5 questions: Zoriah Miller

In november I posted the video "In harms way" who shows how Zoriah Miller and Alissa Everett are working in the Gaza Strip area. Now I asked Zoriah to answer five questions for this blog. He's an award-winning photojournalist who got his photos published in a lot of important newspapers and magazines all over the world. Zoriah stands up for independent journalism and publishes a blog (http://www.zoriah.net/blog) with a lot of background information to his photos. If you want to take a look at his webpage, follow this link: http://www.zoriah.com.

1. Is there an assignment you would reject? Why?
Yes, there are lots of assignments that I reject. Often times I reject projects if they are not something I feel is important or if there is a more important story to be told elsewhere. I also reject assignments if they are trying to take advantage as far as pay goes, which often happens.

2. Which effect do you intend your pictures to have?
I want my photographs to affect people and inspire them to change their own lives and the lives of others for the better.

3. What target did you set yourself in life?
I set many targets, both short term and long term. My long term goal is to leave the world a better place than when I entered it.

4. For sure you get a lot of critism, how do you deal with it?
Yes, there is always criticism. I know I am doing my job if people get upset. If they feel nothing, it is because my photos are not good enough.

5. What's the most difficult thing in a photographers life?
There are many, many difficult aspects to this job, but for me the hardest is giving my life up to document others, meaning not having a home, a relationship, friends that I can visit with whenever I like....there is a lot of personal sacrifice to do this work.

photos © Zoriah/www.zoriah.com