Schwartz - Ed Kashi

This past Thursday, Ed Kashi came to speak at Newhouse. I found his presentation to be both enlightening and effective, as he shed light on the issues that he focuses on through his photography and did an articulate job of describing the thought process behind his work. Photography is an art that is more multi-faceted than one may think, and he helped expose the details of the practice and raise awareness about the effort that goes into a good photograph. I found his effort to be extremely effective, as this was a topic I did not know much about but ended up understanding a great deal. Not only is photography a topic I have never before known much about, but it is one I have never been particularly interested in, and now I am fascinated by the power of visuals.

He spoke about a number of his individuals projects, but one that sparked my attention was the Niger Delta. Through this photography, Kashi focused on the oil problems in Nigeria. He used his skill to help a social issue that plagues our world today, bringing attention and emphasizing the extent of the problems in Nigeria. He used his abilities to make a difference, as people were impacted by his photography and used his work to help a cause. Kashi uses his gift to make a difference, and this is a skill that should not be undermined. He explained the way that photography is more complex than one may think, and how it is important to focus on the important parts of a picture and not get distracted in the endeavor to dig too deep. This is something to remember, because his affection for simplicity helps asist in the effectivness of a photo's message.