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Writer's pictureAbhishek Deb

Photo Journalism & War – A Rope-walk between Ethics & Facts

Image: Ilan Lorenzy
Image: Ilan Lorenzy

Author: Abhishek Deb | Photos: Ilan Lorenzy & Lil SteinBerg

The recent Hamas attack on Israel has been a major news story and has further triggered to more unfortunate sequence of events.The commoners and the photojournalists alike have played a vital role in documenting the conflict. Their images have shown us the destruction and the suffering that has been caused. They have also shown us the resilience and the courage of the people who are living through this difficult time. But how do you press the shutter button of your camera when you are attending your friend’s kid’s funeral?


War photography is not easy to look at, but it is important. It also is not easy to shoot, when someone probably is looking at you with a lasting gape of death. But the photographs from a war have the power of reminding us of the harsh realities of war and the human cost of conflict. It gives us the inspiration that we might actually need, to work for peace and to prevent future conflicts.


Photojournalists often put their lives on the line to capture images of war. They work in dangerous and unpredictable environments, and they often witness horrific scenes. But they do their work because they believe that it is important to tell the truth about war, even when it is difficult. You will often find Photojournalists play a vital role in documenting the realities of war. Their images help expose the atrocities, raise awareness, and inspire action. However, photojournalists also face a number of ethical dilemmas in their work.


How can they maintain neutrality?

Well, It can be difficult to remain impartial when witnessing firsthand the horrors of war. There is no easy answer to this question. Photojournalists have to make difficult decisions on a case-to-case basis, weighing the potential benefits and risks of each image.


War photography can be disturbing, but it is also essential. It helps us to understand the human cost of war and to hold those responsible accountable.Photojournalism is a powerful tool for documenting the realities of war and giving a voice to the victims.


Despite the challenges, photojournalists continue to put themselves at risk to document the realities of war. Their work is essential to holding those in power, accountable and raising awareness about the human cost of war.


Prepare yourself to witness some crude realities of the carnage that encapsulated Israel on 7th of October 2023. What is dark is not all dark, as the citizens realise the depth of losses, they come out as volunteers to gather help for survivors and/or the victims and their families.


Please do feel free to express in the comment section at the end of the photographs but we request you to stay respectful..

Viewer Discretion Advised | Disturbing Visuals Ahead


 


I know, the heart sinks . .

Photographers: Ilan Lorenzy & Lil SteinBerg

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5 Comments


Guest
Jun 27

Kevin Unger As a retired photojournalist who has covered many conflicts and war your article is spot on and the photographs tell it as it is.

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Guest
Jun 27

Sey Rosen It is the photojournalist’s obligation and duty to objectively report the truth, no matter how hard it may be for him personally. In fact, I believe that it may be ethical to do so.

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Guest
Jun 27

Roma

War is never easy, thank you for sharing this. Makes me count my blessings. You chose to show both aspects of human involvement in this conflict – the loss and the drive of the living to aid the affected ones – thank you!

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Guest
Apr 04

Shireen A

Some of the photographs are horrifying and I can not even think how horrifying the whole experience must have been for the photographers. God bless, let there be peace always.

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Guest
Feb 25

Jens F. Kruse In my personal opinion, such pictures have to be shown. The trouble spots of this world are being sold off in such a way that we can no longer get out of our comfort zone. Kudos to all photographers who face these situations: photographically and emotionally.

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