Overview

• The World Press Photo Foundation has paused attributing the ‘Napalm Girl’ photograph to Nick Ut pending further verification of its authorship.
• A documentary titled ‘The Stringer’ and AP’s technical analysis suggest the photo may have been taken with a Pentax camera, aligning with claims by freelance photographer Nguyen Thanh Nghe.
• Previously unseen NBC footage has introduced another potential claimant, Vietnamese military photographer Huynh Cong Phuc, who was filmed near the likely position of the photograph’s capture.
• Nick Ut, long credited as the photographer, has confirmed he was carrying a Pentax camera at the time but maintains his authorship, supported by eyewitness testimony from Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the photo’s subject.
• The photograph’s authenticity as a depiction of a real historical moment remains undisputed, continuing to symbolize the Vietnam War’s brutality.