Proof: Marcus Bleasdale on Shock and Change | National Geographic

for a lot of photographers the

for a lot of photographers the photograph is kind of the ultimate goal

photograph is kind of the ultimate goal

photograph is kind of the ultimate goal but for me it’s the start of the process

but for me it’s the start of the process

but for me it’s the start of the process once we have this picture where can we

once we have this picture where can we

once we have this picture where can we take it who can we show it to how can we

take it who can we show it to how can we

take it who can we show it to how can we make the horror that we see in these

make the horror that we see in these

make the horror that we see in these pictures stop it’s not the individual

pictures stop it’s not the individual

pictures stop it’s not the individual photograph it’s what you do with it and

photograph it’s what you do with it and

photograph it’s what you do with it and who you engage with it that makes it

who you engage with it that makes it

who you engage with it that makes it powerful historically with Indy I see

powerful historically with Indy I see

powerful historically with Indy I see we’ve had more than 20 years of war that

we’ve had more than 20 years of war that

we’ve had more than 20 years of war that have been centered around the access to

have been centered around the access to

have been centered around the access to natural resources that we in the West

natural resources that we in the West

natural resources that we in the West use every day whether we use them in our

use every day whether we use them in our

use every day whether we use them in our mobile phones or whether we use them in

mobile phones or whether we use them in

mobile phones or whether we use them in computers we’re part of these walls we

computers we’re part of these walls we

computers we’re part of these walls we create these walls due to the demands

create these walls due to the demands

create these walls due to the demands that we have within our own societies

that we have within our own societies

that we have within our own societies the reason photography is an essential

the reason photography is an essential

the reason photography is an essential tool in this message is that sometimes

tool in this message is that sometimes

tool in this message is that sometimes there is no way to communicate about

there is no way to communicate about

there is no way to communicate about that 12 year-old child soldier better

that 12 year-old child soldier better

that 12 year-old child soldier better than me putting his life right in front

than me putting his life right in front

than me putting his life right in front of you me putting him on your kitchen

of you me putting him on your kitchen

of you me putting him on your kitchen table or on your computer screen so that

table or on your computer screen so that

table or on your computer screen so that you can see this young boy 12 years old

you can see this young boy 12 years old

you can see this young boy 12 years old with a Kalashnikov on his back cycling

with a Kalashnikov on his back cycling

with a Kalashnikov on his back cycling down a road who can’t even touch the

down a road who can’t even touch the

down a road who can’t even touch the pedals of the bike that he’s stolen at

pedals of the bike that he’s stolen at

pedals of the bike that he’s stolen at gunpoint all of these little details you

gunpoint all of these little details you

gunpoint all of these little details you you can only get with a photograph you

you can only get with a photograph you

you can only get with a photograph you can only get by engaging with that image

can only get by engaging with that image

can only get by engaging with that image you could only see the youthfulness of

you could only see the youthfulness of

you could only see the youthfulness of his face contrasted by this gun that

his face contrasted by this gun that

his face contrasted by this gun that he’s pointing at you through the

he’s pointing at you through the

he’s pointing at you through the photograph that you only get with this

photograph that you only get with this

photograph that you only get with this medium and that’s why it’s so important

medium and that’s why it’s so important

medium and that’s why it’s so important because without that shock without that

because without that shock without that

because without that shock without that engagement without that initial anger

engagement without that initial anger

engagement without that initial anger that starts at that point when you turn

that starts at that point when you turn

that starts at that point when you turn a page and you see that image of that

a page and you see that image of that

a page and you see that image of that child holding a gun when actually he

child holding a gun when actually he

child holding a gun when actually he should be playing soccer with your child

should be playing soccer with your child

should be playing soccer with your child who’s 11 he shouldn’t be walking around

who’s 11 he shouldn’t be walking around

who’s 11 he shouldn’t be walking around with

with

with and I want all these people that see

and I want all these people that see

and I want all these people that see these images on their kitchen table or

these images on their kitchen table or

these images on their kitchen table or on their computer to be as angry as I am

on their computer to be as angry as I am

on their computer to be as angry as I am when I’m taking them I want them to ask

when I’m taking them I want them to ask

when I’m taking them I want them to ask and scream for change when they see

and scream for change when they see

and scream for change when they see these images and that can only happen I

these images and that can only happen I

these images and that can only happen I think with the photograph