Saw this story on Petapixel about the famous photo “The Vulture and the Little Girl” – which you’ve probably seen and know exactly what I’m talking about. The article is about the history of the photo, the person and the group he was part of (the Bang-Bang Club) when he took at, the impact of the photo on the world, bringing aid into the Sudan, and the personal repercussions for the photographer, Kevin Carter.
Solid proof that a single photograph can literally change the world and change hundreds or thousands of people’s lives. Amazing.
Also reminds me how little of a difference of the photography I do makes. Sure some people will have a print of a wedding photo on their wall, maybe get a few likes for a boudoir photo on Instagram, but really, that’s about it right? Seriously. Maybe you’ll feel better because you see yourself with some good lighting and go “oh, maybe I am more handsome/pretty than I though”, but compared to “real” photographers… I amount to nothing relating to the world.
Kinda sucks. Not that I’m trying to make any impact. The guys in the Bang-Bang Club were photojournalists who were trying to do something. Me I’m just taking photos of people for a bit of fun and trying to get a bit of extra money.
Still makes me think about if I need to start trying to do … something.
Aside – the Bang-Bang Club movie is quite good, recommended.