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Master Photographers Tell You How

David Alan Harvey Photojournalist Exploring Other Cultures by David Soto Article rating: 6.79

David Alan Harvey is a documentary photographer and member of the Magnum photo agency.  He is also a freelance photographer for National Geographic previously holding a staff position there from 1978 to 1986.  His work has been described as lyrical; it combines street savvy photojournalism with an artists touch.  Appropriately he belongs to the same agency as the late Henri Cartier-Bresson whose mantra was to capture the decisive moment.  Harvey’s images are classic in this sense – they lend geometry to the chaos of the streetscape and make beautiful images for all of us to enjoy and live vicariously through. 

Harvey has covered over 30 assignments for National Geographic, spending months at a time on each. His assignments for National Geographic have taken him around the globe however his collections of images produced throughout Latin America are perhaps his most personal.  His body of work within Hispanic culture has taken him through Mexico, Chile, Honduras, Portugal, Spain and Cuba.  His most recent book Divided Soul is a comprehensive look at this work from these countries; it has been heralded as a compelling look at the Spanish Diaspora.  Harvey’s published books include: The Mysterious Mayas, 1977; America's Atlantic Isles, 1982; Cuba, 1999; Divided Soul, 2003.

Harvey studied art as an undergraduate and attended graduate school at the University of Missouri, a school with a strong photojournalism program.  He was recruited out of school to work for the Topeka Capitol Journal in Kansas, a newspaper rich in visual history, which has turned out several National Geographic photographers.  In the early 1970’s Harvey set out for Washington to begin work for National Geographic. His first assignment for the magazine was on Tangier Island - entitled “This Is My Island, Tangier.”  It appeared in the November 1973 issue – five years later he joined the National Geographic staff.

Harvey says that he is part artist, part documentary photographer – and has been compared to fellow Magnum greats Bresson and W. Eugene Smith.  Their photographs have a painterly quality and maintain the delicate balance of an image that is both aesthetically appealing yet true to the intent of the documentary photograph.  

He was awarded Magazine Photographer of the Year honors by the National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA) in 1978.  This year Harvey is once again being named as Photographer of the Year by PMDA.  Harvey is currently working on writing and illustrating his novella – to be published by Phaidon press in 2005.

>>Click here to visit the Magnum Photo website...

>>Click here to read our interview with David Alan Harvey...

>>Click here to read David Alan Harvey's Tips & Techniques on photojournalism...

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	I don't think that David's pictures are very good! I have taken many pictures of cultures which are much better. Posted by: Dietmar Jokiel Jan 20, 2007 @ 8:4 PM EST
	I'm not a photographer, but I like Harvey's works because viewing them makes me feel like I'm traveling around the world. It's like a glimpse into other cultures. His subjects are always shown within the context of their everyday lives and I feel like I'm there! Posted by: Nancy W. Jul 10, 2007 @ 4:4 PM EST
	To the person who wrote, "I don't think that David's pictures are very good! I have taken many pictures of cultures which are much better." I must ask you, has National Geographic chosen any of your work to publish? I encourage you to find more positive things to say about others if you want that in return. Otherwise you just appear petty & jealous. Wish you well with your future. Posted by: Photographer Sep 23, 2007 @ 3:54 PM EST
	"Photographer," a person can give their opinion and please remember that being published in a national magazine does not make one immune to being criticized. Yes, I love some of Harvey's work as well, but some I think is boring and cliched. David is a one trick pony. Part of the reason might be his odd reliance on one lens, one camera. It's certainly obvious if you look at his shots. He's not very...help me out...versatile? If anything, we can blame him for NG's predilection for slow shutter flash indoor shots whether it was needed or not. Posted by: Mike Jun 28, 2008 @ 11:5 PM EST

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