There’s a saying that one picture is worth a thousand words. That’s because a simple picture can share so much information. With just a look, a photo can show you who was doing what, where, when and how.
A photo can capture people’s emotions like joy or sadness. It can make you curious or even jog a memory of an experience you’ve had.
That’s why we use so many photos in this magazine. They help you truly understand the stories and circumstances of the children who attend Compassion centers around the world.
But these photos don’t just magically appear. People dedicate their professional lives to telling great stories through photographs. They’re called photojournalists. We have photojournalists who work in all the countries where Compassion helps kids.
“Some people don’t know how beautiful and valuable they are until someone tells them. That’s why I love showing the people I photograph how beautiful and unique they are, whether they’re Black, white, Indigenous or anything else,” says Sara.
Favorite snack for photo shoots:
Tangerines, Snickers® bars or fruit.
Favorite music:
Music from other countries, especially Korea.
Favorite thing to photograph:
People.
Group hug! Sara makes friends with the kids she photographs! She helps them dream about what they want to be when they grow up.
“It fills my heart with joy when I take portraits of the kids laughing and smiling and I can see the joy in their eyes. My dream is to take pictures of the reality of the world. I am always dreaming of how to communicate the beauty of the world and how we need to preserve God’s creation and people. As a photographer, my dream is to help to make a better world,” says Nico.
Favorite snack for photo shoots:
Granola bars.
Favorite music:
Instrumental, classical or modern pop-rock.
Favorite thing to photograph:
Portraits of smiling kids.
Rain, rain, don’t go away. Nico was photographing sponsored kids one day when it started pouring. They all had a blast playing in the rain!
“Once at a [Compassion] center, I was taking pictures of some sports activities that the staff organized. I was ready to capture a moment when suddenly I felt a slight tug on my shirt. I looked down and saw a little 3-year-old girl, who asked me if I could put my camera aside to play ball with her. She didn’t have siblings, and her friend hadn’t come that day,” says Daniela.
Favorite snack for photo shoots:
Chocolate, gummy bears or chips.
Favorite music:
Folk-pop indie.
Favorite thing to photograph:
Smiling children and sunsets during the “golden hour” (a time in mornings and evenings when the light is great for photos).
Race to the top! Daniela loves to play with the kids she photographs. In this photo Daniela and some children race to the top of a hill.
“My camera helps me to embrace the world with imagination. In my job, I meet people who have walked through some of the darkest shadows of life — poverty, violence, sickness, displacement. But I know we still hold to our humanity in the shadows. Even in the shadows there is hope. Hope lights my way as a photographer and storyteller,” says Piyamary.
Favorite snack for photo shoots:
Caramelized roasted peanuts (recipe here) or fried bananas in
coconut batter.
Favorite music:
Gospel and worship.
Favorite thing to photograph:
People in their traditional clothes and homes, especially when they are smiling or laughing.
Happy to see hope! Piyamary poses with three boys in front of their Compassion center. Her job as a photojournalist is a chance for her to see hope in unexpected places.
What about you?
Would you want to be a photojournalist? If so, what stories would you like to tell? Ask an adult to email your answers to [email protected], and we may share them in a future issue!