War Photographer: James Nachtwey

I always thought that the job of a war photographer must be really hard, since they are in the midst of danger every second, but I never quite experienced so vividly the adrenaline these photographers experience until I saw the documentary about James Nachtwey. I felt like I was there in the same place as Nachtwey. So, even as a viewer I can feel all types of emotions, can we even imagine what Nachtwey's body and mind goes through everyday in a war zone, or even along the railroad tracks? It's impossible unless we are physically there and doing his job. But the physicality of his job is just one part of the requirements, what he leaves behind, his family, friends, comfort of the familiar, everything, is just another heavy weight Nachtwey has to learn how to deal with in order to achieve his goals, professionally and personally. 

One point he made is very true as to what the media wants to publish and what not. Our society has come to appreciate more what cosmetology means than what humanity means. It is true that companies are more willing to publish aesthetically pleasing photographs such as of a model than a photograph of a man with one leg and one arm along the railroad tracks. It will make them more money, because that's what we as the audience approve. Nachtwey's job is impressive not just for the risk taking, but for the awareness that he aims to promote with his images. 

I think the camera is a very interesting tool. It's not only useful for documenting events, peoples, etc, but I think it acts as a mediator between the person, object, situation, being photographed and the distant viewer; the people looking at the photo in the newspaper or a gallery.