Conflict Photographer Shares Her Experience

Photography Tips

There are many types of photographers in the world. Each type of photography is an art form that’s different—but they’re all connected. And each type of photography excels at something; for instance, nature photography has the most realism, while timelapse photography can be the source for the most surrealism. While most of these titles are more of an “in the eye of the beholder” thing, there is no doubt in my mind which photographers are the bravest of them all: the ones that actively seek out conflict zones and get in the middle of the action. Here’s one such photographer, Lynsey Addario:

Addario has been in the center of some of the hottest conflict zones in recent history—Afghanistan, Darfur, the places we often see on TV with some of the most touching stories and events attached to them.

She talks about her work as a conflict photographer and the reasons that drive her to seek out places of conflict, places on Earth where people are in need of assistance. This was the case in the Congo, where Addario photographed a woman who died while giving birth. Later on, the photos were used by a medical company to raise $500,000 for people in a similar situation. This, Addario says, is the reason she became a photographer.

This image helped raise money for people in need.

“Merck used my images to fundraise. At the point of which I had met somebody from Merck he said they had raised half a million dollars with that video alone, and to me that means the world because that is exactly one of my goals as a photographer: to motivate people to act.”

During the war in Afghanistan, she took part in an important military operation by the US Army, and she saw some of the soldiers she had been following for two months injured right in front of her.

Two of the three casualties among the soldiers that Addario was following in Afghanistan.

After seeing this scene, Addario says she was moved, realizing the cruelty and pointlessness of war:

“What are we doing here? Why are we fighting this war on the side of a lonely mountain in Afghanistan where there are no people? It just seemed the craziest place for a young man to lose his life.”

All in all, a chilling video and a breathtaking portfolio from one of the bravest journalists out there.