Two photographers

Two photographers, two ways of seeing the world ; the first impression you get when you discover those 2 persons, crème de la crème among the photographers, is that they are fundamentally different.

Sudan, 1993 - Famine victim about to receive water in a feeding center.

One, Natchway, a somewhat lonely man, is risking is life to take picture of terrible sceneries; “I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated” (http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/).

Linda Ronstadt in a red slip, on her bed, reaching for a glass of water in a 1976 cover story for Rolling Stone magazine.

The other, Leibovitz, is more than a pho tographer, she is "a photographer of celebrities who has herself become a celebrity" (http://www.bookrags.com/biography/annie-leibovitz/) and seems to have got an enjoyable and playful view of world; “I'd like to think that the actions we take today will allow others in the future to discover the wonders of landscapes we helped protect but never had the chance to enjoy ourselves.” (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/annie_leibovitz.html)

Two views with such a an insurmountable gap in the middle.

One is life and pride of our world; “I wish that all of nature's magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of place could be photographed”.(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/annie_leibovitz.html)

More Demi Moore (Aug. 1991) featuring Moore pregnant and nude

And the other death and hope for a better world;

"Is it possible to put an end to a form of human behavior which has existed throughout history by means of photography? The proportions of that notion seem ridiculously out of balance. Yet, that very idea has motivated me." (http://www.war-photographer.com/en/)

Zimbabwe, 2000 - In a tuberculosis ward where the great majority of the patients suffer from AIDS.

I however think that however those protagonist's image is antinomic, they are fundamentally the same and rather led by the same intentions. "For me, the strength of photography lies in its ability to evoke humanity. If war is an attempt to negate humanity, then photography can be perceived as the opposite of war." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309061/quotes)

South Africa, 2000 - Grandmother cared for young girl affected by HIV.

A life of taking pictures of world's disaster. "Most war photographers become cynical after a while" (comment in War photographer Film). Natchwey was able to avoid that and see the humanity of each person, victims as well as war criminals. In a way, it reminds me of one Avi Mograbi's comments (directors of the documentary movie Z32) about the use of CGI-masks to hide the protagonists : “[...] it was very important to me that you would not think that this person is a monster, a natural born murderer, because he’s not, he’s an ordinary person. This is a normal person who has gone through a certain upbringing that involved indoctrination. He is not just “the Israeli soldier.” He is the Soldier.” (http://www.yidff.jp/interviews/2009/09i029-e.html)

He does not aim to show the world's misery for itself, but “to give a voice to those who otherwise would not have a voice”. (http://www.ted.com/talks/james_nachtwey_s_searing_pictures_of_war.html)

He wants to increase the world awareness to their existence, to touch us by our similarities, our humanity.

Family Barack Obama in the White House

“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”

(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/annie_leibovitz.html)

Her work consists in taking the humanity of those people, the part which will make us feel closer so that we do not see them as unreachable people but human beings.

The concept of celebrities, as well as war victims are nothing but human creations in the way they are not natural, they are not wild landscapes. People then grant them different values according to their own backgrounds, culture, views of the world.

South Africa, 1992 - Xhosa young men in rite of passage

"That images are, after all, like seals placed upon the invisible. But in some images there are empty spaces where the invisible has made notable inroads. It is present."

(Comment from a photo exhibition in Germany)

Whatever is the subject of the photographer, its role consists in taking in taking realities, in taking present. And in that fashion, both of our 2 photographers are very talented, they light up their subjects.

Sting in the desert, covered in mud