Two days ago duckrabbit wrote some thoughts about MSF’s photoblog.
Bruno De Cock from MSF took the trouble to respond.
Nice article, and you highlight some issues that we do care about. As you said, it’s obviously harder for African photographers to get spotted and get assignments. We’d love to make contact with more local talent, so far, we have been able to connect with some photographers in South America and Asia, but it seems a lot harder to find them in Africa. So yes, the balance in photographers is far from ideal. I hope Tewfic is right and that they will surface more in the coming years.
The image of white medical staff is one we try to balance as much as we can, but this blog is definitely trying not to post too much of the more ‘typical’ ngo photos and trying to focus on visually interesting images, regardless of the presence of medical staff or suffering patients.
best,
bruno
I’ve written to Bruno with some suggestions of how he can solve the problem of contact with African Photojournalists. They do exist and one or two of them have had a profound impact on the world but its not MSF’s job to develop photography in Africa!
Some readers might not know that it was a Kenyan Photographer who brought the Ethiopian famine of 1984 to the world’s attention. Mohamed Amin.
The sad truth is that for all the aid we’ve poured in more people face starvation in Ethiopia then ever before.
Below is a photo Mohamed could have taken. Its actually by Bruno.
I find it very powerful.
More Response
I think it’s great MSF responded and that you suggested some ways for them to find local photographers to work with. I hope people will also check out National Geographic’s All Roads Photography Program: http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/all-roads/all-roads-photography-program/
They support indigenous photographers working in their own countries and specifically work to put them in touch with Western editors and art buyers. One of their fellows two years ago was Akintunde Akinleye from Nigeria — I hope MSF might take a look at him!
THANKS MIKI … Also Boniface Mwangi from Kenya.
Related posts:
Hi guys,
I think it’s great MSF responded and that you suggested some ways for them to find local photographers to work with. I hope people will also check out National Geographic’s All Roads Photography Program: http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/all-roads/all-roads-photography-program/
They support indigenous photographers working in their own countries and specifically work to put them in touch with Western editors and art buyers. One of their fellows two years ago was Akintunde Akinleye from Nigeria — I hope MSF might take a look at him!
[...] has not been shy to challenge inequalities before (including MSF – opening dialogue, discussing visual ethics and celebrating consequent positive representations on MSF’s photoblog) c) PDN, [...]