Photo Journalism

[j_fletcher]

Hi,

I have just been reading a thread here that gave a link to the Noor agency site, which got me thinking about how these photo journalists start to work on a project.
Do these photographers just turn up alone in Somalia (for example) and start taking pictures? Or do they arrange full security before hand?
I would guess at somewhere between the two, but i am curious to know.

Thanks.

 

[Pablito]

It varies enormously.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I recommend watching this movie. I really really recommend watching this movie.

 

[steverett]

Never heard of it! It's in my Netflix queue now, though.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

This isn't the best of times to get into photojournalism. Unless you like doing without food. 🙂

 

[Larky]

I can do without food. I'm desperate to get into shooting more 'intense' stuff, the kind of things your family and friends really don't want you doing. I'm trying everything I can think of, I guess it's who you know.

 

[j_fletcher]

Bob, thanks for that i will give it a watch as soon as i can get a copy.
Larky, a good point about who you need to know. You seem to have given the matter some thought so would you ever consider going solo to an unstable and possibly violent country to work on a project or would you look for some kind of security or backup for the trip?

Thanks.

 

[Phantomas]

I'm in the same boat. I'm about to be in between jobs and while there's some spare time starting to think hard about undertaking a project of such sort. Not necessarily a war-zone (I wouldn't mind, but let's be realistic) but some (post)conflict zone, crisis area, or a project with strong social undertone. It's purely for myself, no commercial nor "artistic" expectations, not sure how it will work out, but I'm thinking of 3 possible approaches:
- bugging friends in NGOs to provide contacts and destination. I take care of all other expenses. That doesn't seem to go well so far, I believe they're spooked by thinking I want to officially "work" for them.
- through the powers of internet finding contacts in certain environments that would be interesting to document
- picking a country, arriving solo and finding an environment to settle into for several weeks and document (for example a friend just returned from Jordan where she passed through a village entirely built in caves. could work to just arrive there, befriend a family and stay with them for a fee for some weeks and document their life (?))


Not sure if I'll be able to go through with any of those as everything is under big question mark right now, but option 3 would probably be the most feasible.
I can only hope...

 

[j_fletcher]

Daves, for Somalia that is what i had figured! I wrote Somalia as I had been looking at the Pep Bonet Somalia images. It's an extreme example, i know.
For him to do that project, would you say he traveled surrounded by armed bodyguards?
(who i guess could be the armed men in some of the pictures!)

Thanks.

 

[ZeissFan]

Not to be sarcastic or to turn this into a political discussion, but if you want to try the war zone experience without leaving the U.S., try shooting in some inner city neighborhoods. Same threat of death but you don't need a passport.

 

[Phantomas]

What ZeissFan said. After all, this years WorlPressPhoto winner was exactly this type of "American urban warzone" photograph.

 

[j_fletcher]

ZeissFan, i had thought about that point after making the initial post, and hoped someone might raise it.
As for locations like that i think some good research and possibly a local guide would be a help (though one could say that for anywhere.)
You would also hope it would be easier to make a run for it from a neighborhood than it would be from a whole city, or even country!

Thanks.

 

[j_fletcher]

daves, thanks for the link. It gave some good answers to my security related questions,
how he said he traveled with 12 guards in 3 cars and shot from behind tinted glass!
Good look in your work and stay safe.

Thanks.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I think one of the quotes from the Nachtwey film is relevant. When talking about what he would do now that he is getting older, one of the commentators observed that few war photographers made it to retirement. Natchwey is 60 years old now.