War Photographer: James Nachtwey

War Photographer, a film by Christian Frei, is an amazing documentary about James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever.


"Is it possible to put an end to a form of human behavior which has existed throughout history by means of photography? The proportions of that notion seem ridiculously out of balance. Yet, that very idea has motivated me."


(Photo: Rwanda, 1994 - Genocide of 800,000+ Tutsis and Hutus by Hutu extremists)

"For me, the strength of photography lies in its ability to evoke a sense of humanity. If war is an attempt to negate humanity, then photography can be perceived as the opposite of war and if it is used well it can be a powerful ingredient in the antidote to war."


(Photo: Chechnya, 1996 - Chechen War)

"In a way, if an individual assumes the risk of placing himself in the middle of a war in order to communicate to the rest of the world what is happening, he is trying to negotiate for peace. Perhaps that is the reason why those in charge of perpetuating a war do not like to have photographers around."


(Photo: Romania, 1990 - An orphanage for "incurables".)

"I think the raising of people's consciousness is the first step toward creating public opinion and public opinion creates an impetus for change. It creates pressure on decision makers, the powers that be, who make choices that affect the lives of thousands of people. Helping create the impetus for them to move in the right direction, through public opinion, is something worth doing"


(Photo: Southern Sudan, 1993 - Famine)

Peace and Love,
The Rebellion Magazine