It's Too Hard
The current issue of National Geographic is the first since 1959 to feature a cover with no picture. New editor in chief Chris Johns, a former photographer no less, decided that no single image could tell the entire story of Africa.
So he punted. The cover features the word Africa in two-inch high letters, and the somewhat less-than-1000-word headline: Whatever you thought, think again.”
“Africa is not just a place; it’s a million places,” Mr. Johns told the Washington Post. “We felt no one photograph could capture the mystery, the diversity, and the surprise of Africa as it moves forward.”
Memo to Mr. Johns: You run a magazine legendary for having the greatest photography in the world. Your job is to sift through the thousands of photographs you receive each month and choosing the one that best tells the story for the cover.
Africa is a huge place. Readers don’t expect a single photo to tell its story any more than they expect a single image to tell the story of, say, Asia. Or even Cleveland.
A single photograph may not tell the entire story, but it will certainly tell more of the story than your six-word headline. Of course it’s hard work. But that’s why you’re the boss. You get paid to make tough decisions. If you’re not up to the job, there are thousands of editors who would relish the opportunity to take your place.
But instead, Johns threw up his hands and said “It’s too hard. I can’t do this.”
I can just imagine what will happen when other people start following Mr. Johns’ example.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and a full count on Edgar Renteria, Matt Morris throws a borderline pitch that may or may not hit the corner of the plate and may or may not tilt the World Series in the Cardinals’ favor. Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez decides it’s too hard to rule the pitch a ball or a strike, and calls for a do-over. “I felt that neither the word ‘ball’ nor the word ‘strike’ could capture the essence of that pitch,” says Hernandez.
A patient is rushed into the emergency room. The doctor can’t decide what to do first: remove the giant circular saw blade from her face or restore her airway, which has been horribly mangled by the blade. He decides the choice is too difficult, and instead gets on his knees and prays. “I felt that neither option would definitively restore the patient’s health as she moves forward through life,” he says.
Faced with the difficult decision of whether Iraq has a nuclear weapons program, John Kerry says the choice is too hard and says he will let George Bush decide. Oh, wait. That one already happened.
So he punted. The cover features the word Africa in two-inch high letters, and the somewhat less-than-1000-word headline: Whatever you thought, think again.”
“Africa is not just a place; it’s a million places,” Mr. Johns told the Washington Post. “We felt no one photograph could capture the mystery, the diversity, and the surprise of Africa as it moves forward.”
Memo to Mr. Johns: You run a magazine legendary for having the greatest photography in the world. Your job is to sift through the thousands of photographs you receive each month and choosing the one that best tells the story for the cover.
Africa is a huge place. Readers don’t expect a single photo to tell its story any more than they expect a single image to tell the story of, say, Asia. Or even Cleveland.
A single photograph may not tell the entire story, but it will certainly tell more of the story than your six-word headline. Of course it’s hard work. But that’s why you’re the boss. You get paid to make tough decisions. If you’re not up to the job, there are thousands of editors who would relish the opportunity to take your place.
But instead, Johns threw up his hands and said “It’s too hard. I can’t do this.”
I can just imagine what will happen when other people start following Mr. Johns’ example.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and a full count on Edgar Renteria, Matt Morris throws a borderline pitch that may or may not hit the corner of the plate and may or may not tilt the World Series in the Cardinals’ favor. Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez decides it’s too hard to rule the pitch a ball or a strike, and calls for a do-over. “I felt that neither the word ‘ball’ nor the word ‘strike’ could capture the essence of that pitch,” says Hernandez.
A patient is rushed into the emergency room. The doctor can’t decide what to do first: remove the giant circular saw blade from her face or restore her airway, which has been horribly mangled by the blade. He decides the choice is too difficult, and instead gets on his knees and prays. “I felt that neither option would definitively restore the patient’s health as she moves forward through life,” he says.
Faced with the difficult decision of whether Iraq has a nuclear weapons program, John Kerry says the choice is too hard and says he will let George Bush decide. Oh, wait. That one already happened.
posted by John Rosenthal @ 9:41 AM
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