The Photographers’ Giving Back Award February 3, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Competitions, Photojournalism , add a commentThe Photographers Giving Back Photo Award was founded in Sweden in 2008.
- Walter Astrada Winner 2009 CONGO
Jonas Lemberg, a news photographer since 1991, started out with a wish to make a change and make the world a better place to live. Now, several years later, he has founded an organization that wants to give something back; to the photographers who work hard covering events showing injustice around the world, and also to the people depicted in the photographs.
For questions regarding the Photographers Giving Back project, contact:
Managing Director of The PGB Photo Award
Jonas Lemberg
Tel. +46 (0) 70 7334600
The purpose of this event is to enhance journalistic photography and to strengthen the position for the professional photographer. It is also intended to inspire young and new photographers and get more people interested in photography.
Compete for cash prizes and the honorable bronze statues. Professional as well as amateur photographers worldwide are welcome to participate in The PGB Photo Award.
Participating pictures must have been taken during the year 2009. They do not need to have been published.
For each submitted picture there is an entry fee of US$10.
CATEGORIES FOR THE 2010 CONTEST
You may enter as many single pictures and picture stories as you like in each category. You may also submit the same picture to several categories. The jury has the right to move a picture from one category to another. They may also award a single picture selected out of a picture story.
1. PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
You cannot sign up for the Picture of the Year category. Qualification is automatic when you enter the contest The Photo Award. The jury will select one picture from all submitted entries.
The Award carries a cash prize of $10.000 USD and a bronze statue.
2. SPOT NEWS PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
The category Spot News Picture – refers to a single image of an unscheduled event where no advance planning is possible. The image should not be staged or arranged.
The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
3. GENERAL NEWS PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
The category General News Picture – refers to a single image of an event that is planned or organized. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
4. FEATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
Feature Picture – refers to a picture without news character. It can show an everyday situation or be arranged. It can be taken in a home setting or at work. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
5. PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR Picture story category
The category Picture Story – The story should contain at least three pictures in each picture story. There is no maximum limit for the picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2009. No pictures taken before 2009 are allowed in the picture story. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
6. PORTRAIT OF THE YEAR Singles category
A portrait picture refers to a picture of one or more people. The picture can be close-up, half or whole figure and with or without surroundings. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
7. SPORTS ACTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
The category Sports Action Picture of the Year refers to a picture taken at a sports event at the venue where the competition is held. The picture cannot be arranged and the photographer cannot have influenced the situation. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
8. SPORTS FEATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
The category Sports Feature Picture refers to a sports picture taken outside of a sport venue and outside of the exact moment of competition. The picture may be arranged. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
9. SPORTS PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR Picture story category
The category Sports Picture Story of the year refers to a picture story from the world of sports. At least three pictures have to be included in the picture story. There is no maximum limit for the picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2009. No pictures taken before 2009 are allowed in the picture story. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
10. NATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category
The category Nature Picture refers to a picture with nature elements. A picture where animals and/or nature dominate rather than people.
The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
11. NATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR ENVIRONMENTAL Singles category
The category Nature Picture Environmental refers to a picture with nature and evironmental elements. A picture where environmental issues are in focus. The picture must consist of a caption explaining the background of the issue.
The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
12. NATURE PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR Picture story category
The category Nature Picture Story of the year refers to a picture story from the world of Nature. Could be either landscape, animal or environmental. There is no maximum limit for the picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2009. No pictures taken before 2009 are allowed in the picture story. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.
PDFX12 Photo Documentary folioX12 February 3, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Publishing, Web , add a commentpdfX12 is an online, monthly free photo journal that presents and features a series of photos by various photojournalists living and working in various communities around the world.
These photos tell poignant stories about people who are facing harsh social, economic, environmental and political conditions.
Photojournalists presented here are those, with their own resources and energy, who have chosen to dedicate their life’s work to documenting certain human issues in order to bring about greater attention to harsh human conditions that many people would brush aside. It is thus very important that the voices of these photojournalists, who are living and working in communities that they are documenting, are heard through this type of online venue, which everyone can access.
Originally, we had thought of presenting this online magazine only to a Japanese audience, but now we have broadened it to a worldwide audience. The awareness of various human issues facing humanity is greatly needed in Japan, just as in other parts of the world. Published photos and text will be in English and Japanese. Presented will be high-quality photos with written stories shared by the photojournalists themselves.
what’s reminders project?
The reminders (something or someone to make one remember) project was inaugurated in 2000 as a website and series of photo exhibitions. Reminders is a name that refers simultaneously to the photographer, the subject and the people who see it.
By simply reading a paper or watching the news on TV, people can consider
what is happening elsewhere in the world as somebody else’s business. Even though problems remain unsolved, people forget about the issues very quickly. Or, if an issue does not attract attention in the first place, it is as if nothing happened at all.
The reminders project, however, aims to tell as many people as possible what really happens around the world. We show images taken by photojournalists who understand their subjects deeply and continue to cover issues through their own viewpoints. In addition to covering these stories, The Reminders Project creates slide shows, workshops and both national and international photo exhibitions.
The reminders project has no set agenda as to how and where we present the works created. We also have no requirements on photographers’ nationalities or their experience. But we have two fundamental ideas: to introduce our stories widely and to seek various viewpoints. Our ideal goal is for this project’s stories to endure through time.
PDFX12 EDITORIAL TEAM
editor in chief|designer pdf+web|project director
YUMI GOTO
g.youme@gmail.com
translators+text editors
AKENO NIWAYAMA
KAREN COATES
AKIKO HIGGINS
SACHIKO YASUDA
MAKI ABE
TEPPEI ONISHI
pdf production team
KISHIN SHIMOMOTO, MOTOE HORIKAWA, TERUMI K WRIGHT, KOICHI
Australia Day January 30, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Australian photographers , add a commentAustralia Day (previously known as Anniversary Day, Foundation Day and ANA Day ), and also referred to as Invasion Day by several groups within Australian society, is the official celebration of Australian nationality. Celebrated annually on 26 January, the day ostensibly commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, the hoisting of the British flag there, and the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia. It is of course read in different ways by different sections of the community and an increasing sense of national pride has caused conflict and tension amongst Australians and indigenous people and newly arrived migrants.
Victorian youth mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry
- Professor Patrick McGorry Australian of the Year 2010
has been named Australian of the Year for 2010. Professor McGorry was presented with the award by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and National Australia Day Council Chairman Adam Gilchrist, on the lawns of Parliament House.
Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with Governor Lachlan McQuarie having held the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales in 1818.
Australia Day is seen as controversial by some Australians, who see it as a celebration of the destruction of Indigenous culture by colonialism. There have been significant protests from and on behalf of the Indigenous community, including, since 1988, “Invasion Day” protests. In light of these concerns, proposals to change the date of Australia Day have been made. As the date also marks the anniversary of the Rum Rebellion in 1808, Australia Day may be viewed as a commemoration of the only military coup in Australian history.
- The DAMN’s at Perth Fireworks celebrate Australia Day 2010 Photo Bohdan Warchomij
Magnum Workshop Foto Freo January 28, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Foto Freo, Magnum, Workshops , add a commentMagnum Workshop Fremantle
The Magnum Workshop Fremantle is a five day intensive, practice oriented workshop that seeks to provide personal photographic growth in an intimate but intensive environment. The Workshops will be led by three experienced Magnum photographers; Trent Parke, David Alan Harvey and Chien-Chi Chang, each with a distinctive visual style and approach to photography. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to shoot, polish and publish their work under the guidance of these experienced photographers and to build a new body of work under the direction of knowledgeable practitioners.
- Photo Copyright Trent Parke MAGNUM
The Magnum Workshop Fremantle is a headlining event of FotoFreo 2010: The City of Fremantle Festival of Photography, Australia’s leading biennial photography festival. Established since 2002, FotoFreo is a month long celebration of photography showcasing the work of internationally renowned and emerging photographers, generating awareness, inciting discussion and creating a forum for the exploration of ideas and issues relating to the practice and art of photography.
The workshops will be held at the Fremantle Arts Centre, a vibrant organisation in the centre of Fremantle which runs exhibitions, workshops, residencies and events. It is housed in an attractive heritage building with extensive gardens and is the perfect venue for workshops.
The Workshop
Aimed at photographers with a good understanding of photographic practices, the event will lead 3 intimate groups of twelve individuals through an intensive 5 day program of shooting, daily reviews, group critiques, mentoring, editing sessions and the opportunity to learn amongst peers. Successful candidates will spend the five days alongside one selected photographer to develop visual language, photographic identity, practical, technical and conceptual skills and the expertise required to compete in a changing marketplace.
All 3 individual workshops will be held in English and each class will be assigned a teacher’s assistant who will aid both instructors and students with technical or logistical questions and to help orientate students with story ideas. Participants will be directed to document local interest stories about Perth and the surrounding area and apply this to their individual photographic style. Candidates will also be actively encouraged to engage in and attend the diverse schedule of the FotoFreo festival events (20 March – 18 April). Forming part of FotoFreo’s extensive programming, each Magnum photographer will present their work through audiovisual showings at the Notre Dame Theatrette.
The workshop will culminate in a public projection of the candidate’s work (which will form part of the official festival programming) at the Fremantle Arts Centre and the production of group books, generously provided by creative publishing platform, Blurb books.
Requirements
Participant photographers will be selected on the strength of portfolios submitted online. These portfolios should consist of 10 images and reflect the photographic interests and style of the applicant. Ideally a portfolio should include a project shot over a period of time and be edited in the form of a photo essay. A good level of photographic aptitude will be essential criteria for participation and candidates should arrive comfortable with their equipment and ready to photograph.
Selected participants should ideally arrive with at least one project idea they wish to develop during the workshop. We recommend that research be conducted before the workshop begins. This should include contact liaison, access information and even preliminary shooting. Project ideas will be discussed at the beginning of the week, and participants will be responsible for their own project coordination. All projects must be conducted within Fremantle and the surrounding area.
Due to the fast pace of the workshop, Magnum highly recommends that participants produce and edit their work digitally, using their own laptops. Individuals wishing to use film may do so, but at their own cost and during the time imposed. The workshop will recommend a lab service where possible.
Please note: Magnum Photos reserves the right to cancel or replace Magnum photographers on any workshops with less than 8 participants. Students who are accepted on a cancelled workshop will be given a either a full refund or a place with another photographer. In the event of a cancellation, students will be given at least 2 weeks advance notice.
Tuition
£800 plus VAT (does not include travel, accommodations or on the ground expenses)
All applicants must submit a £65 application fee, which will be applied to your tuition if you are accepted into the workshop. This fee will be fully refunded, minus a 5% service fee, if you are NOT accepted into the workshop.
Applications without a fee will not be processed.
Travel & Accommodation
Participants are expected to make their own arrangements regarding travel and accommodation; a list of suitable accommodation options will be provided to candidates upon notification of entry. National and international participants should make their way to Perth (airport code PER). Please ensure you have the necessary travel documents in order to attend the event. Magnum Photos and FotoFreo can provide letters of support where necessary.
Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of scholarship funding from FotoFreo 2010 supported by the Department of Culture and the Arts, three Western Australian photographers will be given the opportunity to participate in the Magnum Workshop Fremantle for free. These placements will be allocated on the basis of technical merit, the ability to construct a narrative using images and the perceived benefit to the applicant’s career.
Please click here to apply for the scholarship placements. The scholarship application deadline is Friday 29th January at 6.00pm GMT.
Please note: If your participation is reliant on winning a scholarship place please DO NOT apply via the general application channel. If you are interested in attending the workshop regardless of scholarship allocation, please ALSO complete the general application form below.
For any questions regarding the scholarships please contact Amelia Twiss on atwiss@FotoFreo.com
Applications
Click here to sign-up until Friday 28th February at 6.00pm GMT.
Successful applicants will be informed via email by Tuesday 2nd March. Full payment should be received by Tuesday 9th March to fully confirm your participation.
For queries please contact Fiona Rogers fionar@magnumphotos.co.uk
Justin Spiers January 28, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Art, Australian photographers, Fremantle Arts Centre, exhibition , add a commentJUSTIN SPIERS:
The Detour
30 January – 14 March 2010
Fremantle Arts Centre
Everybody loves a fun park – even a derelict one. In his first solo exhibition, Justin Spiers produces a record of what remained after the crowds dissipated.
The Detour was shot on location at the Castle Fun Park on the outskirts of
Mandurah. A collection of images on medium format film, Spiers presents a record of the Park’s demise into its current state of disuse.
Where once stood a fantastic Disney neighborhood, Spiers captures the disquietbetween the dizzying structures and their bush setting, suddenly realized once left A meting pot of Bavarian castles and tudor villages, these European architectural styles appear alien on the harsh Australian landscape. In reality, though, Spiers’ uneasy imagery documents the all-too-familiar marks of bushfire on the fantastic.
At once seductive and repellant, Spiers’ photographs create a somewhat tragic montage of the Park’s history – in which the unnatural collision of castle and country has occured, and has been left behind with consequences of bushfires and encroaching suburbia emblazoned on its eerie horizon.
Justin Spiers is a Western Australian photographer currently based at Red Gate Gallery in Beijing, China. He has participated in numerous exhibitions Australia-wide, and has previously endeared himself to pets and their owners as co-presenter of Pet Photo Booth.
Image Caption: Justin Spiers, All the loud colours of the world, 2007, giclee print on Hahnemuhle paper, 60 x 60 cm, courtesy and © the artist.
- Acid Mandurah Photo Justin Spiers
Guy Benfield: Expanded Ceramithéque Drug Time Present
Sohan Ariel Hayes and Laetetia Wilson: Datadrum v.2.04 Imagining the Sixth Dimensional City
Free admission, open 7 days: 10am-5pm
John Pilger January 19, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Australian photographers, Education, John Pilger, New Media, Photojournalism, Publishing , add a commentTHE MEDIA AND PROPAGANDA
Nigel Dolan from UWA Extension Service was instrumental in attracting John Pilger, Journalist, Author and Film-maker to a lecture at the Social Sciences Theatre University of West Australia on the 12th January 2010 to talk and answer questions on the subject of “The Media and Propaganda”. Interestingly main stream media were conspicuous by their absence. John Pilger, who was the winner of the Sydney Peace Prize in 2009 answered questions from the floor. The theatre was packed.
‘It is not enough for journalists to see themselves as mere
messengers without understanding the hidden agendas of the
message and myths that surround it’ – John Pilger. In this question
and answer session John examined the role and power of the
media and its responsibilities in a world of seemingly endless crises,
growing instability and inequality.
- John Pilger Photograph Bohdan Warchomij
John Pilger, renowned investigative journalist and documentary film-maker, is one of only two journalists to have twice won British journalism’s top award; his documentaries have won academy awards in both the UK and the US. In a New Statesman survey of the 50 heroes of our time, Pilger came fourth behind Aung San Suu Kyi and Nelson Mandela. “John Pilger,” wrote Harold Pinter, “unearths, with steely attention facts, the filthy truth. I salute him.”
Australian Aid Organisations working in Haiti January 17, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Aftermath, Aid, Haiti, Relief , add a commentThe earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince has had the world scrambling to deliver aid to the Western World’s poorest country. Logistically it is an overwhelming task. The harbour is damaged and there are difficulties offloading ship supplies. Toussaint Louverture International Airport is running out of fuel and only one runway is operational. Some relief workers and medical crews are coming in via the Dominican Republic.
(Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola, which lies between Cuba and Puerto Rico.)
- Carolyn Cole LA Times
The following aid agencies are working in the devastated country: The list, by no means exclusive, gives a guide to the established agencies working on the ground in Haiti. Please use personal discretion if donating to the appeals listed.
Medecins Sans Frontieres suffered damage to some of its own buildings in the earthquake, including its main hospital facility and a maternity facility. It is running makeshift medical centres in tents around the capital while it attempts to locate some of its staff missing since the disaster.
You can donate to MSF’s effort in Haiti through its Australian office’s website or by phoning 1300 13 60 61.
Save the Children has estimated that many children have been orphaned and have been made homeless.
The charity has said cash donations are what is most needed at the moment.
You can donate to Save the Children’s Haiti Earthquake Emergency Appeal at this link. Donations can also be made at NAB branches or by phoning 1800 76 00 11.
Australian Red Cross has launched an appeal. The charity says the money raised will be directed to the relief and recovery efforts in the devastated capital and other areas. Specialist aid workers will also be sent there.
You can donate to the Australian Red Cross Haiti Earthquake Appeal online or by phoning 1800 811 700.
World Vision provides temporary shelters, hygiene kits, cooking utensils, clothing and water containers and medical teams to deal with earthquake victims. To donate visit www.worldvision.com.au or call 13 32 40.
Oxfam has 100 staff on the ground in the quake zone, providing water and shelter supplies. “Any country would have difficulty withstanding this disaster, let alone one with deep poverty and minimal infrastructure,” the charity has said.
You can donate to Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal online or by phone at 1800 034 034.
CARE Australia has said the biggest challenge facing aid groups on the ground is reaching all those who need their help. CARE’s staff have been handing out food and other supplies.
The agency has said a donation of just $50 can provide water sanitation kits to homeless families. You can donate to CARE’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal online or at 1800 020 046.
The Australian Government has committed $10 million in emergency aid to the Haiti relief effort. The Department of Foreign Affairs’ 24-hour consular emergency centre can be reached on 1300 555 135.
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated $10 million in relief aid. Individuals and businesses can donate to the CERF at that link. Donations can also be sent to UNICEF’s Haiti Emergency Appeal.
Photojournalist Students to Bangladesh January 17, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Australian photographers, Bangladesh, Edith Cowan University, Education, Photo Media, Photography Festivals, Photojournalism , add a commentBangladesh photography has been in the news recently. The growth of Chobi Mela, a festival of photography in Asia, images of work from Bangladeshi photographers in Andy Levin’s 100 Eyes Magazine, the winning portfolio Living Stone by Bangladeshi photographer Khaled Hasan that was announced as the Centre For Documentary Photography Award Winner have opened up our eyes to the talent and potential within Bangladesh.
The growing connection between the Edith Cowan University Photomedia Faculty and Pathshala, the South East Institute of Photography is an important link between Austalian and Bangladeshi tertiary institutions and exemplifies the growth of photography in both countries.
Following the success of the initial first link project between the Edith Cowan University Photomedia Faculty and the Pathshala: South East Asian Institute of Photography for the 2008 Summer School, this year, fourteen top ranking ECU Photomedia students are going to Dhaka in Bangladesh from 7 January to 8 February. The ECU students will attend classes and conduct in-field work in collaboration with Pathshala students. New York based Picture Editor Tina Ahrens will supervise the first week of learning before students are sent out to cover their individual projects. The project culminates with an exhibition at the Drik Gallery in Dhaka and there will be another in Perth in April at Spectrum Gallery. At this stage it looks that the focus topic will be the rivers of Bangladesh.
- Lecturers Duncan Barnes and Norm Leslie with students heading to Daka, Bangladesh
Tina Ahrens
Born in Germany. Studied film and photography at London Guildhall University in London, UK. Organised “snap ’n roll” photo exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa, and curated parts of the “Portrait Africa” exhibition at Haus der Kulturen, Berlin, Germany. Worked as a photo editor for GEO magazine in Hamburg since 2000. Travelled extensively in Asia and parts of Africa. She now lives in NYC, working as a photo editor at GEO’s New York office. She is a member of the photography board of the National Geographic AllRoads program.
Was guest photo editor for the new issue of OJO DE PEZ #8 “The fall of nature” (published in October 2006).
www.ojodepez.org
Haiti January 11, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Documentary, Haiti, Photojournalism , add a commentJessica Phelps is a young photographer from Ohio currently working in a community center in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Santiago, Chile. She received her BFA in Media Studies from the Columbus College of ARt and Design before heading out on a mission that was more than simply traveling the world. She is committed, has a mission and wants to give back to the communities who take her in and share their stories with her.
In her own words, she “wanted to give back to the communities I visited, and subsequently tell their stories to those who otherwise would not have heard it”. In this manner, people from around the world could truly understand our innate connection to one another, and (realise) that despite our differences, we all desire the same basic things from life. My personal mission is a small step, but I believe that in our age of dividing war and hate, we have a great opportunity to stand peacefully together on common ground.” She is to be commended and admired.
- Car Parts for Sale Photo Copyright Jessica Phelps
Jessica Phelps received her BFA in photography from the Columbus College of Art and Design. After Graduation her travels took her to a remote town in the Italian Alps where she worked as a goat herder. From there she went to Milan for one year, doing a variety of jobs from teaching English, to gardening and house painting. After traveling through Europe some more she moved back to the US, and settled in San Diego CA for a few months. Jessica continues to travel and document the places she visits including Haiti in January.
- Fountain in Carfour Copyright Photo Jessica Phelps
R E F L E C T I V E J U D G E M E N T
Flying over Haiti, I saw mountains but all was brown. The land had been stripped bare as deforestation has swept across this country. Coming in lower I saw houses, cinder block squares really. Many of them missing floors and roofs with partially completed walls. Closer still and I could see people working in the fields, people walking along the streets in colorful clothing often carrying loads on their heads. Posture perfect, slow paced and in no hurry, it seems time was not what enslaved these people. Now over Cite Soleil, considered the worst slum in the world, the poverty is apparent even from above. The long descent lends the ability to take in the whole scope of the shanty housing and the random fires burning. I watched as the smoke disappeared into the evening sky.
It’s dark by the time we disembark the plane and begin driving through Port Au Prince and on into Petionville. The streets are jammed with cars, their fumes clogging the air we breathe. The jumbled sound of Haiti is energetic, vibrant, colorful and full of movement. But the landscape could not be more different. Roads in Haiti are often flooded and if they happen to be paved, they are so full of potholes it makes driving impatiently slow, tedious. Driving out of the city is a depressing sight. Garbage is piled high on the sidewalks and even in the nearby canals. It is common to see people scavenging amongst the refuse alongside goats, pigs and chickens. The animals eat the trash and soon after the people eat the animals. Our pick-up truck kicks up some dust as I am casually informed that mixed in with the garbage are discarded body parts, rotting, waiting to be burned.
In Haiti there is a hierarchy to the poverty. This is most commonly deciphered by taking notice of the footwear. Shoes with laces or straps are at the higher end of this hierarchy. Moving down the line are flip flops, and finally the poorest having no shoes what-so-ever, instead running barefoot through the city streets.
Experiencing Haiti requires use of all the senses. Amid the unceasing sound of cars and honking horns is a Creole spoken with more fervor than any Italian I can remember. Roosters crow incessantly, from dusk to dawn. The smell of exhaust fumes and burning plastic barrage your nostrils. The feel of the sun envelops you, while the dust and grime permeates your skin and hair. The grime is there to be tasted, always hanging heavy in the air. It is swallowed. It sticks in your teeth. And you find yourself overwhelmed just at the sight of it all.
The bright colors of houses set against the dust and piles of garbage seem to accentuate the energy of a people who laugh so as not to cry. There is a dignity with which they carry themselves through every day. As you stand reflected in the gaze of the Haitian People, there is judgment void of condemnation. Here an unspoken knowledge exists. Even children reek of wisdom beyond their years and seem to mirror and match any present preconceptions.
Jessica Phelps
- The Pharmacy Photo Copyright Jessica Phelps
Jessica Phelps
Emerging CDP Photographer Award January 9, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Bangladesh, Documentary, Griffith University, Photojournalism, Publishing, The Cenre for Documentary Practice , add a comment
- Living Stone Photo Khaled Hasan
