I have the privilege of traveling with one of the best photo journalist in the world. Chuck Bigger has been shooting for over 30 years and has been to over 50 countries photographing Children, wars, and crisis's. But that's not all he's done. He's shot every President since Ragen except Obama and use to edit film in a dark room on the plane ride home to have it ready for print once they landed. From Newspaper to galleries he really has done it all and I get the privilege of learning from all of his knowledge and experience.
Chuck and I have been to 10 countries together since I started with Compassion last February and every country is a new experience. Some days I truly feel like a sponge sucking in knowledge from him. In Bangladesh I learned the importance of traveling with a mosquito net and a clean pair of sheets just incase that not so nice hotel room should present itself. In Indonesia I learned the importance of toning down my extremely outgoing personality in a very quiet asian culture and also the importance of renting a motorcycle when in Bali. The Philippines brought on a valuable lesson of working in smelly fish markets. If you take some vapor rub and put it under your nose everything will smell like roses. Chuck picked up this tip this when he had to photograph the wild horses of the West. A lot of horses would die in the open range and it was his job to photograph them. He wanted to close for a wide shot so the horse would be prevalent in the frame but you would still see the open range and mountains in the background. I've learned a lot of invaluable travel knowledge that can make the 2-3 weeks away from home a little more comfortable.
Traveling knowledge isn't the only thing I've learned from Chuck. Chuck is very careful about the images he shoots and telling the true story that is there. In today's society it is so easy to photoshop something out or add little facts to the story just to give that extra punch. That's not what we are called to do as documentary storytellers. Our job is to tell true stories and bring them to life through compelling images that speak truth. The moment you start to push the edges or crop out this or that your are crossing a dangerous line. Especially when you are telling these stories to sponsors and donors. I can't tell you the number of people who have asked me if that cute kid in their child packet really gets that $42 a month. And that's what it all comes back to for me. People believe what you present in front of them and the moment they begin to question that you have lost some integrity.
Here's some of favorite photo's Chuck has shot recently that make him one of the best around. But it's not just about the image it's about the lifestyle you lead and the way you present yourself. Chuck out more of Chucks work http://chuckbigger.com/ . Photos protected by copywrite by Chuck Bigger 2011
Man, these photos are great and so is Chuck! I’m glad you have a mentor in the field. God is doing a great work through both of you, don’t let 1 day go by without realizing that and seeking His work over your own. See you soon!