Kevin Carter, Sangolli Sangvva are metaphors of photojournalism, says K.V. Prabhakar
Bengaluru, August 19: “When looks touch the heart, a great photojournalist is born. The picture captured in that moment becomes history,” said K.V. Prabhakar, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
He was speaking at the inauguration of World Photography Day celebrations organised by the Bangalore Photojournalists’ Association on Monday.
Prabhakar highlighted that vision and insight form the foundation of good photojournalism. “A child understands the world through looks even before he learns to speak. Looks do not require words, sentences, or language. That is why we say ‘Love at first sight’. For photojournalists, this power of vision is crucial,” he said.
Citing examples, Prabhakar described South African photographer Kevin Carter and Karnataka’s Sangolli Sangvva as “two visual texts of photojournalism.”
He recalled Carter’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph from famine-hit Sudan in 1993, which depicted a starving child collapsing on the ground while a vulture waited nearby. “That single frame became an indelible text in journalism. It raised questions across the world, but also haunted Carter, who ended his life three months later. His photo proved that a look is itself a universal language, capable of sparking global debates,” he said.
Similarly, he pointed to the story of Sangvva from Belagavi, whose photograph bowing to the steps of a government bus under the Shakti Yojana scheme went viral last year. “When the scheme was announced, there was criticism and mockery. But Sangvva’s single act of gratitude, captured in a photo, erased all jokes and touched millions. Within 24 hours, she became a symbol of dignity and emotion,” Prabhakar noted.
According to him, reports and words may sometimes distort facts, but photographs never lie. “Pictures are the seal of truth in journalism. They carry authenticity and permanence in a way text cannot,” he said.
On the role of technology, Prabhakar said photography today is easier than it was two decades ago, but creativity remains the deciding factor. “Artificial intelligence is both a challenge and an opportunity. Technology cannot replace human imagination. As long as photographers remain creative and compassionate, no machine can replace them,” he observed.
He also underlined the growing importance of photojournalists at grassroots levels. “Even today, photographers are in greater demand than reporters in rural and taluk areas. Politicians wait for photographs of their inauguration programmes. Photos speak across languages, even to the illiterate. That is the power of photography,” he said.
Prabhakar urged editors to recognise this importance. “A report may be removed, but no one discards a good photograph. Newspapers must make efficient use of photo space,” he added.
The event was attended by Deccan Herald Chairman K.N. Shanthakumar, Madhyamika Academy President Ayesha Khanum, senior photojournalist Bhagyaprakash, Bangalore Photojournalist Association President Mohan, and senior journalist Sadashiva Shenoy.
Photographers as historians
Prabhakar also stressed that photographers play the role of historians. “From freedom struggles to wars, it is photographs that have preserved the faces and moments of the past for future generations. This dual role makes photojournalists not just storytellers of today, but historians of tomorrow,” he said.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
