We are at our best when we are doing what we are purposed to do. Don’t get me wrong, even if people are not doing what they would define as their “purpose”, they can and should still make every effort to do their best. But it is when we are operating in our purpose, that we can actually be our best selves and also be most impactful. We are more willing to be bold, even in the face of danger, when we are backed by purpose.
This world is filled with heroic people, many of whom are operating in their purposes. We see them every day:
- The military
- Doctors, nurses, medical staff, paramedics, and EMT’s (especially during a pandemic).
- The Police (those who stand by their oath to protect and serve)
- Firefighters
- Teachers
- Parents (especial single parents)
- PHOTOJOURNALISTS!
- The list goes on
As a photographer, I would like to celebrate photojournalists who are making an impact from behind the lens. A photographer by the name of Charles Moore once proclaimed, “I fight with my camera! I don’t wanna fight with my fists. I wanna fight with my camera…my camera is my tool and I would rather have that be my weapon than my fists any day.”
He was a white photojournalist who fought for the cause of the Civil Rights Movement with his camera. He captured both the struggles and unity of Black Americans in the face of racism. Some of his images showcased the hatred in the eyes, faces, and actions of the KKK and white supremacists. And then there were his images that depicted the comradery of some of the non-Black people seeking to help the cause of the Civil Rights Movement.
It has been said, “A picture is worth 1000 words” and this statement reigns true of the photographs produced by Charles Moore. It is also true of the many photographs being captured by photojournalists during the 2020 protests against racism and social injustice, fueled by the recent unjust murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.
In my Instagram feed, I have come across many photographers beautifully capturing heart wrenching images of protestors peacefully voicing their contempt of racism and the institutions that have propagated it in America for far too long, such as this image captured by VITO (@jaysvito):
Some of the images by Donovan Carter (@shotsbydoncarter) show the peaceful protests that the media hasn’t focused on much (click the Instagram post to swipe through to see the other images).
I’ve also come across images that show the frustration, anger, and the release of the pinned-up rage of protestors as their peaceful protests escalated to rioting and attacking the Minneapolis Police Department in response to 4 of their officers who were directly responsible for the murder of George Floyd. Here is an amazing image captured by Carlos Gonzales (@carlosgphoto) captured for the Star Tribune.
It is important to note that while I don’t support violence or the destruction of property, I do understand the principle of seedtime and harvest, which in this case, science and civil systems would label as cause and effect. The ongoing institutionalized racism in this nation has built up catastrophic pressure in the core of a group of people. This overwhelming build-up of pressure has resulted in an explosion of riots and violence being perpetuated by the protestors and opportunists looking to take advantage of the situation for their own individual causes.
The time is now to use our voices, connections, resources, tools, and God-given purposes to make our mark in this world. I salute all of my fellow photographers who are led to fulfill their purposes in this way. Some have even put their lives on the line to fight with their cameras.
To learn more about Charles Moore, watch the documentary: “I Fight With My Camera”.
Here are the handles of the Instagram Profiles of the other Photographers I’ve come across who have posted images about the protests, riots, or racism:
@13twentythree
@alanz0
@amirzing
@ayookanon
@carlosgphoto
@coco.butter.shutter
@darrellbooker
@davidturnley
@deedwyerjonts
@jaysvito
@junfuphoo
@phobymo
@ shotsbydoncarter
