Chapter 9
Image source:https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d7/1f/a6/d71fa6fafc7f3a35d3496f2f98e072ef.jpg
Photographer: Susan Meiselas https://tisch.nyu.edu/content/dam/tisch/itp/Faculty/susan-meiselas.jpg.preset.square.jpeg
Susan Meiselas was an activist in her own right. From what I have read about most photojournalist is the love of the job,they want that photo that image that makes you see want, they are looking at during this time of taking their photos. I think most people think that photojournalist are little out there, because they may want that moment. To me what motivates photojournalist is telling that story through the eyes of their lens. Looking into Susan Meisles she was a woman that was born in Baltimore, MD in 1948, she earned her degree in anthropology and urban education with a B.A. from there she went on to get a Masters in Visual Education, she became a film editor at Harvard for documentary filmmaker Fredrick Wiseman. By: The Library of Congress" Susan said "Photography should not be about the photographer", Susan Meiselas has wanted to remain somewhat invisible however from the work that she has done for international community there is no way of that happening. "Meiselas brings to her images an inquiring mind and a compunction to go back as many times as it takes to understand the lives of her subjects".
From reading about Meiselas she has a passion for social issues and civil rights for all. Meiselas said, "that she challenges photographers to examine their relationship to their subjects, consider the use and distribution of their images in the world, and to reflect on the relationship of images to history and memory". This awareness of social issues come from Meiselas who was active within the "Civil Rights Movement" of the 1960's in regards to housing. You can tell from reading a little about Meiselas she has a great conscience for people across the world who may happen to be in a political situation to which they cannot control. "The Center For Creative Photography" has acknowledge Meiselas work that she did in 1978 in Nicaragua. "Her work in Nicaragua spans 25 years and how the wars governments take overs has changed the country.
Meiselas is really motivated by socials issues and telling the truth through her photos able the situations a hand. "The Center For Creative Photography" said Meiselas she began to gather every scrap of visual evidence-documents, family, pictures, maps, personal stories- to build a public archive of the history of the displaced Kurdish people". This happen after the genocide from Saddam Hussein when Meiselas. This is another way that being a photojournalist motivates her to be involved in human rights which seems to really motivates with the images that she takes.
Image source:https://echwaluphotography.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/1e3a6995.jpg?w=1024
Edward Echwalu is considered a documentary photographer and photojournalist. Echwalu was born in Soroti, Uganda but is now based in Kampala, Uganda. Echwalu said "human memory fades therefore the value of photographs only appreciates. That's why I wanted to become a photographer. He studied his degree in Journalism and Communication. Edward Echwalu said: "You want to be a great photographer? Then learn to be patient". This hold true for most of us adults that you really needs to have patients and understand that things do not always come instantly. With young people I see this as their biggest problem as not understanding the act of having patients. As with myself this not my key motivation, however it's a good practice to follow because if you don't you may miss out on a lot.
Kampala, Uganda seems to be this place where Echwalu has done most of his work throughout his career so far. (http://echwalu.com/) He has published in several global media outlets: Washington Post, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Dailymail UK, plus countless others. He is currently a contributor to Every Africa-part of Everyday Projects. Echwalu said the assignment that left the biggest markwas "March 2014 when an overloaded boat carrying mostly refuges trying to return to the Democratic Republican of Congo had capsized and hundreds had died on Lake Albert in western Uganda." When he and arrived with others colleague there were no bodies to be seem. "Then suddenly as the sun rose, bodies of children, pregnant mothers and men started emerging from the water. It was perhaps the most terrifying 15 minutes of my life". That being the case having patients as Echwalu stated earlier perhaps shows where is motivation as a beginning photojournalist comes from.
The most exciting assignments Echwalu said: " are those that make me feel overwhelmed. I love to be on the spot then because such moments remind me of the importance photojournalism and its role in society". photowings.org./edward-echwalu-photographers-motivation. The one picture I used for his work was a little different than what he normally does, This happens to be a photo of Uganda being qualified for the "African Cup of Nation" . Uganda had no qualified since 1978. I noticed a few photojournalist were in it to get paid ( for the money) but at the end of the day most get the reward from story telling an event or situation from how photojournalist see it and they will do wherever it takes to get it. Not from being unethical or lack of morals, but putting their heart and soul into a image and getting to the truth. These particular photojournalist are dedicated to a life worth of work.
Carolyn Drake studied Media/Culture and History in the 1990's at Brown University and became interested in the ways that history and reality are purposefully shaped and revised over time. After graduating from collage she worked for multimedia companies in New York, but left at the age of thirty to engage in the physical world through photography. By"Magnum Photos".
Drake said,"Images can describe, abstract, interpret,but they are not absolute. What motivates Drake are human interest stories that have a long history of injustice. In most photojournalist I have notice a a lot of gravitate towards these types of stories. In 1198 there was a hate crime that had taken place in the state of Wyoming. A young gay man was left for dead and beaten to death by two men.Drake said"Yet I suspected that this tragic incident may have encourage people who didn't fit traditional gender and sexual orientation norms to start being more vocal, or less secretive, about their own perceptions of self". She said, "she tried to look through the lens of queerness"
Photojournalist/photojournalism must be careful about what motivates them to take images of certain situations. They could be taking pictures of something that could get them arrested or hurt. However to tell the story sometimes you must go above and beyond. This motivates photojournalist to be compassionate and at the same time professional when doing their job.
For the 3 photojournalist I have chosen most are motivated by the need to tell the story from a woman's point of view so people can understand by this industry still being highly male oriented doesn't mean that women can't tell their stories . Most photojournalist come to the table wanting to tell their story and letting people know what is going on in different parts of the world.
From Gordon Parks who said,"My advice to young black people, don't let the blackness weigh you down,have a desire". Ruth Priet Arenas said. what motivates you, the chance to meet new people, making money by selling images, not working in a office. I think most photojournalist have these points that motivate them in common.
Photo by:Sharon Monts This my motivational map. Getting up in the morning. Starting over again with a new career. Seeing someone smile even if it's difficult. All of these motivate me.
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