Wallingford car accident causes me some introspection

This photo requires some explanation from me. About a year ago, maybe in early June of 2009, I was applying for jobs and watching coverage of the protests over in Iran on television.

After spending nearly the entire day inside, I felt this need to go outside and take some pictures. I really started enjoying taking pictures, because when I go on walks with a camera, I really don't think about anything, expect what might make a good picture.

Anyways, I went on my usual walk at that time. I went east, up Market. Then I continued up hill, until it turns into N 46th Street. Then I go under Aurora until I reach the intersection of Stone Way and N 45th. On this day, I hadn't taken any pictures by the time I had reached the intersection of N 45th and Midvale Avenue North.

As I walked up to this intersection, I saw a Subaru run a stop light. It hit an SUV in the back portion of the vehicle. The SUV flipped over and made a terrible noise.

Within seconds, I saw a woman jump out of her car, carrying her child. I took this photograph.

...

I didn't even think about taking photographs. I was very close to this accident, and I talked to the woman who ran the stop sign. I took out my cellphone. Even though my phone's service had been cut off, I was still able to call 911, and I requested an ambulance and police.

Like I said, I didn't think at all about taking the photos. This is pretty personal, and the woman in this photo was looking at me as I took this photo.

Thankfully, no one was hurt. I spent about a half hour there, and I watched the entire scene unfold. I even talked to a police officer and explained exactly what I had seen.

...

It wasn't until several weeks later that I began to think that maybe I shouldn't have taken the photos. But, on the other hand, news photographers take photos all of the time. I myself once got my picture in a newspaper, and I didn't even know that my picture was being taken.

So, historically, this picture was important. And thankfully no one was hurt. And, for some reason, I don't know why, I think it was fate that I went out at the time I did with my camera in hand.