The Magnum Photo Agency

1. The number of photographers is 99.

2. The number of white photographers is 84 and the number of non white photographers is 15.

3. The number of male photographers is 86 and the number of female photographers is 13.

4. The percentage of male photographers is 70%.

5. The percentage of photographers who are women of color is 1%.

These statistics tell us that the majority of Magnum photographers are male and white. These two factors reveal that there is a severe lack of diversity within the Magnum photo agency. Having photographers all of a similar nature and background will result in a repetitive and biased point of view. We will only be exposed a white man’s views and opinions on the world. White males are the ones being given a platform to express their creativity and ideas simply for being a white male. Women and people of colour are being overshadowed and silenced, as if they’re ideas don’t matter because they were not fortunate enough to be born with the privileges as these white males.

Origin and Mission

The Magnum photo agency was founded by four photographers, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Roger and David “Chim” Seymour. It was formed after the second world war to photograph what survived in the aftermath and to reflect the independent nature of people and photographers. Magnums goal was to emphasize what can already be seen but also the way a particular person views it.

Cristina de Middel

Cristina de Middel is a Spanish photographer who is based in both Mexico and Brasil. She joined the Magnum Photo Agency in 2017, however she did not become a full member until 2022. Before joining Magnum she had a ten year career as a photojournalist. She has a very broad portfolio as she has worked with the likes of Vanity Fair, Cristian Dior, The Noble Peace Foundation, Vogue and FC Barcelona. The main focus of her work is investigating photography’s ambiguous relationship with the truth. Middel believes that mass media has greatly influenced our outlook on life and that we lack a real understanding of the world because of this fact. One of her most well known works is “Afronauts”, a series where she highlights Zambia’s history of a failed space program from the 1960s. These staged re-enactments show a different side to Africa compared to what mass media shows us, and make people reconsider their stereotypical thoughts of Africa and the people in it. Another one of Middel’s well known projects, that is still ongoing, is Gentleman’s Club. This project began in 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, but as since expanded to Europe, Asia and North America. The project Gentleman’s club focuses on the unheard side of prostitution, the male clients. Middel exposes how women are always the target when discussing prostitution but yet the men requesting their services are never given the same treatment.