Nachtwey Plans to Break a Story Tomorrow About... Something

So what's it all about, Jim?

Tomorrow (Friday), a photo story by James Nachtwey will be revealed online and projected on screens in cities around the world. The project was funded by the TED Prize, which awarded Nachtwey $100,000 last year. TED is trying to hype it as a big press event, teasing it online with the promise that it will be "shocking":

"James Nachtwey is preparing to reveal his photographs, which highlight a shocking and underreported global crisis. Over the past 18 months, the TED community have been working with James to gain access to locations he wished to photograph, and to prepare spectacular plans for unveiling these pictures."

Here's where you can see the photos tomorrow. What we don't know is the subject of the story. But there are some clues from another part of the TED site:

"Clinton Foundation and Partners in Health have been responsible for getting James access to Health Ministries in a number of different countries, allowing him to shoot stories that have been intentionally kept in the dark."

And also:

"Time Magazine is running this story as an 8-page spread to be released the day of this worldwide event. PR Newswire has committed to time on the Reuters screen in Times Square, to create press around the event and to display the images on the evening of."

There was some chatter on Lightstalkers about the sensibility of withholding such a story from the public until a reveal date, and whether it is tacky to promote your latest story on a Jumbotron.

As someone who thinks photojournalism should connect with a mass audience, I'm inclined to support this effort – even if it means Nachtwey's story is first seen on a big screen next to a blinking Target billboard. What do you think?

Comments

[jayms ramirez]

I support James and this method.

The build up and release date is only being used get more minds opened to the subject matter, which is a challenge for every photojournalistic endeavor no???

[Ant-honey]

I wish James nothing but the best. It's nice to see proactive-ness from a photographer, especially from someone of his caliber.

[Dan]

Nachtwey seems to have gotten the cash and access to do a unique story by winning the TED prize. From that, he seems to have piled these resources into something he believes in and is now releasing it in a way that is getting maximum exposure.

Good for him. Sadly, it's news that a photographer has found a way to publicize a human interest story that is actually going to get some exposure. Usually, this type of exposure is reserved for some shoe company's latest product release or an aging pop stars nipple slip. Sadly, it's nipple slips and shoes that sell magazines and not compelling images about those less fortunate.

[The Tour Guide]

Looks like the Nachtwey story has broken...

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/james_nachtwey_fights_xdrtb.html

Also on this site:

http://www.xdrtb.org/