By Michael Sargent
Picture Editor
msarge@sph.com.sg

 

There's some debate over the origin of the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words." Some say it originated from an Emperor of the Xia Dynasty in China about 4,000 years ago and others insist it was the translation of a phrase by Napoleon Bonaparte, implying the same thing. Regardless, it's a phrase that holds many truths, as demonstrated over the years in visual reporting, i.e. photojournalism.

The most recent examples of this have been from the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. What words could possibly describe what the pictures and video footage have shown us from this catastrophic disaster? Powerful and timely images and footage from this event have populated the front pages of newspapers, magazines, websites and broadcast networks the world over, starting from the moment the story broke. The Straits Times is no exception, the paper has showcased the best images available from the earthquake and Tsunami on its front page and prime section, for the duration of the story.

You can add to this story, the images coming out of Libya, the Ivory Coast and recent unrest in Egypt. Pictures, both still and moving, say it all. They take us visually inside a story, showing us things and bringing us an emotional connection with events, that words could simply never describe. Like on all major news stories, The Straits Times will continue to provide readers with the very best pictures available.