The Power of Humanitarian Photography: Visual Stories that Inspire Change
For more than a decade I have travelled around the world on humanitarian assignments and personal humanitarian photography projects alike. I wanted to share some of the images that lie in the realm of documentary photojournalism as these were captured during humanitarian assignments without any modification of the scenes playing out in front of me. They are examples of humanitarian photography in situations and causes that are deeply meaningful to me. It is my personal desire for images to be more than zeros and ones on a hard drive but instead drive real impact for social change.
I initially shied aware from the term humanitarian photographer or humanitarian photography as it seemed somewhat self-righteous to say “I’m a humanitarian photographer” or “I do humanitarian photography”. Still, it is a purpose that is personally and deeply meaningful to me, and it is humanity that I seek to capture in my images and happily, I am often successful.
While all humanitarian photographic work may not achieve the same levels of impact, when created carefully with a strong focus on the intended audiences while treating the subjects as respected collaborators, the results can make a measurable meaningful difference for social causes seeking awareness, education or donors.
Women wait to see a doctor at a regional clinic in rural Uganda. © Steven Wade Adams 2017.
Research and pre-production for humanitarian Photography
Whether it is humanitarian photography or a social documentary film project, thorough research and pre-production are essential to ensure the success and impact of the final work. Research involves gaining a deep understanding of the social issue and the community being explored, as well as considering various dimensions for identifying potential subjects and collaborators, topics and locations.
For a humanitarian project using photographs or film, research might involve studying existing literature, news articles, and documentaries related to the chosen topic and seeking interviews to gather firsthand information. Interviews are a firmly established backbone methodology for documentary film but such experts also serve a similarly important role in a well-researched humanitarian photography project. As a trained scientist, I always seek to enter the field having read countless articles on the topic and spent time interviewing experts and considering opposing views as to the potential positive and negative impacts of an intervention or social program to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. I feel that understanding the context of the subject matter is crucial for capturing the essence of the humanitarian story and conveying it effectively through the medium of photographs or film.
Filmakers know that a good story should have a beginning, middle and an end. The story arc is also important for humanitarian photography. A clear sense of story and the intended audience as well as the impact you are seeking helps to focus your collection of assets and provides a platform for stronger storytelling. The detailed script for documentary is usually created after collecting the various assets including the majority (or all) of the filming prior to (and during) the edit. Just like in film, the ultimate story and how it is best told can be discovered in the field or during the process of assembly, so it’s essential to remain open as the process unfolds. One must listen and be aware of the clues that may avail themselves throughout the process. If I maintain my curiosity, sense of wonder and empathy for the subjects, it is not unusual for me to find the final result exponentially more compelling than intimately anticipated.
Types of Humanitarian Photography
Humanitarian photography and documentary projects can take various forms, depending on the subject matter and the intended message. My images for a project often contain a wide range of these images types and approaches amongst others.
1. Portraiture: I love making portraits. I love close and intensely personal portraits. Social causes can be understood or felt in a powerful way by capturing and using personal humanitarian portraits that capture the essence of humanity, in both the individuals and their communities. I find that focusing on the faces and expressions of the subjects, I create some the strongest emotional images relevant to a particular cause.
2. Environmental Photography: Environmental photographs can illustrate the reality of the harshness of environmental issues which are faced by the world most challenged populations and becomes more and more urgent as the impact of accelerating climate change becomes an even greater global concerns.
3. Cultural Photography: Cultural photographs explore the traditions, rituals, and daily lives of different communities, often focusing on preserving cultural heritage and challenging stereotypes. I approach my humanitarian photography as an ethnography or cultural anthropologist, always considering the learned behaviors of human populations that provide unique cultural identity. These include language, music, social organization economy, customs, values, beliefs, adornment, diet, and religion. Rich cultural photography captures as many of these dimensions of humanity as possible.
5.Documentary Photography: Documentary photographs can capture life as it unravels in front of us and provides another powerful dimension to the story of social inequalities, discrimination, and social injustice which can be powerful forces for change.
Young mothers wait for their children’s health exams at a regional clinic in rural Uganda © Steven Wade Adams 2017
Creating compelling humanitarian images and content for social documentary
Finding and selecting the right subjects is crucial for the success of any social documentary project. The most compelling images seek to tell to deep personal impacts of a challenge and/or intervention and are representative of the larger social issue being addressed. When researching a project I always seek to go beyond the quick snapshot, serving to understand the challenges and emotion of those that are subjects of the project and how to most effectively tell their unique stories.
Finding the most appropriate and compelling subjects is not easy. It takes a lot of work before and while in the field. It require adaptability and flexibility with your schedule and certainly large helping of empathy and respect. I always seek to engage in as many conversations before the assignment as possible for that the identification of potential subjects is as streamlined as possible. Having advanced knowledge of the people and their challenge helps to gain their trust and consent for meaningful collaboration. Building such relationships and trust is essential for creating an authentic and meaningful portrayal of their stories and lives. Taking the time to be curious and understand their experiences, concerns, and aspirations can help shape the narrative and ensure that their voices are accurately and sensitively represented.
When selecting those who will tell their stories, diversity and representation of program beneficiaries as active participants creates a more inclusive and compelling portrayal of the issue at hand and reaches more firmly across our shared humanity which is key to securing a comprehensive view of the issue and allowing it to be understood across cultures by a range of stakeholders.
Conclusion: Humanitarian Photography to create a more empathetic and just society
Capturing compelling humanitarian images for social documentary that most suceffully aligns with your organizations needs requires the capability of strategic consideration of your goals, a capacity for in-depth understanding of the problems that are being address as wells at the photographic technical skill, artistic vision, all coupled with a strong sense of empathy and personal connection with the cause to authentically convey the essence of the stories that need to be told.
When accepting global humanitarian assignments, I seek causes that are personal meaningful and provide an opportunity for authentic and personal storytelling that has the potential for substantial social impact. Please contact me if you wish to discuss a potential collaboration with myself and Global Odyssey Media.