CRITICAL PHOTOJOURNALISM

 

 

Chapter 2: 

Safety & Trauma-Informed Visual Journalism

Photojournalist Lynsey Addario photographs Sudanese Liberation Army rebels in Darfur, Sudan. Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images

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Safety practices for visual reporting in conflict zones

Visual journalists must be present to record the events and aftermath of conflict. Because they will be consciously engaging in this type of assignment, they must be as prepared as possible beforehand, as it could mean life or death for some. Much of the preparation steps for working in conflict zones are similar to steps already mentioned, but the stakes can be higher when you are working around people who are engaged in war and are trained to use and are armed with lethal weapons such as machine guns, tanks, grenades, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), flamethrowers, landmines and lethal chemicals—to name a few. Weapons of mass destruction — or nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or other devices intended to harm large numbers of people — can be and are used in conflict zones, as well as areas where there is not an active conflict occurring. Once you have made the decision to enter a conflict zone, we highly recommend receiving full HEFAT training. This chapter merely offers a foundation from which you can hopefully assess what additional training, knowledge and resources you need to pursue this kind of work. 

“Everything in conflict reporting is about risk, and accepting and minimizing it is paramount. By preparing for risk, analyzing potential threats and being prepared to make safety decisions in the heat of the moment, journalists can if not completely ensure safety and at least be best prepared for the uncertainties of reporting in a conflict zone.” writes Inaara Gangji in “Safety Tips for Journalists in Conflict Zones21.” 

A situation that hits heavily home for me (Judy Walgren) involves the death of my friend Chris Hondros, who was killed in Misrata, Libya by a mortar blast, along with his colleague filmmaker Tim Hetherington. We will never know for sure exactly what happened in his chaotic last moments, but reports indicate that Hondros was hit in the forehead by shrapnel, just below his helmet. This incident calls attention to an unconscious practice for many photojournalists who are wearing helmets in dangerous situations but tip their helmet back so they can more comfortably raise their camera to their eye. That seemingly banal adjustment exposes a greater portion of their forehead, leaving it vulnerable for injury. 

In formal war-like settings, there can be the opportunity for journalists to embed with the military from one side or another. In terms of safety and access to the front lines, living and working alongside trained soldiers who have access to weapons, armored vehicles, security teams, and basic infrastructure such as housing, food and water, can be the simplest and most affordable way to cover (one side of) a conflict. Sometimes embedding is the only way to gain access to the front line. Additionally, the time and effort it takes to hire a translator, driver and/or a local reporter to collaborate with, determine the safest routes to travel, build and learn to use a comprehensive first aid kit, buy and transport food and water, have access to electricity for charging batteries, etc. is formidable. Embedding with a well-resourced military alleviates most of these issues. The same may not be true when working with rebel forces, junta or militia members.

However, there is a trade off when you embed with a military force. You will lack freedom of choice on what to cover, where and when to travel, how to operate in the field and you might even be restricted with what you are able to document. In fact, some militaries require pre-viewing of images and video before they are sent for publication and/or restrict publication of images until their publication value has expired. In an iconic photograph made during the First Gulf War in 1991 by David Turnley, who at the time was a staff photographer for the Detroit Free Press, photographed a wounded U.S. soldier, Sergeant Ken Kozakiewicz, as he sat on a helicopter sobbing—moments after learning that his friend’s dead body, killed by friendly fire, lay inside a body bag nearby. At the time, the Pentagon, under George W. Bush, had severely restricted media access to U.S. military operations—continuing a practice used by the Reagan administration during the 1983 invasion of Grenada.  Because photographers were still using film in the early ‘90’s, Turnley, and other photojournalists, were forced to use military couriers to ship their film back to their newspapers and magazines. However, a few days after he sent his film, it hadn’t been released to his editors. Turnley appealed to an officer saying, “If you don’t release this photo you are really contributing to the impression that soldiers over here didn’t sacrifice and didn’t risk their lives.” The officer had the film released and the photo was published around the world. As phone cameras and connectivity became better and faster, this type of control over images sent for publication is increasingly more difficult. 

If you do choose to embed, you will not be able to flip easily to not being embedded, as you could possibly be considered a “spy” by the other side. Journalists can occasionally become unwitting political pawns in international conflict, especially through being labeled as spies by governments that are antagonistic to a free press. Such was the case with Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. journalist for the Wall Street Journal, who was imprisoned in mid-April 2023 by the Kremlin on espionage charges23.

If you work independently in a conflict zone, or in any area that you are not from or familiar with, it is critical that you hire a local reporting partner, often referred to as a “fixer,” who can work as a translator, cultural guide, source for useful information, credentials and formal protocols for working in their community and as a connector for drivers and reliable sources for stories. We prefer to use the term “local reporting partner,” as the word fixer can be deemed as derogatory and the role these collaborators fill is akin to what a producer brings to an assignment which is typically a lauded and well-paid position. Marina Walker Guevara, Executive Editor for the Pulitzer Center says, “Fixer is a pejorative word that has been used to refer to local journalists who work alongside foreign correspondents. The term doesn’t capture the breadth of the work that local journalists do and the contributions they make to stories, often at great personal risk.”

 Pulitzer Center grantees are encouraged to include local reporting partners as co-grantees and the local partners’ biographies can also be included on the Pulitzer Center’s website, if it is safe to do so. Walker Guevara advises journalists who work with local reporting partners to have upfront conversations about fees, the nature of the assignment, how the final product will be credited and any safety measures to put into place during and possibly after the assignment is published so that those remaining in-country will not be at risk of arrest or other retaliatory actions for journalistic collaboration with a non-local journalist. Working with local reporting partners should always be collaborative and conscientious.

Many journalists seeking local reporting partners use social media networks where visual journalists share information for referrals. It is important that you work with someone who you are referred to, rather than showing up and hiring someone without a recommendation. You will often be working in close proximity with local reporting partners for extended periods and, in many cases, your safety is in their hands. It’s imperative you collaborate with people you can trust, so recommendations are useful for finding reliable reporting partners. Also know that hiring a local reporting partner, along with a driver, is expensive and you may also be responsible for their physical and mental safety. Again, it is critical that you are in agreement about the job you are asking them to do, the parameters in which you will be collectively working, your expectations, how the work will be credited and the measures that need to be put into place to ensure the safety of those who will remain in the area once the reporting is complete. This protocol is especially important for those who you make images of in which they are identifiable.

Before you go:

  • Conduct a thorough risk assessment, including any dangers you may face and what emergency procedures are in place. Ensure a manager, colleague, or friend views the risk assessment.
  • Look into life and equipment insurance policies. Your equipment might be covered by your renter or homeowner insurance policy and if not, you can usually add it easily.
  • Complete a will and inform your next of kin of your intentions. 
  • Stay up to date on safety training for working in hostile environments, including research on the most secure ways to communicate while in-country.
  • Research the background to the conflict: know who the combatants are, what weapons and tactics are being used, the reason for the conflict, and which proxy countries are involved.
  • Research whether specialist weapons are in use, such as chemical, depleted uranium (DU) or flechette rounds.
  • Be able to identify uniforms and vehicles on all sides.
  • Study maps and any literature to help prepare a plan for your coverage.
  • Check your equipment, especially trauma kit, body armor, and means of communication.
  • Make sure to have a press card and other professional identification material and that they are clearly visible for authorities or groups to inspect when you are out in the field.
  • Learn basic phrases in the local language, simple things such as “please”, “thank you”, “help”, “bathroom”, “water”, “ I am a journalist”, etc. These will often go a long way toward endearing you to potential sources and can be useful in a volatile situation. 

While on assignment:

  • Make protecting your life the #1 top priority. Nothing is more important than protecting your life.
  • Wear protective equipment (helmet, life jacket, gas mask) visibly on the ground.
  • Have a plan for where you will sleep, access food, and keep equipment and cash safe.
  • Get to know the “battlefield” including where the front lines are and how fluid they are
  • Find out if attacks are occurring in rear areas such as ambushes, special forces operations, or air attacks. Is there indiscriminate shelling? Identify patterns such as dawn bombardments, or dusk air assaults. Know where minefields are located and where snipers operate.
  • Know where local and military first aid facilities are located and how to get there.
  • Be aware of potential targets, such as key installations.
  • Always have a contingency plan for a hasty extraction and make sure to communicate it clearly with your emergency contact.
  • Avoid working and traveling in-country alone whenever possible. Try to work with other journalists for mutual support.
  • Share your daily location and itineraries with at least one colleague who you are not working with.
  • Be cautious when unknown individuals offer you opportunities—they could be kidnappers. 

After the assignment:

  • Share your story and feelings with at least one person which helps in processing what you experienced.
  • Try your best to stay active with sports, social engagements with colleagues and friends, etc.
  • Take a break, even for a short period, after coverage of traumatic experiences.
  • Seek professional help if you are experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms.

The American Psychiatric Association website suggests that symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) fall into the following four categories and that specific symptoms can vary in severity26.

  • Intrusion: Intrusive thoughts such as repeated, involuntary memories; distressing dreams; or flashbacks of the traumatic event. Flashbacks may be so vivid that people feel they are reliving the traumatic experience or seeing it before their eyes.
  • Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event may include avoiding people, places, activities, objects and situations that may trigger distressing memories. People may try to avoid remembering or thinking about the traumatic event. They may resist talking about what happened or how they feel about it.
  • Alterations in cognition and mood: Inability to remember important aspects of the traumatic event, negative thoughts and feelings leading to ongoing and distorted beliefs about oneself or others (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted”); distorted thoughts about the cause or consequences of the event leading to wrongly blaming self or other; ongoing fear, horror, anger, guilt or shame; much less interest in activities previously enjoyed; feeling detached or estranged from others; or being unable to experience positive emotions (a void of happiness or satisfaction).
  • Alterations in arousal and reactivity: Arousal and reactive symptoms may include being irritable and having angry outbursts; behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way; being overly watchful of one's surroundings in a suspecting way; being easily startled; or having problems concentrating or sleeping.

For a person to be diagnosed with PTSD, “symptoms must last for more than a month and must cause significant distress or problems in the individual's daily functioning.”27 Other conditions that coincide with PTSD are depression, substance abuse and addiction, lapses in memory, as well as other physical and mental health issues.

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