DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Photographer dies from hypothermia on busy Paris street after being ignored

Jan 31, 2022 by Alex Baker 7 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp


Swiss photographer René Robert died after suffering a dizzy spell and falling on a Paris street in his neighbourhood. Robert was ignored by passersby and was left lying on the sidewalk for 9 hours until somebody finally called emergency services. Sadly by then, it was too late, and the esteemed 84-year-old photographer succumbed to hypothermia.

Robert reportedly left his home at 9:30 pm for his usual evening stroll around the busy neighbourhood in central Paris. He fell to the ground and was unable to get up. With no one to help, he then lay on the freezing cold sidewalk for nine hours until a homeless man noticed his motionless body and called for help.

Journalist Michel Mompontet said that his friend had been “murdered by indifference,” continuing “he was a gentle, sensitive and humanistic friend, as discreet as sensitive.”

Assassiné par l’indifférence.
Ce soir 19h20 sur France Info TV mon hommage au photographe René Robert, mort seul dans une rue passante de la capitale sans que personne ne s’arrête et lui porte secours…et ce que cette tragique et révoltante fin de vie nous apprend de nous-mêmes pic.twitter.com/do2ukLQFY1

— Michel Mompontet (@mompontet) January 24, 2022

Robert was well known for his iconic photographs of the Spanish flamenco scene which included stars such as guitarist Paco de Lucia and singer Camerón de la Isla. The Spanish embassy in the Netherlands tweeted that “the death of René Robert, who immortalised with his camera all the great artists of flamenco, challenges our collective conscience.”

The death of René Robert, who immortalized with his camera all the great artists of flamenco, challenges our collective conscience.

— Embajada de España en los Países Bajos (@EmbPaisesBajos) January 28, 2022

Indeed the manner of death of Robert must surely make us all stop and ask ourselves that had we been passing by what likely looked like yet another drunk or rough sleeper, would we have stopped and helped? The area in Paris where he fell is known for its large number of homeless people, and I remember from the time I spent living in London that it’s all too easy to become immune to the problem, your collective eyesight eventually automatically filters out anything awkward or uncomfortable.

the beautiful work of rené robert, who sadly passed away. pic.twitter.com/0L6g4Kqqq0

— catarina. (@cacmrg) January 28, 2022

This should serve as a reminder to all of us. The sad reality is that according to homeless associations, 600 people die on the streets of France every year. This is not an isolated incident, despite the fact that it happened to somebody of note.

Momponet himself admitted to France TV Info that he needed to deal with a little question that made him feel uneasy. “Am I 100% sure that I would have stopped had I been confronted with that scene – a man on the ground? Have I never turned away from a homeless person lying in a doorway?” He added “if this awful death could serve some purpose, it would be this: when a human is lying on the pavement, we should check on them – no matter how busy we may be. Let’s just stop for a second.”

[Via The Guardian]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Legendary street photographer Sabine Weiss dies at 97 A street in Paris wants to ban Instagrammers so the residents can get some peace Default ThumbnailHow I Shot A Fire Breathing Street Fighter Series In Paris NFL quarterback misses final play because he was too busy taking selfies with fans

Filed Under: news Tagged With: death, music photography, Rene Robert

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.net

About Alex Baker

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

« Three Canon RF mount cameras rumoured for 2022 including EOS R/RP replacements and one APS-C
Photographer shares sexist things men do to her at weddings »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Ace your next portrait shoot with these composition tips
  • This is how to get photography clients on Instagram – even with few followers
  • “I prefer using smaller cameras” – an unorthodox take on size
  • A pigeon scares a meteorologist as it photobombs a live camera
  • Photographer files lawsuit against NFL receiver and teams after shoving incident

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy