Behind the picture (Mar. 2/14)

Niclas Hammarstrom photo
Nine year old Alladin collects used ammunition near the front line in Aleppo to sell as metal (source: Flickr).

You might consider how this photograph by Niclas Hammarstrom would translate if the young boy known as Alladin held a loaf of bread in his hands instead of empty ammunition shells used in the Syrian civil war. The boy, if you want to call him that, stands defiant as he stares at the camera. He looks more a man than a boy, and his eyes probably say more than any global leader might about the plight of people in the world today.

Syria is a metaphor for the world's current state of affairs. As Russia mobilizes against the Ukraine, the Middle East suffers in the grips of extreme poverty. Photojournalists have flocked to the desolate country, those such as Hammarstrom remain alive to publish their photos. But others haven't been so lucky. On Sunday (Mar. 9), reports that Canadian photojournalist Ali Mustafa perished while on assignment in Syria started to appear online, and by mid-week most critical media outlets in Canada confirmed and reported the death. 

In seeking a photograph to present on photo gazetteer this week, it was important to relate it to the death of Canadian photojournalist Ali Mustafa. It isn't easy to review the slain photojournalist's social media accounts such as Instagram and Twitter because in a two-part Twitter post he talks about how those who are idealistic break easy, and don't bend. While Mustafa's conviction is admired, and he has been praised by many as a fearless journalist who cared about the people, these are stark words. His work appeared in many leading media publications, those such as the Guardian.

Dark times these are indeed when the most daring of us succumb to such cynical dispositions. It's sad to see Mustafa break.

What is photo gazetteer?

The story behind the photograph is just as important as the photograph itself. This is a blog that will look at the stories behind the photographs shaping our world, everything from the small and mundane, to the big and spectacular. Feel free to comment on photos and share your own.

This blog is managed by designer and journalism student John King