Distinctly Montana Magazine

PEOPLE in Color: Life, PHOTOJOURNALIST ANNE SHERWOOD B ozeman photojournalist ANNE SHERWOOD has traveled the world on assignment for the , , and more than 1,000 assignments for the . She's documented everyday life in a South African shantytown, captured the devastation in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, and shot . Sherwood says she finds as much inspiration in her own back yard as on the other side of the planet. She discusses photography, family, and her philosophies with DMW: When did you know that you wanted to be a photographer? AS: I've wanted to be a photographer since I was about six and got my hands on my dad's camera. I loved it immediately. My dad had a photogra- phy business for a brief time in the 1960s, and both grandfathers were big photography buffs, so it was in my blood. In college I did my thesis on teen pregnancy in Trenton, New Jersey, and I learned that photography could give me access to worlds I'd never know otherwise. It was a passport to explore life. What was your most challenging assignment? The civil war in Liberia. My best friend from grad school tried to turn me into a war photographer and dragged me to Liberia with him, but I was just too scared to be good. I hated being shot at. He was amazing at it, and I recognized the difference. I was drawn to the human toll of the conflict—the refugees, the injured soldiers, the starving women and children—while he was on the front lines. He was one of the best of our generation, and he died in Libya last April photographing the conflict there. I miss him terribly. DISTINCTLY MONTANA WOMAN 4 What is the shot you are most proud of? Any picture that had an impact—whether it raised awareness, earned money for a cause, or changed an unjust policy. Where would you like to go on assignment next? Cuba. I've never been, always wanted to go, and know it will be changing soon. What makes a great photograph? Sure, there are the technical aspects—strong composition, inter- esting use of color, dynamic light—but what really makes a great photograph in my mind is a sense of the connection between the subject and the photographer. Does being a female photographer come with any inherent challenges or advantages? As a woman traveling overseas, safety is a constant concern. That said, it can be an advantage because many men don't take you seri- ously when you're a woman so you can appear as less threatening and gain access to important situations. In many cultures it's not ac- ceptable for a strange man to photograph a woman, so I often find it's easier for me to connect with women no matter where I am. PREMIERE ISSUE • SPRING 2012 New Y ork T imes National Geographic Adventure Bozeman Distinctly Montana W oman Smithsonian Daily Magazine: Chronicle

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