The Mindful Photographer

Hope and Despair

Out of despair is born hope. Despair can be existential and shared such as the terror of recognizing our mortality, or it can be personal as when life events shake the very foundation of our happiness. Either way, despair can give way to anger, and then acceptance that leads often toward a rebirth of hope. As artists and image-makers, how can we help people find hope, even though we may express righteous anger and indignation over the conditions of terror and despair for many people in these uncertain times?

The achievements of many photographers over the past century offer an encouraging kind of hope emerging from despairing conditions. Even after fifty years, my respect for Robert Frank’s The Americans continues to grow ...