James Nachtwey:
James Nachtwey cradling a baby
This man, born in Syracuse, New York in 1948, and educated at Dartmouth, has dedicated his entire life to documenting disaster, war and social upheaval the world over. He has been on site for almost every disaster or conflict since the late 1970’s, and has documented these events with some of the most powerful images photojournalism has ever seen.
“I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.”
His images are so numerous and captivating it is difficult to only choose a couple. But I’ll display and discuss a small bunch just to show the breadth of his work.
He got into the business as a war photographer, motivated by the images he saw in his youth that documented the horrors of the Vietnam War. He “was driven by an inherent sense that a picture that revealed the true face of war, would, almost by definition, be an anti-war photograph.” His journey brought him to Central and South America in the 1980’s, where conflict was rampant. His images, though sometimes brutal, show so much more than just the fight that is taking place.
One of Nachtwey’s pictures from the early 80’s
This image from Guatemala, captures a Catholic priest seated in helicopter, flanked by a large machine gun. The priest seated on an elevated platform, looking down at the camera with a relatively unconcerned glance, a prominent cross resting against his chest. He himself is reminiscent of a weapon, when seen next to the large weapon on his right. Nachtwey says it best, “I saw an image that reflected the history of Latin America: conquest through the combination of the Bible and the sword.”
Moving further into his illustrious career, he covered conflict and upheaval all over the world.
A orphan boy wandering around the front lines during the Chechen conflict- Russia, 1996
A Hutu man who was imprisoned and brutally attacked by machetes- Rwanda, 1994.
A Catholic priest helps a patient suffering from AIDS into bed – Thailand, 1999
A beggar who lost an arm and a leg in a train accident – Indonesia, 1998
The image of the beggar above is a good example of the positive effect a photo can have. It also shows the role a photojournalist can play to make a positive change in the lives of the people he or she photographs. When Nachtwey took this picture, this man and his family were living in a shack built into a railroad embankment. It was a horrible place to live and the public, after seeing the image, felt the need to help. Donations poured in. A trust fund was created to help this man and his family, and as of today they live in a house in the countryside and all of their basic necessities are taken care of.
Some of Nachtwey’s most famous work comes from the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. He was living in New York City at the time and captured some of the most iconic photos from the attack and its aftermath.
The North Tower falls. September 11, 2001.
Firefighters and rescue workers emerge from the wreckage.
One of the most iconic photos of the disaster. Firefighters gather at Ground Zero.
Having seen so much pain in the lives of others, Nachtwey has done his best to positively influence the lives of his subjects while still remaining impartial. He is able to help without intruding on the scene he is documenting. In Nachtwey’s view great photos can expose injustices to the public and cause real change. In his own words:
“Photographers go to the extreme edges of human experience to show people what’s going on. Sometimes they put their lives on the line because they believe your opinions and your influence matter. They aim their pictures at your best instincts: generosity, the sense of right and wrong, the ability and the willingness to identify with others, the refusal to accept the unacceptable.”
Nachtwey putting himself in danger. If you look closely, the other photographers are in the background.
All quotes were taken from his TED talk. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.