I remember taking Introduction to Photography with Professor Christopher Gauthiér in the spring of 2008 and never looking at a picture the same way again. Professor Gauthiér opened my and my classmate’s eyes to the world of photography and its stories. He taught us how to look beyond the subject of the photo to capture and bring out their essence. His class made a large impression on me and even now, two years later, I still get a feeling of ease and peace whenever I pick up a camera. I got a chance to speak with him again for an interview and learned even more about photography and how it connects to diplomacy.

When I was in Professor Gauthiér’s class, I had a difficult time taking pictures of objects, but I excelled at invoking emotions and behaviors from people and capturing them in photos. In fact, all of my photos are of people and involve very few objects. Professor Gauthiér, on the other hand, takes more pictures of objects and yet the viewer still feels the same kind of emotion they would feel if the object were a person.  When I asked him about photos involving objects versus those involving people, he told me that finds traces of the human presence through the objects or environmental conditions in his photographs. Essentially, he is turning an object (something that is not influenced by personal feelings or interpretations) into a subject (something that has a personality or mood to it). I personally find it amazing that he can use objects to connect with humanity on an emotional level, and I hope I can find that ability within myself someday.

To Professor Gauthiér, “Art is a universal experience, bridging culture and language visually.” In this way, diplomacy and art are similar. They connect people together despite their culture and language differences. Diplomacy is about conducting negotiations between different groups, states, or countries. In order to successfully conduct a negotiation, you have to find a common ground that will bridge your culture and language with another’s, the same way art does. Professor Gauthiér ended the interview with some advice for aspiring photographers and diplomats: “Listen, observe, and invest. One person can change the world.” I hope I can become that person in the near future.

Professor Christopher Gauthiér is the Photography Area Coordinator at Utah State University. His artwork can be viewed at http://www.christophergauthier.com.