Chasing cop cars and ambulances for a living isn't for everybody. It takes a good working relationship with the police, fire, ambulance and other emergency professionals, and a strong stomach. You also have to know where the line is, and make sure you never step over it.

Hong Kong Suicide Jump

This 46 year-old man, Lau Sik-yan, was standing at the edge of the rooftop in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, when I followed the fire trucks to the scene. I raced to the rooftop opposite to record these pictures of would-be rescuers trying to talk him down.

Determined to die, Lau taunted fire and police officers who tried to talk him down. He was on the fooftop of an old residential block of flats, with no lifts. It was ten or 11 stories tall.

I was a young and (then) inexperienced news photographer back then. I worked as a freelance, and used to chase police cars and other emergency vehicles on my motorcycle.

This was my first suicide. And while I hoped the man would not jump, I was utterly determined that if he did jump, I was going to get that picture.

I raced up the staircase to the roof of the twin block opposite. It was maybe thirty feet (9 meters) from the edge where the man stood. I rested my elbows on the wall at the edge of the roof and watched without moving for 30 minutes as the life and death drama unfolded.

Although the firemen had a small jump ring which might have saved him, Lau ran back and forth along the roof ledge to confuse the ground crew, then he launched himself into space... They missed. Lau did not, and he died instantly with a crack I could hear from 11 floors up. Lau died just two feet from the jump ring that could have saved him.

By the time I ran back down to the ground, his body had been removed by ambulancemen. The pool of blood had been covered by newspapers.

I ran across the road to a convenience store and telephoned the news editor of The Star, the local afternoon tabloid, and told them of my "scoop" pictures. I also sold the shots overseas to the Associated Press.

I put down the phone and then the adreneline rush hit me. I had just watched a man die...

It was ten minutes before I stopped shaking.