The Julie Project

[Kiyatkin]

It makes a difference to be seen, at least to that particular person. The amount of compassion that goes into this kind of work is amazing. Whether anyone cares to look at it or anyone who sees it cares enough to change anything, is another story.

 

[Thardy]

Follow the link to her portfolio.

This woman. Darcy, has done some impressive work. I admit that I'd never

heard of her, but she has received the H. S. Smith Award for Humanistic

Photography, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Fellowship, Soros Foundation/Open Society Institute

Individual Fellowship, Alexia Foundation for World Peace

Professional Grant, Getty Images Grant for Editorial Photography

Professional Grant and World Press Photo.

I'm glad you pointed that out.

 

[gdmcclintock]

Let me be clear, she is a good photographer. I'm not being critical of her photography. Or her motivation. I've always questioned, though, the ultimate value of the public's intrusion into these folks tragic lives. In the end, in this case, the outcome was still tragic.

The public's intrusion into the Vietnam War via the work of photojournalists helped hasten the conflict's "peace with honor" conclusion.

There is no question that decisions made at high levels of society have an impact at low levels of society. Work like Darcy's may help raise consciousness and eventually assist in the creation of positive policies that will combat the causes of such abject misery.

 

[dave lackey]

The situation is tragic, the photographer shows amazing commitment...a sad business. But each time I see a story like this I can't figure out the value (other than the personal interest of the photographer) of this intrusion into someone's sad life. There are millions of sad stories like this. There will be millions more. What difference did photography make?

Photographs don't change the world but they change people through making an impact on their perceptions of life. Perhaps the only people who were impacted were the subjects, the photographer, the people closest to them and maybe a few (even if only one?) people who view the final project. In some small way, maybe there was a change.

I reckon it would be too much to expect a single photograph or a single project to do much more than that.:angel:

 

[daninjc]

That's a quite surprising thought.
One photographer can chose to deal with human tragedy from many standpoints. From abstract and general, to very personal. Often, the personal point of view works best, when you attach a face to a tragic life-story, but in the end the body of work speaks to anyone about universal tragedy.
The value can be that we, the public, gain awareness about specific social issues. The same issues that can eventually find their way up to a political level. There can be personal value for those folks too, who had someone giving them practical help, a voice, and memories.

Let me be clear, she is a good photographer. I'm not being critical of her photography. Or her motivation. I've always questioned, though, the ultimate value of the public's intrusion into these folks tragic lives. In the end, in this case, the outcome was still tragic.

 

[Lilserenity]

Just stunned, and I'm not all the way through it yet.

Puts things in perspective.

 

[inSIGHT]

Very compelling story.
Thank you for sharing this.

 

[gb hill]

Wasn't she a woman who did this?

He probably only had time to look through some photographs. Her story is powerful. Well worth taking the time to read Darcy's thoughts.

I kept wondering why would a person living is this situation keep having kids to live in this type of condition, but then I realize she is human & as a woman her deepest desire was to love & to be loved by others. Touching also that she was reunited with her dad who after all these many years never gave up on locating her.

 

[newsgrunt]

This may sound trite and all but honestly, if ONE person stops and thinks about someone they've seen or come across that may have the same backstory as Julie and sees a human who doesn't deserve scorn, well I think it's worth the *intrusion* let alone 18 yrs of staying with the story.

 

[Photon42]

[...]
I kept wondering why would a person living is this situation keep having kids to live in this type of condition, but then I realize she is human & as a woman her deepest desire was to love & to be loved by others. Touching also that she was reunited with her dad who after all these many years never gave up on locating her.

Children are hope and center your life.

I've also had some of the thoughts written here - what especially stroke me apart from the story itself is, how you can participate and not participate at the same time as the photographer. I doubt I could do this.

Ivo

 

[JHenry]

Simply stunning and incredible.

 

[tj01]

Need to go hug my children

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Let me be clear, she is a good photographer. I'm not being critical of her photography. Or her motivation. I've always questioned, though, the ultimate value of the public's intrusion into these folks tragic lives.

The ultimate value is to make the rest of us aware of their issues, and through that, hopefully, our society can learn that life isn't as simple as a Father Knows Best or Brady Bunch episode.

The public isn't "intruding" in to this any more than they're "intruding" into other reported events.