Seeing is more than believing

I am not a professional photographer ... I'm not even a good amateur photographer. Advanced technology, boring manuals, well intentioned tips - nothing seems to help. But in Afghanistan, I spent a fair amount of time taking pictures and video. I don't really like looking at the world through a little hole in a box, but for posterities sake, it needed to be done. And even though the results aren't the greatest, I admit I've enjoyed the memories the pictures bring to fore.

Many of you have commented about the pictures on this blog. I'm glad they help tell the story but if that's all they do, then their value is limited and short lived. The value comes if they shift momentum, create inertia, change perceptions ... trigger an avalanche of action. If they stimulate a change in our tolerance for inequality and injustice, they will have served a useful purpose. If that change in tolerance gives way to purposeful action, they will have done what debate, laws, policy ... and words alone, have not. I'm reminded of quotes like; "A picture is worth a thousand words" and "A face that launched a thousand ships".

I urge you not to stop at shock and indignation - I urge you to act. Attached is a video I hope you'll watch. It is 6 minutes long and does a much better job than I of describing how and why seeing is more than believing ... it is action.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_klein_photos_that_changed_the_world.html