A Discussion with LA Times Photojournalist Marcus Yam
To say I was amazed by Marcus Yam's talk at Elon University last week is an understatement. Yam, an engineer turned photojournalist has captured the pure essence of humanity and conflict through his work at the LA Times. At the Times, he has covered everything from protests and war crimes to mass shootings and wildfires. His images not only tell a story, but they captivate you - leaving you wanting more every time.
Yam shared some of his favorite projects with us - walking us through what it is like to be in some of the world's most intense conflict zones, such as Afghanistan, Gaza, the West Bank, and Iran. As Yam said, "The most painful pictures you take are the ones stamped in your memory forever." One thing I found particularly interesting about Yam's background is how he explained to us that he felt unsafe often as a child and that this contributed significantly to his ability to operate in situations of grave danger and grimness. He told us the story of how he found a U.S. hellfire missile after being on the scene of an explosion in Afghanistan. Yam dug through the dirt, uncovered the missile casings, and tracked down to a U.S.-owned and operated drone. It was after this investigative reporting that the Pentagon actually came out and said that civilian casualties were a result of the launched airstrike by U.S. forces.
Following Yam's talk, I did some searching through his portfolio and found the LA Times piece including over a dozen Afghani women to be particularly inspiring. Yam's use of light is truly incredible and his ability to tell the stories of these women while respecting their privacy and concealment wishes is remarkable. I feel blessed to have been able to see Yam speak, and I know that his work is the epitome of what photojournalism should be.















