Let's face it, everyone who knows me personally, knows I'm the underdog photographer with amateur equipment, limited resources, and I'm stretching them to the limits everytime I use them. I don't have that special $2000 lens, or that camera that can shoot full-frame at 9 frames a second.

With that, I was assigned, out of all the photographers the newspaper has, to shoot Ethel Kennedy, wife of her late husband, Robert Kennedy. Out of any spot in the country, Mrs. Kennedy was here, and I was right next to her. Whether she had or not, I put my personal and political differences aside, briefly greeted myself, and she continued on with her campaign personnel, greeting the fellow residents and supporters of the Obame campaign. Photographers from the Salem Community Patriot, Salem Observer(thatsme!), The Eagle Tribune, and the Boston Globe. She was a presence I won't soon forget, and it was an assignment that I will forever hold as one of the highlights in my early career.

I remember as a kid, for the first time meeting president George Bush Jr. He shook hands with me, posed for a picture taken by my dad, and wouldn't you know it, we developed the film, had a good frame, and somehow managed to meet him again. He looked at me and smiled, signed it, patted my head and moved on. We met him three times after that, having a Texas Rangers had signed, and one of his campaign signs. You just never know when your going to meet somebody important like that (whether people admire that person or not).

 I remember being even younger, when Bob Dole made his bid to the white house in 96'. Ya, the year the Pats blew in the superbowl, we know. Meeting him was an early lesson that there was more to life than your videogames and primetime television. After I met Bush for the first time, and after the election, I was watching tv about 80% less. I was more focused on news, current events, and school. I have since worked hard crafting my art, and my passion for photography. It is something that has become obsessive, challenging, and rewarding, all at the same time. It's never an easy road, and requires alot of sacrifice at times, but in the end, sometimes, your able to get a nice shot.

I actually met Joe a few years ago at a the Fond du Lac Open (a disc golf tournament). His dad was the one who got our local course put in, and when we were introduced we both had our cameras out to take photos. If you want to see some of Joe's photography, you can check it out here. It was fun to be able to meet his lovely wife, and I wish them many more happy years ahead of them.

To see the rest of the gallery, click here. 

Here are two responses we've just received. I've removed the names of the other photographers, so as not to have any hurt feelings.

Arthur,

From the initial stages of our wedding planning, Greg and I knew we had to invest time and effort into finding a good photographer- preferably someone who knew Baltimore well, who produced impeccable work, and who was professional (and enthusiastic) the day of and the days before our big day.  But a good photographer is hard to find, especially against other significant wedding costs.  Friends who were also planning a Baltimore wedding highly recommended turning to you for support and guidance.  Without question, it was one of the best decisions we made.

After meeting you and your staff and seeing samples of your work, Greg and I felt like we had hit the jackpot.  (Literally, we got in the car after that first meeting and I turned to Greg and said, "I'm sold!")  The caliber of your portfolio outshone that of other photographers in the area we viewed.  I also respect and admire the fact that you stick to doing weddings only, instead of extending yourself in other arenas.  This fact alone made me feel like you really cared about the bride and groom, and the whole wedding experience.  You are (hands down) the BEST there is.

I know this for many reasons, the most important being the fact that my wedding photographs turned out impeccable under your care- and this is important because it rained heavily on my wedding day.  There was no room to take outdoor photos at my parents house, but you were able to capture the moments I had inside so eloquently and in such a beautiful manner- that I can't imagine having anything but!  You also carefully pulled Greg and I outdoors when the weather turned in our favor, and were able to take exceptional outdoor photos at the Evergreen.

The reasons why you ARE the best:

1. Reasonably priced- worth every penny.  People kept saying booking a good photographer is key, and of course I agree with them.

2. Made all guests (family/friends/wedding party) feel at ease.

3. Despite rain, you were able to find the best areas at my parents house, the church, and the Evergreen (with sunlight and without).

4. Your "formal" photos were quick and efficient; and while they are important shots, you were able to get us out the door in half an hour.  Most weddings I've attended include the bride, groom, and wedding party missing their own time to shine because of hour(s) long (unnecessary) photographs.  Thank you for not letting this happen!!

I have name-dropped you to ALL of my friends (yes, ALL friends- even the single ones)- and now you're on their list!

WE LOVE YOU and are forever grateful.  Thank you for all you did and have done- we really appreciate it.

Love, Jen & Greg

Hi Arthur,

First of all, I just really liked your personality (energetic, professional, but also relaxed) and your approach to your work (you really seemed to love what you do, and I liked that), and I liked your work and the fact that your were sort of a known entity since Leigh Anne had worked with you already.  You were definitely on the higher end price-wise of photographers that I was looking at, but I decided that I liked you enough that I was willing to pay for it.  And I also figured that pictures were what I was going to have once the wedding day was over, so it was important to me that I could trust that I would have good ones.

Here were my experiences with other photographers I was considering:

$%^$% Pictures: convenient because they are a national company, so I was able to meet with a rep up in Boston and not have to cram in a meeting on a trip to Baltimore.  But, you explain to the rep what kind of photographer you're looking for and then you get matched with one, and although you get to see the photographer's work and can reject the person if you don't like their work, you don't get to meet the person until the day of your wedding ... I didn't want to take that chance (although they would have been cheaper – at most ~$3000)

#$%^s Photography: I really liked his work, although Joe @#$% seemed a little more subdued than you ... I liked how much energy you had; prices were slightly cheaper but about comparable I think

#$%^ Photography: I liked their work a lot, but like with @#$% I wouldn't get to meet the photographer until the day of my wedding, which I didn't like; they had some slightly more weird shots than the ones you showed me – e.g. with weird angles and with the people doing weird things, which I didn't love; they were as expensive as you or more so (depending on which photographer I would chose)

Someone else (can't remember who) who cost less (~2500), but I could really tell the difference in the quality of their work compared to yours – their shots seemed much more posed and lifeless, and not as crisp ... visiting them made me more confident that it was worth spending money on good photography

@#$% – she was more loosy-goosy about things (didn't seem to care if I liked her work or not, etc.), and liked to convert photos into paintings, which isn't really what I'm into ... she didn't seem to have the attitude I was looking for in a photographer; though she was less expensive

I hope that was helpful to you!  Hope you don't mind that I was brutally honest :)

I hear Miles is using you for her wedding -- very exciting.  All the best,

Becca

A few photos from the dedication:

And a few days later a few images from the grand opening:

When I saw this rock wall I knew I instantly wanted to try climbing it. But having never climbed before, and never with a camera, I knew it would be challenging. But I put it around my back guerrilla style and soldiered on. The next shot after the symmetrical shot was from my climb.

Thanks for looking,

Daniel

Anne dressed at her parent's house. Her dress, by Maggie Sotterro, was from Juliet's Bridals.

The bride and her nephew.

All family members are important, even the furry ones!

The ballroom at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel was magnificent that night. The floral arrangements by My Flower Box complimented and enhanced the decor. Edward Good, Event Manager at The Renaissance, made sure that everything went according to plan. Because of his ministrations, the reception went off perfectly.

Brides looking to sort out the confusion over the term photojournalism need only read a newspaper and look at the storytelling images found within.

It was from newspapers that “wedding photojournalists” borrowed the phrase to describe a documentary approach to wedding photography focusing on real moments, instead of staged moments. Remember that picture of dad getting pushed into the church by his groomsmen? While such an images may inspire a chuckle or prompt a sudden gag reflex, it was very common for traditional wedding photographers to direct and stage beyond the standard posed portraits.

In the 1990s a few brave wedding photographers dared to begin marketing with the word “photojournalistic or reportage’ to describe their approach to wedding photography. Instead of stopping action to get their shot, they stayed in the background and looked for real interactions and emotions that told the story of the day.

As magazines picked up on the new trend, others hopped on the reportage bandwagon as well, including those that still faked real moments. Adding to the confusion, several other styles developed during the same period – elements of fashion photography, beauty photography, and fine art photography were all being used in wedding photography.

Some of the most successful wedding photographers dabble in several different styles. But some photographers have carved out a niche, focusing on one style in particular. There are photojournalistic purists who will not tamper with any part of a scene, not even to move a beer bottle that may be in the way of their perfect cake shot. Others do not play by the same rules, or any rules.

Some traditional photographers insisted photojournalism was merely a fad or a “buzzword.” But the buzz has persisted and many of the country’s top wedding photographers use a reportage documentary approach. We are now past the point of calling photojournalism a “fad.” It’s simply what many brides want.

Another popular misconception is that this new generation of photojournalists do not understand the equipment because digital photography has made photography so easy. While it’s true that digital photography has simplified the process somewhat, most experienced wedding photojournalists have a great understanding of their equipment. In fact, many of the top wedding photojournalists have come directly from the newspaper industry, where they were leaders in the photojournalism field.

Others may argue that wedding photojournalists really do stage their moments.

But for a true wedding photojournalist to stage or try to recreate a moment goes against everything the term stands for. While such staged moments could fool the average onlooker, the bride and the photographer will always know it is fake, and the image may not stand the test of time.

Hiring a wedding photojournalist does not mean you’ll be forsaking all portraiture at your wedding. Newspaper photographers have been taking portraits for decades. Many wedding photojournalists focus on relaxed portraiture – a directed image where the subject may or may not be looking at the camera. While such images can give the impression of being candid, a wedding photojournalist would never try to pass off the picture as a real moment.

In the end, the trite arguments of photographers are of no consequence to the discerning bride and groom. They will pick the photographer that is right for them based on style and budget. And if wedding photojournalism is right for them, they will know the difference.
 

Bespoke Photography... Capture your memories forever...

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I forgot to come back to you about it. James nachtwey's TED prize wish. He made a photojournalistic project about Extreme Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis. Images speak louder than words. Click on the picture on the right to see the video.

The pictures are breath taking and the goal is nonetheless to raise awareness as he said on the TED video he posted before. Here's my favorite quote from his acceptance speech I shared a few days ago: 

The press is certainly a business and in order to survive, it must be a successful business; but the right balance must be found between maketing considerations and journalistic responsability… Society’s problems can’t be solved until they are identified. On a higher plan, the press is a service industry and the service it provides is awareness.

Here's something I do to work things out.  There were events I photographed in a former job as a forensic photographer that were...upsetting.  Those stories are floating around in my head.  They play peek-a-boo without notice, and sometimes my mind hides bits and pieces of these stories to protect itself until it is more stable.  The human mind is amazing that way.  Here's an example.

It was really late one night and I was called out to photograph a death.  The couple had a history of domestic violence.  The crime scene involved a mysterious cup that smelled like acid, scratches on the husband's right forearm, and a woman's dead body on the cement floor of a garage.

The husband was on active duty.  He had recently gotten back from a deployment.  Wearing the forensic photographer pager meant that you knew you'd be a hell of a lot busier when a deployment rotation got back from the war.  Men would deploy to the war and come back without wanting to deal with it.  As a result, I was called out to photograph men that had been in bar fights (their bodies are considered government property...so damage to government property), beat up wives and children, DUIs, and so forth.  The crime rates on military bases always go up when a deployment comes back.

After seeing so many occurences, I had to find a way to cope with it so I wouldn't beat my wife, get in a bar fight, or have a DUI.  So, I started writing sympathy cards to dead people I had photographed.  I got the idea from a woman that had written a happy birthday card to a dead son.  I know about this because I was photographing the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) Unit when they were responding to a "mysterious envelope" at the base post office.  It was about two months after 9/11 and everyone was being extra careful.  The envelope in question had a "vague" address written so that it would only be delivered to Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii.  It had already been forwarded around the base a few times and some postal worker decided that it was too suspicious to be further circulated.  Three of the men handled the envelope but only after a robot checked it out.  This was also during the anthrax scare so one of the EOD guys left to shower afterwards.  I photographed the letter and it went like this...

"Well honey, I guess it's been a long time since I wrote but I wasn't sure you'd be listening.  Sometimes it's hard to believe you existed at all.  I'll always love you and this won't be last time that I write you that.  These days are uncertain and I hope you aren't a witness to them."

I don't remember the rest but it made an impression on me.  I thought about it and decided that it was a smart idea.   I could write a sympathy card to each dead person I photographed and mail it out to the base where it happened.  I would vaguely adress it and hope that the EOD Unit would benefit from the practice.  For the fatality mentioned above, the card went something like this...

"Hello M'am, you don't know me but I was the one that photographed your body.  I'm sorry you died that way. The Office of Special Investigations did a really good job with your crime scene.  We found the cup with the cleaner in it (lemon scented bleach is fatal, but regular bleach is not).  I photographed the scratches on your husband's right arm, that was really smart of you.  He said it was the cat but we all knew he was lying, plus he's right handed.  I documented the bruises and scratches along your hairline where he had grabbed you by your hair.  I hope you weren't in too much pain.  The thumb sized bruises on your arm were easy to spot too.  All of the evidence your body left behind will be enough to send him prison.  Don't worry, your children are with your mother and not him.  Again, I am really sorry about what happened to you.  I spoke with your mother after the funeral and told her that she would see you again really soon.  It has been my experience in speaking with the families of the departed (after the funeral) that their loved ones had appeared in their dreams to take care of any unfinished business or things left unsaid.  I did not know you in life, but I knew you in death.  I have a great deal of respect for you."

The letter/card is probably still circulating Oahu.

Wedding season is here. I'm getting ready to do a few weddings in the next couple of weeks and I'm actually excited about them. It's been so long since I shot a wedding and I'm getting pumped to get back in the swing of things.

I was so pumped I decided to follow Julie (Hendricks) Bowman around on her big day this weekend. Stephanie was one of her brides maids, so it was nice to feel completely comfortable around all the girls. I got to follow the guys around for a little bit.

I followed Julie from the time she got her hair done until a little before the wedding. I forgot how much I love to follow the story througout the entire day. At times you feel a little overwhelmed and pressed for time, but at the end of the day you feel so complete.

The only things I didn't really shoot was the garter toss, bouquet toss and guests dancing. I was supposed to enjoy the day, not work, but what most people don't understand is I don't find it to be work. I honestly don't know what to do when I don't have a camera sometimes.

I'll post some photos as I get them edited, but I only have a few done right now.

The entire day turned out really nice and the wedding was beautiful. The only bad part of the evening was seeing the Cubs get swept. I'm not really sure Julie and Ryan could've helped that.

Congratulations you two.

The film follows a photojournalist, James Nachtwey, who has spent his  career covering the plight and strife of people in other countries. This movie, and Nachtwey's convictions explain why I wanted to become a photojournalist much more eloquently than I ever could. Its extremely moving and emotional and there is absolutely no censorship in the images that they show you. I strongly recommend this movie, because it affected me and made me realize how the struggles of people everywhere is much more significant than the layout of my facebook page..... [however obvious that may sound].... and I hope it does for you too.

Below are some photographs Nachtwey has taken during his 27 year career as a photojournalist.

[caption id="attachment_195" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Rwanda, 1994 - Survivor of the Hutu death camp."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_194" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Sudan, 1993 - Famine victim at a feeding center "][/caption] [caption id="attachment_206" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="James Nachtwey"][/caption]

James Nachtwey was so influenced by the imagery of Vietnam, and the American Civil Rights movement that he taught himself photography, and moved to New york to become a freelance photographer in 1981. In his career he has covered conflicts in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Nachtwey has documented events such as the elections in South Africa (1994), the US invasion of Iraq, the tsunami in SE Asia (2004), the Sudan conflict, and 9/11 (2001) just to name a few.

I'm still amazed that such pretty backgrounds exist in ordinary neighborhoods here in Austin:

We watched this little guy jump from branch to branch, tree to tree for fifteen or so minutes.

You know, I really enjoy the twos. There are "those" moments, but encouraging my son's curiosity has energized my own thrill in discovering.

Here are a few photos from the beginning of this trial in Vegas that I shot.

Today I took part in demonstration organised by End Child Poverty, called Keep the Promise.  The aim of the protest was to demand the government to keep their promise to halve child poverty in the UK by 2010. The government has made significant progress since making the promise in 1999 with over 600,000 children being lifted out of poverty.  When the promise was made it was perhaps one of the most spectacular made by a British government.  If it's to be achieved there's still so much more to do.

In the UK at the moment there are 3.9 million children living in poverty, that's 30%!  When we live in the worlds fifth richest country figures like that shouldn't be acceptable.  Even though the government has made the promise much more action is needed if they are to reach the 2010 target.  The best opportunity to achieve the 2010 target is the 2009 budget.  End Child Poverty is calling for the government to invest £3 Billion to target child poverty.  

Today's march and rally was attended by 1,000's of people, including a handful of celebrities.  The event was hosted by former Eastenders actor Chris Parker, with entertainment from Sophie Ellis-Bextor.  Also seen at the event were Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and Shameless actor David Threlfall.

If you want to find out what you can do to help just go to the End Child Poverty website to find out. 

Thousands of Central Texas elementary students ceremonially began the Marathon Kid's program with a trip around the Mike Myers Track and Soccer Stadium on the University of Texas campus Saturday morning. The kids will complete a full marathon in 1/4 to 1/2 mile increments over the course of the next four months as part of their exercise program in area schools. The kids are encouraged to eat healthy over the course of the marathon and log their miles for a celebratory final-mile gathering in February. 

photo by Ralph Barrera/Austin American-Statesman

James Nachtwey, one of the greatest living photojournalists today, just released this story as part of an effort to spread the word on XDRTB through TED. For more information go to the XDRTB website.

Read more:
http://www.xdrtb.org/

Sorry this isn't funny.

More funny stuff later.

-elizabeth williams bushey.

Sebelum aku pulang ke Kuala Lumpur, aku cuba bersiar-siar dengan harapan ada la subjek untuk aku membuat senaman mata. Aku kembali dimana tempat aku selalu mengambil gambar, terutama disekitar kolam terbiar tersebut. Akhirnya aku mendapati sepasang kanak-kanak sedang memancing dan aku pula menghampiri mereka berdua dan fokus kepada abangnya. Kanak-kanak tersebut menghiraukan kehadiran aku dan ini membuatkan aku rasa selesa untuk fokus mengambil gambar dia. Dalam senaman mata kali ini, buat pertama kali kesemua gambar yang aku letak adalah 100% tanpa 'crop'. Kebiasaanya hasil gambar yang aku ambil akan diteliti semula aku untuk proses 'final'. Sememangnya akan kena 'crop' untuk 'framing' yang cantik. Satu latihan yang berguna aku untuk kali ini.

Like every newspaper in the country, the economic fundamentals are in freefall. On Wednesday, my editor Steve Smith gathered the entire newsroom together and read off the names of twenty-one of my co-workers, which including Brian Immel, to be laid off. Audible gasps could be heard with each name called. Then Smith promptly resigned. He said he simply had had enough.

Four to six managers are also going to get the axe in the next two weeks. Until someone tells me for sure, I could be one. By my best guesstamate, we will have lost roughly 35 percent of our total newsroom staff in the last twelve months. This is the forth round of layoffs in seven years. I have to wonder if it will ever stop. I am beginning to feel like that frog in the slowly heating pot. Will I get out before boiling myself to death?

I am trying to understand the economic reasons for continued layoffs within our industry. Blame happens. That is a constant. We are one of the only industries I know that believes it can get away with giving the customers less while at the same time charging them more for a diminished product. That model, my friends, is so broken.

Most newspapers are clamoring to change their newsrooms from a print centric model to a web centric workflow. In the past year, with support of a sizable capital budget, I trained and outfitted a dozen newsroom personal with video cameras, computers and audio recorders. All learned to edit video in Final Cut. A newsroom reorganization plan was just put in place. A brand new multimedia centric website was ready to launch this week. Then the layoffs hit. A sizable portion of those new reporter/video uber journalists ended up on the layoff list. Most were twenty-somethings who had little seniority.

Now faced with this new newsroom reality, I personally plan to refocus my creative energy on what I do best. Telling compelling stories for our readers and viewers of our website and newspaper. If needed, I will train the next wave of video journalists—god knows there will be lots of spare computers and video cameras available. Still, I just have to think of the lost opportunity of what could have been. I grieve the lost of these young co-workers who were not given the chance to make a full impact with their video storytelling skills or innovative ideas. Even sadder, many say they will never return to newspapers. The bitter pill of their short newspaper experience has left such a bad taste that most have rinsed and are mentally ready to move on.

XDRTB.org is an extraordinary effort to tell the story of extremely
drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and TB through powerful photographs
taken by James Nachtwey.  XDR-TB, or extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis, is a new and deadly mutation of tuberculosis. Similar in creation to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) but more extreme in its manifestation, it arises when common tuberculosis goes untreated or standard TB drugs are misused. James’ photographs represent these varying strains. Learn more about TB, MDR-TB and XDR-TB, and learn how you can take action to stop this deadly disease.

It's not meant to be an "easy read" - but it's a gripping story. 

You can find more photography from his 30 year career here.

Lokalni izbori Visoko. Pobjeda novog-starog načelnika Visokog Muniba Alibegovića (SDA).

FOTO: Vranac Mahir

You can betcha I will be submitting my portfolio in a couple of years.

Listen to some of the past guest speakers here. I have only listened to one so far by Peter Jennings (#9), good stuff.

Check out the final presentation from each group last year here. An incredible selection of photographs all round - particularly as they are shot over only 4 days (If they shoot every day that is), but my favourite has to be brown. A really tight edit of only their best shots and a great song that isn't intrusive, and lets you just focus on the photographs. I think I like it best because the whole package just has a single theme, which is set by the song and carried by the great photographs. It is sheer co-incidence that I got the link about this workshop from Vincent Laforette's blog and he was the leader of the brown team, but lets not lie, he is good. Seriously.

One day when I'm big.

A treat for today, visit Jeff Hutchen's website - some beautiful black and white documentary work, and a smoking nun.