Newsletter
February 4, 2005

Photojournalism - modeling diversity

I have been fascinated lately by the work of photojournalists, old and new. Several books have fueled this "awakening" (see list below) and I have chosen this subject for this newsletter. Since the early 1900's the work of photojournalists has cataloged for us the diversity of our planet and human life. One underlying rule of sustainability is diversity and I felt it was appropriate to celebrate the common language that photography, and in particular the work of photojournalists, brings to our understanding of who, what and where.

Membership in the club of practicing photojournalists has exapnded to quite a large number over the last 100 years. A few like Frank Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson are names known to many, yet there are thousands of instantly familiar images for which we could not name the photographer. These folks have covered the globe repeatedly step by step to document its diverse and complex nature. I cannot do justice to the breadth of personalities and exceptional work that we have viewed and stored in our personal memories other than to acknowledeg that it has been the means by which most of us have learned about the diversity of our planet.

For this issue I have chosen to focus on the work of one contemporary photojournalist, Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The principle of diversity as a requirement of sustainability is well represented In Yab's work (he refers to himself as Yab). His web site provides a door to his photography but it also provides an education segment titled Understanding The Earth which is focused on eight major sustainability issues.

The web site is www.yannarthusbertrand.com/index_new.htm

By going to this web page and selecting "Welcome" you are taken to a directory page where you can select "ECOLOGICAL STAKES" at the lower left. You can also browse various links to superb collections of images. I especially recommend visiting three categories; "THE EARTH FROM ABOVE", "THE FRENCH" and "ANIMALS". In all cases the treatment is first class.

BOOKS - a sampling of books on Photojouralism

Earth From Above - 365 Days
Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Harry N Abrams; 2001
amazon link

The Great LIFE Photographers
Bullfinch Press; 2004
amazon link

George Rodger - An Adventure in Photography, 1908-1995
Carole Naggar
Syracuse university Press 2003
amazon link

click to Visit the KnowledgeFarm web site

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George Beggs 2/2005

I welcome your feedback and your contributions. Feel free to write to me with your ideas or to discuss being a guest contributor.    E-mail me at gbeggs@frii.com