Lynsey: Capturing Pictures and Creating Advocacy

The role of a photojournalist is not just about capturing images through the lens of their camera. The images captured acts as a powerful weapon to make changes in the world. While clicking the shutter button, they are also advocating for those in needs. Being a photojournalist has enable them to show a different perspective of a story. They are able to share happiness and joy despite being in a crisis and restriction. For example when Lynsey Addario captured a wedding ceremony that was held hidden from the Taliban Regime. Being a photojournalist, permits us to report what is happening at the ground level, capturing and witnessing what is happening right before their eyes. Thus, allowing us to capture a wide perspective of an issue.

However, as interesting and fun it may sound like, it also comes with a huge risk. When going through an area of crisis, our safety is not always guaranteed. We have to sneak in and cross borders illegally for the sake of photos. The laws and authorities can’t help to back us up. Lynsey Addario, a female photojournalist who went through a lot of threats and dangers in order to be able to capture the pictures for the purpose of telling the world of issues happening in an area of crisis. She risks her life whenever she is on assignment. 

Money is no longer the main motivation here, it takes passion and courage to get through your job. We are often found stuck between being a human and photojournalist. This is where the issue of ethics come into the picture. Lynsey Addario, despite knowing the true criteria of newsworthy photos has decided not to photograph a woman in labour when she was a job assignment back when she was in Afganistan. Besides, Lynsey has shown people that being a photojournalist needs to be mentally strong. She was kidnapped and got threatened by people around her when she was on an assignment. Even so, those negative experiences have never stop her from continuing her job.

When capturing a photo story of an event, Lynsey Addario has a tendency to focus more on the humanistic side of the issue. In most of her photos, she showcases pictures of humans and not much on the destruction aftermath of the issue a contrast to the works done by James Nachtwey. Lynsey Addario captured the grassroots problems of the issue instead of just focusing on the bigger picture. 

Lynsey Addario often potray women as the main subjects in most of her assignments. She showcased women in the military, the unsung heroes of the front line. Her coverage of the everyday life of  women in the base camp has cultivates a better understanding and appreciation towards women in the military. She also depicts the issue on women's rights in Afganistan in her photographs by showcasing the cultural control that women faced every day. She showcased the issue of subordination and discrimination they had gone through that affect their freedom and how their basic human rights has been violated. 

When she covered the issue of maternal mortality in Sierra Leone. The heartbreaking coverage was able to trigger the government to act and alter their policy to meet the women practical gender needs that were hinder due to geographical factor and the lack of the number of professional health care officers despite having free heatlh care services. Lynsey was also able to engage with Doctors without Borders (MSF) where they have provided 5 ambulances on each of Bo's province that offer 24 hours emergency service to women in that province. The change in the Sierra Leone government's policy has decrease the rate of maternal mortality by 60 percent. This reflects how photojournalists are able to be agents of change in the society. 

She was able to showcase the timeline of maternal mortality that has been growing rapidly in Africa.  Her pictures were heartbreaking and eye-opening as her explicit photographs have truly reflected on the critical issue of maternal mortality. Her narrative that follows the heart wrenching photos were able to trigger the emotional side of the audiences besides giving them better understanding of the critical issue.

By doing so, she is able to bring forward women’s issue for everyone to ponder and take action upon. As women are often forgotten and neglected in our society, especially during the time of crisis. Her coverage has given women a platform to voice out their need for help and protection for survival. Lynsey has not only manage to bring forth women's issue but she has also showed empowerment through her courage and passion as a female photojournalist.

(Collaborative writing between Aina Rashidah, Suk Zanne and Pui Foong)