Annie Leibovitz and James Nachtwey

These past few weeks in the Visual Anthropology class, we have spent time watching films about Annie Leibovitz and James Nachtwey. We got to hear their stories about how they had struggled towards becoming great and famous photographers, and how this had affected their lives as well.

We started watching a film about Annie Leibovitz who first studied art and later on understood that she had a thing for photography. She got the chance to work for Rolling Stone, which really helped her promote her photography. She took a lot of pictures of celebrities.

In one period of her life, Annie understood that she had to push herself harder, and reach places she hadn't reached before. She started to challenge herself and think a new from her older pictures, which led her in to taking pictures which was choreographed or had a fixed setting. This was the time her pictures really started to get a very well recognizable signature. 

Annie Leibovitz, picture from Google

Picture from google

When I saw the video about Annie, it made me remember how important it is to refrain from taking easy solutions, and how much it pays you off, if you work hard and put your whole soul in to the things you are doing. It was so fascinated to see how much she put every tiny little part of herself in to her pictures, and the out coming result. This really makes me want to work as hard as possible with my goals, and stop taking easy solutions. 

James Nachtwey is a professional photographer, who one day realized that he wanted to become a war photograper. He is always among where all the violence happens, and he manages to catch the moment and sorrow among the people he is photographing. He also works in a very calm way which makes the people around him accept him and like him.

When he takes his photos it's like the persons don't notice that he's there. It's like he is allowed to enter a world where no one else can enter. He's is really catching the moment, emotions and feelings where he is. He always show respect to the people he takes photos of which makes them really trust him, and let him get that close to him. 

James Nachtwey, picture from Google

 

Picture from Google

It is so amazing how this man manages to be among all this suffering and not turn crazy himself. This means that he must really be in contact with himself, and have great self control and insight in himself.  How he has managed to not be shot, is also a mystery, since he is one of the photographers who pushes the limits for the sake of his pictures, and puts himself in the middle of where all the bad things happens. 

When you look at both Annie and James, you see how hard they have struggled and still are struggling to reach their goals and to be where they are today. The inspiration you receive from listening to their words, seeing their pictures and understand how these people are, makes you really want to put you heart in to everything you do. It also makes you understand that giving up on things you really wanna do, is never a solution.

Japanese People

This week I have spent a lot of time searching for a Japanese person, which I don't know, who let's me take a picture of him/her.

It did take me a while, and I didn't know what I was looking for either. And I started to believe that I wouldn't find anyone I wanted to take a picture of. But then, one day in the cafeteria I found this Japanese boy with a piercing in his nose, which fascinated me.

In Norway you hardly find boys who has pierced their nose. So this man was my choice.

I asked him if he thought it would be alright if I took a picture of him for my blog. And he said yes at once, without any questions. I had to take him away from his friends, and outside the cafeteria to find a good background.
I thought this was very awkward for him, so I asked if he was okey with everything, and he still said yes. I on my side, felt uncomfortable, because I'm not very used taking picture of strangers. And I was very afraid that he was going to get too embarrassed, so I tried to be as quick as possible. 

He did not seem very nervous, although I could sense that his smile wasn't as real as I wished it would be. But of course he must have felt that this was a bit awkward.

He was very proud of all his piercings as
he had done them himself. All of them.

 

 

When we were finished I forgot to show him the pictures I just had taken of him, and we just went in to the cafeteria again, but since I do understand Japanese, I heard him say to his friends that he thought it was embarrassing. So although he told me he was totally fine with everything, he thought it was embarrassing after all. His friends then, asked me what he had to do, and why, which he in his way tried to answer.

I just realized then, while listening to the conversation, that I had forgotten to show him the pictures. So I went over to his table again and showed him and all his friends the pictures. The girls around the table giggled and said he was very good looking on the pictures, while he himself didn't say that much. He was only smiling.

What I've come to learn about with this experience, is that, when you take a picture of someone you don't know, you have to be all calm and don't freak out. Or else you will do mistakes as I did. Forgetting to show the pictures you've taken, or you forget how to interact. And although you want to be finished as quick as possible, try to relax so you are sure that the pictures will be of good quality.