law, ethics, and news literacy
…by nature, storytelling is subjective
Truthful storytelling is all about context. The most important part of my storytelling is staying true to the facts. By nature, storytelling is subjective—especially when I’m recounting stories told to me by other people. I try to remain faithful to their first hand recounts of their own stories by taking notes while talking to them and then transcribing those notes digitally to be saved for the future. While telling people’s stories through public speaking or any other medium, I keep politics out of it completely, resorting to simply factually recounting the things I saw and the words of the people I met. No exaggeration, no fibbing.
these two images were part of a photographic exploration that I did on dreams, entitled “DREAMSCAPE”
…people will trust me with their stories, but it is my duty to safeguard that trust by valuing their perspective
Photography is even more subjective. Taken out of context, a photograph can mean anything, and although a photograph may not be doctored, it is admittedly incredibly easy to misconstrue the meaning of a photograph by simply focusing on its contents as opposed to its intended significance in context of the moments surrounding it. In this sense, the mere idea of “seeing is believing” is wrong. Seeing must be accompanied by thoughtful discourse that exposes the reality of an image.
Thus, by using photography and art as my primary means of conveying ideas and news, I tread a precarious line. To stay on the side of truthful storytelling, I accompany my photographs with words that explain the nuances of the photographs while amplifying their impact.
I ensure that all of my sources across world borders remain anonymous to protect them, given that the subject matter of my Beyond Borders work is incredibly polarizing by virtue of the same political division all over the world that I’m trying to dispel.
Before I begin my photographic endeavors in a particular part of the world, I review the country’s laws regarding photography and photojournalism. Generally, I tend to make most of photographs in public locations, which absolves me of a lot of legal risks right off the bat; also, I’ve registered my work with the U.S. Copyright Office.
I always make sure to talk to people and obtain their permission before making a photograph of them: I want my image-making to be a collaborative process between the subject and me. It’s a push and pull balance between the subject and me, as exemplified in the images on the left: people will trust me with their stories, but it is my duty to safeguard that trust by valuing their perspective. The best images are produced through connection, not oblivion.
news literacy
News literacy is the precursor to any significant journalistic reporting. Without properly understanding the events of the world around me, it would be impossible to analyze these events as the melting pot for something bigger, a larger movement or idea or concept.
Before I started my Beyond Borders project, I had more questions than answers. What drives people to undertake the dangerous journey to cross any border? What is it to be a refugee? What does the border really look like? Why are we so divided on this topic of border security and immigration? I started taking notice of the events unfolding in the world around me, and these questions began to burn brighter and brighter in my mind, fueled by the reporting I saw on the news and the public’s clear political divide. Watching the digital news sparked my curiosity in this subject, but I quickly realized that the only real way to find out the truth was to see it myself.
To date, I’ve explored first hand seven world borders. That means, for each of those locations, I had to conduct thorough and effective research that would allow me to properly understand the lay of the land, per say. Understanding the roots of a particular conflict or tension lies at the heart of being able to explore it myself and find sources that could further illuminate the reality at any given border. In essence, my collection of stories is always informed by outside reporting.
Additionally, I’m always hooked onto local news when I’m at a border because of how fickle and improvised my travels are. For instance, watching the news while at Iraq’s border with Syria informed me of new developments at a specific location, and I was able to improvise my itinerary to accommodate spending extra time there collecting stories and making images.
Finally, I follow a number of photojournalists and documentary artists—like James Nachtway and Ben Von Wong—on Instagram and the internet, learning from them while incorporating new influences and further developing my craft.
Recently, I gave a talk to around thirty St. Mark’s sixth graders on the importance of linking passion with purpose. I used my exploration of world borders through fine art (photography) as an example to inspire them to do the same with whatever medium they are passionate about, even if it’s not art. In doing so, I educated them about world borders and explained pertinent current events, encouraging them to pursue their curiosity wherever it may lead them.
Some years ago, I spoke on the same topic to a middle school assembly consisting of over 400 St. Mark’s students and faculty.