Hyderabad: A Photo Journalists Tete-a-Tete with Carol Guzy was organised here in the city at Press Club Somajiguda on Wednesday.
“Good News Pic is the one which is understood by people across the globe without having to read the caption”:
Carol Guzy, the legendary News Photographer
Carol Guzy, from UNA, is an American news photographer formerly worked with The Washington Post. She is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize four times. And she is one of four people to do so and the first journalist with that achievement in the world. This sixty-three-year-old Nurse turned photojournalist is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1986, 1995, 2000, and 2011.
The interaction with her was organised by Indian Photo Festival in partnership with Press Club Hyderabad, PRCI Hyderabad Chapter, PR Fraternity and ECOBLISS India.
Carol patiently answered questions of photo-journalists for a well over 90 minutes. When asked what would she prefer black white or colour to portray pain through her photographs, She has seen pain as a Nurse serving patients and also seen the pain in people while photographing them during the conflict, war and disasters. “I prefer to work in Balck and White. It is easy to portray pain through colour pics. But, doing the same through black and white is tough. I always prefer doing tough things first in life she shared.
Humanity or Professional duty what should be the first priority of the news photographer while covering people in distress, or victims in war zones, conflicts or accidents etc.? Given a serious situation of the accident victim, helping him or her should be the first priority. If you don’t, then you are considered as insensitive.
A good photojournalist understands where to draw the line. Photo Journalists are good instant thinkers. Whatever deem fit right in that situation it should be done. If given an opportunity they must exhibit both humanity and professional duty, she replied.
Replying to another question how to handle unfavourable climatic conditions not so conducive for pics, Carol said that is the beauty of the photography. You must produce compelling visual stories out of any given scenario.
Carol was asked to comment on a freak case filed recently against a print media journalist by government administration in Uttar Pradesh for taking pictures, which is the job of photojournalist, Carol said, the role of journalists is fast changing. We are seeing Mobile Journalists and Backback Journalists(the one who reports, photographs and videographs) and produced stories. They are becoming multi-tasking to remain competitive. We can not limit journalists to one particular role now. They have to be multi-tasking. Such arguments do not hold any ground, she shared.
Carol Guzy when asked comment what according to her was a Good news picture? She said it is the one which can be understood, in spite of language barriers by one and all across the world without reading the caption
Carol shared with her fellow photo-journalists how to create gripping visual stories. It was the main takeaway from the interaction with her. She has shown them all her works. Every photo she shared spoke for themselves. Especially photos were taken in war, conflict, in natural calamities and disasters in Haiti, Rwuvanda, Gulf Coast etc conveyed the pain of the people. Each and every photograph was gripping and moved everybody in the hall.
Nursing Degree holder turned Carol also shared her knowledge, wisdom and the vast experience she gained working over three decades. She offered her tips, tricks and the secret sauce behind her distinction as a motivation to budding professionals. It was win-win for both her and her participants to learn from each other’s experience.
Photo-Journalism is a very important part of Journalism as it tells a story through visual medium i.e through images. One photograph is equal to a thousand words it is said. Pictures are informative they inform readers what is happening around the world.
Well over 100 photo Journalists, News Photographers, Photo Enthusiasts, Media Professionals attended the interaction. Aquin Mathews, Festival Director of IPF(Indian Photo Festival), Press Club Office-bearers, PR Professional D. Ramchandram of Solus Media; PRCI Hyderabad Chapter members and others graced the occasion
Carol Guzy was in the city at the invitation of IPF in connection with South Asia’s leading Photography Festival, IPF 2019 to be held from September 19. Nat Geo, the 131 years old global non-profit organization is presenting the 5th Edition of Indian Photography Festival-2019
IPF lined up the world’s iconic photographers for festival like Richard Drew, a 73years Associated Press photo-journalist, known all over the world for capturing the Falling Man from the World Trade Center; British photographer Tim Flach, an animal photographer known for taking human-like portraits of animals; Rachael Strecher, Director of Media Innovation at the National Geographic Society who leads grantmaking to support photographers, writers, filmmakers, data visualization experts, cartographers and other storytellers.
Carol Guzy one of those distinguished photographers who will participate in the IPF 2019(India Photo Festival) festival to begin in the city on Thursday at 5 pm at the State Art Gallery. She will participate along with many other iconic photographers at the inaugural function at State Art Gallery tomorrow. Carol Guzy will address the gathering and make a presentation at the participants on Saturday at 6 pm at the State Art Gallery.