VIII

Kelli Nicole just told me about VII Photo Agency.

VII derives its name from the number of founding photo-journalists who, in September 2001, formed this collectively owned agency. Designed from the outset to be an efficient, technologically enabled distribution hub for some of the world’s finest photojournalism, VII has been responsible for creating and relaying to the world many of the images that define the turbulent opening years of the 21st century.

Alexandra Boulat, Ron Haviv, Gary Knight, Antonin Kratochvil, Christopher Morris, James Nachtwey and John Stanmeyer were joined in 2002 by Lauren Greenfield and in 2004 by Joachim Ladefoged. Marcus Bleasdale and Franco Pagetti joined in November 2007. Together they document conflict - environmental, social and political, both violent and non-violent - to produce an unflinching record of the injustices created and experienced by people caught up in the events they describe.

On September 9th 2001, VII announced its formation. On the following night, covering for the missed return flight of a colleague, James Nachtwey arrived at his Manhattan apartment close to the World Trade Center. The next morning, he photographed some of the most haunting pictures of the collapse of the towers, at the same time eloquently conveying the destruction of a way of life.

These photo essays are incredibly inspiring. Often gut wrenching. Real.

Some of my favorites include:

The Albino Killings photo essay by Marcus Bleasdale.

BibiAna 10 and her sister Tendyebua 8 wait in the hospital compound in the hospital in Gaita, Tanzania. BibiAna was amputated at night by people who believe Albino body parts used in conjunction with other traditional medicines can help them become rich in the mining and fishing industries. The people who attacked and amputated BibiAnnas leg have been taken into custody. Over 19 Albinos have been killed in Tanzania in the past 2 years.

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