Collective Lens: Photography for Social Change, started by husband and wife team Bryan and Laurie Tighe, promotes social change with user submitted photos. An online community gathers on its pages to share, experience and educate through photography. Recently, Bryan answered a few of our questions from Egypt, his and Laurie’s most recent stop on their Year of Outreach.
Bryan Tighe: Mosque Aleppo, Syria
What is the history of Collective Lens?
My wife Laurie and I started Collective Lens: Photography for Social Change in 2007. After a trip through Asia we were inspired to bring attention to the humanitarian problems we witnessed while abroad. Many people around the world are living in poverty while popular American media and news broadcasts seem to ignore this and other important issues. Being interested in photography, we knew that a single photo could convey a powerful message and quickly bring awareness to the everyday struggles of people living in difficult situations. Also, we felt that the best way to obtain information about these important issues and events was from the source. People who are actively involved in the issues, whether witnessing them firsthand or involved in related charity work, are the best source of information about a particular social issue. With that in mind, we started the website and encouraged others to submit their photos and articles relating to social issues around the world. We’re now proud to say that the website has grown dramatically over the last few years.
Laurie Tighe: An Orang Asli Girl
Do you find trends in social issues from region to region, as well as over time?
From region to region, there are certainly a diverse mix of social issues. People in places such as Southeast Asia and Africa deal directly with life’s most basic struggles in the form of poverty, disease, and human rights. People in other regions are constantly fighting for democracy, women’s rights, or basic freedoms. On our site, and in general, the last few years has seen an explosion of amateur photographers on a mission to showcase their surroundings. Poverty, homelessness, and children’s issues have become very popular topics as a result of an increase in global travel, the accessibility of digital cameras, and the growth of the internet.
Your site takes a very intimate look at societal ills and addresses them head on. What are some concrete ways these images have inspired social change, or action?
Other than generally raising awareness, the photos on Collective Lens help charities and organizations showcase their work. We try to encourage organizations to discuss how they are not just solving problems, but how they are doing it in a sustainable and economical way. We also try to showcase the work of small organizations that do not have other means for marketing for their cause. By doing this, small organizations can not just gain attention, but also learn from other small organizations that share similar goals.
By viewing the photos on the site, a person can become inspired to get involved. Furthermore, by uploading a photo, a person is taking a small but crucial first step in the process of making a commitment to a cause. The photos not only inspire the general public, but also provide an outlet for photographers and organizations to showcase their work.
Bryan Tighe: Working Boy
How has Collective Lens affected your personal views on social change?
We’ve been impressed and surprised by the number of people around the world who are involved with small grassroots efforts within their local community. We’ve learned that helping other people is not just about giving handouts, but instead it is about giving opportunities. Providing people with an education or the ability to make a life for themselves in a sustainable way has proven to be much more effective than broad financial donations. To me, on a personal level, social change used to be about volunteering some free time to help a cause, but it has now evolved into an everyday lifestyle. There are so many small actions that a person can take in their daily life that affect people around the world. From the products we buy and use, to the businesses that we support (or avoid), and the politicians that we vote for, every action that we take can have global ramifications. Social change is not just about giving up a few hours a week, or donating money to a specific cause. Instead, social change is about having an awareness of the issues around the world and then altering your habits accordingly.
We’re currently looking for regular contributors to our blog. If anyone is interested, please send us an email at info@collectivelens.com.
by Jean Lin
