From the biographical documentary Sebastiao Salgado film "Salt of the Earth". The movie narrator is speaking of Salgado's major 6 year photography, almost 30 country project - book "Workers", which followed his project - book on Africa "Sahel" :
"He came on a different mission now with a changed view but he was still the same man, driven by the same empathy for the human condition."
I think that is the key characteristic a social documentary photographer must have, they must have a deep seeded all encompassing empathy for the human condition. Salgado, James Nachtwey and Donald McCullin have it, Eugene Smith, Mary Ellen Mark, Walker Evans and Lewis Hine all had it.
When you have "empathy for the human condition" as your foundation you can make strong photographs that tell important stories. I do not think you can understate how important this is. It leads you on, and pushes you forward, it is the source fire that stokes your work.
"He came on a different mission now with a changed view but he was still the same man, driven by the same empathy for the human condition."
I think that is the key characteristic a social documentary photographer must have, they must have a deep seeded all encompassing empathy for the human condition. Salgado, James Nachtwey and Donald McCullin have it, Eugene Smith, Mary Ellen Mark, Walker Evans and Lewis Hine all had it.
When you have "empathy for the human condition" as your foundation you can make strong photographs that tell important stories. I do not think you can understate how important this is. It leads you on, and pushes you forward, it is the source fire that stokes your work.
