Syria is amazing.
But the stories we encountered were heart wrenching, mostly of Iraqi refugees who fled the violence in Iraq & now live in Syria (see below).
It was one of my more challenging assignments. I was working mainly indoors under very poor lighting. So most of my favorite images were outdoor cityscapes- quite a departure for me actually.
Here’s 2 questions I’m often asked:
And to make a long story short- I knew what I really wanted to do, but I kind of fell into this job. Of course I prefer to see it as a divine plan of the creator of the universe…nevertheless, my experience was not ordinary. Just keep in mind that the following perspective is limited to my own set of experiences, but I have observed a lot along the way, so here goes…
I don’t think there is an “ordinary” path for this type of work, simply because there are so few entities who employ photographers to do it. Granted that really needs to change, but it points to some very important realities for anyone wanting to pursue this type of photography:
But isn’t that at the center of all great art? Yes, it must be born from the artists’ true vision, & often through much blood, sweat & tears. You do this work because you CANNOT do anything else- you were born for it. It is in your veins. And you cannot succeed if you are limited to waiting for someone else to pay you to do it. At least not at first. If you are just starting out, you must get yourself out to where the stories are that you are dying to tell & cover them in your own creative fashion. Once you have developed a unique body of work, you must network. Talk with organizations who’s goals might resonate with your artistic vision. Find whoever it may be that values your work and inspire them with it! Who knows what could happen.
Your success depends on the following:
1) your creative ability
2) your networking ability
3) your personal vision & motivation
For more on the topic follow these links:
It is exactly the subjects covered in this post that I hope to start addressing here regularly. Feel free to offer comments or questions.
I’ve just jumped into using the new Canon 5D Mark II on a recent trip to India. WOW!! I’ve been so inspired as to start a new personal documentary series about my travels. Here’s the first teaser edition :
Documenting the Assignment: Part One- INDIA from Matt Powell on Vimeo.
