Shooting while thinking

Every time I gaze upon amazing photos taken from unique angles, I cannot help asking myself: what will I do if I am in the event? At times, I find myself wanting to capture the moment with a camera, but I find that the pictures I take cannot express the thoughts I had at that particular moment. I believe that a high-quality picture evokes emotion and thought from the audience.

When I was a film reporter, I usually went to press conferences with photojournalists. However, the photos turned out to be monotonic- mostly medium shots of movie stars posing before a movie poster and smiling. Later, I attempted to take pictures by myself but things didn’t improve. As Kenneth Kobré states in his book Photojournalism, a medium shot should, like a news story, contain all the storytelling elements of the scene. This requirement makes medium shots a tough task if a photojournalist really wants to capture an excellent photo.

While reading Kenneth Kobré’s Photojournalism, I find that all the sample photos showing in the book were not taken in press conferences. Though a press conference is a good source for photojournalists to take pictures, it may be the least possible approach to capture a vivid and impactive picture because the subjects in press conferences cannot be candid, for they know there are many cameras focusing on them. I believe the best pictures usually arrive by accident and most of the time occurs in a casual situation. To be at the right place at the right time and shutter at the right moment with the right gear is really a skill that cannot easily be taught.

The goal of photojournalism

“My goal is always to create high-impact, evocative images which not only inform, but also spark the desire to become involved… images that cause reflection upon and empathy with another human being’s struggle, all the while, respecting the dignity of those who appear in the photos. When successful, my imagery reveals a common humanity, allowing viewers to see a bit of themselves in other human beings, half a world away. Beyond just providing information… the images should motivate viewers to take action”.

I read these words in Karl Grobl’s blog, who has been working as a photojournalist for NGO in many different countries all over the world. I like his words and his attitude towards photojournalism, not only provide information, but also motivate viewers to take action.