time. And one camera does not a profiteer make. Nor one book, nor one lifetime spent risking one's life for one's message.

[Chris Klug]

Criticizing this brave photographer for taking these pictures is like saying the New York Times 'profited' from reporting on the tragedy because they sold more copies of their newspaper.

That's insanity. It's their job to tell us and show us what happened.

Earlier someone posted about Springsteen's song "The Rising." Artists, regardless of their talent, will and should always react to events good or bad. That's what they do.

Sometimes I become very frustrated by what our country has become and how we continue to belittle artists. Are artists that much of a threat to those in power?

Oh, wait, I think I just answered my own question.

[Dennis]

I met John Botte at the Leica Historical Society of America annual meeting in Williamsburg VA a few years ago. It was obvious that he was very passionate about his work as he was almost brought to tears several times during his presentation and appeared to be in constant pain from his illness. His only crime was that he was asked to tell a story and he told it better than most.

[Barb]

I agree with the comments on how badly the responders are being treated. So many received millions for their losses, and the men who worked to recover and restore are being neglected. I admire Mr. Botte. Thanks for notice that this work is going out of print. I ordered my copy. I also have Mr. Meyerowitz's book.

[Tom]

Well I'm offended. Aftermath is the name of the last great Rolling Stones album.

[SJones]

"Where is the outrage at the lies that got us into the Iraq war? Or at the knuckleheads who deregulated us into the current financial meltdown? Or at those who attacked us on 9/11, and those others who ignored the warning of the first WTC attack instead of building up our defenses against it happening again?"

Just to keep things in perspective; I never heard of John Botte's ordeal, let alone this book, to be honest, until reading this post. On the other hand, I have heard a lot of outrage about Iraq, corporate abuse, and so on.

That said, I might just pick up the book during my return home; I am curious, did the criticism come from the public, newspaper editors and media pundits, or other photographers?

[Mike J.]

I don't know the whole story chapter and verse, but the City of New York at least threatened to sue Botte over ownership of the pictures (and may have actually done so), claiming that since he took them on City time, they belonged to the City; the controversy was of sufficiently high profile that Mayor Bloomberg was quoted in the press weighing in on the matter. The City demanded that all profits from the book be turned over to a NYPD charity. Legal experts are apparently divided as to the merits of such a suit, since then-Commissioner Kerik had allegedly instructed other officers, and Botte on other occasions, to do essentially private work on City time, and insisted in this case that Botte use only his own equipment and do his own processing, i.e., not charge either to the City.

Subsequently, and more or less separately, bitter complaints about the commemorative Leica (which was CNC-carved out of a solid block of titanium, had "NYPD" embossed in the covering, and was to sell for well upwards of $100,000) caused Leica to withdraw the product. However, at least one was presented to Botte for his work and there are probably several in circulation.

The above is "to the best of my knowledge." I haven't researched the whole story extensively and would not publish the above statements in print without further fact-checking.

Mike J.

[Hugh C]

It's a sad state of affairs...

For those who are interested, there are lots of copies available at: www.abebooks.com.

[BenjiH]

This fellow was there, shot the way he knew he should shoot and after all is said and done, the only thing that will remain are his images. The images are his legacy, not that they were taken with a Leica on city time.

[Jim]

I had to pay 12.99 for mine. Does this mean you (MJ) will be sending me a check for the difference? Or if the book is as powerful as I expect it may be I will owe you the difference from the original list price? Thanks for the great ideas.

[Brendan]

All we have left of what happened on that day is testimony and any pictures that were taken. Any anti-photography nonsense just feeds into conspiracy theories.

All we have of the JFK assassination is the Zapruder film and even then there are conspiracy theories galore.