How photography connects us - David Griffin

Summary

This transcript explores the power of photojournalism, highlighting iconic photographs and the storytelling abilities of top National Geographic photographers. It features a wide range of captivating images, from Afghan refugees to polar bears, showcasing both the beauty of nature and the impact of human actions. Through stories of elephants in Africa, slums in India, and leopard seals in Antarctica, the video emphasizes the emotional and empathetic connection photography can create, making it a powerful tool for understanding critical global issues.

Takeaways

• 📸 Photography holds power in capturing significant moments, freezing them in a way that reflects how our mind processes memories.
• 🌍 National Geographic's iconic photojournalism often showcases stories that go beyond mere images, evoking deep empathy and understanding of global issues.
• 🐘 The story of elephants in Chad highlights human-wildlife conflict, where poachers hunt them for ivory, underscoring the need for conservation efforts.
• 🌆 Photojournalist Jonas Bendiksen's work in the slums of Dharavi, Mumbai, demonstrates how deeply immersing oneself in a place can reveal the human spirit and vitality of a community.
• 🦈 The depletion of global fisheries was captured in stark and moving images of bycatch and overfishing, showing the environmental consequences of human activity.
• 🦭 Photography can also find moments of fun and curiosity, as seen with Paul Nicklin's humorous yet dangerous encounter with a leopard seal in Antarctica.
• 🦓 Camera traps and automatic photography allow unique perspectives of wildlife, such as the self-portrait of a serval cat and candid images of baboons.
• 🌟 Amateur photography, such as through National Geographic's 'Your Shot' section, showcases that anyone can capture extraordinary images, but consistency in storytelling makes a great photojournalist.
• 🏥 James Nachtwey's photo series on the American medical system for soldiers in Iraq gave a deeply human touch to a potentially clinical subject, focusing on recovery and personal stories.
• 🐧 Photography as storytelling goes beyond aesthetics, compelling us to engage emotionally with both the beauty and the issues of our world, from wildlife conservation to urbanization and war.

Q & A

What makes the Afghan refugee photograph by Steve McCurry iconic?

The Afghan refugee photograph by Steve McCurry is iconic due to the striking expression and piercing green eyes of the young girl, which capture the viewer's attention and convey a powerful emotional depth.

What is significant about the jet landing photograph taken by Bruce Dale?

Bruce Dale's photograph of a jet landing in San Francisco is significant because he mounted the camera on the tail of the jet, capturing a unique and poetic perspective of the aircraft in motion.

How does the photograph of pygmies in the DRC by Randy Olson relate to Degas' bronze sculptures?

Randy Olson's photograph of pygmies in the DRC is reminiscent of Degas' bronze sculptures, particularly 'The Little Dancer,' due to the similar graceful, dynamic poses captured in both the photograph and the sculptures.

What does the image of camels in the Rift Valley by Chris John's emphasize?

The photograph emphasizes the striking shadows of the camels moving across the Rift Valley, as the photo is taken from a straight-down perspective, turning the camels and their shadows into a visually captivating scene.

What challenge is highlighted in Paul Nicklin's polar bear photograph?

Paul Nicklin’s photograph of a polar bear swimming in the Arctic highlights the challenge polar bears face as the ice melts, emphasizing their dependence on sea ice for hunting and movement and their difficulty in swimming long distances.

What technique did Nick Nichols use to photograph the serval cat in Chad?

Nick Nichols used a camera trap technique with an infrared beam. When the serval cat crossed the beam, it automatically triggered the camera to capture its own photograph.

What tragic event occurred with the elephant herd Nick Nichols was tracking in Chad?

The matriarch of the elephant herd, named Annie, along with 20 members of her herd, was killed by poachers outside the safety of the park in Chad. They were killed solely for their ivory tusks.

How did Jonas Bendiksen approach documenting urban slums in Mumbai, India?

Jonas Bendiksen chose to focus on the slum of Dharavi in Mumbai rather than photographing slums globally. By staying in one place, he captured the heart and soul of the community, showing that slums are vital parts of the city's urban ecosystem.

What makes Brian Skerry's photograph of a crucified shark unique?

Brian Skerry’s photograph of a crucified shark caught in a gill net is unique because he positioned himself underwater beneath the boat, capturing a dramatic and haunting perspective of the shark tangled in the net.

What story did Paul Nicklin’s encounter with a leopard seal in Antarctica reveal?

Paul Nicklin’s encounter with a leopard seal revealed a surprising and almost playful interaction. The seal repeatedly brought live penguins to him, perhaps out of curiosity or pity, creating not only a unique series of photographs but also a remarkable story about the seal's behavior.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Iconic Photos and the Power of Photography

The first paragraph highlights some of National Geographic's most iconic photographs, from Steve McCurry's Afghan refugee to various nature and wildlife shots, such as camels in Africa and polar bears in the Arctic. It emphasizes the power of photography to freeze moments, tapping into emotional connections, as seen in a personal story where the narrator rescues his son from a riptide. This flashbulb memory exemplifies how photographs can evoke deep emotional responses in viewers.

05:01

🐘 Wildlife Photography and the Story of Elephants in Chad

This section describes the work of photographer Nick Nichols, who documents wildlife in Chad's Zakouma National Park, focusing on elephants. Through camera traps and tracking technology, Nichols captures the beauty and vulnerability of the animals. The story takes a tragic turn when poachers kill the matriarch elephant, Annie, and 20 others for their tusks. The narrative goes beyond beautiful wildlife photography, bringing attention to the harsh realities of poaching and human-wildlife conflict.

10:03

🏙️ Documenting Life in the Slums of India

Photographer Jonas Bendiksen is tasked with documenting slum life in Mumbai, India, part of a larger global trend of urbanization. Instead of offering a surface-level survey, Bendiksen dives deep into Dharavi, one of the world's largest slums, revealing the humanity, resilience, and essential role these communities play in urban ecosystems. His work captures not only the difficult living conditions but also the vital life force of the people within these environments.

🌊 Overfishing and Environmental Devastation

This paragraph discusses the work of photographers documenting the depletion of the world's fisheries. Brian Skerry and Randy Olson highlight the devastation caused by overfishing, such as a shark caught in a gill net and a trawler scraping the ocean floor. Their work portrays the human and environmental impacts of unsustainable fishing practices but also provides hope by showcasing the success of marine sanctuaries in restoring fish populations, offering solutions for the future.

🏥 Wounded Soldiers and the Journey of Recovery

Photographer James Nachtwey follows the medical journey of American soldiers wounded in Iraq, from the battlefield to hospitals in Germany and eventually back to the U.S. His photographs capture the physical and emotional toll of war, showing soldiers as they are treated, reunited with their families, and rehabilitated with prosthetics. Nachtwey humanizes the medical process, highlighting the personal stories behind the science of recovery.

🐧 Leopard Seals and Unforgettable Encounters in Antarctica

Paul Nicklin travels to Antarctica to photograph leopard seals, known to be dangerous predators. In an unexpected twist, a 12-foot female seal shows curiosity and sympathy for Nicklin, even offering him live penguins as if to help him hunt. The seal's behavior creates a playful yet profound interaction between man and animal. Through this encounter, Nicklin not only captures incredible photographs but also experiences a once-in-a-lifetime connection with wildlife.

Keywords

💡Photojournalism

Photojournalism refers to the practice of using photography to tell stories, often in the context of news or important social issues. In the video, the speaker emphasizes how photojournalists go beyond capturing mere images, instead creating visual narratives that resonate emotionally with viewers. Examples from the script include the work of Nick Nichols documenting wildlife in Chad and James Nachtwey capturing the American wounded in Iraq.

💡Visual Narrative

A visual narrative is the way in which images are used to tell a story, often conveying complex themes or emotions through visual means. The video highlights how great photojournalists, like Nick Nichols, not only take beautiful photographs but also construct stories through their images, such as documenting the lives of elephants in Chad. The concept emphasizes that photographs can evoke empathy and deeper understanding.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. In the context of the video, photojournalists aim to foster empathy in viewers by showing them powerful and emotionally charged images. An example is how the death of the elephant matriarch Annie, documented by Nichols, creates an emotional connection between the audience and the plight of African elephants.

💡Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting endangered species and their habitats. The video discusses how photographers like Nick Nichols use their work to raise awareness of wildlife conservation, specifically through his documentation of the endangered elephants in Chad. His images bring attention to issues such as poaching, showcasing the real-world impact of human activity on wildlife.

💡Flashbulb Memory

A flashbulb memory is a vivid, detailed recollection of a moment that is emotionally charged. The speaker shares a personal example of this concept when recalling his son being caught in a riptide. The experience created a 'flashbulb memory,' where every detail of the event became frozen in time. This concept is related to how powerful photographs can similarly create lasting emotional impressions on viewers.

💡Overfishing

Overfishing refers to the depletion of fish populations due to excessive fishing. The video discusses how photographers like Brian Skerry and Randy Olson use their work to document the devastating effects of overfishing on marine ecosystems. Their images, such as a shark caught in a gill net or jellyfish markets in China, highlight the urgent need for sustainable fishing practices.

💡Slums

Slums are densely populated urban areas characterized by inadequate housing and poor living conditions. Photographer Jonas Bendiksen documents life in Dharavi, a slum in Mumbai, to illustrate how these communities are not just places of hardship but also vibrant, vital parts of urban ecosystems. The story focuses on the human spirit and resilience found within such environments.

💡Human-Wildlife Conflict

Human-wildlife conflict refers to situations where the needs of human populations clash with the needs of wildlife, often leading to negative outcomes for animals. In the video, the conflict is highlighted in the story of elephants leaving a protected park and being killed by poachers. Photojournalists use their work to bring attention to these conflicts, urging for solutions that balance both human and wildlife needs.

💡Amateur Photography

Amateur photography refers to photography by non-professional photographers. The video mentions the success of National Geographic's 'Your Shot' section, where amateur photographers can submit their work for possible publication. The speaker notes that some of the submitted images are remarkable, proving that even non-professionals have the potential to capture great photographs.

💡Environmental Degradation

Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the natural environment due to human activities. The video addresses this concept through various photojournalism projects, such as documenting the effects of overfishing and poaching. Photographers like Brian Skerry and Randy Olson use their images to show the human-induced damage to ecosystems, encouraging viewers to reflect on their role in environmental preservation.

Highlights

An iconic Afghan refugee photograph taken by Steve McCurry featured in National Geographic.

A jet landing in San Francisco, photographed by Bruce Dale using a camera mounted on the tail of the plane.

Pygmies in the DRC captured by Randy Olson, reminiscent of Degas' bronze sculptures.

A polar bear swimming in the Arctic, photographed by Paul Nicklin, highlighting the impact of melting ice on polar bears.

An aerial photograph of camels crossing the Rift Valley, showcasing their shadows from a top-down perspective.

Jane Goodall making a personal connection with animals, photographed by Nick Nichols.

A powerful story about a father's emotional flashbulb memory when his son was caught in a riptide.

The 'Your Shot' section of National Geographic's website allows amateur photographers to submit their work, with many showcasing surprising quality.

Nick Nichols' story in Chad's Zakouma Wildlife Sanctuary highlighted the challenges of elephant poaching and the emotional connection to wildlife conservation.

A serval cat takes its own picture using a camera trap in Zakouma Wildlife Sanctuary.

Brian Skerry and Randy Olson's documentation of the depletion of world fisheries, including a dramatic photograph of a shark caught in a gill net.

Randy Olson's powerful photojournalism on global fishing markets, including makeshift fish markets in Africa and jellyfish markets in China.

James Nachtwey’s photographic coverage of the medical system supporting American soldiers wounded in Iraq, capturing their journeys from battlefield to recovery.

Paul Nicklin's unique interaction with a leopard seal in Antarctica, where the seal curiously brought him penguins, leading to extraordinary underwater photography.

Photography has the power to create deep emotional connections and tell stories that foster understanding of global challenges and human experiences.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Applause]

let's just start by looking at some

great photographs this is an icon of

National Geographic an Afghan refugee

taken by Steve McCurry but the Harvard

Lampoon is about to come out with a

parody of National Geographic and I

shudder to think what they are going to

do to this photograph oh the wrath of

Photoshop this is a jet landing at San

Francisco by Bruce Dale oh he mounted

the camera on the tail poetic image for

a story on Tolstoy by Sam Abel pygmies

in the DRC by Randy Olson I love this

photograph because it reminds me of

Degas bronze sculptures the little

dancer a polar bear swimming in the

Arctic by Paul Nicklin polar bears need

ice to be able to move back and forth

they're not very good swimmers and we

know what's happening into the ice

these are camels moving across the Rift

Valley in Africa photographed by Chris

John's

shot straight down so these are the

shadows of the camels this is a rancher

in Texas by William Albert Allard a

great portraitist

and Jane Goodall making her own special

connection photographed by Nick Nichols

this is a soap disco in Spain

photographed by David Alan Harvey and

David said that there was a lot of weird

stuff happening on the dance floor but

hey it's at least it's hygienic

these are sea lions in Australia doing

their own dance by David Doubilet

and this is a comet captured by dr. you

and Mason and finally the bow of the

Titanic without movie stars photographed

by Emory Kristof photography carries a

power that holds up under the relentless

swirl today's saturated media world

because photographs emulate the way that

our mind freezes a significant moment

here's an example four years ago I was

at the beach with my son and he was

learning how to swim in this relatively

soft surf of the Delaware Beaches but I

turned away for a moment and he got

caught into a Riptide and started to be

pulled out towards a jetty I went I can

stand here right now and see as I go

tearing into the water after him the

moment slowing down and freezing into

this arrangement I can see the rocks are

over here there's a wave about to crash

onto him I can see his hands reaching

out and I can see his face in terror

looking at me saying help me dad I got

him the wave break Oh broke over us we

got back on shore he was fine we were a

little bit rattled but this flashbulb

memory as it's called is when all the

elements came together to define not

just the event but my emotional

connection to it and this is what a

photograph taps into when it makes its

own powerful connection to a viewer now

I have to tell you I was talking to Kyle

last week about this that I was going to

tell this story he said oh yeah I

remember that too I remember my image of

you was that you were up on the shore

yelling at me

I thought I was a hero so this

represents this is a across sample of

some remarkable images taken by some of

the world's greatest photo journalists

working at the very top of their craft

except one this photograph was taken by

dr. Ewen Mason in New Zealand last year

and it was submitted and published in

National Geographic last year we added a

section to our website called your shot

where anyone can submit photographs for

possible publication and it has become a

wild success tapping into the enthusiast

photography community the quality of

these amateur photographs can at times

be amazing and seeing this reinforces

for me that every one of us has at least

one or two great photographs in them but

to be a great photojournalist you have

to have more than just one or two great

photographs in you you've got to be able

to make them all the time but even more

importantly you need to know how to

create a visual narrative you need to

know how to tell a story so I'm going to

share with you some coverages that I

feel demonstrate the storytelling power

of photography photographer Nick Nichols

went to document a very small and

relatively unknown Wildlife Sanctuary in

Chad called zoo coma the original intent

was to travel there and bring back a

classic story of diverse species of an

exotic locale and that is what Nick did

up to a point this is a serval cat he's

actually taking his own picture shot

with what's called a camera trap there's

an infrared beam that's cutting across

and he stepped into the beam and taken

his photograph these are baboons at a

watering hole Nick or the camera again

an automatic camera took thousands of

pictures of this and Nick ended up with

a lot of pictures of the rear ends of

a lion having a late night snack notice

he's got a broken tooth and a crocodile

walks up a riverbank towards its den I

love this little bit of water that comes

off the back of his tail but the

centerpiece species of zoo coma are the

elephants it's one of the largest intact

herds in this part of Africa here's a

photograph shot in moonlight something

that digital photography has made a big

difference for that was with the

elephants this story pivoted Nick along

with researcher dr. Michael Fay collared

the matriarch of the herd they named her

Annie and they began tracking her

movements the herd was safe within the

confines of the park because of this

dedicated group of Park Rangers but once

the annual rains began the herd would

begin migrating to feeding grounds

outside the park and that's when they

ran into trouble for outside the safety

of the park were poachers who would hunt

them down only for the value of their

ivory tusks the matriarch that they were

radio tracking after weeks of moving

back and forth in and out of the park

came to a halt outside the park Annie

had been killed along with 20 members of

her herd and they only came for the

ivory

and this is actually one of the Rangers

they were able to chase off one of the

poachers and recover this ivory because

they couldn't leave it there that it was

still valuable but what Nick did was he

brought back with it was a story that

went beyond the old-school method of

just straight isn't this an amazing

world and instead created a story that

touched our audiences deeply instead of

just knowledge of this park he created

an understanding and an empathy for the

elephants the Rangers and the many

issues surrounding human wildlife

conflict now let's go over to India

sometimes you can tell a broad story in

a focused way we were looking at the

same issue that Richard Wurman touches

upon in his new world population project

for the first time in history more

people live in urban rather than rural

environs and most of that growth is not

in the cities but in the slums that

surround them

Jonas bendixson a very energetic

photographer came to me and said we need

to document this and here's my here's my

proposal let's go all over the world and

photograph every single slum around the

world and I said well you know that

might be a bit ambitious for our budget

so instead what we did was we decided to

instead of going out and doing what

would result in what we consider sort of

a survey story where you just go in and

see just a little bit of everything we

put Jonas into Dharavi

which is part of Mumbai India and let

him stay there and really get into the

heart and soul of this really you know

major part of the city what Jonas did

was not just go and do a surface look at

the awful conditions that exists in such

places he saw that this was a living and

breathing and vital part of how the

entire urban area functioned by staying

tightly focused in one place Jonah's

tapped in to the soul and the enduring

human spirit that underlies this

community and he did it in a beautiful

way sometimes though the only way to

tell a story is with the sweeping

picture we teamed up underwater

photographer Brian scary and

photojournalist Randy Olson to document

the depletion of the world's fisheries

we weren't the only ones to tackle this

subject but the photographs that Bryan

and Randy created are among the best

capture both the human and natural

devastation of overfishing here in a

photo by Brian a seemingly crucified

shark is caught up in a gill net off of

Baja I've seen sort of okay pictures of

by catch the animals accidentally

scooped up while fishing for a specific

species but here Brian captured a unique

view by positioning himself underneath

the boat when they threw the waste

overboard and Brian then went on to even

greater risk to get this never before

made photograph of a trawl net scraping

the ocean bottom back on land Randy

Olson photographed a makeshift fish

market in Africa where the remains of

filleted fish were sold to the locals

the main parts having already been sent

to Europe and here in China

Randy shot a jellyfish market as prime

food sources are depleted the harvest

goes deeper into the oceans and brings

in more such sources of protein this is

called fishing down the food chain but

there are also glimmers of hope and I

think anytime we're doing a big big

story on this we're not only going we're

not we don't really want to go and just

look at all the problems we also want to

look for solutions and Brian

photographed a Marine Sanctuary in New

Zealand where commercial fishing had

been banned the result being that the

overfished species have been restored

and with them a possible solution for

sustainable fisheries photography can

also compel us to confront issues that

are potentially distressing and

controversial James Nachtwey who was

honored last year at last year's Ted

took a look at the sweep of the medical

system that is utilized to handle the

American wounded coming out of Iraq it

is like a tube where a wounded soldier

enters on one end and exits back home on

the other Jim started in the battlefield

here a medical technician tends to a

wounded soldier on the helicopter ride

back to the field hospital

here is in the field hospital the

soldier on the right has the name of his

daughter tattooed across his chest as a

reminder of home from here the more

severely wounded are transported back to

Germany where they meet up with their

families for the first time

and then back to the states to

recuperate at Veterans Hospitals such as

here in Walter Reed and finally often

fitted with high-tech prothesis they

exit the medical system and attempt to

regain their pre-war lives Jim took what

could have been a straight-up medical

science story and gave it a human

dimension that touched our readers

deeply now these stories are great

examples of how photography can be used

to address some of our most important

topics but there are also times when

photographers simply encounter things

that are when it comes down to it just

plain fun photographer Paul Nicklin

traveled to Antarctica to shoot a story

on leopard seals they have been rarely

photographed partly because they are

considered one of the most dangerous

predators in the ocean in fact a year

earlier a researcher had been grabbed by

one and pulled down to depth and killed

so you could imagine Paul was maybe a

little bit hesitant about getting into

the water now what leopard seals do

mostly is they eat penguins

you know of the march of the Penguins

this is sort of the munch of the

Penguins here a penguin goes up to the

edge and looks out to see if the coast

is clear and then everybody kind of runs

out and goes out but then Paul got in

the water and he he said he was never

really afraid of this well this this one

female came up to him she's probably

it's a shame you can't see it in the

photograph but she's 12 feet long so she

is pretty significant in size and Paul

said he was never really afraid because

she was more curious about him than

threatened this mouthing behavior on the

right was really her way of saying to

him hey look how look how big I am or

you know my what big teeth you have

then Paul thinks that she simply took

pity on him to her here was this big

goofy creature in the water that for

some reason didn't seem to be interested

in chasing penguins so what she did was

she started to bring penguins to him

alive and put them in front of him she

dropped them off and then they would

swim away she kind of look at him go

what are you doing go back and get them

and then bring them back and drop them

in front of him

she did this for over the course of a

couple of days until the point where she

got so frustrated with him that she

started putting them directly on top of

his head it's just resulted in a

fantastic photograph eventually though

Paul thinks that she just figured that

he was never going to survive this is

her kind of just puffing out you know

snorting out and sort of disgust and

lost interest with him and went back to

what she does best Paul set out to

photograph a relatively mysterious and

unknown creature and came back with not

just a collection of photographs but an

amazing experience and a great story it

is these kinds of stories ones that go

beyond the immediate or just the

superficial that demonstrate the power

of photojournalism I believe that

photography can make a real connection

to people and can be employed as a

positive agent for understanding the

challenges and opportunities facing our

world today thank you