Standout Reuters photo 'legendary' and 'iconic'

This is the Reuters photograph that is being hailed as legendary and iconic.

It was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the weekend by New Orleans-based freelance photographer Jonathan Bachman who was working for Reuters. He was covering demonstrations against the police shooting of African-Americans.

“In an atmosphere of heightened racial tension, and amid growing debate over the seeming militarisation of American police, one photo has stood out,” the BBC reported.

CNN said it symbolised a single person's non-violent resistance against a large, heavily armed opposition and was reminiscent of a handful of other famous photographs, including a shot of a Vietnam war protester holding a flower in front of armed police, or the image of the lone protester confronting a tank in Tiananmen Square.

The Atlantic called it a remarkable picture and said: “There are images that are impossible to forget, searing themselves into our collective consciousness. One man staring down a column of tanks in Tiananmen Square. A high school student attacked by police dogs in Birmingham, Alabama. This is such a photo.

“Once seen, it cannot be unseen.”

Bachman told the BBC: ”I was on the side of the road photographing protesters arguing with police. I looked over my right shoulder and saw the woman step onto the road. She was making her stand. She said nothing and was not moving. It was clear that the police were going to have to detain her."

Bachman said it wasn’t very violent. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t resist, and the police didn’t drag her off.

One comment on Facebook called it a "legendary picture" that "will be in history and art books from this time”.

Bachman said he was unaware of the praise he was getting until his father called him a few hours later.

How does he feel?

"I feel very humble to capture an image that tells the story of what has been happening here in Baton Rouge,” he said. "The woman did not show any aggression toward the police. I feel it is very representative of the peaceful demonstrations that have taken place here. People are very angry and have gone through a tremendous amount of pain; but they have not turned to violence."

He is still in Baton Rouge, covering events there. ■