Inside The Lens

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Through the Camera Lens

Photos for many serve as graphic records of a particular time . It is not unusual that the sight of photographs can give way to a great time of bonding and reminiscing about days gone past . The newss and other print media have recognized the power of a photo to make a story come alive and become more real for their readers

There is even the old clichy "A picture says a thousand words " that says just how powerful a simple photo can be in

communicating ideas and emotions . The production of such powerful and provocative pictures has become the goal of photographers and photojournalists alike

Whether their aim is to promote beauty or simply show the audience what they see .the object of a photograph can be highly subjective both for the photographer and the viewer . There are some photographic works however , whose message cannot be mistaken . Signs of the times and life as it is lived is just one of the more provocative focal points that a photographer may choose for his work

How effective the photo will be however , depends on the skill and vision of the person holding the camera . For this , we look at the work and artistry of W . Eugene Smith and Mary Ellen Mark . Photographers whose lives are separated by many years , yet are kindred spirits in their passion for their work and the impact they have made in the field of photojournalism

W . Eugene Smith "Humanity is worth more than a picture of humanity that serves no purpose other than exploitation (Cohen

Born in Wichita , Kansas in 1918 , Smith is recognized as one of the masters of modern photojournalism . He was led to this profession after a news published a distorted account of his father 's suicide . This experience gave him the determination to strive for complete and honesty in his work

After a brief stint working for the magazine Newsweek , Smith also worked freelance for many leading magazines including Collier 's , Life and Harper 's Bazaar before landing a job at the New York Times . Here he got to develop an innovative flash technique while working with miniature 35mm cameras . The technique allowed him to produce indoor photos having the appearance of natural or lamp lighting (Greenspun

Soon World War II broke out and Smith found himself covering the Pacific Theatre for LIFE magazine . His photos of the war are reputed to be among the best in capturing its harsh realities . According to Smith , he took the photos hoping that they may serve as an argument against war .I would that my photographs might be , not the coverage of a news-event but and indictment of war - the brutal corrupting viciousness of its doing to the minds and bodies of men and that my photographs might be a powerful emotional catalyst to the reasoning which would help this vile and criminal stupidity from beginning again (Smith

His wartime career however , was cut short in 1945...