If a picture is worth 1,000 words, Misan Harriman’s photography stands up to that statement.
In the self-doubting fashion of a typical artist, he is still unsure that his images stand the test of time and have a lasting impact.
Some background on Harriman is that he is a British photographer and videographer, and made history as the first Black photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover.
The film screening of “Misan Harriman: Shoot the People” at the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival, follows Misan as he discusses his photography style and the impact it truly has.
According to the website for the film’s production and distribution company, Watermelon Pictures, the documentary “highlights the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice.”
His pictures give people an actual voice when they might not have one.
Harriman’s photography shows the humanity within moments at protests, which he covers all over the globe.
I appreciate how the film peels back the thinking behind his creative process and illustrates why he photographs the way he does.
Harriman gives photographers a boost and reminds people why it is important to pick up a camera in the first place: to potentially show or be a part of the change.
As he went down to South Africa, and talks about another photographer, Peter Magubane who photographed the apartheid, a quote was brought up that speaks volumes: “A struggle without documentation is no struggle at all.”
If you are a photographer, at any level, I recommend seeing this film and gaining a new perspective on why photos are more important than ever.
There is one more chance to see this film:
Monday, April 27 | 3:00 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)