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| James Nachtwey; image borrowed from Google images, all rights reserved |
Photography
is an uniquely powerful tool that can be used in a myriad of ways, but when it
is used to advance justice, it has the ability to change lives. Photographers
working in conflict zones are not only making a statement through their images
but also by their very presence in the midst of war.
For me, the strength of a
photography lies in its ability to evoke a sense of humanity. If war is an
attempt to negate humanity, then photography can be perceived as the opposite
of war and if its used well it can be a powerful ingredient in the antidote to
war. In a way, if an individual assumes the risk of placing himself in the
middle of a war in order to communicate to the rest of the world what is
happening, he's trying to negotiate for peace.[1]
Making a life and career out of documenting war, conflict,
and any one of far too many social justice issues demands much from a person,
physically, emotionally, and relationally. In order to become an impactful
leader in this field requires much more than just skill and endurance. James
Nachtwey is just such a photographer, exceptionally proficient and selflessly
dedicated to his craft and to the issues he chooses to cover. I chose to write
this paper about him because I have the utmost respect for his photographic style,
his passion for justice issues, and the way he melds these two passions. He is
able to combine these two passions through discipline, humility, and commitment
to proximity.
James
Nachtwey was born in Massachusetts
in 1948. In 1976, after attending college, he was inspired by the images he saw
coming out of the Vietnam War and the American civil rights movement and
decided to become a war photographer, teaching himself the craft.[2] He
would work tirelessly to become the anti-war photographer he is known as today
by capturing images of every major world conflict since 1981 and covering many
social issues including poverty, pollution, famine, and crime. His résumé is
impressive and extensive, including having been awarded the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Legacy Award which "recognizes and affirms those who have made
significant and tangible contributions in the areas of race relations, justice,
and human rights."[3] and
in 2007 he was the winner of the TED prize, which is "awarded annually to
an individual with a creative, bold vision to spark global change," for
his work of raising awareness about extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis.[4] He
has created two photo essay books, was nominated for an Academy Award for best
documentary film for the biographical documentary, War Photographer, has worked for Time as a contract photographer since 1984, was a member of Black
Star, Magnum, and VII, of which he was a founding member, and is currently
covering the Syrian refugee crisis.[5] He
is an undeniable leader in this field and is seen as "one of the bravest and most important war
photographers of our time."[6]
To attain
this level of success with his photography began with mastering the craft of
photography which requires a great deal of intellect, skill, and in-depth
understanding of light, lenses, and angles, to list a few. This work requires
patience, discipline, and hard work. I began my journey with photography in
2001 when I started the photo program at Spokane Falls
Community College. This
was right before digital photography really got started which has given me an
appreciation for how much work goes into learning how to create an image,
understanding aperture and film speed, as well as the delicate art of
developing the film and bringing an image to life in the dark room. It is not a
process you can rush or cut corners with. Producing any results, especially
good ones, requires methodical and repetitive steps. I am grateful I had the
opportunity to work with film first as it showed me how much discipline and
hard work would be required for success in this field. When I switched to
digital a few years after I graduated, I enjoyed a new-found ease for creating
images but it also came with a decided lack of discipline and patience with my
shooting. Shooting with a film camera forces you to put more thought into the
image you are creating since you won't see the images until the film is
processed. It makes you stop and think about what adjustments need to be made
in order to create the best image possible so that there is less work that
needs to be done in the darkroom. To see any one of Nachtwey's photographs is
to recognize and appreciate his ability to create technically beautiful images,
the direct result of years of discipline.
Along with
his discipline in the area of camera knowledge and technical aspects of
photography, Nachtwey is also dedicated and disciplined to continue working in
the face of such horror and hardship, something many people cannot endure for
long. The horrors they witness in order to do their job and raise awareness are
unimaginable. To continually return to the battlefield, the prison, or the
slum, year after year, requires an inner strength and discipline that must come
from a place of intense drive and desire to continue to fight against
injustice, apathy, ignorance, and fear despite assured personal cost. "To
cave in would be useless. What I do is channel my feelings into my work. Any
anger that I'm feeling, frustration, disbelief, grief, I try and channel it
into my pictures."[7] This
requires remarkable discipline.
I am
inspired by his dedication to all aspects of his craft and recognize how far I
am from being that kind of photographer. While I may think that I am
disciplined to create and edit images with discipline, emphasizing technical
aspects and perhaps being overly critical of my own work, I know that I have
not pursued the issues I am passionate about with the same discipline and
drive. It is far easier to work with flowers, sunsets, or cityscapes than it is
to immerse oneself in a community of people dealing with daily injustices. I
have a certain amount of insecurity about my own success and/or failure and my
ability to interact with people on such an intimate level as would be required
for creating the kinds of images necessary for affecting change. I haven't
disciplined myself to take those steps, to get out of my comfort zone, and to
face the very injustices that I hope the most to spotlight through my
photography. Nachtwey’s high level of discipline and dedication to all areas of
his work make him a leader I can learn from in my justice work and photography.
I haven't always found people in leadership to be people I find worthy of
following or learning from. Many of the people I have come in contact with who
would be considered leaders, particularly bosses, may have had some level of
discipline but it seems to have been directed inward, toward their own success.
Even when I have had the opportunity to take on a managerial position, the
experience was more negative than anything else, due in part to poor leaders
who never took the time to train me adequately. As a result of those
experiences I have shied away from further leadership roles with my jobs,
feeling ill-equipped to take on that role without positive leaders to learn
from. I am learning to seek out leaders I respect and who have lessons to
teach, regardless of whether I have a direct relationship with them or not. While
discipline and hard work are common qualities in a leader, great leaders will
possess other characteristics which set them apart.
The quality
I find to be the most admirable and important one Nachtwey possesses is his
profound humility. His desire to create images that speak volumes so that he
only has to say a little is admirable, particularly in a culture that encourages
and celebrates celebrity, selfishness, and arrogance. As evidenced by any
speech he may give, it is evident that he is not there to make a name for
himself or to gain followers or fans, and that the attention and spotlight make
him uncomfortable.
The worst thing is to feel that as
a photographer I am benefiting from someone else's tragedy. This idea haunts
me. It is something I have to reckon with every day because I know that if I
ever allow genuine compassion to be overtaken by personal ambition I will have
sold my soul. The only way I can justify my role is to have respect for the
other persons' predicament. The extent to which I do that is the extent to
which I become accepted by the other, and to that extent I can accept myself.[8]
He is there to be a voice for the voiceless which he does
eloquently, through spoken language when absolutely necessary, but even more so
through the silent yet more powerful language of his photographs. Even the
captions of his photos are generally short and factual, leaving the rest of the
story to be told in what shines through on the paper.
I have had the privilege of seeing
this type of humility also lived out in the lives of my parents who sought not
to gain recognition or personal glory for anything they did but to always point
towards God, his provision, and his goodness. I have learned much from their
examples for which I am extremely grateful. Because of this upbringing and my
faith in God, I find arrogance to be the most off-putting quality a person,
especially a leader, can possess. It is the opposite of humility and is in
direct contradiction to Jesus' commands in Romans 12 to not give yourself more
importance or place yourself above others. I think this is partly why it is
challenging for me to do any sort of self-promotion in regards to my
photography, or other areas of my life, as I worry that it will seem as though
I'm trying to make my photography about me and my own glorification, an idea
that I strongly abhor. Many years ago I heard a pastor say that, "We were
never created to have an image but to reflect one,"[9]
and that phrase has stuck with me. Photography has always been a way for me to
attempt to reflect the image of God through the content of my work as well as
through any potential financial benefit. If I'm not using my photography, a
passion gifted to me by God, to bless and benefit others in some way, then I
will have succumbed to selfishness and greed, and consequently failed to
reflect His image. Being able to see how Nachtwey balances confidence, rather
than arrogance, and humility so expertly gives me hope for learning the same
skills. Discerning how to be confident enough in my gifting to go after what I feel
lead to do and still remain humble has been a challenge I have shied away from
but I think I am beginning to make progress in that area, however slowly. Such
is the effect of seeing the examples of good leadership.
Not only
does Nachtwey possess a great deal of humility in regards to recognition for
his work, he shows much humility in actually creating the photographs. In order
to produce the type of photographs he creates, he has to be someone whom other
people welcome and accept into their lives often in the midst of great tragedy
and hardship.
An arrogant, pushy photographer who is only there for a shot
or two and then is off to the next hotspot could never make the images Nachtwey
has been able to make, build the relationships he has built, nor influence the amount
of change he has been able to. This speaks to his profound respect and
compassion for the people he is photographing and for their situation. "I
attempt to become as totally responsible to the subject as I possibly can. The
act of being an outsider aiming a camera can be a violation of humanity."[10] His
images are never degrading or humiliating no matter the circumstance. In
watching War Photographer you can
clearly see how he connects with people. He's methodical, patient, and careful,
always aware of the intricacies of what is happening around him and working to
capture the best shot without interfering or drawing attention to himself. He
has a quiet open manner, speaking very little in the film, often only to
narrate to the viewer what is or was happening. This level of humility and
respect is something I aspire to and continue to strive for in all areas of my
life, not just my photography. It is through this approach that real relationships
can be formed and sustained and injustices can be revealed and addressed.
James Nachtwey's photographs are also exceptional due in part to his
proximity to his subjects. He gets very close to the people he is working with
and because of this he is able to capture emotions and evoke feelings that
images captured from a distance are incapable of doing. In the words of
Robert Capa, “If your photographs aren't good enough, you're
not close enough."[11] In War Photographer, there
is a story told by one of Nachtwey's colleagues about a man in Indonesia who
was being chased down by a murderous mob for no reason other than his ethnicity
and Nachtwey was right there, running with him, eventually spending 20 minutes
pleading for the mans' life before the man was eventually killed. He couldn't
stop the mob but he tried.[12] Many photographers keep their distance and don't step in to save a
life when given the chance. He had to be close enough to this mob and this man
in order to try to stop the murder. Nachtwey is not there merely to document
and to bear witness, but to also fight for justice through means other than his
photography. "I have been a witness, and these pictures are my
testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be
repeated." It is so easy to maintain a safe distance, in
photography and in life, to protect oneself from harm and to avoid having to
really confront injustice.
Commitment
to proximity is something I struggle with both in my life and with my
photography. I'm often uncomfortable, physically and emotionally, in close
proximity to others, particularly strangers, but I recognize that I'm missing
out on all the good that can come from getting close with someone. Proximity
encourages seeing from someone else's perspective and thereby gaining deeper
understanding, greater insight and truer compassion that may otherwise be
missed. To be able to fight injustice requires a commitment to proximity. Bryan
Stevenson, another great leader in justice work who is the founder of the Equal
Justice Initiative, a lawyer, a professor, and activist,[13] also emphasizes the importance of proximity in justice work in a
talk he gave at the 2014 Justice Conference.[14] I am challenged by the examples of Nachtwey, Stevenson, and many
others to confront my fears and to learn to work in closer proximity with
people. I learn well by watching what other people do and how they do it and to
see a brief glimpse of how Nachtwey works when he's photographing gives me
ideas on how to strive to make that a greater part of who I am in my
photography and justice work. Great leaders are ones who work closely with you,
who are willing to put in the time and energy to see you succeed and grow, and who
aren't afraid of building relationship in close proximity with you. As stated
above, many of my experiences with people in leadership roles have been
negative, something I think can be attributed in part to their lack of humility
as well as their seeming failure to recognize the importance of building
relationships based on intentional proximity.
James
Nachtwey, a man of incredible discipline, profound humility, and fearless
proximity show him to be a leader in photography and also in justice work, using
the former to shed light on the latter and bring about change. I chose James
Nachtwey because he is a man whose work and character I greatly admire and
whose passion for photography and justice issues resonate with me on a deep level.
Micah 6:8 says, "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk
humbly." While I do not know where his faith may or may not lie,
James Nachtwey and his work epitomize these words and I can clearly see Jesus'
example being lived out here. As Christians we are called to, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the
rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and
judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."[15] I
have long dreamed of having the opportunity, confidence, and strength to use my
photography to do just that. To be able to bring light to topics people may not
know much about, speak through my photography for those unable to make their
voices heard, and to ultimately bear witness so that these atrocities are not
repeated is a goal I hope to achieve throughout my life. There is no more
powerful a way to 'speak up' for someone than through the medium of
photography. A speech, a painting, or a song can do a lot but a photograph can
say much more than all the words, all the songs, and all the paintings combined.
They truly can be worth a thousand words and have the power to influence lasting
change.
To view James's work, please visit: http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/
References:
[1] War Photographer, directed by Christian Frei, (2001; First Run Features), DVD.
References:
[1] War Photographer, directed by Christian Frei, (2001; First Run Features), DVD.
[2] James
Nachtwey, Witness Photography by James
Nachtwey, accessed February 27, 2016, http://jamesnachtwey.com/.
[3] "Recognizing
Those Who 'Live the Legacy' of Dr. King," City of Bloomington,
accessed February 18, 2016, https://bloomington.in.gov/sections/viewSection.php?section_id=557.
[4]
"XDR-TB Awareness - James Nachtwey," TED, accessed February 20, 2016, https://www.ted.com/participate/ted-prize/prize-winning-wishes/xdr-tb-org.
[5] Nachtwey,
Witness Photography by James Nachtwey.
[6] Christian Frei, "About James Nachtwey," War Photographer, A Film by Christian Frei,
accessed February 22, 2016, http://www.war-photographer.com/en/.
[7] War
Photographer, directed by Christian Frei.
[8] War
Photographer, directed by Christian Frei.
[9] Pastor
Will McCain, Spokane, WA.
[10] War
Photographer, directed by Christian Frei.
[11] "Robert
Capa American, B. Budapest 1913 - D. Indochina 1954," Magnum Photos, 2014, accessed February 27, 2016,
http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3.
[12] War
Photographer, directed by Christian Frei
[13] "Bryan Stevenson," EJI, accessed February 20, 2016, http://www.eji.org/BryanStevenson.
[14] Bryan Stevenson, speech, The Justice Conference, Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA,
2014, https://vimeo.com/90682764.
[15] Prov
31:8-9, NIV.
