you know how they say single image can tell a whole story to an extent I agree
tell a whole story to an extent I agree
tell a whole story to an extent I agree with that I think that’s true but the
with that I think that’s true but the
with that I think that’s true but the thing is that there’s difference between
thing is that there’s difference between
thing is that there’s difference between telling a story and telling the whole
telling a story and telling the whole
telling a story and telling the whole story and most images only have the
story and most images only have the
story and most images only have the ability to tell one story one side of
ability to tell one story one side of
ability to tell one story one side of the whole story another problem is that
the whole story another problem is that
the whole story another problem is that sometimes we don’t even know if that
sometimes we don’t even know if that
sometimes we don’t even know if that story is true but the thing is that an
story is true but the thing is that an
story is true but the thing is that an image or a photograph has the ability to
image or a photograph has the ability to
image or a photograph has the ability to plant a seed in our minds and that seed
plant a seed in our minds and that seed
plant a seed in our minds and that seed can be grown and fertilized by other
can be grown and fertilized by other
can be grown and fertilized by other similar images that collectively shaped
similar images that collectively shaped
similar images that collectively shaped the way we feel about something now for
the way we feel about something now for
the way we feel about something now for the last almost 30 years I have been
the last almost 30 years I have been
the last almost 30 years I have been involved in search and rescue as a
involved in search and rescue as a
involved in search and rescue as a volunteer and as a professional now
volunteer and as a professional now
volunteer and as a professional now about five years ago I turned the page
about five years ago I turned the page
about five years ago I turned the page and became a professional photographer
and became a professional photographer
and became a professional photographer and while I suit anything from bags of
and while I suit anything from bags of
and while I suit anything from bags of dog food to the Northern Lights for a
dog food to the Northern Lights for a
dog food to the Northern Lights for a living I like to think that I specialize
living I like to think that I specialize
living I like to think that I specialize in a combination of my two lifelong
in a combination of my two lifelong
in a combination of my two lifelong passions with its photography and search
passions with its photography and search
passions with its photography and search and rescue I call it emergency
and rescue I call it emergency
and rescue I call it emergency photography and one of my clients is I
photography and one of my clients is I
photography and one of my clients is I shot this is the Icelandic Association
shot this is the Icelandic Association
shot this is the Icelandic Association for search and rescue now as an
for search and rescue now as an
for search and rescue now as an organization of volunteers they rely
organization of volunteers they rely
organization of volunteers they rely heavily upon public donations and so
heavily upon public donations and so
heavily upon public donations and so showing the work that they do is
showing the work that they do is
showing the work that they do is absolutely critical for them now some of
absolutely critical for them now some of
absolutely critical for them now some of that candy shot during actual operations
that candy shot during actual operations
that candy shot during actual operations a lot of it can be shot during training
a lot of it can be shot during training
a lot of it can be shot during training and exercises but due to the nature of
and exercises but due to the nature of
and exercises but due to the nature of it some of it simply needs to be
it some of it simply needs to be
it some of it simply needs to be recreated or staged in order to properly
recreated or staged in order to properly
recreated or staged in order to properly describe the conditions and the work
describe the conditions and the work
describe the conditions and the work that these people are doing and also to
that these people are doing and also to
that these people are doing and also to protect all the people involved so while
protect all the people involved so while
protect all the people involved so while you look at some of those images I want
you look at some of those images I want
you look at some of those images I want you to try and imagine if they are too
you to try and imagine if they are too
you to try and imagine if they are too or not how they make you feel are these
or not how they make you feel are these
or not how they make you feel are these images taken during an actual operation
images taken during an actual operation
images taken during an actual operation or is it even during training what do
or is it even during training what do
or is it even during training what do you think that some of them might
you think that some of them might
you think that some of them might actually be staged so how do they make
actually be staged so how do they make
actually be staged so how do they make you feel what are you thinking about
you feel what are you thinking about
you feel what are you thinking about those people and the work that they are
those people and the work that they are
those people and the work that they are doing I have a feeling that some of you
doing I have a feeling that some of you
doing I have a feeling that some of you might be thinking something like you
might be thinking something like you
might be thinking something like you know those are pretty tough people or
know those are pretty tough people or
know those are pretty tough people or even something like know whose
even something like know whose
even something like know whose conditions are pretty cruel or or even
conditions are pretty cruel or or even
conditions are pretty cruel or or even boy am I glad that I don’t have to be
boy am I glad that I don’t have to be
boy am I glad that I don’t have to be out there somewhere else who wants to do
out there somewhere else who wants to do
out there somewhere else who wants to do it and the fact is that’s kind of what I
it and the fact is that’s kind of what I
it and the fact is that’s kind of what I wanted you to think that’s how I
wanted you to think that’s how I
wanted you to think that’s how I selected those images and what’s even
selected those images and what’s even
selected those images and what’s even more that’s way ahead in mind when I
more that’s way ahead in mind when I
more that’s way ahead in mind when I photographed some of them and if we take
photographed some of them and if we take
photographed some of them and if we take that even further that’s what I stated
that even further that’s what I stated
that even further that’s what I stated some of them to do so then the question
some of them to do so then the question
some of them to do so then the question becomes are these image is true or not
becomes are these image is true or not
becomes are these image is true or not and if they are – do they tell the whole
and if they are – do they tell the whole
and if they are – do they tell the whole story
story
story but to me they are all – in the wrong
but to me they are all – in the wrong
but to me they are all – in the wrong way the ones taking doing actual
way the ones taking doing actual
way the ones taking doing actual operations and training definitely are –
operations and training definitely are –
operations and training definitely are – and the ones that are state can also be
and the ones that are state can also be
and the ones that are state can also be argued to be true because they describe
argued to be true because they describe
argued to be true because they describe actual conditions and actual operations
actual conditions and actual operations
actual conditions and actual operations that’s like a written text to do is it
that’s like a written text to do is it
that’s like a written text to do is it the whole story absolutely not I mean
the whole story absolutely not I mean
the whole story absolutely not I mean there’s still a lot of less important or
there’s still a lot of less important or
there’s still a lot of less important or less sexy things that they do there’s
less sexy things that they do there’s
less sexy things that they do there’s all those meetings there’s all those
all those meetings there’s all those
all those meetings there’s all those were planning and fundraising and all
were planning and fundraising and all
were planning and fundraising and all that different stories but those are
that different stories but those are
that different stories but those are stories that are perhaps less likely to
stories that are perhaps less likely to
stories that are perhaps less likely to get people to part with the money input
get people to part with the money input
get people to part with the money input in order to fund this important work so
in order to fund this important work so
in order to fund this important work so my point is that by the way we
my point is that by the way we
my point is that by the way we photograph and by the way we select and
photograph and by the way we select and
photograph and by the way we select and edit the images we can affect the way
edit the images we can affect the way
edit the images we can affect the way people feel about something and we can
people feel about something and we can
people feel about something and we can focus people’s attention on something
focus people’s attention on something
focus people’s attention on something and I want to tell you a story about
and I want to tell you a story about
and I want to tell you a story about when a bit is and my own images in that
when a bit is and my own images in that
when a bit is and my own images in that case refocus my attention to something
case refocus my attention to something
case refocus my attention to something about two years ago I took on the role
about two years ago I took on the role
about two years ago I took on the role of team leader and photographer for our
of team leader and photographer for our
of team leader and photographer for our team of people setting up wireless
team of people setting up wireless
team of people setting up wireless internet connections and mobile phone
internet connections and mobile phone
internet connections and mobile phone chatting for Refugees in some of the
chatting for Refugees in some of the
chatting for Refugees in some of the Greek islands now this was my first
Greek islands now this was my first
Greek islands now this was my first contact with his crisis and like most
contact with his crisis and like most
contact with his crisis and like most people I had almost become used to
people I had almost become used to
people I had almost become used to images of suffering and sorrow and
images of suffering and sorrow and
images of suffering and sorrow and hopelessness so that’s what I prepared
hopelessness so that’s what I prepared
hopelessness so that’s what I prepared to photograph that’s what I thought my
to photograph that’s what I thought my
to photograph that’s what I thought my images would be coming but instead I
images would be coming but instead I
images would be coming but instead I felt hope and I saw a lot more smiles
felt hope and I saw a lot more smiles
felt hope and I saw a lot more smiles than I expected I would see and I felt a
than I expected I would see and I felt a
than I expected I would see and I felt a lot of gratitude from those people for
lot of gratitude from those people for
lot of gratitude from those people for what we were worried what we were doing
what we were worried what we were doing
what we were worried what we were doing there so that’s what I photographed
there so that’s what I photographed
there so that’s what I photographed instead a different story a story that
instead a different story a story that
instead a different story a story that is indeed a very very narrow perspective
is indeed a very very narrow perspective
is indeed a very very narrow perspective on this crisis but it’s still a true
on this crisis but it’s still a true
on this crisis but it’s still a true story
story
story much like all the images of suffering
much like all the images of suffering
much like all the images of suffering and sorrow and hopelessness that we’ve
and sorrow and hopelessness that we’ve
and sorrow and hopelessness that we’ve seen also show a true story but they
seen also show a true story but they
seen also show a true story but they still refocused my attention on this
still refocused my attention on this
still refocused my attention on this crisis I realized that of course there’s
crisis I realized that of course there’s
crisis I realized that of course there’s no one simple story there’s no one
no one simple story there’s no one
no one simple story there’s no one simple truth in fact the truths are
simple truth in fact the truths are
simple truth in fact the truths are probably as many as the stories of those
probably as many as the stories of those
probably as many as the stories of those people our versions of the truth however
people our versions of the truth however
people our versions of the truth however as on Lucas to this crisis are shaped by
as on Lucas to this crisis are shaped by
as on Lucas to this crisis are shaped by what we are shown and the images that we
what we are shown and the images that we
what we are shown and the images that we look at and then the seeds are planted
look at and then the seeds are planted
look at and then the seeds are planted and those seeds that grow into being our
and those seeds that grow into being our
and those seeds that grow into being our emotions and into being our feelings and
emotions and into being our feelings and
emotions and into being our feelings and ultimately into being our opinions now
ultimately into being our opinions now
ultimately into being our opinions now this ability of the photograph to
this ability of the photograph to
this ability of the photograph to refocus our attention on something
refocus our attention on something
refocus our attention on something became even more evident to me when I
became even more evident to me when I
became even more evident to me when I got home and edited my images from this
got home and edited my images from this
got home and edited my images from this mission from thousands of images I
mission from thousands of images I
mission from thousands of images I narrowed my selection to about thirty to
narrowed my selection to about thirty to
narrowed my selection to about thirty to fifty describing the work we were doing
fifty describing the work we were doing
fifty describing the work we were doing there and the effects that it had and I
there and the effects that it had and I
there and the effects that it had and I started seeing and feeling things that I
started seeing and feeling things that I
started seeing and feeling things that I had not seen or felt when I was there
had not seen or felt when I was there
had not seen or felt when I was there even having been there and spoken to the
even having been there and spoken to the
even having been there and spoken to the people and listen to the stories the
people and listen to the stories the
people and listen to the stories the collective impact of my own images still
collective impact of my own images still
collective impact of my own images still had an added effect on me afterwards and
had an added effect on me afterwards and
had an added effect on me afterwards and mine too not the quality of him since I
mine too not the quality of him since I
mine too not the quality of him since I regard most of those as snapshots and
regard most of those as snapshots and
regard most of those as snapshots and I’m probably more of my own harshest
I’m probably more of my own harshest
I’m probably more of my own harshest critic but rather the content and mainly
critic but rather the content and mainly
critic but rather the content and mainly the collective effect of that selection
the collective effect of that selection
the collective effect of that selection and this made me think about my own
and this made me think about my own
and this made me think about my own emergency photography see my whole life
emergency photography see my whole life
emergency photography see my whole life has been search and rescue since I was
has been search and rescue since I was
has been search and rescue since I was 16 years old I’ve been more or less
16 years old I’ve been more or less
16 years old I’ve been more or less completely immersed in certain rescue
completely immersed in certain rescue
completely immersed in certain rescue it’s been my hobby my profession and
it’s been my hobby my profession and
it’s been my hobby my profession and pretty much my life and borderlining on
pretty much my life and borderlining on
pretty much my life and borderlining on obsession at times but still looking at
obsession at times but still looking at
obsession at times but still looking at it through the lens of a camera made me
it through the lens of a camera made me
it through the lens of a camera made me see things about it I had not seen
see things about it I had not seen
see things about it I had not seen before
before
before I certainly gained more respect for
I certainly gained more respect for
I certainly gained more respect for those people and more respect for that
those people and more respect for that
those people and more respect for that work so while I do think and I do
work so while I do think and I do
work so while I do think and I do believe that without my background in
believe that without my background in
believe that without my background in search-and-rescue my photographs of it
search-and-rescue my photographs of it
search-and-rescue my photographs of it would definitely not be the same but
would definitely not be the same but
would definitely not be the same but that’s kind of a given we already know
that’s kind of a given we already know
that’s kind of a given we already know that the insider perspective is always
that the insider perspective is always
that the insider perspective is always beneficial for a photographer what I did
beneficial for a photographer what I did
beneficial for a photographer what I did not expect however and what is the
not expect however and what is the
not expect however and what is the surprise is that it’s also the other way
surprise is that it’s also the other way
surprise is that it’s also the other way around
around
around that is photography now affected the way
that is photography now affected the way
that is photography now affected the way I saw certain rescue even though it’s
I saw certain rescue even though it’s
I saw certain rescue even though it’s been my whole life so that’s when I
been my whole life so that’s when I
been my whole life so that’s when I realized that for me that’s probably the
realized that for me that’s probably the
realized that for me that’s probably the true power of the photograph to focus
true power of the photograph to focus
true power of the photograph to focus our attention and then sometimes refocus
our attention and then sometimes refocus
our attention and then sometimes refocus it only way we see the world around us
it only way we see the world around us
it only way we see the world around us thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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