Book Report: Lynsey Addario

Lynsey Addario is a true American hero in my eyes. She faced being captured more than once in order to capture images that would tell a story about what goes on during war. The most compelling aspect of Lynsey Addario is that she was so devoted to her career that she risked death to be the most realistic photojournalist that she could possibly be. I feel as if I can relate to Addario’s sense of duty when it comes to pursuing photojournalism in war zones. I think the situations that she put herself in on the job do make her a little crazy, but I think you have to be a little crazy to be a great photojournalist who captures war photography. I can relate to Addario, because I am going through college and living my life in search of an ultimate purpose. She was passionate about shooting war photography and that shined through her brilliant work. Her ultimate mission was to capture the truth. Her work is different than other photojournalists, and that is why she has made it so far in career. Her work has taught me that I need to stand out in order to make it in journalism or really in any career. Some aspects of Lynsey Addario’s work that stands out to be specifically is that her work vividly focuses on the scene or event that is happening. She seems to have an eye for what stands out and her photography really exemplifies that. This photo from page 184 of the book shows how Addario was able to represent a story through her photography and make it perceptually interesting by playing with the angling of the picture. She made herself stand out, because she catches pictures in the rawest of form. The picture below represents that. Picture is a close up of a woman with a lower angle that makes it unique to the eye.

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I absolutely used what I have learned from reading this book this term. I think some of the most prominent things that I have learned is that you have to put yourself in uncomfortable places in order to be a great photojournalist, and you have to adapt to different situations before you can fully investigate a topic. I have adapted into a stronger photojournalist, because I notice myself rising out of my comfort zone slowly since the term has started. On page 89 of the book, Addario is headed to Pakistan prior to 9/11. She walked upon a Anti-American demonstration in Peshawar. This is just one example of how she put herself into severely dangerous situations in order to get a story. Her bravery is admirable and something that I hope to represent in my own career as well. Some of my favorite photographs are on page 144, a picture of a father holding his injured son as they turned away from medical care at a joint American medical base.

I also love the picture on page 53 of an Indian women draped in blue. I love the expression of woman’s face. One of my favorite quotes in the book is on page 93 of the book. This quote is, “I became fascinated by the notion of dispelling stereotypes or misconceptions through photographs, of presenting the counterintuitive.” I love this, because it represents the truth behind her mission as a photographer. I would recommend this book to any aspiring photographer, journalist, or artist. This book taught me that courage and passion is what makes an amazing photojournalist.