Entering my 3rd year in the professional photography arena I continue to be blessed with opportunities beyond my own imagination. What I thought would be a medium in which to express my passion for art and creativity has turned quite surprisingly into so much more than that.
While exploring this medium I was intrigued by the idea of photojournalism, combining my travel bug, yearning to help people and storytelling. While this sounds great in theory I had my first introduction into how I was just not cut out for all that photojournalism can bring.
In 2008, I was asked by a local wedding photographer to assist as the second camera for a wedding in Anaheim. The wedding couple originally from Puebla, Mexico were now living in the U.S. with all of their cultural customs, foods, rituals and nuances. So here was my first opportunity to document - albeit a wedding - a cultural ritual, check. Traveling, yes! All the way to Anaheim. The yearning to help people, well that is a bit of a stretch but stick with me here. It was a beautiful Catholic church ceremony with an unfamiliar cadence in my experience, but it wasn't until the reception when I would experience a huge ah hah moment regarding...photojournalism.
The lead photographer kept me apprised of what was coming next since, oh by the way, everything was being communicated in Spanish and while I am semi-biligual, not at that speed! So he says to me "Next comes the turkey dance." And I respond with one of my classic scrunched up face looks and a questioning "Okay?" This is followed by his explanation that this is a ceremony to bring abundance to the newly wed couple. One of the sponsors of the wedding will come out dancing with a white turkey. "Seriously?" He wasn't kidding. Out comes the couple holding one wing each swinging this poor turkey back and forth to the music. Feathers are flying while the turkey is struggling to get loose. With camera ready I have no idea what I will be experiencing during the inordinately long dance. More people join in on the dance and as they pass the turkey to the next couple, and the next couple, until it finally reaches the bride and groom. Now exhausted the turkey stops struggling...thank God! My job...to photograph this culturally imbedded ritual. My inclination...to run and save the damn turkey!
It was in that moment that I knew I was not destined to travel the world capturing images that tell a story of the plight of anything. Most certainly not if there was any chance I could physically help. I imagined my well invested camera equipment dropping to the ground in a muddy rut and left in total disrepair for the salvation of something bigger than myself. If I couldn't stomach the turkey dance it was not likely that I would take this anywhere soon.
I thought of this today as I combed through the AP photos of the recent devastation in Haiti. The images, like many before this, are haunting and from my personal perspective difficult to look at and even more difficult to imagine taking them. It is a fine line for me and at the same time, I understand that without the documentation from these brave professionals - in more ways than one, people like the Haitians may not get the help and response that is immensely needed.
Praise for those that can as I know that I cannot.
2 comments:
Write more - write more! Your humorous, honest observations about yourself and the world are appreciated.
I'm glad you are writing again. A picture may be worth a thousand words and with a few more words of a feeling explanation the picture is then worth ten thousand words or more.
Post a Comment