It’s what I do
When I think about the word anecdote I typically think of something light hearted
, warm or even funny. These are 3 things that this book is definitely not. It was a
heavy read and honestly took a while to get through. There was one comical moment
towards the end while Lynsey is pregnant and had to walk through a body scanner
three times thanks to some rude individuals and in a brief moment of comical relief
she makes a comment about her baby being born with three heads. For me this moment
was negative because as you read the book it is clear that Addario just wants that one
epic shot and she will put herself and even her unborn child in danger for just a chance.
Other than that this book was kind of sad and obviously eye opening.
Photojournalism is a completely different kind of photography. You can't plan a shot or
set up the right light. It's all about working with what you have. And if you're going to be
shooting in a war zone you better become very comfortable with bullets whizzing past
your head on a daily basis. Falling asleep at night with the sound of bombs going off all
around will be your norm. Addairo references sunrise light on a few occasions which
leads me to believe that she loves photos with more of a glow. Ultimately, you get what
you get in the conditions she was typically working in and you go where the action is
which means you probably won't get your dream sunrise glowing action shot. It is very
clear that Addario lives for the shot that tells the story and since she is a photojournalist
it is good that she has that drive. Photojournalism is after all basically telling a story
through images.
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| This is her most powerful image she has in her book. She talks about this poor child and about his situation that has happened living by the war zone and what's happened to all of his family and friends as well. (image is in the last section of photo pages in the book) |
jobs she takes are the scariest places to be during the worst possible times, and yet she
would march tight in there on the front line and shoot everything she could. I can see how
some would call her crazy, but in my opinion she was being a little selfish. Time after time
she put herself in the scariest situation possible and multiple times her family had to worry
whether or not she was alive. After several near death experiences and pleading from
family to be safe she would go right back to the most dangerous place and throw herself
on the front line for the shot. Being kidnapped on two different occasions and being
assaulted and nearly dying in a horrendous car accident, she still chose to go back to a war
zone again and again. However on the flip side I can somewhat relate to Addarios passion
for her work. As someone who is planning on being a Firefighter/EMT my job will require
me to run into dangerous situations on a very regular basis. I too will need to be comfortable
throwing myself in seniors that could potentially end my life or seriously injure me. My family
and friends will definitely worry about my safety and well being everytime I'm on shift.
Being on the front line and saving lives requires some sacrifice on my behalf and on the
behalf of those who care about me. So I have to ask myself, was Addario crazy or just
dedicated to her job? And I have to lean on the side of dedication. She vowed to help tell
the stories of war and the horrible casualties that come from it, even though that meant
risking her life everyday.
I definitely learned that when it comes to a fast paced situation your photos won't be
perfect and aren't really meant to be anyway. Their purpose is to help tell the story of the
truth along with the writer's commentary. As a Firefighter/EMT there may be times when
I need to snap some photos to review later and I wont always have the right light or being
to see all the things I need to see but being able to take a shot and get what I can is
important in it's own right.
My most favorite photo from Addarios book is of the young boy who had to come to a
US military base for medical treatment for injuries he received as a result of bombs
dropped by the US. It was powerful, and devastating at the same time. It was like that
little boy's eye, full of tears that were ready to split over at any second were staring
right at me. The scrapes and cuts from the shrapnel that splattered his tiny face were a
hard sight to see and in that one photo suddenly the reality of war became even more
real than I had already known. I was absolutely shocked to read that Addarios photo
was pulled from the story she shot it for because a military correspondent thought it
might upset the public to see an innocent child fall victim to the war and the bomb the US
dropped. I was also pleased to read that Addario stood up for herself and her beautiful
shot with her email to the paper. It really helped me understand her passion and drive for
getting that one amazing shot that truly tells the story with no words needed at all.
Not long after Addario gets back from her terrifying ordeal in Libya where she and several
of her colleagues were kidnapped and assaulted for days, she gets a gut wrenching email
from an old acquaintance informing her of the untimely death of a dear friend and fellow
colleague. After staring at the words on her phone screen for several minutes she writes
"Something in me snapped" (pg 245) when I read this line it absolutely shocked me that
it took her that many years to finally feel the devastation of what she lived day in and
day out.
If you want to read a first hand and very detailed account of what it's like to be in war?
Then you might enjoy this book. Addario explains everything with pretty vivid detail and
of course there are pictures too. It is a tough read if war is something that you don't
agree with or if it scares you. It is also pretty shocking how much danger she is willing
to put her unborn child in and the amount of worry and strife she causes her family
and loved ones. Reading about the danger and conditions she willing endured while
creating life was a lot. It is however, a very up close and personal look at what war is like
on the front lines, and if that's something you're into then go ahead and give this book
a read.
This is her most powerful image she has in her book. She talks about this poor child
and about his situation that has happened living by the war zone and what's
happened to all of his family and friends as well.
(image is in the last section of photo pages in the book).
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