A Photojournalist’s Field Guide: In the trenches with combat photographer Stacy Pearsall

Staying Sane

A photojournalist will bear witness to some of the worst and most horrific atrocities imaginable, so it’s important to be emotionally stable as well as professionally competent. You may be required to photograph accidents, homicides, natural disasters, famine, war, and death, all while under extreme conditions. It’s not surprising to have a physical reaction while covering stories surrounding mass casualties or critical incidences. You may feel faint at the site of blood or overwhelmed at the smell of human decomposition. It’s imperative to find methods of coping with those feelings so you can continue to cover the story thoroughly and objectively. You do not want to become a hindrance to the story by becoming a casualty, too. No ...