Comments on: MSF Photoblog – a challenging perspective

By: $1,000! DuckRabbit challenges YOU to defend PDN’s Passive Racism « Prison Photography

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:17:38 +0000

[...] instance b) DuckRabbit has not been shy to challenge inequalities before (including MSF – opening dialogue, discussing visual ethics and celebrating consequent positive representations on [...]

By: Brand Africa - what a disaster | duckrabbit - we produce beautifully crafted multimedia

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:12:26 +0000

[...] duckrabbit has had a flurry of visitors following our recent post about MSF’s photoblog. [...]

By: Janel Walter

Janel Walter — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:01:57 +0000

I am so glad you mentioned the word “empowerment”. This exact word was in my mind, today, as I watch CNN’s news of a 24 hour day of horror in Iraq with suicide bombings and the image of a 4 year old girl that miraculesly survived it surged. It made me angry and sad. I feel helpless as I watch the news from the comfort of my sofa in the comfort of my house. So I started thinking, how can I help? I am not a rich nor famous person. I cannot empower the good people to fight against the bad people, or can I? If so, how? I too am a big fan of MSF and commend their incredible works. However, it does feel that MSF and other organizations that aid those in need are only treating the symptoms and not the root cause of the problems. What needs to change then? You said it before, EMPOWERMENT. We need to train the people so they can do the job. I am not a health care professional or photographer, but just like me, a lot of people want and are willing to put the dollars where needed to provide empowerment to the people, so they can “save themselves” per say. Terrorists, drug lords, extremists and so on have all these in common: MONEY. They can continue to do what they do because they have the resources to do it. If we can come up with such resources to train the good people so in turn they can help themselves and others, I’m all ears. It appears, perhaps I’m wrong, that the money is there, MSF is a popular organization I think, so shifting gears in the way they do things might provide the solution, just like photographer Reza did. But it cannot be a one-person action. I am surprised the empowerment road has not been considered before, to me it’s the logic way to go.

By: MSF photo blog - a response | duckrabbit - we produce beautifully crafted multimedia

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:27:05 +0000

[...] Two days ago duckrabbit wrote some thoughts about MSF’s photoblog. [...]

By: David Campbell

David Campbell — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:35:21 +0000

Once again you raise many good points and the reading of the MSF images is good, even if it is not surprising that MSF uses those images in that way. However, I am a little sceptical about “local” photographers being an easy and unproblematic solution — which is not to say the status quo is sufficient. You inspired me to think and write some more about this today, so I have put a lengthy post on my site (http://www.david-campbell.org/2009/04/23/aid-images-and-local-photographers/) in response to continue the debate.

By: David Campbell — Photography, Multimedia, Politics » Aid images, and the solution offered by local photographers

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:31:10 +0000

[...] or western aid workers ministering to victims who are passive, pathetic, poor and sick. Over on the duckrabbit blog – a regularly insightful source of photographic critique – there is an interesting breakdown of [...]

By: Bruno

Bruno — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:47:55 +0000

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

By: davidwhite

davidwhite — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:15:14 +0000

Good post Ben.

By: tewfic el-sawy

tewfic el-sawy — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:49:50 +0000

intelligent and insightful post. indigenous photographers are there…indigenous photojournalists are there…and certainly would be better storytellers than the non-indigenous. it seems to me however, for them to break into the select (and largely self-appointed) circle of well-known international photojournalists is currently pushing water uphill to a large extent. this is slowly changing…budgetary cut-backs forces international newspapers to rely more on indigenous and local photographers, and many get prominence because of their great work (Palestinian photographers in Gaza come to mind). mark my words, the grip on who gets in the “club” will soon weaken and we will see indigenous talent in our media.

By: Val

Val — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:40:25 +0000

If more photographers, like Reza were interested in training people, in empowering them to take the pictures, it would certainly make a big difference. However as he says, what he did was from his own initiative, probably financed by his own money… But there is hope it seems since Majority World exists… some people are aware of the situation and trying to address it. Thanks duckrabbit for bringing this to our attention. everybody should try and care a little more.