It's very hard to turn your back once you're aware of what's going on, and you're aware of the injustices, and you're aware of the civilian casualties. It's much easier if you have no idea and you've never seen it.
The truth is, the difference between a studio photographer and a photojournalist is the same as the difference between a political cartoonist and an abstract painter; the only thing the two have in common is the blank page. The jobs entail different talents and different desires.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the distinct skills and motivations that differentiate artists and photographers in their respective fields.
Lynsey Addario's quote emphasizes the unique talents and intentions that define the roles of different creatives, such as studio photographers and photojournalists, as well as political cartoonists and abstract painters. While they may all work with a blank canvas or page, their approaches, objectives, and the narratives they aim to convey vary significantly, showcasing the diversity in artistic expression and the specific skill sets required for each profession.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on creative professions, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of specialization in the arts.
More from Lynsey Addario
All quotes →I do think my childhood is one of the fundamental reasons that I'm able to do my job. We were raised in this totally nonjudgmental family. We never knew who was going to walk in the front door. And as a journalist and a photographer, you walk into so many different scenes that you have to be open to everything.
As a Western woman in the Middle East, I am often put in a different category. I am sort of like the third sex. I am not treated like a man. I am not treated like a woman. I am just treated like a journalist. That is usually really helpful.
My strength is looking for composition and light, and I think those things come in the quieter times of war or photographing people affected on the margins of war - civilians, refugees; that is where I really excel.
Don't expect things to happen fast. Be empathetic with the people you are photographing. Don't be concerned about money.
If people really saw what was happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, then they might be marching in the streets to end wars. But you know, I think that no one ever sees because we're not allowed to see, and we're not allowed to publish what we do see. So it's quite difficult.
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When people ask what 'American Pie' is about, they're missing the point. The song isn't about the lines themselves - it's about what is between the lines. The song is about what isn't there.