What this Photojournalist thinks about when creating Solutions Journalism stories.
Hopefully you imagine in-depth stories that report on the successes and shortcomings of strategies to solve tough local, national and world-wide problems. But what does this mean for visual journalists? In most ways, it’s the same: we want to make compelling photos that connect readers to the story. However, it should also mean a shift in our focus and a change in the way we conduct our work.
The Pitch
In early January 2019, Kelly Regan, the editorial director for Next City, reached out to me about photographing a solutions story on incarcerated women who are allowed to pump breast milk and have it delivered to their infants outside of prison. I would be granted access to Philadelphia’s Riverside Correctional Facility, which is one of the few locations in the United States that has such a program. While this immediately sounded like a great project to work on, I also saw where some challenges might arise.
The first thing I wanted to address was how to photograph these women in a manner that was, first and foremost, respectful to them. As a man going into a women’s correctional facility to photograph what most would feel is a private moment, there are a lot of power dynamics at play.
The other issue was ensuring that I was being respectful to their story. As journalists, we have an immense responsibility in telling accurate stories, with a great deal of leeway in what we choose to show or not show. We have the ability to craft how we portray the individuals we photograph and should take into consideration whether the images we create benefit the story or our own perceptions.
The Conversations
When talking with Kelly, I expressed that I wanted to create portraits of these women in a way that dignified them. It would be easy to show the trauma and sadness faced by these women who have been separated from their babies. However, this wouldn’t service the story from a solutions perspective.
Looking at the breast pumping program provides an opportunity to show what the US correctional system could be, which is to say an honest chance for rehabilitation. Of course there are many issues facing the 2.2 million incarcerated throughout America.1 Focusing on the obvious negativity of their detention (we all know no one wants to be in jail) would detract from what’s important: working to better connect mother and child.
Still wanting to make sure I had my bases covered, I sought some additional guidance to bounce ideas around. I reached out to Vox visual editor Kainaz Amaria, as she consistently shares thoughtful critiques and challenges of the photojournalism community. This isn’t something we should be afraid of, but rather embrace to make ourselves better.
We were able to connect over the phone as I was driving over to Riverside. One excellent point she brought up was the real possibility that these women may feel coerced into being photographed. They’re in a prison system where every second of their lives is completely controlled. It was entirely possible that they felt it necessary for them to give interviews and be photographed so that they could continue to be in the program. Kainaz suggested trying to quietly pull the women aside and ensuring there was truly informed consent.
If you’re trying to cover a solution, don’t become part of the problem.
The Photos
Upon arriving at Riverside, I went in with a camera and small, handheld, one-light kit. We were lead down by the warden to the cell block that housed a small room with a few pumps and a refrigerator. Along with myself and the writer, we met with one mother at a time, along with three women from the Maternity Care Coalition (the organization running the MOMobile pumping program), and a PR person from the prison system. With such a crowded room, I was a little apprehensive about getting honest photos, let alone a chance to have a one-on-one conversation about consent.
That said, each woman was excited to be there and share her story. To the prison’s credit, they made sure each woman knew that they didn’t have to be photographed or answer any questions that they didn’t feel comfortable with. I know we often fret over losing editorial control over any particular situation, but I think it’s equally important for journalists to step back and take a look at the bigger picture. In this case, these women had minimal control over their surroundings and allowing them to reclaim that was the right thing to do.
After making the portraits and photographing a pumping session, I was able to follow through the prison a bit longer, visiting the Maternity Care Coalition on-site office. Beyond breast pumping, women are also provided education on childhood and health. This helped round out what happens inside Riverside, but there was still more to the story.
The Followup
Many of us don’t always have the opportunity to spend more time with the people we photograph, especially for those working at a daily publication with multiple assignments per day. However, it’s important to consider if there are key aspects of the story that need to be shown. The goal of solutions journalism is to provide a bigger picture than solely looking at the problem. Follow up with people to see if things are working or if not, what challenges are they facing?
Taking this on as a freelance photographer and with some time before publication, I was able to make a second outing to see how the other half of this program worked. I visited the home of one woman’s aunt, who was taking care of her daughter while she was jailed, to see a delivery take place. I could see how close this family had become with the women of the MOMobile program, as well as the gratitude they had for being able to connect mother and daughter, however distant that may seem.
The Takeaway
Creating emotionally engaging photos is incredibly important to the work that we do. It’s how we engage both the public and decision makers with informing stories that seek change. That doesn’t have to be done at the expense of the truth.
All photojournalists should be journalists first, photographers second. We have the power to control what the world sees and if we want to build trust and respect in our communities, we must strive to tell stories from viewpoints that don’t force our perspectives on others. Not every photo needs to depict sadness and violence to be impactful. Are there other ways to have photographed this story? Absolutely! But we need to remember that our images must serve the story first.
Summary
- Before you start, talk to your editor and make sure you understand what the solution is in the story you’re trying to show.
- Don’t be afraid to tackle things from a different perspective.
- Have more conversations with other journalists!
- Do your best to show as much of the solution as possible.
- Make sure your images work for the story, not yourself.
Kriston Jae Bethel is an award-winning, independent editorial and documentary photographer based out of the Philadelphia area. Producing environmental portraits alongside photojournalism coverage, his images have been featured in both print and online publications, including American Libraries, Grid Magazine, Mashable, Minneapolis Star Tribune, , New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, and WHYY. He studied journalism and political science at Temple University, and uses his educational experience to inform his work. As a member of the National Press Photographer’s Association, Kriston adheres to the NPPA’s Code of Ethics when creating photojournalism and documentary work.
*This is a sample of Solutions Journalism Network’s upcoming guide on visuals and solutions journalism.*
