Introduction

A celebrated war photographer and photojournalist, James Nachtwey has established a name for himself through the hard hitting concept and direction of his photographs. After having studied Art History as well as Political Science, he went on to produce work that has by far, been the most impactful if one is to consider the history of war photography in the past few decades. He managed to capture some of the defining moments not only in the U.S but several other countries where war is rampant and aid is scarce. In this paper, I will be analyzing the photographer's history, style of photography and his aesthetic sense with which he has kept his audience enthralled and captivated.

Discussion

Having pursued his education at a time that could only be surmised as being turbulent, Nachtwey was able to capture several defining moments of the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War and its overbearing effects. It was due to this effect on his life that he retained his fascination with war and its various horrifying effects, its unpredictability and the after effects that would often be felt by nations as a whole. In my opinion, he has shown a profound sense of sadness but defiance in his photographs, whatever concept is behind it. For example, in his works, “Crime and Punishment”, he has placed a certain importance over the positions of the inmates in the prison, each of whom look burdened and pained, but there is a strength to them as well that is portrayed through Nachtwey's lens. In the same way, his portrayal of Kosovo, the sense of freedom and liberation is clear while there is also a melancholic feel relating to the price that Kosovo's people have paid to achieve it. Nachtwey has been praised especially for having an eye for noticing and capturing the suffering and hurt that is inflicted upon citizens during terrible events.

This is why he has especially worked hard in order to create and garner a reputation for the photography of conflict and war, starting right from the beginning of his career till present day. After gaining experience through photographing the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War, he got involved in the events happening around the world, and photographed nations that were in need of foreign aid, with their citizens dying of poverty. He covered countries such as Romania, Somalia, India, Sudan, Bosnia, Rwanda, Zaire, Chechnya, and Kosovo. Pictures of these places were then compiled into his almost 500 page book, Inferno. Needless to say, the book makes for very disturbing viewing. He has also travelled to cover the Gulf War, and most recently was injured while taking photographs in Iraq. Although the photographer has had no institutional training, his passion has kept him moving forward, a factor that is almost visible in every one of his pictures. He worked on ships in the Merchant Maine, where he worked hard to teach himself the skills needed to become a successful photographer. After building a foundation through which ...