Dan Eldon and other Photographer's Essay

After watching a documentary on the late photojournalist Dan Eldon, we had to write an essay about wether or not we believed that photojournalists are heroes. This took some thought and time, but I believe that they are.

              Photojournalists are extremely determined and brave people. This was no exception for Dan Eldon. Dan Eldon was a twenty two year old photojournalist who took photographs of famine and riots in Mogadishu, Somalia. He was stoned to death with three other photojournalists on the day he was scheduled to go back to his home in Kenya. Photojournalists are heroes because they deliver us the truth about what is going on throughout the world.

 I think that Amy Eldon’s journalistic journey while filming “Dying to Tell the Story” was interesting because she got to learn about her brother’s life and photography, as well as meet other photojournalists. She gained a better understanding of the art of photography and why people feel compelled to take photographs. She learned just how far her brother and other photojournalists would go to get a specific photo by going out and interviewing people. One photojournalist in particular that she interviewed was Martin Bell. He photographed conflicts in Vietnam, Nigeria, Ireland, and the Middle East. He believed that you could not become detached from photography, especially when you were taking a picture of someone being shot at. He even said “Don’t feel sorry for us and don’t feel bad for us.” He let people all over the world know what it was like to be in war-torn countries.

An example of a photojournalist that believed that you should never become emotionally attached to your work is Peter Magubane.  He believed that when you become attached, you would not be able to do your job. His life goal was to tell the world about apartheid in South Africa. He said that “My camera is my mouth piece, some of us have to use their pen, and some of us have to use our cameras to bring down the system.” Don McCullin is an example of a photojournalist who got so attached to his work that he is now haunted by his memories and photographs. Don McCullin even said to Amy Eldon, “There is no place to hide behind a camera. The pain is almost more real when looking through the camera.” He took pictures of soldiers and people that were affected by war.

I think that Dan Eldon and other photojournalists are, as Jacqueline Arzt Larna said, “a public service.” They provide everyday people with photographs that can make us laugh, cry, smile, or yell in anger.  They are essential in delivering the raw and real news we will not get on the television or in newspapers.