Byrdie.

September 15, 2011

heatherbyrd:

WIKILEAKS’ JULIAN ASSANGE CALLS ON LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Nashville-based photographer Allen Clark’s life changed exponentially over the summer. A chance meeting across the pond in London led to him to be right in center of one of the most explosive news stories this year.
Here, he tells the story in his own words:
How did I get here? I’m usually behind the camera, not in front of it. This question has cycled repeatedly in my mind over the last few months as I found myself in the middle of a news story that was bigger than me and anything I have been involved with before. In an unforeseen turn of events and an introduction through a mutual friend, I befriended the editor and creator of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange.
He asked me to accompany and photograph him during his extradition hearings which took place in July at the High Court in London. If I have dropped off the map for some of you, this is why. I was in London and Norfolk for nearly a month working to create a visual story that not only provides a glimpse of the inside, but to also reveal a side of him and the organization that few are able to see; without any personal agenda. This may seem a little out of character for me. Most of you know me as a commercial photographer, happily shooting advertising and music for most of my career; not in the role of a photojournalist made available for tabloids or magazines and covering the latest news from around the globe. Nonetheless, there I was as we walked out of the High Court into a frenzy; standing in front of cameras, with journalists all vying for a picture (sometimes violently), a new angle or even just a glimpse of this man, who has literally shaken governments to the core with his ability to divulge things about them that they didn’t want you to know.
This amazing time behind the scenes also showed me how many people know everything about him and every move he makes. I thought about how lonely it must be to have to hide yourself away for your own protection and how much it means to have real friends when you are in a media storm that has taken over part of your life. I once heard it said, “Fame doesn’t change you as much as it changes everyone around you.”
The shot above does convey that message perfectly and validates how sad, yet true it really is.I took this shot as we were leaving the High Court in downtown London on July 12th. It will soon be accessible everywhere through Retna Ltd. out of NY. The thing that is most striking to me about this shot is how strong and isolated he looks while amidst this sea of people; incredibly calm in the middle of the storm.
Learn more at http://allenclarkphotography.com/

WIKILEAKS’ JULIAN ASSANGE CALLS ON LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Nashville-based photographer Allen Clark’s life changed exponentially over the summer. A chance meeting across the pond in London led to him to be right in center of one of the most explosive news stories this year.

Here, he tells the story in his own words:

How did I get here? I’m usually behind the camera, not in front of it. This question has cycled repeatedly in my mind over the last few months as I found myself in the middle of a news story that was bigger than me and anything I have been involved with before. In an unforeseen turn of events and an introduction through a mutual friend, I befriended the editor and creator of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange.

He asked me to accompany and photograph him during his extradition hearings which took place in July at the High Court in London. If I have dropped off the map for some of you, this is why. I was in London and Norfolk for nearly a month working to create a visual story that not only provides a glimpse of the inside, but to also reveal a side of him and the organization that few are able to see; without any personal agenda. This may seem a little out of character for me. Most of you know me as a commercial photographer, happily shooting advertising and music for most of my career; not in the role of a photojournalist made available for tabloids or magazines and covering the latest news from around the globe. Nonetheless, there I was as we walked out of the High Court into a frenzy; standing in front of cameras, with journalists all vying for a picture (sometimes violently), a new angle or even just a glimpse of this man, who has literally shaken governments to the core with his ability to divulge things about them that they didn’t want you to know.

This amazing time behind the scenes also showed me how many people know everything about him and every move he makes. I thought about how lonely it must be to have to hide yourself away for your own protection and how much it means to have real friends when you are in a media storm that has taken over part of your life. I once heard it said, “Fame doesn’t change you as much as it changes everyone around you.”

The shot above does convey that message perfectly and validates how sad, yet true it really is.I took this shot as we were leaving the High Court in downtown London on July 12th. It will soon be accessible everywhere through Retna Ltd. out of NY. The thing that is most striking to me about this shot is how strong and isolated he looks while amidst this sea of people; incredibly calm in the middle of the storm.

Learn more at http://allenclarkphotography.com/

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