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  • From: Duane Campbell <dcamp911@juno.com>
  • To: gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [gwl-g] Musings on Abu Ghraib
  • Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 22:28:19 -0400

I've been writing a newspaper column -- words -- for over 25 years. I've
never provided art, though I'm a not-so-bad photographer, even taught
photography at a community college. I've done photos for the occasional
magazine article, but I've never particularly wanted to grind out
photographs.

For the last ten years I've also written a longer piece regularly for a
regional magazine, and for the first five or so years, that, too, was
words, with art coming from a staff photographer. A few years back the
editor asked me if I could provide pictures for something -- I forget
what -- that wasn't easily accessible for the staff guy. And I did.

I was surprised, and a little nonplussed, to discover that I was paid
more for a few photos than I was for the writing, though it did put the
lie to the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. It isn't. A
picture is worth about 400 words, at least to this publication. And while
the words cost me sweat and blood, the pictures cost me only a few
minutes to rifle through old files. Needless to say, I made arrangements
to provide art for all of my articles.

The lead time for this publication is such that I can't go out to the
garden and photograph what I'm writing about. The plants aren't ready
yet. So I need to rely on stock. And therein lies the problem.

I used to write about what I thought was important for the month
involved. Now I write about what I already have pictures for. And I don't
like it. I don't like that my writing, which I consider my primary
thrust, is being wagged by the tail of what photos I have on hand. I
wonder if anyone else has this kind of conflict.

On the other hand, this has given me insight on Abu Ghraib and other news
events. Or news non-events. I remember that the prison abuse was
announced publiclly months ago, and the story went nowhere. Then the
pictures came out. Pictures made it not just front page news, but nearly
obsessive front page news, and it was the power of the pictures that
drove the otherwise old story. As far as the news media -- both print and
electronic -- if there aren't pictures, it isn't news.

As someone who considers himself primarily a writer rather than a
photograher, I find this disturbing, both in the news and in the garden.


D

I am Duane Campbell and I approve this message

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