The Power of Simple

Eric Thibault

As much as a well-written, descriptive article can portray the feelings of an event or moment, I can equally appreciate a single picture. Personally, I'm not great with a camera - I have no idea how to properly frame a shot or get the right lighting. I've always enjoyed taking pictures, but I fit the definition of the word amateur.

What I found interesting about David Snider's photos was that I found myself taking a deep look at images that I would only glance at in normal life. As a result, I ended up wondering about the various subjects, like the men on the street in Marseilles. There's no way to know their life stories through the picture, but I feel like I can understand their mood. Honestly, the photo is extraordinary in its simplicity - it provides an accurate glimpse of daily life.

As for the "Photo Hunting" story - I can't see myself doing that job nearly as well as David LaBelle does, but I can certainly take some things away from his work. Most importantly, his patience, preparation, and attention to detail stand out - it's no different than finding out everything possible about a source for an article.

Whether I can channel my inner photographer remains to be seen, but if nothing else, I hope I can apply some of photography's principles to my writing.