Sometimes, as photographers, it’s bearing witness to difficult subjects that makes our form of expression such a powerful tool and weapon. Lu Guang, the winner of W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for his documentary project “Pollution in China”, has been bearing witness to the huge problems from pollution that face China and the Chinese people. There is a terrific interview with Lu Guang on the China Hush blog.

In July 2010, Greenpeace commissioned photographer Lu Guang to document the aftermath of the massive oil spill at the city of Dalian in China. A couple of weeks ago, the dramatic series of pictures he shot during this assignment portraying the death of firefighter Zhang Liang was awarded with the third prize in the Spot News Stories category of the World Press Photo competition.

In a video created by Greenpeace, Through the Lens: the Dalian Oil Spill , photographer Lu Guang provides his personal perspective on this tragic event.

Firefighters Tragedy in Dalian
A man attempts to rescue two oil firefighters, Zhang Liang and Han Xiaoxiong, struggling in thick oil slick. One man Zhang Liang (top L) later died as he drowned in the thick oil. The workers ran into trouble as they were attempting to fix an underwater pump during oil spill cleanup operations. The spill was caused by a pipeline blast at the Dalian Port.
07/20/2010
© Lu Guang / Greenpeace

Firefighter worker Zhang Liang drowns in oil as a man attempts to rescue him and his colleague, Han Xiaoxiong, who raises Zhang Liang’s hand out of the water surface. The workers ran into trouble as they were attempting to fix an underwater pump during oil spill cleanup operations. The spill was caused by a pipeline blast at the Dalian Port.
07/20/2010
© Lu Guang / Greenpeace

An oil firefighter worker, Han Xiaoxiong, is rescued after been submerged underneath a thick oil slick. Another firefighter, Zhang Liang, died during this incident. The workers ran into trouble as they were attempting to fix an underwater pump during oil spill cleanup operations. The spill was caused by a pipeline blast at the Dalian Port.
07/20/2010
© Lu Guang / Greenpeace

An oil firefighter worker, Han Xiaoxiong, is rescued after been submerged underneath a thick oil slick. Another firefighter, Zhang Liang, died during this incident. The workers ran into trouble as they were attempting to fix an underwater pump during oil spill cleanup operations. The spill was caused by a pipeline blast at the Dalian Port.
07/20/2010
© Lu Guang / Greenpeace

Family, friends, colleagues and local people attend the funeral of firefighter, Zhang Liang (25) who was killed during the Dalian oil spill cleanup on the 20th July. Zhang Liang ran into trouble as he attempted to fix an underwater pump during the oil spill cleanup operations. The spill was caused by a pipeline blast at the Dalian Port.
07/24/2010
© Lu Guang / Greenpeace

A close colleague of firefighter Zhang Liang grieves at his funeral. Family, friends and local people attend the funeral of firefighter, Zhang Liang (25) who was killed during the Dalian oil spill cleanup on the 20th July. Zhang Liang ran into trouble as he attempted to fix an underwater pump during the oil spill cleanup operations. The spill was caused by a pipeline blast at the Dalian Port.
07/24/2010
© Lu Guang / Greenpeace