Our World, Their Lens
“Somalia’s food production system, once relatively strong, had been obliterated, a situation that was only heightened by the country’s longtime over reliance on outside aid. By the spring of 1992, a small number of aid workers and journalists who had been in the country’s interior began to share disturbing news: a famine was under way.” – Art of Life, Jennifer New
Dan Eldon had a decision to make in the summer of 1992: Apply to UCLA’s film school or pursue photojournalism. It didn’t take much more than a couple beers and a conversation with Aidan Hartley, writer for The Nation, to decide. Aidan had been covering the conflict in Somalia for a few months and sensed that no one was listening, but this story was about to explode.
Reminded of what he saw in Mozambique on the STA trip and the $17,000 he and his friends raised for the refugee camps, Dan started to realize that maybe this time his photos could help an entire country.
After one trip to Somalia with Aidan, Dan decided to work as a freelance photojournalist in the city. He was in and out of Mogadishu on a regular basis. As the months passed by, he started to see the effects of his and his colleague’s work as more money and food was sent into Somalia.
Why do journalists go to places like Somalia in the midst of a famine? I think it’s because people in those places don’t have a mouthpiece to give them a voice. Even their cries for help stay as faint whimpers until the issue is brought to the attention of major news outlets. Journalists on the ground give these horrific stories the attention they deserve.
It’s important to remember the person behind the camera. Someone is on the ground, speaking with the people and shooting the images and videos we see everyday on the news. These men and women are leaving the comfort of their own homes to fight against the injustices happening across the globe.
This month, leading up to the 21st anniversary of Dan’s death on July 12, we’d like to honor these people. Your camera lenses are our windows to what’s happening around the world and we thank you.