Jean Chung

Some say history is written by the victors, others say by the invaders, but there are also those who say that history is written by those who record it.

What we remember most from major world events such as World War II, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror, are the points of view expressed by Western males, who, during those times, were the writers and documenters of history. We remember images of the Normandy Landings taken by Robert Capa, wounded soldiers in Vietnam, a general executing a Vietcong spy, and weary US soldiers in Afghanistan or Iraq.

However, little has been reported from the point of view of the other side, the victims: the Vietcong, the Iraqi forces, or the victims of sexual violence that result from armed conflicts.Now is the time to bring light to those who have been under-reported throughout modern history.

However, it is now also a more difficult time than ever to report about the victims. Many readers no longer want to see the darker side of humanity in their morning newspapers or their weekly/monthly magazines. Magazines and newspapers not only risk losing subscribers, they also risk losing advertisers by publishing these stories.

As for the Internet, although it is freely accessible to many people and can avoid the costs of print medium, it often provides photographs free of charge and violates copyright, creating a difficult environment for photojournalists, who find it difficult to secure the funding to support their activities.

I do not know how much Days International can do to revive the current downfall in the photojournalism industry; however, I do know that doing something is better than doing nothing.

Photographers like myself are wary of the disposable nature of digital media.
Sometimes photographers contribute their hard-earned images to web sites for free, or, because of the nature of the World Wide Web, are forced to give up their exclusive rights and have little control over copyright infringement.
I hope that Days International reflects the concerns of photojournalists and readers alike, and can truly be a leading force in photojournalism around the world.

< Profile >

A full-time freelance photojournalist since 2004, Jean Chung has won the CARE Humanitaire Reportage (2007), the Pierre & Alexandra Boulat Award (2008), 4th Days Japan Photojournalism Awards and WHO’s Stop Tuberculosis Partnership Award in 2008, and 7th Days Japan Photojournalism Awards in 2010. Much of Chung’s work has gained international recognition.

John G. Morris

Those of us, in East and West, who remember what is now called World War II can only hope that there will never be another world war, or for that matter a war of any kind.

Unfortunately my country is now engaged in what I hope will be a very limited war, in Afghanistan. I am encouraged that my President, Barack Obama, does not use the words "War on Terror," as did his predecessor, but he is under enormous political pressure to ensure the "defense" of America.

Thus we continue to prepare for possible future wars, calling it "defense."
I am with you in calling for an end to war of all kinds. As a journalist I have long sought to present a balanced picture of international conflicts.

That is one reason that I have recently republished old photographs of the suffering of your people at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, not to mention the other cities which were destroyed by fire. Unfortunately most of my fellow countrymen saw those conflicts in terms of Victory or Defeat.

The atom bombs supposedly brought Victory. In fact they brought Defeat — at least a temporary one, for the entire human race.

Yes, we must learn to regard all mankind as victims in war.

I congratulate you on taking this stand.

"People Are People," as I wrote in the first worldwide series photographed by Robert Capa and Magnum, back in 1947-48. Let us nourish The Family of Man.

<Profile>

One of the most experienced photo editors in the world, over his distinguished career, he has worked as an editor with LIFE, MAGNUM, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and National Geographic.