Chapter 9 - What Motivates Photojournalists

Ruddy Roye
Photo By: unknown 

Ruddy Roye is a photographer from Jamaica. On his website, ruddyroye.com, his inspiration is described as “the raw and gritty lives of grass-roots people, especially those of his homeland of Jamaica. Radcliffe strives to tell the stories of their victories and ills by bringing their voices to matte fibre paper.”. I think this motivates a lot of people regardless of their upbringing, gender, race, occupation, or wealth. Activism plays a major role in today’s society and, in turn, plays a major role in people’s lives. In an article written by Olivier Laurent for TIME Magazine, Ruddy explains his motivations in regards to his photography. In the article, Ruddy says “I shoot because I see. I shoot because if I don’t, I don’t know who will. Activism is seen as a dirty word. I shoot because I find peace in being especially active, and being a vigorous advocate for a cause.” Photography is more than a hobby to Ruddy. He feels as if it’s his mission to be the voice for people who don’t have one. The same could be said for National Geographic photojournalist Lynn Johnson. She explains

Photo By: Ruddy Roye

in an interview how she feels it is important for her as a woman to be proficient. While explaining how the photojournalism field is dominated by males she says “It matters, it’s an issue, but you can’t allow it to intrude on your growth, on what you decide to cover, on your process, or how you dream.”. Both of these photographers come from different backgrounds, are different genders and races, but share a common goal. They strive to work for something bigger than themselves. 

Stephanie Sinclair
Photo By: Unknown

Stephanie Sinclair is a photojournalist who has worked on many projects during her career. According to her website, stephaniesinclair.com, “Ms. Sinclair’s images mark an exchange of trust and compassion. But by consenting to be photographed at their most vulnerable, the people depicted in these images also demonstrate a rare bravery.”. This quote from her biography immediately reminded me of Stacy Pearsall, a former Air Force Combat Photojournalist. According to the video “Veterans Portrait Project”, after she was injured in combat as told she can no longer photograph for the military, she wanted to prove to herself that she was “still worthy of something still”. While in the VA Hospital she began taking portraits of veterans from all wars and backgrounds. By doing this she was able to somehow tell their stories years later through a series of simple, yet intricate and emotional, portraits. Furthermore, Stephanie Sinclair has shown through her work that her photographs will influence change.

Photo By: Stephanie Sinclair

In the TIME Magazine article referenced earlier, she says “I still believe in the power of journalism and photojournalism to spark positive change — in a world where the pursuit of self-interest is prioritized by so many, its role speaking truth to power when all other avenues fail is unparalleled.”. Just as Stacy believed in her photographs after she was taken out of combat, Stephanie believes her work can change the lives of people around the globe.

Laura Morton
Image By: Unknown

Laura Norton, in the TIME Magazine article written by Olivier Laurent, said the reason she originally got into photography was because she was interested in history. She later states “One day, while studying the Industrial Revolution, I found myself very saddened by a photograph of a child in a factory. I remember realizing in that moment that both the child and photographer were likely no longer alive and I became fascinated by how the photograph could make me so upset for the hard life of someone who lived so many decades before me.”. After seeing this, I thought of Lewis Hine, a photojournalist who documented child labor and fought for child labor laws in the United States. In the Video “Lewis Hine- A Progressive Reformer”, it talks about how he thought his pictures may spark inspiration in civilians to fight alongside him in the pursuit of child labor laws. In the TIME Magazine article, Laura Norton says “I believe it’s incredibly important for photographers to document everyday life and even sometimes the seemingly mundane, not just for a better understanding of our times, but for individuals in the future to be able to reflect on who they are and how they got there." She later states “I pick stories and pursue the projects I do with the goal of documenting not only important issues of our time, but ones that will also be relevant or perhaps even more vital for our understanding of humanity in the future.”. She and Lewis Hine share many motivations and inspirations when it comes to their work. They are connected on a deeper level because of the passion they have for changing lives. The photo that sparked her inspiration may have even been taken by Lewis Hine himself. 

Photo By: Laura Norton

There are obviously many things that motivate photojournalists. Just from these three people specifically, some motivations were activism, history, changing the lives of future generations, telling someone's story, and proving self worth. I, personally, have never seen myself an an activist. Or not the type of activist you see today. I have strong beliefs but I don't go out of my way to shout them from the rooftops. I think what motivates me the most is my future. I want to make a name for myself. I fell in love with design because I wanted to create something that was internationally recognizable. When you think of famous brands you think of a logo, or an advertising campaign. I want to be the guy who creates that iconic image, logo, graphic, or campaign. Furthermore, I want to provide for the people in my life. My success as a professional will have a huge impact on the people around me. I want to be able to provide as much as humanly possible to make their lives comfortable and complete. 

My Motivational Map