Pollution, Pollution Everywhere

For my Understanding the Image project I propose to highlight the issue of harm caused to the environment by pollution.

To emphasize this particular problem I will compare and contrast between pollution found in the countryside and pollution found in the city. I feel that this issue is very relevant today in modern society and I intend to try raising awareness about pollution so that we can appreciate and protect our environment.

I am originally from Dublin and I was born in the Coombe Hospital, which is in the middle of Dublin City. I spent my first three years of life living in Dublin with my family, but when our housing estate started to gain a bad reputation due to crime in the area, my parents decided that the time had come to leave Dublin and start afresh. It was not an easy decision for my family as we had close friends and family living in Dublin. But the desire the raise myself and my brother in a safe environment was greater than the fear of being separated from loved ones in Dublin. Our search for a new home and indeed a new lifestyle brought us to the small, rural town of Newbridge in county Kildare.

We instantly fell in love with this quiet, peaceful little town, which was a far-cry from the hustle and bustle of Dublin City. We soon relocated to Newbridge and after four years we moved deeper into the countryside to Athgarvan, a village just on the outskirts of Newbridge town. We have lived in Athgarvan for almost ten years now.

My chosen subject will focus on environmental pollution. Pollution refers to the introduction of contaminants into the local environment and these contaminants will bring about changes in the environment. Pollution has become a problem not just in towns and cities around Ireland, but also throughout the world. There are many types of pollution, and these include: air pollution, littering, noise pollution, water pollution and visual pollution.

Both Dublin and Athgarvan have a special place in my heart and yet, because these two places are so different, I think that they would make good target areas for my project which focuses on pollution. The issue of pollution greatly interests me and it is an issue that I feel urgently needs to be addressed. I plan to use photography to show-case my subject and I will take photographs that relate to pollution in my local area in Athgarvan as well as inner-city Dublin. I hope to use my own Fujifilm digital camera to take these photographs. I will commence work on my project in early November until the month of March, so that means I have four months left to complete my project.

The objective of my photographic exhibition is to address the issue of pollution in Ireland. I hope to increase people's awareness and understanding in relation to pollution and the consequences it may bring about. In order to achieve my objectives, I will carry out a number of activities such as:

• Engaging with my subject by carrying out research and also by actually going out for walks around Athgarvan and exploration trips around Dublin City. I will choose to focus on specific forms of pollution, such as water and visual pollution as well as littering.
• Recruiting willing participants which will mostly involve taking photos of my family and friends around my area and in Dublin. I plan to also capture pictures of passers-by but I will fade out or blur the faces of people so that only their silhoutte is visible.
• Planning where and what I will take photographs of.

War Photographer - James Nachtwey

1. What do you think of his approach to photographing people in crisis?

James Nachtwey: War Photographer

From what I have seen in the documentary  "War Photographer", James Nachtwey's approach to photographing people in crisis is very focused and, despite the circumstances, remarkably calm. This is because there is a certain peacefulness about Nachtwey as he carries out his work. He can frequently be seen in the very thick of the action snapping photographs while we see other people fleeing for their lives. But Nachtwey stays put exactly where he is and he continues to work. There is no sign of fear or anger or sadness in his expression which is mainly blank and almost empty. But this is not entirely true for Nachtwey, as he instead channels all his emotions into his work. The results are images that shock, disturb and immediately grabs our attention. This is precisely how Nachtwey wants his work to be; brutally honest and realistic. This is what I admire most about Nachtwey, his unflinching honesty in his work.

 2.What kind of subjects does Stern magazine cover?
Stern magazine is a weekly news magazine published in Germany since 1948. It covers serious issues such as wars, poverty and violence but also lighter topics such as celebrity news and fashion.

3.What conflicts and issues did he cover in this film?
In this film photojournalist James Nachtwey covers a wide range of issues such as war, poverty, famine and violence. This film opens in the war-torn region of Kosovo, which was once a part of Serbia. James Nachtwey stands alongside survivors in the streets which have been devastated by the raging war. Nachtwey's pictures are even more powerful to behold due to his use of black and white photos which truly makes his work stand out. We see powerful images of bodies strewn everywhere and grieving families and survivors as they struggle to come to terms with the crisis that is war.


4. Why did he become a war photographer?

James Nachtwey was born on March 14 in 1948 and grew up in the state of Massachusetts, New England, in the U.S. He graduated from Darthmouth College in 1970 where he had been studying Art History and Political Science. He first started working as a newspaper photographer for the Albuquerque Journal in 1978. But one night in the year 1980, he woke up after a dream which made him realise what he wanted to do with his life. Nachtwey wanted excitement and adventure in his life so he decided to move to New York City to realise his dream of becoming a war photographer.

5.What kind of personalities do photojournalists have?
Based on what I have observed from James Nachtwey in this film, photojournalists need to be resourceful and quick, single-minded, cautious and always calm in all kinds of situations. They must also be brave in the face of danger and have a natural curiosity within them. Christiane Amanpour, from CNN, also features in this film. She worked with and accompanied Nachtwey on many of his travels. She describes Nactwey to be completely dedicated to his work but says that he is "a bit of a loner". From what we can see of Nactwey this is quite true. Nachtwey clearly  displays a passion for photography but, more importantly, he genuinely cares for others and does what he can to help. His way of helping those in crisis is by photographing their experiences so that the world can see it.

6. What kind of pictures end up being used by editors in the end?

Boy in the ruined streets of Kosovo-by James Nachtwey

I believe that editors generally prefer to use photographs that are the most striking and so grab the attention of readers. They choose the most shocking, vivid images that they can find and this draws us, the readers, in.