Flash - Der Fotoreporter (1992)

Press photographer Flash is around 40 years old. As long as he can remember, his camera has been the most important element of his life. He carries it with him wherever he goes. Over the years, he has sown his wild oats and acquired an international reputation. He has seen the Beirut inferno, has reported on famine in India, and life in a harem; has photographed politicians and prostitutes, insurrections, royal weddings, and fashion shows. Coolly, almost callously, he photographs anything and everything--love stories, tragedies, ecological catastrophes--impartially and with detachment. Until the day he covers a story that he cannot get out of his mind, one that demands the utmost of him. Not only professional skill, but also personal commitment. He suddenly realizes that he cannot remain neutral or objective, but that he must tell the whole story and take sides. Henceforth, his photos contain an element that most others lack: soul. He no longer cares whether his photographic reports are marketable or if they meet media requirements. The only thing that matters to him is whether they tell the truth. He probes into the background of things, rather than just photographing the surface. He brings to light poverty and wealth, corruption, self-effacing heroism and unspeakable hypocrisy. Instead of remaining a passive observer, Flash becomes an active participant, someone who raises his voice and takes action. Thanks to his reputation and the renown of his agency, he is always able to get what he wants. And as a last resort, he is ready to use his charm, wit, and perseverance to achieve his goal: a good story. It is the subjective viewpoint he employs in his photography as well as his commitment that make him an international top photographer. There is no magazine or journal that wouldn't print each and every one of Flash's stories. His work always bears his idiosyncratic style, be it a report on criminal environmental pollution or a photo series on young runaways, a story on youth gangs or on intrigues in political circles. A few years ago, Flash began to work as a freelance photographer for Julie. This attractive woman, who used to be a committed photographer herself, is well aware of Flash's abilities and spurs him on to maximum efficiency. She is an island of tranquility in Flash's otherwise hectic life. He knows he can always count on her. Whenever he gets into trouble, Julie is there to help. Julie is not interested in shrill, gaudy headlines but in what is below the surface, where patience and perseverance are needed, where people's confidence must be won before getting at the truth. It is Flash's patience, as well as his personal commitment and his humane way of treating events and people that Julie likes best about her top press photographer.