"You Are Only A Bridge And Nothing Else" Day 4

Today we started at Associated Press headquarters with a meeting. This meeting was unlike the others we've had so far this week; AP staff from, what seemed like all over the country, got together on a conference call via skype and presented what stories they would be publishing that day. It was a really amazing, concise meeting that made sure everyone was on the same page. Then Santiago Lyons brought us into a small conference room and showed us some of the APs best work from Syria, the 2012 Olympics, the Presidential elections and a portrait series of stone throwers. He explained to us, in really amazing detail, how the world of photography used to be for a photographer to transmit his images to newspapers or magazines. It would take 24 continuous hours to transmit roughly 96 images, when today we can transmit thousands in that time period. He spoke to us very genuinely and not looking down on us like we have created such a monster of a digital generation, I really appreciated that.

We traveled to the Bronx to meet with Frank Fournier - we were treated to pizza at a place near his studio and walked there afterwards. We all crowded together at his table, on his couch, on his bed, and on his floor and listened to him tell us stories about his life/career and what he has learned through out. He moved to NYC in April around 3 pm with $200 in his pocket and no where to sleep that night. By 7pm he was working as a photo assistant to a photographer he had contacted upon arrival. He mentioned 5 things that were very important to have and to be as a photographer: be passionate, work hard ("you need the discipline of a monk"), persistence, strong health, and be nice (you are not nice when you have no sleep or no food, you must be nice, he said). This is the time to dream. We need to give 200% everyday, even when we are sleeping. He said to make sure we take away these two things: You don't find your story through the internet and you have to work your story like the Indian walks through the forest. He was such a sweet and giving man - he worked his way from bottom to top to make it in this country and I found that extremely admirable. 

We stopped at the Leica gallery quickly afterwards where I gazed upon beautiful prints and thumbed through beautiful photo books. We traveled down to the party with alumni where I had a great time chatting about photography, life, work or lack there of, and everything in between. It was really a pleasure.