The Words of Kyaw Zwar from a 2011 BE SEEN collaboration with Voice of Witness

BE SEEN

Over many decades, Magnum Photos has collaborated with human rights and humanitarian aid organizations to ground their reports and campaigns in images that vividly capture what is at stake and, equally important, what is possible through effective interventions and reforms.

To meet the current demand from nonprofits for visual resources and assistance, and to serve a greater number and variety of nonprofits and individual agents of change worldwide, the Magnum Foundation created BE SEEN. The program taps Magnum Photos’ vast image library, and draws on decades of experience using the power of visual resources to create tipping points of perception, because in today’s world, the ability to make a difference may hinge on the ability to be seen.

Licensing Existing Images

Magnum's ever-growing collection of images – currently more than half a million – covers the changing world and all aspects of life with a unique sense of vision and imagination. BE SEEN makes images from Magnum's library available for free or at reduced rates to qualifying organizations. This resource is restricted to organizations engaged in activities considered to be charitable under United States law and is intended for recipients that could not otherwise afford them – generally smaller non-profit organizations operating on minimal budgets and larger, better-funded non-profits that provide support and services to small organizations and individuals.

Producing New Images

The BE SEEN program pairs experienced photographers with a non-profit organizations to produce images that command attention, spark dialogue, and hopefully, lead to meaningful change. The BE SEEN photographer may serve as an advisor for a period of time, helping to develop the organization's capacity internally to produce strong images and use them effectively.

Enhancing Visual Literacy and Impact through Partnerships

Beyond providing images, BE SEEN has the capacity to collaborate with non-profits to develop visual strategies that address how images are presented and disseminated to reach and influence key audiences. We create partnerships that are as valuable to the non-profit as the images themselves. This work can range from providing editorial guidance on image selection to mounting a multi-media campaign.