Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Genius is as Genius as does

Do you ever find out about somebody that you seem like they should have told you who this was when you were born? Like everybody knows who this is and you have somehow...by some miracle blundered through life while managing to be completely ignorant of this remarkable person. This is how I felt when I read on Vincent Laforet's blog about James Nachtwey.

This man has captured images of the world that is beyond imagination. I am not saying, "he is a good photographer....go check out his stuff". That would be an insult to him. This man has seen us as a species and cultures live in a way that cannot be described...then managed to shoot photos at the same moment (while I would be huddled in a ball crying and asking God why he doesn't flood the earth once more because of what we as humans do to each other). You listen to the man and realize you could take pretty much anything he says and cast it in bronze and post it in the any museum to be remembered forever. I admit that I have never heard of him, but I had seen many of his images...and will remain forever changed by his work. (mark of a great photojournalist)

Here is a reference on the man's approach. At a portfolio review that he was giving years ago to someone else - (after looking through that person’s portfolio quietly page by page, closing the book and making a single comment before concluding the review right then and there and moving onto the next student, is: "I’m afraid that these pictures don’t tell me anything about who you are.”

For anybody that loves cultures, photography, photojournalism, people, news, philanthropy...or just need to realize that we are not all stuck in the bubble of the suburbs and latte's. Check this out. Not for the faint of heart

“I’m working on a story that the world needs to know about.
I wish for you to help me break it, in a way that provides spectacular proof
of the power of news photography in the digital age.”

On October 3, the story breaks. You can help. (CLICK)


Many Blessings to you my friends.

Braun