James Nachtwey: The Final Master of Photojournalism

In Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, a woman is devastated to discover the bodies of her husband and brother in her garden. The bodies, covered in frost, are depicted in a photograph captured by renowned photojournalist James Nachtwey. In the image, the woman lays her hand on her brother while her other hand touches her mouth. The photo also shows two additional human hands, one resting on the head of a dog and the other playing with the woman's blonde hair. Despite the tragic subject matter, the composition of the photo is surprisingly peaceful, resembling that of a classical painting. This photograph is part of Nachtwey's retrospective exhibition called Memoria, which is currently being displayed in Bangkok. The collection consists of 126 photos documenting some of the most devastating conflicts and disasters from Central America in the 1980s to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In an interview, Nachtwey discusses his focus on capturing the emotions conveyed through people's hands and eyes. He also emphasizes the importance of detail, such as the sympathetic expression on the dog's face in the photograph mentioned earlier. Nachtwey, now 75 years old, missed being part of the famous Vietnam War generation of photojournalists, but is regarded as one of the greatest in the generation that followed. His images are known for their powerful impact, combining brutal immediacy with stunning composition and lighting. Despite the dominance of video and digital media in today's information landscape, Nachtwey believes that still photographs possess a unique power to distill the essence of a news story, freeze a moment, and provoke reflection. When asked about his approach to capturing well-composed shots, Nachtwey explains that it takes years of training and persistence rather than relying on sheer luck. He immerses himself in the situation, trusting his instincts and intuition to find a moment worthy of photographing. Nachtwey admits that most of his career was in the era of film, and he finds digital photography more time-consuming. However, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining control over colors in photographs, considering the powerful impact they can have. Throughout the exhibition, Nachtwey juxtaposes images from different conflicts to draw connections between events in various parts of the world. He believes that we now live in an interconnected world, where events on one side of the globe inevitably affect others. In response to concerns about the credibility of digital photography due to its manipulability, Nachtwey argues that the credibility of the photographer is crucial. He acknowledges that journalists may have biases, but he maintains that he does not create propaganda or falsify his images. Despite the challenges photojournalism faces in the digital age and the rise of citizen journalism, Nachtwey remains optimistic about the profession. He believes that while people's access to smartphones and the ability to capture events in real-time is valuable, trained journalists and photographers with insight, experience, and talent are still necessary to deliver quality messages. The exhibition concludes with a striking photograph of a young Vietnamese woman affected by the chemical herbicide Agent Orange. The image depicts her mother helping her exercise her thin arms, while her sister, also affected by the chemical, lies nearby. The young woman's serene expression and the intricate lace around her neck create a heartbreakingly beautiful image that momentarily overshadows the suffering it represents.