wsblissjr

I’ve been a lifelong photographer. I love images; I believe in the power that they posses and I have great respect for those who make them.

However, over the years, I’ve gotten a little frustrated with my photography… wanting to do more with it but never quite sure what that meant.

I love dramatic portraiture and even editorial fashion photography but, I’ve never had the time or, more importantly, the access that’s necessary in order to really pursue either.

I was at a point where I was finally willing to accept that I was never going to be an Irving Penn or a Richard Avedon.

And, that may still be true… but, at about that same time, I had my first encounter with the New York Times project, One in Eight Million.

The first time I saw it, I sat in silence and watch segment after segment… lost in the incredible beauty of those black and white shots and the unbelievable power that the audio brought to them. At one point, I said out loud… “That’s it… that’s what I want to do”!

That was what then served as the catalyst for me to begin this journey… and to take these courses. “Decisive Moment” is no longer the mantra… it has a new name… “Journalistic Storytelling”.

Do I agree with Brian Storm? Hell, Brian Storm is my god! My modern day Irving Penn!

However, to be a little more specific… I propose that you could watch the Marlboro Marine project on MediaStorm with the audio turned off… but, in so doing… there is no way possible that you would get the same experience… the same story… the same meaning… that you get when you watch the project with the audio on. The images are excellent and they can stand on their own… however, it’s when you see them in series, over time and in conjunction with the audio that you really get the whole story.

Yes, I believe that in order to do this type of work, you will need more than just your expertise with the equipment and your eye for the moment. You will need to engage with your subjects to a new and possibly uncomfortable degree in order to gain their trust and the true depth and meaning of their stories.

Technology has empowered us to go beyond the old limits of any one medium…

“It is one of the most exciting times in history to be a young journalist. You have an almost limitless palette of storytelling tools, an audience unbound by physical borders and the most powerful communications technology ever developed at your disposal.” Brian Storm, President — MediaStorm