Remembering Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros

Tuesday May 3rd, 2011

Sometimes just one photograph is so profound it can change history, lives and people’s minds. One such photo changed the life our Serbia-based photographer, Matt Lutton. When Matt was about to head off to college he saw an image that he describes as, “the most important image I had seen up until that point in my life.”

The photo was shot in Liberia and showed a commander reveling in excitement after successfully firing a rocket at the enemy. It was taken by the Pulitzer Prize-nominated photojournalist Chris Hondros.  Tragically, he and fellow photojournalist/film maker Tim Hetherington were killed in Libya on April 20^th.

Every day wartime photojournalists risk their lives to help bring attention to dire situations. Throughout their careers Hondros and Hetherington opened people’s eyes and inspired others to do the same. Hondros shed light on wars in Kosovo, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Liberia. Hetherington also photographed many of this generation’s biggest conflicts while also creating insightful films such as his Oscar nominated “Restrepo”, a vivid and intense look at the war in Afghanistan.

These photographers incited change and inspired other photojournalists to pick up their cameras. As The Atlantic put it, “Hetherington’s mission… was to beg the world’s attention.” Well, he and Hondros certainly got Matt Lutton’s attention. This is what Matt had to say,

As a young photographer, Hondros’ work helped set me in my own place. He was an example showing how far you need to go before you’re “doing it right” and taking responsibility for the work and the places you find yourself covering. You can start believing that only the photographs matter, until you realize what more important information we learn when we can seek the full story of what is happening in front of us. Hondros’ reputation to me is about commitment to stories for far longer than they are sexy or on front pages.

San Francisco-based photographer Lianne Milton was deeply affected by the deaths of Hetherington and Hondros. She expressed that,

These photojournalists are one of the reasons why I pick up the newspapers and magazines – to look for their pictures, and read the stories. They bring us closer to the stories and issues that we need to see, and right up to the front lines, even if mainstream media doesn’t cover it.

Photo by Lianne Milton/San Francisco

The loss of Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros is great. Yes they died, but as stated on Take Part, they died trying, which is more than most can say.

- Maria