To be or not to be ... a conflict photographer

Alice Martins 
is a Brazilian photojournalist based in Iraq. 
Regular contributor to The Washington Post.

Alice answered  with a deep intelligence to a freelance photographer disappointed after his come back from Mosul, Iraq, where he spent 2 months shooting war.

When you have read in order these two articles, you will realize why being a conflict photographer (and a photographer as simple as that) cannot be improvised.

Sad consequences for the freelance photographer and the cruel impact for the entire profession.

Kainoa Little wrote:    "No One Would Buy My Photos, So Here They Are For Free: Mosul 2017" 

https://petapixel.com/2017/07/05/no-one-buy-photos-free-mosul-2017/

Refugees escaping fighting, Iraq 2017, by Kainoa Little

Alice Martins' answer:     "This is a great example of how NOT to become a conflict photographer. This is what I'd like to say to this guy:

1 - The war you visited and photographed is not about you, so don't claim to be a victim because no one bought your photos.

2 - The battle for Mosul has been covered daily for 9 months now by every major news organization in the world, so you are NOT "giving voice to the voiceless" - you are just trying to create a portfolio and become known.

3 - Photojournalism is a lot more than taking a good action shot. It is understanding the context of what you are photographing, which comes with experience and dedication. Your action shots and poor captions show you have neither. 

4 - There are dozens of local and foreign photographers who are based in Iraq and have been here before this battle, will stay long after you've left, and can create images as good or better than yours. They still can't always sell their pictures, but they don't turn it into a story about themselves like you did.

5 - Giving your photos away for free to magazines or websites hurts every dedicated professional in the industry. Platforms like Instagram are there if you're so interested in telling the stories you found. You don't need to devalue everyone else's work just to get attention. 

6 - War zones are not tourist destinations. Even if you don't care about your personal safety, know that there will always be a local person putting their own life at risk to protect you. You need to be very clear about your motivations before you start."

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