Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Chapter 9: What Motivates Photojournalist

Photojournalist #1- LYNSEY ADDARIO
Image by: Joel Sartore
Lynn Johnson is a woman photojournalist that has set the bar. She finds herself in a profession that is still dominated by males, but she does not let that interfere with her career. She mentions in her video interview that “gender is factor and you cannot ignore it”. Lynesy Addario also, a female photojournalist is known for her award winning photographs and never giving up attitude. But she is also admired because of her gender and the role it plays in photojournalism. Addario has traveled the world to capture war, famine and death that takes place on this earth. She has found herself in devastating situations but continued to go back into the battlefield. Why? Well, her motivation is what drives her to continue her profession as a photojournalist. In an interview about her recent published book “It’s What I Do” she says: “it’s a calling, it takes over who I am. People ask me why I do this…and it is what makes me most alive, it is what I believe in, it is my happiness, and it’s what I do”.
Image by: Lynsey Addario
Image source:
http://itswhatidobook.com/
Photojournalist #2- SPIDER MARTIN
Everyone faces their own hardships and personal battles. The struggle of one person is not the same for another. Photojournalist like Gordon Parks encourages others like himself to “don’t let the blackness weigh you down”. Some can say that Spinder Martin also believed in that as well. Martin was a African American photojournalist during the Civil Rights movement in Alabama. Being of his black decent made it difficult for him to rise, but he never gave up. In short summary of his history as a photographer they describe his work ethic as a black photographer: “Those same chills were transferred to a real battle field for human rights, and there arose in Spider a rage for the atrocities committed by his fellow Alabamians against his fellow Alabamians”. He was strong willed and wanted justice for his people. He was motivated and produced amazing photographs that made history what it is today. Martin Luther King acknowledges his integrity and mentions: “Spider, we could havemarched, we could have protested forever, but if it weren’t for guys like you,it would have been for nothing. The whole world saw your pictures. That’s why the Voting Rights Act passed”. People like Spider Martin were a part of greatness, and even better, they shined the light on news that changed our world today.
Image by: Spider Martin
 
 
Photojournalist #3- ZORIAH
Image by: unknown
Image source:
http://petapixel.com/tag/warphotographer/

 
Zoriah Miller, often known as just Zoriah is a humanitarian aid, involved in disaster management and also a war photojournalist. He is driven by the crisis that occurs in developing countries and works to spread awareness. In an interview about how he became a photojournalist and why he states: “I decided to pick up my camera after a long hiatus and set out to document disasters and humanitarian crisis. I believed that I could use the power and emotion of the still image to educate the people and suffering in the developing world”. He travels the world to capture the worst moments of people’s lives. It is his motivation to share this with others around the world. His images carry messages; messages that change people forever. There are other war photojournalist, like Felix Masi. He too is motivated to share the stories of the people suffering in his community in Kenya. In an interview with InFocus, he states: “I knew my heart was to be a photographer of telling peoples stories”. He grew up in this country, he walked throughout the slums, and that inspired him. Like Zoriah, he too risks his life to bring forward the news that takes place in third world countries.
 

 
Motivation is something that comes from within. It is a fire that burns inside us and pushes us to accomplish things we could never image. Each day that I wake up, there is something that pushes me to continue to go to school, and work and be a good daughter. What is that fire made of inside of me? My family is my motivation. I was raised by a family of women. They are each so strong, brave and smart. But they are all so unhappy. They never to risks to do the things they wanted. They have taught me how to view this world, and how to live life, my way. They have instilled in me the power of happiness, peace, love and laughter, to never give up on my dreams. I carry that with each day, and I never leave it behind. Just like the photojournalist Lynsey Addario, I am not afraid to stand out in a world that is dominant by men. Like Spider Martin, I want to witness history. And like Zoriah, I want to help share stories of the beautiful people in the world. But in order for me to do this, I have to take each day, step by step. Like these photojournalist, I have to take that leap onto the other side, and live. Live fully, live happily, and live now.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

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