Today is a sad day in the world of photography. World Press Photo first prize winning photojournalist, Remi Ochlik, was killed earlier today in Syria. It is another sobering event that follows far to close to the death of another great photojournalist, Tim Hetherington. Ochlick received his first prize award from World Press Photo earlier this month for his work in Libya.
Along with questioning the legitimacy of war, Ochlik’s death reminds us of the bravery that photojournalists possess. The willingness to put their own lives on the line, so that they can inform us—the viewer safe at home on our computers—of what atrocities are playing out in the world today. So that, maybe, we can help stop these cruel inhumane acts from occurring once and for all. Sadly, one of the men willing to do this lost his life. Although he may be gone, his legacy lives on in his images. The story he told of the Libyan Revolution will always be there for us to look back upon and learn from. His photographs are more than stories; they are life lessons and for that we thank him.
Here is an excerpt from the British Journal of Photography:
“The idea was not to focus on just one part of the story,” Ochlik told BJP less than two weeks ago. “Because when you look at what happened, this war was divided in several parts - in Benghazi, in Misrata - and in what I’ve covered, I’ve tried to tell a story. I was also lucky to be assigned very quickly to cover Gaddafi’s death. I was able to finish the story thanks to Paris Match. It allowed me to have a beginning, a middle and an end to my story.”
British Journal of Photography Article
World Press Photo 1st Prize Work
-Mark Davis
