Manuel Seoane

Manuel Seoane

Based
La Paz, Bolivia
Born
La Paz, Bolivia
Status
Photographer
“My biggest lesson in journalism has been to actively involve the subjects I portray.”

Beat

Indigenous stories, Andean culture, environmental issues and the Amazon.

One Shot

. Pariti Island, BOLIVIA. Reuters/Manuel Seoane
Oscar Limachi, 48, a member of the local Qewaya community who works as a tour guide on Lake Titicaca, and his son-in-law on Pariti island.
“The image of Oscar Limachi and his son-in-law looking at the Lake Titicaca on Pariti Island is my favourite, as it reminds me of the importance of conserving our environment and the traditional customs of local communities. They are our most important heritage to future generations.”

Profile

For me photography is memory itself, it's what keeps it alive and saves it to be shared and passed on to future generations. There is nothing more emotive than looking at an old picture of yourself as a kid.

I started to photograph almost 10 years ago when I bought my first digital DSLR and went out to explore and capture the world around me. I soon realized I liked long term projects more than just spot news, and I started to focus on those. A few years ago, I was able to go abroad and study photography, first at IED in Spain and then at DMJX in Denmark.

I chose to be a photographer because it gave me the chance to get to know the world and show it to others, it is a great tool to make other people see what they might never be able to observe by themselves. It is a bridge to knowledge.

I won the Reuters Photojournalism grant with a project about the pollution issue at the Titicaca Lake in Bolivia. It was my first assignment as photojournalist and it was a great experience on how to build a story as a member of a team.

I am mostly driven to cover stories about the issues affecting local communities and the environment.

Photojournalism is important to keep people informed about what is really happening. The more we know it, the more chances we have to make it better.

I imagine my audience to be very broad, hoping that what I show can lead to some change in their view of the world.

My biggest lesson in journalism has been to actively involve the subjects I portray. It is their story we are telling so we have to let them tell it. We journalist must work as a bridge only.

There are millions of stories being published every day, we must find the ones that can't be told unless we cover it. It's important to realize what story needs to be told and how to make it happen.

The people I respect the most are the fellows that work for change and truly invested in making an impact.

Photojournalism must seek to be the window into the real world.

Behind the Scenes