Foundry Photojournalism Workshop 2009

As previously posted on TTP, the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop (FPW) has announced its second annual event planned for 26 July - 1 August 2009, in Manali, Manali-Kulu Valleys, Himachal Pradesh, India.

The Foundry Photojournalism Workshop was created to provide training, education and networking to emerging photographers and students who normally would not be able to afford workshops, Foundry is a grassroots workshop series held in inspiring and photographically challenging global locations.

I'm proud to be associated with FPW for the second time, and I thought it'd be useful to post details of the multimedia class I'll be teaching in Manali:

Tewfic El-Sawy will teach a multimedia class that allows its participants to concentrate on the story, rather than on the application. The purpose and aim of the class is to show photojournalists how to make quick work of slide show production, using their own images and audio generated in the field, to produce a cogent photo story under the simulation of publishing deadlines. Most of the class's time will be spent photographing in the field, while class time will be devoted to weaving the material into photo stories.

This class will require will use SoundSlides software, and either Audacity or GarageBand for audio. Participants will need to have Flash Audio Recorders for field work.

Please contact FPW's administration directly through its website for registration or questions.

The Hajj

Photograph © Hassan Ammar/AP-All Rights Reserved
Draped in white robes to symbolize purity and the equality of mankind under God, nearly three million Muslims from all over the world gathered Friday in Mecca, on the eve of the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca and is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world. The pilgrimage is one of the fifth pillar of Islam, an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.

The ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back to the time of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma'il, revered figures in Islam and in Judaism.

The above photograph is courtesy of the WSJ's Photo Journal

POV: On The Sly or Candid?

Photograph © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved
As I'm putting the final pieces together for The Travel Photographer's Theyyam of Malabar Photo Expedition in February, I'm thinking about my favorite places to photograph in Delhi, and that's the Sufi shrines of Nizzam-Uddin abd Qutb-Uddin.

These wonderful shrines are not for the faint-hearted, as they usually teem with devout Muslims (Sufis or not), Hindus, Sikhs and others paying their respect to Sufis saints. One may find pilgrims praying, tying colored ribbons at the shrines' gates while others, adopting a more extreme style of worship, do penance by wearing heavy chain vests, or wear chained padlocks around their ankles and women exorcise their demons.

It's a virtual maelstrom of characters and to me, it's photographer's heaven. However, in such an environment, one will find most people willing to be photographed but others either hesitant or unwilling to have lenses thrust in their direction.

I'm a strong proponent of always engaging people before photographing them, and always prefer that approach. I've posted about this a few times here, and for me it's one of the most rewarding aspects of photography. However in environments such as the Sufi shrines, engaging every person one seeks to photograph may be too time-consuming, so candid photography is an option.

The time-honored, and basic, technique I always use is to wait and blend in. This is easier said than done, especially if like me, you're 6' 3" and carry a large camera. However if I'm patient and just sit there, people soon get used to my being there, they'll get busy with whatever they're doing, will find another more entertaining subject, and I can then photograph candidly without too much fuss.

Another technique is to pretend one is not photographing them at all...by not looking at and evaluating the subject before clicking. Some of the newer DSLRs have the LiveView function which makes such a technique easier, since one can frame the subject and scene using the camera's display rather than the viewfinder.

One of the most difficult places to photograph for me is the famed Djema el-Fna in Marrakesh, where fascinating characters abound, but where photography is not always welcome (except if one pays up). I recall using my 70-200 lens to photograph a guerrab (traditional water-carrier) at some distance, however he realized I was photographing him, and suddenly came yelling at me. Since I had no change, I immediately knew I was in a pickle...so I ignored his run towards me, and continued to aim my lens at the spot he had left...as if he hadn't been the "target" in the first place. My expression was a study of puzzlement and incomprehension, mixed with mild irritation, when the guerrab tugged at my sleeve asking for money, but by then he thought I was photographing something else...and he had to walk away empty-handed. If I had change, I would've paid him rather than use this duplicity.

As I said, I much prefer to be upfront when photographing people, but sometimes one has to be...what's the word I'm looking for...ah, yes it's inventive.

Iomega Helium External Drive: Yum!

Photograph Courtesy The New York Times
The New York Times' Personal Tech section features the 320-gigabyte eGo Helium USB 2.0 portable hard drive. The article says that MacBook Air owners will be drawn to this peripheral's design.

To quote from the article:

"The 2.5-inch eGo (compatible with Mac OS X 10.1.5 or above and Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, XP and Vista) mirrors the Air’s aesthetics, from its own light weight (7 ounces) to its equally barely there frame (0.63 inches thick). The 320-gigabyte hard drive, which is available now and costs $150, comes formatted with Apple’s HFS+ file system and can store 1,280,000 photos and more than 5,920 hours of music."

I don't have the MacBook Air, but this peripheral is yummy nevertheless.

Vincent de Groot: Faces of India Part 2

Photograph © Vincent de Groot-All Rights Reserved
This is the second installment of Vincent de Groot's photographs of India on this blog. The black & white photographs, of people in markets, are arranged in a SoundSlides slideshow accompanied here by a hip-hop style of music....it could well be modern Bhangra or something similar. As I mention in my earlier post, this might be a little incongruous at first, but maybe this is precisely what the photographer intended.

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.

His previous slideshow on Indian portraits on TTP is here: (Link)

Angkor Wat: Don't Go!

Photograph © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved
I've ranted quite a few times about the mindless uber-development which I witnessed in Siem Reap in 2005 and 2006, and how it seemed every time I blinked, a new hotel appeared on the scene....and how I had to make sure that our photographers woke up before dawn to be able to photograph at the temples before waves of tour groups swamped us. I predicted at the time that Siem Reap would turn into a hideous oleo of motels, hotels, inns and fleabags within a few years. Charitably, it's been described as a town of Club Meds.

It turns out I wasn't exaggerating...in fact, perhaps quite the opposite. The National Geographic's Intelligent Travel blog advises people not to go to Siem Reap and to the Angkor complex, and recommends postponing their visits. It seems the sheer volume of tourists has taken a toll on the Angkor monuments and temples, and that several of the important temples are being restored. Some have unsightly scaffolding with areas just cordoned off. The central section of Angkor Wat is closed to visitors until 2010 at the earliest.

Mardis Gras 360 Degrees Photo Workshop

Photograph © Kirsten Luce-All Rights Reserved
The second annual Mardi Gras 2009,360 Degrees is planned for February 19 to February 26, 2009 in New Orleans. This is a hybrid photo event and workshop that seeks to bring photographers together to document the ritual that defines New Orleans and illuminates the city’s culture. Registration is now open on its website, with details, costs, etc.

The event is spearheaded by Andy Levin who, along with Donna Ferrato, Debbie Fleming Caffery, Alan Chin, Lori Waselchuk, and others, will be its faculty. Arrangements are being undertaken to hold the workshops at the Alliance Francaise just off St. Charles Avenue off the parade route.

I wish I could attend this event, but its timing conflicts with one of my photo expeditions, but there's some solace in visiting its website to listen to its opening screen's foot thumping "soundtrack". Trust me, you'll spend a while enjoying it, while looking at great work from the inaugural workshop.

James H. Kenney Jr.: Women of Evangel

Photograph © James H. Kenney Jr.-All Rights Reserved
James H. Kenney Jr. is a photographer and an educator at the Western Kentucky University since 1993 where he's currently the coordinator of the photojournalism program. He was a photo editor for newspapers in Nevada before entering the teaching profession. He has taught courses in photojournalism, and is a director in Mountain Workshops.

James has spent summers photographing projects in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Nigeria and received awards in still photography and multimedia in the Best of Photojournalism 2007 & 2008 contests, and a multimedia award in the 2008 POYI contest, among others.

Here is his multimedia essay The Women of Evangel, Healing & Hope, a truly inspirational project which is humbling in its professionalism. Highly recommended.

SanDisk CF Deals

I've just returned from B&H where I bought its last in-stock SanDisk 8GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card for the princely amount of $15 (after I fill in SanDisk's rebate form and get the $15 back). I also bought two SanDisk 4GB Extreme III CompactFlash Cards for the majestic price of $10 each (after SanDisk's rebate of $10 on each).

I'm sure there are similar (or even better) deals around, and just in time for the holiday season too.

Mike Hutmacher:Kodakchrome's Last Stand

© Mike Hutmacher/Courtesy Kansas.com-All Rights Reserved
Skippy Sanchez (aka Mike Hutmacher) is a staff photographer working for The Wichita Eagle, and specializes in documentary projects such as el Dia de los Muertos, the festival of la Virgen de Guadalupe and various Christian mission projects in Honduras. Amongst his passions are street photography, travel, portraiture and illustrations.

He recently produced a slideshow, featured on Kansas.com (the website for The Wichita Eagle) documenting Dwayne's Photo Lab in southeast Kansas, which is the only processing laboratory in the world that still processes Kodakchrome film. It has no relevance to travel photography except that I recall stocking canisters of this slide film before leaving on one of my trips....and returning not knowing what my images would be like.

For many of us who have worked with Kodachrome and still remember (and perhaps miss) its uniqueness, this slideshow will stir many memories. I loved the format, the choice of ragtime piano music and finally an epilogue with words of Paul Simon's classic song.

Another thing: Skippy participated in my multimedia class at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Mexico City last June, and as I watched him photographing at the Church of the Guadalupe, I couldn't but marvel at how he moved seamlessly amongst the crowds, working his Leica as if it was an extension of his hands...greeting people, smiling and getting what he wanted.

A professional.

Nikon D3X: Full Specifications

Image Courtesy Engadget

The authoritative British Journal of Photography has just published the full specs of the Nikon D3X as announced by the company. More details will emerge today...perhaps including the price which is rumored to be $8000 in the US. BJP confirms that its price in Europe is £5500 / €7728.


Here are the full specifications for the Nikon D3X camera.


* Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor with 24.5 effective megapixels
* Exceptional noise control from ISO 100 to ISO 1600
* Fast 14-bit A/D conversion incorporated onto the image sensor for high signal-to-noise ratio and low power consumption
* Nikon’s EXPEED image-processing system, utilizing a supremely powerful CPU with 16-bit image processing
* Near-instantaneous shutter release time lag of approx. 0.04 second (based on CIPA Guideline)*
* 5-frames-per-second continuous shooting in FX format and 7 fps in DX crop mode (up to 130 frames)*
* 51-point Multi-CAM3500FX autofocus system
* Scene Recognition System for more accurate AF, AE, and AWB results
* Active D-Lighting for complete control over highlight and shadow detail
* Picture Control: Standard, Vivid, Neutral and Monochrome (Landscape, Portrait and D2x Modes I, II and III are available free via download)
* Live View mode for shooting handheld and with a tripod
* High-resolution (approx. 920k dots), 3-inch VGA-size LCD monitor with tempered glass
* Durable, lightweight magnesium-alloy construction and comprehensive weather sealing against dust and moisture
* Intelligent power management that lets you shoot up to approx. 4,400 frames on a single battery charge (based on CIPA Standards)
* Compatibility with the Nikon Total Imaging System

Effective pixels
24.5 million

Image sensor
CMOS sensor, 35.9 x 24.0 mm; Nikon FX format; total pixels: 25.72 million

Image size (pixels)
FX format (36 x 24): 6,048 x 4,032 [L], 4,544 x 3,024 [M], 3,024 x 2,016 [S]
DX format (24 x 16): 3,968 x 2,640 [L], 2,976 x 1,976 [M], 1,984 x 1,320 [S]
5:4 (30 x 24): 5,056 x 4,032 [L], 3,792 x 3,024 [M], 2,528 x 2,016 [S]

Sensitivity
ISO 100 to 1600 in steps of 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV; can be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1 EV (ISO 50 equivalent) below ISO 100, or to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 6400 equivalent) over ISO 1600

Storage media
CompactFlash(Type I/II, compliant with UDMA); Microdrives

LCD monitor
3-in., approx. 920k-dot (VGA), 170-degree wide-viewing-angle, 100% frame coverage, low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with brightness adjustment

Exposure metering
TTL full-aperture exposure metering using 1,005-pixel RGB sensor

1) 3D Color Matrix Metering II (type G and D lenses); Color Matrix Metering II (other CPU lenses); Color Matrix Metering (non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data)
2) Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-, 15- or 20-mm circle in center of frame, or weighting based on average of entire frame
3) Spot: Meters 4-mm circle (about 1.5% of frame) centered on selected focus area (on center focus area when non-CPU lens is used)

Exposure modes
1) Programmed Auto (P) with flexible program,
2) Shutter-Priority Auto (S),
3) Aperture-Priority Auto (A),
4) Manual (M)

Interface
Hi-speed USB

Power sources
One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a/EL4, Quick Charger MH-22/MH-21, AC Adapter EH-6 (optional)

Dimensions (W x H x D)
Approx. 159.5 x 157 x 87.5 mm (6.3 x 6.2 x 3.4 in.)

Weight
Approx. 1,220 g (2 lb. 11 oz.) without battery, memory card, body cap or accessory shoe cover

Chico Sanchez: Mexican Bullfighting

Photograph © Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved
I've featured Chico Sanchez's work on a number of occasions (links below), and he's back on TTP with his SoundSlides slideshow on Mexican Bullfighting. The audio is well chosen, and weaven quite nicely into the slideshow with narrative, ambient sound, etc.

Although the subject matter may offend many who (in my view, justifiably) oppose this gruesome and cruel activity, there's also the consideration that it is a tradition, and part of Mexican history. The Spanish occupation of Mexico led to the rise of bullfighting which is locally known as la fiesta brava.

The justifications for this controversial tradition in some the slideshow's captions are rather puerile but whether we like it or not, it has been one of the most popular "sporting" events in Mexico for the last 400 years

Chico Sanchez is 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.

Previous posts of Chico Sanchez's slideshows are (here, here, and here).