Inside info on International Relief & Crisis Work

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/18/2005 04:28:49 PM · #1

Okay, I'm looking for some help from someone with expertise/experience in International Relief or Crisis Work.

My rough goal over the next ten years or so is to be a Documentary Photographer in areas of unrest or poverty to show the world what's going on. For example, I would have liked to have been there to tell the world about the Khmer Rouge starving their civilians or the Albanians being forced out of Kosovo...Right now, I wish I was in Uzbekistan documenting the goings-on there. I know, I know...this is a long road, but I'm very determined and know that this is what I need to be doing.

I am planning on starting school in September 2006 for Photojournalism and perhaps spending a few years working freelance for newspapers and doing the occasional photo story on the side while developing contacts with NGO's and other agencies providing relief/support to areas in need.

Alternatively, instead of going to school for photography next year I could go to university to get a degree related to internation delegation in these areas and allow my photography to catch up from there.

Musings and opinions are appreciated on the forum here...and if anybody has some very specific or expert advice that they could give me I would seriously appreciate being contacted via PM.

Edit: I am fairly culturally aware right now...very interested in world issues...I can speak fluent German and English and am working on my French to be followed by Spanish (I know language is important)...anything else I should be doing in the meantime?

Message edited by author 2005-05-18 16:31:41.

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

05/18/2005 04:44:03 PM · #2

My wife did a degree in 'S.E. Asian Studies', focusing on Indonesia. She wants to end up working for NGOs doing exactly the kind of work you've mentioned. Seeing as I'd like to accompany her, and am also interested in similar issues, I'm going to keep a very close eye on this thread. I haven't even started thinking about how to practically go about this, so this has been food for thought.

05/18/2005 07:53:09 PM · #3

bump number one

05/19/2005 07:53:21 AM · #4

bump number two...anyone with info?

moodville

Nikon D100

05/19/2005 09:49:16 AM · #5

Crab did some photojournalism with a mission group in Guatemala back in February. If he doesnt see this you should PM him for his experiences.

His page has some of the pictures. Click on Faith in Practice. (WARNING) Some of the images are quite graphic.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

05/20/2005 07:57:16 AM · #6

I got a great pm and have started a neat conversation with someone who is doing precisely what I'm interested in...

Last bump...is there anyone else out there who can talk to me about this?

sabphoto

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

05/20/2005 08:05:28 AM · #7

Hey I don't have any information but wanted to say good luck, that would be some tough and dangerous work but it is great that you have the passion for it and are going for it. Good luck with it.

JoelHSmith

Fujifilm FinePix S1 Pro

05/20/2005 08:14:55 AM · #8

Any DPC people been to Darfur, Sudan? I need some non copyrighted photos for a fundraiser at work. It is by far the worst humanitarian crisis on earth.

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/20/2005 08:21:18 AM · #9

Originally posted by thatcloudthere:

I got a great pm and have started a neat conversation with someone who is doing precisely what I'm interested in...

Last bump...is there anyone else out there who can talk to me about this?

Erm... hello?!
Could the same person pm me? I'm genuinely interested in this kind of work, and have a passion for photojournalism. It would be great to do some meaningful photography that could bring something to the world.
I'm still not entirely certain where my photographic career future is taking me, so this is all helps me to decide how to plan my future.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/20/2005 08:30:22 AM · #10

Sorry about that! I'll ask him if I can forward our (so far short) correspondance to you and the three of us can converse...

-Mike

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

05/20/2005 09:23:05 AM · #11

Many thanks, good luck!

tryals15

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Carl Zeiss Planar T 50mm f/1.7

05/20/2005 09:32:35 AM · #12

I was in Albania during the Kosovar influx... My dad pretty much ran a huge portion of the relief efforts in TiranÃ«, Albania, and I got to help... I'm on my way out the door for the weekend right now, but I'd be happy to write you all about it when I get back...

colda

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

05/20/2005 09:37:26 AM · #13

I've got a bit more than a passing interest in this kinda thing too, if it's possible to keep this thread going I think that there is a lot that we can learn from it (added to my 'watched' threads)

As for the qualification you need to do everything, but languages are very important. I have done with environmental agencies including UNEP, it's worth remembering that the 6 international languages of the UN are English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic (not suggesting that you learn all of these) but it's worth remembering that if you are going to be where the UN are at least one of these languages will be in use.