This picture was taken by Rocco Morabito in 1967. He was driving on West 26th Street in July 1967 when he saw this scene. At that time, the apprentice lineman R.G. Champion was shocked by an accidentally "alive" high-voltage wire while he was doing a regular check. Before the ambulance's arrival, his coworker, J.D. Thompson who went up to release him down found that he was out of breath, so Thompson gave him a mouth-to-mouth breath in midair. As an experienced journalist, Morabito grabbed his camera and won the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Spot Photography; and Champion finally recovered.
I think the subject of this photo is love. Here, it is not love between lovers, families or friends, it is love of life. This kiss is neither for a lover nor for a friend, as its name "kiss of life", it is for life. Honestly, when I first saw this picture, my first impression was a kiss between two gays. But when I read the story behind the picture I felt quite ashamed of my original impression and really shocked by this kiss for life. I guess that is why the picture was unique, it gives you a misleading first impression, and when you find that and change your impression, the second one is deeply imprinted in your mind. I have to admit that picture is a magic way to express something. If I hear that story in words, I may response like "Oh, really? Champion was lucky. " but when I saw the picture, I stopped and focused on Thompson more than Champion. Not the same as I heard the story in words, when I saw the picture, I couldn't help stop, think about it and feel and appreciate the love in it. I guess that is the power of photography.
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