Photography in National Geographic

Sr. Hilda mentioned that National Geographic had a cover story about photography, so I figured it was a good opportunity to glean wisdom from what many consider the premier publication for photography. One story caught my eye, an article written about the power of the photograph, and the lengths to which National Geographic photographers go to take photos. The end product the viewer sees is only an instant of the adventure. Wrote Robert Draper:

If what propels them (photographers) is ferocious determination to tell a story through transcendent images what encumbers their quest is a daily litany of obstruction (excess baggage fees, inhospitable weather, a Greek chorus of “no”), interrupted now and then by disaster (broken bones, malaria, imprisonment). Away from home for many months at a time—missing birthdays, holidays, school plays—they can find themselves serving as unwelcome ambassadors in countries hostile to the West. Or sitting in a tree for a week. Or eating bugs for dinner.

I suppose when one is photographing cheetahs in the wild or entering a hotbed of political warfare, much more is at stake for the photographer than when I venture with my iPhone to the Anselm Commons and chat with Greg Snyder amid his shoe shining duties. Yet every photo, whether of transcendent or poor quality, shares the common trait of a story the photographer wanted to capture. In that sense, even a small project like this is exciting for its potential.

In his story, Draper quoted an unnamed photographer as saying, “The photograph is never taken—it is always given.” Whether in writing or photography, I subscribe to this idea. Journalists are privileged to receive an invitation into another’s perspective, and as such, journalists must respectfully approach individuals and stories with awe for their uniqueness. That is why the first of obligation of the journalist must be to the truth. We owe it to our subjects to treat them and their stories with the dignity they deserve. We must tell their stories as accurately as we are able. I hope to do so with this project.

One way to ensure this happens is to be thorough in my interviewing and technique. Objectivity is impossible in presentation because the selection of what to publish and how to express it necessarily involves individual or collective judgment. But the newsgathering techniques can be a source of objectivity if they are rigorous and thoughtful. Draper also expresses this element of quality picture taking by quoting a photographer.

In the field I’ve seen some of my lens-toting compatriots sit for days, even weeks, with their subjects, just listening to them, learning what it is they have to teach the world, before at last lifting the camera to the eye.

So I am compelled to the photo essay in a certain manner: Commitment to the story and the process of capturing the subject; realization of the license given to me as a storyteller; and the need to prepare comprehensively for the process and the product. My work begins.

Source: Draper, Robert. “The Power of Photography.” National Geographic Magazine. Oct. 2013. National Geographic. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.