What motivates photojournalists?

 

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Photo by : Tim Hetherington

Image Source: https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL53IWY0

Tim Hetherington was a British photojournalist who grew up in Liverpool, UK. and attended Patrick’s catholic primary school. Later attending stony hurt college and oxford in 1989. Shortly after graduation, his grandmother passed and he got 5,000 from her will. With the money, he spent the next two years travelling from India, to China, and Tibet. After this is when he realized he wanted to take pictures and explore for a living. later, he decided to go back to school to study photojournalism.  After this before he died he live in New York and was a photographer for vanity fair magazine. What inspired him the most to start photojournalism was his passion for travelling and learning about the world.  “His interest lies in creating diverse forms of visualcommunication.” He loved to communicate in interesting ways through photographs and that was his inspiration to become a photojournalist, and make other great works throughout his life. He died tragically while covering a civil war in Libya so you could say he died doing, and for the thing he loved most. United States Air Force combat photojournalist Stacy Pearsall has also been in the line of fire, and dangerous situations as well because of her photojournalistic career. She talks about her experiences in the veterans portrait project video about how she has sustained many injuries in her career while trying to get the shot. After one incident, the military said she couldn’t do photography anymore for them, but she continued to she says “for herself” outside of the military. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=87&v=J0yguEoqCgY Based on just two of the heroic people that go into battle field and put their life in danger just to get the picture, and to portray what is going on in the world, to the world. We see how much there want and motivation is to do this job, and how much they love this job with Hetherington, even dying for it, and Stacy who has come very close to as well.

 

Portrait:

 

Image source: http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/20/asia/hong-kong-photographer-maid/index.html
 

Photo by: CNN




 

 

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Photo by: Xyza Cruz Bacani

Xyza Cruz Bacani, is a photo journalist from the phillipines. Her photojournalism journey started off with a camera bought with borrowed money. As stated by interaksyon.com, in the course content material, Xyza says her “passion for photography took off four years ago, when her employer -- whom shedescribes as a "great lady" -- lent her the money to buy her firstcamera, a Nikon D90.” she started off just enjoying to take pictures of simple things, like landscapes family members and just anything she saw really. Interakyson added, she said “When I had (the camera), I shot landscapes to flowers to (portraits of) my mom, and then I did street photography." Her motivations to become a photojournalist and take pictures seem to have sprouted just from interests in photography. It then kind of turned into a way for her to survive and make a life for herself when she decided to leave her job as a maid in Hong Kong, and make it a living. Now her motivations have changed a little, with her work becoming more and more noticed, she says she wants to do documentary photography to try to draw attention to abuses. Interakyson.com added, Xyza says “That's what I want my photography to do, to be able to help people...to me photography is a very powerful tool to change someone's perspective toward an issue." And now her hard work may be starting to pay off. "She recently has been selected as one of the seven Human rights fellows by the Magnum foundation to spend six weeks at New York’s university, Tisch School of the Arts. A very honorable fellowship," they will give her the skills to pursue documentary type photographs in her home country, as stated by CNN.

 

Steven McCurry

 

Image source: http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/photography/articles/2015/july/10/steve-mccurrys-advice-for-young-creatives-2/

Photo by Phaidon.com

 

Image source: http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/23/world/steve-mccurry-afghan-girl-photo/index.html

Photo by: Steven McCurry

Steven McCurry is a photojournalist who is known best for his remarkable color photography. 121clicks.com, states that Steve was born in Philadelphia, and graduated from the College of Arts and Architecture at the Pennsylvania State University. Originally he had wanted to do documentary films, until he got a taste of still photography working for the college newspaper, and enjoyed it. So, instead when he graduated he worked at a newspaper for three years doing photography.This is when he decided to pursue this passion and travel to India to do some freelance photography. He said to national Geographic that “It was in India that helearned to watch and wait on life.” Saying that, "If you wait," herealized, "people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up intoview." “His career was launched when, disguised in native garb, he crossed the Pakistan border into rebel-controlled Afghanistan just before the Russian invasion.” National Geographic adds.  He went in with rolls of film, that later were published around the world as the first to show the conflict going on there. After this he was noticed in magazines everywhere for capturing such photos that nobody else could get. As professor Nordell states about his own motivation, “Seeing my name published next to one of my images never gets old! Giving voice to the underdog motivates me. The chance to meet new people motivates me.  Making money by selling my images motivates me.” Similar to McCurry’s motivations, like Success which motivated him to keep going, and travel more places to get photos like this. And he did, his most famous known photo now is his Photo called “Afghan girl” which is now a famous photo recognized everywhere all around the world. His successes motivated him more to keep going, Steve has said about what motivates him is his love to travel and explore the world. He's said on his website, SteveMcCurry.com “My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.”
 

 A lot of these photojournalists motivations are very similar to my motivations. I think for most people what drives them and what makes them want to accomplish something is if they have a real passion for it. I think passion and want is what drives people the most which is a motivation I put on my map, and is also the main reason these three photojournalists have gotten where they have in their careers, and done and seen the things they have. Though everyone’s wants and passions may be different, as these photojournalists are different from mine, and from eachother’s as I outlined in my map, having determination and passion for something will always help motivate people. Another thing I put in my map which I think is a big part of motivation and inspiration is positive reinforcement and self-esteem. Once I see myself do good at something I’m trying to accomplish it makes me want to keep going. If I am getting help and praise from others for what I’m doing, or start to see a positive outcome and success it always makes it that much more motivating to keep going. I think that is also true for these photojournalists. Once they saw themselves accomplish something small, or say there first photjournalistic project it makes them want to keep going. For example Xyza Cruz Bacani’s first photojournalistic pictures were just of people walking down the street or simple things like that. Once she got positive responses for those photos, it made her want to continue and keep working harder and do even more. Previous successes and love for something always motivates people more I think as it has for me, and for these three photojournalists as well.

my motivations map:

Since my map goes in a circle it may be a little difficult to read, this is what it says.

Determination

Love

Passion

A purpose/reason

Past experiences and successes

Positive reinforcement

Rewards

Confidence

Want

Self-esteem

Cause