I picked up a copy of War Photographer (2001) by Christian Frei that covers one of the finest photojournalists in the world, James Nachtwey. The film isn’t just good, it’s Academy Award nominee good and has won other film awards in it’s time. Frei used very unique and effective camerawork while documenting Nachtwey on a two-year journey around the world. Few films put you this “inside” a world-class photographer’s eye. Frei mounts a small camera just over Nachtwey’s shutter button so you can see what he sees.
It’s easy to see his sensibilities from his photographs, but it is amazing to see his approach — in action — that generates his powerful imagery. It is interesting how events unfold before him and he waits for the “now”. That “now” is when his brain tells him to press the shutter. His sensitivity to timing and seemingly relaxed style while shooting.
I’ve already seen the film on Youtube, but found it so well done and so insightful into one of my favorite photographers that I bought the DVD. So, I’m going to watch the DVD and give you a more in-depth review of it and what I gleaned from it.
In another post, I’ll take a look at his photographs and explain why they’re so compelling. “Because they just are,” is a sufficient answer when it comes to Nachtwey’s photographs, but we’ll look into technique, composition, timing, etc. so that you come away with something that is not only abstract but also tangible. We’re going to look at how Nachtwey applies his vision.
Buy the DVD: War Photographer