This, and other images like it by Charlie Riedel for the AP have been circulating madly today. Even the most cynical among us cannot deny the emotional impact of such a sight. The photo does what words cannot do: it connects us visually, tapping into that particularly large portion of the brain dedicated to image analysis. We humans are, after all, visual creatures.
My significant other is a photojournalist. In this capacity, he has traveled all over the world, covering everything from widespread environmental disasters to small town human interest stories. Occasionally, especially after one of his “lighter” assignments, he wonders if he’s making a big enough contribution to the world. In the big scheme of things, what do all of those pictures DO, really? Are they little more than brief attention-grabbers? What’s the point?
The point is that they’re one of the most powerful tools for social change in the world today. Photographers are witnesses. The images they produce make us sit up and pay attention in a way that words sometimes can’t. 1,000, 12,000, 110,000 barrels of oil spilled… big numbers, but what do they mean?
Images such as the one above, or this one, provide a context for those numbers. They also link us emotionally. As a non-profit fundraiser, I know that the best grant I’ve ever written ultimately can’t hold a candle to an photograph or video of our clients. Yes, the written word is a powerful thing, and I have the utmost respect for writers and the contributions they make to the world. But in my experience, if I need to prove to a donor the impact their contribution would have on the lives of the people we serve, images are about as honest and compelling as it can get.
Most importantly, though, photographs expose life. With innumerable responsibilities vying for our attention, it’s easy to exist in a vacuum just to stay on top of things. A good photograph can shake us out of that reverie with a child’s LOOK AT ME urgency, showing us that there’s a world outside of our bubble, and spurring us to action.
Says famed war photographer James Nachtwey in a 2007 speech: “It’s easy to be cynical about photography, to dismiss its power to create change. But it has made a difference, against all odds, sometimes in great ways, sometimes small. As long as there are things happening in this world that cry out for change, photography will continue to be a factor in the process.”
So, yes. There is most certainly a point to it all.
(photo via msnbc.com Photoblog)
