Recently, I photographed the funeral for a soldier who was killed in action in Afghanistan. His name was Cpl. Gunnar Zwilling, a 20-year-old from O’Fallon, Mo. First and foremost, I can never imagine the heartache that is inflicted on the family and friends of those involved.

Covering a funeral or other human tragedy is a difficult assignment to fulfill. We are constantly walking a thin line between being a story-telling photographer and an unwanted intruder. The ubiquitous footage of the paparazzi chasing their subjects down the street has been ingrained in the minds of most of us.

In Cpl. Zwilling’s case, the family had granted us permission to be there, with the stipulation that we stay at a respectable distance.

The job of a news photographer is to document newsworthy stories, even when it is uncomfortable. Would it be a disservice to the soldier, his family and the community if it was not covered by the news media?

So I respect the family’s wishes, dress appropriately and try to tell the story without doing further harm.