The Big Picture: National Geo Contest 2010

Photo © Ario Wibisono-All Rights Reserved

The Boston Globe's photo blog The Big Picture is showing off some of the submissions to The National Geographic annual  photo contest. The deadline for the submissions is November 30. The Big Picture editor chose 47 images from the three categories of People, Places and Nature.

No one asked me for my opinion, but I'll give it anyway. My favorite of those shown is the one of the two Indonesian boys playing with roosters in the village of Suradita, near Serpong in West Java. The photographer is Ario Wibisono who's based in Jakarta.

Ario's caption informs us that this was not a real cockfight. I'm confused by their dress as I took them to be Balinese children, but they're not...they're Javanese.

I also liked another one (#5) also by Ario Wibisono of the musician in Tenganan Village in Bali, playing the bamboo flute to a disabled child. I spent a couple of hours with this man during my Bali: Island of Odalan Photo~Expedition ™, photographing him playing his various instruments (including a sort of didgeridoo) and recording some of the pieces he played.

Olivier Laban-Mattei: Award Winner Paris Match

Photo © Olivier Laban-Mattei- All Rights Reserved

 Olivier Laban-Mattei was awarded the 2010 Grand Prix Paris Match for his recent coverage of Haiti. This prize was created in 1980 and all French professional photographers can compete. Every two years, the prize is decided by an international jury, with the winner receiving 8,000 euros.The prize recognizes photojournalists who cover current events.

Olivier Laban-Mattei is a photojournalist who worked with AFP for 10 years, and left it a few months ago to start a career as an independent photographer. For the past decade, Olivier criss-crossed the world reporting on the Iraq war, the Haitian earthquake or the Gaza Strip humanitarian disaster.

Olivier's Haiti gallery contains a number of graphic photographs that relay the horror of Haiti's earthquake. I have naturally not seen all of the coverage of the Haiti earthquake, but this is one of the most hard-hitting of those I did see.

PAKET LIBURAN MURAH KE BALI AKHIR TAHUN 2010

Paket liburan murah dan nyaman ke Balidi akhir taun 2010 menjelang tahun baru 2011

Dengan pilihan hotel-hotel dibawah ini :

• Pondok Agung Nusa Dua
• Puri santai Jimbaran
• The Yulia Inn Kuta
• Puri Dibia Kuta
• Ida Ho9tel Kuta
• Kodja Beach Inn Kuta
• Flamboyan Kuta
  
• Dayu Beach Inn Kuta
• Karti Hotel Kuta
• Hotel Ratna Kuta

ALL INCLUSIVE CONDITION :
HOTEL/AKOMODASI ,MOBIL AVANZA/APV UNTUK TOUR, TIKET-TIKET SELAMA TOUR DI BALI, DAN ACARA MAKAN YG TERCANTUM DLM SUSUNAN ACARA.

BOOKING 1 MINGGU SEBELUM KEDATANGAN DI BALI, DEPOSIT 30% DARI TOTAL BIAYA LIBURAN

PAKET 3 HARI 2 MALAM (RP 1.100.000/ orang)

1. Hari I (penjemputan di airport, check in hotel, uluwatu tour, nonton tarian api dan Kecak, makan malam seafood di Jimbaran)
2. Hari II ( kintamani tour: nonton tarian barong, Ubud desa seni, Tegal Lalang sawah, Kintamani gunung Batur dan makan siang, Perkebunan kopi , Tirta Empul Tampak Siring , balik hotel)
3. Hari III ( Joger shop, jalan jalan dan shoping di Kuta, transfer ke Airport )

PAKET 4 HARI 3 MALAM (RP 1.400.000/ orang)

1. Hari I (penjemputan di airport, check in hotel, uluwatu tour, nonton tarian api dan Kecak, makan malam seafood di Jimbaran)
2. Hari II ( kintamani tour: nonton tarian barong, Ubud desa seni, Tegal Lalang sawah, Kintamani gunung Batur dan makan siang, Perkebunan kopi , Tirta Empul Tampak Siring , balik hotel)
3. Hari III ( Bedugul Tour: Taman Ayun, Pacung , Bedugul danau bratan, pura Ulun Danu, perkebunan Strawberry, Tanah Lot sunset )
4. Hari IV ( Joger shop, jalan jalan dan shoping di Kuta, transfer ke Airport )

PAKET 5 HARI 4 MALAM ( RP 1.800.000/ orang )

1. Hari I (penjemputan di airport, check in hotel, uluwatu tour, nonton tarian api dan Kecak, makan malam seafood di Jimbaran )
2. Hari II ( Water sport Nusa Dua, parasailing, dan Tanjung Benoa pulau penyu, Denpasar City tour )
3. Hari III( kintamani tour: nonton tarian barong, Ubud desa seni, Tegal Lalang sawah, Kintamani gunung Batur dan makan siang, Perkebunan kopi , Tirta Empul Tampak Siring , balik hotel)
4. Hari IV ( Bedugul Tour: Taman Ayun, Pacung , Bedugul danau bratan, pura Ulun Danu, perkebunan Strawberry, Tanah Lot sunset )
5. Hari V ( Joger shop, jalan jalan dan shoping di Kuta, transfer ke Airport )

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Liburan ke Bali anda tidak mesti mahal !!!

Hormat Kami
Ade Bali Tour

Paul Kowlow: Japan (and Geishas)

Photo © Paul Kowalow-All Rights Reserved

Paul Kowalow's website on Zenfolio is sparse with his biographical details, but I thought I'd nevertheless feature his work of Japan here.

You'll see that his gallery of Japan has a large number of portraits of not only geishas but also of young women adopting the punk style of fashion, which I thought is a jarring stark contrast between these two cultures; the traditional and the modern. I wish the gallery was arranged in such a way that the portraits of geisha and punks would alternate. Most of these portraits appear to be candid shots, and the colors are just great.

Take a look at his other galleries as well. He's got some nice photographs of Venice.

Tours to Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige

Trentino-Alto Adige, northern Italy region sits on the border of Switzerland and Austria. It is mainly mountainous region and you will not feel the spring in early March. But there is plenty to do and see in every season, and soon the warm weather. Food and wine are often high quality. Another interesting factor you might not realize. This region, especially sub-Alto Adige, German enough. In a sense, you walk two countries for the price of one. Since we are talking about the price of the word, be careful, a trip to Trentino-Alto Adige region does not come cheap.

You can start your visit spring Bressanone, Brixen called in Germany, a town of about 20,000 about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Bolzano. Enjoy a gastronomic Sunday, which despite its name runs for more than two weeks, starting early March. For more than 30 years in local restaurants and nearby Bressanone Valle Isarco / Eisacktal have held this festival to show the typical food Tyrol. Enjoy the local wine. Castelrotto (Kastelruth in German), about 6 thousand inhabitants, which is 80% speak German, is located about 12 miles (20 km) northeast of Bolzano. Starting on Sunday held the second week of March Nostalgia, competition from skiers from all over Italy and many regions in Europe. What's so special about this event? Tools skiers clothes' will be about a hundred years.

City Egna (Neumarkt in German), population approximately 4500, located about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Bolzano in Alto Adige-run marathon on the second Sunday in April. This course is really beautiful, going through the local mountain towns. At the end of capital-Alto Adige is the month of Bolzano (Bozen in German), population about 100 thousand, located approximately 30 miles (50 km) north of the capital of Trentino Trento presents Festa dei Fiori, the celebration of a century late spring. Festa will be held in Piazza Walther free car (Waltherplatz) named for the Twelfth Century Germany wandering Minstrel Walther von der Vogelweide who lampooned the Papacy and the support of Holy Roman Emperor. His statue was removed during the days of Mussolini but was replaced after the Second World War.

Head to Trento, the population of more than 100 thousand, for the Trento Film Festival, the watchword is Mountain, Exploration, and Adventure for about ten days beginning in late April. Bolzano presents a big wine exhibition in Mareccio (Maretsch) Castle not far from downtown for a few days in mid-May. If you're in the neighborhood at the end of May to go to Speck Festival, celebrating local expertise, cured bacon and seasoned raw. Many other local food and wine as well as costume musicians.

Win A Copy of "To Cambodia With Love"

I have a bunch of copies of To Cambodia With Love....the travel guidebook to Cambodia with some of my photographs. These will be given out as prizes to 5 readers of The Travel Photographer blog who correctly answer the three following questions.  The winners will be picked randomly out of a hat provided they have a US mailing address where the book can be sent to.

Here are the questions:

1) What's the capital of Cambodia? (correct spelling please!)

2) What's my favorite destination (ie. country) for my photo-expeditions?

3) Which is your favorite gallery (stills or multimedia) of my photographs?

So email me with the answers with your name (and it will be put in the hat...provided you have a U.S. mailing address).

Good luck!!! The cut off date for the giveaway is November 30 when I shall announce the 5 winners.

Paul Levrier: Visions of Indochina

Photo © Paul Levrier -All Rights Reserved

 Paul Levrier is in a good position to photograph all over South East Asia and in particular in Indochina. He's the managing director of a travel company specializing in Vietnam (where he's been based for the past 14 years) and Cambodia.

He's also the founder of Visions of Indochina which is a digital image bank/library. Whilst one needs to register to gain full access to the library, there's enough there to satisfy all Vietnamophiles (is that the right term?) with lovely images of its various festivals, as well as a section for multimedia.

Since the site is principally an image bank, its navigation seems a little quirky but you'll get the hang of it and you'll find lovely photographs of Vietnam, as well as Laos and Cambodia.

Reuters: Best of the Year Photojournalism

Photo © Adrees Latif/Reuters

It seems that we're at the time of year when many of the news magazines, and large photo-blogs will soon be featuring their "best of the year" photographs. The first of the bunch is Reuters which is showcasing some 55 photographs.

Reuters photographers produce over half a million images every year. Some pictures define an event, others capture a moment revealing an aspect of the human condition. What's really neat this time is that each photographer describes the event which he/she photographed along with technical details.

My favorite photograph is the one above by Adrees Latif made during relief supplies being delivered to flooded villages in the Muzaffargarh district of Punjab in Pakistan. It's one of these photographs that tells is all...the struggle for survival, the physicality of despair...

By the way, Adrees tells us that the elderly man with a white scarf around his neck, managed to hang on to the hovering helicopter and was pulled to safety.

Top Adventure Sports in Kerala

Kerala is also known as 'God's Own Country' most credited between the goals of the world like. Nature blessed this place with high mountains, gushing rivers, lush green vegetation, breathtaking backwaters and channels of pristine beaches. The combination of scenery, water bodies, wildlife and the mountains make a great adventure destination that attracts adventure seekers from various parts of the world famous. The beauty of this magical land provides an opportunity to select an adventure fan, remote water sports cruises, wildlife tours, camping in forest activities, safaris, trekking and adventure, much more.

Trekking:

Agastyakoodam, Chembra Peak, Pythal Mala, Gunnar and Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary are some famous tourist spots of Kerala trekking. Agastyarkoodam Peak is a spectacular peak located in the Western Ghats. This majestic peak with an altitude of about 1868 meters attracts many tourists throughout the year. It is a paradise of rare herbs and medicinal plants and slopes offering views during riding.

Chembra above is the highest peak in Wayanad is situated in panoramic surroundings at an altitude of 2100 m. This is an ideal place for trekking which provides beautiful views of tea plantations and a variety of flora and fauna. Pythal Mala station is interesting mountain located near the Kerala-Karnataka border. Gunnar is a place known for the famous mountain hiking for a magical environment that is rich in plants and animals.

Kerala Wildlife Tour:

Kerala is a wet area which makes it rich in flora and fauna. Equatorial tropical climate blessed this place with 14 Nature Reserves are recorded for their great biodiversity. Some well-known national parks in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Silent Valley National Park, Eravikulam National Park and more. These places are one of the high-flying tourist destination.

Water Sports:

A complex network of forty-four rivers, one mile stretch of beach, sandy lagoons and lakes makes Kerala an ideal destination for water sports activities. This place is an adventure sport among the most popular activity of tourists who visit this interesting land. Some of this space is known to water sports catamaran Sailing, Scuba Diving, canoing, kayaking, and Scuba Diving. In addition to this popular water sport in the 'Snake Boat Race' is also the identity of Kerala.

Charming of Chiang Mai City Center

Hello Friends,

Chiang Mai is the province in the northern region of Thailand. This province is very popular in its mountain scenery as there're many beautiful mountain situated around the area of this province. However, many interesting place also situated in the city center of Chaing Mai as well especially the historical sites because this province has been founded more than 700 years ago. Today, i'm gonna tell you about charming places that you can't miss in the city center of this province.

1. Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

The pagoda of this temple is the symbol of Chiang Mai and this temple situated in Doi Suthep mountain in the city center of Chiang Mai as many travellers have to visit this historical site to pray and respect to the pagoda for good luck. It can be said that if you come to Chaing Mai and you don't visit this temple, it will be deemed that you have never come to this province.

2. Chiang Mai Zoo

Situated at the foothill of Doi Suthep, this zoo is very popular for travellers in the past 2 years because it is the home of the pandas family named Chuang Chuang, Lin Hui and Lin Bing which is the highlight of this zoo. Also, the new aquarium which is the one of the biggest aquarium in Thailand already opened.

3. Tha Pae Walking Street

This is one of the most famous shopping street in the northern region of Thailand. Situated at Tha Pae Gate in the city center, this walking street opens every Sunday evening as you will see many travellers looking for traditional souvenirs and handcraft products. And Of course, every products selling in Tha Pae can be bargained that is the reason why tourists love this walking street.

4. Khantoke Dinner

"Khantoke" is the name of traditional dinner set of local people it the northern region of Thailand. There're many restaurant in the city center serving Khantoke dinner together with "Lanna" traditional show. Then, you can enjoy delicious dinner in Lanna style with the great traditional show but keep in mine that the price for Khantoke restaurant is quite expensive for budget travellers.

There're still many interesting place in this fantastic northern region and i will tell you on my next post.

Thank for reading. See You Then!

Dan Bannister: East Africa

Photo © Dan Bannister -All Rights Reserved

Dan Bannister is a commercial, industrial and editorial photographer based in Calgary, Canada, who having joined my recent Bhutan: Land of the Druk Yul Photo~Expedition™ last year, recently traveled to East Africa to further expand his inventory of travel imagery. His new gallery of East Africa includes a broad spectrum of lifestyle, travel and editorial images.

His travel and editorial images appeared in The New York Times, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and various in-flight magazines.

Dan also updated his website, and I encourage you to visit it as it now boasts large photographs and is truly magnificent.

On a personal level, I can say that Dan was one of the most enjoyable participants I've had the pleasure to travel with on my photo-expeditions.

Eid El-Adha

Photo © Muhammed Muheisen/AP (courtesy Lens Blog New York Times)

Muslims around the world are celebrating the Eid El-Adha or  the"Festival of Sacrifice" in commemoration of the belief that Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing to sacrifice his son Ismail to God. Observant Muslims celebrate it by slaughtering animals to commemorate God's gift of a ram to substitute for Ibrahim's son, and distributing the meat amongst family, friends and the poor.

It's also an occasion for everyone (but mainly children) to wear newly-bought clothes in order to celebrate it in style.  Many young boys wear suits and ties, while young girls show off their fancy dresses as in the above photograph by Muhammed Muheisen of a couple of Yemeni girls dressed as angels, complete with pink diaphanous wings, in the back streets of Sanaa.

My Book: Bali Island of Gods: Now Available

I'm excited to announce that my new photo book Bali: Island of Gods is now available from Blurb. There are two main versions of the book (82 pages of black & white photographs) on Blurb's bookstore. A large (13x11 inches) landscape hardcover version and a standard (10x8 inches) landscape version.

All the details are available on a page of my website Island of Gods. If you choose to buy, the links will take you to my bookstore on Blurb, which has previews of the book.

I know...the timing of the publication is great! Just in time for the holidays.

The Haj In 1885 And Now

CNN has featured an interesting clip of images and audio dating from 1885 of Mecca and of the Haj ritual. It's accompanying article tells us that Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, a Dutch scholar of Oriental cultures and languages, and an advisor to the colonial government of the Netherlands East Indies, visited Mecca in 1885 taking photos and making sound recordings. He had converted to Islam, and was therefore allowed to gain entry to the city.

The article is an interesting read, especially since it seems Snouck had to leave his camera equipment behind to a local Saudi, who continued making pictures, possibly becoming Mecca's first home-grown photographer. (My thanks to Gul Chotrani who sent the article to me).

Contrast the scenes in the CNN clip (it has an annoying advert at its start) to the following photograph; one of the many posted by The Boston Globe's The Big Picture of Muslim pilgrims circling the Kaaba at the center of the Grand mosque in Mecca during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.  (Click it for larger photograph).

Photo © REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

Mohamed Hassan: Photojournalist

Photo © Mohamed Hassan- All Rights Reserved

Mohamed Hassan Abd El Aal (Mikko Hassan) lived and worked in Cairo, and graduated from the Akhbar El-Yom Academy with an honor degree in Journalism. He worked as a press photographer in the daily newspaper El-Shorouk El Gedid. Apart from covering political issues, protests and demonstrations, he was interested in documenting the traditional manufacturing processes in Old Cairo. One of these features gleaned him first prize in the 2009 Annual Press Photography Competition of Egypt.

I met Mohamed (aka Mikko) at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Istanbul. He wasn't in my class, but approached me, rather shyly, and expressed his pleasure in seeing that one of the instructors was of Egyptian heritage. He told me that although he had seen my name on the roster of instructors, but had taken it for Lebanese. Mohamed participated in Guy Calaf's class, and had been awarded a scholarship.

I reviewed Mohamed's portfolio which, as he wrote in his biography, had photographs of his explorations in the deepest corners of Old Cairo. He did them during his one day week-ends, on his own time, deriving nothing of it except his own pleasure and self-improvement. I sensed his enthusiasm for photography, saw his talent and his eye for composition, and predicted to him that he'd be one of Egypt's best photojournalists.

It was not to be. His trajectory was very sadly cut short because of a fatal freak accident a few days ago. He will be missed by many.

The Foundry Photojournalism Workshop family reacts: Eric Beecroft, the co-founder of the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop, announced that a permanent full scholarship in Mikko's name will be made available, and his work is featured on the FPW's front page.

Erika Larsen: Lavvos & Reindeer

Photo © Erika Larsen- All Rights Reserved

Erika Larsen is a photographer and film-maker who's recently been doing work in the Scandinavian Arctic with families of Sami reindeer hunters.

She worked as a magazine photographer since 2000 specializing in human-interest stories, cultural issues and the daily life of people connected to the natural world. She's recognized by World Press Photo, American Society of Magazine Editors, Society of Photographers, New Jersey State Council of the Arts and is a Fulbright Scholar.

The Sami peoples are also known as Lapps (although this term is considered as outdated, and often derogative), and are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia, but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. They traditionally survived by hunting and fishing, and in more recent years, by herding reindeer, which have also become their staple food. Reindeer meat is most commonly eaten fried, or is is often dried for later consumption.Lavvos is the name for the Sami's tents.

LATimes' Framework: Chhath Festival

Photo © Narendra Shrestha/EPA

 The Los Angeles ' Times large image photoblog Framework has featured a number of lovely photographs from around the world this past week. I liked this one by EPA photographer Narendra Shrestha of a Nepali woman staring while offering fruits and coconuts to the setting sun during the Chhath festival in Kathmandu.

The Chhath festival is observed by Hindus in India and Nepal, and it's performed in order to thank the Sun god Surya for sustaining life on earth, and to ask for the granting of wishes. The rituals include bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water, standing in water for long periods of time, and making offerings to the setting and rising sun.

Next Week on The Travel Photographer

For the week starting Monday November 14,  apart from off-the-cuff posts, the following is in the pipeline:

1. A photographer's multimedia photo essay on the Sami people of the Scandinavian Arctic.
2. A photographer's gallery of his freshly-minted photographs of East Africa.
3. The work of a Vietnamese photographer of his homeland.
4. Another interesting edgy documentary on illegal emigrants from Central America.
5. Hard-hitting images from a photojournalist out of Haiti.