Why We Do It, Part 1
This blog posting by Joe McNally about Tom, who is battling Multiple Sclerosis, is a big part of why I finally decided to start a blog of my own.
Joe McNally is a giant in the world of photography and he certainly needs no introduction from me. But I wanted this blog entry of his to be the first in a series to profile other peoples' work that shows genuine empathy, humanity, and feeling; work that explains "why we (photographers) do it". My blog posts in this series will be labeled WWDI.
"Why we do it" is a reference to a quote in Peter Howe's foreword to Dirck Halstead's book Moments in Time:
I e-mailed Joe in August 2008 after I read that blog post and I asked him a question to which I already instinctively knew the answer, but I wanted confirmation nevertheless. I asked him if he got any payment whatsoever for photographing Tom. He replied:
"Curtis...no money changed hands...would not do that in those circumstances...Joe"
This morning I e-mailed Joe again to see how Tom was doing, and to see if he had kept in touch. Joe replied, "Yes, Tom and I are friends, and continue to correspond. Our studio just
donated some gear for him to use for a benefit dinner gala out in Jersey."
There are some photos that, through some cosmic necessity, just have to be made. Similarly, there are some stories that simply must be told. Joe McNally is a master of both. He is my hero.
This is why we do it.
Left: Tom, described by photographer Joe McNally as "Father, fighter, lover of photography."
Joe McNally is a giant in the world of photography and he certainly needs no introduction from me. But I wanted this blog entry of his to be the first in a series to profile other peoples' work that shows genuine empathy, humanity, and feeling; work that explains "why we (photographers) do it". My blog posts in this series will be labeled WWDI.
"Why we do it" is a reference to a quote in Peter Howe's foreword to Dirck Halstead's book Moments in Time:
The reason that most photojournalists put up with the low pay and difficult circumstances is that they are a amazed they are allowed to do what they do.I was deeply moved by Joe McNally's three-word response to Tom's idea about a portrait in his back yard: "Let's do this."
I e-mailed Joe in August 2008 after I read that blog post and I asked him a question to which I already instinctively knew the answer, but I wanted confirmation nevertheless. I asked him if he got any payment whatsoever for photographing Tom. He replied:
"Curtis...no money changed hands...would not do that in those circumstances...Joe"
This morning I e-mailed Joe again to see how Tom was doing, and to see if he had kept in touch. Joe replied, "Yes, Tom and I are friends, and continue to correspond. Our studio just
donated some gear for him to use for a benefit dinner gala out in Jersey."
There are some photos that, through some cosmic necessity, just have to be made. Similarly, there are some stories that simply must be told. Joe McNally is a master of both. He is my hero.
This is why we do it.
Left: Tom, described by photographer Joe McNally as "Father, fighter, lover of photography."
posted by Curtis Clegg at 10:12 AM
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