One of the things that entices me the most about journalism is the possibility of understanding the world, and traveling, and making the international community take notice to human rights issues. One of the photographers who has influenced me the most without a doubt is James Nachtwey. His photographs have impacted me in ways I never thought a visual image could. Its hard to believe that he hasn't been killed, as he has been documenting wars since the 1970s. This article in the NY times sums up his work pretty well:
I am partly over idealistic, and partly impatient but I can't see my self covering church bake sales, and girl scout meetings for the next some odd years while the thought of working on an international scale drifts further away. Its not that small town news isn't important, because it is. Local news actually means a lot to the people in a community. But while I am young, single, childless, and idealistic I want to take risk.
This is all coming to a point, I met a photographer a few weeks ago his name is Eric Zamora. http://www.ericzamora.com/ who has photographed environmental issues and did a project on a damn that was being built in a village in Belize and its effects on the people who lived there. We had a really inspiring conversation- the kind that you have with a stranger that leaves your head spinning with new and exciting possibilities.
Originally I thought that I would teach abroad for a year, but the cost of getting certified and placed is the same it would cost to upgrade my Nikon and purchase a laptop. I know that I want to go to South America, and document something. I am beginning to research issues, and the cost for doing something like this. I plan to go alone and spend at least three months shooting, converging, and writing. My writing skills, and photography skills need work and I plan on devoting myself to improving now that I have a goal. As this venture forms I have a lot of doubts of whats possible but I think that the risk is worth taking.
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