Seeing war: presentation, perception, and responsibility

 Via MEER Culture

June 9, 2025

"In the mid-19th century, governments and military institutions began actively employing photographers during conflicts to document their war efforts, images that were then used to cultivate a sense of national pride back home. Two well-known examples are Roger Fenton’s photographs of the Crimean War and Matthew Brady’s photographs of the American Civil War.

However, by the 20th century, with the rise of World War II, the technological boom, and the growing need for mass communication on a global scale, conflict photography began to shift toward a more raw and activist approach. It became widely used as a medium to expose concealed truths and reveal the horrors of war. This transformation became particularly prominent during the Vietnam War, where the power of photographic imagery played a central role in shaping public opinion and confronting audiences with the brutal realities of the conflict." -click to read full article

WWII  Eighty Years is on exhibit through June 22, 2025

Widening the Aperture: A War Photographer’s World With Ashley Gilbertson

 

Tuesday, June 3 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Southern Vermont Arts Center.

Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning (GMALL) welcomes Ashley Gilbertson, an Australian photographer based in New York City recognized as one of the best documentary photographers working in the U.S. today, to talk about his life as a war photographer. Sometimes war photographers must tell the whole story in a single image, never knowing whether that’s all the viewer will see. That doesn’t make every picture perfect, but it does make every picture essential, worth taking whatever risks are necessary to get it. And it gives the good photographers a special way to look at the world around them. Ashley Gilbertson has covered the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Ukraine, as well as the January 6 riot and countless other domestic and foreign stories. The conversation will be moderated by Susan Weiss, a Vermont-based photographer, filmmaker, and art educator. Registration for this program is $20 per person.

 For more information or to register, please visit greenmtnacademy.org or call our office at 802-867-0111.

Venue

Southern Vermont Arts Center

860 Southern Vermont Arts Center Drive
Manchester, VT, 05254 

+ Google Map

Organizer  Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning

Phone 802-867-0111

Email  greenmountainacademy@gmail.com

War Reporting in a Time of Chaos | Phil Klay, Ashley Gilbertson, Victor Blue, & Danielle Paquette in Conversation

 Via 20summers.org

Sunday, May 25, 2025

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Hawthorne Barn

29 Miller Hill Road, Provincetown, MA

RSVP Here

In a panel discussion moderated by National Book Award–winning author and Marine veteran Phil Klay, distinguished conflict journalists and photographers Victor J. Blue, Ashley Gilbertson, and Danielle Paquette will discuss their work in conflict zones on several continents over the past couple of decades. How has their work changed? How has it changed them? And as we move into a chaotic time both in the news industry and in foreign relations, where old assumptions about the international order are quickly being upended, what are unique challenges of covering wars now? And what insights can long-time war correspondents offer as we look out into an uncertain future? 

Phil Klay is an author, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and a professor at Fairfield University. His short story collection Redeployment won the 2014 National Book Award for Fiction, and his novel Missionaries was listed by former President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2020. He also regularly writes essays on politics, culture, and American military policy for publications such as the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, and the Washington Post.

Ashley Gilbertson is an Australian photographer and writer living in New York City recognized for his critical eye and unique approach to social issues. He is a frequent contributor to major media outlets and a collaborator with the United Nations. For over twenty years, Gilbertson’s work focused on refugees and conflict, an interest that in 2002, led him to Iraq. His work from that country was awarded the Robert Capa Gold Medal, and in 2007, Gilbertson’s first book, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, was released, going on to become a best seller. Today, Gilbertson documents global migration in Africa and Europe, and works on climate, social and health issues in the United States and Asia. He writes regular opinion and news stories for outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, ProPublica, and UNICEF. In 2014, a multimedia story on the militarization of the South China Sea earned him an Emmy nomination.

Victor J. Blue is a New York based photojournalist whose work is most often concerned with the legacy of armed conflict, human rights and the protection of civilian populations, and unequal outcomes resulting from policy and politics. He has worked in Central America since 2002, concentrating on social conflict in Guatemala, and since 2009 has photographed the Counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan. He has completed assignments in Syria, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Iraq, and India, and has documented news stories and social issues across the United States. He worked as a staff photographer at The Record in Stockton CA, and holds a Masters Degree in Visual Communication from Ohio University. He practices a deeply reported, character driven documentary photography that tries to both inform viewers intellectually and move them emotionally, and communicate something universal from the particular circumstances of individual lives and struggles. 

Danielle Paquette is a national correspondent for The Washington Post. She previously served as West Africa bureau chief and has reported from more than 20 countries on four continents. Paquette joined The Post in 2014, starting as a roving economics reporter. A native of Indiana, she has also worked for the Tampa Bay Times and the Los Angeles Times. She resides in the nation’s capital with her husband and dog.

10 FPS Podcast: Celebrating over two decades in Santa Fe, the Monroes shared their insights into the significance of photojournalism and their preparations for the upcoming APAD show in New York

 Via 10 FPS Podcast

April 23, 2025

  

 Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podchaser | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | Youtube Music | RSS

Photojournalism uniquely bridges the worlds of art and storytelling, capturing moments that resonate deeply with audiences. The Monroe Gallery, a leader in this field, has dedicated itself to showcasing the transformative power of images. In this episode our hosts explored this fascinating realm with Sydney and Michelle Monroe, founders of the Monroe Gallery. Celebrating over two decades in Santa Fe, the Monroes shared their insights into the significance of photojournalism and their preparations for the upcoming APAD show in New York.

The Birth of Monroe Gallery

The Monroe Gallery’s journey began with a pivotal meeting with Alfred Eisenstadt, a founding photographer of Life Magazine. This encounter sparked Sydney and Michelle Monroe’s passion for photojournalism, leading them to recognize its potential within the gallery system. Their mission became to elevate photojournalistic images from magazine pages to gallery walls, transforming them into enduring pieces of art and historical evidence.
The Impact of Photojournalism

Photojournalism, as the Monroes describe, is about more than capturing moments; it’s about documenting history and inspiring change. The images they curate are visually striking and carry deep social and political relevance. From war scenes to tender moments of love, these photographs tell timeless stories. The Monroes emphasize the importance of context, ensuring viewers understand the historical and emotional backdrop of each image.
Handling Sensitive Subjects

Presenting sensitive subjects is a challenge the Monroe Gallery navigates with care. The Monroes provide context to balance human suffering with stories of heroism and hope, offering a comprehensive view of the human experience. This thoughtful curation is evident in exhibitions like Grey Villet’s work on the Loving family, highlighting photojournalism’s societal impact. It is also seen in their latest special exhibit titled “WWII – Eighty Years”, which will be presented at APAD this year. The exhibit highlights the historic triumphs and devastating losses of the war that were captured by thousands of wartime photographers. It is a reminder that we must learn from our history so that these same actions may never be repeated.

Supporting Modern Photojournalists

In today’s evolving media landscape, the Monroe Gallery supports contemporary photojournalists, many of whom rely on print sales to fund their work. The Monroes represent a diverse range of voices, from legends to emerging talents like Eugene Tapahe, whose “Jingle Dress Project” beautifully combines art and journalism. This dedication ensures the gallery remains a vibrant platform for storytelling.

The Monroe Gallery’s journey underscores the enduring power of photojournalism. Through thoughtful curation and commitment, Sydney and Michelle Monroe have created a space where images challenge perceptions and inspire change. As they prepare for the APAD show, the Monroes continue to champion photojournalism as both art and historical record, inviting all to explore the profound impact of these stories.

#photojournalism #photogallery #exibits #APAD

Previous Episode: Ron Haviv

“10 Frames Per Second” Podcast delves into the world of photojournalism through the lens of Ron Haviv, a renowned photojournalist and co-founder of the VII Agency

 Via 10 FPS Podcast    A Photojournalism Podcast For Everyone

April 17, 2025

 

On this episode of “10 Frames Per Second” we delve into the world of photojournalism through the lens of Ron Haviv, a renowned photojournalist and co-founder of the VII Agency. In this episode Haviv shared his journey, experiences, and his thoughts on the evolving landscape of photojournalism.

(We are honored to feature Ron Haviv's work in our booth C8 next week at The Photography Show Presented by AIPAD)

Getting Started in Photojournalism

Ron Haviv’s entry into photojournalism wasn’t a childhood dream but rather a journey of discovery during his university years. Influenced by hobbyist photographers in his life and a job with a fashion photographer, Haviv found himself drawn to the world of photography. His career took off with a chance encounter and a generous offer from fellow photojournalist Chris Morris, leading to his first international assignment in Panama.

The Impact of Photojournalism
 
Haviv’s work has had significant impacts, both positive and challenging: Panama: His photographs from Panama were used by President George H.W. Bush as part of the justification for the U.S. invasion, highlighting the power of images in political discourse.
Bosnia: Despite capturing evidence of atrocities, his photographs were initially ignored, underscoring the limitations of photojournalism in effecting immediate change.

The Role of Photo Agencies

Haviv co-founded the VII Agency to give photographers more control over their work and careers. The agency, which emerged at the dawn of the digital age, has adapted to the changing landscape of photojournalism by focusing on embracing digital technology to streamline operations. His non-profit initative, the VII Foundation, helps support long form journalism projects while providing a free education in visual journalism.

The Importance of Education and Mentorship

Haviv emphasizes the critical role of education in photojournalism. With the democratization of photography, it’s essential to train photographers in storytelling and business. This is so that they can tell great stories with their work and draw in clients that will be willing to pay for their pictures and services.

The Lost Rolls Project

One of Haviv’s notable projects is “The Lost Rolls,” a book and public archive exploring memory and photography. This project involved developing forgotten rolls of film, leading to deep reflection on the stories that were captured and what memories would have been attached to them. Now Haviv is encouraging the public to take part in the project by contributing their own lost rolls and stories.


Ron Haviv’s journey and insights offer a profound look into the world of photojournalism. From the power of images to influence political decisions to the challenges of ensuring their impact, Haviv’s experiences highlight the complexities and responsibilities of being a photojournalist. As the industry continues to evolve, education, mentorship, and innovative projects like “The Lost Rolls” remain vital in preserving the integrity and impact of photojournalism.

Monroe Gallery of Photography Announces Representation of Ron Haviv

March 24, 2025

Ron Haviv

Young displaced girls from Darfur, Sudan leave a camp to gather firewood for their families. The US government declared the war in Darfur a genocide. Darfur, Sudan 2005

Santa Fe, NM - Monroe Gallery of Photography is honored to announce exclusive representation of acclaimed photographer Ron Haviv for fine art print sales.

Ron Haviv is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and an award-winning photojournalist. He co-founded VII Photo Agency and The VII Foundation, where he currently serves as a director. He is dedicated to documenting conflict and raising awareness about human rights issues around the globe. 

Haviv has produced an unflinching record of the injustices of war covering over 25 conflicts, and his photography has had singular impact. His work in the Balkans, which spanned over a decade of conflict, was used as evidence to indict and convict war criminals at the international tribunal in The Hague. President George H.W Bush cited Haviv’s chilling photographs documenting paramilitary violence in Panama as one of the reasons for the 1989 American intervention. His work is in the collections of numerous museums and he has produced five monographs. He also has provided expert analysis and commentary on current events for the media including opinion pieces for the Washington Post and The New York Times and spoken at TEDx along with numerous other lectures at Universities and conferences.

Monroe Gallery will exhibit several examples of Ron Haviv’s work at the 2025 Photography Show presented by AIPAD in booth #C8, April 23 – 27 at The Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

Monroe Gallery of Photography was founded by Sidney S. Monroe and Michelle A. Monroe in 2001. The gallery specializes in photography that embodies the universal understanding and importance of photojournalism. Monroe Gallery was the recipient of the 2010 Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Excellence in Photojournalism.

 

Podcast: Documenting war crimes with Ron Haviv

 Via iMEDd

March 12, 2025

Listen here.

Photography Exhibition: “A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes”

Documenting war and war crimes is a special segment of photojournalism. Tim McShea, a student at Johns Hopkins University, discusses with Emmy nominated and award-winning photojournalist Ron Haviv the stories behind some of his iconic photos (see here) during iMEdD’s International Journalism Forum for the Forum’s pop-up newsroom. Ron Haviv is a co-founder of VII Photo Agency & The VII Foundation.  

A selection of Ron Haviv's photographs will be part of the Monroe Gallery presentation at The Photography Show presented by AIPAD in booth C8, Park Avenue Armory, NYC, April 23 - 27, 2025.

A new show at the Rijksmuseum tries to make sense of the US with ‘American Photography’; includes Nina Berman's "Marine Wedding"

 

March 1, 2025

Via The Financial Times

"Nina Berman’s “Marine Wedding” chronicles the marriage in 2006 of mutilated Iraq War veteran Tyler Ziegel, a plastic dome replacing his broken skull, and his childhood sweetheart Renee Kline. The bride appears grief-stricken, the couple divorced within a year and Ziegel died at 30 from an overdose.

The first such major survey in a European museum, American Photography, drawn from the Rijksmuseum’s eclectic collection plus well-targeted loans, is timely, launched as Europe struggles to understand Trumpian America. Installed thematically — “Face to Face”, “At Home”, “On the Road”, “Selling Points”, “Death and Disaster” — it records how the camera has eyed the country in reportage, advertisements, protest posters, family and amateur snapshots, photo-booth strips, memorabilia." --Full article here

Photo exhibition "A brief guide to investigating war crimes"

 

Via Stereosis

Photo exhibition "A brief guide to investigating war crimes"

The non-profit journalism organization iMEdD (incubator for Media Education and Development) presents the photo exhibition "A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes", curated by award-winning photojournalist and director of the VII Foundation, Ron Haviv and the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN).

The exhibition features photographs from the GIJN Guide for journalists on war crimes investigation, with the participation of VII photographers, offering a compelling visual narrative on conflicts, war crimes and their consequences. Through these images, the exhibition highlights the importance of investigative journalism, human rights research and legal documentation in reporting the truth. 

The exhibition will be hosted at Stereosis, Thessaloniki, from 7 to 20 March 2025. 

The opening will take place on Friday, March 7 at 20:00 and admission will be free. 

In the context of the exhibition, the educational pillar of iMEdD, Ideas Zone, organizes two parallel events:

Drawing on his experience in more than 25 conflicts, including his work in the Balkans used to convict war criminals in The Hague, Haviv will share knowledge on war crimes documentation, best practices for ethical reporting, and the role of visual evidence in legal liability. Participants will gain practical skills and a deeper understanding of the responsibility involved in recording history through the lens.

Date and time: Saturday 8 March 2025, 11:00-13:00 (Duration: 120')

Lecture by Ron Haviv | "Testimony 1989-2024"

A dynamic retrospective of conflicts from Central America and the Balkans to the Arab Spring and Ukraine. Through short films and personal reflections, Haviv explores the role of the photographer, the consequences of war and the responsibility of being a martyr.

Date & Time: Sunday 9 March 2025, 11:00-13:00 (Duration: 120')

Admission is free. Due to limited seats, the workshop will be on a first-come, first-served basis and the lecture will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

A Field for Ghosts: American Photography at Rijksmuseum

Via FAD Magazine

February 10, 2025 

"A step through the gallery doors reveals the first of many rooms that archive, dissect, and tinker with the values and experiences of American culture. The themes are immediately apparent. Domestic strife, racial politics, the suppression of queer identities, sexuality, ecology, and individuality; each of these ideas finds its example, its case. Whether considering the dual personalities in Robert Mapplethorpe’s self-portraits, the interweaving of indigenous art practices with modern photography in Sarah Sense’s work Hinushi 18, or the few surviving artefacts of the country’s abandoned towns in Bryan Schutmaat’s landscapes, the overall impression resounds. America is a nation at war with itself. Conflict, reflected in the photography, regarded as an essential component of the modern experience of life in the USA.

The results of these battles are morbid and cruel. One photograph, from Nina Berman’s collection Marine Wedding, depicts the marriage of a disfigured soldier sent to fight in one of the American governments many international warzones. Described simply by the accompanying placard, the viewer is informed that the marriage broke up, and that soldier had died from alcohol and morphine overdose since. Likewise, the piercing work of Nan Goldin chronicles her experiences with domestic violence and the AIDS crisis as it ravaged New York. In Cookie and Vittorio’s wedding, New York City 1986, Cookie Mueller, featured in another depiction of a wedding, walks the aisle with her soon-to-be husband, though anyone who knows the story will understand how tragic this became after the fact, as they both died shortly afterward."

--Full article here

American Photography, 7th February to 9th June 2025, Rijksmuseum

The Battle of The Bulge: December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945

 December 16, 2024

Tony Vaccaro: Moving up in the  Ardennes, 1944

#onthisday, December 16, in 1944, The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, the last major German offensive campaign of WWII began. With the onset of winter, the German army launched a counteroffensive that was intended to cut through the Allied forces in a manner that would turn the tide of the war in Hitler's favor. 

The "Bulge" was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in World War II.

“I never wanted to be a fighter, but I always wanted to be a photographer. I decided to photograph portraits of the people in my unit, because they were the people I lived with. We slept together, we risked together. We did so much together. I never saw soldiers. I saw human beings. I saw red blood, human blood. The battlefield, in a way, helped me, because when the war is on, that’s all that it is, fighting all the time. You know that it can happen to you. What do you do about it? I took pictures.” –Tony Vaccaro

Tony Vaccaro: Battle of Ardennes, Near Ottre, Belgium., January,1945

In the spring of 2025, Monroe Gallery of Photography will present a major exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Details to be announced soon.

Tony Vaccaro: Firing Line, Battle of Hurtgen Forest, Germany, 1944

San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo

 BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

December 12, 2024

U.S. Marines of the 28th Regiment, 5th Division, raise a U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Japan, Feb. 23, 1945. (AP Photo/Joe Rosenthal, File)

Credit/©: ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A photojournalist who captured one of the most enduring images of World War II — the U.S. Marines raising the flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima — will have a block in downtown San Francisco named for him Thursday.

Joe Rosenthal, who died in 2006 at age 94, was working for The Associated Press in 1945 when he took the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo.

After the war, he went to work as a staff photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle, and for 35 years until his retirement in 1981, he captured moments of city life both extraordinary and routine.

Rosenthal photographed famous people for the paper, including a young Willie Mays getting his hat fitted as a San Francisco Giant in 1957, and regular people, including children making a joyous dash for freedom on the last day of school in 1965.

Tom Graves, chapter historian for the USMC Combat Correspondents Association, which pushed for the street naming, said it was a shame the talented and humble Rosenthal is known by most for just one photograph.

“From kindergarten to parades, to professional and amateur sports games, he was the hometown photographer,” he told the Chronicle. “I think that’s something that San Francisco should recognize and cherish.”

The 600 block of Sutter Street near downtown’s Union Square will become Joe Rosenthal Way. The Marines Memorial Club, which sits on the block, welcomes the street’s new name.

Rosenthal never considered himself a wartime hero, just a working photographer lucky enough to document the courage of soldiers.

When complimented on his Pulitzer Prize-winning photo, Rosenthal said: “Sure, I took the photo. But the Marines took Iwo Jima.”

The story behind the 'iconic' Buna shot from WWII

 Via Australian Photography

By Stephen Dando-Collins | 4 December 2024

George Silk’s The Blind Soldier. Later, Silk would say there was something distinctive about the two subjects. The Papuan carrier in particular grabbed his attention: “He was helping him so tenderly,” he said. Image: Australian War Memorial

Early on Christmas Day, 1942, 26-year-old George Silk rose from his cot at battalion HQ at Soputa in northeast Papua and began walking to the Buna battlefront 10km away.

Around his neck hung his two cameras – a Rolleiflex Standard for close-ups, and a 35mm Zeiss Ikon Contax fitted with a telephoto lens for distance shots.

Silk was a New Zealand camera shop assistant who’d turned up in the Canberra office of Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies in January 1940.

He talked Menzies into hiring him as Australia’s second government combat photographer, and after working in North Africa, Silk was reassigned by the Australian Department of Information (DOI) to the New Guinea campaign.

For close to three years Silk had striven to take the ‘great’ war picture, something to emulate or surpass Robert Capa’s famous 1937 shot from the Spanish Civil War, The Falling Soldier.

Now, with the Australians and Americans starting to gain the upper hand in the fight against the Imperial Japanese Army in Papua, Silk was anxious to get his best shot before the Battle of Buna-Gona ended.

So, on December 24 he dragged himself from his hospital bed outside Port Moresby, where he’d been laid low by malaria, and hitched a ride back to the front.

On the track to Old Strip, Silk, rounding a bend in the tall kunai grass, saw two men approaching side-by-side. One was a wounded Australian soldier, Private George ‘Dick’ Whittington.

Barefoot, walking with the aid of a long stick, his eyes were covered by a rough bandage. Guiding Whittington was volunteer Papuan carrier Raphael Oimbari, a farmer in his twenties.

It almost seemed as if Silk would be intruding if he photographed the pair. “I wanted to take the picture, but I didn’t at first,” he later recalled.

But his documentarian’s instincts kicked in. Using his Rolleiflex from the waist with the pair less than two metres away, Silk snapped a single shot without even looking down into the viewfinder.

Seemingly unaware of him, the wounded soldier and carrier passed Silk by. Hurrying after them, he obtained the soldier’s details before the pair continued on.

Later that day, Silk joined Whittington’s 2/10th Battalion. Clicking away in the thick of the fighting that afternoon, he collapsed face-down on the battlefield. Malaria had caught up with him. 

Towards sunset, an Aussie soldier found the photographer lying with the dead all around him. Evacuated to Moresby, Silk ended up in a malaria ward.

You can’t keep a good photographer down. Silk was soon back at the front. At Giropa Point on December 31 and January 1, he took what he considered his two best pictures of the war, close-ups beside Bren-gunners and Vickers-gunners with bullets whistling all around. Again, Silk collapsed with malaria, and again he ended up in hospital.

Meanwhile, another George, American Life photographer George Strock, snapped three dead American soldiers on Buna Beach.

In hospital, George Silk learned the DOI had banned his two Giropa Point photos – one showed a dead Digger, while one of the Bren-gunners had dropped down dead beside him seconds after he took his picture.

At the same time, Silk’s photo of Whittington and the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel’ was also banned for being ‘too graphic’.

Silk was incensed. So, he wined and dined a young female clerk working in the DOI’s Port Moresby office and brought her into a conspiracy.

She had prints of his three banned pictures made at the DOI’s Sydney photographic laboratory and sent to her.

She gave them to Silk, who passed them to a war correspondent friend, who had them approved by the American censor at GHQ in Brisbane. Silk then gave his prints to George Strock, who smuggled them to Life.

Strock knew the Pentagon banned publication of photos of American dead, but was appalled by apathy towards the war at home. He was determined to jolt his fellow Americans into getting behind their troops.

On March 8, 1943, Life published Silk’s The Blind Soldier, full page.

Readers hailed it the best picture of the war. A month later Silk was fired by the DOI. Parliamentary backbenchers called for him to be charged with treason. His friend Damien Parer resigned in protest at his treatment.

Meanwhile, Life management struggled for seven months to gain War Department approval to publish Strock’s Three Dead Americans.

Going all the way to the White House, they discovered that, like George Strock, President Roosevelt was determined to cement Americans behind the war effort by being honest with them. With his approval, Three Dead Americans appeared in Life on September 20, 1943, shocking America.

In 2014, Time magazine would describe it as ‘the photograph that won the war’. Two iconic images, and one amazing story. ❂

The Buna shots: The Amazing Story Behind Two Photographs that Changed the Course of World War Two, by Stephen Dando-Collins, is published by Australian Scholarly Publishing. It’s the never before told story of two arresting photographs, two courageous photographers, and the quest for truth in war. You can order a copy here: https://bit.ly/3ZQ5DpV

Review of new film about Lee Miller references Tony Vaccaro

 Via truthdig

September 29, 2024

A Photographer’s Legacy, Airbrushed

"It’s surprising that it took this long to give Lee Miller the Hollywood treatment. A former model and eventual frontline World War II photographer, with an eye that rivaled Robert Capa and Tony Vaccaro, she lived a haunted life following the publication of her revelatory Vogue magazine spread depicting the liberation of Dachau. “Lee” arrives in theaters this week as a reminder of both Miller’s work and the need to memorialize the details of genocide. Sadly, the movie does little more than gesture at both."

--full article

NY Film Acadamy Photo Guest Speaker Series with Nina Berman Monday, July 29

 Via NY Film Academy

July 26, 2024

Monday - July 29, 2024 12:00 PM Eastern Time

Register HERE

Nina Berman is a documentary photographer, filmmaker, journalist, and educator. Her work explores American politics, militarism, environmental issues, and post-violence trauma.

The photographer is the author of Purple Hearts – Back from Iraq (Trolley, 2004), which features portraits and interviews with wounded American veterans. Berman is also the author of Homeland (Trolley, 2008), which is an examination of the militarization of American life post-September 11th. She is also the author of the autobiography of Miss Wish (Kehrer, 2017), a story told about the survivor of sexual violence. Miss Wish was shortlisted for the Aperture and Arles book prizes.

Additional fellowships, awards, and grants include the NY Foundation for the Arts, the World Press Photo Foundation, Pictures of the Year International, the Open Society Foundation, the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship, and The Aftermath Project.

Berman began her photography career in 1988 as an independent photographer working on assignments for the world’s major magazines including Time, Newsweek, Life, the NY Times Magazine, NY Magazine, German Geo, and The Sunday Times.

The photographer covered a range of issues, from women under siege during the war in Bosnia and Afghanistan, to domestic issues of criminal justice, reproductive rights, and political process. Berman's work has been exhibited at more than 100 international venues from the Whitney Museum Biennial to the concrete security walls at the Za'atari refugee camp.

Public collections include the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Museum of the City of NY, the Harvard Art Museums, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, among others.

 

"The Flag Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning"

 Via Field of View

Original article posted on July 12, 2024

"Throughout history, flags have elevated the emotional impact of images, attracting photographers — and photo editors — like moths to a flame."   click to read full article

The article analyzes several photographs, including these by Gallery photographers:

Stanley Forman

The Soiling of Old Glory" Anti-Busing Protest, Boston, 1976

David Butow

January 6, 2021, Washington, DC. Supporters of President Trump battle law enforcement on the West steps of The Capitol during the attack on the day of Joe Biden’s election certification by Congress.

Joe Rosenthal/AP

Marines of the 28th Regiment of the 5th Division Raise the American Flag Atop Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 1945

"Going down the rabbit hole of photos that are elevated, and in many defined, by flags...."

 

Tony Vaccaro: War and Peace

 Via Pastiempo

July 12, 2024

Peggy Guggenheim, Venice, Italy, 1968

Tony Vaccaro

Tony Vaccaro stuck around Europe for years following his discharge from the Army in September 1945, four months after D-Day. The timing allowed the famed photographer to capture both war’s brutality and its aftermath, the latter a time of both celebratory smiles and a welcome return to the mundanity of peacetime day-to-day existence.

Vaccaro’s war and post-war images contrast sharply with one another, and all contrast with his later work documenting daily life and fashion for major publications of his day such as Look, Newsweek, and Life. An array of his images is featured in Tony Vaccaro: The Pursuit of Beauty at the Monroe Gallery of Photography.

Owners Michelle and Sid Monroe were friendly with Vaccaro, who died eight days after his 100th birthday in December 2022. His son Frank spoke at a July 5 reception for the exhibition.

"We were privileged to know Tony and to be able to call him a friend. He shared his experiences, his empathy, his integrity and his passion for life and his family with us. He led his life, and pursued his work, as an antidote to mankind’s inhumanity to mankind. "

 — Brian Sandford

details:

Tony Vaccaro: The Pursuit of Beauty

Through September 15

Monroe Gallery of Photography

112 Don Gaspar Avenue

505-992-0800; monroegallery.com

THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF TONY VACCARO

 Via Kevin Sessums Sums It Up

July 6, 2024

"I first discovered the extraordinary photographs of Tony Vaccaro a few years ago - and met the man himself - when I was in Santa Fe and Ali MacGraw, one of his subjects, took me to an exhibition of his work at the Monroe Gallery of Photography. I was both impressed by his fashion and celebrity photographs and moved by his WWII ones. I think he was unique in his bestriding both worlds with such grit and grace. There was a kind of wry bemusement to the fashion and celebrity ones but a wrenching intimacy to the war work. Last night the latest show of his photography opened at the Monroe Galley. I felt Tony’s presence in my conversation with his ten-year-old grandson Luke who was there with his family. The show runs until September 15th. If you are in Santa Fe, don’t miss it."

 --more here

Tony Vaccaro: The Pursuit of Beauty

 Via Musee Magazine

July 5, 2024

Tony Vaccaro died on December 28, 2022, eight days after celebrating his 100th birthday. Orphaned at age 6, as a young boy he immersed himself in studying classic European art and by age 10 had a box camera. He photographed WWII from a soldier’s perspective, documenting his personal witness to the brutality of war. After carrying a camera across battlefields, he become one the most sought-after photographers of his day, eventually working for virtually every major publication: Flair, Look, Life, Venture, Harper’s Bazaar, Town and Country, Quick, Newsweek, and many more. Vaccaro turned the trauma of his youth into a career seeking beauty. Tony’s transition from war and its aftermath was a deliberate one as an antidote to man’s inhumanity to man.



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War Photography: Movie vs Reality

Via The Real Frame: War Photography on Screen - The Real Frame

May 21, 2024 by David Butow David Butow –

As if the political tension in the United States couldn’t get any higher, this spring a new movie depicting a full-scale, near-future civil war in the country is filling theaters and drawing good reviews. The film, “Civil War”, directed by Englishman Alex Garland, (“The Beach”, “Ex Machina”), imagines that the country is ruled by a quasi-dictator serving his third term as president. The opposing side is comprised of a well-organized and equipped army of rebels (called the “Western Alliance”), that is on the move to Washington, D.C. to remove him from power.

The main point of the movie is, I think, to force audiences to confront the possibility, however remote, that something like this could actually happen. The U.S., despite illusions of “exceptionalism,” is fundamentally no different from any other empire that can break down and/or break apart. This is big stuff, but the POV of this terrible scenario is told through the narrow experiences of a group of four journalists, principally two still photographers played by Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny.

It’s rare that photojournalists are the main protagonists in a film, they’re usually quirky side characters like Dennis Hopper’s idiosyncratic portrayal of a half-crazed Vietnam War photographer in “Apocalypse Now.” But putting them in the center of the plot requires detail of their working habits, and more importantly, into the emotional and ethical challenges they face as they make their way through one violent situation after another. The whole raison d’être of them being there is questioned. Are they after the thrill or some greater good? What is the role of journalistic observers in conflict? I can’t say those questions are deeply examined but they are certainly put up on the metaphorical blackboard (or video projector if you prefer).

If you haven’t seen the film but might go, be aware there is a lot of violence depicted, sometimes rather realistically and without the heavy music and other mood overlays we’re used to in Hollywood movies. I found this starkness jarring, but effective. Another thing I thought the film did rather well was show how quickly things can happen, often when you’re not expecting them, and also how chaos and semi-normalcy can exist in proximities much closer than you might expect.

Conversely, I thought there were some things about the journalists the filmmakers definitely got wrong, but how many movies have I seen where the main characters are lawyers, doctors, cops or soldiers? I imagine that people in those professions, who are used to being depicted on screen, don’t usually overanalyze every misleading detail. But the photojournalistic community, never shy about taking itself seriously, and with a rare spotlight on its profession, has had a lot to say about “Civil War.”

The best commentary I’ve seen is in the video here. It features a thoughtful interview with photojournalists Lynsey Addario, Peter van Agmatel, Ron Haviv and John Moore. These four have about as much experience covering conflicts as any photographers working today, and they are all highly intelligent and deeply reflective about those experiences. In addition, the photographer Mohamed El Masri, speaking with the assistance of a translator, describes the specific danger and challenges with covering the war in Gaza.

They’ll tell you what they thought of the movie, but more important, how they think about the role of the press, and what it is really like to witness, record and communicate terrible acts of violence.