There is an ongoing debate among photographers, especially urgent in these past weeks, about the ethics of publishing photographs of protesters. Some two thousand people have been arrested in New York City in connection with the protests; identifying participants in pictures could cause them to face legal consequences. “It’s a tough dilemma,” Clennon said. “Faces humanize people. They humanize the protest; they humanize the image. Faces are very, very important.” At the same time, he added, “I want to be mindful.” He’s chosen not to publish identifying photos of any protester who seems to be in a volatile situation with law enforcement—even though such photos, too, could serve as an important record later on.
Clennon has found that he often shares moments of connection with peaceful protesters, who look straight at him and into the camera. One woman at the memorial, wearing her hair in an Afro, caught his eye during Floyd’s speech. “Our faces were covered, so all we had is eyes,” he recalled. “It was very comforting: she was lending some spirit to me.”
