War Photographer

I particularly enjoyed this movie. I liked getting to see a photographer working in the real world. I knew in the back of my head that the photographs taken during wartime are actual people in those moments taking the photographs, but we tend to ignore the photographer and the impact that war may have on them. It made me really think about the construction of the photograph. Natchwey was physically there amidst the turmoil, dodging bombs and bullets to create his photographs. Too often, we tend to get caught up in the images portrayed in the photographs and forget that they are constructed images by real people. Frequently, Natchwey referred to his work as wanting people to see the truth of war, but at the same time, he was constructing the images in such a way to get people to care about the wars and stir up desires for peace in the viewers. In this way, while photography will reveal truths about the world around us through the preservation of a moment on film, but can be constructed to play on people’s emotions and elicit a response.

I also found it interesting that people let him photograph them during those moments. My initial reaction when he photographed the old woman at the beginning was surprise. I thought she would get annoyed with him following her and try to make him go away, but she sat there, resigned, not caring. I would expect people to have been more irritated, angry, and upset at being photographed in those moments. However, he described it as having a good relationship with them, because they understand that his photography gives them a voice to the atrocities that are happening to them. He can bring attention to their plight and gain them sympathy from the rest of the world. Because they have been beaten down by war and poverty, they no longer care about presenting for the camera, or hiding from it. I found that extremely interesting. I liked how his presence and the presence of the camera almost did not matter to them, and the camera didn’t really change the relationship between Natchwey and his subjects. They did not become shy or change their behavior because of the camera. After the portrait assignment, I find that very impressive.