Frischling's Adventures in the "Homocide" Capital of America!

Another submission from a FishFraud VIP! All gold, but we've highlighted the most ridiculous parts:

While looking through the NPPA listserv I found several extremely exaggerated accounts of him "working" in East Palo Alto where he claims he spent lots of time doing narc raids and car chases in 1996. He also blows the number of homicides way way way out of proportion.

"There are a number of zones in the United States that pack just as much punch as the hot-spot of the week and never get coverage. Look at East Palo Alto, CA, in 1995 it was the homocide capitol of the US with almost 800 "suspicious" DOAs/homocides in this small roughly 2 mile city of 23,500 people, only 40 cops. I was there in 1996 frequently, it was a war zone (been cleaned up, literally by a new Sheriff). New Orleans' underbelly , and of course my home town "combat zone" the projects in Brooklyn."

For the record, East Palo Alto was the murder capital in the U.S. (per capita) in 1992 with 42 homicides. In 1995, they had six murders, not 800. For him to say that it was a war zone in 1996 is pure fiction.

http://articles.sfgate.com/1996-12-24/news/17788372_1_city-s-police-murders-police-officials

Here he talks about being shot at and involved in gun battles in East Palo Alto:

"Not to sound like an ass (which I am sure a number of you think I sound like often), sometimes close & scared is the only way to get the photo. I admit, as I have before, most of my firefight/gun fight photos were taken in NYC, Boston, D.C., Redwood City/East Palo Alto (CA) and other places in the U.S., but gun fight is a gun fight. Most of my gun drawn and aimed photos are on rooftops, in project stairways and backyards, most of the time 18mm-85mm because it is the only way ( I really suggest owning threat level 3 bullet-vest for this). I know it is very different from Nicaragua, but not far off. I know that I have been shot at to many times, and have bee thankul for wearing the Kevlar because I prefer a broken rib to a hole in me"

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/9260d9ec7a10ef23/6aa5e4bbfb813047?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=steven+frischling+palo+alto#6aa5e4bbfb813047

More talk of "gun play" in East Palo Alto - the HOMOcide capitol

"I have a number of images of gun play upclose & personal, have a few photos of guns being aimed at me, photos of riot situations from inside the riot & so on, I do not need to travel to find the wars, they are here. I spend a lot of time when I can in the inner cities and in heavy drug & homocide areas , from parts of NYC to East Palo Alto (the homocide capitol of the US for 2 years)."

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/e58f0ddff14081a9/931a0b99d288d5bb?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=steven+frischling+palo+alto#931a0b99d288d5bb

Then he was involved in a high-speed pursuit with the California Highway Patrol that ended in East Palo Alto. A look at 187 articles in the San Francisco Chronicle archive from 1996 yielded NO stories of high-speed chases, especially one involving eight sheriff/police departments chasing a 14-year-old boy through five cities and two counties:

"The California Highway Patrol, Golden Gate Division, is one such department that has lead perps in front of me on purpose durring a bust to make sure I got there face, esspecially is the perp still have the crime evidence in their hands, that way when the images are published the evidence is matter-of-fact. I find the expressions of perps add to the image and make it more dramatic, although sometimes no face is better. One photo where it works was taken in East Palo Alto, CA which had been the murder capital of the US in 92 & 93, the CHP unit I was with was lead on a chase that ended up involving the CHP, San Mateo & Santa Clara county sheriffs and the municipal police from 5 police departments (the chase went through 2 counties and 6 towns/cities). When the car finially slammed to a halt, I mean slammed, the driver drove up to a wall by accident. The photo shows the face of a 14 year old boy trying to hide his gun (later found to have been used in a murder) and conceal about 18 grams of cocaine, he is there looking scared and inncocent with 3 officers with shot guns advancing on him. The boy is guilty obviously, he was charged as an adult for drug trafficing, so in the eyes of the law I did not photograph a minor."

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/393a55833055927b/ee0cad1b27995132?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=steven+frischling+palo+alto#ee0cad1b27995132

Apparently there were riots in East Palo Alto, although there are no records of any riots there, and a search of the Chronicle archives for 1996 shows NOTHING to support that claim.

"I see Brooklyn a lot (although the IRA bombings in the U.K. were more polite than the riots in East Palo Alto, CA)."

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/3117b1dee0aaa72c/2eff63043d310151?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=steven+frischling+palo+alto#2eff63043d310151

So Frischling, where can we see your photos of these riots in East Palo Alto and of the boy hiding his gun and cocaine after that epic car chase? While you're searching your archives, can you find the photos of IRA bombings as well?

All these photos certainly sound captivating - why don't you put them on your portfolio?

Frischling Threatened with Treason, Held at Gunpoint with Schoolchildren!

A comment so good it had to be turned into its own post... thank you!

Definition of treason: the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family

here he says a "friend" (didn't know he had any) was threatened with treason.

"In the past few years I have had friends face changes of treason, then face the charge myself for shooting that person in the place they were facing the charges.


What was that about? The photog shot a picture of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, in Vernon, VT. The plant rises from a corn field, and is totally exposed to a river on one side. The plant had just failed US Gov't and NRC security tests, and that was a story. The photog shot a photo (of a plant I have shot inside more than 30 times over a 2 year period prior to this happening), then was arrested, and faced charges in the State of Vermont of treason. I shot a portrait of him following that, which ran in the Boston Globe, Brattleboro, VT, Reformer (the paper he worked for, I formerly worked for, and the local paper of the nukes plant), as well as other regional and national papers. I was then called and threatened with the charges."

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=10755

"In my job I was facing the charge of Treason in Vermont for photographing the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Facility, in Vernon, VT. The plant rises from a corn field an cannot be missed. The year before this incident I had been inside the plant for assignments for a total of 15 days. My troubles were shooting a portrait of a photographer who was being charged with treason for shooting the plant."

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/549730-whats-penalty-taking-pictures-jail-2.html#post5665629

but wait, there's more...

here he was held by authorities for FOUR hours...

"I was shooting a story on security outside a nukes plant in CT. I had a letter from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well I spoke to the nukes plant PR folks, and stood on a public road, in plain site, shooting the armoured vehicles outside. I was held for about 4hrs by the Connecticut State Police, and had my car searched, everything emptied. My credentials verified (although Conn does not issue any credentials). I could not use my cell phone, or leave the area of the police cruiser. When I was done, and started to leave, the Conn. Nat. Grd MPs pulled me over, and detained me for quite a while, trying to find out why the Conn. State Police had stopped me."

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=10755

but here it is now SEVEN!!

"In Connecticut I was held for 7 hours for photographing people fishing behind the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant. I had a letter from the Nuclear Regulartory Commision, the answer I was given by the Conn State Police was that Millstone does not answer to the NRC (which is wrong, they very much answer to the NRC)."

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/549730-whats-penalty-taking-pictures-jail-2.html#post5665629

here he says he was approached at gunpoint with 20 school kids on a pier...

"In New Haven, CT, I was photographing an oil storage farm for a story on a US$1bil sale of one of the companies in the harbour. I was approached by half-a-dozen cops (and a news crew!) at gun point as I stood on the public pier in a hawiian shirt with two large lenses (more than a foot in length on one of them) that are wrapped in purple and orange tape. The lead officer was screaming at me to put my cameras down, he then started to ask me why I was trying to hide (in a hawiian shirt with lenses wrapped in purple & orange tape on a public pier??). What made this worse was 20 or so elementry school students were on the pier as they came at me with guns drawn. I stayed up right, ID'd myself a few times and more than once told the cop to holster his weapon (which was not such a good idea). The New Haven Police would not recognize my NYPD credential, FDNY credentials, Mass State Police Credential, Vermont State Police, United Nations, US Senate, San Mateo County Sheriff's Dept, Santa Clara County Sheriff or the Dept. of Defense.......Connecticut has no state or municipal issued credentials."

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/549730-whats-penalty-taking-pictures-jail-2.html#post5665629

yet here he says it wasn't at gunpoint and no mention of kids....

"I was shooting a business story on the sale of a number of fuel farm storage tanks in New Haven. These tanks are very visible from I-95 & I-91. They are open to the waterways, side roads, hotels, interstate which cut through New Haven. Prior to shooting this fuel farm I called the USCG PIO for Division 1, and the New Haven Police. I told them what I was doing, trying to head off a problem. While shooting I turned around and saw a new van pull into the parking lot, along the Long Island Sound, I was parked in. I then saw a number of NHPD, DOD Police and a Conn State Police cruiser pull into the lot. They surrounded my wife as she tried to read a book for school demanding to know if there were cameras in the car. She said no, they ordered her out of the car, she told them I had the cameras (I was holding a 300f2.8, 400f2.8, 70-200f2.8 and 17-35f2.9, and a Hawaiian shirt on the end of a public pier, not trying to hide). One officer approached me very quickly, his hand at his side and his holder unflapped, although the gun was in the holster. This cop ordered me down, I kept
walking asking him what the hell was going on. He demanded my credentials, I told him that Connecticut issues no credentials, and asked what I would do if I only worked in CT with no credentials. After some back and forth I handed him my credentials, they called and verified the credentials with the NYPD, Mass State PD and US Senate. The cops kept telling me the massive fuel farm was a target and needed to know where the photos would appear, I told them I was shooting for a news service with about 1,200 daily newspaper clients. The cop said that was fine as long as they were "legit" newspapers. He then began to tell me that I should not be so elusive when shooting (again, two long lenses, and a Hawaiian shirt). "

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=10755

another variation of the fuel tank story:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1503

now there is only six officers and their guns are in their holsters.

and yet another variation....

"How about having my car surrounded, and forced to my stomache by a New Haven Detective while shooting a photo for a business story of oil storage farms off the Long Island Sound,which can be seen from two interstates, and out the window of a popular restaurant. They said the 400f2.8 was suspicious, which it may very well be, but after he checked mu IDs, he had my wife get out of our car and he searched it for additional cameras, which made no sense."

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=3944

and one more....

"A few years ago in New Haven, CT, while photographing the huge oil storage farms for a business story (a company was sold in a multi-billion dollar deal) I was out on the end of a public pier shooting. I was wearing tan board shorts, a bright Hawaiian shirt had three bodies with a 17-35f2.8, 70-200f2.8, 400f2.8, all wrapped in bright orange & purple tape.


Prior to shoot there I had called the USCG First District Public Affairs desk and the New Haven PIO. I didn't need to, but I didn't want a problem.


At some point I noticed my wife's '83 bright yellow Volvo surrounded by cops demanding to know where there camera were. She pointed to me and cops from the NHPD, State Police and DOD Police came at me. One office, an NHPD Lt., had his weapon out of the holster screaming at me demanding to know why I was trying to hide.


......now if I was hiding would I be in plain site, on a public pier, in a Hawiian shirt with a 400f2.8 wrapped in bright purpleand orange tape?


This yutz would not accept my press credentials from the US Senate Press Photogs Gallery, the United Nations, NYPD, Mass State Police or other easily verifiable organizations. He demanded my Connecticut press credentials......Conn issues no press cards and this guy didn't seem to know that."

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=29618

Frischling, it isn't even a challenge to find contradictions to your stories. damn dude, you could have made it a little more difficult. a four year old or one of the 20 school kids could uncover your lies.

Steven Frischling's Unbelievable Political Lies!

You asked for more stories, you got 'em. 

Thank you very, very much to a FishFraud MVP/future Pulitzer Prize winner who sent in the following incredible research exposing travel blogger Steven Frischling's lies of covering national politics as a photojournalist.

STEVEN FRISCHLING AND POLITICS

Frischling has gone on and on about how he is a seasoned political photographer. Thanks to some help from my friends, we've assembled a huge list of his tales. But first, let me explain how a few things work in the realm of covering politics, especially when traveling with campaigning presidential candidates as well as the press pool that covers the president and vice president. This will help in understanding how he is lying about a lot of the tales we found.

THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS POOL

The White House press pool for still photographers consists of AP, AFP, Reuters, a rotating "agency" pool and a magazine/newspaper slot (currently held by the New York Times). AP, AFP and Reuters and NYT travel with the president everywhere and are considered the "tight pool". They travel on Air Force One, in motorcades and are always with the president when he has any movement. The agency pool only travels in presidential motorcades when the president has movements within close proximity to the White House. The agency pool rotates between (I believe) eight agencies and commits a photographer from each agency to three days a month covering the White House. Photographers in the agency pool DO NOT (except on rare occasions) travel on Air Force One.  The traveling press pool pays a hefty price to travel on AF1 and in motorcades with the president with an annual price tag of about a million dollars per agency. If other press does for some reason pay to go on of the president's overseas trips, they do not fly on AF1 but instead are put on a charter.

When the president has an event (like a speech at a college) local press covering the event must submit a request for credential and vital info (like date of birth, social security) days prior to the event for a background check. Everyone who covers a presidential visit will be given a White House press pool pass. They are typically different colors at each event and have a Secret Service sticker attached to it with a number. There are two kinds of these passes, a PL and an L. PL is for pool, which would allow you to temporarily join the traveling press pool in the area called the buffer at the front of the stage or to tag along if the president is touring a facility. The PL passes are given to photographers from the local newspaper and often wire services that aren't in the traveling pool. The L pass is for local press and it gets you a spot on a riser with limited (if any) mobility. I have attached a photo of these passes. I bring this up because Frischling claims in one of the following posts that he has several dozen of these that he apparently wears on his neck as if he were part of the White House press pool. Like I said, everyone who has covered a presidential visit has one of these passes. They mean nothing once the event is over.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

I spoke with a few photographers who traveled extensively with candidates in 2004 and in 2008. When I say traveling, these guys and gals were out for weeks at a time on the candidates planes, motorcades and hotels. I asked if they had ever seen Frisching on a campaign plane. They did not. I asked if they had seen him at Howard Dean's event where he dropped out of the race. They had not. On the Kerry campaign? Nope.

The only coverage I have ever seen of political nature by Frischling is a day he spent with Ralph Nader in 2004, a few days (3 or 4 tops) he spent with Howard Dean at the start of his presidential bid in 2003 (where he had one on one coverage of him riding in a car and talking with aides), three or four days covering Dean on a bus tour through New Hampshire in 2004, a couple events here and there including a debate and election night in Boston covering John Kerry (not as a member of the traveling press.) There was also some Nader event that he covered during the 2000 cycle.

Presidential campaigns are expensive if you are traveling on the plane. Freelancers don't travel on the plane since it can cost between $2,000 and $5,000 (or more) a day depending on how much flying is done. You pay for everything, food, the flight, hotel, press files, food, you name it. Since the amount changes each day based on how many people are traveling, the campaigns always bill out the fees, never ask for money up front. Bus tours are usually more accessible to freelancers and smaller low budget agencies and generally only occur in the early stages of a campaign (like Iowa and New Hampshire).

When Dean was traveling through New Hampshire, the bus fee was probably in the neighborhood of 50 to 100 bucks a day. The buses are usually pretty easy to get on and most photographers avoid them since they usually have to cover multiple candidates in a single day during the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. The bus works for those who are assigned to a single candidate. So, technically, you're not actually "traveling" with the candidate and you're not in any "pool," you're essentially getting a ride to their events and they drop you off at the candidate's headquarters at the end of the day.

The pool for presidential campaigns is usually established once it is determined who the official candidate is (at the party convention) as this is when the candidate gets immediate Secret Service protection – which means police escorted motorcades, tighter restrictions at campaign events for local press and credentials issued to the traveling press by the Secret Service. Like the presidential pool PL passes, select local media would be allowed to join the traveling pool at events for a limited time. Like the White House press pool, the campaign pool runs in a similar fashion with some expansion. It is still AP, AFP and Reuters with other regularly traveling agencies. It does change from time to time, but only in tight situations and then it reverts back to White House rules.

Now let's continue to the stories Frischling has spread about his supposed up-close-and-personal political access...

Part A: The Frischling Fantasies

A) 12/5/07 Digital Wedding Forum –
"While was a full time photojournalist for more than a decade shooting everything from small town weekly council meetings to the war in Iraq and a rural highschool's home coming election to traveling with multiple major presidential candidates in their pool."

B) 11/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum –
"I am sure I'd clear the background check. I have been part of the White House Pool traveling with the President, and Presidential Candidates"

C) Flyertalk – 5/13/08  - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/737272-benefit-clear-2.html#post9717204
"I have had my background checked and rechecked while being credentialed as a news photographer covering the United Nations, having been a member of the US House & Senate Press Photographer's Gallery, having traveled 1-on-1 with presidential candidates and traveled in the White House photo pool, as well as having been an embedded journalist in Iraq and having covered "homeland security"

D) 10/4/07 Digital Wedding Forum 
"My F5xb has been great for weddings, the majority of my weddings, as well as multiple trips to Iraq, shooting in four countries , on two continents and one sub-continent chain of islands in a single day (well really more than a day, but the international date line flips you back a day) , two years of covering presidential campaigns heavily on the road (2000 & 2004) and lots of less exciting every day shoots."

E) 11/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"Before the Newswear Pouches I used the Domke pouches that I have a dozen of. This set up is used with two bodies (again at times, rarely, 1 body) and I have take this kit on the road for weeks with political talking heads running for office, been to probably two dozen riots, Iraq, and a whole lot of weddings."

F) 9/16/07 Digital Wedding Forum 
"Two of the bodies have survived multiple assignments in Iraq, all have enjoyed stints at the Final Four, World Series, Presidential pool gigs, etc.........so why would I trade them in? They do a good job and do the same job they did five/four years ago."

G) 11/7/06 Digital Wedding Forum
"you can't spend 14 days in a car with a Presidential Hopeful before the real massive campaigning kicks off and never speak to them, it is just not possible."

H) 8/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"Years of shooting perp-walks in NYC as a wire shooter, covering national and international politics in a press pool, countless court assignments, post-game scrums on the field......all make Uncle Bob easy to work around."

I) 2/19/08 Digital Wedding Forum
"Maybe it is a news thing, but I have done countless 16+hr days shooting news. During the "political season" I could do back to back to back to back 16 hours days bouncing between New Hampshire and Iowa, shoot for 16hrs, get on a plane for a few hours, sleep 2hrs, up for 16hrs, then do it all over again. This could go on for 2 weeks"

J) 11/24/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"I have used this set up for days and weeks on the road shooting political candidates, floating around the world in a week , countless NFL and NCAA football games and a bunch of weddings..."

K) 8/28/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"I have been an agency contract photog traveling with political candidates trying to make unique images daily of the same person doing the same person every day. I have worked for wire services shooting riots and covered war..."

L) 5/2/06 Digital Wedding Forum
"Shooting for 12 to 14hrs is easy. You just get into a good frame of mind and do your job. Journalism was great practice for weddings, traveling in press pools covering political campaigns, the Olympics, riots, a being out on patrols in Iraq."

M) 2/8/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"oh yea, "My Boss" is also glad I no longer cover politics, where I am on the road for at times a few weeks or being shipped off to WTO and G8 riots with some frequency no more showing up before the hurricane and staying until the hurricane has left and no more trips to a hot desert with things being fired at me or items exploding near me."

N) 9/1/07 Sports Shooter http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=26249
"...and as for politics.....we'll get into that when you ask.....but the traveling press pool is tight and VERY EXPENSIVE , which is why few freelancers do it. When I have done it my client paid all expenses up front with the campaigns I traveled with (and the agency I was shooting for was owned by Bill Gates, so they had the funds, I didn't)."

O) 7/27/09 Sports Shooter http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=33647
"I've been assigned to be the 1-on-1 documentary photog shooting George HW Bush & Bono, but while I had great access I didn't get to know my subjects. I've photographed two sitting presidents; traveled with two candidates in the final stages of their presidential campaigns; photographed the Pope; The Manning Brothers; countless heads of state at the U.N.; etc etc etc...but so what? I didn't get to know my subjects in any way ."

P) 2/7/04 sports shooter  http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=7350
"Photogs are not necessarily dumping digital on the campaign trail. Jeff Jacobson obviously shot all film, but he followed Dean for a few days while Callie Shell was away, Shell shot a mix of film and digital (although I only saw her with a 28-70 on her EOS 1D for the three days I was on the Dean bus with her, while Jacobson shot only film for the two days he was on the bus). "

Q) 10/1/07 sports shooter http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=26651
"I have had m bodies since early 2003 and they have shot countless pro football and baseball games, heavily covered political campaign season, been to the middle east a few times, done a bunch of NCAA basketball games and 40+ weddings since early 2003 and the bodies average 1.3mil frame clicks."

R) 10/21/08 sports shooter  http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=31074
"Back in '04 I stood on the risers on Boston until well after 1:00am and John Kerry was a no-show. "

S) 10/10/07 Digital Wedding Forum
"I have had problems with the Secret Service shooting a "corporate portrait" of a U.S. Congressman in front of The White House, no lights, no tripod, no light stands, just me, two cameras, a waist pack and a US Congressman. This was in late 2005. Keep in mind that I was pulled aside, with the Congressmen, while in possesion of, and displaying, my credentials from the U.S. House & Senate The Dept of Defense, the United Nations, the NYPD, Mass. State Police and about two dozen "White House Pool" credentials (both "N" and "L" credentials) from White House events........still took 15-20 min to sort it out.....WITH A CONGRESSMAN!."

Part 2: The Reality

A. Multiple major presidential candidate pools? Who would that be? Dean and Nader don't really count.

B. As I mentioned before, AP, AFP, Reuters and Magazine/newspaper pool plus the agency pool are the only photographers who travel with the president in town. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that he was fulfilling an agency pool spot at the White House for UPI, which would put him in a motorcade and would technically be traveling in the pool. I have never seen a single photo to support this.

C. Again, unless for some bizarre fluke that he was assigned to sit in the agency pool for three days at the White House (extremely unlikely) he has not "traveled" with the pool.

D. Says in the 2000 and 2004 election cycles he was heavily on the road with campaigns. I have not ever seen one photo of Al Gore or George Bush campaigning from 2000 and the extent of his 2004 coverage can be seen here. http://www.upi.com/search/?sp=t&s_l=photos&ss=%22steven+frischling%22&offset=1 And here by searching frischling dean http://worldpicturenews.com/web/IndexPageLightbox.aspx?driverid=9296 And here (which by the way appears that he double dipped by giving pictures from the same event to Bloomberg and UPI – competing wire services) http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&p=steven+frischling+dean

E. Claims to have traveled with candidates for weeks at a time but no wire photographer who has traveled for weeks at a time has ever seen him.

F. States that he has done presidential pool gigs between 2002 and 2007 but has never mentioned this on any other message board and there are no photos to support this other than two times that he shot George Bush at local events from a riser.

G. Says he has spent 14 days in a car with a presidential hopeful before major campaigning commenced. He did spend a couple of days here and there following Howard Dean prior to him announcing that he was running but not 14 days. There is one photo on his site of Dean (under "faces") in a car mirror that was taken in 2003, although he has it captioned as if it was taken when he was the head of the DNC http://stevenfrischling.com/

H.  International press pool? HA

I. States that during the "political season" that he would bounce back and forth between Iowa and New Hampshire. When the Iowa caucuses are going on in Dec./Jan., all the candidates are either in Iowa or New Hampshire. They do Iowa and then New Hampshire, that's the election cycle. There is no real back and forth. Besides, I doubt he has ever been to Iowa.

J. Again stating that he has spent weeks on the road with candidates – pure fiction.

K. Saying that he was a representative of an agency covering a campaign "trying to make unique images daily of the same person doing the same person every day" whatever that means.

L. Still thinks he has traveled in a pool.

M. Says his "boss" a.k.a. Susannah, is happy that he isn't gone on campaigns for weeks at a time anymore. There is no evidence to suggest that he has ever traveled with a candidate for any length of time other than 3 days on a bus.

N. Says that his "client" an agency owned by Bill Gates (better known as Corbis) paid for his campaign travel up front. That never happens. Travel is never billed upfront only after, sometimes weeks or even months after the fact.

O. Traveled with TWO candidates in the last stages of their campaign. If this was between 2000 and 2004, that would have to be Gore, Bush or Kerry. He wasn't traveling with Kerry and I have never seen a single photo of Gore or Bush during the 2000 election.  He also says that he didn't get to know his subjects in any way, but earlier says that you can't be in a car for 14 days with a presidential candidate and not talk to him.

P. Establishes that he was on the Dean bus for three days, not weeks.

Q. Another mention of how heavily he covers politics but there is no photographic evidence to support this claim. It is safe to say that he has never experienced traveling with a candidate on a plane for weeks at a time, let alone once or twice.

R. Establishes that he was not "traveling" with Kerry on the final day of his campaign and there is no real evidence to support his claim that he has traveled with two presidential candidates on the final stages of their campaign unless he is referring to Ralph Nader who never really had a real presidential campaign.

S. This was in late 2005 when he was employed by CRN. There is no real reason why he would still have a valid US Senate pass or the extremely difficult to obtain Dept. of Defense pass. The DOD passes are almost always issued to journalists who cover the Pentagon FULL TIME. The U.N. pass, according to my boss, has to be renewed twice a year and requires a newspaper or wire service sponsor. The funniest thing is how he says he has about two-dozen old White House press passes from WH events on his lanyard. That is just retarded. First of all, has he actually covered 24 presidential events? Sure, it is possible, but if he has, it has been over his career and most of those passes would be about 10 years old. He covered Bush twice for Bloomberg since 2004. Second, why would anyone carry dozens of those around their neck like a trophy? That would be one huge mess of press passes to carry around. He'd look like a clown.  

Once again we challenge Steven Frischling... Where are the photos to back up these stories?
Are you such a terrible incompetent photographer that you didn't get a single usable image? 

Steven Frischling: Accident-Prone Superhero

Thank you to a FishFraud MVP who compiled this list of Steven Frischling's amazing injuries. Of course it would be impossible to compile all of his spectacular traumas, but we have already called bullshit on a few. (For example, the time he claims he was assaulted by actor Hugh Grant or shot nine times.)

But it's an impressive list. Of course, few of these accidents ever seem to prevent our superhero from getting his photos. Only problem: where are the photos?

For example, he claims he had not one, but TWO medical issues during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There is no confirmation and no photos to support him being there, much less working for the Olympic Committee as he's claimed. He also claims he was assaulted by a fan while shooting Manchester United against AC Milan, which is so laughable we don't know where to start. He has no photos of this match.

Digital Wedding Forum 1/30/05
“In 2002 I had to have an emergency procedure on my throat while at the Olympics, released from the hospital at 1: AM, at work at 6: AM. I felt like death hit me with a stick, but my client could not possibly get another shooter credentialed that fast for the Olympics. I am dumb I guess, I often shoot when sick, was outside last month for 6hrs shooting a news story with a 101 fever.”

Sports Shooter
12/13/02
“I spent a day in Park City during the Olympics unable to shoot because my eyes were watering for three hours after I made the mistake of saying I'd like to try a half rack of the hot sauce. The pit roasted chicken is amazing!”

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=693

More tragic stories follow:

I've got a visible dent in my skull from a nasty fall skating in a 1/2 pipe when I was younger, and seem to break myself all of often

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4380

I have uttered similar words when someone has run into me; panned so fast and hard their lens hood slammed into my lens leaving me a bruise under my eye

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=5827

I have unfortunately had the lovely displeasure of crutches a few times
( broken arms, broken feet, popped knees, busted thumb with a broken
tib-fib).  I started to use a waist pack, I started with the Lowe Pro
Orion AW and now use the Domke OutPack waist pack.  When shooting I
place the crutch out in front of me and use it as a sort of mono-pod.
I hung a single camera a short zoom off my right shoulder, even when I
cracked my right leg (or left leg as well) because it was easier to grab
since cameras are made for righties (I use my left hand more often) .
Use the crutches as your balance.  Cruthces ALWAYS SUCK, but they can be
used to your advantage.
A good chunk of what I do is breaking news, and crutches slow me down
alot , but i made do, I went to the 180f2.8 rather than the 28f1.4, and
300f2.8 rather than my 80-200f2.8.  I found standing on my roof with a
long lens worked OK for me.
Rule of thumb, I have cut my last few casts off after 2-3 weeks, not a
good idea.  I cut 'em off so I could go chase
news/snowboarding/surf/skateboard/climb  , not something I suggest.  I
am regretting it just a lil' bit now that I need to have a few joints
worked on.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/9dc20cf4787a9ae5/eb410b4f1ce659e5?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+broken#eb410b4f1ce659e5

I have had my bones broken, stiches requied to heal the wound, and have had to dispose of pannels on a bullt proof vest because it was used to protect myself.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/e58f0ddff14081a9/931a0b99d288d5bb?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+broken#931a0b99d288d5bb

here I sit with a minor concussion, still have a ringing
in my ear and have blurred vision in my left eye because I was covering
a "disturbance" yesterday and was smacked in the head by a low flying
beer bottle (yea one day I'll remember the simple word I learned when I
played hockey "DUCK" )

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/c9673720790cf03a/fb399843b5dc4e?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+injured#00fb399843b5dc4e

I had a lovely encpounter with a flying metal projective
(twice in me, 7 times in a vest...all at once) while in the projects ,
another another time elsewhere.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/177b035d8c1f737f/99bf71617cfe6432?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+injured#99bf71617cfe6432

I have developed tendinitos in my right wrist from shooting verticals at
very slow speeds often.   I think every photojournalist has developed a
bad shoulder, bad lower back and favouring one eye (I have a shattered
rotator -cup in my right shoulder from a snowboard racing accident).
Someone asked about skiing accidents?  How about snowboarding?  I used
to compete in slalom & super G...am now missing my right kidney froma
whipe out at 72MPG, torn rottor-cup, busted knee , hips, lower
back

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/5773d07b82cd821b/63a1b91fb4350280?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+kidney#63a1b91fb4350280


Presently I have a completely torn ligament on the anterior of my right ankle and a nearly completely torn ligament on the interior of the same ankle ... which is drastically changing how I shoot. My stability is significantly thrown off as is my ability to move very quickly and pivot. I have adapted how I am shooting, how I am planning my 2nd & 3rd motion as I shoot, as well as how I am using long lenses.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=36642

Last year I had a fight with a Ford Taurus (I lost) and ended up in a brace which held my right arm at a 90degree angle for nearly four months.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=2258

I broke the lower portion of right my eye socket a few years ago (concrete got tossed at me, photographing a narcs raid in California). It hurts dude!

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=914

My 400f2.8's hood was dented by what appeared to be a beer bootle yesterday at Giants Stadium.

I was on the 2nd level shooting Manchester United vs AC Milan, when Man U failed to make a goal. I made a voice note into the back of my 1D , something like "Nice shot, would be better if ball was in net." Some fan was able to hear this (no idea how over the crowd), and swung a bottle into my hood. The bottle didn't break, but my hood now has a flat spot.

I wonder how they got a glass bottle into the stadium, since they are supposed to check everyone's bag.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=11118

I think the worst was a player from Fordam's woman's basketball come off a shot and kick my camera into my face. My head hit the floor so hard I was seeing stars. The worst part was the player then stood over me swearing at me for being on the line (where I sat for nearly every home basketball game at UMass, because I shot for the University). Her coach reprimanded her and the ref tossed her from the game for unsportsman like conduct.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=18140

Last year I was kicked in the face by player on Fordham's women's basketball team when she flew out of bounds. Nice dent in my 24f2.8 lens hood. My head hit the floor so hard all the cheerleaders thought I split my head by the sound. They surrounded me so my daughter (1.5 year old at the time) who was in the stands with Momma wouldn't see me struggling to get up. Just a bruise on my eye and a massive bump on my head and I was back to shooting the game. (nice to shoot the same arena all the time, the UMass cheerleaders all knew my daughter was a big womens B-Ball fan :0) ) The Fordham player leaned over me and said "@$$hole" before heading back to the court. I could not believe it, neither could the official, UMass coach, cheerleading coach or anyone else who heard it.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1309

I spent today waist deep in a freezing Dleware River on the New
Jersey/Penn.  boarder shooting flooded homes.  I could not feel my feet
for an hour or so, then they hurt severly and now they are just raw, but I
got good pictures, at least I think. 

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.journalism.photo/browse_thread/thread/1c9eb591961a00d2/3afdb612d2bf1c4?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=steven+frischling+hurt#03afdb612d2bf1c4

My D1 has survied fast moving concrete as 7 World Trade Center collapsed 1.5 blocks from me on Sept 11 in NYC, a direct hit from a tear gas canister being fired from riot cops in my direction, other random riot action, being run over by Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) in Dec, me being put on Cirpo (it did not need the Cipro) after Anthrax was found in the Hart Senate Building, many hours and photos following politicians, trials, executives, The Olympics, etc etc etc.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1252

I had my tonsils out on the 27th of October. The surgery is out patient, no overnight in the hospital. The bill was around $5,500 I think.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=18274

Last summer I got nailed in a car wreck, destroyed my shoulder. The surgery and rehab was covered by the insurance. Months later I got a serious infection in the area of the surgery, my insurance said the visit to the doctor was not required and denied my claim. I did not have the $350 to cover my expenses, because "technically" the infection won't kill me, so I can deal with it (of course it restricted movement in my shoulder.

I broke my tooth, my insurance told me that getting a cap was not required, and considered cosmetic, so I had to find $700 for the work.

When I moved from VT to MA I did not have health insurance, my daughter began getting ear infections. With no health insurance we shelled out nearly $1,900 to deal with the ear infections.

I have also been denied health insurance a few times, once by an employers insurance carrier because I am missing my right kidney due to trauma, and have an on going problem with my throat. My insurance each month is through the roof, some months I have to drop my insurance to pay rent and get my family fed.

My insurance carrier, Blue Cross, once denied my claim for an ER visit to have my throat scoped because while I was totally unable to swallow for nearly 40hrs, I was breathing. Had I lost consciousness then had someone call 911, they would have covered my claim.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4562

I can't shoot when my shoulder has such an infection that I can barely move it 10 degrees in any direction.

It makes a bad impression to walk into a corporate photo shoot with one of your front teeth missing.

I missed a photo assignment (two actually) when I was down for my throat problem in the above mentioned siuation.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4562

I was injured racing in the '91 US Open Super G, so I lost out on sponsor money.

In certain situation, such as violent situations, or an extreme example would be having been near #7 World Trade Center when it collapsed on Sept 11, 2001, my gear was the last thing on my mind. I lost a camera body that day and didn't even go back and look for it. In riots I protect myself, not my equipment, I make sure I can get out in one piece. A broken finger or bruised rib is not a big deal, but a busted nose, arm, wrist, leg, are not injuries I want to endure, and simply can't ensure in terms of lost income.

In terms of getting hit by a football when a receiver misses the pass I'd rather get it than have it hit my gear, but in most situations there is no time to think about saving yourself or your gear , so your instinct does what it is going to do. I try and shoot with two eyes open to avoid getting hit on the sidelines, but freak accidents happen.

As for sitting on the sidelines, like most freelancer, I go to work hurt. When I was in a metal brace, with my right arm held out at an 87 degree angle, I went to work, I shot some baseball, soccer and pro lacrosse, was awkward, hurt like hell, but I had to work to survive.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6979

Ummmm, 1991, lost my 80% of my kidney = $42,000 (100% covered)
1991, had another part of kidney removed = $5,600 (100% covered)
1992 through 1993 , three more surgeries, around $14,00 = 100% covered

Various concusions, lost teeth, broken fingers, leg, rebuilt shoulder,11 procedures on my throat since 1999 all 100% covered, hospital stay, surgery, ER, doc, nurses, drugs, all 100% covered (except down time, excluding the shoulder, I was paid for my down time) ........my camera gear repair is a minimum of $500 out of pocket, so it is cheaper to break me than the gear :0)

OK, I don't like breaking anything, me or gear, so I try and move out of the way now.

......I am joking is NOT cheaper to break me, just have good health insurance (well not good dental any more)

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6979

The cops at UMass and Amherst Police generally carry MK III 5 &10 OC (5.5% & 10% Oleoresin Capsicum pepper). I have had the displeasure of being sprayed by the stuff at close range while shooting a demonstration by the APD on their techniques.....don't know what he was thinking.

I dunked my head in cold water on and off for 3-4 minutes and the burning in my eyes, and on my skin cleared up fairly quickly. I was told to do this in the station by the cops. My guess is his run in was with UMPD or APD, rather than the Mass State PD (not sure what they carry), so I was speaking from direct experience with what he would have come in contact.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1849

I don't have problems with my lenses getting scratched shooting sports usually, but it is the other assignments I get where my gear can get seriously banged around. I have cracked the glass of a number of filters, I prefer a busted $50 filter to a busted front element. I have not yet replaced my filter for the 17-35f2.8, but I popped two UV filters in a month on it ,when not using the hood, The first while shooting the USCG 25ft Defender Class boats on active patrol in Boston Harbour, we hit a wave, and I went camera first into the butt of a 50cal mounted machine gun, and the other shootiing in a Black Hawk chopper when we hit some turblance and my lens was right into the back of the helment the flight crew chief was wearing.....he was fine, my filter was cracked in a spider pattern.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1946

Yet despite all these terrible accidents, assaults and misfortune -- concussions, broken bones, being shot nine times, pepper sprayed in his eyes, broken eye socket, hit by a car, kicked in the face by a basketball player -- he then claims the worst thing that ever happened to him while he was out shooting was arriving 20 minutes after his baby mama at the hospital when she was in labor!

This is the worst that has happened to me.

I was in a cell phone dead area when my better-half's water broke! I came back into cell coverage to more than 30 messages from A Lady in Labour, my former editor, night editor, wire editor, 3 reporters, the PR person from the hospital and a medic at the EMS unit.

I think above all else that is by far the worst thing that has ever happened to me while out shooting an assignment.

(No, I didn't miss the birth, I was at the hospital less than 20 minutes after her)


http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=11113

Happy Lying!

Travel Blogger Steven Frischling's Lies about TWA Flight 800

TWA Flight 800 exploded over the ocean after takeoff from JFK airport on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 people on board. "Travel blogger" Steven Frischling, living on Long Island at the time, took a photo outside a Coast Guard station that shows ambulances.

Frischling has since, in various forums over the past 15 years, exploited the tragedy of Flight 800 by describing scenes he could not possibly have seen and bragged about money he could not possibly have made from photos that could not possibly exist.

Prepare to be offended.

Only weeks after the accident, Frischling responds to a spammer on a newsgroup to brag he made more than $2,000 in six hours because 230 people died one night:

alt.journalism.photo: "Great CASH GAINS" (8/3/1996)

"6hrs at TWA Flight 800, I was the only non-related civilian on the US Coast Gaurd base, I made over $2,000 in 6 hrs........."

A few years later, that amount has climbed to $7,000+:

Sports Shooter: "Stringing for AP" (12/1/2003)

"The last assignment I really shot for the AP was in the morgue the night TWA Flight 800 crashed off Long Island. AP got it's five or six photos for $180 (x2 because of the time I invested, and access I was able to get without their help) plus miles, and I managed to get $7,000 from Newsweek for photos they never ran in their North American editions."

Contrast that to six years earlier, when he claimed he had banked nearly a year's salary that night, and also makes the absurd claim of being inside the makeshift morgue! First, it is doubtful the authorities would have allowed a photographer in that morgue, and if they had, don't you imagine that those photos would been seen all over the world?

NPPA-L: "Who Makes What...some actual numbers" (7/20/1997)

"then again I left a few days before TWA 800, was the only photog on thebase or in the morgue that night and made a little less that the yearly salary in one night..."

He repeats this claim about the morgue in 2008, and now brags he has been at "multiple plane crashes!"

FlyerTalk: "anyone ever been through an aborted takeoff/landing?" (5/14/2008)

"Having shot around multiple plane crashes in my news career, including being the pool photog in the make shift morgue for a 747 that blew up, I'm not keen on being on crashing planes. I'd rather shoot news than be news."

But being in the vicinity of a plane crash and making a fortune off it is not dramatic enough for Steven Frischling.  In 1999 he hijacked a thread about the Columbine school shooting in Littleton, Colo., to grab some attention for himself by overstating his connection to Flight 800. He admits to making "bad jokes about TWA 800" (he's all class!) but you must understand, he needs to make these jokes! Even three years later, it is all Frischling can do to get through each day after the hell he witnessed that night!

NPPA-L: "Littleton, Tornadoes, etc." (5/5/1999)

"I know I have made a number of bad jokes about TWA 800, but I also know that I never want to see my negatives again from the night the 747 crashed. Making jokes, seeming all confident and strong is what kept me and keeps me from falling down in a ball of tears."

What a sensitive soul.

He also claims a county detective ripped the film from his camera, and describes distraught Coast Guard "boys" standing over stacks of body bags!

NPPA-L: "seeking police contacts" (2/22/1998)

"I think most of us have faced this. While on the USCG base the night TWA Flight 800 crashed an over zealous Suffolk County Detective,who had no offical power, as he was ona federal military base, where I was a guest, ripped the film from my camera, he was escortd from the base, and the base X.O. filed a complaint against him."

NPPA-L: "to die for?" (9/29/1997)

"5 photos were taken durring actual rescues, including photos of USCG rescuers over a stack of body bags the night TWA 800 crashed just outside the morge, these men(boys really) are holding each other and holding in tears"

This guy is literally unbelievable.

Extra thoughts come from a commenter, who clearly knows a thing or two about news photography:

"If he was actually on an assignment for AP he would have not been able to sell his images to Newsweek for what he is describing as a high fee for first look (to get exclusive images in order to beat out the other news mags) AP would have owned his film.

If he was pool for the morgue his images would have appeared on all the wire services, but they do not.

If he had been INSIDE the morgue he would have had access to powerful images that would have surely run all over the place. I have never seen one.

There is ONE photo on the AP wire of the exterior of a coast guard station with ambulances parked in front. Nothing from inside. No dramatic photo of Coasties holding back tears as they stack body bags."

Another commenter:

"I have googled, binged and yahooed every possible variation of TWA flight 800 morgue as well as East Moriches Coast Guard TWA morgue and have come up with nothing other then a reporter who won a Pulitzer Prize for his story about the morgue following the crash of TWA 800. I looked on the AP wire, AFP and UPI - not a single pool picture of body bags stacked or anything from inside or outside a morgue on the night the plane crashed. The photos that Frischling describes would have ran EVERYWHERE and would still have a presence on the web. Weeping Coasties and body bags? Hell, a picture like that might have even been a contender for the Pulitzer. I think the real story is that he shot the outside of this building using direct flash and that was about it. Like I said, if he had been the pool photographer, all of those pictures would have been shared with all of the wire services and he wouldn't have made a dime on resales because the market would have been saturated with those photos since they would have been distributed by multiple outlets."

Do you find this offensive that anyone would exploit the deaths of 230 people in such a manner? Do you find it absurd that this giant tool still has a travel blog on BoardingArea.com? Meet Randy Petersen, the owner of BoardingArea and founder of FlyerTalk, who refuses to remove Frischling's blog despite being well informed about his actions. In fact, it would appear Randy Petersen even pays Steven Frischling a share of the money from the advertising on the site! (Do you think BoardingArea.com advertisers know what their ads are appearing next to?) By the way you can email Randy Petersen at randy@boardingarea.com to ask why he still keeps Frischling as one of his bloggers, whom he claims are all "hand selected" by his "team!"

Randy Petersen, BoardingArea.com founder

This Just In... Steven Frischling Exposed to Anthrax!!

In addition to being shot; being struck by flying debris and burned on 9/11; being assaulted by police, actor Hugh Grant and a college basketball player; being held at gunpoint numerous times; being sickened by airborne pathogens after Hurricane Katrina; being hit directly by a teargas canister during a riot; losing a kidney in a professional snowboard race, being burned in fires; being threatened with arrest for treason; having hurricanes rip the roof off a building he was in and surviving cancer.... unlucky/extremely lucky photographer-turned-blogger Steven Frischling was exposed to anthrax!

Isn't it amazing what our hero will go through to bring home the photos nobody ever gets to see?

Sports Shooter, 09/11/03
http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=3944

"By the way TD, I also stood on Ground Zero on Sept 11, was hit by flying debris when 7 World Trade Centeer collapsed, and was in the Hart Senate Building the day they found Anthrax in a senators office.....so I know what it is like to be good and scared by acts of terrorism.....but my freedom is what makes me,and every American, different than the rest of the world"

Since he was exposed, he obviously needed to be given massive antibiotics:

Sports Shooter, 02/25/03
http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1252

"My D1 has survied fast moving concrete as 7 World Trade Center collapsed 1.5 blocks from me on Sept 11 in NYC, a direct hit from a tear gas canister being fired from riot cops in my direction, other random riot action, being run over by Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) in Dec, me being put on Cirpo (it did not need the Cipro) after Anthrax was found in the Hart Senate Building, many hours and photos following politicians, trials, executives, The Olympics, etc etc etc."

Happy Lying!

Blogger Steven Frischling Lies About Being in Iraq

Of all the gross lies and exaggerations from Steven Frischling we have posted thus far, his tales about Iraq are possibly the most damning and offensive. (Yes, even more offensive than his lies about Sept. 11.)

Let's review the evidence and then take a look at his tales.

The RAF sometimes goes on patrol when they are not drinking in front of Steven Frischling.

Steven Frischling made his first (and evidently only) trip to Iraq in May 2003. He was not embedded with any unit. It was a public relations trip with Richard Branson (founder of Virgin) to drop off humanitarian aid at the airport in Basra. As Frischling brags repeatedly at every point, the total time on the ground was six hours. He never left the airport. The British provided security at the airport and Frischling has a picture of one of their armored vehicles in front of a sign at the airport.

His second trip to "Iraq" was in February 2004 as an embedded photographer for five days on a Coast Guard boat patrolling the Gulf, miles off the coast of Iraq. He claims to have been sent on assignment by Bloomberg News, but that is likely false. It would appear he paid his own way there and made arrangements to sell his photos to multiple agencies.

"All of my ventures into Iraq were for Bloomberg News. Bloomberg is a Financial News Service." Digital Wedding Forum, 5/22/07

However, the same photos from his boat trip appear on WorldPicturesNews (search for Frischling Iraq") and Getty tagged as Bloomberg. Bloomberg, according to our research, would not send a photographer on assignment and then allow him or her to resell the same images to some web agency. Outtakes, yes, but not the same images it paid for.

There are no other discussions, photographs or message board threads that would support Steven Frischling's claim of going to Iraq any other time.

However, as you will see, Steven Frischlings claims to have been to Iraq multiple times, has been shot at, has had "things exploding" near him, has been embedded with the Royal Air Force, spent "weeks" shooting in 120 degrees in Basra, had cameras fail in Iraq due to excessive dirt, has spent two weeks with the Coast Guard in Iraq, has won awards for his coverage of the Iraq war, and has hung out with drunken British soldiers in Basra!

It's all quite literally unbelievable.

Let's start with clarifying just how long he was on that Coast Guard ship...

"I recently received an e-mail from someone while I was overseas. I was unable to get online, or get any e-mail for five days, as I was in the middle of the Arabian Gulf on a Coast Guard Cutter." SportsShooter, 2/17/04

But that time suddenly grew from five days into two weeks!

"On an assignment in Iraq I had two 1D bodies and a 10D. One 1D's CCD became filthy and I switched to a 1D/10D combo. While I was extremely impressed with the performance of the 10D for the two weeks it was attached to me" Digital Wedding Forum 2/28/07

"While out with the US Coast Guard in Iraq one of my 1D CCDs got so dirty I switched to the 10D (my backup). The EOS 10D did almost 2 weeks with me in Iraq, out in some really nasty conditions and it performed flawlessly." Digital Wedding Forum, 7/30/06

He claims he has been to Iraq "multiple times" as well as other "areas of conflict" (WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS?)

"I have been to Iraq multiple times as a photographer, as well as other areas of conflict. When I have gone into an area of conflict I have to weigh my safety and security vs the subject I am shooting." Digital Wedding Forum, 11/08

His photos from Iraq were so fantastic, they won awards... (WHICH ONES?!)

"I have won awards for photos I have shot in the US, Canada the UK and Iraq. Does that make me international award winning? The awards are all US awards though (and I don't list them anywhere on my resume or profile because really, I don't put alot of stock in awards)" Digital Wedding Forum, 7/7/06

Remember his photo of the Royal Air Force at the Basra airport? Now he's been embedded with them!

"I was also an embedded journalist with both the British Military and the United States Military in Iraq." Digital Wedding Forum, 11/24/07

"I have been to Iraq with both the USGC and the RAF." Digital Wedding Forum, 5/22/07

Not only was he embedded with the Royal Air Force, he claims the British soldiers were drunk! Our photographer sources, who have photos to prove they actually have been to war zones, are adamant that alcohol is strictly prohibited in a combat zone and on bases and they never witnessed drunken American or British soldiers.

"Your wedding sounds scarier than my trips to Iraq in the past few years!.........although I was with some drunken heavily armed members of the RAF at one point in Basrah. Luckily a wedding didn't break out!" Digital Wedding Forum, 12/12/05

He claims to have suffered through extreme heat for weeks in Basra, with temperatures up to 120 Farenheit. Average temperature in May is 95 degrees Farenheit. Had he been there in the summer when it actually gets that hot (in the summer instead of in May), he would have surely mentioned the extreme humidity that they experience in Basra due to its proximity to the Gulf.

"I spent two weeks out shooting in weather than would go from around 120F in the day time to a cool 90F in the evenings while out in Basrah, Iraq." Digital Wedding Forum, 7/8/07

Not only was it hot, but he's been under attack! (NO PHOTOS TO BACK THIS UP)

"no more trips to a hot desert with things being fired at me or items exploding near me." Digital Wedding Forum, 2/8/07

He claims he's captured "scenes of war" (NO PHOTOS TO BACK THIS UP)

"I have documented the psychological struggle of first responders, the problems officers face when working in drug infested housing projects, the aftermath of hurricanes and floods, the scenes and emotions and two terrorist attacks (1993 and 2001) in NYC, been in the morgue following plane crashes and the scenes of war, as well as other life shaping events" Digital Wedding Forum, 5/22/07

He brags he was in "an active combat zone" (NO PHOTOS TO BACK THIS UP)

"I have worked in some close quarters, under some very intense situations. Walking into a house with paramedics to watch them tell a woman her father is dead and they need to call the coroner; working 1-on-1 with a presidential candidate ; getting into nasty situations while documenting law enforcement; being in the field in an active combat zone with the military, etc......these are things that have all taught how to be a fly on the wall."  Digital Wedding Forum, 7/19/07

It gets better. He claims to have nearly been "detained" for mouthing off to a "state trooper" in front of the state trooper's "supervisor" at a TSA checkpoint on his way to Basra for having a bulletproof vest. This is absurd considering he was only going to the heavily fortified airport. (Why would a TSA agent be seeking advice and assistance from a state trooper at an airport security checkpoint?)

"A few months ago my wise @$$ mouth almost got me detained before an international flight. I had my bullet proof vest in my carry on (I only had carry on) when security pulled it from my bag and handed it to a State Trooper at Logan airport. The Trooper asked "What is this?" My response was "You should know, you're wearing one." He asked why I had it and I told him I was off to Basrah, he responded with "I've heared it is pretty safe in the southern region of Iraq ." my response was "There were four shooting homocides in the Yukon Territory last year and a few hundred dead in Southern Iraq yesterday, I'll be sure to leave my vesy home when I go to Canada."
The Trooper was not amussed, luckily his supervisor was there and actully was ammused and prevented the Statie from taking my stuff to another area to have a little chat with me.....whew." Sports Shooter, 10/4/03

His cameras have seen it all and have "survived" (as they should) so many important "assignments"

"All the bodies have 1,000,000+ frames shot. Two of the bodies have survived multiple assignments in Iraq, all have enjoyed stints at the Final Four, World Series, Presidential pool gigs, etc........." Digital Wedding Forum, 9/16/07

"My bodies have not only done weddings, but have also been to war with me, riots with me, blown thousands of cycles covering NFL seasons MLB seasons, NCAA football, basketball and hockey seasons along with the daily assignments that don't require as much abuse." Digital Wedding Forum, 8/17/06

He claims that his camera got so dirty it was unusable. Keep in mind he was on the water at the time, where dirt should not be an issue.

"My 1D bodies have been to hell and back, literally and been just fine. While out with the US Coast Guard in Iraq one of my 1D CCDs got so dirty I switched to the 10D (my backup). The EOS 10D did almost 2 weeks with me in Iraq, out in some really nasty conditions and it performed flawlessly" Digital Wedding Forum, 7/30/06

"My lenses have survived riots, floods, hurricanes, war zones, blizzards, disaster sites and yes even a few weddings" Digital Wedding Forum, 3/9/07

He claims he was going to be embedded with US Air Force 439 AeroMed Evac Squadron but his adoring girlfriend Susannah Seefeldt refused to let him go. (Was the 439, which appears to be a reservist unit, even involved in Iraq at this time?)

"She nixed me going to cover the 439 AeroMed Evac Squadron as a short term "embed" photog. I really wanted to shoot it, but she was certain she did not want me to go, so I stayed home." Sports Shooter, 4/25/03

To add an even more absurd angle to this, he tries to give advice and directions about how to make arrangements to work in Iraq, even though he has never been outside the airport! He is immediately corrected by photographers who have actually been to Iraq and point out how dangerous it is for him to be spreading his bullshit.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=10130

Think of the thousands of soldiers, civilians and journalists who have been killed and injured in Iraq over the past eight years. These people truly had rockets fired at them and things exploding next to them. That Frischling would lie and claim this all happened to him, while insulting the British soldiers by implying they are a bunch of drunks, is further evidence of his sick need to seek attention for himself at all costs.

The fact that he continues to call himself a "journalist," and that Randy Petersen continues to host his blog on BoardingArea.com, is nothing if not disgusting.

Frischling Takes Control of Accident Scene from 22 Inept State Troopers!

Never Fear, Frischling's Here!

Yet another fantastic FishTale on the NPPA list. It seems Frischling arrived at the scene of an accident surrounded by "litterally" 16 state police cars. The policemen knew nothing about medical care it seems, so Frischling "took control of the scene" to save the day!

bit.listserv.nppa-l: Rendering Aid at wreck

Steven Frischling 9/4/97 

You are correct about EMT (or equivelent) training, most states have 150hrs of training, CFR (CFR-D in a few states) is about 100 hrs. In the Red Cross first aid classes they teach you not to move apatient if not qualified to do so, or prepared to so in a stable manner with a qualified person.  If the circumstances are such that they person is in arrest, car is unstable or further injury is inevitable then you remove the person from the situation because C-Spine injury is not at the top of the triage scale for life threatening injuries, although it can be crippling. 

The S stands for Steven!

Last week on my way to cover  an NY State Trooper' Funeral as I pulled up the highway exit I was quite litterally 16 NY State Police cars on the shoulder and pulled over.  I saw a car that had obviously rolled at a high speed and slammed a tree pinning one door.   Befre I arrived the Troopers asked the victim if she could walk and had her climb over the seat to the passengers seat (the back seat was gone as was most of the full metal roof).  Then were then moving her head around to wipe the blood off.  These are considered profesional rescuers , they carry a full medical box in their vehicle and NY State Troopers who's primary function on Long Island is Highway Patrol must see enugh accidents to not have 20 Troopers stand there as 2 Troopers further injur the victim. 

Normally this would have been a photo but I noticed things were to wrong with the scene so  I endedup taking control of the scene until the Fire Department arrived.  They were confused that a person with a press car around his neck had on gloves, shearss, stethoscope and was climbing into the shattered window.    The skills come in handy , sometimes you are not the first there, but if you can be the first to render aid properly it is just being human. 

Take a first aid, basic or advanced, class.  I don't say become a CFR, CFR-D, CMFR/CMFR-D, EMT ,Paramedic , etc....  but these are skills for life so you can fight for someones life. 

If you take a CPR class get a CPR mask, about $12 (I hate the disposable ones) because you NEVER want to put your mouth on someone elses, much like you never want to touch there blood. 

Just my $0.02 

Steven E. Frischling
Freelance Photojournalist
New York City
1(800)662-5306 

-No One Gets Out Alive, It's Only Life After All
_________________________________________

Happy Lying!

Steven's new identity: strategist

It appears he's officially given up on photography now that his reputation has been ruined (by himself). He's apparently in such demand that he's reinvented himself as a "travel strategist," probably because there's no such category for that on Yelp.

But he's apparently not that busy, since he spends all day yapping incessantly on Twitter or his stupid blog. And those of us unlucky to know him know he's making up 90 percent of it. Just today he claimed to be in the critical care unit of a hospital, until he couldn't be bothered anymore, and heroically removed his IV himself and marched out! Such heroics!