Is photojournalism worth dying for? Oscar-nominated documentary on war photographer killed in Ukraine begs question

The life of a war photographer is fraught with danger. Much like combatants, they too experience the devastation, needing to be near the action to tell the stories.

While I certainly believe photographic stories from conflict zones play an important role in educating the wider world on the ghastly nature of war, especially its futility, I struggle to see how they are worth dying for.

Brent Renaud (1971-2022) would probably have disagreed. Over a career spanning more than two decades, the renowned US photojournalist and documentary filmmaker covered many danger zones, including the Iraq War in 2006 and the immediate aftermath of the Haiti earthquake in 2010.

Above: see the official trailer for Armed only with a camera

Renaud took a boots-on-the-ground approach, embedding himself in military units and local communities, seeking out the true stories before the facts became twisted. This relentless pursuit to humanize crises led him to Ukraine to document the refugee exodus which ensued in the early days of the Russian invasion in 2022. Tragically, he was killed there.

Now, a HBO documentary produced by Renaud’s brother and longtime collaborator, Craig Renaud, chronicling the late filmmaker’s life has been nominated for an Oscar at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards, which will be announced in Hollywood on March 15.

Armed Only With A Camera: The Life And Death Of Brent Renaud, was released late last year and, in graphic detail, covers how Renaud met his end near the city of Irpin, close to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.

Unlike combat cameramen who operate in the thick of the fire, Renaud’s focus was typically on the noncombatants caught up in the fray. Yet, when he died, he was headed towards the fighting in an unmarked civilian vehicle and, in the final moments of his life, unexpectedly found himself on the front line, when he was caught in a deadly ambush.

However, Renaud would’ve known he was putting himself in serious peril. After all, he wanted footage of the Ukrainians fleeing the Russian advance, and the fighting in the area had been going on for some three weeks by then.

Of course, any journalist volunteering to put themself in this kind of situation wants to get the most gripping footage, but I don’t think his documentary would’ve lost any journalistic rigor had he’d stayed behind the lines and waited for the refugees to reach him.

Moreover, Ukrainian soldiers holding the Russians at bay could’ve helped provide the most graphic details when they rotated out of the firing line. And in an age of wearable action cams, some of them may have even filmed it themselves.

I have the utmost admiration for war photographers and documentary filmmakers like Renaud, daring and caring enough to put themselves in harm's way to give a voice to those affected by conflict and hold its instigators to account.

But as a fellow journalist, if anything, his death is a reminder that there are no stories more important than your life. It also reaffirms my belief that stories are infinitely more powerful if you are around to share what didn’t make it into the published version.

We’ll never know if Renaud questioned his decision to come to Ukraine in the final moments of his life. I doubt it as, if you watch the documentary, you’ll discover just how hectic they were.

I’d like to think his years of experience enabled him to maintain some level of composure and not become completely overwhelmed by fear. However, with his vehicle being riddled by automatic weapons, it’s difficult to imagine.

Brent Renaud now figures among the list of legendary conflict photojournalists who sadly lost their lives on the job, standing among giants such as Robert Capa (1913-1954) and Dickey Chapelle (1919-1965).

He leaves behind a monumental legacy, not only as a documentary journalist but as a human being who preached compassion and lived with such devout purpose.

In achieving this, though, Renaud paid the ultimate price – a price I think no war photographer or filmmaker should ever be willing to pay, regardless of how important the story may be.

You may also like…

Photojournalists rely on high-end cameras capable of capturing crisp stills and video, and here’s our take of the best professional cameras.