As the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, photojournalists Spencer Platt and Mario Tama have provided personal accounts of their experiences on the ground in New York City. Both photographers were working for Getty Images at the time, with Tama having joined the organization only two months prior to the event.

In an interview with Axios, the photographers described the immediate professional response required during the crisis. Platt recalled the internal realization that he was witnessing a significant historical moment, which drove him to capture the unfolding events. Tama described the urgency of receiving the assignment and the immediate transition from his daily routine in the Lower East Side to documenting the destruction at the World Trade Center site.

The accounts emphasize the specific role of photojournalists during national emergencies. Rather than retreating from the scene, both men described an instinctual drive to move toward the danger to ensure the events were recorded for posterity. Their reflections offer a look at the psychological and professional challenges faced by those tasked with capturing visual evidence of the tragedy as it occurred.