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We Animals English talk by Jo-Anne McArthur (Canada)
Don Bosco Saal: Main hall, ground floor
What I've Learned in Fifteen Years as an Animal Rights Photojournalist.
When Jo-Anne McArthur started shifting her focus towards animal rights photojournalism circa 2003, few professional photographers were documenting The Invisible animals, as McArthur calls them. Those we eat, wear, conduct research on and use for entertainment. Fewer still were examining the constructs of factory farming, fur farming, laboratories and how we see, and fail to see, animals. During this time, Jo-Anne has authored two books and has been featured in the documentary The Ghosts in Our Machine, and has gained much experience regarding what works and what fails when it comes to reaching people with animal photography. In the last decade, animal advocacy has evolved and, more than ever, talented photographers are now bringing the stories of animals and industries to light. In this presentation, McArthur frames animal rights photojournalism in a historical context, discusses the shoots that have taken her to over fifty countries around the globe, the trials she has faced, and the lessons learned in terms of effective outreach through photography. With a strong focus on storytelling and an increasingly solutions-based philosophy on photojournalism, McArthur outlines ideas for ways forward when it comes to the role of photography in animal advocacy.