Awards
Prix Lucas Dolega
Emilio Morenatti
Men from Bangladesh, who used to work in Libya but recently fled the unrest, walk with their belongings alongside a road, as they head to a refugee camp after crossing the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Friday, March 4, 2011 © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Egyptians try to board a bus as a Tunisian Army soldier tries to stop one of them, at the Tunisia-Libya border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March. 3, 2011 © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Egyptians who worked in Libya and are now fleeing the unrest in the country are seen inside a bus outside the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March 3, 2011. Tunisian officials are seen reflected in the bus window © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
2-year-old Egyptian boy Ahmed looks through the window of a bus as he leaves with his family, who worked in Libya and is now fleeing the unrest in the country, outside the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March 3, 2011 © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, line up as they wait to board buses to be repatriated in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Tuesday, March 15, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, carry their belongings as they arrive during a sand storm in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Tuesday, March 15, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, scuffle to get pieces of bread during a food distribution in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Friday, March 11, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men from Bangladesh, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, eat their food in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Monday, March 14, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men from Ghana, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, wait to be repatriated in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Friday, March 18, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
A man from Sudan, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, takes a shower in a improvised makeshift shower after crossing from Libya near the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Wednesday , March 23, 2011 © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men from Ghana, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, wait to be repatriated in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March 17, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
A man from Sudan, is seen behind a fence as he waits to hear news about his repatriation after crossing from Libya, in a refugee camp near the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Tuesday, March 22, 2011 © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men from Bangladesh, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, wait to be called during their repatriation process as they try to leave for their country in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Monday, March 14, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Men from Sudan, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, try to stop a car blocking a road during a protest demanding better conditions during their repatriation process in a refugee camp at the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Wednesday, March 16, 2011. More than 250,000 migrant workers have left Libya for neighboring countries, primarily Tunisia and Egypt, in the past three weeks © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Egyptians, who used to work in Libya and fled the unrest in the country, board on an Egyptian ship to take them back to their country at the southern port town of Zarzis, Tunisia, Wednesday, March. 2, 2011 © AP Photo / Emilio Morenatti
Men from Bangladesh, who used to work in Libya but recently fled the unrest, walk with their belongings alongside a road, as they head to a refugee camp after crossing the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Friday, March 4, 2011 © AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
On January 18th, the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë will present the Lucas Dolega 2012 award to Emilio Morenatti, a Spanish photographer working for the Associated Press.
It is the first edition of this new award created by the Lucas Dolega association in memory of this young photographer who perished after being hit by a tear-gas grenade while working in Tunisia during the jasmine revolution.
The jury of this first edition was presided over by Daphné Anglès, (The New York Times - Europe) the jury members were a group of french professionals and members of RSF (Reporter Sans Frontière). Among the 130 reportages sent by 98 photographers from 22 countries, the jury selected Emilio Morenatti’s work entitled « Displaced in Tunisia », a story about Libyan refugees on the Tunisian border during the early days of the war in Libya. An award for a remarkable story by a man who covers news around the world for AP with an artificial leg.
Emilio Morenatti answered a few questions for “La Lettre”during the last week of the year
When did you learn of the existence of the Lucas Dolega Award ?
Emilio Morenatti: I knew of the association that was created after he died but didn’t know about the Award until I received the call from the jury announcing that I had won the prize. Actually I didn’t apply for the award myself; it was my company –The Associated Press- who applied for me.
Had you met or heard about Lucas Dolega ?
Emilio Morenatti: I never met him, I was in shock when I heard the sad news of his death that day in Tunisia. It was a dramatic blow for me and for all of my colleagues.
After your injury in Afghanistan did you ever think of retiring from photojournalism? What are the challenges you now face in your work?
Emilio Morenatti: I never thought I would stop being a photojournalist. Actually during my recovery all my energies where focused on coming back to my job and recovering my position as a photojournalist. I was completely convinced from the beginning of the accident that I would find a way to get back and tell stories through photography again. The recovery was not an easy task, it took me a long time to get used to the prosthetic leg. You can imagine, after losing a leg, you have to learn how to walk, how to run or how to face daily activities again. The recovery process is not yet finished . Actually, I think I will never fully recover from the wounds. Yet I try to compensate for the lack of physical skills by being more clever when looking for photos and stories. The assignment on the Tunisia border was very interesting and not too complicated to cover. The dramatic stories of thousands of people staying in a huge refugee camp on the border area were waiting to be told – and most of those refugees wanted to tell their stories. Our responsibility there as photojournalists was to show another face of the tragedy of the Libyan war.
Now, I want you to tell our readers when and how you started taking pictures?
Emilio Morenatti: We know that you were born in Spain in 1969, but can you say something about your youth and your first approach to photography?
Emilio Morenatti: I was studying graphic design when my brother began studying photography. I will never forget the first time he invited me to see his darkroom. I was 22 years old and it was my first contact with photography. My brother showed me how black and white photos were processed as if by “magic”, and I was completely amazed. That discovery probably changed my life and since that moment, I have never stopped taking pictures. A few months after discovering photography and the darkroom I learned that simply holding a camera was a perfect excuse to choose the best point of view for any event and be a witness. I have always been a very curious guy. I didn't have any experience as a photographer when I started to sell photos to a local newspaper in the city where I grew up and my photos were technically very bad. However, I started to learn covering news, chasing police cars and firefighter trucks on my motorcycle on their way to the spot. This is how I started working for the local newspaper as a photographer. It happened almost 30 years ago.
When and how did you start your collaboration with AP and what is your position with this international agency?
Emilio Morenatti: I was working for the EFE Spanish news agency when The Associated Press director of photography Santiago Lyon asked me to join them in 2004. My first assignment for AP was to cover Afghanistan, and be based in Kabul for one year. It was a big challenge for me, as Afghanistan was on the front pages and I was the only foreign photographer in the country at that time. After that intense year I was sent to the Middle East, I lived in Jerusalem, where I covered news for a few years. Then I was sent to Pakistan, where I stayed for almost two years. Now I am living in Barcelona and am traveling around the world covering hard news as an AP staff member.
Will you come to Paris to receive the Lucas Dolega award and participate in the opening of your show?
Emilio Morenatti: I plan to attend the ceremony in Paris,but it always depends on the news and possible assignments.
"We presented the work of Emiliano to this award the way we do with all photography award around the world confirmed Santiago Lyon director of photography at AP who added Emiliano has a beautiful and unic way of looking, he is a master when composing a picture and using the light , he is a powerful photographer, one of the best at AP and we are very proud he won this award."
Michel Puech
Links
http://www.lucasdolega.com/prix-lucas-dolega
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/behind-41
http://www.ap.org/media/flash/morenatti.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHxZanaMwG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8QH715_DRA
Contributors
Michel Puech