The film, “A Glimpse of Life: The Pulitzer Photographs,” gives an intimate insight into the journalists behind the lens. Even if we do not know their names, we know their photos. They stick in our minds and stay with us. We may not think about the person taking the photo because we are so entranced by the subject. This truly shows what makes these photographs so exceptional.
In this film we get to hear firsthand from the journalists what went into taking the photos. The thought process adds another layer of emotion to the photos. We can see the aftermath of documenting something tragic. What that event does to the person taking these photos. The journalists putting themselves in harm’s way to tell the stories of their subject. Pulitzer Prize winner Stan Grossfeld sums it up with just a few words. “Welcome to my nightmare.”
We also get to see the joy and pride they take in capturing these moments, like John White photographing the inner-city students using their hallways to run track. White knew the importance of capturing the everyday life of Chicago’s residents. “Everyone has a story. And we sing their song. If we don’t do it—if the journalist doesn’t do it—who’s going to do it?”
