Visual Storytelling: Helping hurts when communication is overlooked

I believe photographers? need a good PR agency and since no one is volunteering to do it for us, we must step up and take on this responsibility.

One such area I want to address is a photographer who wants to help use their talent to help humanitarian organizations or faith based organizations.

Please bear with me as I walk through understanding the elements and then trying to put together an action plan for photographers.

If you were to Google the definition of what is a humanitarian photographer, you will not find a definition is the normal places like Webster dictionary, Wikipedia or Google.? It is a new term used to describe not so much a style as the humanitarian organization for which photography is done.

When you Google ?humanitarian photographer,? I have a few friends that will pop up to the very top of the lists: Gary S. Chapman and Esther Havens both do humanitarian photography.

You will see every style of photography being done for humanitarian organizations that primarily distribute aid.

They go on and say, ?One of the major premises of this book is that until we embrace our mutual brokenness, our work with low-income people is likely to do far more harm than good.?

Wikipedia definition?Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to the deprivation of basic human needs, which commonly includes food, water, sanitation, clothing, shelter, health care and education. Relative poverty is defined contextually as economic inequality in the location or society in which people live.

In the book When Helping Hurts, ?Development expert Robert Chambers argues that the materially poor are trapped by multiple, interconnected factors?insufficient assets, vulnerability, powerlessness, isolation, and physical weakness?that ensnare them like bugs caught in a spider?s web.?

The book goes on to say, ?Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meanings.?

Based on this definition everyone suffers from poverty in some way.

Where the photographer can help

If broken relationships are what is the core issue in poverty, then to rebuild these relationships communication is key. With the broken relationship between two people they must come together and listen to one another.

Often counselors can help with the facilitation of restoration. When it comes to groups this is where I believe the professional communicator refines the role of the counselor and helps each group to better communicate and therefore move groups closer together.

Leaders of humanitarian organizations and their donors are often to blame for the failure organizations goals.

Donor and CEO Problem

A philanthropist decides to give a huge amount to an organization with strings attached. ?I want all this gift to go to something and none of it to go to operating costs of the organization? is one such type of gift.

The organization often will take the gift and totally reorganize just so they can use the gift. This is where the organization fails to educate the donor. A good CEO will educate the donor.

I see way too many humanitarian organizations focus on the relief. We can give food or we can teach them to fish. Teaching to fish is a larger investment in time, but not necessarily money.

Photographers need to understand relief, rehabilitation and development and how this applies to the organization. They need to have the strategic vision if they are to help an organization achieve their strategic vision.

Way too many photographers just want to go and travel to take photos. They are in it for themselves and are hurting and not helping.

Photographers need to know as much as they can about the area a humanitarian organization is addressing. What other groups are working in this area? Are they duplicating efforts? Is their approach helping the long-term goal of no longer being needed?

It is common that once you start becoming strategic and not just a button pusher of the camera you will help in ways beyond your camera. You may help leaders of different organizations know about each other. You may help them network due to your work for different groups.

PR for the photographer

Blogging

One of the ways I am watching photographers with PR for themselves is to tell stories through their blogs and being sure they are letting humanitarian organizations leaders know they are blogging.

If you have a blog you may want to ask some of those organization leaders to do a guest blog for you.?

Newsletter

You can create a printed or online newsletter that you send out to your distribution list. This method is different than the blog; it is pushing your message. A blog pulls people to the content.

Gallery

You can put your coverage up in a gallery and invite humanitarian organization leaders to come to the show. You can also encourage the humanitarian organizations to also have a gallery where you could be there as the artist at the opening to help bring in donors.

Social Media

Get involved in groups. Many humanitarian organizations have active group discussions where a photographer could easily be part of the discussion. Give some tips of your own or maybe you offer links that you have discovered as a good resource. Be a part of the discussion.
Hold organizations accountable

I would encourage all of your discussions to always be trying to be sure the organization is helping the problem and not hurting. Sometimes it is just asking a question with an attitude of innocence. Sometimes you may need to call attention a little more forthright. Remember your purpose is to be part of the solution and not hurting. Ticking everyone off is not the best solution since you will quickly discover yourself no longer a part of the discussion.

Source: http://blog.stanleyleary.com/2013/04/helping-hurts-when-communication-is.html

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