"It's What I Do" Book Report

    Before I read this book, I thought that it was going to be a detailed account about how to take quality pictures and Lynsey Addario’s journey to finding that out. Although “It’s What I Do” might cover some of that, it is much more of a grounded, detailed account of her struggles in the field and in life. Her accounts of dangerous missions and intense interactions with people from other countries filled every chapter. These stories and her book have changed how I view everything from relationships, America’s involvement in the Middle East, all the way to photojournalism as a whole.

    One of these crazy stories stands out despite being a small moment in the grand scheme of the book. When Lynsey was in Afghanistan, she had to deal with American soldiers frequently. How their involvement was affecting the community was a big part of her story she was putting together there.  She talks about how they were looked up to by some locals and hated by others. This was because they were in unfamiliar territory, so they often chose to shoot first and ask questions later. The most horrific example of this is when Lynsey describes how the soldiers would set up checkpoints. Usually, the locals knew what the checkpoint was despite not being able to read English and complied with U.S forces. If a car did not stop, though, it was gunned down on sight. Many of these times they were families who simply could not read the signs.

This kind of heart-wrenching violence is not uncommon in the book or Lynsey’s life. The crazy part is she chooses to put herself in these situations. She is constantly seeking out the largest example of violence and oppression in the world. This makes her work what it is, though. Even if I think she has a few bolts loose, there’s no denying this strategy has helped her forge an impressive career and is what sets her apart from her colleagues. Her pictures are filled with strong emotions and often focus on the harshest part of our reality. She also gets as close as she can and this makes her pictures feel intimate. These strengths of hers are perfect for shining a light on the people who have it worst in the world.

She is someone to look up to whether you want to be a photojournalist or not. Being someone who does want to do something similar to her career, I found many of her lessons on photography to resonate with me. The biggest one I have taken to heart is her stance on hesitation when taking photographs. I find myself lowering the camera a lot without any pictures taken. In her book, Lynsey talks about how every moment must be captured and to not do so is an insult to the moment. Throughout the year, after reading that, I tried to take more photos and not think about the quality as much. This ended up improving the quality of my photos by giving me more to choose from after shooting. I guess an award winning photographer might know what she’s talking about.

    Even though it was a heavy book and hard to read at times, I’m glad I did. If anyone asks for a book recommendation I might be hesitant, though. When people are looking for a page turner they don’t necessarily mean one that is this full of violence. The grim, blunt pictures that she puts in our heads might be overwhelming for some people. It’s the perfect book for the right person, but might not be for everyone. Those who enjoy perspective changing stories will definitely get something out of this, though.