Means To an End

I have realized now, one can be taught to sing very well, but what he chooses to sing is his choice generally. There is no easy path to self actualization, the only way I think is to listen to yourself.

Now making these heavy statements is easy, but the real inspiration is from the king of kings himself, Sebastian Slagado. An one hour talk can change the fundamentals of my thinking it self. One may consider me gullible but to the contrary I am too adamant in my views about social justice.

A lot has changed on this earth since Salgado, Steve, James, Bresson, walked the streets of unknown countries trying to make the first world realize social and economic crisis and their implications on their lives. Making me think "Photojournalism touches the social responsibility of the rich." I remember my friend saying, I photographed one laborer and went to give him his artistic print where there was smoke, fire everywhere and his sweaty back can be seen. Extremely good photograph, but the man in that quarry looks at it and says... " I can't see my face'.

The reason these few 100 photographers all over the world have stood out among a million others who had technically the same skill and content is their approach. They had a burning passion to tell something they used photography as a medium, a means to an end.

I realize today it is "cool" to be known as a documentary photojournalist. It is "cool" to be carrying two 1ds mark3 and go to a third world countries and shoot prostitutes and social stories. There are a million individual photographer websites not to mention at least a few hundred photo agencies all over the world trying to represent the best talent. Everyone almost speaking the same story, everyone almost singing the same song. To an extent that being different is one of the motives of photojournalism. The "technique" and the "look and feel" of a photograph has taken center stage rather than the "content" these masters wanted to talk about.

The ends of photography is something that was clear to me when i started out, but reaching where I have reached now I realize I have make an assessment does a photograph has power to move an audience in today's times. Does photography actually have the strength in it for the video game, wolverine generation?

Is photography still a means to the end of voicing the truth, and talking about the have not or tell an unsaid story or to document time. Is anyone listening out there to the cacophony of all of us photojournalists and documentary photographers or is it time for me to move on and find a stronger medium to speak out ...

Saying all this, I must share this brilliant video of our dear Salgado. I never met the man but his work speaks for him...