There's nothing like listening to a photographer talk about his/her work. But what's even more impressive...is listening to a photographer who has overcome immense obstacles - and still feels the passion and desire to capture images to tell a story.
That is what freelance photojournalist John Trotter talked about during one of the sessions at SPJ Nationals today. (www.johntrotterphoto.com)
He started off his session by talking about how photojournalists only visualize themselves being endangered in war zones when out on the job. But then he described his ordinary day. While out shooting photos for a feature, he was nearly beaten to death and taken to the hospital. When he woke up about a week later - his brain was injured and he had to relearn everything: walk, talk, remember, and push the shutter button on a camera.
He would ask for his camera and not even remember asking for it. He began a photo project on others who were receiving treatment at a brain injury institution. It helped him relearn how to be a photographer. And he continues to this day - as a freelance photographer.
When the session was over I had to ask him - what drives you to be a photographer after going through such a tramatic event?
He said that taking photographs helped him to grieve, cope with the experience and move on. In some ways it's somewhat therapeutic. It made perfect sense to me. He also told me that although it took him a while to get back out in the world as a photojournalist, after spending a year photographing at the brain injury treatment center, at this point in his life - he isn't timid to be out on the streets taking photos.
He used a quote during his presentation: "Photography (the camera) relieves for us the burden of memory."
Enough said.
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