Photographs provide us with an ethics of seeing – they showcase our most triumphant moments, allude to possibilities, show us role models, help us create a more concrete and powerful vision of ourselves and our future, and sometimes force us to rethink our views and values.

Marred by conflict and poverty, most individuals living in the developing world only see images of tragedies – the only photographs that circulate within and make it out of these regions are of downtrodden victims. These images have come to falsely define groups and histories, and support narratives of dependence on the Western world.

The Vision not Victim Project aims to produce photographs that highlight the agency, abilities, goals, and ideas of people living in situations of conflict and poverty. Whether it be shooting a series focusing on Haiti’s first ever team competing in the Paralympics or creating elaborate tableaus of Congolese women posing as their future selves achieving their goals, the images are meant to alter the models and standards of advocacy photography. We partner with exceptional non-profits and our unique visual campaigns will be displayed in communities across the globe.

Problem

The standards, motifs, and symbols seen in advocacy photography are employed to encourage the viewer to think of himself as the solution. Starving child, raging nature, powerless people – these images not only deny the agency and abilities of individuals living in conflict and poverty, but they have come to falsely define groups and histories, and support narratives of dependence on the Western world. And the visual space is saturated with these types of images – the only photographs that circulate within and make it out of these regions are of downtrodden victims-forever wronged. We need to rethink the role of photography in advocacy. Images need to inform the intellect and emotions of serious issues, and they need to spur the global community to action, but they also need to highlight the goals, vision, power, and ideas of people living in difficult contexts.

Solution

The Vision not Victim project aims to produce unique images that alter how the world approaches advocacy and development – to use photography to both inform and transform. This means focusing on the process of photography, and making sure that process is a collaborative effort between the photographer and featured individuals. Our overarching goals are to: 1. Create innovative visual campaigns that raise awareness while showcasing the agency and abilities of individuals living in poverty or conflict. 2. Give people showcased in these campaigns control and ownership over the photography process and how their image is used. 3. Start a dialogue about our visual ethics and how to improve on current norms, trends, and standards of advocacy photography, asking - how can we move the focus away from victimhood and towards empowerment, role models, and creating powerful visions for the future while still being effective fundraisers and activists?

Example

We are currently coordinating a campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which provides a great example of our approach: I’ve worked with women in Congo and in other areas of Sub-Saharan Africa for the past several years both as a photographer and as a development practitioner. Commanding and extraordinary individuals, they deserve to see images that showcase their abilities and dreams. Working with several women’s organizations, I will be taking artistic portraits and creating elaborate tableaus of young Congolese women posing as their future selves. Using props, costumes, and sets, together we will create and capture a dramatic scene of each girl achieving one of her goals – delivering a speech as the first female Congolese president, teaching a class as a professor, giving a check-up as a doctor. All participants will be compensated and part of the post-production editing process. The result will be a photo series that will be showcased in communities and on billboards across Congo and in the US – showing women who have become their own role models. Without relying on the victim figure, these images inform and provoke while demonstrating that, while resources, donations, and political action on our part are needed, these individuals are necessary and capable partners in achieving solutions. Redefining the images we see in advocacy and empowering young women to take control and redefine the images of themselves.

Marketplace

While advocacy photography is everywhere and employed in campaigns on every issue, there are very few individuals pushing for innovations and change for our standard images. There are even fewer actually producing images that are new, collaborative, and equally focused on the process and the product. The Vision not Victim project is poised to lead the discussions on and the transformation of advocacy photography.