Running for Injured Freelance Journalists

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmrosenfeld/ - CC

“Let us toast to animal pleasures, to escapism, to rain on the roof and instant coffee, to unemployment insurance and library cards, to absinthe and good-hearted landlords, to music and warm bodies and contraceptives… and to the “good life”, whatever it is and wherever it happens to be.”  — Hunter S. Thompson (The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman)

Yes, you got it. Re-read that last statement, it does stick in your mind. Yes it does say contraceptives, but that’s not what troubles me. Nor is the fact that Tony Blair is now named Don Murdoch, to Rupert’s child. It’s eyes will surely glow red now, its mind altered and warped, it’s wings will spread like a barren black night – flapping like the dark beast of the Rio Grande Valley, which residents say has terrorised the area for decades. Like Murdoch’s other children, it was probably baptised in the most polluted part of the 60-mile downstream stretch of the River Jordan – a meandering shit stream from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.  These are ill times.

But I have bigger issues at hand to discuss with you, on a much happier note. I will be running for an extended period of time to another location. This act of full body movement is all for charity, specifically The Rory Peck Trust.

Freelancers are essential to newsgathering.  Working independently, they are often the first to report on stories, and situations that inform and affect our lives – sometimes at great risk to their own safety.  Many have no support when things go wrong.

The Rory Peck Trust was established in 1995, two years after freelance cameraman Rory Peck was killed while filming in Moscow. It was set up by his wife, Juliet and close friends to provide the help for freelancers and their families that nobody else would give. They also established the Rory Peck Awards to honour the work of freelance news cameramen and women.

The Trust has since grown into an internationally recognised organisation that gives direct practical support to freelancers and their families in need.  Widely respected for the role it plays promoting good practice on behalf of freelancers and their right to work safely, with adequate support and protection, it continues to provide a unique source of assistance.

Filed under: conflict photojournalist, documenting, ethics, humanitarian photojournalist, journalism, ngo humanitarian photographer, photography, photojornalism, photojournalism, Photojournalist, Uncategorized, demotix, rory peck, rory peck trust

United Belgium Demonstration – Brussels

Belgium was a fascinating country on on three of my visits within the last year, twice on a motorbike passing through – and then purposely for a Demonstration in Brussels, November 18th 2007, for United Belgium, which was a movement against the separation of Belgium into two Northern and Southern parts with two Belgian governments and histories. 35.000 colourful protesters, coming from Wallonia, Flemish and Brussels areas came in support of Belgian survival. They were here to end a long running feud in establishing a one country democratic government.

It was a turbulent time during this with marches, anger and protest I went to document this march by buying a Ryanair flight to Brussels for cheap, staying in another horrible hotel and jumped into the crowd with my small 20D and found it a fascinating and vibrant event.

A passionate protest at the current political state.

Filed under: belgium, brussels, ethics, independence, nuj, photography, photojournalism, Photojournalist, redr uk, U.S, War, world

Goodbye W. But will you be missed?

As we wait, clutching our mice, radios and newspapers for that final vote to be counted and verified for this year’s Next Top World Leader, we cast our minds to a man currently occupying the hot seat in Washington. More loathed than loved for eight years, George W. Bush has been the center of conspiracy, religious hate, financial decline debates and the breakdown of allied relationships. During that funny little mans reign as President, did he do any good?

The world in 2008 is well aware of the faults that surge from the White House as another catastrophe unfolds. The peak of his decision making skills during his ‘Oil War’ in Iraq, damaged further when he failed to get adequate water supplies to the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina. This act alone was frowned upon globally, his own countrymen open armed in desperation asking him, what are you doing you idiot?

It came clear to me as I watched 800 men, women and children descend into Parliament Square, during Mr Bush’s last visit to the UK. Large items were thrown, such as French baguettes from a local Tesco’s Metro, rioters of all religions, creeds and backgrounds waded into heavy armed riot police down Whitehall hour after hour. Hurricane jets escorting identical Air Force 1’s to fool terrorists on the ground, thunder through the air above us. It was clear then, that his bad command had far outweighed the good during his time in Office. His biggest achievement they see is convincing U.S voters that Defence means Attack.

Yet. He introduced three major tax cuts, which in turn had seen America become the fastest growing economy of any industrialized nation. Homeownership was high, mortgage and interest rates historically low, plus unemployment was lower than any average since the late 1960’s. Many of these reasons contribute to why this man was voted in for a second term. Like any country, if rates are low and your penny is worth more, Mr Tax Payer will keep the status quo regardless of far away wars.

Maybe he will be missed by that T-Bone and radish sauce eating, middle class tax payer, who believes the next President will take more away from him and purchase more expensive weaponry, or even the snack eating poorer folk who don’t want their Medical accounts taxed. Either way, I’m positive he won’t be missed by many, but I’m sure he won’t be forgotten any time soon either.

stephensidlo.com

Filed under: america, BBC, black hawk, carpet bombing, CNN, ethics, Iraq, iraqi, Politicians, terrorists, U.S, White House

Ethics of Photojournalism

Is it ethical to photograph the dead? The dying? The families of those? Maybe, maybe not. Ashley Gilbertson gives an insight about confronting the family of a marine shot dead in Iraq, he photographed him being carried to a black hawk. Its a series of 6 videos and some very powerful stuff, some horrific tales of a photojournalist out there.

So how do I do this? The government has a stranglehold on what the public sees, which is propaganda. Sending an embedded journalist with a Kevlar jacket into a patrol unit in the green zone of Baghdad isn’t really news worthy. I stand by the fact that the Iraq war is the least reported we’ve had our eyes open for. There are millions of other wars being engaged right now, but the death toll is lower (does that matter?). Vietnam was the central explosion of photojournalism on the front line, it was a free reign…which in fact stopped the Vietnam war because so many of these harrowing images were coming back to the public, who called for a stop..among other things. The troops returned and were hounded out by the public because of what they saw. Do you really think America or the UK would allow that to happen again? That images could change their foreign policy like Somalia or Vietnam? I don’t think so, so until then there will be restrictions on images, journalists will be told what to shoot or say, by they way they are embedded with the troops or from a safe distance on top of a luxury media hotel in the suburbs of the green zone.

If images do get out…the mass public wont see them, just a select few like myself. Look at the Abu Garib images that were splashed all over the papers? Old news now..nothing changed. Who cares about some Iraqi getting pissed on and humiliated….focus on the hundreds and thousands who were carpet bombed, images of those families and children in the street! It wont happen because it could stop the war that was built…and we can’t let terrorists win can we. Or are they just defending their fucking own homes? I would if the U.S came invading my town.

Filed under: ashley gilbertson, baghdad, black hawk, carpet bombing, ethical, ethics, green zone, horror, humilated, Iraq, iraqi, marine, mass media, somalia, terrorists, troops, U.S, vietnam