Islam: The Month of Ramadan

© Reuters/Sugit Pamungkas
© AP/Dar Yasin
Ramadan is the Muslim religious observance that occurs during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from true dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility.

The Boston Globe's Big Picture has gathered 35 photographs of Muslims during Ramadan from across the world. Two of my favorite photographs are by Reuters' Sugit Pamungkas and by AP's Dar Yasin. The first is of Muslim women praying at a mosque in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. The second is of Kashmiri Muslims inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, in Srinagar, India. Click on them for bigger versions.

If you haven't visited The Big Picture yet, you're missing out on a visual delight.

Vincent de Groot: Faces of Mali

Vincent de Groot took photography up in earnest in 2001, and progressively switched to digital photography since then. Born in the Netherlands, he worked and lived in Germany, then Switzerland and currently resides in France.

He used SoundSlides to showcase his two B&W galleries of Faces of Mali.

Gallery One

Gallery Two

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Maynard Switzer: India

© Maynard Switzer
Maynard Switzer is a New York City based photographer, with his own studio specializing in beauty and fashion photography, working for a very diverse group of advertising, design and editorial clients. He recently broadened his creative interests by pursuing travel, portrait and landscape photography.

His biography reveals that he received his training at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and upon graduation apprenticed for Richard Avedon in New York.

Myanard's travel portfolio consists of galleries of Bolivia, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cuba, India, North America, Vietnam and Ladakh. Don't miss visiting his Landscapes as well...there are some lovely images of Pindaya in Burma and of Bolivia.

Mark Seager: Riding The Buzkashi

© Mark Seager
Riding The Buzkashi is an audio slideshow by British photographer Mark Seager on one of the toughest horse-riding events in the world: Buzkashi. The photographs were taken in Afghanistan where he and a colleague were taught the rudiments of the game by Tajiks and Uzbeks.

Buzkashi is a traditional Central Asian team sport played on horseback (some say it's the precursor to polo), during which skilled riders who could grab a goat or calf from the ground while riding a horse at full gallop. The goal of a player is to grab the carcass of a headless goat or calf, evade the other players and pitch it across a goal line or into a target circle or vat.

(A previous photo-essay by Mark Seager was posted on TPP: Palestinian Taxi)

Washington Post: Daughters of Iraq

© Andrea Bruce/Washington Post
Here's a heartbreaking photo essay by Andrea Bruce published by The Washington Post titled "Daughters of Iraq".

In a suburb of Baqubah, women have signed up to become Daughters of Iraq, a U.S. military-funded program that pays women to search other women at checkpoints to prevent the spate of recent suicide attacks. Many of the recruits are widows whose husbands were killed by Sunni insurgents or Shiite militias. They receive a week of training and $280 monthly salaries.

I'm taken aback that The Washington Post published such photos. Aren't the editors worried it may increase the risks of retribution against these unfortunate women? I looked at each photograph, and the expressions on the women's faces are really heartbreaking. Many do not look directly at the camera lens...a reaction of many women in the Middle East when they're ashamed, or when their privacy is being breached. Those who stare back at the camera show incredible anguish and pain.

I really don't understand the purpose of this photo-essay. Is it to show that the US occupation is gathering supporters within the community? The accompanying article in The Post would be enough for that. Most of these women are widows with no financial means to survive except through frisking other women...essentially putting their lives on the line. There's no support here...it's a means of livelihood. The option would be prostitution or begging. Oh, and the monthly $280? I'd bet that a large chunk of that goes to pay bribes to the "facilitators" who got these women the jobs.

The Iraqi translators for the US Military are often seen wearing balaclavas or hideous wrap-around sunglasses to hide their identities, so why show these women? Yes, these women should have refused to pose for the photographer (perhaps some did), but would they? Realizing they're a step away from penury if they didn't pose is a powerful incentive.

In my view, publishing these photographs (and the names of these women) is absolutely unwarranted.

Canon G10: It's Here Too

Also acccording to Market Watch, Canon will launch a new flagship G-series digital compact camera to replace the PowerShot G9. The G10 boasts 14.7 megapixels, and a Digic 4 processing engine, as used in the EOS 50D and 5D Mark II digital SLRs. Its 3-inch PureColor LCD has a claimed resolution of 461,000 dots.

Aimed at photo enthusiasts and professionals seeking a back-up camera, the PowerShot G10 is scheduled to be available in October, the PowerShot G10 digital camera will have an estimated selling price of $500.

I'm not sure if cramming 14.7 million pixels on such a small sensor is a good move. It certainly is good hype...but practically-speaking, the image quality may suffer. Real sample images should soon come out.

Canon 5D Mark II: It's Here

The wait is over! Canon announced its update to the wildly popular full frame EOS 5D

The EOS 5D Mark II has a 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor, a vast ISO Range of 100-6400 (expandable to ISO L: 50, H1: 12800 and H2: 25600), plus EOS technologies like Auto Lighting Optimizer and Peripheral Illumination Correction. It supports Live View shooting, Live View HD videos, and more. It can shoot up to 3.9 fps, has 9 AF points plus 6 AF assist points, a new 98% coverage viewfinder, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) and a rugged build.

Just eyeballing the specs, I'm disappointed at the low fps rate. I had hoped that it would have at least a 5 fps rate. I would've been happy to give up some of the megapixel count for a higher fps. The new Nikon D700 has a much lower resolution, but can deliver 5 fps or even 8 fps with a grip.

According to MarketWatch (Wall Street Journal), the estimated street price is $2700 and will be available in November. This price point is phenomenal, and is lower than its competitors. A hands-on review is at DPReview.

Since many of my readers are from the United Kingdom, here's a fact I'm sure will irk them no end. UK websites report that the new Canon body will retail for £2,300. At current exchange rates, this is the equivalent of $4140, a hefty (and unjustifiable) premium of $1440 over US prices. Even considering that the UK price includes VAT, this is eye-watering, non?

The Mark II will record a movie clip for a maximum of 12 minutes at 1920 x 1080 and up to 24 minutes at VGA. Here's a clip demonstrating the Canon 5D Mark II's video (link)

As Canon's press release says: "Full-frame shooters rejoice!". And here's what its Evolution ad looks like now.

I'll follow this news throughout the day and update my post.

Thanks Eric! (you're the first to email me with this...don't you sleep?).

Tours around Tbilisi: Tbilisi Old Town (1)

Tbilisi offers a wide range of 1- day tours.
Georgian Tourism Association (GTA) has tested some of them.
Please note:GTA does not sell tours, the service is for information only and we do not take responsibility for any inconvenience that people might encounter during the proposed tours.

FOR GUIDE SERVICE & BOOKING CONTACT GTA-MEMBER COMPANIES

Tour 1: “Tbilisi Old Town” - Walking Tour

Classic must see for every Tbilisi Visitor

Description

Start your walk at the Sulfur Baths, after which the city was named. See the Mosque and the balconies of Abano Area. Walk up the Botanikuri Street to the Botanical Garden. Before reaching the entrance gate, walk up the path that leads to the Narikala Fortress.

Enjoy the fine views of the old city and from the top into the valley of the Botanical Garden. From there you’ll see the statue of Mother Georgia / Kartlis Deda. Walk back down to the entrance gate of Narikala Fortress and turn left to reach the statue.
Walk down the stairs right before Kartlis Deda to reach Jerusalimis Street.

Continue through the small side streets of Tbilisis Sololaki district to reach Jvaris Mama Church and Sioni Street, to make a round through the café-streets of Shardeni & Erekle with their Mediterranean atmosphere.

After a small pause in one of the cafés continue on Sioni Street (North/upriver) past the residence of the Georgian Orthodox Partriarch Ilia II. to Sioni Church and a bit further to one of the oldest and most charming churches in Tbilisi, Anchiskhati Church (6th c. A.D.).
After a few hundred more meters you’ll find yourself on Baratashvili Street which leads you up (left) to Tavisuplebis Moedani (Freedom Square) where Hotel Courtyard Marriot and Old Tbilisi City Hall are located. (By the way: In the hotel you can get free copies of the georgian English-language newspapers!)

Continue on the left side of the City Hall Building down Leselidze Street and reach Maidan Square and a hundred meters further the Sulfur Baths, where a relaxing dip & scrub is an experience not to miss.

A quick detour after the baths could lead you up to Metekhi Church and Vakhtang Gorgasali Statue just on the other side of the river and into Avlabari district with nice views on the Narikala Fortress.

To sense the history of Georgia’s Capital and get detailed explanations of its development a city-tour guide is well worth the small investment.

Duration of the walk
2 hours to ½ day

Restaurants/Bars

There are too many to name them all, but on the route is Shemoikhede Genatsvale, on 25, Leselidze Street with a blue glass façade and no sign in English where excellent Khinkali (dumplings filled with minced meat) and other Georgian specialties are served.
If you feel like exploring the backstreets you’ll be able to locate the small, authentic and inexpensive restaurant Racha, also serving very good Khinkali, Mzwadi (Shashlik), Salads as well as other Georgian specialties. (second street left behind City Hall).

On Puris Moedani (first street left behind City Hall) there is popular PurPur (Bar-Café- Restaurant), serving European Food and featuring a lounge in the basement where you can hang out on cushions with a cocktail or two. If you a looking for a more luxurious place, restaurant Kopala (with a roof terrasse and excellent sunset views) located in the hotel with the same name in 8/10 Czekhov St. in Avlabari district. Restaurant Maidan (with traditional song and dance) Mtkvari Right Bank 2 (Shardeni Area) is also recommended.

Souvenirs
Some shops in Shardeni & Erekle Street sell souvenirs and postcards. Try also Rustaveli Avenue and Dry Bridge Art Market.

Tours around Tbilisi: Karsani Ridge / Mzkheta

Tbilisi offers a wide range of 1- day tours.

Georgian Tourism Association (GTA) has tested some of them.

Please note:GTA does not sell tours, the service is for information only and we do not take responsibility for any inconvenience that people might encounter during the proposed tours.

FOR GUIDE SERVICE & BOOKING CONTACT GTA-MEMBER COMPANIES

Tours around Tbilisi (2): Karsani Ridge / Mzkheta

Hike from Karsani to St. Nino Chapel and down along the ridge to the Tbilisi-Mzkheta road

Start at the left turn with the sign Karsani 2 km on the Tbilisi-Mzkheta road (5 km before reaching Mzkheta, 500m after restaurant Schashnike).

You can also drive up the 5 km !!! bumpy, cobbled road to the village Karsani and start your walk there.

Follow the road through the village to reach the forest track that leads to a meadow (on a small pass) from where you can look down into Armazi Valley. Cross the meadow to the right and up and follow the path into the woods until a small side pass leads left up and traverses up to second meadow on a small plaeteau.

Cross the second meadow on your right to the highest point of the hillock, where St. Nino's chapel is located. Retrace your steps to the bigger path, which you'll cross, slightly descending through the bushes and trees to a meadow which leads up to a rocky ridge, from where you enjoy fine views over Mzkheta and Mtkvari valley. Do not step on one of the many land turtles who like the place, too.

Follow the ridge to the end and walk down to the road when the ridge becomes less steep an bushy. If you have your car in Karsani it makes sense to cut short to your right and walk down to the road on a small not very well defined path, which starts at the lowest point of the ridge.

Dangers: Be careful with snakes & scorpions.

Best season: All year, leave early in summer.

Combination: Can be combined with Walk 10: Armazis Canyon or a visit to Mzkheta.

Restaurant: Restaurant Sachashnike on the road serves good food (self service for ordering and payment before eating. The several parts of the restaurant serve different food, so you'll have to cue up a few times when it's busy. If you mention your table number staff brings the food.)

More scenic is the restaurant Armazis Zqaro (Tour 10)

For more information see: Haeberli/Harker: Under eagles Wings. Hikes, Bike, Horseback and Skitours in Georgia. 2005.

(Attention: for this tour the map in the book is incorrect, the ruins of Armazi Fortress are not on the same side of the Gorge as St. Nino chapel. Be careful with the steep slopes down into the Gorge!)

Stanley Greene: Interview in Perpignan

Here's an impromptu (and very personal) interview with photojournalist Stanley Greene of NOOR agency in the streets of Perpignan. Stanley recently traveled to Afghanistan and shot a powerful photo story about the crisis of drug abuse and infectious disease.

I met Stanley while we were teaching courses at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Mexico last June, and I must say that this interview is exactly what Stanley is all about...at times tough and opinionated, but also immensely compassionate and considerate. I recall telling Stanley that it had been a privilege meeting him...I normally don't say stuff like that unless I seriously mean it. What I didn't say was that meeting him was -for me- one of the highlights of the workshop...but I hope he guessed that.

PhotoBurst

Photoburst is a travel photography daily contest, where the best photograph submitted by its contributors is uploaded, and showcased for that day. At the end of each month, the photographer of the best photo of the day is awarded with a B&H US$100 gift card.

Gastão Bettencourt, Pedro de Sousa and Pedro Patrício are the three photographers behind this project, which has attracted hundreds of travel photographers and their submissions. I've seen remarkable quality amongst the submissions, from well-established photographers with professionally-built websites, and from emerging photographers with Flickr galleries. The submissions range from landscapes to environmental portraiture, from candids to posed photographs.

The terms and conditions are simple and straightforward however, as in all contests make sure you carefully read them. Whether one takes part in the contest or not, Photoburst is a good location to get a daily travel photography fix.

Project Kashmir

"Project Kashmir" is a feature documentary co-directed by two American women, Senain Kheshgi and Geeta V. Patel, who also appear in the film. Both friends, Geeta's family is Hindu from India; Senain's is Muslim from Pakistan, displaced from India at the time of the partition. The two travel to cover the war in Kashmir: for over 50 years, an area divided by deep-seated tensions between Hindu and Muslim, Pakistan and India.

The Digital Journalist (link) carries an interesting article about the making of Project Kashmir...which is well worth a read to know what it took for these two women to make this documentary. "Project Kashmir" will air on PBS in 2009.


Project Kashmir from Digital Journalist on Vimeo.

I'm not sure whether the trailer manages to explain the background on the conflict over Kashmir, but for more information, the documentary's website is here

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Chico Sanchez: Lucha Libre

Photograph Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved
It's been a while since I posted a SoundSlides project, so here's Mexican Lucha Libre from Chico Sanchez, a freelance photographer based in Mexico City. Chico worked in Venezuela, collaborating with Reuters, European Pressphoto Agency, Agencia EFE, and freelances for various newspapers and magazines.

The slideshow is sub-titled as the fight between good and evil; a concept which is at the very heart of the Lucha Libre. The luchadores are traditionally divided into two categories, rudos ("bad guys")), who bend or break the rules, and técnicos (the "good guys"), who play by the rules, and whose moves are much more complex and spectacular.

It brings to mind Claudia Wiens' Las Luchadoras project at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Mexico last June.

Previous TTP posts of Chico Sanchez's slideshows are here and here