As sit here, deeply lamenting my inability to return to my beloved craft of photography, I felt it prudent to write a few thoughts on the subjects.
In reading my new book, “Our America”, by Ken Burns, and viewing the subsequent photographs, I am reminded of the absolute power, and importance of the photograph. Much of that importance has been lost with the evolution of the smartphone, and social media. Also, in reading the several pages of text, at the beginning of the book, I have been granted insights into my body of work: “In Search of America”.
Where Ken Burns presents us with a profound look at our past, my work takes up where his leaves off. My body of work looks at America now, and into the future.
As much as I have never liked ‘pigeon hole titles’ I realize that people need them to categorize into their likes and dislikes. I honor that. In that vein I will firmly admit that I am quite proud of the title, Photojournalist”. I have spent decades honing my skills. It is a genre of photography that cannot be a product of ego, but instead it is a craft that consumes one’s soul. It is a way of seeing life in finer detail than most outside of the field. And sadly, it has become a genre that has been co-opted by the ego.
David Turnley, one of the 20th century’s great photojournalists, along with his brother, Peter, once told me during one of our conversations, that he has become embarrassed to refer to himself as a photojournalist, because most are now nothing more that paparazzi.
I witnessed this, first hand, while I was covering the No DAPL protests at Standing Rock. I watched as one photographer, bragging to be with the New York Times, edge on a protestor to ‘cross-the-line’. When I called him on it, he told me that he wanted a Pulitzer.
This, I have found, is not uncommon now. It has become about the awards, and the quest for fame.
Me, I am still rooted in the legacies left by those who came before me: W. Eugene Smith, Walker Evans, Dorthea Lange, David and Peter Turnley, Lee Miller, and so many more. They did it because they could not, not do it. It consumes us - the responsibility to tell the important stories.
I am reminded of a quote, from a past president of the National Press Photographers Association. He said: “ Our role is to shed light where there is darkness. To give a voice to the voiceless. And to the community in conversation with itself.”
I have always adhered to this - using it as my guiding beacon. I have recently read a quote about Walked Evans, regarding his work. He said that his photographs are Literate. Authoritative. Transcendent. That has my goal as well - to produce work that is authentic, truthful, and moving of one’s soul.
I also recently read another quote. This one by Susan Sontag, in her book “On Photography”. In that she said: “To photograph is to confirm importance.” This is what I see in the photographs of Ken Burns book. It is also the basis of why I capture what I capture.
For now I have only the clinging to the photographs I have already created. After this long hiatus I am able to see them with much more clarity. And in that is my motivation to heal as quickly as possible, so that I can return to this work as expeditiously as possible to the work that I love.