Just when I thought I was at my wit's end and pondering my whole life/project/mission/goals here in Tanzania, wondering what am I really doing here? What am I really going to be able to do with my Fulbright and a (really nice) camera?? What can a Photographer do to help or change anything??!? I find this little article in an old issue of Africa Geographic, the AWF magazine.
"Wildlife conservation legend George Schaller wrote; 'Pen and camera are weapons against oblivion, they can raise awareness for that which may be lost forever.' Photography can be a powerful force for the environment, especially when paired with the collaboration of committed scientists, politicians and policymakers. Conservation photography is instrumental in replacing environmental indifference with a culture of stewardship and passion for our wildlife and wild places, and has never been more important than it is today.
A Harvard University study shows that we just have one-third of a second to catch someone's attention. To do that, you need images that are striking, original, bold and memorable. Without these, a modern audience is unlikely to read or absorb even the most exquisitely crafted text, map or graph.
In Africa, photography has been instrumental in many conservation milestones, from the protection of vast tracts of Congolese rainforests to the creation of 13 National Parks in Gabon..... Senegalese photographer Baba Dioum said: 'For, in the end, we will only conserve what we love, we will only love what we understand, we will only understand what we are taught'. Inspirational wildlife photography teaches such an understanding and fosters a love for our natural world.
The mission of a conservation photographer is to create images that make a difference; images that move people to change behavior that it damaging to the environment and inspire them to use their skills, enthusiasm and financial resources to aid conservation...."
~original article; 'Aldabra Cadabra', by Thomas P. Peschak/Save our Seas Foundation. Africa Geographic, winter 2009
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That a girl Liana! You keep the faith....you are there for a very special reason....it'll come soon, I'm sure of it!
ReplyDeleteHang in there! So few people are given the talent and gift for beautiful art that you are! You hold something very special Liana and I know that what ever you end up doing there, it is already a driving inspiration for many people back over here in MA... there are many who look to your blog as a source of positive energy through their day and find it in your words and photographs! You are a very special person with unbelievable talent and passion for what matters... take that and go far! I know you can! Zack sends his cousin a hug!
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