What I’m Reading
September 13, 2022
In today’s edition of What I’m Reading, I’ll recommend a visual op-ed on Afghanistan, one year after the return of the Taliban. The second read brings us back in time through photography. And in the final article, two photographers remember their editor.
Afghanistan, One Year Later
About a month ago, the world remembered the first anniversary of the Taliban returning to power in Afghanistan. Surrounding that date, I found a wonderful story in The New York Times. I hope you’ll find it interesting.
Afghanistan, One Year After the Fall is an opinion guest essay by photojournalist Victor J. Blue. The photographer shares his observations from his time in the country; in writing and striking black and white pictures.
Woven into his personal insights is the historical context that serves as a timely reminder that Afghanistan’s story is a complex one.
I found Blue’s words and photographs about the “surreal” experience of witnessing the Taliban returning to power, as he describes it, a journalistic treat, informative and thought-provoking.
I highly recommend you take a look. You’ll hear about what the photographer found when he returned to Afghanistan in May 2022, from the economic troubles and the fragility of the situation to the situation for women and girls.
Back In Time Through Photography
Let’s change the pace for a while. I found a much lighter read in the digital pages of The New Yorker. Dread and Longing at a Nineteen-Seventies Sleepaway Camp, written by Naomi Fry inspects and reflects on the photography of Andy Sweet.
More specifically, his pictures from a sleep-away camp in North Carolina in 1977.
Fry starts with a very descriptive introduction of her personal childhood memories surrounding the attraction and horrors of the camp experience. Depending on your experiences — with camp or similar events that mark one’s childhood years — this part may bring a smile to your lips.
The photographer’s fate is a much heavier one. Fry links to an article about the photographer, who was violently murdered at the age of 28, about five years after those camp pictures were made.
It’s a bit of all the factors — his tragic death, the camp pictures, the description of his other work — that intrigue me to find out more about the life and work of Andy Sweet. For now, this first short time-travel experience must suffice, and I hope you find it equally enlightening.
A Photo Editor Remembered
The final article I’d like to steer you to is part of Times Insider, a series that provides readers with glances into the newsroom of The New York Times. I had it on my reading list for a while now and finally got to it.
Lessons Learned From Michele McNally is a heartwarming celebration of the long-serving director of photography, Michele McNally, who passed away in February.
Two photographers, Josh Haner and João Silva, share their memories of McNally pushing their careers, improving the standing of photojournalism in the newsroom, and burdening the responsibilities of sending photographers out into conflict zones.
It’s a short read, but it’s one of the best obituaries I’ve ever read.
That’s all for today’s reading updates. Later in the week, I’ll have another post from my series on all things journalism, photography, and writing. Until then, enjoy your readings.
