Sharjah (Al-Ittihad)
The Norwegian photographer who specializes in photographing wars and conflicts, Afshin Ismaili, confirmed that the photo is a double-edged sword. If the photographer publishes it, he is accused of trading in the suffering of others, and if he does not publish it, he is accused of hiding the truth from the world, pointing out that some media outlets do not want to show the truth, pointing to the killing of… 120 fellow journalists and photographers during the war events in Gaza.
This came in an inspiring speech entitled “Documenting Conflicts: Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas in Photojournalism,” on the last day of the International Photography Festival.
“Xposure”, where Afshin Ismaili reviewed a group of photos from his coverage of wars and conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Palestine. Afshin Ismaili said, “I watched my relatives and friends die in front of my eyes because of the war, and I believe that there is a strength within me that pushes me to tell these stories that no one heard, so I became I am a photojournalist specialized in covering wars and armed conflicts, and after more than 20 years, I sometimes feel a great desire to stop; Because wars continue and atrocities are repeated and return again and again, and I could not bring about the change that I dream of through the image, but I stand before a moral dilemma, and I wonder: If I do not do this work, who will do it? That is why I continue my work until now.”
Ismaili pointed out that the main task of the photojournalist is to humanize the victims of war and the people affected by it, and try to maintain objectivity as much as possible, and not be influenced by the stories that photographers live and the people they meet and see. Because these experiences leave a significant impact on the physical, psychological, emotional and emotional capabilities of the war photographer.
Ismaili noted, explaining: “Sometimes we become frustrated because the cycle of war forms a closed, never-ending circle of suffering, destruction, and human tragedies, and the only difference between one war and another is the geographical location and the nationality of the victims whose dreams, memories, and souls are snatched by the war machine. Unfortunately, most of these victims are children, women, and the elderly.” “Innocent people.”
The photographer, who won the Ossetsky Prize for Freedom of Expression in 2019, pointed out the importance of balancing between documenting and conveying the truth on the one hand, and preserving the privacy and dignity of war victims, and the necessity of bearing moral responsibility and clinging to hope in the face of endless challenges, the hope of stopping the war and ending the suffering of millions by In the interest of all humanity.
Ismaili stressed that the emergence of the Internet, the speed of communication, and the flood of photos taken daily have weakened the importance and value of photos. Because people's attention span has begun to weaken, especially young people who are not interested in seeing what happens in wars, he expressed his hope that people will look at the pictures in a positive way and believe that they are able to influence their communities and bring about the desired positive change.
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