NYT Lens explores the issue of photographers in Haiti

12 Responses to NYT Lens explores the issue of photographers in Haiti

1. Mike Terry says:

   February 4, 2010 at 8:38 pm

   I was very worried about this very thing when I arrived there about a week after the earthquake. I was afraid that myself and others would descend on this scene like locusts and be eager to see something…anything. When eager really isn’t the right feeling. I was afraid of that awful and embarrassing tendency with young photographers like myself to shoot photos that reflected on the fact that I was there, rather than reflecting on the story or subjects of the photographs.
   Luckily, while there we were able to work on stories that were particular to our audience and not repeat what many of the photographers on assignment for larger publications were tasked with shooting. Had I been looking over their shoulders, simply getting images to my paper that were from the same situation as them, I would have felt similar to many of the feelings expressed in the article. It’s fine that there are 10 photogs at a scene, but if I am not needed there, do I really want to be #11? That would be my .02.
2. Mike Terry says:

   February 4, 2010 at 8:39 pm

   Oh, and also, I think this essay on LensBlog was spot on. Mos def something good to open up some dialogue about.
3. Erin Hooley says:

   February 4, 2010 at 10:14 pm

   I just read that today, too. I found this in a comment:

   http://tinyurl.com/yhj6rq9

   Some people seem to think this guy is a total wanker, while others think he’s amazing. Thoughts, anyone?
4. Erin Hooley says:

   February 4, 2010 at 10:20 pm

   Good to hear, Mike. What I thought while reading this blog is, when I am any situation where there are a lot of photographers and a sensitive subject, I don’t feel it’s worth it to be obnoxious, part of a descending photog cloud, etc. There are always other photos. Probably better ones. I’m glad you were able to work on other stories. Those are important, too.
5. Ramin Rahimian says:

   February 4, 2010 at 10:48 pm

   Erin, he is a massive douche and I think he is a caricature of a war photographer. He wants to charge $4000 for his stupid workshop. He is a ridiculous, out-of-control toner. I mean, if you are going to to tone things to hell, at least be consistent in your style. Ever since I saw some TV show with him on it a few years ago, running around Israel, talking shit, with duct tape on his camera and/or lens, I have always found him comical.
6. Chris Detrick says:

   February 5, 2010 at 1:07 am

   Grab some popcorn and a beer, here is his response:

   http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/zoriah-in-haiti

   “First of all, let me say what a pleasure it is to piss all of you off…again. I cant wait to see what you say when I release my next project, which I am sure will put all of you completely over the edge!!”
7. Trent Nelson says:

   February 5, 2010 at 7:31 am

   Let me put Zoriah aside, as his case is definitely unique…

   Haiti is an interesting thing. For the second time I can ever remember, photographers are being encouraged to NOT cover the story. The first time was Hurricane Katrina, where photographers working for huge outlets with huge budgets (equipped with helicopters and fully stocked SUV’s) were telling independent photographers to not come to New Orleans to shoot. That advice struck me as short-sighted because I’ve never been in a situation where I would have encouraged less photography, information gathering or storytelling.

   I’ve also seen a lot of criticism recently about how Africa is covered, how it is all death and starvation when a lot of “good news” stories get ignored. That may be true, but then again three million people died in Congo in the late 1990s with virtually no news coverage of any kind. We need a balanced, apolitical approach.

   I don’t have the answers on Haiti, just a lot of thoughts to throw out. I haven’t watched any TV coverage on the Haiti earthquake, so maybe I haven’t seen the whole situation down there. But I think a lot of this criticism (again, Zoriah aside) comes from people making assumptions about photographers. The assumptions are often that photographers in Haiti are chasing disaster porn, big money, and contest wins. Are those assumptions accurate?

   Here are a bunch more links to discussion and galleries, photojournalism in Haiti
8. Erin Hooley says:

   February 5, 2010 at 10:39 am

   I never saw Zoriah’s work or heard of him before stumbling across that link. I looked through his portfolio. Obviously he must have some skills as far as working in tough areas, and he knows how to take a good photo, but besides the “ridiculous” toning, a lot of the photos lack integrity, in my opinion. A lot of them stand out to me as just too pretty-looking and iconic. Disturbing subject matter, yes, but there are no captions and I’m left to piece together the story myself because the images don’t cover it all.

   Back to the Lens blog, regardless of all that, do you think the aftermath of an earthquake in Haiti is an appropriate place to hold a photojournalism workshop? The post in the link make it looks like Zoriah is pocketing $2000 of the cost, considering “students will be required to pay their own expenses,” but the other half goes to a hospice in Haiti. But…what if it was free? Or all of the cost went to charity?
9. Erin Hooley says:

   February 5, 2010 at 10:49 am

   If Zoriah was offering a free workshop, or donated all the cost to charity, or it was someone else offering the workshop, do you think Haiti would be an appropriate place to do so? Part of me feels funny about about making a tragedy into a learning experience. On the other hand, what better way to guide aspiring photojournalists than in a very real and difficult situation? Stories get told, and students get a eye-opening reality check.
10. Trent Nelson says:

    February 5, 2010 at 10:58 am

    Probably too soon for a workshop in Haiti. I’m picturing Zoriah walking around with four other photographers who are there to learn photography rather than covering the tragedy and it doesn’t feel right, especially at this stage. Maybe once the situation has stabilized a bit more I would feel differently.

    I can localize my thought quite well. One of my first assignments for the Tribune was to cover the funeral of a teenage girl killed by a drunk driver. I wasn’t surprised to see a photographer from another newspaper at the funeral, but I thought it was bad taste that their photo intern had also come along for the ride.

    Like a funeral, a devastated Haiti might not be the most appropriate place to learn your craft.
11. Erin Hooley says:

    February 5, 2010 at 11:12 am

    I don’t completely disagree, but…what if bringing the intern along to the funeral was the difference between that person learning to be a respectful photographer and that person being the guy that wears cargo shorts and listens to an iPod at a funeral?
12. Trent Nelson says:

    February 8, 2010 at 3:44 pm

    Here’s a great interview with Michael Mullady, a young photographer who went to Haiti on his own:

    http://calibersf.com/2010/02/08/through-their-lens-michael-mullady/