There’s nothing quite as iconic as vulnerable soldiers huddled together, protecting themselves from the rain. And while all three of the fine photographers whose images I’ve posted below obviously have many, many amazing photographs of many varied things, I can’t help but wonder if “new work from DRC,” like the first example is referred to by the Lens, is really that new.
Dominic Nahr in the NYT Lens Blog.
Marcus Bleasdale from the VII website
Finbarr O’Reilly, from his homepage
UPDATE: Read part two — Of Photographers and Soldiers in the DRC, Redux
8 Comments
Wow. The only time I’ve seen stuff like this is when I had reason to be afraid. The eyes on the guy on the right in the bottom shot really get me.
[Reply]
Goodness… I wonder if anyone has a shot of three war photographers huddled together in the rain taking the same shot at slightly different moments.
[Reply]
Dustyn WInder Reply:
September 8th, 2009 at 3:19 PM
@Ian MacLellan,
Great question. I figured I should thank you for the chuckle.
The first photograph is stunningly beautiful, though.
[Reply]
1st photo = HDR?
So wish I could figure out how to do a descent one!!! Amazing photos as usual! Even if their not yours!!!;)
[Reply]
Excellent images!! As a writer, I have always appreciated a photographer’s ability to tell a complete story with an image.
[Reply]
Perhaps the question should use the term “original” rather than “new” – it could be “new”, but with two other photographers taking the same shot at the same time you might question “original” or “unique”. I must say though that I like the shots best in descending order.
[Reply]
I think it’s hard to look at these images on their own since each photographer here has worked in Congo for an extended period of time and each image is just one of a bigger series.
As an individual image, I think the first is best. As a series, if you check out Bleasdale’s work, that’s the stuff that speaks to me aesthetically.
Also, I think it’s fine for photographers to work together and travel together – it’s an issue of both expense and security. But, I also think that, as @Shannon mentions, it might not be that “new” but perhaps “original.” I don’t know, though, I guess I’d just like to do see something else completely coming out of Congo. But that’s just me and I’m not an editor.
[Reply]
Someone cynical could note that your own work out of Liberia is not necessarily new or original, either, Glenna, since shooters have been taking pictures of the emerging surfing industry, the abandoned government buildings and urban Monrovia since long before you arrived.
[Reply]
@Jane – I have taken photos of a lot of other things too, and neither surfers nor abandoned buildings have been the focus of my work while I’ve been here. I also want to point out that all the other photographers whose work I re-posted here also have extensive portfolios of other types of work. This was not an indictment of their work, nor was it an attempt to say “my work is better than this because it IS original,” but intended as more of a comment on the industry. I’m elaborating this in a post I’m working on right now which should be us oon.
[Reply]
One Trackback/Pingback
[...] I posted three similar photos of soldiers in DRC a few different people responded that journalists shouldn’t travel in packs. While I [...]
Post a Comment