Concluding Chapter

     I have learned throughout this course, that there is much more to photojournalism than I had originally thought. With that being said, I still believe that photojournalists are visual storytellers and need to be honest and impartial while photographing events. I have learned throughout the course, the incredible perils that many of them put themselves in to get the perfect image to share with the world, like in Linnea Herbertsson’s blog, where Paul Hansen was working in Iraq and shot by a sniper twice. Personally, I couldn’t do what they do and I respect them more for it. I never really put much thought into how photographs have helped document history, but I have learned how important and vital photojournalism is, in not just documenting history, but helping shape history. Photojournalism can evoke a sense of humanity in people and help inspire them to create change. Studying the history of photojournalism is very important because what happened in our past, explains what is going on in our present and if you are aware of what is going on in the present than you can see how it can affect the future. In other words, as a society, learn from our mistakes. What surprised me about this course is that photojournalism is not just a job or a career for them, this is their life. They don’t just live it and breathe it, but they truly believe they can make a difference. They show the world what is going on in remote places, where others may not otherwise know. This makes photojournalists, in my opinion, like visual activists.


Photo by: Kevin Carter
Image Source: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/kevin-carter

     This image has always affected me and historically has affect many others that have seen this image. I feel like this image evoked society to pay attention to what is going on in other countries and inspired them to help made a difference. Another thing that surprised me about the content of this course, was how at the beginning I mentioned how a picture never lies, but I have learned that it can. How a photographer can manipulate an image to make it have another meaning or connotation. The photojournalist may not even be aware he/she is doing it, because it may be based on whatever biases they have. This now makes me more aware, when looking at images, it inspires a curiosity to find out what is really going on.

   
     Reading through all of the photojournalist profile’s my fellow classmates put together, it helped me realize the different styles, motivations, technologies, and viewpoints each photojournalist has. I learned from Alyssa Desroches, that Anja Niedringhaus startedworking as a photographer at the age of 17, and that on her first day workingat the European Pressphoto Agency during the Yugoslavian war in 1990, and wasshot by a sniper. In Allison Gavin’s profile of Lynsey Addario, I learned howshe covers wars, but she also covers human rights issues like malnutrition,sexual assault of minors, plus many other issues. What struck out to me about Lynsey, was that after watching a woman die after giving birth, a medicalcompany used her images to fundraise. Lastly, I learned from Mark Cohen’sprofile of Robert Capa, that Capa felt the only way to show people thedepravities of war, is by showing them the saddest pictures and how people’slives have been affected.

     Below, for my Creative Experiential Exercise, I went to the Holiday Stroll in Northampton on Friday 12/9. While there I took advantage and took a few pictures and realized how difficult it is to take a picture and make it look interesting or thoughtful. I tried my best but I think if I wasn't freezing, and dealing with a hyper six year old child, I would have taken more time to perfect the image. Nonetheless, for an amateur, and by that I mean a first timer putting any thought in how I take my photos, I don't think I did too bad. I just used my regular Samsung Galaxy S7 edge camera phone. Making a connection between the exercise and everything I learned this semester, I have definitely become more aware of how I am taking any images, and what I found surprising was how I was focusing on the mood or effect I wanted my images to project. I don't expect my images to mean anything to anyone, but I will carry what I have learned in being more conscious of how I take images and to interpret images I see.

                                 
                                                 Photo By: Judith Soto              
This image is of the First Churches of Northampton on Main St. I've always liked the architecture of this church and always thought it had a Gothic feel to it, which prompted me to use the black and white filter to accentuate that feel. I also love how the light that was just off to the right out of the frame, made this cool looking glowing effect that to me added to the feel of this picture. 

Photo By: Judith Soto

This picture is of the same church as above, in this picture I did not use any filter and was taken at a further distance. I personally don't like this image as much as the one above but included it in order to be able to contrast them.

Photo By: Judith Soto

This image is of the Academy of Music on Main St. in Northampton. I took this picture also in a black and white filter, because to me it gives me that old school feel to it. I like how the light is focused in the center of the building and the outer corners of the image is faded to black. 

Photojournalist Profile

Disclaimer: This is a first person fictional blog to honor and give light to one of the greatest photojournalists in recent times, Tim Hetherington.

Photo by: Unknown
Image Source: http://abcnews.go.com/International/restrepo-director-tim-hetherington-chris-hondros-killed-libya/story?id=13418813

Welcome to my blog. My name is Tim Hetherington and I am a British born photojournalist. Here you will be able to see some of my work and I will include a brief background of my work and experiences.

Career Path

     A bit into my background; I studied Literature at Oxford University and worked in book publishing until 1996. I spent about two years in India, and when I returned, everyone asked how it went, but I couldn’t fully express how amazing my experiences were. Then, a friend of mine took me to see a French film called Sans Soleil, and it expressed on screen everything that I felt inside that I couldn’t express in words. From there, I decided to change my profession to photography and found my passion in photographing real issues going on in our world. I started working as a staff photographer for “The Big Issue” magazine. This magazine was sold by the homeless and long term unemployed. I liked photographing serious topics, and despised getting celebrity assignments. So, while still working at the UK, I heard of a football team of ex-combatants coming for three weeks on tour. I found out that a non-governmental organization was organizing this event, and they told me that they were looking for someone to go to Liberia to photograph the guys playing. I jumped at the opportunity and was blown away by it. One of the pictures I took there won second prize at the World Press Photo. This catapulted my career and led to me working in nearly thirty countries across Africa. I consider myself a war or conflict freelance photographer and filmmaker. I lived about eight years in West Africa, trying to document the effects of civil war in civilians daily lives. Back in 2007, I began a yearlong assignment with a fellow Vanity Fair contributor and friend, Sebastian Junger. We followed a battalion of American troops in Afghanistan and this became the basis of our documentary called “Restrepo”. It was nominated for an Oscar in 2010 and I invite everyone to watch it.

Image Source: https://lindapittwood.org/2013/12/23/you-never-see-them-like-this-tim-hetherington/
In the principles, I chose the following ones, what feelings does the image create? After doing my research, I found this picture from when Tim was working in Afghanistan. The film Restrepo, was not just documenting the soldiers at war, but their downtime, the moments of boredom and silliness, and this image made me feel like they are just like any 20 something year old man, that when bored, they play video games. It was a relaxing moment for them while surrounded by all the chaos. The second principle I used was Quality of Light. The quality of light is very poor. You can barely see the other guy sitting next to him. It makes the environment look dark, depressing, and unsanitary. The third principle I used was does the image remind you of any work of art or photograph you have seen?  The image does not remind me of other work I have seen. This image look kind of amateur although I know it is not. It just looks very natural like Tim put no effort into the image, yet was able to still make it mean something. 

Era

I have been a photojournalist for over ten years, starting off in the late 1990’s until 2011. I worked in a time where there was much conflict, post 9/11. As my dear friend, Sebastian Junger explained, “the role of the war photographer might seem obsolete, but no. Today’s conflicts demand experienced chroniclers to record a nuanced truth- and to counter the rampant distortion and propaganda of the Digital Age”.

Motivation

     I like to call myself a documentary image maker, still and moving, because the real world on the agenda is really important at a time when we’re increasingly disconnected from parts of the world on whom we depend. Many people fail to realize that documenting war and conflicts in war torn countries, is very dangerous and you can’t just land in the middle of a battle, unprepared for the realities of war. I saw an unbelievable number of young kids running around Libya with cameras unprepared for the realities of war.

Image source: http://www.foto8.com/issue05/liberiasoc01.html
In the principles, I used Is the image Black & White or in color? The image is in black and white by choice. It made the image have a deeper meaning instead of just kids playing in the street. It gives it a somber feeling. The second principle used is the use of lines. The lines helps the main focus to be centered in the middle box. The third principle used is the use of shadows. The shadows of the lines or the rods shows the image of destruction yet happiness as the children play.

Technology

     When I began covering war, I photographed in medium format in 2002. This made the photos look more natural and made it so I also had the ability to enlarge the pictures on gallery walls if needed. Black and white seemed to me a very clichéd view of Africa, so I began using color. The camera I used for stills was the 5D. I usually shot with a 28-70, sometimes a 135 prime. I shoot manual sometimes; sometimes I shoot Program and under-rate it, depending on the light. I just do whatever works. I used medium format cameras loaded with color negative film, making my images thoughtful rather than exploitive. Here is the thing, documentary photography is depleted in its traditional form. The production and distribution of images is rapidly shifting and it’s not enough for a photographer to just make pictures, you have to consider who has access and how the images are experienced.

Ethics

     Every filmmaker or photographer asks themselves how they want to portray the subjects of their film, what to shoot or not to shoot, how to edit so that the film stays true to its topic and subjects, but still compels the audience. While filming Restrepo, we put ourselves in the same risk as the soldiers we were documenting. Junger and I followed these soldiers into battle and recorded the terrible fear and tension, we both were injured at times. Yet the fact that we kept coming back, gave us a ton of credibility with the soldiers. We tried not to record injured American soldiers, to ask their permission if they were used. Besides, we did not want a graphic representation of violence that would distract the message we were trying to show.

Image Source: http://wearetheperiscope.com/detail.php?id=29
In the principles, I used exposure time, because this group of what I am assuming is rebels, are in motion kind of in a march. Since they are moving it is hard to capture them and not have the image come out as clear as it did, so a fast shutter speed must have been used. The second principle used is in or out of focus, because they are in focus but the background is out of focus. This help the focus stay on them and not distract the viewer with them background. The third principle was background compliments or detract from composition. I chose this principle for the same reason as the previous principle. If the background was in focus, it would have competed for attention. since it is out of focus it compliments the picture.  

Bias

     Through my work, I tried my hardest to remain impartial and unbiased. I also tried to cover conflicts that would not otherwise be fully covered via mainstream media outlets. My goal is to give view into conflicts that others would not necessarily know about. My view is that we’re journalists, so our default position is we’re not writing an editorial. We are trying to bring information to our readers, viewers, so that they can make their own conclusions. In some of my work, there may be some sense of political or social bias, but that judgment would be left for the viewer of my images.

Impact

     As I am no longer here anymore, I often wonder what my impact was. My life was tragically cut short on 2011, by a mortar round while I was unassigned. I was covering armed conflict in Libya. I look down to see how my dear friends and colleagues describe how much of an impact I had not just on them, but with the world. According to Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch says, “he had an extraordinary talent for documenting, in compassionate and beautiful imagery, the human stories behind the headlines”, and the organization further claims to say that “in every assignment, he demonstrated a remarkable sensitivity to his subjects, a tender insight into their human ordeals, and a keen sense of how visual imagery could be used to effect positive social change”. I hope that during my short time in the photojournalism world, I was able to do that.

Image Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30376169
The principle I used was Keep it simple. Not much is needed to get the point across that a tragedy occurred there. This was taken after the 2004 tsunami, when Tim traveled there to capture images and talk to the communities affected by it. Those in that village made a grave for their lost love ones on top of a hill. The second principle is contrast appropriate. There really isn't a difference between the light and dark areas, hence the contrast is low.  It helps make the image feel calm or relaxed, like it is a somber place to visit. The last principle used obvious main subject, about 1/4 to 2/3 of image area. The image's main subject is about 2/3 of the whole image. There are other crosses in the background but the main ones are the three in the front. It does not crowd the edges and the impact of the image would be lost if the images were not there. 
Viewpoints

     I am described as insightful, committed to the people I told the stories of, and empathetic. James Brabazon says, “I learned from Tim that without curiosity there can be no message, no image, no truth. That beauty is not inferior to truth; and that truth is not tempered by beauty”. Art Blundell says “he looked for the special thing about you, and that inspired you to look at the people around you with new eyes. Yet with every image he took, it is the photographer whose soul is tortured”.

Your Major at AIC

     I am a senior Nursing Student at AIC. Photojournalism and Nursing seems like polar opposite careers. But, if you really think about Tim’s ideology and goals, he wanted to create social change by creating stories through images. He showed the humanity behind the conflict and treated his subject’s with dignity and respect. How is that any different than the core values instilled in every nurse’s education.

Photo By: Odd Anderson
Image Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2011/05/09/136053477/the-perilous-job-of-conflict-photography

Chapter 9

Image by: Unknown

Image source: http://www.bjp-online.com/2016/04/remembering-tim-hetherington-four-years-on/

     Tim Hetherington was a British photographer, human rights advocate, journalist, filmmaker, and communicator, until April 20th 2011, when he was killed in Libya. The country was in the middle of a civil war and he was there covering it, when a mortar hit his group, and the shrapnel caused Tim to bleed out and lose his life. Covering war led him coin term “the feedback loop”, which describes how the media informs the men and women at war about what is going on at home, and in turn they inform the media of what is going on with them. When trying to describe why he risks his life photographing in very dangerous situations and in war torn countries, he best explained it as “I want to connect with real people, to document them in real circumstances, where there aren’t any neat solutions”. Tim was like many other photojournalists, where they see suffering, and ask themselves, how well can they tell the story of these folks who are really working hard to get out of poverty, or situation.

Photo By: Tim Hetherington

Image source: http://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/news/tim-a-hetheringtons-photographs-42689226

Photo By: Todd Stoddart

Image Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-3100887/Don-McCullin-seen-ravages-war-horrifying-close-up.html                             

   
     Don McCullin is another British photojournalist and has been risking his life covering wars, for over 50 years now. He still continues to be a devoted photographer, even in his 80’s, stating “I know I haven’t got that many years left, and I need to devote them to photography”. He claims that his early motivators wasn’t to change people’s perceptions, it was to take good pictures and flaunt them to other photographers. His epiphany came in 1969 where he “should have been making people think the images I was making were of things that should be unacceptable in our world”. When he was watching kids dropping dead in front of him, changed his whole attitude on photojournalism. What Don McCullin was referring to is what Ed Kashi refers to as “advocacy journalism, where the goal is tell visual stories that not only inform viewers but also inspire them to find activist solutions to social problems”

Photo By: Don McCullen

Image Source: https://donmccullin.com/don-mccullin/

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                                                                    Photo by: Unknown

Image Source: http://www.uptownmagazine.com/2012/09/100-years-of-iconic-photographer-gordon-parks/

      Gordon Parks is a photojournalist and humanitarian with a focus on “social justice, race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life”, according to the foundations website. He worked for Life magazine for 20 years, capturing subjects that were related to racism and poverty. He documented the Civil Rights Movement and was a tireless advocate as well. According to Gordon Parks, “in the early days of racism, it only made me work all that much more to prove to the world that I could do this. You first have to have desire, then the courage to fulfill that desire”.

Photo By: Gordon Parks

Image source: http://masteringphoto.com/gordon-parks/

     My personal motivators are not as extravagant as other people but in a nutshell, this is what motivates me. My biggest motivator has and always will be my son. He is what keeps me going when all I want to do is give up sometimes. I keep going because I want to be able to provide him a better life than what I had growing up, and to instill a drive in him to never give up. The photojournalists that I researched all had a motivator to advocate for social issues plaguing our world, and that is very noble of them. My calling is not as big as theirs but a small change in the cycle of poverty and doing the best I can as a mother, plays a small role in breaking the chains that binds many minorities and people of color. Our children are always set up for failure because of our color and background, and helping my son break those chains can help prepare him to be a better man of color when he grows up. Money is always a motivator for most people. No matter how much we don't want to be tied down to it, it is a huge factor in everything we do directly or indirectly. I am sure that the best photojournalists, would not have been able to do what they did if they could not afford all the equipment they own. My boyfriend is the little voice that is constantly saying keep going and rooting for me, every step that I go. I tend to second guess myself a lot and he is always putting all his faith in me, which helps by pushing me to accomplish my goals. Lastly, personal growth is something that I am sure everyone aspires for. For them it was photojournalism, for me it is education, Nursing in particular. As I get older, I don't want to be stuck doing the same thing I was doing 10 years ago and so on. For all of us it is finding our own purpose in life, and what we contribute to our society. This gives us an opportunity to self-actualize ourselves and be the best people we can be.  

Chapter 8

                                                                   Going Home
                                                              Photo By: Ed Clark
                                   Image Source: http://www.thegreatleapsideways.com/?p=209


        This image is of a Navy shipman following the funeral procession of FDR. Clearly he is deeply affected by his death and everyone behind him is also sad by his departure. FDR did so many good things for this country and not just for the white and privileged, but for everyone. He created economic growth for the country, created the FDIC, and Social Security Administration. My point is, he was one of Americas greatest presidents and when he died, everyone mourned his loss. Right now, with everything going on with our disgrace of a new president, I feel like this man feels right now, because after January, everything our forefathers and greatest leaders since the birth of our nation accomplished, will be thrown our the window and society will step back into the early 20th century. I am sure those people in the image are scared of what's to come after their greatest leader died, as I and I am and I'm sure many others, are scared to see what is to come in the next 4 years. According to  a German newspaper, "American society hardly has a chance of survival other than becoming a modernized, diverse economic construct. That's the opposite of what Trump envisions. Racism and hatred will have to serve as a substitute for keeping promises". Although Obama hasn't left the office yet, or hasn't died, I feel like our nation has died and most of us are mourning it. This image shows the raw emotion of losing a great leader, and can be comparable to when America lost JFK back in 1963 and now as Obama leaves. With the four ways of knowing, I would have to use emotion/intuition because this image provoked a big surge of emotions.

Subjects Expression: This was a candid picture. The man was not relaxed because he was really emotional when the picture was taken. He represented what many Americans during that time were feeling.

In or out of focus: The image if focused on the Navy shipman, and he is in clear focus down to seeing the tears coming down his face. Everyone else in the background is out of focus but you can clearly see their emotion on their faces. It helped the image by allowing the viewer to just focus on the main subject, and allowed the people in the background to support the subject's feelings.

Is the image black & white or color?: The image is in black & white not by choice. It was taken during a time when color imaging was possible. It had more of an impact than if it was taken in color.

Photo by: Unknown
Photo year:2016
Image source: http://abc7.com/news/over-10k-march-in-largest-anti-trump-protest-in-dtla/1603923/


                                                      




        This image represents our truth right now. Ever since this past Wednesday, many cities have been protesting and it hasn't lost any momentum since. This image was taken November 12th at a protest in LA and they estimated about 8,000 protesters. This image shows how large the crowd is versus a photo taken from the ground. All of the images seen from all the protests going on, gives me pride to see our people coming together to try to stop a man that represents everything that our country has fought hard to overcome, and has made it okay for his followers to voice their hatred towards those that are not like them. I feel like this image represents the magnitude of people that are scared to death of the future of this country and the future for our children, and are not willing to go down without a fight. Like the EuroMaidan protestors, Americans have "been consumed by TV, by news images repurposed for a new battle, but were now referencing their own protest history. They promised to put on a show, and the media came to participate".On the flip side, as Professor Nordell stated, "in our image saturated time, it's of vital importance to look at the biases of the publications that present imaging. It's of vital importance to look at the possible biases of the photojournalists creating the images, as well as taking a look at our own biases". On the four ways of knowing article, I would have to use sense perception because as you look at the picture you can easily perceive it as a gathering of people for higher cause.

Texture: I view this image as rough. The buildings surrounding the crowd, make the image look hard and rough. It helps create a feeling of unity, of not going down without a fight. It makes the image look powerful because it sends the message of power in numbers.

Background compliments or detracts from composition: I feel like the buildings compete for the attention of the main focus. The background is not out of focus and if it was, it may have helped a little. More of a focus should have been given to the crowd, although from the looks of it, it seems like if it was taken by a camera that is not used for photojournalism.

Use of lines: Looking at the image, I see vertical perpendicular lines in the images. One line to divide the left side of the buildings with the crowd, and the other line to separate the crowd with the building on the right side. The lines help keep the attention inside the two lines.

                                                       Photo by: Alex Garcia
                                                       Photo year: 2012
                              Image source: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/assignment-chicago/2012/02/

        This image was clearly staged and represents not a truthful image. It wasn't like this couple got married right smack in the middle of a protest and the photographer snapped the picture, they actually showed up to the protest and staged the picture. Why? I have no idea, except that whatever the protest was about, maybe the couple felt strongly about it and wanted to incorporate it in their wedding photography. I found the image odd because you have a line of riot police standing on guard, during a tense moment, and off to the right you see a happy couple kissing. It's like a confusing wedding picture mixed with photojournalism and frankly I don't get it. It is like telling the news while covering a wedding. According to the good news network, "if news is not really news unless it is bad news, it may be difficult to claim we are an informed nation. The job of photojournalists was to portay accurately what was happening in society", whether it is good news or bad news. And, in this case, it is a combination of both. It is hard to determine what is the real truth in an image, and as a photojournalist, it is hard to decide which picture represents the unbiased truth. As Professor Nordell said about the picture he took of the Governor with the small child, "perhaps this was my favorite picture because as a freelancer, I thought that this image had the highest likelihood of selling", and this may be the force behind other freelancers when choosing their images as their truth. For the four way of knowing article, I would have to say logics/reason because I am still trying to rationalize this image. I have come to the conclusion that this image is not meant to be rationalized and to just take it as is.

Rule of thirds: The main subject is on the outer third on the right side. This allows the background to show the line of police guarding the area.

Obvious main subject, about 1/4 to 2/3 of image area: The main subject is taking up a little over 1/4 of the image. I'd say more like 1/3. It does not crowd the edges. If certain objects would have been left out, it would have just looked like a regular run of the mill wedding picture.

What feelings does the image create?: The picture creates a sense of confusion to me. The analytical side of me wants to know why would anyone want to take their pictures of their wedding, in the middle of a protest. It is such a happy moment, clouded by a uneasy moment. It definitely captured my attention because if you photoshop the couple out, it becomes a photojournalistic image, and if you photoshop the police out, it becomes a regular wedding picture. The two just don't together in my opinion.

Chapter Seven

     The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) is a “society that promotes the highest standards in visual journalism”. They set the code of ethics for photojournalists and is considered like their ten commandments that they must follow. They are easy to interpret and are direct. The following three out of the 9 codes are talking about not manipulating any images, whether by staging, altering the image, or altering the image to mislead viewers. It is pretty straight forward and any respected professional photojournalist should have no problem abiding with these “rules”.

     

Photo by: Unknown

Image source: http://www.eldiario.es/cultura/Narciso-Contreras-muestra-mediante-Siria_0_331767470.html     

     Yet despite how clear the rules are, so many have fallen from grace. One example of a respected photojournalist, is the case of Pulitzer prize-winning freelance photographer Narciso Contreras, which a single image, ruined his respected career. His crime? Violating the ethical standards by altering a photo he took while covering the war in Syria in 2013. What he did wasn’t major, he didn’t change the image to mislead or misrepresent his viewers. He manipulated the image to remove his colleagues camera out from the lower left hand corner of the picture. Here is the thing, Narciso actually turned himself in to the Associated Press and the AP, and according to the New York Time, "decided to review nearly 500 images that had been filed since he began working for them, but they found no other alterations to his images". The AP fired him, because according to the AP, they didn’t want to tarnish the AP’s reputation by allowing photojournalists that do not uphold the code of ethics. 

Photo by: Narciso Contreras

Image Source: http://www.ap.org/Content/AP-In-The-News/2014/AP-severs-ties-with-photographer-who-altered-work

     

     Contreras admits to feeling ashamed and regrets his decision of removing the camera out of the frame, he told the AP. He knew the camera was in the frame when he took the picture, but he thought it might detract the viewers from the war tension of the image. He was torn on what to do and chose the wrong decision which he has to live with now. If he would have stayed quiet, he would have put in doubt his credibility and the AP for distributing it, so he does not regret his decision of speaking up. 

Photo by: Judith Soto

     My personal view on this issue is they should have given him another chance. He admitted before getting caught of what he did and what he did alter was minute in comparison. The way I would interpret his decision to speak up by using my personal ethics map, is by establishing his core foundations. He has the morals and values, the wisdom to know what he should do after that lapse in judgement, respect and loyalty to his craft, strength to speak up and say something, and integrity to do what is right. Which in this case, was admitting he made a mistake. His career ended with the AP, but he still managed to walk away with his head held high for owning his mistake. If I was him, I would have done exactly what he did and in many different occasions, have owned up to my mistakes and accepted whatever consequence. Nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, and by having integrity, your reputation would not be affected as much.

women photojournalists

          According to the award winning photojournalist, Lynsey Addario, “most of the work in photojournalism is establishing relationships”. Who better to understand women’s issues than an actual woman? Stephanie Sinclair is an American photojournalist based in Brooklyn NY. She is able to get access to some of the most sensitive gender issues and human rights issues around the world. According to National Geographi, she graduated with her B.S. in journalism and started working in the Chicago Tribune, which sent her to cover the war in Iraq. She now contributes her freelance photography to National Geographic, the New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, Stern, GEO, and Marie Claire, among others. She was awarded the UNICEF’s photo of the year and the Lumix festival for Young Photojournalism Freelens Award for her thorough work on the issue of child marriage.

 Photo By: Stephanie Sinclair

Image source: http://tooyoungtowed.org/

Year Created: 2015

Principle #1: In or out of focus

The image is pretty sharp but the background is slightly out of focus. The mountains in the background help the image to create the overall mood and environment of the image.

Principle #2: Texture

the texture of the background seems very dry and arid. It makes me think of a harsh life and drastic measure needed to be made in order to survive. 

Principle #3: Obvious main subject, about 1/4 to 2/3 of image area

The main subject is in the far right corner of the image, and it does not crowd the edges. If the other couple was not in the picture, I believe the picture would have been more impacting. 

Why did I choose this image?

I chose this image because it represents the sad reality of child marriage. No one seems happy in this picture and is indicative of the life these little girls have to endure. 

          Stephanie Sinclair has won countless awards for her work in female circumcision, women’s issues in Afghanistan, failure of the death penalty in Illinois, she was one of the people that won the Pulitzer prize for documenting the problems within the airline industry in 2000. She has done exhibitions on the consequences of early marriage worldwide, Indonesian female circumcision, images of war, and Breaking the Frame, Pioneering Women Photojournalists. As the photojournalist, Sophia Nahli Allison stated, “I believe visual storytelling is a creative tool for social change”. This quote, I believe is the core of every photojournalist’s belief, and why they do what they do.

Photo by: Unknown

Image Source:    http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/20/stephanie-sinclair-on-creating-a-sense-of-urgency/

Year created: 2013

Principle #1: Rule of Thirds

Stephanie Sinclair is photographed on the outer third of the frame. 

Principle #2: Is the image in Black & White or Color?

The image is in black and white by choice. It gives the her more credibility, and makes her look more professional. 

Principle #3: Keep it simple

The image is very simple and straight to the point. The white background contrasted with her black clothing makes her pop. 

Why did I choose this image?

I chose the picture of Stephanie Sinclair because it showed how much of a respected photojournalist she is as she is featured on National Geographic. 

          Women scientists often face gender bias and wage discrimination, even though we are in the 21st century. According to AAUW, "Many women scientists and engineers leave their careers because they feel uncomfortable with their male counterparts and their working environments". Many women interviewed have said they have heard their male counterparts say they have gotten their job due to affirmative action. Many men base the validity of a woman’s career on their looks. Last year a Nobel Prize winning biochemist, Tim Hunt, made headline when he said that “the trouble with girls was that three things happen when they are let in the lab, you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticize them, they cry”. 

Photo By: Viktor Koen

Image source: http://www.nature.com/news/specials/women/index.html

Year Created: 2013

Principle #1: Subject's Expression

The female scientist is posing in a very authoritative way. Her facial expression matches her body language. 

Principle #2: Quality of Light

The light behind the subject is bold and centered directly behind her drawing your attention to her. 

Principle #3 What feelings does the image create?

The image created a feeling of power. She is someone to be respected. The explosion in the background makes her seem like a powerful woman.

Why did I choose this image?

I chose this image because she is a scientist and she is highly respected and commands that respect in the image. It represents that she can be a woman and look pretty, yet be smart and highly educated.  

          Studies show that research universities rate applicants with male names are more competent, more hireable, and more deserving of higher pay even though their female counterparts resumes are identical. Men dominate the STEM field jobs and that needs to change. Men need to admit that this is a reality and find the reasons behind the gender bias issues in the scientific world. Women need to always prove themselves to their male counterparts. Like Frances Benjamin Johnston stood for in the early 20th century, women have the right to control their economic, social, and personal lives. In this case, if they wanted to go into a male dominated field, they have every right to do so and be treated and an equal. 

          Personally, I have never been discriminated by my gender due to the fact I have worked in healthcare for the past 15 years. Healthcare is a predominantly female dominated so I have never had an issue with that. On the academic side, I have always been surprisingly good at Mathematics, and when people see that, they always say “wow, you are pretty good at this for a girl”. I understand why they are surprised, but I always feel like saying, so what if I’m a girl? All in all we need more women scientists and to teach men and our future generations about gender equality.

Technology Timeline

My PowerPoint on some of the photographic technology advances that changed photojournalism throughout history.

Chapter four

          A DSLR camera is a digital single-lens reflex camera. It works similarly as the technology before, except the quality and response is better. DSLR’s have built in mirrors and the photographer has the ability to change lenses. DSLR cameras have large imaging sensors so, the larger the sensor, the better the picture. Dealing with low lighting, DSLR cameras not only works better because of the larger sensor, but in this case, you can expose the image sensor for as long as you want in most cases. With a DSLR camera you can attach external flashes, fit filters on the end of the lens to change the colors and contrast. The possibilities are endless with this type of camera. 

Photo by: Nikon

Image Source: https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/dslr-cameras/enthusiast-dslrs.page

          For photojournalists, their job is to “record the human condition as openly and honestly as you can”. Before DSLR’s became a thing, photojournalists would take their pictures, send it to the associated press, and the editors would view the picture, manipulate it and publish them. Meaning, the job of a photojournalist ended after the picture was taken. Now with digital photography, photojournalism which was then considered a "low tech job, has become one of the most technically demanding positions at any media outlet”. They must be an IT manager, write, videographer, video and photo editor, webmaster, and computer repair technician, besides being an accomplished photojournalist. This is due to the fact that most photographer work alone and away from their offices, they need to have all these abilities due to issues that can come about when you least expect it". This type of technology also helped photojournalists by freeing them from the dark room processing and allowed the photos to reach the newsroom in a matter of minutes rather than hours. Also, you can take as many pictures as you want until you get the right one due to the DSLR’s memory capabilities.

          Photojournalism was transformed after digital photography evolved because of how fast the images get out to the public, in comparison to pre-digital photography. In the early 1990’s, photos were sent out via wire services to newspaper companies around the world, and this process took forty minutes per picture to transmit. It was poor quality, unreliable connections. The time it took to physically produce the picture, and send it through the telephone line took about three hours and forty minutes, assuming everything went perfectly. Not just that, but photojournalists had to lug "travel kits that consisted of five large plastic cases containing a darkroom and transmitting equipment", among all of their camera equipment. According to Professor Nordell, "technology from the 1990's to the present, the amount of change in that period, is just astronomical. It almost dwarfs the amount of change from 1840 to 1990". 

          The DSLR camera will have two viewfinders, the digital display and the eyepiece. The eyepiece is the most accurate way to view the picture before taking it. Its light is reflected twice, first through a mirror, then through a pentaprism or pentamirror. This prevents the picture to be unreversed. When you take the picture, the mirror moves, which causes the viewfinder to go black for a moment, so the light can shine right into the sensor. In wet plate collodion process, in order to develop a picture, you have to coat it with chemicals, sensitize it, and expose it, all within a fifteen minute window using a darkroom. "Collodion photography is difficult and somewhat dangerous to do". This process during the Civil War was especially challenging, because they had to travel with their wagons full of chemicals. "Each time they moved, they had to secure the chemicals and plates. Each time they stopped, they had to be level". Both processes are very different and the only similarity found, is that they both have the ability to create a picture with fine detail. 

Photo By: Luo Dan

Image Source: http://www.chinaphotoeducation.com/Carol_China/Luo_Dan.html

Chapter Three

Photo by John Thompson
Image Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123212/Black-white-pictures-capture-lives-Londoners-1800s.html
Year Created: 1876


Keep it simple
     This picture is simple and straight to the point. Sometimes less is more and in this case this is true. If there was more going on in the picture the message would have been more clouded.

Texture
     The texture of the ground is hard, cold and wet. The woman looks dirty but the baby looks well taken care of considering the circumstances. The step where she is sitting on, the background seems like a heavy door that to me looks like tries to keep her out metaphorically.

Obvious main subject, about 1/4 to 2/3 of image area
 
     The main subject is centered. The subject is not too big or too small. It is just right enough to show the subjects surroundings to show the environment the subject is exposed to.

Why did I choose this image?
     I chose this image because of the raw emotion in this picture. As a mother myself, I know the feeling of being in poverty, going without just so your child has enough. Even after 140 years, a mother's love and devotion is the same. I may have not been forced out to the street like this woman in the picture, but I can totally relate to the feeling of going without food, or proper clothes, or basic necessities to make sure your child has what they needs.

Photo by: Major Clarence Benjamin
Image Source: http://syriawatch.intoxvs.info/1710449562.html
Year Created: 1945


Subject's expression
     The main subject's expression is of relief. When you just experienced something horrible and you are rescued, you feel a mixture of emotions, cry from happiness, for what you went through, for saving your children, etc. Not just her expression is powerful, but she looks like she was trying to get away from what happened as fast as she can, so her body language indicates her fear.

Rule of thirds
     The main subject is off to the right outer third. If she was placed in the center, she would have blocked the other women behind her. Looking at the main subject's expression, makes me wonder what is going on, but using the rule of thirds, I move on to the rest of the picture, and looking at the other women, I can see how this is a happy picture, a happy to be alive picture.

In or out of focus
     The main subject is in focus but the rest of the picture is just a little bit out of focus. Even the child she is with is slightly out of focus. It helps create the effect of freedom, seeing the women pour out of the trains in the background.

Why did I choose this picture?
     I chose this picture because the biggest event in my eyes during this era, was WWII and the holocaust. Instead of picking a picture of the death and starvation of these victims, I wanted to show a picture of survival. Clearly, this event marked everyone involved for the rest of their lives, but their expressions when they felt finally free, is unmistakable. It is a sad event, but a happy moment for them.

Photo By: Abigail Aciman
Image Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/newsies-honors-nyc-students-photojournalism-article-1.2460888
Year Created: 2015

Is the image black &white or color?
     The picture is in black & white by choice. It makes the image have more impact. The picture was taken in times square so if the picture was taken in color, all the colors there would have made the picture too busy and lose some effect.

What feelings does the image create?
     I feel angry that as this protest went on over ago, nothing has changed and people continue to die in the hands of trigger happy cops. At the same time, I am happy to see the mix of races there, coming together protesting the same cause, and how many young people have come together for such an important cause.

Background compliments or detracts from composition
     The billboards and ads in the background detracts from the picture a bit. The picture is a bit busy like I said above. I believe the photographer wanted the picture to show where they were, to show how this issue has spread nationally and that even though the shooting in Ferguson was far away from NYC, they support their cause, coming from one of the most visited tourist spots in New York.

Why did I choose this image?
      I chose this image because this is a current event issue that continues to upset the American people. What impacted me about this image, was that the photographer is just a high school student from one of the local public schools. This girl captured such an important moment that represents such an important issue. I liked how she showed how different everyone in the crowd is and how they all came together.

Chapter 2

        Photogravure is not just photography, it is an art. The best way to describe it is a rich and sophisticated form of photo processing. The way these images are produced is not in a darkroom like other photographs. Photogravures have a somewhat velvety quality to them and at one point in history, was the superior way to produce images in comparison to other photomechanical processes. It is one of the nineteenth century processes still in use by artists today because without a doubt, they produce some of the most exquisite images.

Photo by Fritz Liedtke 

Image Source: http://www.nationalgeographic.it/wallpaper/2015/07/06/foto/sul_viso_un_velo_di_stelle-2680925/5/?refresh_ce  

        According to Professor Nordell, "People before photography had no idea how the body looked like frozen in the air". Photogravure began in 1814, when Joseph Nicephore Niepce was experimenting with light sensitivities. After that, many started actively trying to improve their methods of reproduction. According to the Art of Photogravure, “Niepce was able to print a portrait on a lithographic platewhich was then coated in light sensitive gelatin to expose positive film. Then,William Henry Fox Talbot, used a resin powder which gave the plate an even tint to prevent fading over time”. By the late 1800’s, photogravure was often used to show images in high quality books, a process that was technically and artistically more superior than other methods. Yet, by the end of World War II, photogravure was a thing of the past and made way to less expensive methods, like rotogravure.

        It is hard to make a connection between photogravure and photojournalism, because photogravure is considered a method that is mostly used in fine art, and fine art and photojournalism is very different. Yet, without any advances in photography, photojournalism may have not ever been possible. Photogravure made photography recognized as art, and being able to capture a moment the way photojournalists do, makes them artists too. As involved as the process of photogravure is, it opened the door to many possibilities. It motivated photographers to continue to look for different ways to create images that are less labor intensive and more cost effective.

        The difference between photogravure and capturing an image on a smartphone now is the length of time it takes to create one image. We now have the luxury of taking a picture and instantly seeing it right away, and if you don’t like the way it looks, you can just delete it and take another one. I will say one thing, the quality of professionally made pictures is 100 times better than a simple camera phone picture. I guess that is the price we have to pay for convenience. Camera phones also have the ability to auto-focus in which you couldn’t do back then without going through a whole process. Like Professor Nordell mentioned, “it adjusts naturally, unlike the single lens reflex cameras”. I was born in the very early 80’s and I remember how inconvenient photography was back then in comparison to today. I remember using the 35 mm film, where you had to feed the film through the mechanism in the camera. I also remember having a couple of those cameras that used the 110 film. This technology was advanced compared to its origins, but it is clearly ancient technology just 35 years later.

        I can’t imagine having to deal with the inconvenience of having to lug a camera and all the film and equipment you need everywhere you go, like I remember having to do, but to have to do all that and carry aroundyour mobile caravan filled with your equipment like Quinn Jacobson does now for enjoyment,is crazy. But that was their reality. The art of photography has been around for many years, but Matthew Brady’s pictures of the realities of the Civil War, introduced the world to depicting everyday life through photography. This documenting every aspect of your life is clearly seen now and easily done through the convenience of our smart phones. 

Photo by Judith Soto

Chapter 1: Can Photographs Change the World

     The power of photography is often underestimated. A simple picture taken in a moments notice, can carry such a profound meaning to the viewer. It carries the mood of the image, the feelings and/or raw emotion. To what extent can a single image impact people? Can a single image change a person’s view, a group of people’s view, a country, or the world? Can one single image hold the power to change the world? Yes it can. A single image taken at the right, unexpected moment, can have such a profound impact on society, so much to the point where society will demand change.

      At times, it is very hard to imagine the struggles of people halfway across the world. Society may be aware of a war, poverty, genocide, and so on, going on in a country, but once the visuals start coming in, and people start seeing the carnage or the severity of the problem, it makes people very uneasy and uncomfortable to watch, hence they want to help or stop it. On the other hand, the reason for it being hard to imagine the struggles, is because as Professor Nordell stated, “The concentration of ownership in media can constrict the flow of information to the media”. It is disturbing to know that according to a business insider article: "Since 1983, 50 media companies have been consolidated to just 6, and those 6 companies control 90% of the media in America”. Talk about limiting the information reached out to the American people. It makes you question, what else is going on that we don’t know about?  The sad part is, it is not just these huge companies trying to censor media. The government is always being cautious of the type of information being shared. But, with the advent of the internet and phones with camera capabilities, it has become almost impossible now to censor the citizens of this country. With all the issues going on within our own country, citizen journalism has become vital. According to the Guardian’s article, “Citizen journalism has complemented the work of the traditional journalists on the scene, and has reminded us what is becoming a civic duty in today’s America”.

Photo by Nilufer Demir
Image Source:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x34ur6h 







     The picture above affected me and continues to affect me. As an empathetic human being, a mother of a small child, and having many middle-eastern friends and family-in-law.  In addition, a particular good friend of mine is Syrian, born and raised until moving to the U.S. in his teens, and seeing this picture I was haunted. Up until that point, I knew about the war in Syria, but was honestly disconnected from it since it is so far away, until this image came out and I cried. The amount of innocent children having to pay the price for the issues in their country is unacceptable. This picture was published just a little over a year and the amount of children directly affected by this war is completely abhorring. In a year's time, we still continue to see many more images of Syrian children killed or injured due to this unnecessary war. 

                                                        Photo by Kevin Carter
                                                            Image Source:
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2006/08/the_death_of_ke.html

     The above image was taken in 1993, to showcase the level of famine in Sudan. I recall when this image was made public and remember how horrified I was at how this child was unknowingly moments from death. This image touched so many people. Images of children starving in African countries always pulled at the heartstrings of many Americans for decades, and I am sure that without these images, Africa would not have received much of the help that they have received throughout the years. Although the world has known the struggles of the African countries for many years, sometimes an image is released that refocuses the importance of helping out in the recurrent famine in Africa and this image definitely did that. It sparked a massive effort to help the starving people in Sudan. So, to conclude and bring everything full circle, in Jonathan Klein’s speech on Ted TV, he perfectly stated: “The truth is that we know that the images themselves don't change the world, but we're also aware that, since the beginning of photography, images have provoked reactions in people, and those reactions have caused change to happen”, and the pictures posted on this blog are one of many pictures that proves that photographs can change the world.

Introduction to the History of Photojournalism

           Photojournalism is a combination of a learned skill and a form of art. The art of being able to capture a moment perfectly, and the skill to be able to be unbiased and tell the story behind the picture. As Professor Nordell stated, “If you break up the word photojournalism into two words, photo and journalism, it means photographs created to be published in journals”. Photojournalists are visual storytellers and need to be honest and impartial when telling the story in a strictly professional way, following the rules of journalism. Using photography in the news is important, in order to make the facts relatable to the reader. With that being said, sometimes in order to get that “perfect image”, photojournalists knowingly put themselves in very unsafe and dangerous situations. Many photojournalists have a similar motto as one of the greatest 20th century photojournalists, Robert Capa, “if your pictures aren’t good enough, you are not close enough”.

Photo by Heidi Levine
Image Source: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/03/24/women-media-group-to-honor-photographer-heidi-levine-with-prize-named-for-ap.html
 
       


        
           According to Professor Nordell, “Mathew Brady’s photos of the Civil War was considered by many, the beginning of photojournalism”. The ability to tell a story with impacting pictures and strong words has played a huge role in documenting history. So much that it has even helped shape it. In the excerpt of the movie “War Photographer”, James Nachtwey states, “For me, the strength of photography lies in its ability to evoke a sense of humanity. If war is an attempt to negate humanity, then photography can be perceived as the opposite of war, and if it’s used well, it can be a powerful ingredient in the antidote to war”. With this being said, photojournalism is being used to not just document history, but also to help change it.

Photo by Thomas E. Franklin
Image Source:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/09/07/september-11-terror-attacks-911-iconic-flag-photo-mystery-solved/89952660/














           Why would anybody be interested in history? You can’t change it, so why bother? Knowing history is vital. In the video, Why study history?, “Knowing the past helps us understand what is going on in the present. Knowing what is going on in the present will affect what will go on in the future. It helps us think critically and see both sides to a story”. Our ancestors made many mistakes in our past and without learning from these mistakes, we can’t analyze it to solve problems in the present. In other words, it helps right the wrongs of our past.

           Photojournalists know this and live it and breathe it. They are passionate and courageous about it and strongly feel that they can make a difference. They raise awareness of what is going on all around us through their photography. They give the unheard, a voice. They tell a story to those that may not know the extent of an issue. It shows the emotions, the struggles, the pain of those to others that are completely disconnected from it, with the hopes of bringing out the humanity in others and becoming proactive in the issue. Humans are very visual creatures. Telling a story just does not have the same impact as telling the same story with the photographs or visuals to go along with it. It makes it real and in your face. It makes it harder to look away and pretend like everything is fine. For that, photojournalists are in a way activists, risking their own lives to make the world aware of the changes that need to be made. They don’t do it for the fame or for the money, for it is a thankless job. It takes a strong, passionate person with the education, skill and gift to do this, and for that, their job is vital.