NY Times: Turning The Tribes

Image Copyright © Benjamin Lowy/New York Times-All Rights Reserved
In one of its rare serious reportage photographic essays, this week's New York Times Magazine is featuring a photo-documentary in slideshow format on the efforts by the US military in Iraq to 'turn' the Sunni tribes, and to have these form alliances of convenience with it. The somewhat grating narration is by Michael Gordon, a reporter for the Times and the impressive photography is by the talented and experienced Ben Lowy.

From a political standpoint, I must say that these images and the narration reaffirm what many of us have known all along...we cannot win in Iraq. Are we now forming alliances with minority Sunni tribes by offering protection and funds (wasn't that what Saddam Hussein was doing during his terrible regime?), and ignoring the fact that these very Sunnis are insurgents, have fought against US troops, have killed US troops (and continue to do so) and are unwilling to be governed by the Shi'a government we helped install in the first place...but one that we currently don't like because they're close to Iran? The mind boggles.

Having watched the slideshow many times, I was consistently humbled by Lowy's and Gordon's immense courage and dedication in obtaining such material.

The NY Times' Turning The Tribes.

One Shot: Subhash Sharma

Image Copyright © Subhash Sharma-All Rights Reserved
Subhash Sharma is a freelance photographer based in Mumbai, who frequently chooses his own photo stories rather than those handed over to him by editors. An admirer of the works of Ernst Haas, Andre Kersetz, and Sebastiao Salgado, he's primarily interested in photographing ordinary people in their daily environment and circumstances. His first book titled “Digital Glimpses Of India” was well received, and his forthcoming book “ The Land Of The Holymen “ is currently under print and explores the lifestyle of the Naga Sadhus (naked aescetics) of India.

For this week's One Shot feature, I chose Subhash's sobering photograph of Maina Bai, a Jain in the process of committing the act of Santhara. This is a procedure in which a Jain stops eating with the intention of preparing for death. It is differentiated from suicide as it is not done in an emotional state of mind, but is undertaken only when the body is no more capable of serving its owner as a instrument of sprituality and when inevitability of death is a matter of undisputed certainty.

Subhash tells me that Maina succumbed after 25 days of Santhara. She felt guilty that it was taking so long for her to die as her guru and disciples had to wait. He was witness to Maina's final days, and was awed by the certainty in her decision.

There's an ethical debate in India concerning the legality of Santhara. In India, euthanasia is banned and suicide is a crime, but proponents of Santhara argue that it cannot be termed as suicide... the persons who undertake it do so with an open mind and conscious thought, and it's part of the Jain religion and customs, traditions and rituals are protected by India's constitutional guarantees.

Subhash's other photographs on Bishnois, Jainism, Pushkar, Indian Islam, the festivals of Kumbh Mela, Holi and Dahi Handi can be seen in his Photoshelter Galleries

Article by Ed Kashi: "In The Thick Of It All"

Image Copyright © Ed Kashi-All Rights Reserved
Digital Photo Pro magazine brings us an intelligent article by well-known photojournalist Ed Kashi. The article is essentially Kashi's take on the evolution of photography and on what he defines as the "nest-generation photojournalist". He describes himself fundamentally as a storyteller, amd how the new digital tools have enhanced his craft. I've heard many established photojournalists bemoan the end of the film age and ranting against this 'new wave', so it's refreshing to hear otherwise from a photographer at the height of his career.

Here are some excerpts that I found to be very relevant...for instance, Kashi writes: "I can’t escape the fact that the new digital tools—along with the Internet as a distribution system for images, video and multimedia stories—has the potential to overshadow traditional print media because of its potential to reach more people and have a more powerfully engaging message. This is to take nothing away from still pictures, but in today’s world, things are changing very rapidly.”

Another: "There are mid-career photojournalists like myself who have reached the top of their profession and could just as easily become a dinosaur tomorrow if they don’t adapt. Even though I’ve established a great reputation, I could fall off the face of the Earth if I’m not careful. Except for the National Geographic, who wants to publish serious, nonfiction photojournalism? The New York Times Sunday Magazine rarely, if ever, publishes serious reportage photography anymore. There are European publications that publish serious photography, but they don’t really pay a living wage.”

And finally...a statment that I wholeheartedly agree with: “Photography is a world of variables. I’ve always been a believer that the way for me to be most effective is to reduce the variables to the smallest number so that I can focus most of my energy, my heart, my soul, my vision and my brain on the subject, on making images, and on telling stories. So, for me right now, I could go on making images forever with iView MediaPro and Photoshop on the Mac platform and my Canon EOS 5D. It has reached a level of quality and efficiency that’s ideal for me. Sure, it could be made better, but for now, for me, it’s great. But the reality is that I know I can’t do that. The technology will change and I’ll once again have to change with it.”

I'm happy to say that I'm of the same persuasion...I'm satisfied with my current hardware and software, and have no compulsion to acquire new cameras or lenses just because they're available. The setup I currently have works for me, and until the time when it's really surpassed in quality and efficiency, I will stay with it.

For the whole article, visit the excellent Digital Photo Pro Magazine website: In The Thick Of It

Matthieu Paley: Bhutan

Image Copyright © Matthieu Paley-All Rights Reserved
Matthieu Paley is a freelance photographer who specialises in working in the remote and barren since his first expedition in the Altai Mountains, western Mongolia, in 1998. In 1999, after three years in New York, he started a trekking company in northern Pakistan, exploring the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush and the Pamir Mountains.

While in northern Pakistan, he worked as a photographer for the Aga Khan Foundation, in collaboration with his wife, Mareile, a graphic designer. Matthieu’s photography focuses on the mountain world and has been published in various magazines including National Geographic Adventure, Outside, Time and Discovery.

His website is flash-based, so you'll have to explore the various galleries by starting from his home page. I chose his Bhutan gallery to feature on TTP as the most representative of his talents. The other gallery which I found to have breathtaking photographs is the one of Mongolia....but the photograph of the Bhutanese shepherd and his son clinched it for me.

Matthieu Paley

Jean Michel Clajot : African Scarification

Image Copyright © Jean Michel Clajot-All Rights Reserved
Here's a nicely produced photo essay (using the now-ubiquitous Soudslides program) by the well traveled photographer Jean Michel Clajot. He's a photojournalist based in Brussels, and is represented by the COSMOS Photo Agency in Paris and by Aurora Photos in Portland.

This particular slideshow will be exhibited at the Campo Santo on Monday September 3 during the famous Visa Pour l’Image in Perpignan (September 1-16). I particularly liked the music chosen to accompany the photographs by the talented Ismael Lo.The images were photographed in Benin, and some are quite graphic. A well photographed project and I think deserving of being exhibited.

Jean Michel Clajot's Scarification.

Another New "Canon"?

Check this "Canon".

courtesy of the Luminous Landscape Forum.

Books: Down The Nile

I normally wouldn't post about a book I have yet to read, but this is a book by Rosemary Mahoney, whose earlier "The Singular Pilgrim" has the best description of Varanasi I've ever read...so I'm confident that her new literary effort is a treat. Secondly, Mahoney also writes about Egypt and its people...a country and people I know well. Thirdly, the book reviewer describes Mahoney as "This is a woman who doesn't suffer fools gladly."...a trait which I find not unattractive in people.

Another gem: "I have always resented imposed constraints, hated all the things people said one should and should not do," confesses Rosemary Mahoney in Down the Nile. "A woman shouldn't ... A man wouldn't ... People were always conjuring up a wall and telling you to stay on your side of it."

This warrants a trip to my nearest bookstore!

Here's the full review as it appears in the Christian Science Monitor.

Annie Tritt: Jerusalem

Image Copyright © Annie Tritt-All Rights Reserved
Annie Tritt's biography is unfortunately sparse, and despite my efforts to find some more background on her or her work, all I have is that she was a dancer and a high school teacher before becoming a photojournalist, and focusing on social issues. That's all.

One can describe her work as hard hitting, but I found it to be sensitive with a documentary edge to it. I chose her gallery Easter in Jerusalem to showcase her undeniable talents...especially since most of her photograph in that gallery is of Ethiopian Falashas celebrating Easter in Jerusalem. I particularly liked this photograph...with its motion blur.

The Falasha are Jews of Ethiopian origin, and under the provisions of Israel's Law of Return (1950), over 90,000 (over 85%) have emigrated to Israel, most notably during Operation Moses (1984) and Operation Solomon (1991).

There are many wonderful photographs on Tritt's website, but you can start your viewing by clicking on her Easter in Jerusalem gallery.

Annie Tritt.

James Pomerantz: Congo

Image Copyright © James Pomerantz-All Rights Reserved
James Pomerantz grew up in London and New York, and his biography says that he "stumbled' into photography before graduating from New York City's Columbia University with a major in mathematics and philosophy. His work appeared in major publications such as the New York Times, US News & World Report and the Figaro among a long list.

Out of his many galleries, I hesitated between his extraordinary work in Azerbijan and his moving photographs from the Congo.... I chose the latter. He photographed in Sud Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the worst atrocities were committed during its long war. Remarkably moving and disturbing work.

It's a good thing that James Pomerantz "stumbled" into photography.

James Pomerantz Photography.

Bali: Island of Spirits

Image Copyright © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved
Here's my new gallery of photographs entitled Bali: Island of Spirits (link below). One of the most interesting traits of the Balinese people is their belief in animism and ancestor worship, in addition to their Hindu traditions. The Balinese term sekala niskala or visible-invisible describes how the physical world is suffused by a spirit world. Understandably, the spirits are honored everywhere on the island with offerings of flowers and other materials....hence the title.

This is not a linear "storyboard" photo essay, but images which I deem to be representative of the Balinese spiritual life. I also included images of the traditional dance as these usually take place at religious ceremonies, and included a couple of non-graphic photographs made during cremations, which I hope impart the solemnity of such events.

I've now established a Basic acount with Zenfolio, the web-based image-sharing website of my earlier post this week. I found it to be intuituve and easy to set up. However, I'm preparing a more complex slideshow with narration and ambient audio which should be ready in a few weeks on my regular website.

My Zenfolio home page features the photographs in thumbnail gallery fashion...I prefer to view them in a slideshow (upper right corner) format. The slideshow feature has an icon that provides captions to each photograph.

Bali: Island of Spirits.