One of the things that set Faas apart from other photographers was his ability to adapt to the tough conditions of combat photography. He designed a waterproof aluminum case to protect his cameras and film, which also saved him from more serious injuries when he was hit by grenade fire in 1967. Instead of bemoaning the tough conditions, he adapted to them and continued to produce exceptional photographs.
However, what often rankled him were the ethical issues that lay at the core of combat photography. He was concerned about the appropriateness of depicting torture or the disequilibrium that came from being able to photograph only one side of the story. In a memo to the New York office of The A.P. early in 1964, he noted that photographers “could crawl to the forward trenches of a besieged outpost, wait beside riflemen in night ambushes, witness brutal interrogations and executions and merciless street fighting. While the enemy — the Vietcong and North Vietnam — operated in secrecy, American and allied troops and government civilians performed almost always under the probing eyes and lenses of newsmen.”
Faas was also known for searching out the best freelance photographers to supplement the output of A.P. staff photographers. He would hand out cameras to both local and foreign stringers, who became soldiers in “Faas’s Army.” He gave them equal chances and never played favorites. He also gave young freelancers opportunities, knowing that it would permit them to keep working and, more importantly, if they scored a major photographic coup, The A.P. would be the first place they would come.
Faas was a remarkable photographer who left an indelible mark on photojournalism. He had a tough job managing the bureau’s photographers while working as a photographer himself. However, he did it with aplomb, giving equal opportunities to all and never playing favorites.
