Moment of Prayer

Ukrainian immigrants to France in prayer at the Ukrainian
Cathedral in Paris last Sunday. Photo by
Peter Turnley, March 6th, 2022.

Our friend Peter Turnley crossed the border into Ukraine today.

If you're the praying kind, spare a thought for him. You can't tell Peter he's allowed to take it easier now. He's 66, but remains true to the life he chose as a kid, when he and his twin brother David were determined to become photojournalists. When COVID-19 slammed New York City, he wrestled with his fear, but then got right out into it. Now he's in Ukraine to help people tell their stories. Here's a small portfolio of Peter's photographs of Ukrainians in peaceful times. He's active on Facebook and Instagram, where you can follow his current work.

I'm off to work on the "Objects" portfolio. If I don't get it up tomorrow, I'll keep working on it till it's done.

Mike

UPDATE: I heard from Peter from inside Ukraine. He told me he's focusing on the extraordinary flow of refugees, calling the work Exodus from Ukraine. He said he's photographed refugees in many circumstances for forty years, but has never seen anything like what he's seeing now—because of its scale, for one thing, and because it has "a sort of World War II feel to it" because it's happening in Eastern Europe, but mainly because the exodus consists almost entirely of women and children. The men are staying behind to fight. 

When you look at this, imagine yourself saying a temporary goodbye to your own children as you see them off on a train to an uncertain destination—knowing that there's a possibility you might never see them again.

Peter is a photojournalist, still, but something more. His activities seem more like a calling than a job at this point. Increasingly, over the years, his allegiance is to the people he photographs. They're all he spoke about when we talked. No one sent him to Ukraine, although he'll find places to publish the work. People in extremis do not want their suffering obscured—they want, and need, witnesses.  —MJ

Book of Interest this Week

Gregory Crewdson: Alone Street. "Filmic" seems the best single adjective to describe Gregory Crewdson's work; his directed and carefully managed tableau are the still photography version of scenes in movies. As such they are hyper-real; more beautiful than life and more poetic, and more concerted. They're also very easy to enjoy and a pleasure to look at.

This book link is a portal to Amazon.

Today at B&H Photo

Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Kristine Hinrichs: "If that image doesn’t melt your heart, nothing will. What a powerful image."

Kenneth Tanaka: "I am eager to see what Peter captures inside Ukraine.

Bad Weather Makes for Good Photography

"You’ve certainly heard this old chestnut If you’ve been involved in photography for a long time. And it’s true. But a variant of that is also true: Bad Times Make for Good Photography. Right now we’re bathed in the humanitarian horror that a madman has unleashed on the world. It may be hard for any of us to get past the reflexive revulsion of the events for a while.

"But as a momentary relief try to abstract yourself from the reality and just look at the photography that’s conveying the story to you each day. Right now coming from the top news sources and press agencies we’re seeing a daily flood of truly exceptional reportage imagery from the best-of-the-best. Of course familiar names Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks are appearing on many of the best image bylines. But there are a great many more unknown names appearing, too. This is a moment for the best photographers to make (or lose) their careers.

"That means it’s also a perfect learning moment for avocational photographers, young or old, to really see how the best snappers put a strong image together. Compare their images with yours. You may immediately notice that their goal tends not to be compositional rules (which were really created for additive arts such as painting and drawing anyway). Their primary goals can be called constitutional; putting the most meaningful stuff in a frame to make it congeal and cohere at-a-glance.

"You won’t be a bad person for using this bad moment as a learning / self-improvement medium. And it might provide you with some needed psychic relief, too."

Bill Stothers: "Mike—Most of what I've seen from Ukraine has been in color. Interesting to see Peter T.'s B&W work (and that of brother David T. who also has crossed the border). What do you think about B&W vs. color here? Lindsey Addario has been doing extraordinary work in the NYT. Do the Brothers T. compete with one another? Collaborate? They seem not to acknowledge one another on IG."

Mike replies: You can hear about their relationship from their own parents, no less, in the "60 Minutes" profile.

Jack MacDonough: "Peter’s words on Instagram are as powerful as his images. And his images are so poignant."

Comments

[Mike Ferron]

Imagine a world where the leaders of nations were concerned with the potential greatness of it’s people instead of the greatness of their self image, personal wealth and ability to control said people.

[Rick in CO]

I wish Peter Turnley a safe passage. I met his brother David on a street corner in the Marais, Paris last October. Never having met, but having Peters book and knowing his likeness from a photo, I asked if he was Peter - he was very nice to me explaining that he was in fact David. We had a wonderful, if brief conversation. David had his Leica around his neck, obviously out for a photo walk. Mine was in my room, I was just out picking up breakfast croissant. Never know who you might meet in Paris, maybe someday I might run into Peter!

[Malcolm Myers]

Don McCullin, the famous war photographer, also said that he took pictures to give a voice to the voiceless. I wish Peter a safe trip to Ukraine. I have a nasty feeling that the worst is yet to come.

[Albert Smith]

I bought Peter's Covid book, and still haven't been able to really look at it because it was too fresh; we were still wearing masks and observing thousands of daily deaths. Terrific photography, horrible subject matter.

I can't imagine a Ukraine book from this man being anything less that amazing and for maybe 10 years, unviewable to anyone with a soul. Those kids will never be just kids again and it needs to be documented... hopefully for the war crime trials.

[Herman Krieger]

Message from the Ukrainian Orthodox church-

[darlene]

I was in the third grade when reading the Diary of Anne Frank was assigned. I was forever changed after that. I was eight years-old, my parents were divorcing, I was no longer permitted to write with my left hand, I developed a stutter and was afraid to speak, and growing up in Topanga Canyon was replaced with the frozen sidewalks of New Jersey. But, even at eight years-old I knew I was a fortunate one. I cried while reading Anne's diary. I cry today for the children in Peter's photo and for the unknown ones. How could we let this happen again?

[Greg Heins]

Ms. Addario's work has been instantly recognizable in the TIMES photo stream. It seems to me that she could hardly be closer. I wish her, the Turnleys and all their colleagues good luck (to say nothing of everyone else there). What a sorry world.

[Jernej]

Here's a collection of lot of work from inside Ukraine
https://aphotoeditor.com/2022/03/01/the-daily-edit-support-photojournalism-guide-to-ukraine/

[Luke]

"Our friend Peter Turnley crossed the border into Ukraine today."

Of course he did.

"He's 66"

Jesus, Peter, be careful.

[Alan]

I find this white paper on "Photography from an ethical perspective" a very interesting read.

https://repository.gchumanrights.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11825/1891/30.Hofbauer.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Page 33, from my POV, probes into the question of exploitation for means to an end, that is on the one hand photo reportage brings great awareness to the world that is interested in following the events, then offset by these circumstances creating the stage for great and emotional imageries to be made. Like fishing in a lake full of fish if you will. Easy to catch fish which ostensibly can further ones own personal agenda whatever that may be.
Let's face it, it is much easier to make great photographs (all be it perhaps dangerous) when you are surrounded by surreal and what seems like endless tragedy.
This maybe perceived as cynical but I stand by that comment as to being the reality.

The paper does do a very good job of bringing balance of all the elements to the subject matter.

Somewhat off subject, what I find truly remarkable is that 20,000 people from all parts of the globe to date have traveled to Ukraine to help fight alongside the Ukrainians all at their own expense, with no glory in mind, but to simply put their own lives on the line for freedom.
This morning on BBC video report, a young Norwegian man was interviewed and his humble reason for being there and willing to sacrifice everything was very moving. Truly heroic in my mind.

[JTK]

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace,” - Jimi Hendrix I think...

[Ken]

Here is a CNN link on PT's latest work - a few quotes and some photos: https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-11-22/h_3b1c07ac2b5b16b73b391f3c91329624

[Steven Ralser]

A short interview and some of his photos are on cnn at https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-11-22/h_3b1c07ac2b5b16b73b391f3c91329624

[Farhiz]

For Peter, it goes way beyond making photographs of people. He knows each one by name and they know him too, as this episode proves: https://youtu.be/3ySeM86SYPA

[R. Edelman]

Peter was interviewed on CNN yesterday while still in Ukraine. He is not just an impressive photographer, he is an impressive person.

[Dan Khong]

Except for the words EDGA, the picture has that WW2 feel to it.
I wish Peter a safe passage in and out of Ukraine.
No doubt he has another book coming along at the end of his trip. Even so, I always enjoyed his slide shows with appropriate musical accompaniment.

[Dennis Ng]

It is so much different when saw in black and white. I noted at least one of them hold a leica in his neck in the Facebook photo. Guess there is still some difference in tools you know, trust and provide a total different perspective.

Sad humanitarian crisis and whilst do not want to say this, the Russian brunt force is not as they have done in other area. More sadness will become. And we witness it without stopping it. Are all non-nato countries like Taiwan and japan in the Far East or Finland molodov etc.

Need to speak to power in a way they understand. Not paying billion per day to them even now.

[Well, if we try to stop it by force, we risk provoking nuclear escalation by Putin. We're doing what we can, I fear. --Mike]

[louis mccullagh]

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2022/mar/11/twenty-photographs-of-the-week

Better photographs.

[louis mccullagh]

On the subject of photography in war. I was horrified to see an exhibition in Dubrovnik (croatia) by a war photographer of the Bosnia/serbia/croatian war. The images were chilling what was even more chilling was that they were for sale at about 500-1000euros each.

TASTELESS in the extreme.

[Dr Tom Bell]

Peter has headed back to Paris. I think David may be still in Ukraine.As ever both bearing witness to the horror affecting the innocent. So vital as the aggressors bring down the TV to try and stop the truth being told. It is extraordinary that relatives in Moscow simply will not believe what people in Ukraine are telling them.

[janekr]

In Poland (population 38 million) we are at the "receiving end" of that tragic train. Today we have over 1.7 *million* Ukrainian refugees and counting.
If you want to do something, please select any humanitarian organization (e.g. https://www.pah.org.pl/en/donate/) and donate.

[Earl Dunbar]

@ Rick in CO - I met Peter in the Marias on April 8, 2019, the day he “ascended” to French citizenship, and as Mike reported that day. Perhaps we will “flip” chance meetings in the near future.

PS - I knew it was Peter; somehow there was no confusion for me, probably because I follow both on Instagram and have gotten to know the differences.