|
Photojournalists speak about tragedy
A group of photojournalists, including a video journalist who was in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, and a freelance photographer who recently returned from Pakistan, formed the panel for Friday's First Amendment Forum.
The event, titled "Visions of Tragedy," sponsored by the Mass Communications Department and the Society of Professional Journalists, ran from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and covered a wide variety of issues facing photojournalists today, including the way in which tragedy is covered.
Michael Vadnie, a mass communications professor and co-coordinator of the event, was pleased with the presentations, despite some technical difficulties.
"It was very inspiring and the content was great," he said. "It reinforces and adds to the classroom experience."
Media attorney and First Amendment expert John Borger led off the panel, discussing cases which demonstrated media-related First Amendment issues, such as police confiscation of tapes from video journalists and Internet defamation. Borger was also awarded with the First Amendment Defense Award, an honor for which he was grateful.
"I'm happy to join the ranks of past winners," Borger said. "I had fun, and I think it went pretty well."
Borger was followed by Linda Cullen, a Twin Cities-based freelance photographer. Cullen got her start at a small newspaper in the suburbs. She entertained the crowd with her photos from the Twin Cities, which included everything from the Twins winning the 1987 World Series to Mikhail Gorbachev's visit.
In May 2001, Cullen left for Rwanda and Sudan, hoping to do what she termed as "more meaningful" photojournalism. Her harrowing photos of genocide in Rwanda and refugee camps in Rwanda and Sudan had everyone's eyes glued to the screen.
After Sept. 11, the focus was taken off of Africa, and Cullen headed to Pakistan, where she continued to do photos of refugees and local people. She was in Pakistan when Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was taken hostage, and she told the audience about the uncertainty that had caused.
Cullen offered advice to young photojournalists about blending in and surviving abroad in hostile areas. Though she has an extensive portfolio, she is planning to return to Pakistan in a few weeks, and is still entertaining ideas of someday returning to Africa.
"I really want to put a face on the refugee issue, and humanize it," she said. "Some of the photos have been used for fundraising for the refugee camps and as teaching tools, which is great."
Cullen was followed by a panel discussion from John Stennes, photo chief of the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald, Mike Knaak, assistant managing editor for the St. Cloud Times, John Drilling, TV photojournalist for KARE 11, and Steve Rice, director of photography for the Star Tribune.
Stennes managed a staff that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 1997 for their extended coverage of the Red River flood that rocked Grand Forks. Stennes compiled the months worth of photos into a book, "Come Hell and High Water."
Knaak, who is also an adjunct professor in the mass communications department, presented the St. Cloud Times' exclusive photos of the 1998 explosion that killed four people in downtown St. Cloud. Knaak and another photojournalist, Kimm Anderson, from the St. Cloud Times were able to get to the scene quickly and get good positions for photos.
Steve Rice reinforced Knaak's advice that newsrooms, reporters and photojournalists need to have plans in place for immediate coverage of tragedies and emergencies. They both also talked about issues related to covering tragedy.
Drilling and KARE 11 reporter Rick Kupchella were four or five blocks away from the Pentagon when the plane slammed into it Sept. 11. Drilling talked about the confusion in the city and the way that he and Kupchella had to improvise their coverage based on what they could shoot, and who would talk to them.
Drilling showed video clips of four different news stories he and Kupchella did, and how the focus of each one was different.
"We actually became the news when our rental car got pulled over and searched because it matched the description of a car under suspicion," Drilling said.
Bill Jones, a photographer for Sun newspapers, ended the presentation with his photos of the 1988 riots at SCSU.
Gretchen Lundberg, president of the SCSU chapter of SPJ, played a major role in organizing the event and was pleased with the results.
"We had some technical problems, which might have caused some people to leave early, but beyond that I think the speakers were great," she said.
Lundberg also commented on the usefulness of the speakers' advice for media students.
"They showed how tough it was, and that you really have to love it and have a lot of drive," she said. "Each one brought something different to the table."
One of the recurring themes was the way in which Sept. 11 was covered. Drilling was on the scene, and explained how coverage changed day-to-day. Knaak mentioned that the young reporters at the St. Cloud Times lost their detachment to the story, and it effected everyone. Cullen has been dealing with the aftermath of the war in Afghanistan.
Both Vadnie and Lundberg termed the forum as a success.
"We had professionals, members of the community and, of course, students," Vadnie said. "I think it was a nice way to give something back."
Jake Zisla can be reached at: [email protected]
|
|
|
|
Privacy Policy Network Advertising Article Syndication
|
|
