Hyper-Localized Storytelling with Ed Kashi
Recorded Thursday, June 11th @ 7 pm
On March 7th, as America was shutting down and Ed Kashi was returning from the field, he committed his craft to hyper-local work as the pandemic swept through New York and New Jersey, the epicenter of the virus in America. In the past three months, Ed has produced two bodies of work, a personal diary and a photo essay called Rising To The Call, which celebrates the work of frontline and volunteer workers in his state. Ed spoke to us about how he produces local stories that hold national significance. As we shift from stay-at-home orders to reengaging with the world, Ed Kashi offered insights on staying safe, working compassionately with vulnerable populations, and creating images that matter.
Ed Kashi is an acclaimed photojournalist who uses photography, filmmaking and social media to explore geopolitical and social issues that define our times. He is also a dedicated educator and mentor to photographers around the world and lectures frequently on visual storytelling, human rights and the world of media.
He has covered topics as diverse as the impact of oil in Nigeria, the protestant community in Northern Ireland, the lives of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, the impact of an aging society through his groundbreaking project, Aging in America, climate change, the plight of Syrian refugees, and the global epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease among agricultural workers. A sensitive eye and an intimate relationship to his subjects are signatures of his work. A member of VII Photo Agency since 2010, Kashi has been recognized for his complex imagery and its compelling rendering of the human condition.
A leading voice in the photojournalism world, Kashi frequently lectures on a wide range of topics for arts institutions, universities, schools and professional organizations. His work has been published and exhibited worldwide, receiving numerous awards and honors. Through his editorial assignments and personal projects Kashi has published nine books, including Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta, THREE, and Photojournalisms.
“If you want to be a photographer, particularly a photojournalist...you want to find things that you genuinely care about, because that will be the source of your greatest work. ”