Guest Speaker: Thatcher Cook - Photojournailsm and Documentary Photography
Channel: The Art Institute of Pittsburgh — Online Division | Photography Department
Date: 2014-01-29

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division | Photography Department is pleased to present the recording of guest speaker photojournalist and documentary photographer Thatcher Cook. 

About the Photographer: Since 1997, Cook has gone on assignment for multiple humanitarian aid, non-governmental and developmental organizations.  Perhaps his most inspirational body of work consists of the images published within his second book, Black Apple, which depicts the culture in Kyrgyzstan.  Cook traveled through Kyrgyzstan for eight months on a Fulbright Scholarship and documented the lifestyle of a country recovering from the downfall of the Soviet Union.

Believing that photography can be used as a tool for social change, Cook's camera lens typically captures the lives of those affected by war, economic upheaval and natural disasters.  What makes Cook's images unique from other photojournalists is that the viewer can really sense Cook's engagement with his subjects, which allows him to accurately portray each individual's "day to day" activities and struggles.  Cook's in depth analysis of his subjects shines a bright and powerful light on their plight.  It is his hope that this light will provide a helping hand and better opportunities for a brighter future.

Recorded 5/21/13