Proof: The Photographers on Photography | National Geographic

don't worry I'm a professional photography has the power to good photography has the power power power the power to undo your assumptions about the world change your perspective on life and surprise people with something that they had no idea existed inspired horrify stop time for a moment there's an incredible passport to people's lives images are so powerful that they can change the course of people's lives they can and change the course of history photography can change the world never underestimate the power of a still frame how can we make the horror that we see in these pictures stop when people see those photographs I hope that they are overcome with a sense of urgency I want them to ask and scream for change to see that oh that could be me make connections between people it's a universal language one little Hammer a weapon against what's wrong out there you have to care you really have to care it sounds simple but I I even get emotional sometimes when I talk about you cannot do Superior work if you're indifferent how you going to do that it's not the individual photograph it's what you do with it and who you engage with it that makes it powerful while we live in a world where it's easy to say that people don't care anymore it's been proven to me time and again that people do care how could you ever be done no you don't ever think you're done you just have to do it there's always one more picture just one more yes it takes like years of working just wait a minute one more just to hone your vision then I'll be done no I won't the moment you think you've got it you you're dead I think it is an addiction to be in the presence of powerful human emotions to see the incredible beauty and desperate circumstances that people are able to survive in to see the heroic nature of humanity I photograph to stand you name it we can do it you could drop us off any place on Earth and we' get the job done we would it's all we've ever done what does it take to be an underwater photographer we go to the ends of the Earth and then we go underwater there is nothing more beautiful captivating amazing spiritual as what's around us right now I try and cover the emotion and the moment and if there is any way to make it a bit beautiful and intense and wonderful is what I'm seeing right now in front of me the goal for me is to not turn the reader away the goal for me is to pull in the reader and to have them ask questions and that's what I'm trying to bring to people that's what I really try and do we're not operating in a vacuum human beings you know can't exist alone and I find that some little tiny beetle with bright green green eyes is no less magnificent than a grizzly bear um and no less magnificent than me my main subject has been the collision between human needs and nature and that contact Zone I've always believed is one of the the the critical issues of our time we'll never understand communities that are not like ourselves uh without time everyone can take a good picture especially now but to take great photographs you need time you need patience you need support and natural geographic gives you that it might not happen with one image it might take thousands of images layered in a Consciousness a national Consciousness an individual Consciousness to really move people forward move people to action but I do believe images have that power power to open your mind uh change your life uh connect you to the rest of the world it makes me feel alive and connected to the world and maybe so just brief little moments I feel like maybe I understand something about the world what I have learned traveling and photographing in so many countries is that there is not one right way of living it's more important how people are the same than how they're different to Revel in the complexity and beauty of the natural world um and then to remember that to to then apply that to my human neighbors as well we are all human beings with desires with tragedies with joy with laughter and that is much more than what separates us if you want to be a photographer particularly a photojournalist you want to learn about the world and you want to learn about yourself and you want to find things that you genuinely care about cuz that will be the source of the greatest work you'll [Music] do okay here's my standard oneliner bit of advice if you want to be a better photographer stand in front of more interesting stuff that's it you can go home [Laughter] [Music] now

Channel: National Geographic

Views: 287,973

Keywords: national geographic, nat geo, natgeo, animals, wildlife, science, explore, discover, survival, nature, documentary, National Geographic, photographer, photographers, interview, series, interviews, trailer, photo, photograph, picture, National Geographic Magazine, proof, 125, years, video, youtube

Id: 6tVlMaBNkpg

Length: 5min 52sec (352 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 15 2013