As a longtime international award-winning photojournalist, who has photographed all subjects around the world for the past 50 years, including war conflict, breaking news and more than my share of sad moments of human tragedy and grief, I can tell you it is never an easy thing we photojournalist have to do to document our world and all its good and bad.

In all breaking news situations it is common journalistic practice to do your best to get the names of those you have photographed , before or after you have made timely shots. But no you don't need to obtain model releases for public situations if the photos are being used for legitimate editorial purposes like news coverage, and not being sold or used in advertisements.

That doesn't prevent folks from naturally being upset if you photograph them in moments of sadness, grief, and tragedy. I have been cursed, assaulted, and more, while doing my job, I always try to work with as much respect as I can for everyone's human dignity. All people deserve no less than that from photojournalists.

That being said ,some countries and localities have imposed stricter guidelines for photographers photographing the public without advance permission. So it is important to know the prevailing culture and rules for where you are photographing.

In covering war I found most people felt it was important to tell their human stories to the world, and have the world see and understand their plight and suffering, and maybe someone would come to their aid and assistance.

On a domestic story, let me relate one amazing case of that. Many of you may know of the controversial "Megan's Law" which requires local authorities to notify area residents when any formerly convicted child molester or anyone who was a former sexual predator, lives in their neighborhood.

Well while I was staff photographer at the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspaper I was one of the first photographers who rushed to the suburban scene in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, after young Megan Kanka was lured and murdered by a neighbor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Megan_Kanka

My task was to photograph the scene and that included the police detectives , the grieving parents, friends and relatives who had gathered at the Kanka home, and the murder scene right across the street in that neighbor's home, where an unknown formerly convicted child molester lived..

In an extraordinary act of courage ,instead of hiding from all the press gathered, the Kanka family invited us into their home and allowed us to take photos on the condition that we the media from TV and the written press would help them change the laws so that this tragedy would never happen to another unsuspecting family and community again. We all agreed, and in addition the family invited us to cover the funeral locally and nationally to help tell Megan's story to the world.

The story went national and we covered the Kanka family's crusade, and rightly or wrongly, before too long there was legislation that was passed in Megan's name and remains today.

In the war conflicts I have covered, as well as domestic breaking news I always carry press credentials and identify myself as a working photojournalist to any soldiers, authorities present as well as to the public, and most people , even in their grief, understand the importance of their stories being told and not forgotten.

Treat people with respect and kindness, and sometimes that meant not taking more photos at some point, once you had enough to tell their story. And other times that meant making the effort to follow up with the victims, with their permission when possible, to tell an even more complete, compelling and important story.

I have covered stories in Russia and Ukraine, and I am sure this photojournalist did their job to make themselves known to these Ukrainians over some days or even weeks.

The Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature went this year to a team of journalists and photojournalists from Associated Press who covered the Russia/Ukraine war in " 20 days in Mariupol".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvAyykRvPBo

Cheers and best you.

While the answer above is very correct and informative I too have decades of work. I'll tell you a couple incidents that's more along the moral question you ask.

I was covering a search for a young boy. He had been playing in the rain and was swept into a storm drain that immediately dumped into a creek. Dad and a clergy member were along the banks as well as many police and firefighters. They located the body and as luck would have it I was right there. So was dad. It was a horrible scene but the preacher thinking fast suggested everyone join hands in a circle and pray. I was telling the story to the director of photography and he ask what I did. I said I dropped my camera, joined hands and prayed. Many years later I'm not sure he approved but it didn't matter. I had documented the story and there would be opportunity to get the emotional shots later. In that moment my moral obligation was to pray with the group.

Another scene was a house fire with a child fatality. They had bagged up and loaded the child before the priest arrived. When he arrived the family requested last rites. A cop came over and explained to the media they planned to pull the body out for this. He made the simple request for us not to be a distraction. All of us walked away and allowed the family their space.

Documenting the most horrific scenes is an important job. Sometimes we upset family and it sucks. At all times you must be human.

As a longtime international award-winning photojournalist, who has photographed all subjects around the world for the past 50 years, including war conflict, breaking news and more than my share of sad moments of human tragedy and grief, I can tell you it is never an easy thing we photojournalist have to do to document our world and all its good and bad.

In all breaking news situations it is common journalistic practice to do your best to get the names of those you have photographed , before or after you have made timely shots. But no you don't need to obtain model releases for public situations if the photos are being used for legitimate editorial purposes like news coverage, and not being sold or used in advertisements.

That doesn't prevent folks from naturally being upset if you photograph them in moments of sadness, grief, and tragedy. I have been cursed, assaulted, and more, while doing my job, I always try to work with as much respect as I can for everyone's human dignity. All people deserve no less than that from photojournalists.

That being said ,some countries and localities have imposed stricter guidelines for photographers photographing the public without advance permission. So it is important to know the prevailing culture and rules for where you are photographing.

In covering war I found most people felt it was important to tell their human stories to the world, and have the world see and understand their plight and suffering, and maybe someone would come to their aid and assistance.

On a domestic story, let me relate one amazing case of that. Many of you may know of the controversial "Megan's Law" which requires local authorities to notify area residents when any formerly convicted child molester or anyone who was a former sexual predator, lives in their neighborhood.

Well while I was staff photographer at the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspaper I was one of the first photographers who rushed to the suburban scene in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, after young Megan Kanka was lured and murdered by a neighbor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Megan_Kanka

My task was to photograph the scene and that included the police detectives , the grieving parents, friends and relatives who had gathered at the Kanka home, and the murder scene right across the street in that neighbor's home, where an unknown formerly convicted child molester lived..

In an extraordinary act of courage ,instead of hiding from all the press gathered, the Kanka family invited us into their home and allowed us to take photos on the condition that we the media from TV and the written press would help them change the laws so that this tragedy would never happen to another unsuspecting family and community again. We all agreed, and in addition the family invited us to cover the funeral locally and nationally to help tell Megan's story to the world.

The story went national and we covered the Kanka family's crusade, and rightly or wrongly, before too long there was legislation that was passed in Megan's name and remains today.

In the war conflicts I have covered, as well as domestic breaking news I always carry press credentials and identify myself as a working photojournalist to any soldiers, authorities present as well as to the public, and most people , even in their grief, understand the importance of their stories being told and not forgotten.

Treat people with respect and kindness, and sometimes that meant not taking more photos at some point, once you had enough to tell their story. And other times that meant making the effort to follow up with the victims, with their permission when possible, to tell an even more complete, compelling and important story.

I have covered stories in Russia and Ukraine, and I am sure this photojournalist did their job to make themselves known to these Ukrainians over some days or even weeks.

The Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature went this year to a team of journalists and photojournalists from Associated Press who covered the Russia/Ukraine war in " 20 days in Mariupol".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvAyykRvPBo

Cheers and best you.