Currently 9:02 PM as I write this sentence. I am sitting in my living room observing a documentary. This is an academy award nominee documentary in case you were wondering and it goes by the title "James Nachtwey: War Photographer" borrowed from the wonderful Mr. Murray, aka murr-dawg.
James Nachtwey is claimed to be the greatest war photographer of all time.. and with that I cannot disagree. His pictures are nothing less of stunning. But its hard to believe someone can distance themselves so much
from horror that is happening 5 feet in front of them. I am the type of person who cannot bear to watch someone in pain. I have an undying need to help, to comfort. So watching the scene that just passed has made my heart shatter. The film kept rolling and the camera kept clicking as the female subject cried out. Her son was just murdered in a time of war. Her son was just murdered. Her son is dead. And she screams, and the tears fall. But the camera doesn't stop. ever.
Its hard for me to watch something like that, then for it to show him right after sitting in his quarters polishing his camera..
I quite obviously do not agree with this.. and as much as I try to not be biased.. i feel as if not helping has made him as much a monster as the ones that caused the destruction captured in his photographs. I do not respect this. I do not. I will not. And yet..
The photos..
But they are so much more than photos.. they are.. still theatre. Telling a story through a single image. Full of depth and full of emotion.. full of Nachtweys passion and of his soul. I've never seen such an image to make me break into tears that still stain my face because they are just that powerful. And although I cannot repect and agree with him.. I cannot help but respect and agree with his ART. Such an oxymoron, I am aware.. but the only thing I can say is to watch the documentary for yourselves.
I can only hope to achieve the level of artistics Nachtwey has attained.. and thats just it. I can only hope. I know now after watching that i could never ever do his line of work. I cannot sit around and record images while people are crying for my help.. screaming.. litterally begging to be held.. And so I commend Nachtwey for having that courage and discipline.
By now you probably have assumed I dislike the photographer known as James Nachtwey.. but you could not be more wrong. He is one of my photography icons.. heros per se. I view his outlook as something to learn from, not something to live by and I will always continue to admire the masterpieces he has created. He managed to turn something so gut wrenching and horrifying into artistic history. His photos inspire and cause room for thought.
. lets just hope you are never the one on the other side of his camera.
James Nachtwey is claimed to be the greatest war photographer of all time.. and with that I cannot disagree. His pictures are nothing less of stunning. But its hard to believe someone can distance themselves so much
from horror that is happening 5 feet in front of them. I am the type of person who cannot bear to watch someone in pain. I have an undying need to help, to comfort. So watching the scene that just passed has made my heart shatter. The film kept rolling and the camera kept clicking as the female subject cried out. Her son was just murdered in a time of war. Her son was just murdered. Her son is dead. And she screams, and the tears fall. But the camera doesn't stop. ever.Its hard for me to watch something like that, then for it to show him right after sitting in his quarters polishing his camera..
I quite obviously do not agree with this.. and as much as I try to not be biased.. i feel as if not helping has made him as much a monster as the ones that caused the destruction captured in his photographs. I do not respect this. I do not. I will not. And yet..
The photos..
But they are so much more than photos.. they are.. still theatre. Telling a story through a single image. Full of depth and full of emotion.. full of Nachtweys passion and of his soul. I've never seen such an image to make me break into tears that still stain my face because they are just that powerful. And although I cannot repect and agree with him.. I cannot help but respect and agree with his ART. Such an oxymoron, I am aware.. but the only thing I can say is to watch the documentary for yourselves.
I can only hope to achieve the level of artistics Nachtwey has attained.. and thats just it. I can only hope. I know now after watching that i could never ever do his line of work. I cannot sit around and record images while people are crying for my help.. screaming.. litterally begging to be held.. And so I commend Nachtwey for having that courage and discipline.
By now you probably have assumed I dislike the photographer known as James Nachtwey.. but you could not be more wrong. He is one of my photography icons.. heros per se. I view his outlook as something to learn from, not something to live by and I will always continue to admire the masterpieces he has created. He managed to turn something so gut wrenching and horrifying into artistic history. His photos inspire and cause room for thought.
. lets just hope you are never the one on the other side of his camera.
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