The World Press Photo group has recently suspended the attribution of authorship for one of the most iconic press photographs ever taken, known colloquially as the “Napalm Girl” photo. This decision follows the release of a documentary titled The Stringer, which has raised questions about the long-accepted narrative surrounding the image and its photographer.
Formally titled *The Terror of War*, the photograph captures a poignant moment from the Vietnam War, depicting a naked nine-year-old girl, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, fleeing a devastating napalm attack in Trảng Bàng. Taken in June 1972, it was attributed to Nick Ut, a Vietnamese photographer working for the Associated Press (AP), who was only 21 years old at the time. The image quickly gained acclaim, winning the World Press Photo of the Year award in 1973 and cementing Ut’s reputation as a notable figure in photojournalism.
However, the narrative began to unravel with the documentary’s proposals. It asserts that the photograph was actually taken by Nguyen Thành Nghe, a freelance stringer for NBC who was driving that day. According to the film, Nghe was marginalized in favor of Ut due to the latter’s affiliation with the AP, raising critical issues about authorship and recognition in the field of journalism.
The compelling revelations in *The Stringer* sparked a response from the World Press Photo organization, which undertook its own investigation. Their analysis, completed between January and May 2025, utilized “location, distance, and the camera used on that day” as criteria to assess the situation. The conclusion suggested that Nguyễn Thành Nghe, or Huỳnh Công Phúc, may have had better conditions to capture the photo than Nick Ut did.
Importantly, the suspension of Ut’s authorship does not invalidate the significance of the photograph itself. World Press Photo emphasized that the image remains an undisputed artifact of history. “This photograph represents a real moment in history that continues to reverberate in Vietnam, the United States, and globally,” said Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of the organization.
Although the World Press Photo group has taken a definitive step by suspending authorship attribution, the Associated Press maintains the opposite stance. In a detailed 96-page report released earlier this month, the AP found “no definitive evidence” to support altering the widely accepted authorship. The organization concluded that while it is “possible” Ut may have taken the photo, the limitations posed by time, the absence of critical evidence, and the deaths of key figures involved make it challenging to establish a clear attribution.
In a respectful tone, Derl McCrudden, an AP vice-president, remarked that they left no stone unturned in their investigation, emphasizing that any change in credit must be grounded in concrete facts. “It makes no difference to us if we changed the credit, but it has to be based on facts and evidence,” he stated. “And there is no definitive evidence proving that Nick Ut did not take this picture.”
The documentary *The Stringer*, directed by Bao Nguyen, further complicates the authorship narrative by presenting testimonies from various witnesses. Some allege that Nghe sold the photograph to Horst Faas, the chief photo editor for the AP in Saigon, for a mere $20 and a print. This narrative is supported by family members and former colleagues, adding layers of complexity to the attribution debate.
Despite the conflicting reports, the AP’s forensic investigation revealed inconsistencies on both sides. It led to a conclusion that accepting Nghe’s version would require several “leaps of faith.” Nghe himself made a notable appearance at the Sundance premiere of *The Stringer*, reinforcing his claims about the photograph’s capture.
In stark contrast, Nick Ut continues to affirm his authorship and has conveyed the emotional toll this ongoing dispute has taken on him. “The dispute has been very difficult for me and has caused great pain,” he stated in a conversation with the AP.
As it stands, the official authorship of the photograph remains under suspension, signifying contested history. The World Press Photo group acknowledges that it is possible the true author of the photograph may never be definitively identified. They emphasized, “The suspension of the authorship attribution stands unless it is proved otherwise.” The debate opens a broader conversation about fairness, recognition, and the legacies of those who have borne witness to historical events through photography.
