Please write a personal response to the Dan Eldon video, "Dying to Tell a Story," with at least a page of thoughtful, double-spaced prose that you will print out. Also post your comments for blogging and responding to one another. Try to answer the follow questions:
1. After seeing the video, how has your view of the function of journalism in the world changed, broadened, evolved? Are the journalists/photojournalists who work in conflict zones and report for news agencies simply crazy for risking their lives, or do they perform an important service for us all? Why is it imperative that stories of what is happening in places like Somalia, Sarajevo, and Darfur be told?
2. Do a little research. Find out how many journalists have been killed in the world in the past year? How many reporters have been killed in Iraq? Afghanistan?
3. Work on your photojournalism Prezi!
Overall, watching this movie made me rethink my entire opinions on Journalism. Before watching, I always considered Journalism just another career. I did think it was important, but it's pretty arguable that all jobs are important, which is not what this is supposed to be about, so back on topic:
ReplyDeleteAfter watching, I see now that Journalism is one of the more important jobs out there. It's supposed to make people aware of the tragedies happening in the rest of the world that most just remain indifferent to—or may just not even know at all.
Speaking of tragedy, this documentary made me feel horrible on the inside. After seeing so many innocent people die to make the problems of others aware to those who never see it, I almost felt compelled to go down there myself and take pictures like a madman. …Almost. You really have to wonder if these people who do decide to embark on a career of photojournalism have reached a certain degree of craziness to do as such. But as I will say from now on, craziness has always been husband to valor, as these people obviously show every single day of their lives.
Overall, these photojournalists do a service to the whole world. By taking pictures of the practical hell storm of places such as Somalia or Darfur, the rest of the world, namely the really advanced countries (I’m not referring to the United States, though. Somehow, in some way, we seem to mess up more than we fix now a days.), would learn of the catastrophes still occurring outside of their societal “bubble of ignorance” and could actually do something to help these people. …At least they could. If the world were nice instead of giant jerks. Humanity, you really disappoint me.
Many photojournalists have risked their lives to cover a story. Dan Eldon was one of these photojournalists that died on the job. He seemed like one of the people who weren’t like other photojournalists. It seems as if he would want a picture, but he wouldn’t go to hell and back for it. He would wait for it because he knew that there would be another opportunity to take the shot.
ReplyDeleteIn the video, many of the photographers had a connection with Dan Eldon. All of the photographers worked with Eldon. They all seemed different in the ways they pursued their job. They all said that Eldon was the kind of photographer who would sit and wait for a picture. The other photographers in the movie all risked their lives to get a picture. One man was attacked by a woman who was crying about her family dying. Another man was about to take a picture of a man who was dying. The dying man shook his head to say he didn’t want his picture taken. The photographer had a conscience and didn’t take the picture.
In the movie, many of the photographers said that they were changed by Eldon’s presence. Eldon looked as if he was a good photographer. It seems as if the day he died, he changed his work ethic to get a picture. This change cost his life. However, his name will be remembered because of his sister.
Dan Eldon’s sister took up photojournalism. She learned things about her brother that she never knew about him. But it paid off because now knowing that her brother was something more than a photographer, she follows in his footsteps to take pictures of what is going on in the world.
Justice Dunwoody
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the movie “Dying to tell story” my perspective on photojournalists changed a lot. I now know what they go through just to get pictures out to the bystanders of the world. I think it is a waist of time. They are exploiting the pain of suffering of the world, taking pictures of peoples agony and evil and showing people. I’m sure there is a bit of sympathy here in there in a few peoples hearts but seeing those pictures is not helping those suffering people of the world. Well I admit we are now aware but what is it doing for those people? They are getting a little bit of help but us Americans wont help the underdog unless we have anything to do with them unless we are involved financially, don’t get me wrong though like I said they get some help.
Photojournalists also go through a lot, they die painful deaths which of course are terrible thing as well but they are the ones who put themselves in these predicaments. They are of course crazy for doing this, how would they like it if some random foreigner came up to you shoving a camera in their face just after they got stabbed or shot or beat? I do feel bad about them dying but they are dying for no cause. Like I have said before they are exploiting pain! This is just my opinion. I feel bad for them though it’s really sad if they die.
Stories do not need to be told because like I said the us n other places usually stay out of it anyway! People don’t care unless it happens to them or if they want the press to like them. I mean they can take pictures but keep them private to the government, if they are willing to help.
After watching the Dan Eldon video, my view of the function of journalism changed dramatically. I’ve come to realize that journalist have a big effect on people who are dealing with the loss of an innocent friend or family member. I believe that some journalist can get a little too out of hand when it comes to getting the story. They are invading innocent peoples misery and troubles and exploiting it to the world. Pointing a camera in a wounded persons face is very inhuman and some of these journalists should be ashamed of themselves. I don’t think this is fair to the people they are causing more pain to. As far as the importance or craziness of retrieving the story, I think it works both ways. It is important for us to know what’s going on in other countries so that we may help, but at the same time the pictures they take of family members dealing with other family members in the privacy of their home is unthoughtful and rude. Though the journalists risk their lives for the stories, by getting caught in cross fires from different wars that go on and being attacked by the natives, I believe the stories of the conflicts going on in other countries can be expressed in a different way. The stories that the journalists are telling about the other countries are important because there may be something our country can do to help better theirs. Just knowing that these innocent people are being treated this way isn’t exactly a heart-easer.
ReplyDeletePhotojournalism is an entirely eye-opening and necessary art form. Without it, the world would know less about the humanity of the indecencies committed around the globe, and would not feel for populations the same way that you do when you suffer their pain through seeing it. Photojournalism offers everyday people, comfortable in their homes, to be transported to a place with less fortunate people than them, and evokes emotion and action from the world’s constituents.
ReplyDeleteMy personal view of photojournalism has broadened, as I’ve come to realize the previous statement. I’ve learned that without photojournalism, a lot of the images and knowledge of other countries and their people would be very limited.
The job of a photojournalist, for aforesaid reasons, is an incredibly necessary job. Without the photojournalists risking their lives we would know no true depth about the horrors in Darfur or Somalia, wouldn’t understand the suffering and destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, and anti-war sentiments would not have come to a boil during the Vietnam War. If the stories of these countries weren’t told through pictures, we would have little empathy for those struggling to keep themselves alive each day, and would feel indifferent, since those suffering would be reduced to only a few hundred words on paper.
In the last year, 99 journalists have died throughout the world, and in Iraq alone, 213 journalists have died since 1992.
Nautica Graham
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing the video of the function of journalism in the world, my view of photojournalism has definitely evolved. When I thought of photojournalism I thought of pretty pictures of nature, as far as trees and stars. After seeing the Dan Eldon video I see that photojournalism is way more than that. I realize that these photojournalist actually risk their lives to capture live action of the problems that linger around the world unnoticed.
At first I felt that these photojournalist were absolutely out of their minds chasing after violent riots and civil wars. But after actually analyzing their line of work I noticed that if these photojournalist didn’t risk their lives, no one would know what was actually going on in other countries, and lives would continue to be lost without any concern or outside countries intervening. Peter Magubare once said, “My camera is my mouthpiece,” and in a sense it is. Their camera cries out to the world to help the countries that are losing many innocent lives from petty civil wars, or civil violence that is not being protected by law enforcement. David Guttennfielder said, “I hope to take pictures of misery to show people real life so they could hopefully change things.”
One thing that also caught my attention was the fact that some photojournalist served time in prison for simply taking pictures of the violence around him. Peter Magubare spent two years in solitary confinement for taking pictures. 32 journalists have died in Iraq alone and 17 have died in Afghanistan, and 64 have died within the last year from direct contact with the war. Christiane Amanpour said, “People think we’re mad,” but in all actuality they just really love what they do.
Without these photojournalist places like Somalia, Sarajevo, and Darfur would never get noticed or assisted by anyone, and people would continue to die. Photojournalists play an important role, and they are very much needed. They are also somewhat mad, but I guess that’s what comes with the job.
Dan Eldon and Photojournalism
ReplyDeleteThe video “Dying to tell story” was hurtful and touching. The journalism hasn’t changed since it just seems like all your business can be on spot like its nothing, This is a very intense film that shows the reality of war and those who capture it on film. When the movie was finish it’s was breathless and just plain sad. The pictures that were taken and the stories that they tell in the video were sobering inside, to understand what had happened to him and why he and countless other journalists take such risks. Being shot or stabbed it still didn’t make a different because they were treated unfairly People didn’t care at the moment. The video was a well-done documentary that examines the motivates behind journalist in war zones.
It is a sad video, yet gives great insight into the work of journalists, their mission, and how they see their place in today's violent world. The pictures where so realistic to me and also to others. It often makes others feel like a vulture to photograph suffering victims, but there is the need to tell the story to the world and to try to make a difference. People understand it all but it’s so hurtful that you’re lost for word and speechless to even say a word.
Dan Eldon Essay
ReplyDeleteThe concept of Journalism has always scared me. It essentially requires being a know-it-all who has to constantly live with the guilt of lying to people occasionally, or face certain difficulties of you choose not to. You’ll constantly need to keep an eye out for stories, never sure when you just walked past something BIG or not. Maybe I should backtrack? I don’t know, but it’s my job on the line if I don’t find something. I thought that kind of stuff was scary. Nothing could be any more terrifying than deadlines.
Danger zone journalism is much worse. Images of things going on in various parts of Africa never cease to terrify me. I understand what motivates certain people to throw themselves into the fray. My first guess when I was young and stupid was that perhaps these people enjoyed barely avoiding danger and surviving bullets. Could someone find pleasure in staring his or her own mortality in the face? Yes, but that’s probably not the case here. On further reflection that would be very immoral for people to get their kicks from something that others struggle with and suffer from everyday. It’s because these people are determined to see some sort of justice brought to these places, whether they feel they owe it to these people or on behalf of the rest of the world. I completely agree, as there’s little more that I dislike then people who aren’t willing to accept truths.
Since 1995, 213 photojournalists were killed in Iraq alone. These are truly people who deserve the utmost respect. Their literally sacrificing everything they have in order to expose the terrible truths in the world.
Even in times of peace there is always suffering in the world. As decade long conflict grows stale attention often wanes to the horrors committed in war zones and countries in conflict. Photojournalists make it their mission to continually expose atrocities and telling the world the truth. They bring heart-wrenching stories to the forefront of the media and make sure we see what is really happening in the world. They put their lives on line to show us the truth and sometimes they literally die to tell the story. Dan Eldon is among those brave individuals who laid down their lives while revealing the situation in Somalia. Photojournalists risk everything to bring us the truth, but as they fall like those before them, we have to ask whether or not their efforts are worth it.
ReplyDeletePhotojournalists get up close and personal with grieving family members, injured soldiers and civilians, starving children, and often, dead bodies. They barge into lives where they do not belong and broadcast grief and suffering to the world, often interrupting very private matters, without being able to share the grief. While some say the camera connects them to their subject more often the sentiment expressed is how it separates them from their subjects and things like lighting and angle shatter the bond between subject and photographer forcing the photographer to remain objective. Photojournalism may be beneficial on a global scale, like the effect it had on bringing attention to the conflict in Sarajevo, on a personal level it can breed resentment, and splinter something integral and human inside the photojournalist.
One cannot argue the courage of photojournalists, but whether or not they are heroes is not for us to decide. They bring shocking photos and revealing headlines home with them from warzones and can affect the politics behind international involvement in localized turmoil. They can go so far as to shape foreign policies by putting increasing pressure on governments by perpetuating photo after photo depicting scenes of terror. At times they even endanger themselves to get the story out. However many photojournalists will tell you that what they do is not an act of heroism. They are merely drawn to these areas of turmoil to do what they feel needs to be done, they cannot stay away as a blind eye is turned to death and suffering. Oftentimes they make a quiet difference, no glamorous feats of heroism, no wounds as decorations; they take pictures and try to return to their lives in their off time. It is the cowboy photographers who get attention, looking for glory and being reckless, far from the heart of real journalism. Real photojournalists let their pictures talk and strive to make a difference, and even in today’s world, with no shortage of footage, their presence is felt as they pound out pictures and stories that make us turn our heads and open our eyes to what is happening right behind us.
“At the end of the day you do feel a sense of achievement to be alive.” These words were spoken by Martin Bell, a journalist who, like many other journalists has risked his life to do his job. This man was featured in a video about the truth of a photojournalist named Dan Eldon’s death. It was created to expose the truth about the horrors that photojournalists go through in their career.
ReplyDeleteThese photojournalists go to conflict zones such as war prone countries and places infested with violence and poverty. So why do they do they continue to do this job? Many people wonder ‘Are they crazy?’ Martin Bell stated, “It is a front row seat to history,” which proves that they are truly just passionate about their job. They put themselves in unthinkable situations in order inform other people about the troubles that some individuals in the world are going through.
Which raises another question among the rest of us, ‘Are they Heroes?’ I think they are silent heroes. When we see photos in magazine or on television we do not think about who captured it and what the rest of the scene outside of the snapshot was like. It could have been incredibly dangerous. A photojournalist risked their life and health for us to be able to understand their emotions of an individual or a group of individuals so that we can potentially help them.
I think it was incredibly thoughtful and inspiring for Amy Eldon to create this video about the risks her brother took. It gives an insight into the lives of photojournalists and the incredible risks they take.