Can Photographs Change The World

 

    

    Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/ZUMA Press/Corbis

    Image Source : https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2015/nov/28/the-20-photographs-of-the-week

    

    This photograph has a profound affect on my life because it has changed my perspective on things and what I should value. This picture is a young girl who works in a plastic recycling factory in Dhaka Bangladesh. This image made me realize that there are other people in this world even younger ones who struggle everyday just to have food in their stomachs and a roof over their head. While other people are living their life and have everything they could ever want. This made me feel so much emotion because it taught me to appreciate the little things in life no matter what. It made me realize that materialistic things are not important at all that we should value spiritual and mental things. Because I know for sure that that young girl who’s recycling could appreciate anything that she could ever get. As long as it made her happy. She and probably her family work so hard everyday to survive. We should also respect those who aren’t able to get toys for Christmas or get anything on their birthdays because of the enviornment that they’re in. Thus why, what I believe what you value is so important. 

Photograph :  CHAO SOI CHEONG

Image source : https://journalstar.com/news/national/remembering-9-11-in-53-photos/collection_949d7ef1-c67a-5c2e-aa32-d3f758fb8f64.html#5

This photograph to me has changed the world differently in so many ways. This photo to me made history. A time, and story that no one will ever forget about, something unforgettable. On September 11, 2001 there were a series of attacks by the Islamist terrorists group Al-Qaeda against the United States on the morning of Tuesday. A total of 2,996 people were killed in the attack, including the 19 terrorist hijackers aboard the four airplanes. Just by looking at this photo I can imagine how scary it was to have been there. Two twin towers on fire, exploded, black smoke everywhere, people inside the building so terrified. Knowing all of this made me realize that anything could happen at any time, so you should live your life each day like there’s no tomorrow. Because you never know what will happen. 

    In response to those two images and my knowledge of Photojournalism. Photographs can change the World. Photographs are not just photos. They aren’t something you just look at and forget about. Photographs are stories, or a message. And it can mean however you portray it to be towards each individual. Photographs are ways people can communicate with each other without words. Photographs are ways people can make you feel some type of way without having to talk or hear anything. And depending on your perspective is how you will take it. For instance in the video “Do Photographs changed the world” filmed by John Nordell he states “If a tree falls in the woods and there’s no one there to hear it, does it make a sound ?” Yes it is a philosophical question. I believe what he’s trying to say here is that reality and existence, even perspective plays a huge part in this. In terms of capturing a photo of course. Because when people take images, it could be real or it could be fake that just depends on you. Which is why I believe photographs are so tricky yet so important and how it could change the world. Same with the TED Talk video filmed by Jonathan Klein where he states that “They are not just pictures but images that provoke us to do something.” Which I believe is 100% true, it motivates us to want to achieve something bigger to do something about it and act upon it. Another example is when he shows an image of the earth from the moons perspective. This is a perfect example of why photographs can change the world. Because if we had never seen that photograph we would’ve never known how our earth really looked like, even shaped like. Another example is the photograph taken by Jeff Roberson “There’s a lot of power in these men’s hands.” Some people may not get it or even understand it but what I believe this photograph was trying to say that in this generation there are a lot of people today who have high tech phones with cameras. With that they always carry it with them everywhere they go. Eventually when something crazy happens these men can easily whip out their cameras on their phone and take a photograph right then and there not missing any moment. Which to me is pretty handy. Thus leading to the statement why photographs can change the world. Because to me photographs are our other set of eyes that help us see situations, problems, and moments we couldn’t even be in.