The latest video out of Japan showing raging mountains of debris chasing residents of small towns to higher ground is hard to watch, yet I find that I can’t keep my eyes off of it, and I know I am not alone. In fact, according to a new report, the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan was one of the most recorded disasters ever to be captured on film, rivaling the visual power captured during the September 11th terrorist attacks.
These days the world relies on photojournalists (amateur and professional) to shoot compelling photos in order to enhance news stories. The phrase “a picture is worth 1000 words,” takes on literal meaning for people who don’t have time to read an entire newspaper or magazine. For hurried or slightly disinterested individuals, photos most certainly speak louder than words. A good photojournalist is cognizant of this fact and shoots accordingly.
An even better photojournalist realizes that the public’s trust should not be violated. Consequently, he uses proper judgment when he wields his camera to snap accurate, timely and visually stimulating images. In addition to capturing eye-popping pictures, photojournalists must take photos that are unbiased.
A photojournalist’s main goal is to tell a story with pictures. In doing so he is tasked with conveying the truth through his photos. Experienced photojournalists don’t just show up to a news event, snap a few pictures of the scene and move on to the next assignment. Rather, his objective is to highlight important issues in a series of shots so he is left with a summary of the event as it unfolded.
The wealth of stunning visual material that came out of Japan in the hours following the earthquake and tsunami is arresting. One particularly disturbing video clip shows a wall of water and debris rapidly rising as a group of people jump off bikes and struggle to climb to higher ground; CNN showed the video, but ends the shot before we know the fate of the townspeople or the videographer.
Which photos from Japan’s double disaster have disturbed you the most?
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