Al Rockoff, the legendary war photographer immortalized in the acclaimed 1984 film "The Killing Fields," has alleged that his historic collection of negatives was removed from his possession without proper consent in what has become a bitter legal and personal dispute. The 77-year-old photographer, whose stark images documented the devastation of war across Southeast Asia, now finds himself at the center of a controversy over whether his life's work was legitimately safeguarded or unlawfully taken.
According to recent reports, the disagreement centers on conflicting accounts of how two men who had been assisting Rockoff came to possess his extensive archive of photographs. The dispute involves whether Arch Hall Jr., a longtime friend, and Brad Bledsoe, another associate, removed the negatives with Rockoff's full understanding and permission, or whether the collection was taken without proper authorization.
Rockoff's distinguished career began as a U.S. Army photographer in Vietnam before he transitioned to freelance work in Cambodia, where he spent years capturing the brutal realities of conflict. His most significant moment came on April 17, 1975, when he was among the small group of journalists who documented the fall of Phnom Penh as Khmer Rouge forces entered the city. This dangerous and historic coverage later earned him international recognition when actor John Malkovich portrayed him in "The Killing Fields," a film now widely regarded as one of cinema's greatest works about journalism and war reporting.
Throughout his career, Rockoff became renowned for his unflinching, gritty photographs that powerfully conveyed the brutality and human cost of warfare. Despite the potential commercial value of his work, he has consistently resisted heavily monetizing his images, including those from his repeated returns to Cambodia during the 1990s. In 2000, he conducted a rare print sale in Phnom Penh, but otherwise kept his photographs largely removed from commercial markets.
"I am more interested in my pictures than people's admiration," Rockoff explained when asked about selling or exhibiting his work. "I am not winning a popularity contest." His ex-wife, Victory Bornas, who has served as his longtime caretaker, provided additional insight into his mindset: "He didn't want to make money off that misery [of his war photographs]."
Friends and associates say Rockoff has long been resistant to outside assistance in managing or promoting his photographic archive. A publisher once approached him with interest in producing a book featuring his work, but he declined the offer, insisting on maintaining complete creative and editorial control. He has frequently expressed his desire to publish a book entirely on his own terms before his death, a project he continues to hope he can complete.
The realization of this goal would require access to the thousands of negatives and slides that Rockoff had stored in plastic cases within his rented storage unit. These invaluable images remained untouched for decades, representing a treasure trove of historical documentation. However, more than a year ago, these cases were removed under circumstances that have now become the focal point of the current legal and personal dispute.
By early 2023, the storage unit had become severely disorganized to the point where the landlord issued warnings that the cluttered conditions could potentially pose a fire hazard. During this period, two men had been providing increasing assistance to Rockoff: Arch Hall Jr., described as a longtime friend, and Brad Bledsoe. When Rockoff's health deteriorated significantly in early 2023, requiring a week-long hospitalization, both men became heavily involved in his daily care and the organization of his living space.
"If it was not for me and Arch, he would be dead a year," Bledsoe stated, emphasizing the extent of care and support they provided during Rockoff's health crisis. The involvement of both men in Rockoff's personal affairs intensified during this vulnerable period in the photographer's life.
In early 2024, Hall Jr. and Bledsoe approached Rockoff with a request to sign prints that remained from his 2000 exhibition in Phnom Penh. Bledsoe subsequently created a website intended to promote Rockoff's work while continuing his efforts to help organize and clean the photographer's home. These activities appeared to be part of a broader effort to preserve and potentially commercialize Rockoff's photographic legacy.
Months later, however, Bornas discovered that the plastic cases containing her ex-husband's negatives had disappeared from his residence. She claims to have later learned that Bledsoe had allegedly removed the entire collection. In a March email, she wrote: "Bledsoe was able to talk Al into giving him his entire collection of negatives, which Brad now has in his possession."
Bledsoe has firmly denied any wrongdoing in the matter. He maintains that Rockoff repeatedly requested that he safeguard the photographic archive and serve as its caretaker. According to Bledsoe, they reached a verbal agreement to share any income generated from future sales until he could recover his expenses incurred in caring for and preserving the collection.
"Look, I said, 'A book's fine, but it's a lot of work. Let's start with the website,'" Bledsoe explained. "My goal is a comrade-in-arms kind of thing." Hall Jr. has supported Bledsoe's version of events, stating: "He begged Brad to save his life's work because it was in terrible shape."
Despite these explanations, Bornas points out that more than a year has passed without any formal inventory being conducted or written agreement being established to outline how the images would be managed, preserved, or potentially sold. Significantly, Rockoff himself has reportedly not filed any formal complaint against Bledsoe or directly confronted him about the missing negatives. Friends suggest that his historical reluctance to establish proper legal safeguards has left him in a vulnerable position.
Bledsoe argues that there was insufficient time to draft formal legal documents given the urgent nature of preserving the deteriorating collection. He also notes that sorting through thousands of negatives represents an enormous undertaking that is difficult to manage alongside full-time employment responsibilities. While he claims to be willing to formalize their arrangement, Bledsoe says he has been unable to reach Rockoff directly, alleging that others have actively discouraged contact between them.
"I have no problem with returning some of Al's items or all of his items as long as I am compensated for my expenses first, per our agreement," Bledsoe stated. This position suggests he views the situation as a legitimate business arrangement rather than an unauthorized taking of property.
Rockoff's ex-wife maintains a different perspective, insisting that he never asked Bledsoe to print or sell his photographs. While she says she initially supported the creation of a modest website to showcase his work, she did not anticipate or approve of a larger commercial project involving his entire photographic archive.
The matter remains unresolved, with significant questions about the true nature of any agreement between Rockoff and Bledsoe. The website promoting Rockoff's work remains online but currently lists no items for sale, and it properly credits Rockoff as the copyright holder. Bledsoe has stated that if Rockoff were to pass away, he would continue operating the website until his expenses were recovered, then provide some proceeds to Bornas before donating the negatives to an appropriate museum.
For Rockoff's friends and supporters, uncertainty persists about whether the photographer fully consented to the arrangement or later changed his mind about the handling of his archive. This uncertainty is compounded by concerns about his memory challenges and ongoing struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from his extensive war reporting experience.
However, Rockoff himself has provided a clear statement about the situation: "I didn't give him [Bledsoe] anything. If he has them [the negatives], he has got to give them back." The photographer added with determination: "I have a lot of work to do before I pass on. I will be working at it when I die." This direct statement from Rockoff appears to contradict claims that he willingly transferred custody of his life's work to Bledsoe.
