Wk. 8 EOC: Bang Bang Club

While conflict photography shows the stories of places suffering things such as war or famine, I would not be brave enough to go and do the job myself. The men and women who cover this type of photography are very brave. I wouldn’t have the stomach to photograph the things they see in these situations and wouldn’t be brave enough to put myself into a situation where my life would be at stake.

The movie, “The Bang Bang Club,” which is based on real events and real photographs, showed the reality of the situations conflict photographers often face. Being caught in between enemies, in the line of fire from both sides, would terrify me. The situation led to the death of a photographer who was just out on his first shoot with the club. Personally, I’ll stick to photographing in safety.

Being awarded a Pulitzer Prize was the crowning moment for one member of the club, Greg Marinovich, while the same award put another member Kevin Carter, in the spot light as a bad guy for not helping in the situation. The first photographer was made a hero for getting that close to the violence that surrounded him while taking photos. The second made to look like a bad guy for not stepping up to save a child.

Wk. 7 EOC: Adult Content

In “Gentleman’s Relish” I felt that the dealings of the assistant were shady and underhanded but the man was a genuine marketing genius. He could sell the photographer on any idea he had just by wording things in a certain way. He made the photographer believe he was doing things for one reason and then turned around and sold the images to someone else for another reason.

Wk. 6 EOC: How Has Art Changed You?

Art has changed me in that I am aware of what inspires me. I have a more refined sense of what I find beautiful. Art is where I have found a place for me to feel safe. It is an expression of me and how I feel. It can be accepted for what it is while at the same time, others will find my art repulsive. Art has changed me in that it has opened my eyes to how more of the world sees itself. Different cultures have different feelings about art and what is acceptable as art. The United States has a very open mind where art is concerned and for that we are lucky. In other parts of the world, what we consider art, is banned and not able to be seen or enjoyed by others. Art has opened my eyes to what I enjoy doing. It has made me want to be an artist, to show the world how I see it and what I think makes it beautiful. Art is a way of expressing myself when words won’t work or don’t have a strong enough attachment to the feelings I have. It is a way of demonstrating to others what is going on inside my head. Art is an outlet that can be understood by people who don’t share a language. Much as music breaks down borders, art does the same.

Art has made me feel more strongly about the connections I want to make with people in other countries. I want to be able to share my work with them and for them to enjoy it and understand it as strongly as I do. I don’t think anyone can be taught how to be an artist. Everyone can be an artist as art is simply an expression. It can be translated many ways but ultimately, it is one person’s expression of themselves or a feeling. 

Wk. 4 EOC: Peering Into the Future

Wk. 4 EOC: Peering Into the Future

In twenty-seven years, I plan on being an established professional photographer, living in Canada, and able to travel to shoots in other places. I want to be able to work at my own pace and on my own schedule while still being able to travel for the fun of it. I want to be able to visit the places I’m dreaming about now and be able to enjoy them. If I were able to do shoots while I’m there it would be even better. I’d love to be able to do shoots all over the world, to have my work known, appreciated, and wanted in other countries. I’d love to be able to support a family of my own, children, grandchildren. I’d love to be able to help them with any expenses they may have.

Wk. 3 EOC: National Geographic

"Afghan Girl" - Steve McCurry

This photo has always spoken to me. It's why I became a photographer. I had dreams of taking pictures like this. I found it as a child while browsing through one of my mother's National Geographic magazines. The story that accompanied it scared me when I first read it as at the time, I was the same as the girl in the photo when it was taken. She was twelve. She was a refugee in a tent on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Soviet helicopters had destroyed her village and her family had been forced to make a two week trek through the mountains.

The look of sheer terror in the girls eyes grabbed my attention and held it as a child. Now as an adult, the photo still moves my heart. This is due to the fact that children in the area are still dealing with a war torn country. The photo still inspires me. The story does the same. National Geographic sent a team back to Afghanistan to do a follow up on "the girl with green eyes."


Here is what they found.

Names have power, so let us speak of hers. Her name is Sharbat Gula, and she is Pashtun, that most warlike of Afghan tribes. It is said of the Pashtun that they are only at peace when they are at war, and her eyes—then and now—burn with ferocity. She is 28, perhaps 29, or even 30. No one, not even she, knows for sure. Stories shift like sand in a place where no records exist. 

The story continues here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text

Wk. 2 EOC: La Dulce Vita

Wk. 2 EOC: La Dulce Vita

I relate to the film “La Dulce Vita” in that I am a photographer and can get bored with what I’m doing sometimes. I sometimes lose my focus on what I’m doing, what inspires me. Getting that focus back can take some time. Usually, I’ll remove myself from the work at hand for a while and do something else, for example, I’ll take my camera to a park and take pictures of trees or flowers. Getting out into a natural environment helps me clear my head and I’m able to then refocus and remind myself why I love doing what I do. 

Wk. 1 EOC: Stallions Not Unicorns