Girl_In_Tree-1

is there anything better than a childhood dream?  9 year old Gracie Johnson dreams of becoming a photographer….she lives now in the Virginia town where i also dreamed of being a photographer at about the same age…Gracie and her family are part of my American family series Off For A Family Drive…Gracies’ father,  U.S.Navy Capt. Andrew Johnson was the Director of Medical Operations on the first wave of Haitian relief after the earthquake serving on the military’s largest hospital ship Comfort…

symbiotic stuff….

so here at Burn we are creating Circus Magazine  for photographers 18 and under…young Gracie will of course be a candidate photographer…. with less than 6  degrees of separation, we are also working in the kindred spirit of her physician father Capt. Johnson and will be using the fee many of you contributed as part of the EPF  grant award for Burn  to send approximately $6,000. to Doctors Without Borders specifically to be used for Haitian relief efforts….

this year the Emerging Photographer Fund grant will be given to one of 25 finalists…more than double the number of finalists as last year…this will be a very tough call for the jury that i will name next week….while i am very proud that the tenor of Burn has made it so that generous donors have made it possible to give out a $15,000. grant for 2010 for the completion of one photographer’s project, i still want to be on the leading edge of a wave that will help as many of the talented unknown as possible…

after allotting first for Haitian relief, then paying our fee to Slideroom for making the whole entry and judging process easy, Burn is left with a small profit from your entry fees…we had approximately 1000 entries…..so what to do with the profit?

Anton and i figured we had three choices: Do we?

(a) take a vacation in the Bahamas

(b) throw a helluva party in my loft in New York

(c) give the money back to the readers of Burn

those who know me, know the answer….and Anton is of like mind…yup (c), we are giving the money back to you….

starting on July 1, 2010 Burn Magazine will start paying for every essay and single published online in our magazine….

we will have to start with a token payment of $500. per essay for one time use rights on work that comes to us through submissions…more for a first time exclusive….we are confident this number will rise significantly as we seek outside support….now we are doing this with your money….a big circle….the right thing to do in this nebulous time in the world of publishing…

Burn will not last forever…Burn will always be small….we only care about one thing at Burn and it matches the way i feel about everything i do…i just want Burn to set high standards and live by example…and in this case hopefully stimulate the “big guys” to follow suit…the large media companies , even with advertising for support , are thinking of every way possible to keep from paying photographers for online content, and we at Burn are thinking of every way possible  to make sure the young photojournalists and artists of our time are compensated for their work….so, this is our brick in the wall…and oh yes, i am still working on assignments for Burn readers and icons as well…be patient, this is part of it…this is how it will happen….

photography has never been a professional choice either craft or art where people were expecting to become wealthy…photographers work from their deepest passions, either artistic or journalistic…yet, compensation so that they may continue their passion and yet feed their families seems to me to be fair enough….

i want to take this time to thank Andrew and Melissa Johnson and their beautiful children Critt, Cole, and sweet Gracie for allowing me into their lives….yes, i have made a few pictures with medium format film for my personal project, but what will be even better is if Burn gives Gracie a good digital camera so that she will have the opportunity to photograph her family from the real inside….soon to be published on Circus….

done…..

…dah….

2,273 thoughts on “of trees and dreams…”

  2. Jamie Maxtone-Graham

    No question; the single best photography website in the world today……Thank you David, Anton, et al.

  5. cathy scholl

    Wow you guys…what can I say?

    Great…nice…how generous…inspirational…exciting.
    Better than anything I could have imagined, which seems to be the norm here at burn.

    You really know how to do it right.

    Congratulations and thanks.

  7. Pingback: APhotoADay Blog » Blog Archive » Of Trees and Dreams

  9. Sean Gallagher

    Dear David,

    This is another inspiring development here on Burn. In an editorial market which is becoming tougher by the day, you go against the general trend. I am proud to be part of this community here on Burn which has evolved from Road Trips…does anyone remember that? ;)

    As a past recipient of the EPF, I can vouch first hand what a difference it makes. Not just in a monetary sense, but in the sense of confidence, inspiration and belief it has instilled in me and my work. To think that this will now help inspire young photographers, well, that’s a great thing you are doing. Really.

    Good luck David. Look forward to seeing Circus Magazine go live.

    Best,
    Sean

  10. panos skoulidas

    i just want Burn to be good and to set a good example…and in this case hopefully stimulate the “big guys” to follow suit…the large media companies , even with advertising for support , are thinking of every way possible to keep from paying photographers, and we at Burn are thinking of every way possible to make sure the young photojournalists and artists of our time are compensated for their work….so, this is our brick in the wall…
    ———————————————————————————————————–

    no advertising for support?????
    i have an Evil idea…why doesnt burn do what the NYT did with the Lens blog? Get advertising…put the money in your pocket…go to bahamas and do some silly, pathetic bullshit ala “Moments in time” and make every photographer in this world contribute sending you their photos for free? Of course all you have to do is send the photogs back something like a big smile? Tell the photogs that the copyright is still theirs and let them sell the photos (like they can anyways but even if they do, who cares?)..Anytime you want to repost the photo do it without asking them , just send them another big smile back…
    This way you will create a huge database for free…see???? great idea or what???
    just a thought…
    (ok..ok..i admit it..i just stole this Amazing idea from the New York Times…the Lens blog…just a thought)

  11. Matthew Newton

    David, I got to option (b) and had a panic attack….
    How could I possibly get to NYC in time for the party!.

    So I’m glad you guys went with option (c)
    It makes my life a lot easier and it really is a fantastic thing to do. It Really is.

    I’m looking forward to seeing what those kids get up to in the BigTop.

  13. panos skoulidas

    Now worst case scenario is if Burn eventually runs out of money and dies…
    well..so be it..
    its better to Burn out than to fade away (SELL out)…
    that wouldnt mean that Burn failed…
    No no no…Burn is the last Resistance to the “big guys” who are scheming every possible trick to NOT pay…
    You see they figured the mentality of the Artist…Artists give their soul for free..anything to be on a blog, anything to hang on a wall…be in a book etc..The “big guys” know that…Flickr created this way…big huge low cost,dirt cheap Database so getty can buy 10 photos on the dollar…now NYT with “moments in time”…good intentions, ha ha ha, ho ho ho…one love, save the planet, volunteer here , volunteer there…
    (but they never forget to slap you with the latest canonikon add on the side)..
    Stay healthy Burn…we know “they” wont follow..and guess what: we dont care…
    big hug

  15. Frostfrog

    “photography has never been a professional choice either craft or art where people were expecting to become wealthy…photographers work from passion…yet, compensation so that they may continue their passion and yet feed their families seems to me to be fair enough….”

    Right on! Even now, not a week goes by without someone contacting me with a request that they be allowed to use my photos for free, or at a token price. I get so tired of it.

    I feel a little badly, because I had said that I would enter the EPF grant competition so that I could contribute to your effort. But in the end I did not enter because it just did not feel quite right. I will still find a way to contribute to Burn. I have been full-time freelance now for 25 years and have had many economic ups and downs, but the last few months have been very, very, down and I cannot contribute to anything at the moment – not even Special Olympics.

    The summer, however, is looking up and I think I will be able before long.

    Also, on interesting and related note, several of my blog readers had been urging me to put up a “donate” button of my own so that they could contribute to it. I had been very reluctant to do so, as it felt kind of like begging and also I have yet to find the time and resource to turn the blog into the kind of online publication that I plan to make of it, but finally I went ahead and put that button up.

    Over the past two weeks, I have received about $800 in donations. It won’t continue at that rate, of course, but it does tell me that people are willing to pay for my content online and it gives me hope that I can yet do this thing. All I need to do is to increase my readership of similar people by about 100 times and I am in business.

    Of everything that I see out there, it is Burn that is my biggest inspiration.

    That means David, Anton and the rest – it is you who are my inspiration.

    Thank you, and I will be follower of Circus.

    May Burn not burn out, but be around for at least 100 times longer than you anticipate.

  18. ginamartin

    DAH & ANTON – you two are both amazing! looking for to seeing you both at LOOKbetween and finding out the grant winner. hugs to you both!

  21. Herve

    Why not keep or send the money for/to (an)other humanitarian crisis, especially those that do not have much coverage in the medias, like the plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. This would also be fitting the intent of many essays on BURN, that introduce to us people and minorities hardly talked about in mainstream medias?

    Just on the Rohingya:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8556916.stm

  22. Ross Nolly

    David; I’ve never submitted an essay to Burn, but if I had one published here I think I would prefer to donate the $500 to Circus Mag… the circle would turn twice. Just a thought… Anyway; congratulations on both your and Anton’s efforts. :-)

  23. Carsten

    wow, that’s an amazing idea. congratulations & thank you david & anton, you guys just keep doing the right things. very cool.

  24. nweyland

    Wow, thank you David, Anton and all others associated with Burn for your continued support and inspiration to the photographic community. Just amazing.

  25. Justin Smith

    Just plain awesome…

    I’ve been wondering all day what DAH would present – this post totally surpassed anything I came up with on my own.

    Thank you David & Anton!

  26. mikeberube

    David Anton… Amazing. If you really make this work and stick, it could change the way we finance photographers in the digital age now. Amazing. I really hope this works. Very excited about this!! Great stuff.

  28. Pingback: of trees and dreams… | burn magazine | The Click

  29. Athena

    Very Good. Excellent, in fact. And still glad to be part of it.
    Thumbs up Anton and David!

  31. tanguy

    Awesome, really! Waw…
    DAH, it’s pretty amazing what you did since Road Trips (yes Sean ;)!
    David, & gang, you rock! In this day-and-age, going against the grain in such a positive way is quite visionary… No kidding, we’ll have pretty cool dreams tonight -and ideas for the days ahead!
    All the best, T.

  33. a civilian-mass audience

    DEAREST MR.HARVEY ALAN DAVID OR DAH

    “There is a MAGNET in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first… when YOU learn to live for others, THEY will live for you.”
    Paramahansa Yogananda

    “There is a MAGNET in your heart that attracts true friends.That MAGNET is unselfishness…
    you have learned to “live” for others(thanks MAMA,PAPA and OTHERS)…
    WE “live” for you…
    BURNIANS and CIRCUS photographers

    ohh…the trees…the dreams…oime…
    I need a true academian today…

    My fogging eyeglasses are too much to withstand…
    I will be back…

  34. eva

    It’s all Civi’s fault, it there’d be some Martini instead of Ouzo there’d be a praty.. sigh… ;)

    Looking forward to.. uhm, lots of things really.. the work of the finalists, other new essays, singles, wee big CIRCUS taking off, BURN01.. Anton’s magazine.. inspiration all over the place.. thank you!

  35. a civilian-mass audience

    THANK YOU MR.HARVEY …
    THANK YOU MR.HARVEY’S FAMILY …
    THANK YOU MR.HARVEY’S FRIENDS
    THANK YOU MR.HARVEY’S ENEMIES
    THANK YOU MR.HARVEY’S SUPPORTERS
    THANK YOU ANTON and your family…
    THANKS to ALL the amazing team that is NEXT to DAH…who except all the other stuff, they have to keep MR.HARVEY awake at the airport gates…
    THANK YOU DONORS,SUPPORTERS,SPONSORS…

    * Afrikaans (Africa) – Dankie
    * Albanian – Faleminderit
    * Arabic – Sukran
    * Arabic – Shukran Gazillan (Thank you very much)
    * Armenian – shur-nur-ah-gah-lem
    * Australian – Thoinks, Moite!
    * Basque Country (between France and Spain) – Eskerrik asko (Thank you very much)
    * Bengali – Dhannyabad
    * Bulgarian – Blagodaria
    * Bosnia – Hvala
    * Burma(Myanmar) – Jae Zu Din Pa De (Thank you)
    * Cameroon (Duala) – Na som (thanks)
    * Cameroon (Duala) – Na som djita (Thank you very much)
    * Cantonese – M’goy (sp? — thank you for the service)
    * Cantonese – Do jey (sp? — thank you for the gift)
    * Catalonia (catalan) – gràcies [grah’-si-es] estandard
    * Catalonia (catalan) – moltes gràcies [many thanks]
    * Catalonia (catalan) – merci [mer’-si] very colloquial
    * Cherokee Nation – Wado (Thank you)
    * Cherokee (Eastern) – Skee (Thank you)
    * Chinese (Mandarin) – Xie_Xie (shieh shieh)
    * Chinese (Cantonese) Mh goi (m-ghoh-ee) (informal: thanks)
    * Chinese (Cantonese) Do jeh (tou yeh) (formal: thanks)
    * Cook Islander – Kia Manuia
    * Croatia – Hvala
    * Czech – Dekuji (deh’-ku-yih)
    * Danish – tak (tahg)
    * Dutch – dank U wel (dahnk you well) (formal: thank you very much)
    * Dutch – bedankt / dank je wel (dahnk ye well) (informal: thanks) – WEL is ‘good’, like “I wish you well”
    * Dutch – Dank U zeer / duizend maal dank (thank you VERY much) – a superlative and used when you get stuck in a thunderstorm, then lost, mugged, robbed, etc. And someone helps you. Only then. ZEER is ‘very’. JE and U are ‘you’, but informal and formal. (still alive in old english like in ‘ye olde’). “Duizend maal” means a ‘thousand times’.
    * Dutch – hartelijk dank (thanks from the heart) Another formal form used in contexts like: “thanks for coming/inviting” (to a wedding, birthday party) or when receiving a formal present.
    * English – Thanks awfully, old boy
    * Esperanto – Dankon (thank you)
    * Esperanto – Dankegon (thank you very much)
    Estonia – Aitäh
    * Ewe Togo (Africa) – Akpé (Appé)
    * Ewe Togo (Africa) – Apké na wo (Thanks to you)
    * Fijian – Vinaka
    * Fijiab – Vinaka vaka levu (Thank you very much)
    * Finnish – kiitos (kee’-toas)
    * Fon Benin (Africa) – Kpè nu wé
    * French – merci (mehr-see’)
    * French – Merci Madame – Thanks (to a woman)
    * French – Merci Mademoiselle – Thanks (to a young girl)
    * French – Merci Monsieur – Thanks (to a man)
    * F.Y.R.O.M. (Macedonia) – Hvala
    * Gambia (Mandinka) – Abarka
    * Georgia(Sakartvelo) – madlobt (thank you)
    * Georgia(Sakartvelo) – didi madloba (thank you very much)
    * German – Danke (dahn’-kuh)
    * German – Danke schoen (literally: nicely thank you, outdated)
    * German – Danke sehr (Thank you very much)
    * German -Vielen Dank (Many Thanks)
    * Greek – Efharisto (ef-har-ris-tou’)
    * Greek – Efkaristo poly
    * Guarani – Aguije (ah-we-JAY) native indian language of Paraguay and Western Brazil
    * Guinea (Mandinka) – Abarka
    * Gujarathi (India) – Aabar
    * Hawaiian – Mahalo
    * Hebrew – Toda (toh-dah’)
    * Hebrew – Toda raba (thank you very much)
    * Hindi (India National Language) – Dhanyavaad
    * Hindi – Shukriyaa
    * Hungarian – Köszönöm (kuh’-suh-nuhm)
    * Icelandic – Þakka þér fyrir
    * Icelandic – Takk (informal)
    * Indonesian – Terima kasih (teh-ri-mah kah-sih)
    * Indonesian – Terima Kasih Banjak/Banyak (Both pronounced bunyuk – Thank you very much)
    * Iran (Persia) – Moteshakeram (formal)
    * Iran (Persia) – Merci (informal – just like french but r in this word is pronounced as /r/ )
    * Irish – Go raibh maith agat ( Thank you “Go – Rev – Mah – Agut”) (literally, may you have good things)
    * Irish – Go raibh mile maith agat ( Thank you very much “Go – Rev – Meela – Mah – Agut”) (literally, may you have a thousand good things)
    * Irish (Northern) – Nice one bro’r, or Cheers mucker!
    * Italian – Grazie (grahts’-yeh)
    * Italian – Grazie tanto (many thanks – cordial version)
    * Italian – Mille Grazie (a thousand thanks)
    * Japanese – Arigato (ah-ree-gah’-toh) or A_Ree_Ga_Tou_Go_Zai_Ma_Su
    * Japanese – Domo arrigato
    * Javanese – Matur nuwun
    * Jive – Thanks mon – Appropriate only if directed to a male
    * Kannada (India) – Dhan-ya-vaadaa (spoken in S India, in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India.)
    * Konkani (West coast – Konkan coast of India – It also is the state official language of Goa) – Dev boren koru (thank you – literally means ” May God do good to you” as that is the way we thank people. )
    * Korean – Kamsa hamaida (kam’-sah hum-nee-dah’ )
    * Latvian – Paldies
    * Lithuanian – Achu
    * Luganda (Uganda) – Waybale (Thank you)
    * Luganda (Uganda) – Waybale Nyo (Thank you very much)
    * Malayalam (South Indian Language) – Nandi
    * Malayalam (India) – Nani
    * Malaysian – Terima Kasih (“Tay ree ma Kaa seh”)
    * Mali (Mandinka) – Abarka
    * Mandinka – Abarka (language of West Africa; The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea and Mali)
    * Maori – Kia Manuia
    * Nepali — (Nepal National Language) – Dhan-ya-vaad
    * New Zealand – Cheers – LOL
    * New Zealand – Kiaora Koe (NZ Maori)
    * New Zealand – Kiaora Korua (NZ Maori)
    * New Zealand – Kiaora Koto (NZ Maori)
    * New Zealand – Kiaora Tatou (NZ Maori)
    *

    Nigeria (Hausa) – Na gode
    * Norwegian – Takk (tahkk)
    * Oman – Shakkran
    * Palauan – soolong (Republic of Palau)
    * Paraguay (Guarani) – Aguije (ah-we-JAY)
    * Persian/Farsi – Mam’noon or Mo’teshake’ram (Spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries)
    * Philippines Tagalog – Salamat
    * Philippines – Maraming Salamat (thank you very much)
    * Polish – Dziekuje (dsyehn-koo-yeh)
    * Portuguese – Obrigada (Female)
    * Portuguese – Obrigado (Male) (oh-bree-gah’-doh)
    * Portuguese – Muito Obrigado (Thank you very much)
    * Portuguese – Muito Obrigado com Voce (have my personal thanks)
    * Punjabi [ Pakistan and India] – Bhala Hove
    * Qatar – Shakkran
    * Romanian – Multumesc (phonetic: mooltzoomeask)
    * Romanian – Va multumim frumos (great thanks)
    * Russian – Spasiba (spah-see’-boh)
    * Russian – Blagodaryu (a little official)
    * Russian – Premnogo blagodaren (my greater thanks – words said to bosses by workers)
    * Russian – Spasibo balshoye (big thanks)
    * Samoan – Fa’afetai (fah-ah-feh-ta-e – thank you)
    * Samoan – Fa’afetai tele lava (Thank you very much)
    * Samoan – Talofa
    * Saulteaux Indians (Manitoba, Canada) – Miigwech (meegweech) — there are similar spellings in other native languages such as Cree, etc.
    * Scottish – Cheers
    * Scot’s Gaelic (Informal) – Tapadh Leat (tah-puh let)
    * Scot’s Gaelic (Formal) – Tapadh Leibh (tah-puh lave)
    * Scot’s Gaelic (Many Thanks) – Moran Taing
    * Senegal (Mandinka) – Abarka
    * Serbo – Croat -Hvala
    * Slovakia – Dakujem (deh’-ku-yem)
    * South Africa – Dankie (“Dung-Key”)
    * South Africa – Baie Dankie (thanks very much – “Buyer Dung-Key”)
    * Spanish – Gracias (grah’-syas)
    * Spanish – Gracias a todos (Thank you all)
    * Spanish – Muchas gracias (thank you very much, literally: many thanks) While Dutch people scarcely use the superlative forms, the Spanish don’t use the minimalistic forms much (mostly in informal context). In Spanish, when a flyer is shoved into your hands, its worth a ‘gracias’, you normally use ‘muchas gracias’.
    * Spanish – Muchisimas gracias (thank you VERY much) – to someone who was useful to you.
    * Spanish – un millón de gracias (a million thanks) – for when someone saves your life.
    * Spanish (Latin America, informal) – Te pasastes. (informal)
    * Spanish (Latin America, informal) – Se pasó. (formal) Which means “You went over the line”, or “thanks for going out of your way to help me”. When used, it will get you a smile, guaranteed.
    * Sundanese – Nuhun
    * Sunda – Hatur Nuhun
    * Swahili – Ahsante (ah-sahn’-teh)
    * Swahili – Ahsante Sana (Thank you very much)
    * Swedish – Tack (tahkk)
    * Swedish – Tack så mycket
    * Tahitian – Maururu
    * Tamil (India) – Nandri (“Nun-dry” spoken in South India, Singapore, Malaysia)
    * Teenager –
    * Telungu (South Indian Language)- Manjuthe
    * Thai – Khob Khun Kha (Feminine)
    * Thai – Khob Khun Krab (Masculine)
    * Thai – Khop Khun Mak (Thank you very much)
    * Thai – Khop Khun Mak Kha (Feminine)
    * Thai – Khob Khun Mak Krab (Masculine)
    * Thai – Khob Pra Khun Kha (Formal feminine)
    * Thai – Khob Pra Khun Krab (Formal masculine)
    * Tibetan – Thuk Ji Chhe
    * Turkish – Tesekkurler ( teh-sheh-keur eh-deh-rim)
    * Turkish – Çok tesekkur ederim (big thanks)
    * Turkish – Saðol (thank you)
    * Turkish – Saðolun (thank you – “saol”)
    * Turkish – Tesekkurler (thanks – “teshekkyurler”)
    * U.S. & Canada – Thank You
    * United States (South) – Thanks y’all
    * Ukranian – Dyakuyu
    * Urudu (India) – Shukria
    * Urudu (India) – Bahut Bahut Shukriyaa
    * Urdu [Pakistan, India and Bangla Desh] – Maherbani
    * Urdu (Pakistan) – Shukria
    * Urdu (Pakistan) -Bahut Shukria ( Thank you very much)
    * Urdu (Pakistan) – Bahut Bahut Shukria ( Thank you very very much)
    * Uzbekistan (Uzbek) – Rahmat (Thanks)
    * Uzbekistan (Uzbek) – Katta Rahmat (Thanks a lot)
    * Vietnamese – Kam ouen
    * Wales/Cymru – Diloch yn fawr (thank you very much)
    * Wales/Cymru – Diolch (thanks)
    * Xhosa (Africa) – Nkosi
    * Yemen – Shakkran
    * Yiddish – A dank
    * Yiddish – Yasher Koach (KOY-ACH)
    * Yoruba – Modupe
    * Yugoslavia – Hvala
    * Zulu – Ngiyabonga

    THANK YOU UNIVERSE… (i just copied and pasted ):)))

  36. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…VIVA ITALY…VIVA AMERICA and NORTH POLE…and SOUTH…and ASIA…and AUSTRALIA…AFRICA…EUROPA
    and ouzo and tequila…and where is JIMMY and KATIIIEEEEEEEE and OURPATRICIA…

    Formula one…I am running…
    LOVE YOU ALLL…no kidding

  37. sam harris

    David & Anton,

    although Civi has just said it all (how can anyone follow that! – Civi we love you :)))
    i’ll say it anyway…

    they say, there is a time and place for everything…
    I think this is the time and place to say thank you.

    Thank you for burn and your never ending supply of energy and inspiriation, thank you for your positivity …

    This is brilliant news, not just for burn but for photography in general, setting an excellent example and leading the way…

    VIVA BURN!

  38. benroberts

    RESPECT.

    truly, i am stunned.

    never thought i would see the day when a website paid proper money for a photographic essay.

    Guardian, Telegraph, Independent, Times, BBC – take note.

  39. audreybardou

    Hi All,

    It is a very beautiful news in this uncertain time… Photographers support the magazines of photography (paper and online), but who support the photographers? I had few publications in photos magazines ( paper, not a lot, I don’t want to generalize…) but just one pay me…. the photographers cannot live love and fresh water…

    Thank you so much David and Anton to support the photographers, and please do not forget yourselves!

    I am really impatient to see the work of the young people…. Haik, are you behind circus ? :))))

    Best, audrey

  40. vicky slater

    Wow, actually made me choke up a little.
    I think you’ve probably made alot of people feel very very good.
    It seems rare that we get an acknowledgement/recognition of our work in the same way that other people do.
    Sincere thanks for doing this.
    xx

  43. Thodoris Tzalavras

    I admire people who mean what they say, and are trying their best to walk the walk. I take my proverbial hat off to you sir.

    Also, would it be possible to set a date during which any money send to you through the donate button on Burn would be added to the sum you’ll be sending to the Doctors Without Borders?

  45. jenny lynn walker

    DAH/ANTON: A million thanks for all you do for emerging photographers. You ARE amazing! Now ‘Circus Magazine’ and other developments! It’s wonderful to hear that Burn received 1,000 entries for the EPF grant and that 6K will be going to Doctors Without Borders. That is great. Exciting developments every single day.

    ANTON: Are there ways to access your mag and/or book other than signing up for membership at Lulu for anyone not too keen on doing that? Or can those signed up to Lulu tell us more about what membership brings you.

    ALL: Such beautiful comments on this thread. Civi: : ) xx

  46. david bowen

    yes yes – onward..
    good steps indeed and really refreshing..
    there is a hope that neither you david, nor anton, are going to struggle in any way by not pocketing some of the cash to cover your burn expensis.. which there are probably a great deal of..

    in any case – a great idea.. extremely well intended.. brings and idea..

    if the EPF is going to be difficult to single down to one person, why not narrow it down to include 5 or 10 ‘highly commended’ as well.. their reward can be 500 bucks and to be the first 5 or 10 essays featured which gain the award of payment?

    circus is a great idea as well.. something truely inspiring for younger people to get their teeth into..

    good stuff..
    good good.
    d

  47. paultreacy.com

    David and Anton

    If I believed in Heaven, then I’d be delighted in the knowledge that your place in it would be secure.

    But I don’t.

    I do, however, believe in Burn.

    You’re amazing. The pair of you.

  48. aitken

    Nice one…..

    Dah and Anton, your dedication and service to others is really astounding. Good for you guys. Hopefully other web publications will follow with this model.

    I know I know your dedication is to the medium but at some stage you guys deserve some reward for the monumental time you have put into this.

    Cheers

    ian

  51. pomara

    Things were starting to get a little stale
    around here. It’s about time you and Anton
    started doing something….(laughing!!! Very Out Loud!)

  57. Kyunghee Lee

    This is a monument in the history of photography.
    It shows his love and passions to photography and photographers.
    He is the greatest photographer and mentor.

    We all love and respect him.
    He is David Alan Harvey!

    Viva! DAH, Anton and Burn!!!

  58. bob black

    fuck!…i just wrote a long long comment and my school computer crashed….:((((((…

    ok, let me try again….

  59. Latrenia

    I think I was about her age when I knew I wanted to be a photographer. Two thumbs up to Burn!

  61. anne henning

    Oh David. and Anton. Respect. Validation. Passion. Professionalism. Generousity. Warmth.
    work ethic of the highest level. Mentor with dedication like no one else. what an incredible person you are David to present this gift to dreamers, all ages, all dreams. And, anton, right there as well.
    it’s more than a gift of dollars. i work with some teens; the fragility of their souls is to be cared for and fed. you guys are doing that. to even think of this is just amazing. with such sweet smiles too.

  63. Jordan Weitzman

    David – Big congratulations to you and Anton….what great news!!!

    compensating photographers here will help so many to pursue their work, but more importantly for me is the inspiration you continue to give….reading your posts and comments makes me feel so charged up, energized and excited to work, to shoot and to live to the fullest! what a lease on life you have my friend. i love it!

    best to you,

    jordan

    ps. will you be in nyc this weekend for any photo festival festivities?

  64. bob black

    Ok, let me try and type this mother fucker again….:))))

    “Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee.”–emerson

    “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own”-Lao Tzu

    ok, so let me start first with the profane! ;))

    YOU ARE TWO BEAUTIFUL MOTHER FUCKERS! :))))

    no, check that, we ARE ALL beautiful mother fuckers because Burn is you, you all out there in the dark, reading and scribbling and making pictures and donating your time and money and energy and love and life to this place. It is true that Burn is you, each and everyone of you, the phtoographers published and unpublished, the commentators, the lurkers, the readers, the winers, the celebrators, the civilians (OUR CIVILIAN), it’ all of you that made this happen and that has been David’s message from Day one, 4 years ago on Road Trips….

    but…

    David you are the person that has made this happen…and Anton, you are the soul-feeding, ass-busting, globe=trotting sensei that has made david’s heart, dreams and generosity take shape and soar so as to allow each us to follow in those enormous foot prints he is leaving (and yes people, david harvey does have enormous feet, i have no fucking idea why i know that, but well, he does ;)))….You two have been through so much shit and so much sleepless, jet-lagged, celebratory, people-bitching, negativity and positivity that you’all really deserve some kind of fucking beatification….but as we’ve all know all along this is about phtoographers helping photographers, not asking for anything in return but making the difference….

    David, i wrote long ago, as you know, that when PJG died, the world lost a giver and a touchstone and you have stood up and taken upon your pretty broad shoulders the legacy that PJG left, not only for photography, but more importantly for belief in vision and in making a difference, a real difference to the lives of photographers and their families…PJG believed, unconditionally, that we have a moral obligation to help and to believe and to enjoy life…and you are that standard and shit…i remember:

    i remember the day when Bruno Stevens first told me about Road Trips (that was after week 2 of your starting your blog) and i remember thinking: damn, this cat is fun, cool and totally down-to-earth…i loved reading your posts (hilarious, philosophic, corn-piped written, beautiful, inpired, rants) and at that time like only 4 or 5 comments were being made…i remember Marcin was i think the first, or Marinc and Rafal and then i remember Cathy and i think Eric…and of course your students…i waited almost 4 months to write anything, as i was convinced it was only for your students…and later, i remember when the entire for the Road Trip project came up, the ringu, and everyone was excited and even then there were negative people and non-believers…and that lead eventually to EPF and shit…how much has happened since those days…5,000 comments on a post, you gotta be kidding me…think of this…i know of at least 5 books that have been published since that time and i know of 5 more that are ready or nearing publication…all the great work that has been published here at Burn…all the essays that have been generated by contributors here, think of the essay published here and elsewhere…all the work that has been published/exhibited/sold/created…all the SLPS that have come RIGHT FROM HERE…all the great efforts: the workshops in Austin, the Austin Centre of PHotogrpahy, the mentoring here in toronto, the exhibitions in canada, n.america, asia, europe…ALL OF THIS CAME DIRECTLY and through the inspiration and work of this….

    and god damn, has it bloomed…from Sean’s and Alejandro’s great work and awards, and how the 2 of them have continued to make sustained work and gone off into great directions and publications…all the photographers here who’ve been published in the Times (andrew, chris, lance) and Walrus and motherjones (erica) and visura and shit, i cant count all the magazines…and it continues to grow so that essayist here will be earning money from burn…

    but for me that is not even the point, and that is not the greatness of your revolution and endeavors…this is an example of the new paradigmn…not about webpublishing, but about PHOTOGRAPHERS HELPING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE….no handouts, but work work work….that photographers, have you have written from day one, MUST take their own life and their own work into their hands and THEY MUST BE THE DIFFERENCE….

    and you and anton are paradigms of that…..

    your generosity, both of you, has been an extrarodinary affirming life…and in truth, i count this place as more than photogrpahy, but a home…all the REAL LIFE friends that have come from this, not mentioning the virtual ones…shit, even yesterday i met up with Andrew B (cloud man ;)) )and Marc Davidson….and there have become real parts of marina and my life….just as you are…

    from Look3 to SLPS to Burn to Circus to EPF to whatever holds forth….

    BUT ABOVE ALL…

    what matters is not the $500 (though that’s brilliant of course) but that you have had the courage and the beautifully fucked-up vision to BELIEVE….TO BE AN OPTIMIST in a sea of doubt and pessimism…and above all, David Alan Harvey, that is why i have always admired and loved you as a person….and while even amid my own life madness, gravitated toward our chats….

    you have made a difference in people’s lives…..

    and lastly, some PROMOTION FOR BURN:

    PEOPLE: i don’t know if anyone has mentioned this yet (i’ve been awa from the internet all week) BUT ANTON HAS A BOOK :)))))))))))

    go buy it…i will be ordering a copy this weekend :)))))

    you can see it here:

    http://stores.lulu.com/antonkusters

    IT LOOKS GORGEOUS….sorry to embarrass you anton, but PEOPLEbuy this book! :)))))))))))))

    ok, i gotta run….

    and lastly:

    I WANT to thank all the people behind the scenes too: kerry, tom, chris, eric, lassal, marketing guy and talent scout ;))….and above all CIVI…the fucking civilian of the century!

    with out you people, nothing is possible…ALL OF YOU!

    PLEASE TAKE SOME OF THAT PROFIT AND TREAT YOURSELF TO SOMETHING! :)))))

    YOU 2 DESERVE IT..

    BIG HUGS

    bob

    ps.. CIVI YOU ARE THE BEST!

  65. eva

    Jenny, lulu needs a mailing address, you don’t need to give them other info, then you can decide how to pay (credit card, paypal.. perhaps other options, not sure), if you choose paypal nothing more is required.. looking forward to HOLD something tangible in my hands!

  67. Imants

    ps.. CIVI YOU ARE THE BEST!…………. bullshit I’m gonna get the Phthalo green shirts together and start a anti civilian movement!!!!!! ……..

  69. John Vink

    David B: the BBC movie on that link was quite uninteresting… The guy TELLING us what happened, instead of SHOWING us what happened.

  70. david bowen

    yeap – that is a weird one.. just a small isolated instance of an arrest.. photo goat-fuck possibilities with nothing really happening..

    photographers scampering about alone – as with the woman you highlighted – will provide a better insight in the comming hours / days..

    bbc impartiality is needed of course, although on-the-fence journalism can disregard greater crimes.. like journalists killed..

    :ø/

  77. bob black

    quick note on BKK:

    for those interested, Agnes D is there (she lives there too, of course) and has done some terrific reporting…she’s had a slideshow in the NYTimes published and a bunch of stuff….

    getting on the ground reports from my friend Oli pin-fat, also based in bkk….

    escalating….

    the dramatic shooting of the general …..

    will leave more links after i hear from oli and company….

    you can follow Agnes Dherbey on her facebook page too….

    http://www.agnesdherbeys.com

    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=684271320&ref=search&sid=1532803997.1464745748..1

    rnng
    b

  80. andrew sullivan

    Bob Black- Great comment. Thanks for verbalizing the passion and gratitude that I, for one, feel deeply, but have trouble saying (I need to quit self-editing).

    And to DAH and Anton, thank you guys for creating a place that has forged real friendships, partnerships and inspiration. The impact that burn has had on my career and life in photography has been profound. Before burn, I never would have guessed that Erica and I would collaborate on projects and assignments, nor would I have ever imagined she and I teaching a workshop together.

    So thank you burn for giving us the fuel to dream and to believe.

  82. Charles Peterson

    Oh, and teaching a rock photography camp to high schoolers this summer. Something like Circus could be a good inspiration. My take is going to be using rock photography as a jumping off point to be able to learn a few skills and then the world is wide open.

  84. Brian Frank

    In a time when everyone else has stopped paying for photographs, when “good enough” is good enough, this is a blast of fresh air. Love it!

  85. Herve

    but at some stage you guys deserve some reward for the monumental time you have put into this.
    —————————————————

    Yes, they deserve a lot of recognition, and I think David has told us many times this is not lacking, as BURN is definitely attracting the attention of many professionals in the medium. They(we?)received a LUCIE awards last year for best website, as well, if you recall.

  86. Herve

    Panos, Nick Nostitz is a real trooper, if you had come to Thailand, we could have gone to meet him, i tink you’d love the guy, definite iconoclast, and not interested for one second by the buck. Speaking fluent thai, too.

  87. Herve

    BOB BLACK
    i just wrote a long long comment and my school computer crashed….:((((((…
    —————————-

    …And people say computers are brainless machines! :-)))))

  89. partha

    Hi David,
    Truly a sincere and inspiring effort. Publishing in burn magazine is a prestigious matter always but token payment must be a great motivating factor. Long live BURN.
    Partha Pal,India

  91. Herve

    Panos, remember when I told you to look for his (nick) “Patpong-Twilight zone” book? If I recall, He did not make one cent out of it, the publisher sold his company not long after the book went out, and Nick lost any binding agreement he had…Or had not! (Typical with him…) ;-)

    On the other hand, his photography is squarely within the parameters of creativeness/looseness David has challenged us to strive for, and even if not quite interested in thai poltics, people could do worse than ordering his wolume 1 on the events in that country. At:

    http://www.dcothai.com/product_info.php?products_id=1004

    I should write him to see if he wants to submit an essay on BURN. Katharina and you should do the same too.

    PS: BTW, as my renewed multi-posting on BURN indicates, I am back in San Francisco, already 2 days.

  94. a civilian-mass audience

    What’s going on…???
    I can see my name …everywhere…
    please,stop the torture…I am slow…
    English not my first language…dyslexic…with fogging glasses …
    BOBBY 1669 words …:)))once an academian…always a BURNIAN…LOVE
    BUT
    SO LET’S FOCUS…focus,focus …
    you are photographers , you can do it…
    it’s all about YOU…that’s why I am here…and for the free visual stimulation…
    MR.VINK, SOM ARKOUN for everything…
    aha,you are good with twitters,links too!!!
    So nice to see some faces back… SAM HARRIS*,PAUL*,VIVEK,…HERVEEEEEEE

    well credit when credit is due…so the CREDIT GOES BACK TO YOU…
    and to the young people…cause
    “There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist.”
    Mark Twain

    P.S IMANTS…I know where you live…and you better open the door…
    i always carry…silents:)))
    FROSTFROG …thanks for your soul writing…you will succeed.
    BURNIANS get out and shoot…
    am going to feed the chickens( I see an attachment…hmmm
    I am looking for baby names…hmmm)

  95. a civilian-mass audience

    DO AS HARVEY
    DAH

    BUT there is no copy and paste…hhihiii…
    you are not civilians…you are PHOTOPHILOSOPHERS…you have to figure out the rest…

  96. a civilian-mass audience

    ANNA,
    where have you been ??? where is JARED??? AND HAIK…???

    ANNA,do you have family in Greece???

  98. eva

    Civi.. today I had to go back home three times.. one time ’cause I forgot some papers for the taxes, one time ’cause I forgot papers for the bank, one time ’cause I left envelopes on the table and only noticed when I was in the post office.. but! I did not forget the rolls I brought to be developped.. how comes that?

    If you give your babies some names you’ll never been able to kill them..

  99. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA,
    drink some rosemary(the herb of remembrance)…hmmm…doesn’t work with the collective memory
    BUT
    you can always try bloodymary…or something like that:)))
    yeap,the chickens…I rather go hungry…I have 14 now(one dead)Sophia,Alexandro,Sofokli,Anemona…
    BUT
    it might kick my survivor instinct…

    LOVE and PEACE…and PHOTOANAGENESIS

  103. Herve

    No hurry, kh, I think it would be great to have him featured here at some point.

    On another subject, what’s with Jim Powers, guys? Has he left the “building”?

  104. Tommy

    DAH, Anton,

    a) would be understandable,
    b) would be most interesting,
    but c) is just awesome

    good call you guys methinks

    It does change burn; dramatically I think; but it does evolve and like anything which is living, and breathing; evolution is necessary to survive and prosper.

    Wow.

    Best folks.

  105. pAtrIcIO m.

    DAH
    n
    t
    o
    n

    K

    What an awesome couple! long life to burn mag! Best source of inspiration!

    PS: Bob Black, uhmm shit happens… when you write loooooooooooong comments, maybe it’s better to do it in a word document, then Copy and Paste :-)

    Pat.

  106. anna boyiazis

    CIVI

    yes, CIVI. all of my grandparents were aegean islanders, born and raised in symi. my grandfather had a goat named martha and spent his early teenage years in africa before arriving at ellis island. his stories included vivid descriptions of those he befriended, as well as everything he ate, during his travels through italy and france toward america.

    my mom has three sisters, all of whom were born in the states. one of her sisters moved to thessaloniki roughly fifty years ago. she and my uncle just visited. they and my cousins spend a lot of time in cassandra and katerini. they call me psaroukla (big fish) because i love swimming and snorkeling in their/YOUR beautiful water.

    regarding HAIK — one of the warmest, nicest people ever — i have been wondering the same.

    ANNA B.

  107. Zisis Kardianos

    David and Anton, this is really ground-breaking and inspiring!
    I hope that others will soon follow your paradigm.
    As for Circus Magazine, I would love to see it growing up together with the young photographers that will help to establish.

  108. Lee Guthrie

    Herve, LOL!

    Civi, Maybe you trade someone for strange chickens when your chicks are big enough. Trade to a “nice home in the country” situation. Can you eat strange chicken? Ones without names? Giggle.

    DAH, you are amazing and very faithful. I’ve expressed my appreciation many times on this blog; consider them said again.

    Just returned from a trip to my cousin’s in Tahlequah. I took 6 photographs; there were many more I could have taken but I was in such awe of the love language in their home. When I think back on my time in their home I have memories of sitting in stunned silence as Connie (my cousin’s wife of 30 years) cradles his head during a seizure, her constant monitoring his needs without taking away his sense of independence, and her gifts waiting for me when I arrived. His body is seized by these violent motions every waking hour. Those times when he can actually throw dice during a family game are only possible because some hours are spent with just half of his body moving all the time.

    The light for taking photos was sickly but in my mind I remember only white loving light. A walk through the property garden of my apartment, I look back through the trees and see a painting. And I realized the bubbling brook that crosses the property was at the top of its banks. It was still gurgling but deep brown, with trees hanging into its path from the storm. Think I will head for higher ground. They are forecasting an inch of rain tonight.

    Going to a concert and will probably stay in town. More reports later. No time to read all the comments just skimmed and then commented. I will read more later. Jenny I have figured out the Lulu.com thing. Thanks.

    Anton, ordering your magazine/book.

  111. bob black

    Patricio ;)))))))))))

    that is why i DO NOT want to type in a word document here under comment section….this place is like a home and a point of discussion :)))….now, when i publish essays/stories/poems, then i work on word document, but here i’m willing to take the endless typos (i type fast but not terribly accurately) and grammar train wrecks, as i’m typing using in between teaching or running to a subway (as now)….

    shit happens, and damn it helps to make this place fecund! :)))

    sorry for the long comments….

    ok, gotta fly

    HUGS HUGS TO HERVE FOR THE RETURN :)))

    b

  112. anton

    HEY ALL….
     
     
     
     
    THANK YOU for all your kind comments and support…
     
     
    When David and I discussed this over Skype the day before yesterday, it literally took us two seconds to come to the conclusion that all should be given back… and literally another two seconds later we knew the only way could be the way we are going to do it now… a full four-second decision, so to speak :-)
     
     
    this little place we all built, this great community… and maybe also a little prodding to the biggies might be watching… support one another please, it’s all that counts.
     
     
    I sincerely hope we can pull it off LONG TERM and that we don’t run out of money too soon… BUT … we are settting a trend and supporting talent as much as we can and we believe in that… and we are equally sure that others will rise and come forward and join us to carry this forward and make it grow
     
     
     
    again, thanks all for your support……………………………….
     
     
     
    hugs,
    anton
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    PS.
    ON A PERSONAL NOTE, thank you everyone for spreading the word about 893 Magazine, and some even buying a copy. It’s great to see things actually turn into reality, not only the arduous & hard work creating it, but also seeing people actually buy a copy! It humbles me beyond belief.
     
     
    oh and for those who asked: going for Lulu was a purely practical decision specifically for the magazine format… I needed the combo US Letter portrait + saddle stich binding (stapled) so i could create the magazine look i was after, and as far as i researched only Lulu offered that option as print-on-demand. If someone knows alternatives, I’d be happy to hear
     
     
    I’ll keep on making issues, one every 6 months, or more if i can manage, until the actual book is ready to go… So magazine and book are very complementary and also very different concepts at the same time…. More to come on that front, stay tuned…
     
     
     
     
    thanks all of you…
     
     

  113. jenny lynn walker

    BOB: Many thanks for the link. There’s a number of great photographers here – Agnes Dherbys among them as you know. I just hope that any ideas of heroics – which are inevitably being stirred up by the injustice of what is happening – are not attempted without some precautions on the personal safety front.

    ALL: What’s all the interest in Bangkok all of a sudden anyway? I hope I get to share some of my work but I spent my last note (20Bht) on toothpaste this morning and can no longer upload to Photoshelter. Trying to figure out a way now. Happy I’ve found a place that offers free internet access.

    Just one thing: this whole HIGH-TECH Red Shirt campaign across the past 2 months has been mind boggling – brilliantly orchestrated, marketed and up-to-the-minute responsive with a HIGH-SPEED ‘education’ on inequality and class division being delivered at the same time.
    Late last night, at the Silom protest site (the day following the shooting of one of the ‘pillars’ of the protest) the atmosphere was a little muted. But, there are still thousands of protestors there and those I spoke to said they have no intention of going home and most (but not all) know that their lives are on the line. The last I spoke to – an unpaid volunteer at one of the first aid stations – said he would rather die than continue being ‘the dust under the shoes’ of the establishment.

  114. jenny lynn walker

    ANTON: So excited for you! : ) Can’t wait to see your book as soon as I’m able and like the sound of the look of the magazine – the US Letter portrait when you open it as a spread is much easier on the eye than A4 which is so widely used in the UK. Perhaps because it’s more ‘landscape’ – closer to the way we all see?

    PANOS/ALL: What not to love?? Wishing everyone a wonderful and productive day. : )

  116. jenny lynn walker

    PS The text accompanying that story on Photoshelter needs updating based on the research and information garnered over this past month.

  117. Gordon Lafleur

    Lee

    I was very moved by your post.

    Faced with a demonstration of pure love such as you describe, it is hard to react but in stunned silence. It is a gift to us. I would love to see the six photographs.

    As the parent of a person with special needs, and a member of the sub-culture it creates, I witness such scenes of love and tenderness almost daily at the day program my son attends.

    Brian flapping, the first of four. http://www.pbase.com/glafleur/image/124542714

  118. Herve

    You have been there 2 months? Where can we see your pictures, Jenny?

    PS: About “class division”, more like “clientelism division”: one of the maddening things about Thailand is the total lack of solidarity, class connection between farmers and workers and between these last 2 and immigrants (compare with the reactions from the left-minded against the Arizona law in US or forced repatriations in France/Europe) , and the disconnectedness between social or workplace struggles and political upheavals. Where are the trade union advocacies in the Red Shirts movement? And how come the figurehead of the Red shirts, a rabid free-marketeer, cozied up with a Hun Sen of Cambodia?

    Ask all that to the “dust under the shoes” dude…. (rhetorically, i mean. you don’t really have to ask)

  120. jenny lynn walker

    HERVE: My dear friend? – pity you couldn’t spare a minute to meet me when you were in Bangkok because we could have talked about all of this. I agree with some of what you say but it is a very complex situation, a complex culture and a complex history which can’t be gone into in any depth in a few lines on here. If anyone is interested, I am happy to add links to articles etc that will provide a starting point. I think the Red Shirts look like a ‘right-wing far left’! Just joking because it’s hard to categorize and cannot be seen through the lens of other people’s movements because I don’t believe there’s been one quite like this before. : )

    I see ‘trust issues’ as explaining the lack of solidarity you’ve mentioned – but these relate to the culture. And on the issue of Thaksin and his fortunes – they are clearly built on his spectacular success in the cellular phone industry so yes, he’s a full-on believer in the benefits of free-market economies and, on spreading those benefits around – if in the belief that it’s to the benefit of all as it will increase the populations’ purchasing power. I do need to check out the exact facts and figures but I believe that when he was in office, by just paying 30Bht (which is less than one dollar) anyone could have access to free medical care and hospital treatment. He introduced schemes for widespread access to loans for setting up small businesses and all other sorts of stuff that the man on the street appreciated. Hence his popularity. Don’t forget he’s a self-made man – went from being a policeman to a multi-millionare – on his own efforts.

    It seems to me there is something pretty extraordinary going on here. Anyway, if you want to talk far left, perhaps you can tell me about trade union advocacies in Cuba?

  121. Sean Gallagher

    Hey All,

    Any Burnians based in Seoul, South Korea? Am going to be in and around the city for a few days next week (probably Wednesday to Friday/Saturday). I know 0 people there, so would be good to meet up!

    Cheers,
    Sean

  122. jenny lynn walker

    PS Not to say that this is not just a propaganda effort or an attempt to bring down the monarchy or get back his confiscated assets nor that the protestors are not being used, but there is clearly a high level of income disparity (not just along class lines) and the majority of money is controlled by very few hands, by an elite, and a system that maintains that divide.

    LEE: I would also love to see your latest photographs.

    Sincere apologies for taking up so much space on here. Off out…

  124. Gracie

    DAH:

    this is from Gracie (the original – back to the future)

    lookin up ahead on your post…
    1.. you should do it
    2.. i should be in it
    3.. you both are nuts.

    no im serious. your extra money should be spent on extra help. we dont want you guys to be stretched out so thin you both can be in my sandwich!!!

    if you have help already then that’s fine.
    if you dont, im calling your mother.

  125. a civilian-mass audience

    raining in Greece…my computer is down…i am transmitting from a friends house…
    can’t see the comments…
    i hope I am in the right aisle…
    can’t see photos…
    I gave away 4 chickens to a family nearby…
    they have kids…I tried to explain about CIRCUS…
    eyes wide open…they told me …that they better stick with the chickens…at least for now…
    hmmm…

    P.S I will be back to see you …I hope that you are out and shooting…or you are pretending that you are shooting…

  126. michael webster

    I do need to check out the exact facts and figures but I believe that…

    Anyway, congratulations David and Anton. You done good again.

    I’m way behind on the comments. Don’t know nothing bout thailand. Mostly agree with Panos about the NYT Moment in Time thing, but railing against the exploitation of creative folk is pissing in the wind no less than bemoaning the lack of solidarity among exploited class x and exploited class y in third world country z. My criticism has more to do with the content. At one point the editors bitched about how many photos of puppies, babies and tulips they had received, which set off a torrent of outraged replies by people who took pictures of puppies, babies and tulips. Perhaps I’m way off base, having looked at only a hundred or so out of the 10,000 plus, but it did strike me as an exercise in the maudlin rather than anything remotely approximating a particular moment in time. As I mentioned before, I participated mostly because I enjoy the challenge of doing a spot photo under the duress of an insane time constraint, but my entry did give me a few things to think about. Like most people, I see dead guys in the street all the time but rarely pause to take their photo. On a personal level, I’m okay with that. I feel there’s something a bit sick about photographing dead people in the street if it’s just for a snapshot. But taking a larger view, it would probably be better if a lot more pictures of dead guys in the street were published. It really should be news. The fact that dead people in the street is such a common sight should be news as well. Big news, actually. I’d like to see the New York Times do a “Dead Guy in the Street Day” where photographers from all over the world take pictures of all the dead guys in the street. Wouldn’t that be something? Might actually be a worthwhile way to put all those idle cameras to work. But it really depends on what’s considered worthwhile, doesn’t it? Cause let’s face it, the “worth” of “A Moment in Time” has nothing whatsoever to do with journalism, with actually telling us anything insightful about our world. It’s about hits and publicity. Is there really any worth to seeing dead guys in the street? How are you gonna monetize that? Who wants to see a virtual pile of corpses in the street, much less pay for the privilege? Interesting question that, since the answer is that we all do. Okay, not fair. Not fair, you say? Well, our actions say differently. We may avert our gaze, but we’re still stuck with the bill. But look! Over there! There’s injustice in that country on the other side of the world! Penguins are dying in the antarctic! Tsunami! Earthquake! Oh, the injustice! Don’t mind the dead guy on your own street. Just move along. Nothing to see. Not here. Not now.

  127. Justin Partyka

    David and Anton,

    “A doing the right thing kind of feeling” – that’s a bit of an understatement!

    This is a very exciting and unprecedented leap you’re making here.

    I’d like to think that all of us who contribute to Burn, will be on the look out for young photographers we can put forward to appear in Circus.

    As for paying photographers for featuring their work on Burn, that’s both great for all us photographers, but also a great and bold statement to the industry that on-line publishing should be treated seriously and professionally.

    I may be wrong, but this announcement and its legitimizing of Burn as one of the leaders (if not THE leader) in photo publishing today could cause a bit of a whirlwind – perhaps even a tornado – amongst your fellow on-line and print based editors and publishers.

    You’ve worked hard on this, often beyond what seems possible, and supported all of us, and together this has created something very special.

    You deserve to feel good!

    Here’s to now and the future….

    Justin P

  128. david alan harvey

    JUSTIN PARTYKA…

    yes, we think this will cause a whirlwind in the industry….we hope the media giants will follow….i think they will or in some cases partner with us……it is always small companies that prod the big guys…

    GRACIE…

    of course we are crazy…and enjoying every minute of it….Anton’s comment above is exactly how it came down….we KNEW instantly this was THE move…..

    you can call my mother if you want, but she was aware of my condition long ago….

    cheers, david

  129. panos skoulidas

    The fact that dead people in the street is such a common sight should be news as well. Big news, actually. I’d like to see the New York Times do a “Dead Guy in the Street Day” where photographers from all over the world take pictures of all the dead guys in the street. Wouldn’t that be something?
    —————————————————————————
    im stealing your idea Michael and calling NYT right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    thanks…brilliant

  130. Kyunghee Lee

    Sean,

    I live in Busan. the south part of peninsula.
    It takes 3 hours by train or 1 hour by plane from Busan to Seoul.
    I can’t be sure if i have a free time in week days… But please try to contact me when you arrive in Seoul…by mail(kyungheekorea@gmail.com) or cp (82-16-9606-1102).

    Is it vacation? if so, could you visit Busan?

  134. Lee Guthrie

    Gordon, then you know for sure. The six I took are nothing but I do have a series from my previous visit. I will upload them today and post. The issue is always lighting in this series as he has to keep the shades drawn and not many lights and certainly cannot use flash as it sets his seizures off.

    It must be raining all over the world Civi. I wanted to road trip to wherever the rain stopped but weather channel indicates hundreds of miles of rain. Hate driving in the rain. Guess I will have to entertain myself. Hopefully my lodging place is still high and dry. Stayed in a downtown hotel last night; arrived in the rain and woke to the rain.

    Saw an incredible dance company last night at the Walton Arts Center: Momix, Botanica. Fabulous. It seems they are having a show in NYC too. Check them out: http://tickets.waltonartscenter.org/production/view.asp?id=4306&x=3&y=14

    Jenny, saw your photos. I am just now beginning to find out about the red shirt thing. Not been watching the news much except weather channel.

    Lee (or just call me eel since the rain makes for tough mammal travel).

  136. Lee Guthrie

    Charles P, what is rock photography? Rock climbing and shooting? Or actually taking photos of rocks? I love working with kids. When I return to Maui I am scheduled to teach a photography workshop to at risk kids in a program that teaches basic life skills. Looking forward to that.

  138. Herve

    Jenny, I never said I could not spare a minute or meet. Where did you see or read that?!?!?

    Cuba? I have no sympathy for Castro and its regime, note that I mentionned France and USA, not “communist” countries.

    Poor and rich, like everywhere, Jenny, even USA.

    But frankly, and thanks to that culture you mention (as well as not so ill-willing administrations since the student revolts of the 70s), of developping 3rd world countries, Thailand is one that fared the best. Just compare with its direct neighbours, and nepal where I think you reside. Or Africa. At every step of its recent history, where others would have gone the wrong way, Thailand sailed thru and adopted sensitive decisions or compromises, that even a strong culture of clientelism/top-down patronage could not derail.

    I do not know if you have been in the region where most of the protesters come from, Issan, the North-east. I know it quite well, and at village level. I think if we want to understand something about Thailand, one needs to go there and stay a while, and I can assure you that despair and hopelessness are not the feelings we will come away from.

    Actually, there are poorer than Issan farmers in Thailand. People with no home, no land, no family support system worth its name. The immigrants, and also the landless hired hands that work in fields, migrating from region to region to make a couple bucks a day. These people are not the ones we see behind the barricades, who are quite informed, not as badly educated as we’d think, not dressed in rags, and with enthusiasm and volubility to spare. Good for them.

    Thaksin. You got most of it wrong. He comes from a sino-thai business family, studied and graduated in the USA, became a police officer (or vice-versa!), and used his connections to operate his “satellite/computerizing” business as a monopoly, at monopoly prices. Nothing reaaly wrong in a “it’s who you know” culture, but already out of the grasp of any issan farmer.

    I have little to say about his governance, I always said that the coup to remove it would bear ill for Thailand in the years to come. I am sure the disparity between rich and poor widened while he was PM (as it did just about everywhere else). His knack was PR.

    It is utterly false to say that the previous administrations never did anything for the poor (again, go to Cambodia or Burma and see what a govnmt doing nothing for the poor is about), but they always did it, while pinching their nose at the people. Thaksin, a man of his time, made it a PR matter to let people know he was not handing out, but was on their side, a man of the people (though he was not anymore than the others).

    His best innovation, IMO was the TOT plan, where each commune was given funds to establish cottage industries. WE can see it thru-out the country. the 35 bahts was a good thing too, though not paying across the board for surgery or extended care (some of which existed under the previous PR-stupid administrations). basically, it paid for each doctor’s visit, first care if you will. So far as i know, no one took it away from the people, when they coup-ed Thaksin out

    The loans. well, that sure made the banks richer, thru re-appropriation. Because most people were given loans without any know-how to invest them. some managed it well, some just spent it unwisely, but altogether, banks are now owed over 2 billion dollars. Yet, the current administration has helped negotiate a setllement so that farmers (70 or 80 000 so far, i thin) who sign in on the plane re-imburse, over a few years, only a fragment of the loan, while the govnmt will pay back the rest to the banks. A cost to the thai treasure (but only businesses really pay tax in thailand) of over a billion dollars, maybe much more in the end, when the dust will have settled.

  143. Imants

    Hmmmnnn ………….. so leicas don’t grow on trees and some dream leica so they can be a somebody, preferably “the famous somebody type” Instant success at a price

  145. jenny lynn walker

    HERVE: Thanks a lot.

    In a former incarnation, I used to track the telecommunications sector of Asia-Pacific nations and the regulatory frameworks that saw a shift from state-operated to privately-owned networks with multiple players. I also contributed to a book on regulatory frameworks aimed at disseminating this information for the benefit of developing nations around the world for a branch of the UN. During the 6 years that I was doing this, I watched how Thaksin made his millions and how he then entered the political scene. I cannot agree with what you say.

    Happy to know you liked his TOT innovation. Looking foward to reading the article you forwarded as soon as I’m able. If you keep them flowing, I’d be grateful. Or direct to me on Facebook if you think that would be better since others may not be interested.

    Wishing you a great day! Thanks again.

  146. jenny lynn walker

    ps all that stuff is funny! especially the tot innovation! unfortunately, and much more importantly 17 more people died here in Bangkok yesterday and the death toll is rising… not sure that talking does much good at this point…

  148. jenny lynn walker

    HERVE/ALL: I don’t live in Nepal. I’ve been living in Africa for FIVE YEARS out of the past 6.5 (I’m on the road for a book project). But when it comes to Africa, or at least East Africa, I’m happy to see that deregulation in the telecoms sector has brought that amazing innovation – the mobile phone – into the hands of many millions who who are now using it for all sorts of new small, local projects and businesses and thinking about this at this moment, is making me feel much happier.

  151. a civilian-mass audience

    humongous…
    enormous…from PETER’S home to your home…
    under the trees…in my dreams…
    roll up your sleeves
    no time for …IF’s…

    I am coming over…:)))
    if ash …permits …

  154. david bowen

    panos n paul t

    i think you guys have both gained licenses for using music online with your photos..right?

    any tips? i’ve been making something and want to get the music released before putting it online anywhere.. not finding much online.. otherwise i’ll write to the producer / label

    ta muchly.

  156. panos skoulidas

    All you need and must do is give them credit in Youtube or wherever else need to use the music..
    I got a great friend this way..I posted couple of my videos in utube with the music from artist BOOBOOTIN…
    amazing music…couple days later after i posted my little movies the artist himself, emailed me, thanked me..sent me links from newest songs he did and urged me to use his music..we became good friends through that…

    but i want to thank Thomas Bregulla ..he introduced me to Jamendo and changed my life since then…

  157. david bowen

    thanks man.. good find.

    i ended up using a couple of clips from mid 90’s mo-wax .. will hit up some people n see what i can do, although since the label sold to sony i doubt my old contacts there can help..

  158. panos skoulidas

    you can donate if you like but you are not forced to buy…most important you get to know tons of new artists, great music of all kinds that u cant find in mainstream record companies…millions of songs that u can legally download for Free and u can use in slideshows and movies without Stealing or backstabbing the artist..

  160. david bowen

    BOOBOOTIN sounds good.. just listened..

    the biggest trouble i had was finding music which did not overpower the photos, yet lent the photos the vibe i needed.. reflected the narrative… went through a couple of thousand tracks and found 50 or 60 possible.. the 5 or 6 obvious good ones.. and finally 2 which were bang on the money, yet trying to find music that way now leaves the licensing problems. i have some contacts who may help, including one of the artists i have used who i met on occasion.. although that may be no help whatsoever depending on his publishing deal :o)

    it is my first serious attempt at a MM piece – 2 sleepless nights and 5 days learning final cut pro.. easy stuff to use once you know how.. loads of good online tutorials… completely addictive actually and fed my OCD beautifully.

    probably took me 40 hours to make what would now take me 5 hours, although feeling really confident and glad to have learn’t it.

  161. a civilian-mass audience

    See…I told ya PANOS … there are good Germans too…:)))(to be perceived as a joke)
    I know…virtual word can get twisted…

    LOVE YOU THOMAS and JAMENDO and YOUTUBE…MYTUBE…
    what not to TUBE !!!

    P.S no more beer for me

  162. david bowen

    ta panos..
    i think next time the way forward is to either begin with searching a site like you suggested or limit myself to artists i know who would be happy to help out.

    i tried creating the music myself.. just could not get what i wanted.
    really though – highlighted for me how much easier music is to convey feelin.. finding tracks which did not upstage or overpower the subtlety of the snaps was the challenge.

    okay – going to catchup on news stuff now.. it’s sunday after all..

    cheers
    d

  163. Herve

    http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/05/16/nick-nostitz-in-the-killing-zone/
    ———————————–
    Thanks, Panos, though Nick omits to tell us if the bullets shot were rubber bullets or real, or both. the guy joking about having only a slingshot is very symptomatic of this whole charade of playing david against Goliath (if so, all has been ended, burmese or chinese style, over night, some weeks ago). Yumi Goto just posted on FACEBOOK a twitter post from a photographer being threatened not to take any pictures by 5 Red Shirts yielding hand guns (why am I thinking of the Newsreel snippet of a khmer rouge doing the same, toting a gun at people, as they entered Phnom Penh, 35 years ago?).

    I have more than sympathy for the working men and farmers of Thailand, but I piss on everyone who calls himself a leader in that country, and backs his power with backroom deals and a militia of murderous goons. If I may say…. ;-)

  164. Herve

    BAY TO BREAKERS race today in San Francisco. Passing right in front of my house. Last year, they “banned” selling alochol along the route. I hope they did not ban nudity too, this year…. :-)))))

  165. panos skoulidas

    Herve…you obviously been there (thailand i mean)…met people, understand the dynamics…I’ve heard the best about Nick…and read all tweets, seen utube videos linked by JV and many more…The more i read, the more i get confused…Is this a Civil War? Is it a dictatorship..Is it ALL against the government/army?Is the country split in two parts (civil war)…Is it only BKK? is this happening all over the country? the more i read the more i get confused..Can anyone sum it up?

  167. panos skoulidas

    We have no electricity & water feels very acid
    ————————————————-
    Seh Daeng has his kidney cleaned but his condition is still critical. The hospital will hold a press conference tomorrow.
    ————————————————
    (18.42) a proteser got shot in the stomach while he is running toward Century Hotel.
    ————————————————
    http://twitter.com/veen_NT

    Got a tweet from someone saying he/she being trapped in a building in Sathorn Soi 1 surrounded by reds planning to burn tyres.
    ———————————
    13 companies in the financial blacklist mostly belong to or are related to the Shinawatras. We are looking for more details
    ———————————
    By “blacklist”, I mean the affected individuals/companies won’t be able to do financial transactions.
    ———————————
    http://twitter.com/tulsathit

  168. Herve

    Can anyone sum it up?
    ————————–

    I will try, panos, later today. But always remember that in Thailand anything can happen and… its contrary too. possibly at the same time, by the same people. Does that help already? :-)))))))))))

  170. Tommy

    Anton,

    Re: Magazine production for your personal project. Lulu is probably more book orientated although granted it kinda fits the bill in terms of on demand publication. I have come across a service in beta “Mag Cloud” which is specifically designed for magazine on demand production. I suspect that it will allow for more magazine type of prices too. A similar model to lulu so it should be familiar to work with.

    Now I haven’t actually used the service so I can’t testify or recommend, nor do I specifically know the detail of what you are to trying to achieve – so this is for information only. It may be worthwhile investigating further.

    http://magcloud.com

    (ps – I have no association commercial or otherwise with the service either!)

  172. paultreacy.com

    David Bowen

    I licensed some music from the mobygratis site. But now that Burn is about to pay contributors, my license may become null and void. I have to look into it.

    Paul.

  174. Eric Espinosa

    DAVID/ANTON,

    well well well….just back after being away for 4 days with the kids by the sea…. big BIG news indeed upon my return!!!! It is inspiring to see the two of you set up high standards like this. All photographers out here are wishing for your success and for others to follow… i.e the big guys as you call them…

    Past week-end has all been about relaxing, enjoying the kids, the sea, the sun, eating scallops, photographing the family…I kind of know why you ended up in the Outer Banks David….tough life really:):):)

    Well everything had an end….back to work tomorrow….

    Cheers,

    Eric

  175. michael webster

    2 sleepless nights and 5 days learning final cut pro..

    Sounds like you’re ready for AfterEffects.

    i tried creating the music myself.. just could not get what i wanted.

    Yep, I’ve been down that road too. I spend days, weeks working, working, but rarely get what I want. Still, fun stuff. Moments of sublime happiness in there among the dreck.

  176. anton

    TOMMY —

    nail on the head… MagCloud would have been perfect but I found it weird (to say the least) that they only do US… I would’ve signed up straightaway if this limitation wasn’t there

    If as you say Beta is UK and Canada added, that is a good eveolution…. now still the rest of the world….. that’s still many many countries to go…………………..

    a

  177. Lee Guthrie

    Hey all. Sun plays such funny games; I go out to shoot and it goes away; I come home and sun comes out. So consequently, I have so many shots of flowers, squirrels, rabbits and horses, more flowers, flooded creek, chickens, people I am renting from (finally sneaking in a few now that they trust me), and beagles on the trail of squirrel.

    But what it is doing is making me really look for good photos. And that is fun to do; find pictures as they pop out with the erratic sun.

    There is a beautiful black gelding on the property. A funny thing happened yesterday afternoon when I stopped by his pasture to converse. He looks me in the eye and lets his giant penis drop down and wags it at me! Swear to goodness. Strangest feeling; I left right away. Made me shiver.

    Today I got some really nice ones of him in the tall grasses with the evening sun shining around and juxtaposition with two rabbits with the sun shining through their ears. I am happy to be shooting beauty actually. And was on the town square today during a rare hour of sun and got some shots of a birthday party and other people visiting a giant elephant created from tires that is visiting our fair town. A very strange collection of photos due to very strange and electric weather.

    And then there is Bangkok….thinking about it and viewing the postings here the last few days makes me really almost ill. I don’t want to dwell on it but it is important to remember and send out healing.

    Hope you are all well everywhere in the world tonight.

  180. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    I just returned home from the NY Photo Festival where I heard a collective intake of breath when Casey announced at the Slideluck Potshow that DAH and Burn Mag would start paying photogs whose essays are published on Burn. Folks were pretty jazzed to hear that news! I just want to add my enthusiastic appreciation to DAH and Anton for dreaming big and then making it happen. Not just about paying for essays published online — pretty much unheard of in times like these — but for following through on the idea of creating Circus for the truly emerging photogs among us. Bravo to all who will help make this happen.

    And to those dear Burnians who have sent emails to be sure I’m OK. I am right as rain and shooting my little heart out. Have just been taking a bit of time away from Burn. Actually I’ve been cutting way back on computer time altogether. It’s spring and the outside calls…

    Patricia

  183. paultreacy.com

    Patricia, did Christopher Morris show any more of his deliciously weird and dark little films at the festival? He blew a lot of minds, well mine certainly, in 2008 when he screened his b/w Bush film. Ominous stuff.

  185. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS…

    JIM is fine..I just talked to him…he was washing his corvette …yeap, and he was drinking
    cold beer…
    ahhhh…he had a haircut…just a trim…
    he is shooting…
    he mention something about …navel gazers…hmmmm…I have no clue…
    you know me…
    and of course…he refuses to accept his key for the Greek house…
    hmmm…I understand …
    WE LOVE YOU JIM and we miss you…
    VIVA !!!

    Tomorrow is REIMAR’S BIRTHDAY…I got red wine…

    ANTON,
    I haven’t bought the magazine yet…I am waiting for my paycheck…:)((
    long wait…I am Greek afterall

    LEE,
    we travel with you…THANK YOU
    and by the way…where is this black donkey:)))???

    EVA…VIVA…I LOVE IT …!!!

    JENNY…oime…thanks

    OURPATRICIA…THANK YOU …you are THE soul ,our inspiration,our white eagle…
    and yes…keep it UP …I believe in YOU !!!

    KATIE FONSECAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…oime…kisses to the family…
    Congrats for JULIETTTAAAAAAAAA…

    FORMULA ONE…broommmmmm….
    BURNIANS START THE ENGINESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  186. a civilian-mass audience

    BOBBY BLACK…your birthday is coming too…
    I am getting ready:)))

    AKAKY,SIDNEY,AUDREY,SAM,ANDREWB,KATHARINA,LASSAL,JARED,ANNA(the psaroukla),
    PAUL,MYGRACIE,STELIOS,THODORIS,FELIX…TORCAPA,WENDY,
    KERRY,ANNIE…

    trees and dreams …and lullabies …

    I am not done yet…:)))

  187. a civilian-mass audience

    and we need to hear from BURNIANS in China…
    big tornado ???

    may the spirits of life be with you …

  191. a civilian-mass audience

    MATTHEWWWWWWWWWW…

    I forgot to THANK you for the above link…
    one day …when you will visit Grecolandia
    you might find out that this Australian chicken breeder …has lots of similarities with
    your Civilian…:)))
    Matthew …thanks…and thanks for showing up…
    what are you shooting???

  192. a civilian-mass audience

    IMANTS…
    we LOVE YOU …too…

    When is your book ready…??? hmmm…I am waiting for my paycheck
    let me know, so I can move accordingly

    VIVA IMANTS,VIVA !!!

  193. Imants

    oi!!! “Ordinary One” ……. I have a three completed…….. David is having a Bo Peep at one…………………………

  195. Matthew Newton

    CIVI,

    I was in Grecolandia a five years ago. It is a shame I knew so little then.
    You can see my journey on http://www.abc.net.au/dustonmyshoes/doms.htm
    goto PARALLEL JOURNEY.
    My accomplice and I followed in the footsteps of a not soooo famous Aussie
    traveler called Peter Pinney….overland Grecolandia to Myanmar….

    Now I am shooting Tasmania – the heart shaped island at the bottom at the world….

  196. a civilian-mass audience

    ououuuuuuuuuuuuu
    u
    MATTHEW …is that you ??? MATT and ANNA…
    SPEECHLESS…

    ok…take PETER PINNEY …your familia…and come over…
    you don’t need much…
    I don’t have much :)))
    you will “suffer” BUT I guess Tasmania…ain’t easy either…
    BRAVO !!!

  197. a civilian-mass audience

    and I see that MATTHEW has a book out there…

    THE SHACK LIFE

    AND IMANTS is going or three books…and ROSSY …and ANDREAC…and LISA…and KERRY
    VIVA AUSSIES!!!

  199. Herve

    I see (Jim Powers). Thanks Imants.

    I shall never “leave” BURN, even if I do not post anymore, someday (It’s a buddhist thing against clinging and “life is changes”, blahblah…) :-)))

  200. panos skoulidas

    My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you’ll be happy; if not, you’ll become a philosopher.
    ………………………………. Socrates

  202. jenny lynn walker

    PANOS: No chance of that Aristotle Quote happening to me!

    CIVI: Oime?! : )

    BOB: They say that you don’t like things in others that you dislike in yourself and I see that it is me that writes way too much. I’m wishing you a truly wonderful birthday tomorrow!

    ALL: What not to love?! + Dreaming Big!!! (thanks to Patricia, and inspired by DAH and Anton)

    How about a little relaxation music and gorgeous landscapes because – although the fires are raging and skirmishes and clashes always underway somewhere – it is surely a WONDERFUL WORLD TODAY(plus i just heard the Thai government appears to have backed down on the ultimatum which if true, has saved this one at least!!!)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_TGk99Yp6w

    : )

  203. jenny lynn walker

    ps please do one wonderful and different thing tonight… something, even if very, very small, you don’t usually do… and keep it a secret : )

  204. jenny lynn walker

    ps please do one wonderful and different thing tonight… something, even if very, very small, you don’t usually do… and keep it a secret : )

  205. Herve

    All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind.
    —————————-

    Aristotle did not know me, apparently! :-)))

    PS: Jenny, kiss something, someone, in Bangkok for me!

  206. jenny lynn walker

    ok… gonna do it right away… you too Herve

    (if only the Thai PM was here – i’d like to give him a kiss for today’s decision – so long as there’s no u-turn)

  207. panos skoulidas

    Hmm.. Whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…
    or something of this nature…and whatever happens in Vegas!
    plz, definitely u want it to be kept as secret .. no matter how
    “small” or “big”..
    Biggest hug

  208. jenny lynn walker

    Kiss done!

    That quote was beyond me Herve, think I misunderstood it. No paid job is what I’ve been used to for a while – but I think it depends on the job, some paid jobs are super mind-expanding. : )

  209. Lee Guthrie

    civi, wasn’t a donkey it was a beautiful black horse and it is in NW Arkansas where I am staying and rained in again!!!!

  211. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…Dearest EVA…
    please check your e-mail…
    I hope you will understand…you are a BIG HEART…a true BURNIAN…Speechless!!!

    THANK you again…
    OOO

  212. eva

    Civi, checked.. have not (big heart that is, don’t even know if I have one at all.. hmm…).. check back ;)

  214. Jason_Houge

    Hi everyone, DAH/Anton
    Long time no talk from me! How is everyone??? I see Burn has been getting hotter!!

    DAH/Anton, This sounds great! congrats to all of the future photographers to be published here on Burn!

    Aa question for you all…
    I’ve been working on a project about the city I live in since January. It’s a city of historical significance in Wisconsin and has a lot of character in its people and buildings. It’s on the western shore of Lake Michigan. It’s slowly losing its population down to about 2,300 from a peak of about 4,000 and is in transition from being an important town to its inhabitance to a stop for tourists…

    So my questions is: when I go out shooting – I always feel like I have to explain myself and why I’m there to everyone I meet. Usually nobody minds what I’m doing after I talk to them. But I always feel by talking to them, I am disturbing my subject and making them aware of my presence – causing them not to be as they were before I was there. I can shoot from a distance but I want to be close.

    How do many of you deal with this? I wish I could ask HCB his secret… perhaps it had a lot to do with him being foreign and having stealthy abilities (and a camera that doesn’t “CLACK” like mine ;)

  215. Jason_Houge

    DAH, my work from NY is in yet another gallery – I will send pictures soon, I also have a small book I’d like to send to you shall I send it to your NY address?

  216. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA,
    “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
    Lao Tzu quotes (Chinese taoist Philosopher)

    VIVA …I LOVE YOU…!!!

  217. a civilian-mass audience

    JASON,

    hmmm…as a civilian …my first reaction will be…WHY???
    for what reason???
    are you working for a newspaper???magazine???
    your answer might be…:
    no,I am just photographing for myself.
    and then a secret collaboration will begin…an intimate relationship will start
    and the rest is history…

    ok, goodnight ALLLLLL…from your house …somewhere in Grecolandia…
    feathers EVA:)))

  218. Ross Nolly

    Jason;

    I have to do the same thing shooting my kids project. For me; I prefer the “out in the open, go up and have a chat approach” compared to the invisible fly on the wall.

    I find that it generally relaxes people, you get to know them, you get to learn what else is going on in the area, and; they act more naturally when they trust you.

    I even have a bunch of A4 documents explaining the project and containing all my contact details in my camera bag to give to people.

    It might be a bit different for me because I’m photographing kids; and I want every “I” dotted and every “T” crossed…

    “I wish I could ask HCB his secret… perhaps it had a lot to do with him being foreign”

    In my opinion HCB’s best work was done at home in France, where he was not a foreigner! :-)

    Cheers :-)

  221. Windup

    DAH and Anton: Thank you so very much for your generosity and vision … not necessarily in that order. Jason: the best advise I ever got was that it’s okay to be “the photographer”. (That we MUST be “the photographer”.) Also: there are paying jobs out there that nourish the soul each and every day. I have one and I’m pretty sure Lao Tzu would agree. PEACE.

  223. Jason_Houge

    Thank you Ross and Civi for the ideas… I think the hardest thing is ok there are kids playing in the yard – today is different than it was then – you photograph them the parents want to know why, yell at the kid to come in and give you the nasty look or worse… – usually the kids aren’t being supervised much anyways.
    It just seems to me there is a sense of hysteria and a hyper-sensitivity to being photographed.
    If you’re shooting kids, are you some sort of pedophile? a kidnapper?
    And since many times since they’re not being supervised closely, the reaction is the kids shy up and run away…

    for adults – What are you going to use that photo for? Or there is also this reaction: “Oh you’re taking a photo – I’m sorry i’ll get out of your way.”

    I think it’s a combination of too many bad movies, too much bad news on tv and being the home to some creepy people – Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer, etc… people get weirded out.

  224. Ross Nolly

    Jason;“I think the hardest thing is ok there are kids playing in the yard” etc.

    I agree things are different now than what they were “years ago”, but how about just going up to the house knock on the door and talk to the kid’s folks? Then if they are happy spend a few hours with those kids so they relax and forget about you.

    And never forget; don’t be afraid to make a bit of a goose of yourself around the kids! The kids and their parents will have a laugh; you’ll break the ice and probably get some good pics. Also; take some pics that the parents will like for their album and give them to them as hi-res jpegs on a cd.

    If I’m, at the skatepark, beach etc and there are no parents I dole out a ton of my cards and those A4 sheets and ask them to give them to their parents when they get home; and for their parents to contact me if needed.

    I spent about 4 or 5 hours (at least) with the “kids” in #11&12 in the gallery below. Just generally playing silly buggers until they regarded me as part of the furniture.

    Spent half the day with girls/family in #13 and one and a half days with the family of the girl in #14.

    http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/25780

    I can honestly say I had the same fears as you when I started shooting my project but have encountered no negativity at all. I think it also comes down as to whether parents/kids can sense your honesty etc… That probably sounds a bit airy-fairy; but I’m sure it’s true. People can spot a bull-shitter from a hundred paces! :-)

    Actually I have had one piece of negativity; on last Xmas Eve. But it was from someone of my age, drunk and aggro, and really just spoiling for trouble and nothing to do with the project really. Just seeing someone with a camera was like a red rag to a bull….

    Hope this helps;

    Cheers :-)

  225. Lance Rosenfield

    Congratulations David, Anton, and the Burn community.

    David, the helicopter is finally scheduled… May 30th. Will keep you posted. Speaking of pay.. no one else wants this but I do and therefore it comes out of my pocket.

    Being poor can slow you down. Being wealthy can blind you and make you lazy.

    Best to stay optimized and energized either way.

  226. Kenji Arimura

    i don’t see any problem of you keeping the money of the fee since you guys work so hard for Burn to happen, but it’s very loyal of you, Dah and Anton, to give it back paying for the published essays. You guys are fantastic! Inspiring people!

  227. Imants

    so here at Burn we are creating Circus Magazine for photographers 18 and under………. that is the important part unless you live in a third world country where the US dollar is worth a motza then the $500 will be a treasured to keep working

  229. Herve

    Thanks John! from that blog, today’s entry (17th) I think: “I notice however how many of them do not really look at the picture to see something but rather to find something and see what they want to”….

    Not surprising, I suppose, but to be compared with the crackdowns on monks and people (really unarmed, these ones) in Burma, 3 years ago, where what was really happening, the truth of it needed no spontaneous wishful manufacturing. When the danger was not just to take pictures, but even more dangerous: taking them out.

    I find the (zillion) pictures we see from the Bangkok siege shows a lot, but begins to explain absolutely nothing. It all seems a free for all photographer’s feast, very much akin, in more dramatic manner, to the “Welcome to amazing Thailand!” deployed in tourist brochures and tourist authorities campaigns.

    There is no “truth” in them . One single picture of a monk’s robe lying in a pool of mud and blood near Yangoon, Burma, told much more than those zillion shots of burning tires, and guys, soldiers or protesters, running to and fro, eyes shot red with adrenaline and tear gases.

    Food for thought….

  230. Herve

    Monk’s robe lying in blood, but I could have also mentionned the picture of an irate woman pushing back policemen in Phnom penh, another crying behind amidst a powerless crowd of their neighbours, all about to see their dwelling crushed by a caterpillar and an army of tool yielding goons, during a forced eviction process. Where is that crushing pain, the duress of proclaimed piled injustice in the Bangkok-burning pictures, and as well in the 2 months long protest itself? I do not see…

  232. jenny lynn walker

    HERVE/ALL: I agree with you. Bangkok has become a place of violence – in SOME areas – and I think it is important to qualify this as the violence still remains HIGHLY LOCALIZED which is not at all easy to ascertain by looking at the news being circulated worldwide. Much of Bangkok is functioning perfectly normally.

    The violence taking place is being extremely well documented – much better than the first month of the protest which was entirely peaceful of course. Clearly there is an insatiable appetite around the globe for images/stories of violence – I guess that is what we call “the news”. Of course, there MUST be documentation at a time when the military has been given freedom to shoot people dead with LIVE BULLETS when they identify someone as “a terrorist” and have not issued guidelines on how to identify “a terrorist”.

    identifying members of the Red Shirts as “terrorists” can partially be traced back to a single photograph of someone that was dressed like “a terrorist” and was published in the New York Times (said now to be part of a para-military force that may or may not be on the side of the Reds) it seems to me and then, the fear that was spread. Where are the “men in black” at the moment? Has anyone taken any pictures of them over the past week?

    “Welcome to amazing Thailand”. Yes. It is also amazing how quickly damage to a whole nation can be done by exaggerated news coverage. Already governments were issuing travel warnings when there was virtually nothing to warn about because the problem, at that time, was so highly localized. I actually wonder whether there is an element of “we are creating the world we see” in all of this – whether sharing images of the violence breeds fear and more violence and it being sharing so rapidly, causes those in whose interest it is to see civil war in Thailand get their way. In whose interest is it to see civil war in Thailand anyway? Perhaps this ‘people’s revolution’ – if that is what it really is, is meant to be.

    I have today uploaded 2 images on Facebook and will upload a third related to Seh Daeng – the military general who was shot in the head while talking with journalists last week who died in hospital yesterday. His death lies behind this sudden increase in violence and I just can’t imagine who would have shot him because few things could have ignited such volatility as this. The images of him are of him signing t-shirts on the street during the protest – ie of him alive – and then at his funeral yesterday.

    By the way, does anyone know which party/government in Thailand has US-backing or which government in Thailand is favoured by the current US administration?

    Just one more thing: after witnessing several world news event’s (Mumbai terrorist attack, unrest in Nepal, Gadhimai Mela and now Bangkok) I’m questioning whether the zillions of photographs of simply the moments of violence help – especially when they’re being circulated at such a high speed that it puts great pressure on those who are actually in a position to slow things down through sensible, considered decision-making.

    PS Thanks Herve for your suggestion yesterday because when I kissed by husband in the internet cafe yesterday, it brought a smile.

  237. panos skoulidas

    “…The Communist insurgency led by the Communist Party of Thailand staged armed struggle in the countryside in the 60s. Communist and radical ideas attracted a handful of intellectuals. The communist movement was seen collateral with the independent movement in the Indochinese countries, waging war against the US. As a result, military junta expanded its grip. Intellectual as well as violent clashes between the junta and the intellectual sparked in the urban and the countryside respectively.
    Student-led uprisings in October 1973 led to a new vision of liberating the country from military government for a short period. The media received more freedom to criticize politicians and governments, while revolutionary and socialist movements became more apparent. The new civilian government officially shut the U.S. bases amid the fear of the communist victory in the Indochinese countries in 1975. In 1976, Admiral Sa-ngad Chaloryu, the armed forces commander, staged a massacre and coup that brought hardline anti-communists to power and reversed these reforms…”

  238. panos skoulidas

    Thaksin’s supporters, known as ‘The Red Shirts’, began its huge anti-government demonstration aiming at the resignation of the prime minister and the dissolution of the House of the Representatives

    In the January 2001 elections, telecommunications ‘multimillionaire’ Thaksin Shinawatra, who had relation with the 1990s junta, and his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party won an overwhelming victory on a populist platform of economic growth and development.
    Thaksin also marginally escaped (8:7) a guilty verdict in the Constitutional Court where he was charged by the Board of Anti-Corruption of hiding hundreds-of-million-baht-worth of shares with several of his employees. A decade later, a Supreme Court ruling in another case accepted a possibility of bribery in the Constitutional Court case.

    The anti-government protesters were, said, mostly better educated, more affluent, urban Thais criticizing that the a Western-style electoral system corrupted by rich politicians, Thaksin was blasted as having exploited to buy votes, bureaucrats, policemen, military officers and even political factions. Thaksin became the example of the businessman autocrat, launching so-called populist projects which some were controversial such as the War on Drugs. Hundreds of killings and murder cases were said by the police, as the fighting among the drug traffickers. No further investigation carried on. Judicial process was seen as useless, instead, the decisive justice should be in the hands of the police.

    Thaksin hmmm…doesnt seem to be the good guy…either!

  239. panos skoulidas

    On May 3, the Thai Prime Minister announced he was willing to hold elections on November 14 should the opposition red shirts accept the offer. The following day red shirt leaders accepted the proposal to leave the occupied parts of Bangkok in return for election on the scheduled date.
    However, one week later, May 10, protesters had yet to dispand despite accepting the ‘road map’ proposed by the prime minister for early 2010 November elections. They placed new demands upon the Prime minister that Deputy Prime Minster Suthep Thaugsuban, who was incharge of security operations on the clash of april 10th, must first turn himself in for prosecution before they willingly disperse.
    ——————————

    its obvious that the Reds leaders changed their mind about the elections on november 14th…but why?
    did they realize they have no chance? Is it because that Thaksin guy is unpopular?

    In the afternoon of April 14, the anti-riot troops controlled all main streets. The leaders of the protest decided to give up their activity. During their protest, Thaksin video-linked to support the protesters, urging them to ‘bring him home’.
    Thaksin clearly vowed to topple the government, calling for ‘revolution’.

  240. michael webster

    So what are you getting at with the Communist/anti-Communist history, Panos? It’s certainly a big clue in understanding the human world, but how do you see it as such?

    Since commenting from the proverbial 40,000 feet, I’ve read quite a bit on the current situation in Thailand. Apparently no one, at least no one who’s talking to the press, knows what’s going on. Not specifically anyway. Cause it’s safe to say that wealthy and powerful factions are jockeying for wealth and power. I doubt very seriously there are any good guys among them. At best someone may pretend to be one if it provides some immediate advantage. In that sense, your little history lesson is illustrative. Back when socialism was a real possibility, the powers that be made concessions, shared a bit more of the wealth, but have steadily been walking back those reforms as any real challenge to their control recedes. These changes move faster and much more violently in the third world (hate that term but can’t think of a better one. Calling it the developing world is sick joke), but we’re all going in the same direction. Although I have no idea what specifically is happening in Thailand right now, I suspect it’ll turn out to be another laboratory experiment for our future. When the current crisis is over, the rich will be richer, and fewer; the powerful more powerful, democracy weaker, wages lower, working conditions worse, the environment more endangered, the drugs and whores cheaper and more plentiful. Those things are not bugs. They are features.

  241. panos skoulidas

    “Welcome to amazing Thailand”. Yes. It is also amazing how quickly damage to a whole nation can be done by exaggerated news coverage. Already governments were issuing travel warnings…
    —————————————————————————-
    Question: can really those riots affect the traditional sex tourism in Thailand?

    “Thai society,
    has its own unique set of often contradictory sexual mores. Visiting a prostitute or a paid mistress is a not uncommon though not necessarily acceptable behavior for men. Many Thai women, for example, believe the existence of prostitution actively reduces the incidence of rape.
    Another reason contributing to this issue is that ordinary Thais deem themselves tolerant of other people, especially those whom they perceive as downtrodden. This acceptance has allowed prostitution to flourish without much of the extreme social stigma found in other countries. According to a 1996 study, people in Thailand generally disapprove of prostitution, but the stigma for prostitutes is not lasting or severe, especially since many prostitutes support their parents through their work. Some men do not mind marrying former prostitutes.[2] A 2009 study of subjective well-being of prostitutes found that among the sex workers surveyed, sex work had become normalized.[3]
    This cultural milieu combined with poverty and the lure of easy money have caused prostitution in general and sex tourism in particular to flourish.
    Estimates of the number of prostitutes vary widely and are subject to controversy. A 1980 study put the number of prostitutes at 500,000 to 700,000. A 2004 estimate by Dr. Nitet Tinnakul from Chulalongkorn University gives a total of 2.8 million sex workers, including 2 million women, 20,000 adult males and 800,000 minors under the age of 18.[4] One estimate published in 2003 placed the trade at US$ 4.3 billion per year or about three percent of the Thai economy.[5] It has been suggested for example that there may be as many as 10,000 prostitutes on Koh Samui alone, an island resort destination not usually associated with prostitution, and that at least 10% of tourist dollars may be spent on the sex trade.[6]
    Although centers such as Bangkok (Patpong, Nana Plaza, and Soi Cowboy), Pattaya, and Phuket (Patong) are often identified as primary tourist “prostitution” areas, with Hat Yai and other Malaysian border cities catering to Malaysians, prostitution takes place in nearly every major city and province in the country.
    Chiang Mai and Koh Samui (Chaweng and Lamai) are also major centers. In Bangkok, the so-called Ratchadapisek entertainment district, running along Ratchadapisek Road near the Huay Kwang intersection, features several large entertainment venues which include sexual massage. Even karaoke style bars in small provincial towns have their own versions, with women, in addition to singing traditional Thai music, sometimes engaging in prostitution.
    Perhaps as a parallel with the tenets of Thai Buddhism, Thai sex workers (and the whole culture, generally) does not feel guilt; thus, sex workers can and do feel respectable. Thais can feel shame, if specifically spotlighted by any potentially embarrassing situation, but guilt is absent.

    Legal situation and history

    Prostitution had been illegal in Thailand [9] since 1960, when a law was passed under pressure from the United Nations. However, the prohibition was seldom enforced. Instead, the government has instituted a system of monitoring sex workers in order to prevent their mistreatment and to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.[1] The 1960 Law was repealed by The Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, B.E. 2539 (1996)[10].
    Thailand has an ancient, continuous tradition of legal texts, generally described under the heading of Dhammasattha literature (Thai pron., tam-ma-sat), wherein prostitution is variously defined, and universally banned. The era of traditional legal texts came to an end in the early 20th century, and the significance of these earlier texts on both the writ and spirit of modern legislation cannot be overlooked.[7]
    The “Entertainment Places Act of 1966” is one of the modern laws regulating massage parlors, go-go bars, karaoke bars, bathhouses and similar establishments. Under this law such establishments are required to be licensed. The law does not expressedly permit prostitution, but allows for “service providers” and “bath service providers,” differentiated from regular, non-sexual service staff.[8] For example, there are massage parlors where men come and look at women, who are sitting separated by a glass wall (known as a “fishbowl”), and may choose whom they want. The women go to a room where they bathe and massage the customers, but in reality may do much more than that.
    The Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, B.E. 2539 (1996)[11] (the “Prostitution Law”), is the central legal framework prohibiting prostitution. The law defines prostitution as any act done to gratify the sexual desire of another in exchange for money or any other benefit, but only if it is done “in a promiscuous manner”. The Prostitution Law does not define what exactly a “promiscuous manner” constitutes, and the act of prostitution by itself is not outlawed anymore, while solicitation is. The crime of solicitation is vaguely defined. A “John” soliciting the services of a prostitute is liable under the Prostitution Law only if the solicitation is done “openly and shamelessly or causes a nuisance to the public”, the penalty being a fine of up to 1,000 baht.

    Interview with a Thai human rights activist

    Kritaya Archavanitkul, a Thai human rights activist, interviewed by UC Berkeley Institute of International Studies, said,
    “This is sad to say, that the Thai social structure tends to accept this sort of abuse, and not only to accept – we have laws, we have bills that vitally support the existence of these sex establishments. That’s one thing. And also, we have a Mafia that is also involved in the political parties, so this keeps the abuse going. The second reason is a cultural factor. I don’t know about other countries, but in Thailand the sexual behavior of Thai men accepts prostitution. Every class of Thai men accept it, although not all Thai men practice it. So they don’t see it as a problem. So when it comes to the policymakers, who are mostly men, of course, they don’t see this as a problem. They know there are many women who are brought into prostitution in Thailand. They know that some are treated with brutal violence. But they don’t think it’s a terrible picture. They think it’s just the unlucky cases. And, because of the profit, I think there are many people with an interest involved, so they try to turn a blind eye to this problem.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand

  242. michael webster

    And the idea that photography is a force for good is naive, to say the least. These days, in the larger sense, it’s like the rain. Pervasive and totally indifferent to any moral outcome.

  243. panos skoulidas

    2008 July – Thaksin Shinawatra’s corruption trial begins.
    Thaksin’s wife is found guilty of fraud and sentenced to three years in jail. She is granted bail pending an appeal.

    2008 August – Thaksin flees to BRITAIN with his family after failing to appear in court to face corruption charges.

    Thai Supreme Court gives fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra a two-year jail sentence after finding him guilty of corruption over a land deal.

    2009 March-April – Supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra hold mass rallies against the government’s economic policies.

    2009 December – Up to 20,000 Thaksin supporters rally in Bangkok to demand fresh elections. Mr Thaksin addressed them by video-link.

    Supreme Court strips Mr Thaksin’s family of half of its wealth in verdict deeming that $1.4bn was acquired illegally through conflict of interest during his time as prime minister. Security forces placed on high alert amid fear of clashes with Thaksin supporters.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1243059.stm
    ———————————————————————-

    HMMM.now i see why Thaksin urges the Reds to protest..because he is in exile and lost all his money…He cant be back in power unless there is some kind of revolution..definitely not under elections…It seems that he doesnt care about elections because he cant lead…He prefers destruction at this point while sitting in front of his TV somewhere in London , “broke”…

  244. panos skoulidas

    In whose interest is it to see civil war in Thailand anyway?
    —————————————–
    hmmm Jenny…according to BBC at least..its in Thaksin’s interest ..nobody elses…..
    u know , that guy chilling somewhere in London right now…u know that guy that lost the Power plus 1.4bn$…of course he is mad as hell…

  245. panos skoulidas

    So what are you getting at with the Communist/anti-Communist history, Panos?
    ———————————————————-
    well Michael..u know, that easy cliche that answers all questions? That the US is behind everything? well im not that sure it works well this time (of course i could be wrong, time will tell)…but it seems that the latest developments in Thailand “deserve” a more specific answer..

  246. jenny lynn walker

    Panos: The change of mind to disperse was because there is absolutely NO trust in this government whatsoever among the Red Shirts and when a key leader is killed with a bullet to the head while he is being interviewed by the foreign press, who can blame them? Are you aware of how media control has grown under this government – everybody knows this. What you have totally missed in your investigation is the question is the issue of the monarchy. This government came into office because Thaksin was believed to be posing a threat to the monarchy and back then, there was talk of Thailand being made into a Republic (whether Thaksin was involved in any way in the discussions or not). You must also investigate in whose interest it is to have Thaksin up on corruption charges and his assets confiscated. And also which foreign governments may be interested in keeping this current government in office. Also ask the question who is funding all of this?

    By the way, there is a lot more to Thailand than either tourism or the sex industry.

  247. jenny lynn walker

    PS But that is not to say that the King or the monarchy is in any way involved in this – especially if you read one of the few statements made by His Magesty back then (although it was the regiment under the Queen that was in charge of the military offensive on April 10). Best you also read the article on the fear surrounding what will happen when the king dies. He is much loved by so many here – the Economist article which was published, but banned here in Thailand, around a month ago partially covers that.

  248. panos skoulidas

    That’s why I’m searching and searching..
    Thaksin so far is affiliated with the 1991 junta,
    therefore he doesn’t hesitate to take the military on
    his side whenever and IF he can..
    There is no way I can prove how corrupted Thaksin is..
    ( most info comes through BBC love it or hate it..leave
    it or take it kinda thing).. Now the guy is a billionaire..
    Hmmm.. Not your average peoples guy, right?
    1.4 billion $ confiscated by the government..
    That all he had in a “Thai” bank plus land..
    Do u think that’s all he had? Do u think he can’t fund
    fireworks, M-16 or pistols? Plus he had the power for so long..
    What was the benefit for Thailand? Can’t u see that he boycots
    the elections because he is in exile? Isn’t kind of obvious that
    he prefers the mess? To come back as the Liberator?
    ( but of course if u have any new evidence.. Except from the good ol’
    CONSPIRACY THEORY cliche please let us know..that’s all I need ..
    New evidence for this puzzle.. Once again I don’t claim to know..
    I know nothing in fact.. But I want to figure it out.. People die in front
    of our eyes..)
    ps: sex trade in Thailand is 3% of the country’s income..
    Cannot understimate that..As the activist said above if you read it, prostitution
    is widely accepted in that culture.. Now why? One reason is because the younger can
    support the elders this way.. Also very complicated phenomenon..etc.. I’m not judging..
    Actually I need answers beyond judgements.. BEYOND GOOD OR BAD..
    everytime the word “good” or “bad” comes in , science goes out of the window

  250. panos skoulidas

    Herve I repeat that I’m not a politics expert neither a thailand analyst..
    Thanks for your latest link.. Obviously most Reds don’t want corrupted Thaksin either..
    They want-need- Democracy… One thing I see in common with many similar cases is
    the corrupted politicians
    corrupted
    corrupted
    corrupted politicians.. I see a similar drama in grecolandia too..
    People don’t know Who to vote for… The one political party is more corrupted than the other…
    Very rarely things are so obvious and “easy” just like the recent Bush(McCain) vs Obama election battle..
    Yes the poor Thai people DESERVE DEMOCRACY.. unfortunately the billionaire Tahksim is not that guy nor that King either…

  251. Herve

    it was the regiment under the Queen that was in charge of the military offensive on April 10
    ————————-

    ARGHHHHH…..JENNY, JENNY JENNY!!!!! COME OOOOON!….. ;-)

    The regiment was not under the Queen. It’s called the Queen’s regiment. It’s like saying, for ex., the Arc de Triumph horse race takes place in the Champs-Elysees. I doubt they are an intervention unit and “led” the charge, too, I will research on that (spectrum, a BKK post section had an article on their role that day, humanitarian in many ways, but only a vague recollection) .

    And again, the govnmt did not back off the deal. Red Shirt leadership agreed to it, but started to make more demands. Sorry, to me, the ones I don’t trust are the Red Shirts leadership (save one, Veera Musikhapong, who urged the others to abide by their agrrement, and failed to convince them).

    When you see these demands, it’s so fucking silly, (basic thai politics tit for tat). For crissakes, the date to the elction had been set,NOV 14, there is no way the govnmt could back off it, and lose face in front of the int. community, and its own people. Thailand is not BURMA, Jenny.

    I think these guys are just too caught up in their own self-aggrandizing, having been in the media glare for weeks, with thousands of demonstrators cheering their every word, day after day. They simply have lost a sense of reality, just like that general (basically, an homophobic right-winger who needed a cause to trump old criminal charges levied against him) who thought and said there was no way a sniper could hit him. Oh yeah?…..

    I must go, I could not read all (Panos, you are crazy….), But will a bit later.

  252. panos skoulidas

    Ha ha… ( laughing at myself )…
    I would never expect that Buddhist Thais have it so easy to slap women or accept their daughter’s prostitution either.. But I know for sure that regardless the riots the European perverts will still gonna flood the Thai brothels…

  253. Herve

    Jenny :-)))

    you know we can end up in jail (if in Thailand) talking/speculating about the king and the monarchy. Maybe in the same cell….. Tell your husband!!! :-))))))

    Running….. (happy Bday again, Bob Black!)

  255. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY REIMAR…!!!

    where is REIMAR???
    and HERVE …yes…BOBBY’S birthday is coming up…
    where is BOBBY???

    Can I sing now???

    P.S my facebook account is under maintenance …hmmm…

  256. a civilian-mass audience

    ok…let’s start again…

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBY BLACK …
    can someone tell me what day is today???

  258. eva

    Here’s a windy Tuesday.. better than a foggy Tuesday.. or:

    yesterday was printing day, this morning it was flattening prints day, now it’s scanning day, the part I hate.. or:

    it’s irnoing day, which beats cleaning day..

  259. panos skoulidas

    “Thaksin was blasted as having exploited to buy votes, bureaucrats, policemen, military officers and even political factions. Thaksin became the example of the businessman autocrat, launching so-called populist projects which some were controversial such as the War on Drugs. Hundreds of killings and murder cases were said by the police, as the fighting among the drug traffickers. No further investigation carried on. Judicial process was seen as useless, instead, the decisive justice should be in the hands of the police.”

    I hope more corrupted politicians will follow Thaksim in England..It’s beautiful in London..Little expensive but.. if they budget right this time… and stay away from Bentleys … but I’m curious as of why Thaksim chose London! Why not Bucharest or Malta.. Fun for every budget ..
    Way cheaper..Avoid Athens though:6 euro for a cappuccino in Syntagma square..

  260. jenny lynn walker

    Panos: Well I agree with you when you say what is needed is real democracy and I know 100% for certain that all informed Red Shirt members believe that is what it’s all about and, why they are willing to die for it. The strength of feeling among protestors is remarkable, and upsetting, if you listen to their willingness to die for what they believe is ‘a movement for democracy’ – it is humbling and makes me think of all those who lived before us in our own countries who had to fight for their rights.

    Take a look back earlier on this thread, where there was some discussion on why so many are interested in the Red Shirt party and why they love Thaksin which relate to what he DID, rather than any promises being made now, for the man in the street when he was PM. But to talk about how small percentages of GDP are made just takes things off on a tangent that is, sorry to say it, irrelevant.

    The other thing is that there are many people studying Thai politics who, based on years of study, will tell you that the whole subject is incredibly complex. To get to grips with it – to go deeper – requires talking to these experts as well as all the parties involved in it. This current government is also increasingly aware of the reforms that are needed and are saying they’re working towards it – particularly since the eyes of the world are now focused on what is going on here in the Land of Smiles. There are in fact a very large number of Thai people – among the 60 plus million – who are simply getting on with their every day lives as normal and are perplexed by what’s being shown in the news.

  261. jenny lynn walker

    HERVE: I believe you are misinformed and will send you the relevant article.

  262. panos skoulidas

    hmmmmm….
    “Despite the majority and surging popularity amongst rural Thais, Thaksin came under severe questioning for selling telecommunication shares to Temasek, a Singapore investor for about 70,000 million baht without paying any tax. More complex and high-level corruption and conspiracies were discovered and exposed by Sonthi Limthongkul, Manager Media Group owner, who reached the middle class in the capital and the cities through the only small satellite and internet media channel, ASTV.

    Thaksin refused to publicly answer PAD’s questions. Because of failure to clear himself in the alleged corruptions, Thaksin’s regime fell apart during public protests led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy which led to widespread calls for his resignation and impeachment.

    The People’s Alliance for Democracy, a large group of the middle class and a coalition of anti-Thaksin protesters, led by Sonthi Limthongkul, gathered in Bangkok, demanded that Thaksin resign as prime minister so that the King could directly appoint someone else. Thaksin refused and protests continued for weeks.”

  263. panos skoulidas

    Thousands dead as a result of Thailand’s “war on drugs”
    By Susanne Ilchmann
    9 May 2003
    Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last week announced “victory” in a vicious, anti-drug campaign, in which police were given a licence to use “extreme measures” to stamp out the selling of methamphetamines, known locally as “yaba” or “crazy medicine”.
    This three-month reign of police terror left at least 2,274 people dead. The government and police implausibly ascribed the deaths to gangland feuding, insisting that only 42 drug suspects were shot by police officers—most of those in “self-defence”. In fact, the government openly encouraged the police to carry out extra-judicial killings so that the arbitrary goals of its “war on drugs” could be met on time.
    ———————
    2.274 Killed by Thaksin’s army…
    Isn’t this guy a thug????
    http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/may2003/thai-m09.shtml

  264. panos skoulidas

    The THAKSIN government used a system of bribes and threats to ensure that regional governors and police chiefs carried out the campaign. Three lists were compiled: one by police; the second by local administrative organisations and village heads; and the last by the Narcotics Control Board. Officials who failed to meet their quotas faced dismissal. Those who brought in a “major drug dealer”—dead or alive—received a bounty of one million baht ($US23,600).
    But just who has been arrested or gunned down is unclear, as the allegations against those on the blacklists have not been tested in a court of law. Those whose names appeared had no way of finding out the nature of the accusations against them. Terrified of being framed up or shot dead, thousands opted to hand themselves in and submit to a course of boot-camp style rehabilitation.
    Among those killed was a nine-year-old boy who was shot dead in late February. While undercover police were arresting his father, allegedly in a sting operation, his panic-stricken mother sped off in the family vehicle with the child on board. When police caught up with the car, the woman fled. Before opening the vehicle, the police fired into it at point-blank range killing the boy.
    Thaksin has been able to exploit public hostility to illicit drugs to boost his popularity and deflect attention from the failure of his government to address unemployment, poverty and other social problems that lie at the root of drug abuse. However, the cold-blooded killing of the nine-year old boy sparked public outrage. Since then there has been growing criticism.
    A survey conducted by the Assumption University found that 84.2 percent of Bangkok residents surveyed supported the campaign. But of those same people, 65.3 percent expressed their fear that corrupt police could frame-up innocent people. The very nature of the campaign left the door wide open for those compiling the blacklists to use them to settle personal grudges or deal with business or political opponents.
    The Human Rights Commission was contacted by a number of people who said they had been wrongly included on the blacklists. Government officials called for such complaints to be directed to drug suppression officials. But as Sunai Phasuk from Forum Asia, a human rights organisation, pointed out: “Most of them [the victims] got killed on the way back from the police office. People found their name on a blacklist, went to the police, then end up dead.”

  265. panos skoulidas

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    Thousands dead as a result of Thailand’s “war on drugs”
    By Susanne Ilchmann
    9 May 2003
    Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last week announced “victory” in a vicious, anti-drug campaign, in which police were given a licence to use “extreme measures” to stamp out the selling of methamphetamines, known locally as “yaba” or “crazy medicine”.
    This three-month reign of police terror left at least 2,274 people dead. The government and police implausibly ascribed the deaths to gangland feuding, insisting that only 42 drug suspects were shot by police officers—most of those in “self-defence”. In fact, the government openly encouraged the police to carry out extra-judicial killings so that the arbitrary goals of its “war on drugs” could be met on time.
    The Narcotics Control Board provided the indices: 1,765 people arrested as major drug dealers and another 15,244 as minor dealers. More than 280,000 “drug pushers” and “addicts” gave themselves up to authorities and were sent for rehabilitation. In all, some 15.5 million pills were confiscated and the street price for the drug doubled or trebled over the course of the three months from February 1 to April 30.
    All 75 of Thailand’s provinces reported that they had more than fulfilled their quota of reducing the number of drug dealers by 50 percent. In some cases, officials boasted of a 100 percent “success rate”—that is, all drug dealers in their province either dead or detained. Interior Minister Wan Muhammad Nor Matha claimed that 440 local officials and politicians, including two police colonels, had been dismissed because of links to drug trafficking.
    The government used a system of bribes and threats to ensure that regional governors and police chiefs carried out the campaign. Three lists were compiled: one by police; the second by local administrative organisations and village heads; and the last by the Narcotics Control Board. Officials who failed to meet their quotas faced dismissal. Those who brought in a “major drug dealer”—dead or alive—received a bounty of one million baht ($US23,600).
    But just who has been arrested or gunned down is unclear, as the allegations against those on the blacklists have not been tested in a court of law. Those whose names appeared had no way of finding out the nature of the accusations against them. Terrified of being framed up or shot dead, thousands opted to hand themselves in and submit to a course of boot-camp style rehabilitation.
    Among those killed was a nine-year-old boy who was shot dead in late February. While undercover police were arresting his father, allegedly in a sting operation, his panic-stricken mother sped off in the family vehicle with the child on board. When police caught up with the car, the woman fled. Before opening the vehicle, the police fired into it at point-blank range killing the boy.
    Thaksin has been able to exploit public hostility to illicit drugs to boost his popularity and deflect attention from the failure of his government to address unemployment, poverty and other social problems that lie at the root of drug abuse. However, the cold-blooded killing of the nine-year old boy sparked public outrage. Since then there has been growing criticism.
    A survey conducted by the Assumption University found that 84.2 percent of Bangkok residents surveyed supported the campaign. But of those same people, 65.3 percent expressed their fear that corrupt police could frame-up innocent people. The very nature of the campaign left the door wide open for those compiling the blacklists to use them to settle personal grudges or deal with business or political opponents.
    The Human Rights Commission was contacted by a number of people who said they had been wrongly included on the blacklists. Government officials called for such complaints to be directed to drug suppression officials. But as Sunai Phasuk from Forum Asia, a human rights organisation, pointed out: “Most of them [the victims] got killed on the way back from the police office. People found their name on a blacklist, went to the police, then end up dead.”
    Growing criticisms

    The Thai media and civil rights activists have been critical of the government’s flagrant disregard for democratic rights and its threadbare justifications for the killings. “If the police weren’t involved, why hasn’t one murderer been arrested?” asked human rights lawyer Somchai Homlaor. “The only sensible conclusion is the police are sending out death squads.”
    Thepchai Yong, editor of the Nation, told the Australian TV program Dateline: “Nobody’s buying that [the government’s] line because we believe that the authorities, the police in particular, were involved in many of the killings. So if what the Interior Minister claims is true, that the killings were the result of a double crossing, or killings among drug dealers themselves, it means drug dealers are in control of the country.”
    Forum Asia said that the government was encouraging police to “simply execute alleged offenders… This makes it increasingly easy for the police and other authorities to simply do away with anyone they don’t like.” The group issued a statement in late February calling for “immediate investigations into the shootings, in which some [victims] were handcuffed when killed or shot in a group. There were at least three cases which experts were able to examine and they found that the suspects had had drugs planted on them after death, and that bullets had been removed before coroners examined the bodies.”
    Others have pointed out that the round-up or killing of large numbers of drug addicts or petty pushers will do nothing to halt drug trafficking as those who control the trade have connections in the highest quarters, including the police and military.
    Former national police chief Pol Gen Sawat Amornwiwat declared in January that “senior state officials and politicians” were “in cahoots with drug traffickers” and that a list prepared by the Drugs Enforcement Agency in 1992 included the name of a senior Thai politician. “The main obstacle is that influential people provide support for drug traffickers and make fantastic amounts of money,” he said.
    Attempts were made to silence the critics. In early March, Dr Pradit Chareonthaitawee, Thailand’s National Human Rights Commissioner, received anonymous death threats, warning him to stop taking his concerns to the United Nations. Shortly afterwards, Suranand Vejjajiva, a spokesman for the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party, threatened to impeach the commissioner for speaking to the UN about the government’s blacklists, extra-judicial killings and failure to prosecute cases involving drug-related murders.
    Opposition politicians warned that the “war on drugs” could lead to international censure over human rights violations and frighten off foreign investors. The prime minister, however, arrogantly dismissed such concerns. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was forced to cancel a proposed visit by a special envoy, when the government refused to cooperate.
    Responding to a Senate proposal to hold an inquiry into police practices, Thaksin advised the body to ignore “the thinking of foreigners,” adding: “It is not necessary for Thailand to make any explanation to the UN. We are a sovereign country. If any country wants to cut aid because of what were are doing, frankly speaking, I don’t really care.”
    Following criticisms in the US Congress, the government reacted similarly this week to suggestions that the US might cut off financial aid and technical assistance to the Thai armed forces. Confident that he enjoys the support of Washington, Thaksin declared: “We have explained this [war on drugs] to the US ambassador and the US administration understands it very well.”
    Thaksin, one of the country’s wealthiest businessmen, has close connections to the country’s security forces. He made much of his vast fortune through monopoly rights and state contracts granted by former military regimes.
    Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai Party won the 2001 election campaign by exploiting the widespread public hostility to the impact of the IMF restructuring agenda being implemented by his predecessor Chuan Leekpai. He campaigned on a populist program that offered handouts to rural villages and debt relief to farmers while at the same time pledging to bail out failing Thai businesses.
    But the government has no solutions to the huge social problems that afflict the lives of the majority of Thais. Through its “war on drugs,” the government is preparing for further attacks on democratic rights, which will, in the future, be directed against its political opponents.
    The government has already foreshadowed a crackdown on drug-related finances. A new law retrospective to February 1 is to be introduced to reward governors with 30 percent of the value of any drug-related assets that are seized. Another 15 percent will be set aside for successful detectives and for anyone providing tip-offs.
    The Office of Narcotics Control Board, National Police Office and Interior Ministry plan to establish a nationwide database of dealers and addicts. Provincial government will be asked to establish special investigative offices and the Anti-Money Laundering Office will be given increased powers to tap phone lines.

    http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/may2003/thai-m09.shtml

    all this info from 2003…
    I think it’s about time for Thaksim guy to leave not only the REDS but also the rest of Thailand alone…
    I suggest.. Stay in London ..he is well covered there..:(

  266. jenny lynn walker

    Panos: How about doing a similar investigation into the Yellow party as well? It would be great if you share the sources of the information you are sharing in quotes ” ” then we know who you are quoting and where the information comes from. Are you planning on doing a story on Thailand and coming to Bangkok or just bored?

  267. bob black

    BROTHER PANOS….FATHER CIVI

    AND THE REST OF Y’ALL, MY BIG BIG FAMILY! :))))))))))

    THANKS SO MUCH….

    THIS WILL BE THE SHORTEST NOTE I WRITE (no time)

    to paraphrase Civi:

    I LOVE YOU ALL

    HUGS
    RUNNING
    B

  268. panos skoulidas

    U see Jenny that Thaksim’s murders speak louder than his constant tax evasion..and many economic scandals..
    Question is how much $$ he generated under that “war on drugs”? Because it seems that this ruthless guy only “lost” 1.4bn$ from the latest regime… Ahhh..that’s nothing..
    If only the dead could come back and talk..

  273. a civilian-mass audience

    ok…I composed…:

    REIMAR,REIMAR
    you are a brave man
    with your optimism
    we found hope
    when the soul is clean
    we can all …proceed…
    HAPPY LIFE

    BOBBY,BOBBY
    you are a brain man…
    with your heart
    with your posts
    we feel proud
    to ride along
    HAPPY LIFE

    hiihiii…………….I composed…:)))

    LOVE PEACE and PHOTOGRAPHY…
    yes,BOBBY…LOVE YOU ALL…MARINA and DIMAS…Enjoy the BOB=BeautyOfBOB…
    oime

  275. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS…you are next in my Birthday list…
    I will compose for you too…

    keep it rocking…tell it as it is or it isn’t…

    EVA…I don’t have ANTON’S copy yet in my hands…
    I will e-mail soonest …too many Birthdays…I got to compose…:)))

  276. panos skoulidas

    You see Jenny every time I see people protesting and dying for a cause I’m instantly with them..
    It’s easy to love the protester and easier to hate the police..
    Now when my (still) ignorant watching all those dead Reds I immeadiately identified with them..
    But I hate letting myself being manipulated..emotionally at least.. So questions arrived in my poor ignorant brain.. Why this.. Why that! I always wondered why I can’t visit Thailand and not be able to smoke a fatty (joint) while the old guy next room has 5 twelve year olds in his bed for the price of a hamburger and goes away unpunished ..
    So I started from the head… In Greece they say that for the fish that goes bad always check the head first.. Hmmm , the Head.. The Leader(s)…
    Now since i support any protesters by enstict ( the Red Shirts in this occasion ) I thought that I needed to find as much as I can about their leader…and I got shocked..but hopefully that Thaksin guy is no longer their leader.. Then more power to the Reds…

  277. jenny lynn walker

    May the violence stop in Bangkok.

    This from Amnesty International calling for military to stop using lethal force (today):

    http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/thai-military-must-halt-reckless-use-lethal-force-2010-05-18

    This from Amnesty International calling for military to stop using lethal force (yesterday):

    http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/thailand-military-must-halt-reckless-use-lethal-force-2010-05-17

    And this:

    http://www.amnesty.or.th/main/SubLibrary.asp?id=293&type=2&action=1

    Similar requests also made by Human Rights Watch.

  280. eva

    Every time I complain over the phone with my mother about our dear Mr. President (Berlusconi that is) she tells me: every nation has the government it deserves..

  281. panos skoulidas

    That’s what I hope too Jenny…
    I would die too for a cause but I wouldn’t do it just to install another asshole on top of my people..
    I’m against any uniform but we all have to watch out who will we bring next to power..
    I hope that the Red Shirt riots will eventually force the above to accept democracy..
    If not..so much blood already wasted..

  282. a civilian-mass audience

    JENNY,
    oime…I saw some photos…are you painting Bangkok red…???
    may the spirits of safety …be with you…

    EVA,
    yeap, your mom sounds like a civilian…

    ok…I am gonna start reading PANOS posts…
    I will be back tomorrow:)))

    I messed Up…REIMAR’S birthday is on Thursday…

  285. panos skoulidas

    Not all Americans deserved Bush…and not all Iraqis deserved that Saddam dictator.. It’s usually the upper cast, that 1% that decides..
    No real democracy as the Ancient Greeks practised it..We need to “reinvent” democracy…

  287. jenny lynn walker

    EVA: Does she means the people asked for it, voted for it, followed it and/or put up with it? Say hi to your Mom from me! : )

  288. Pingback: OpEd: How Much Is That Photograph Worth On The Web? | la pura vida

  289. eva

    Panos, Jenny..I think it’s true.. ’cause people (not all, but some, a lot in many cases) are simply lazy and don’t think ahead of their noses, all is fine as long as they’re fine. Better not question too much, or it could be that you must give up some of your advantages for the greater good, for your neighbour..

    Mussolini (as Hitler did) brought work in a moment of crises (well before WWII started), which was a good thing.. but what was the price? Whenever too much power (money) is concentrated within a too small circle it gets dangerous, even more so if the same circle stays in power for a long number of years.

    Change can come only from within, it’s the people like you and me that have to take consciousness of what happens around, and most importantly of the WHY this happens. The upper 1% decides, yes, the upper 1% also decides how ignorant the masses have to be, power, money and very often religion, go hand in hand, it’s difficult, but still, it’s the little wo/man that has the power to change things.

    Civi, she is indeed.. smart little lady :)

  290. panos skoulidas

    Eva…I liked that wo/man thing.. I’ll use it..
    Now about the manipulation of the mass? It’s easier to convince three people instead of one..
    All politicians know that.. The Mass is blind..

  291. a civilian-mass audience

    Happiness Comes With Age, Study Reveals…
    …Life looks a little rosier after 50, a new study finds. Older people in their mid- to late-50s are generally happier, and experience less stress and worry than young adults in their 20s, the researchers say……

    don’t ask me …how old I am …BUT I am happy…Am I ???

  292. a civilian-mass audience

    the MASS is blind…

    I am going out …to compose…
    and I am full of silents…
    the mass is blind…
    oime…

    VIVA TO EVA’S MAMA…VIVA !!!

  293. eva

    “Never in my life I thought I would see the police dismantling a barricade just built being cheered by the same people who put it on, standing cheerfully around.”

    This is from a link John Vink posted earlier:

    http://sopranz.blogspot.com/

    Panos: “It’s easier to convince three people instead of one..” right on, if you are alone you must use your own brain cells, nobody can think for you..

    Civi.. where do the grumpy by nature fit into that study?..

  294. panos skoulidas

    Happiness Comes With Age, Study Reveals…
    —————————————-
    civi you got it all messed up…

    people age 65 and older accounted for 16 percent of suicide deaths in 2004.
    14.3 of every 100,000 people age 65 and older died by suicide in 2004, higher than the rate of about 11 per 100,000 in the general population.
    Non-Hispanic white men age 85 and older were most likely to die by suicide. They had a rate of 49.8 suicide deaths per 100,000 persons in that age group.

    For every 100,000 people age 65 and older in each of the ethnic/racial groups below, the following number died by suicide in 2004:

    Non-Hispanic Whites — 15.8 per 100,000
    Asian and Pacific Islanders — 10.6 per 100,000
    Hispanics — 7.9 per 100,000
    Non-Hispanic Blacks — 5.0 per 100,000

    Ask yourself…

    …if you feel:

    nervous
    empty
    worthless
    that you don’t enjoy things you used to
    restless
    irritable
    unloved
    that life isn’t worth living
    …or if you are:

    sleeping more or less than usual
    eating more or less than usual
    These may be symptoms of depression, a treatable illness. Talk to your doctor.

    Other symptoms that may signal depression, but may also be signs of other serious illnesses, should be checked by a doctor, whatever the cause. They include:

    being very tired and sluggish
    frequent headaches
    frequent stomachaches
    chronic pain
    http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/older-adults-depression-and-suicide-facts-fact-sheet/index.shtml

  298. panos skoulidas

    Elderly people have a higher risk of completed suicide than any other age group worldwide. Despite this, suicide in elderly people receives relatively little attention, with public health measures, medical research, and media attention focusing on younger age groups.

    http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/329/7471/895

    u see, civi..wishes and good intentions and blah blah dont really help…accepting the truth , seeing the real problem is a step to prevention and help..”suicide in elderly people receives relatively little attention”…

  300. a civilian-mass audience

    … older people are better at controlling their emotions than younger people. Or it might have something to do with nostalgia, the idea that older people remember fewer negative memories and so are happier…

  301. a civilian-mass audience

    … older people might focus less on what they have or have not achieved, and more on how to get the most out of the rest of their lives…

  302. a civilian-mass audience

    “…wishes and good intentions and blah blah dont really help…accepting the truth , seeing the real problem is a step to prevention and help..”

    suicide in elderly people receives relatively little attention”…
    PANOS…an that be your calling???…just a suggestion…
    …when you have time…take some other BURNIANS and come to find me …
    I am safe and blind somewhere…lost in Grecolandia

    it’s night…my chickens are waiting…Eleonora, Agathoklis…Athena,…more ladies…
    LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

  303. eva

    Panos, I don’t know, I mean I have no statistics at hand, nor studies or such, but my guess is that America is not Greece is not Korea is not Ghana is not Peru is not NZ etc. .. ‘sides that, Civi has to wait for a looooong looong time.. s/he knows why, deal is deal :)

  304. Brian Frank

    Way off topic here:

    Anyone know which format buying music give the greatest amount to the musicians? iTunes? Physical CD? Amazon music?

  305. panos skoulidas

    Ahh Eva.. I know (and I’m sure Akaky will agree with me) I’m a pessimist..
    That’s why unfounded over optimism gets on my nerves.. The only thing you can achieve by telling people “everything is Fine, stay in your couch” is numb them and isolate them.. I know that very well.. my mother and my family does that systematically…ahh life sucks..

  306. Sidney Atkins

    Today is Bob Black’s birthday??? The same as one of my ex-wives… this helps explain a lot…

  307. a civilian-mass audience

    yeap…I get your point PANOS…
    …unfounded over optimism…
    you are a real ZORBAS…a photophilosopher
    you are “build” with a “night” vision
    but I am a civilian…a mass…
    I am hiding behind my naive optimism …
    cause the governments took away my money
    the families took away my pride
    the husbands and wives took away my innocence
    the so called friends took away my dreams
    …………..
    and here I am …I found an open window…
    I saw some light and I jumped in
    I am safe and blind
    nobody can take away my optimism …and my chickens…:)))

    P.S Back to the trees and dreams…

  308. a civilian-mass audience

    welcome back SIDNEY…you have been missed…

    AKAKY…305 …just for the record…

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE!!!

  309. panos skoulidas

    Hey kids, time to cheer up here some fun quotes to entertain all the optimists (and not so) out there:

    “The thought of suicide is a powerful solace: by means of it one gets through many a bad night”
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    “I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you”
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    “You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    have done that,” says my memory. “I cannot have done that” — says my pride, and remains adamant. At last — memory yields.”
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    “The real reason for not committing suicide is because you always know how swell life gets again after the hell is over”
    Ernest Hemingway

    “Suicide is man’s way of telling God, “You can’t fire me – I quit.””
    Bill Maher

    “Suicide is the punctuation mark at the end of many artistic careers”
    Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

  310. panos skoulidas

    Ahhh…those Ancient Greeks again…

    From time immemorial, suicidal feelings and hopelessness have been considered part of ageing and understandable in the context of being elderly and having physical disabilities. The Ancient Greeks tolerated these attitudes in the extreme and gave elderly people the option of assisted suicide if they could plead convincingly that they had no useful role in society.

  312. panos skoulidas

    …the “inspiration” came from an article i read yesterday about the recent economic crisis in greece and the rise of suicide attempts .The only way to figure this out is to simply wait..Some speculate the rise of drug use which makes sense but higher suicide rates? i have no idea..we will see…The article is not translated so i cant share it but it compares the new situation in greece (IMF recent loan) with the Great Depression of the 30ies…When desperate people used to jump out of buildings because they couldnt repay their debts..
    (some facts about the Great Depression below):
    http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/great-depression.htm

  314. panos skoulidas

    BREAKING NEWS…..CONGRATULATIONS LANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    EXHIBITION
    Lance Rosenfield “Thirst for Grit”
    May 25-July 3 @ L. Nowlin Gallery
    Opening Reception June 5th, 6-8pm
    First Thursdays: June 3rd & July 1st, 6-8pm
    Preview Show

    “I have traveled many hot and dusty miles crisscrossing this oft-lonely expanse, following
    the itinerant ways of these men who live a life of legend and little. They share a special
    bond, a camaraderie with one another that seems to center on respect, loyalty and
    toughness.” – Lance Rosenfield

    L. Nowlin Gallery // 1202 w. 6th st. Austin, TX 78703 // 512.626.9301 // http://www.lnowlingallery.com

  318. panos skoulidas

    BREAKING NEWS ONCE AGAIN:

    Jean-Luc Godard cancels his much anticipated appearance to Cannes following problems of “Greek type”.
    He said:

    “I will go until death with the Festival but I will not be taking a single step further. Following Greek type problems, I cannot be the person you require.”

    In an interview he also said, “When Greece is in crisis, I do not go to festivities”

    “Greece is burning and Cannes is in its own planet”. This is the deeper meaning in the brief statement published in yesterday’s «Liberation».

    The newspaper’s art editorial is illustrative and hard. Some wrote that Godard refuses to squeeze between Ferraris, sunburned bimbos and guys who smoke cigars. He refuses to become the showcase of this festival!

    In another interview in the magazine «Les Inrockuptibles” he said: “Philosophy, Democracy, tragedy. All emerged from Greece. Do you forget what is the relationship between Philosophy and Tragedy? Without Sophocles there would be no Pericles. Without Pericles there would be no Sophocles.”

    Just for the record, Sophocles wrote “Antigone”, THE PLAY.

    You do not need any special scenic set, no background, no fancy or special clothes, no makeup, just good actors.

    The play talks straight to the heart..

    Godard has also said: “Cinema is not necessarily to be found in films.”

    That reminds me of Charles Baudelaire. Very few people know it but Baudelaire was the poet prophet of the cinema:

    “We want to travel without steam or sail.

    Propel your memories with their window horizon,

    Illuminating the boredom of our prisons

    Across the taut screen of our minds”

    But all this has nothing to do with show business and Cannes Festival..maybe this is why I do not like spectacles and why Godard refuses to “go further”…

    (yes mr. Godard, exactly..thank you…The whole world owes grrece trillions in copyrights but instead they send greece to the lions (IMF)…
    Once again shame on all european governments …

  319. panos skoulidas

    he he..i didnt open the Pandoras box Imants..;) GODARD did…and he is French you know..

    “Due to problems the Greeks would be familiar with, I unfortunately cannot be at your disposal in Cannes,” Godard said, in a statement in French newspaper Liberation today (as translated from French by indieWIRE). “I’d walk to the ends of the earth for the festival,” he added, “But alas I will not be taking a single step further. Sincerely, Jean-Luc Godard.”

    In its original French, the statement read: “Suite à des problèmes de type Grec, je ne pourrai être votre obligé à Cannes.“Avec le festival, j’irai jusqu’à la mort, mais je ne ferai pas un pas de plus. Amicalement. Jean-Luc Godard.”

    Godard’s latest, “Film Socialisme,” is a 100-minute experimental assemblage of video images, sounds and text, following a loose narrative and incorporating archival footage that begins on a cruise ship. While rocker Patti Smith, strumming a guitar, makes a cameo appearance in part one of the three part movie, the film primarily follows on a group of young people who are armed with a camera and incorporates separate imagery from six locations, including Egypt, Palestine, Odessa, Hellas, Naples and Barcelona.
    A four-minute teaser trailer for the film features fast forwarded footage from the film, giving viewers a sense of what to expect. “Film Socialisme” is also being made available via VOD here in France this week concurrent with the movie’s debut at the festival.

  320. panos skoulidas

    Jean-Luc Godard’s latest and maybe LAST film “Socialism”

    To add fuel to the fire, the English subtitles of “Film Socialism” do not perform their normal duties: Rather than translating the dialogue, they’re works of art in themselves, truncating or abstracting what’s spoken onscreen into the helmer’s infamous word assemblies (for example, “Do you want my opinion?” becomes “Aids Tools,” while a discussion about history and race is transformed into “German Jew Black”).

  321. Imants

    Poor bloody “Grieks”…….. lets create a tragedy, hey it worked last time the whole world loved us because we are the cultural heritage………… not this time buddy you guys are full of shit!!! ……………like the messages our Greek community gets here from the relatives in Greece: help us we are poor give us your money!!!!!!!!

  322. bob black

    CIVI :)))))

    “The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.”–Thich Nhat Hanh:

    BROTHER PANOS ! :))))))))

    i saw that today….my bud Jean-Luc! :))))))…he got that right! :)))))

    “To be or not to be. That’s not really a question.”-Jean-Luc Godard

    SIDNeY! :)))

    ok, ok, ok, le’t be honest for once, it’s Burn, already:

    I AM your ex-wife ;))))))))))))))))))

    hugs/love

    running to blow out candles…

    b

    P.S. GO LANCE GO LANCE GO LANCE GO LANCE….will write you tomorrow…no time today!

  323. panos skoulidas

    “The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.”–Thich Nhat Hanh:

    that makes me wanna light another cigarette but smoke it in a more relaxing way this time…hmm, thanks Bob thats good food for thought….:)

  324. panos skoulidas

    help us we are poor give us your money!!!!!!!!
    ——————————————
    ha..u made me laugh…”your money”…go tell this to any bank…you need a $1.2 to buy $1 …
    “your” money, “my” money…Americas money, Chinas money, IMF money…ha ha ..it all belongs to the bank buddy..you wanna think its yours…Its their $$

  325. Imants

    Doesn’t matter people a here are pissed off with the “old Greek tragedy” the difference is that our banks though as spitefull as the rest are not up shit creek without a paddle

  328. Imants

    we don’t retire at 50 odd as you lot did and we work longer hours…….. lazy sods you lot are hmmn, the EU would have been better to dig a ditch around you lot and cast you adrift so you can be in exile with the rest of your ex leaders who have your cash

  330. panos skoulidas

    apply?…ha ..i was about to and then i realized that:

    Sex ratio:

    at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
    under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
    15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
    65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
    total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

    not enough women there..so forget it…im sure u dont need more men over there…;)

  332. Imants

    Don’t worry about that Panos we have a very active gay community here so the stats don’t tell the full story………. we will even offer you a choice.

  338. panos skoulidas

    Brian Frank
    May 18, 2010 at 4:05 pm
    Way off topic here:

    Anyone know which format buying music give the greatest amount to the musicians? iTunes? Physical CD? Amazon music?

    ————————–
    it depends of the deal…for big label guys=CD

  342. Herve

    “Suicide is man’s way of telling God, “You can’t fire me – I quit.””
    Bill Maher

    Funny, yesterday I read this one:

    “Suicide is the most beautiful gift God gave man.” – Pliny the Elder.

    Go figure……

  343. Herve

    HERVE: I believe you are misinformed
    ————————

    Jenny, It’ s just a matter of following the chronology of events and communiques from both sides as they happened.

    Also, the thai govnmt always stayed vague on who were the terrorists, never heard at least that they said Red shirts had to be the terrorists. It’s a mainstay of thai politics, talk, talk, but without precisely pointing fingers or naming people, so you can retract yourself, and form new alliances between old enemies.

    By the way, does anyone know which party/government in Thailand has US-backing or which government in Thailand is favoured by the current US administration?
    —————————————
    Makes no difference. Thailand, whatever the govnmt, is always a close strategic ally of the States.

    Are you aware of how media control has grown under this government – everybody knows this
    —————————————–
    you must be kidding, Jenny. It’s only 2 or 3 weeks ago, that the red TV channel was taken off the air (emergency decree, not policy). For 2 months, I heard the night guard in my condo listen all night long to the Reds speeches in BKK. Some “personalities” eventually had their internet sites blccked (Seh Daeng, Thaksin), but they are not “the media”.

    One of the main grievances against Thaksin (there were huge demonstrations against him in 2006. I was there, it was not just society ladies with 2000$ GUCCI bags, and fair-skinned middle-class thais) was his autocratic style, especially in matter of media control. Let’s agree It’s a dead-head between the 2 sides on that matter.

    Link on the Queen’s guard. My recollection was indeed vague, but still not “under” the Queen, no more than the KING’s entertainment complexes in Patpong are managed by the King of Thailand :-). Just a regalian label for both, with a little more honor to the Guard!

    http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/36352/queen-guard-shocked-over-april-10-attacks

  344. Herve

    there are many people studying Thai politics who, based on years of study, will tell you that the whole subject is incredibly complex
    ———————————

    In that case, let’s stop saying it’s about poor farmers against rich elite. Glad you came on my side finally, Jenny ;-).

  346. a civilian-mass audience

    …LAURA …bad Italian translation…
    Nope…he can’t be dead… I am sending some energy …out there
    I am an optimist after all…

    “BANGKOK – An Italian photographer was killed to Bangkok during the military campaign that led to the revenue of the red shirts. Fabio Polenghi 1, free throws, 45 years, was hit to the thorax and to the abdomen while it is found in the zone of Saladeng, about a kilometer from the center of the field of the opponents. To identify it was it a friend, from the images transmitted from the tv: in our short film compatriot came transported in hospital, put on a bulletproof jacket and a helmet that to a certain point was removed him and to this point the woman recognized it. The friend told that Polenghi had arrived in Thailand three months does, for account of an European magazine, and that in this make sentences three times from the Country for work was gone out. It had spoken him last night: “It told me that he was well and that he was all ok”, it added. Polenghi was single and lived in Milan.”

  347. a civilian-mass audience

    BRANO,BRAVO LANCE !!!

    and GLENN…I want to walk on DIAMANTINA road…
    I can smell it…:)))

    “The comic and the tragic lie inseparably close, like light and shadow.”
    Socrates (Ancient Greek Philosopher, 470 BC-399 BC)
    IMANTS…you are a young soul…BUT …you like it or not…in the end we are all the same…
    full of sheets:)))

    EVA…deal is deal…I can wait my BURN LADY

    BOBBY BLACK thank you for all your support…
    OXEN of the SUN…may HELIOS…be with you in your journey…

    Come on BURNIANS…what are you shooting…!!!???

  349. Laura Montanari

    Thank’s for the translation Civi.
    There were no News in english, when I wrote. I never use automatic translator (may be I should do it).
    I’m afraid it’s confirmed. There is a video of the other photographers helping him

  353. panos skoulidas

    DO NOT OPEN PHOTO IF WEAK STOMACH…

    BANGKOK, THAILAND – MAY 19: (EDITORS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT) Thai security forces attempt to help a Thai soldier hit by a grenade on May 19, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. At least 5 people are reported to have died as government forces attempted to overrun barricades raised in and around the city centre by anti-government protestors. Red-shirt leaders have now surrendered, ending their blockade following a sixth day of violence, leaving the army in control and a night time curfew to be imposed.

    http://www.daylife.com/photo/0c3r5GnbmV2Bk?q=bangkok

  354. panos skoulidas

    Among the #Bangkok casualties today: Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi (killed), Dutch freelancer Michael Maas & Thai photog (wounded).
    about 1 hour ago via Power Twitter

  355. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS, you might be right…after all …
    for how long can someone …stay safe and blind…hmmm…

    I am going out to regroup…

    P.S THOMAS, get out of Athens…the soonest…tomorrow, there will be no center of the city…
    another big strike…oime…

  356. panos skoulidas

    Interview with Martin Parr – Conducted by Maarten Dings and Joachim Naudts, members of RE: for Extra, the magazine of the Fotomuseum of Antwerp, Belgium

    By Maarten Dings and Joachim Naudts

    On the 25th of October of last year, Magnum photographer Martin Parr was a guest at the Profiles event at the Antwerp FotoMuseum. He gave a reading and participated afterwards in a roundtable on the ‘Photographic Magazine as Medium.’ FotoMuseum extra Magazine had the chance to talk to him earlier that day.

    Just like his work as a photographer, Parr’s work as a curator and editor stands out thanks to his unconventional take on the medium. He cultivates his role as an outsider but does not shy away from commercial interests. In 2005 for instance, he made a series of photos for Sony Ericsson with the camera function of a cell phone, while recently surprising friend and foe by acting as a judge on Picture This, a show in search of photographic talent on British commercial tv station Channel 4.

    As a photographer, Martin Parr is more than happy to keep his distance from the pompous, academic approach to photography. But whereas his own visual work is quite often tongue in cheek, he provides a much more nuanced perspective as curator and editor. Martin Parr seems to be on a mission. He puts all his weight behind photography in general by making it more accessible to a wider public. According to Parr, it is in this light that his participation in Idols for Photographers should be viewed. He gave in because he maintains that “the photographer’s art isn’t valued in Britain in the same way it is abroad.” In Parr’s own words, photography should crawl out of its ghetto and explore the limits of the medium.

    Extra: As a documentary photographer, you don’t seem reluctant to get involved in the commercial scene.

    Martin Parr: No, not at all, photography is a commercial activity. Even high art photography wants to be commercial, because everyone wants to sell prints. I mean, the wealthiest photographer in the world is probably no longer fashion photographer Steven Meisel, but Andreas Gursky, who is at the top end of the art market. So it is interesting that the art market, financially often regarded as the poor cousin of commerce, is now way ahead of the commercial fashion industry. You can ask any photographer what he or she wants and they’ll probably answer: I want to do my own work, I want to sell my work as prints. Ultimately that is a commercial goal. So we’ll never be far away from the notion of commerce.

    Extra: But don’t you think you can react to this dominance of the economic in the arts by rejecting it?

    Martin Parr: I don’t see why you would want to reject it. Commerce makes things happen. One doesn’t want to be in the publicly subsidized ghetto, speaking to one percent of the population. Photography has the ability to be democratic, promiscuous and easy to digest. If you get out of the ghetto you have to get involved with the commercial end. With fashion people, advertising, posters, billboards. These are of course also ghettos. It’s just a bigger ghetto. You could say that visual culture is a ghetto, but that we’re surrounded by it. If you live in the western world nobody is exempt from that. Whether it’s advertising or family snapshots, we are surrounded by images. Everyone is a photographer now, remember. That’s the great thing about photography. Its audience should be growing all the time and as soon as people start using photography, why not apply some intelligence to it.

    Extra: A lot of these ‘image flows’ are clichés or, a word you often use, propaganda. Can you explain what you mean by that?

    Martin Parr: Most of the images we see are a form of propaganda because they have an agenda. Although all photography has an agenda, photography in the advertising and commercial world in particular is only good for selling an image. Or in case of a family snapshot, it is to sell the notion of the perfect family. I am not saying that independent photographers don’t have an agenda, because they certainly do: you can send two photographers to the same city and they would come up with entirely different pictures. One a very positive, one a very negative.

    Extra: So do you think it’s important that independent photographers go through this fashion or advertising area, because it could give them a different point of view?

    Martin Parr: No, I am not telling people what to do. But when I look around I feel it is all too safe and predictable. And part of the fun and enjoyment of photography is the ability to push ideas and boundaries. Most people are quite comfortable in their little niche, and do not play with boundaries. Good for them, but I think a photographic community should have more ambition. It’s our job, if you like, to make photography more accessible and to expand the audience. And the audience is there. Photo sharing sites on the Internet for instance have millions of subscribers who want to approach photography differently. Flickr is only two or three years old and, in the uk, two million people have subscribed and are discussing their work in an intelligent way. That’s quite an achievement. So, the potential audience – I don’t know how big Flickr is in Belgium for instance – is huge. What’s more, nowadays everyone has a camera on their phone, so everyone is a photographer. That is why photography is in such a healthy state, because more and more people are joining in and are becoming fascinated with photography.

    Extra: Do you consider these changes in photography today as the beginning of a new medium?

    Martin Parr: No, it’s all the same. Photography’s central role is to be the absolute medium of the day. It is fantastic that there is no longer any technical intimidation. When I first started learning how to take photographs, you had to spend the first six months figuring out what an f-stop was. Now you just go and take pictures. Nobody thinks about technical issues anymore because cameras or camera phones take care of that automatically. On the other hand, you still have the option of controlling every technical aspect. It’s the most accessible, democratic medium available in the world. This has to be celebrated, and we must continually remind photographers of this.

    Extra: Speaking of digitalization, behind the backdrop of the Internet and the way photography is currently undergoing such profound changes, it struck me that, at a time when the image is becoming increasingly nonmaterial, you focus on the photo book, i.e. the photo in its printed form. Is that a kind of reaction to this new, immaterial character of photography?

    Martin Parr: No, they are only slightly separate as today everyone can print a book with the help of new technologies. It is truly amazing: for forty Euros you can send your pictures to a company and they’ll send you back a book. Isn’t that fantastic? I love and collect photo books and I’ve been trying to compose their history, because their position has always been somewhat underrepresented in the history of photography while I think they are essential to its contemporary practice. With The Photobook: A History, I tried to redress that and I think the book succeeded to a certain extent. Although there are more books published now than ever before, the problem is that they tend to stay inside this photo ghetto. It is possible yet extremely difficult to find books that have a wider appeal, so in that regard it is very encouraging to see that Stephan Vanfleteren’s book Belgium has gained a wider audience. He has touched a nerve, and although he presents a very nostalgic view of Belgium that I don’t particularly like, it is great to see that his book is able to draw a crowd. I applaud him for making photography more accessible and it are these rare moments of triumph that show you that photography books need not indulge in high art. There is a slight contradiction in what I am saying here. I’m asking photography to get out of its ghetto, but at the same time I’m professing my love for the photo book, which is entrenched in that ghetto. But I am very happy to be a hypocrite (laughs).

    Extra: Which photo books do you consider to be your personal favourites then?

    Martin Parr: I would like to mention two books. To my mind, the most influential and radical photo book published in the last century was William Klein’s New York. Unlike Robert Frank’s equally influential The Americans, Klein succeeded in changing the way photographers created books. His radical approach to design, his ability to capture energy and dynamism in his photography, all the effects of his work rippled across the world; you could see it in Argentina, in Portugal, all the way to Japan. During the sixties and seventies, while Europe stuck to the conventions of the photo book – with two white pages and a picture on the right, such a hallow, respectfully beautiful format – Japan was throwing out those rules. Japanese photographers adopted Klein’s spirit and used it to change the way of presenting books entirely. Daido Moriyama’s Bye Bye Photography for example was as radical as Klein’s New York because he tried to tear up the rules of conventional photography. He threw away his negatives, he scratched them and made this energetic book, which took Klein’s idea one step further. So Bye Bye Photography is probably my favourite photo book. But we should always keep in mind how radical Klein’s book was in 1956, and how radical it still is today. It forever changed the way photographers make books.

    Extra: There is another way in which you seem to turn to the past. You have worked with image archives, like the Lotz ghetto album or the Ed van der Elsken archive, found images and traditional genres like the self-portrait in commercial studios. In other words, in this digital era you are focusing on the photographic tradition and its specificity.

    Martin Parr: I always look back to work from the past because I feel its contributions have been overlooked. By virtue of this platform I have, I feel it’s my duty to help promote neglected bodies of work. The history of photography is very subjective, and it is also, if you look at Beaumont Newhall for instance, very rigid. It just needs a bit of lightening up because certain people had a very narrow view on what photography should be. Today, we all acknowledge the contribution of things like vernacular photography which has become mainstream over the past twenty years. Previously, just like with colour photography for instance, it had just been sidelined. So we constantly have to reinvent and revise the past because there is no such thing as a ‘true’ history of photography. So when looking back at the past, I am just taking part in that ongoing process. Of course, my fascination with the past has as much to do with promoting upcoming photographers.

    Common Sense/Benidorm (price tag), 1997

    Extra: Do you think that your different positions in the field enrich each other?

    Martin Parr: Yes, they feed off each other. It used to anger me that a lot of photography curators are so lazy, and just wait for things to be handed out on a plate: they hardly travel, they aren’t restless, they aren’t on the lookout for the new. Then it struck me: why not curate myself? That’s how I started. Like all the other projects I’ve done I just think: well, if I don’t do it, no one will. The same holds for curating: I have to do it, because if I don’t, things will not get a platform or receive the oxygen they need.

    Extra: So you see curating also as a way of communicating?

    Martin Parr: Yes, it’s like filling a gap. You look at what’s going on and you suddenly realize it is insane that this or that has received no attention. For example, I did a show this summer called Colour Before Color for a New York gallery, with ‘colour,’ in the British, hence European spelling, and ‘color,’ reflecting the us spelling. The exhibition examined European colour practice during the seventies, which had been largely ignored. The history of photography always taught us that American photographers such as William Eggleston, Stephen Shore and their generation pioneered colour photography. So my theory was simply to look at things in Europe and to focus on six European photographers who were also working in colour during the seventies. But because they worked in isolation and had no institutional support, they were largely ignored. So I formulated a counter argument to what is now accepted as received truth.

    Of course I am not trivializing the developments in America during the seventies with the MOMA show and William Eggleston’s efforts, but this is not the full story. It’s much more complicated than that. So part of my idea behind this is to single out anomalies and make a small contribution in correcting them.

    Extra: You will also be curating a show at the New York Photo Festival. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

    Martin Parr: The exhibition is entitled New Typologies. The working title was ConDoc, which stands for ‘Conceptual Documentary.’ To me, it seems to be one of the emerging genres. Some of it is typology, some is not. We live in a chaotic world and the rigour of the analysis that conceptual documentary brings can help make sense of the chaos of the modern world.

    Extra: Like Hilla and Bernd Becher’s work for example?

    Martin Parr: Yes, of course. They have been very influential in steering European photography more towards this dry way of looking, which seems entirely appropriate.
    So we have to give them credit for starting out on this path.

    Extra: Lately you’ve been travelling to Latin America. Judging from your Magnum blog, you seem very enthusiastic about photography over there. Why is that?

    Martin Parr: I actually just came back from the Latin American Photo Forum where I saw lots of books and magazines. Surprisingly, a country like Brazil has a very healthy publishing program since there is this law stipulating that companies must reserve five percent of their profits to endorse cultural projects. This money mostly goes towards the publication of books, but the downside is that they tend to incorporate safe images and ideas. If you have a project in black and white focusing on indigenous Brazil, you will have no trouble getting subsidized. However, if you have a more contemporary project, dealing with, let’s say, Saõ Paulo, that would be seen as too controversial. Big corporations tend to avoid such projects, so what you end up with is a publishing policy that it too nostalgic; Brazilian photography books give this impression. The country where things are really happening is Argentina, which has combined a European sensibility with this sort of inherent Latin craziness. There is some very interesting work coming out of Argentina at the moment.

  367. Charles Peterson

    PANOS,

    Heard a cool piece on the radio (NPR) the other day about the rap scene in Haiti and the earthquake. Talking about impromptu parties at street corners amongst the rubble with sound systems set up and people dancing. Also rappers writing new songs about the earthquake and Haiti’s ill fortune (and some of their colleagues dead). Thought of you. I searched the NPR site but couldn’t find it.

    Hope you are well,

    Charles

  378. panos skoulidas

    Martin Parr:

    It is fantastic that there is no longer any technical intimidation. When I first started learning how to take photographs, you had to spend the first six months figuring out what an f-stop was. Now you just go and take pictures. Nobody thinks about technical issues anymore because cameras or camera phones take care of that automatically. On the other hand, you still have the option of controlling every technical aspect. It’s the most accessible, democratic medium available in the world. This has to be celebrated, and we must continually remind photographers of this.
    ————————————————————
    Amazing!..viva Parr

  379. panos skoulidas

    In other words back in the day the “photographer” was the guy that was able to use a camera or do prints in the mysterious intimidating dark room…
    Now the “photographer” is that guy thay can produce Great pictures…without having an alchemists or chemists licence…

  382. panos skoulidas

    Sorry to interrupt but please see this (it is in French, but i hope that most here speak many languages)
    PLEASE WATCH IT and take notice…very very important
    thank you

  384. michael webster

    So you’re suggesting Greece doesn’t need to spend 10’s of billions of Euros to protect itself from foreign invaders? Do you know nothing of history. The Mongols could be sweeping across the steppes any day now. They’ve done it before. What’s to guarantee they won’t do it again? Submarines, that’s what.

  385. michael webster

    And you know, it’s the same here. The U.S. spends more money on defense than the rest of the world combined, yet we’re still not safe. As long as there is a scenario, no matter how farfetched, we can never spend too much for weapons and armies. Greece, for example, once ruled the ancient world with brutal expansionism. How can we spend money on trifles such as health care, education and infrastructure when there might be another Alexander the Great plotting our demise from the deepest reaches of Macedonia?

  386. michael webster

    Just sayin. BTW, did you see my Laboratories slideshow? It’s kind of a joke, but not entirely. What’s wrong with a little optimism in the world some day? It’s not all dead guys in the streets around here. Sometimes the dead are still breathing.

  391. john gladdy

    Distant memories of cuba. Must go back some day and do it properly.
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-8a4e80742ca0226cc419acb51f61b99f-original.jpg
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-b35634accc12f75780fa1f5f77abd040-original.jpg
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-89c4fd09c8c3c268c7476b5b6a580c5c-original.jpg
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-dce00e4ef14e338c5d90db78c5497730-original.jpg
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-b6c22203761b922f562ed0de1834e544-original.jpg
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-55987de39a54ae0de78e844822c4d702-original.jpg
    http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/john01-c342dec5b8061cb03305ab510ab902ab-original.jpg

  392. a civilian-mass audience

    the R-EVOLUTION has started …

    “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on and individual level. It’s got to happen inside first. You can take away a man’s political freedom and you won’t hurt him- unless you take away his freedom to feel. That can destroy him. That kind of freedom can’t be granted. Nobody can win it for you.”

    Jim Morrison

    PANO…let’s keep rolling…

  395. jenny lynn walker

    CHARLESb: I’d so love to see that in photographs – the rap scene in Haiti amongst the rubble. Triumph over adversity!!!

    MICHAELw: There are enemies everywhere you look when you’re intent on controlling the world and when you’re used to seeing enemies everywhere, no doubt you start inventing them as well – plus a large military machine helps keep people employed (and dying if you’re on the receiving end of it).

  396. panos skoulidas

    So you’re suggesting Greece doesn’t need to spend 10’s of billions of Euros to protect itself from foreign invaders?
    —————————
    :)..he he..you are correct on this one..the paradox is that the european union pretends it is “united” but they dont guarantee their very own borders..in other words greek borders is greece’s problem to guard..Imagine if washington only sells weapons to california and texas telling them its their problem the security of the borders…Germany and France sell super expensive weapons to greece, they profit and then complain why the country gets bankrupt…80000 refugees from africa, afghanistan etc arrive in greece yearly but europe just watches..and sell..sell..sell…not very considerate or “united” europe im afraid…If they want a real, strong United States of Europe then they also responsible for protecting the borders not just the unlucky one that happened(geographically) to be located at the gate of asia and africa..
    arghh..games, games, games…

  397. michael webster

    In the midst of a continuing “arms race” Michael. What hope is there?

    You’re asking me? I don’t know. My modus operandi has been to recognize and enjoy the great fortune of having been born in this time and place, hopefully do well by my family, and at worst do as little harm as possible to others. I greatly admire people those who take so much more responsibility, but alas, I am not one of them. When it goes beyond helping an individual right in front of me, I’m afraid it takes more hope than I can muster.

    Yes Gordon, Canada’s a great place, or I should say full of great places. The dead guy in the street thing kinda turned into a metaphor over the past week or so (I doubt I see more than one or two a week, and normally they’re still breathing). I see such extremes of happiness and misery in my daily life, and it’s often hard to tell, say by a photograph, who is experiencing which. It can be a bit disconcerting. Then reading Charles Bowden on top of that and following this whole Thailand/Greece thread, and being at least somewhat aware of what’s happening politically, what’s not to find black humor in?

  398. paultreacy.com

    People, listen up. LISTEN UP!

    I just received my copy of Anton’s 893 MAGAZINE and it’s sumptuously delicious and totally groovy. The dude is really making some stunning work and this magazine is a masterstroke.

    I strongly urge everyone to get a copy. It’ll enhance your library no end.

    Done.

  400. Herve

    As bad as the whole arm shenanigan looks, Panos, Greece is not bankrupt because it is buying arms.

    And as long as France sells arms, it will not get bankrupt! :-)))

    Arghhhh….

    COHN-BENDIT 2012. DANNY LE ROUGE FOR PRESIDENT! (uh, let me think….)

    :-))))

  401. anton

    PAUL!
     
     
     
     
    thanks for the words mate…. Thouroughly glad you like it!!!
     
     
     
    In Kabukicho now, the red light district in central Tokyo, middle of the night… In a little “weekly mansion” tiny room now, will be shooting here for a solid week… I’ll fear I’ll be wreck very quickly as shoots typically start at 1am and last to 6-7 am… and now I’m attempting to try this for a full week straight… why do I always make these impossible plans??? :-)
     
     
     
    wish me luck…
     
     
     
    Cheers,
    anton

  402. Herve

    Anton, in such a week, or one day as you describe actually, can you tell us how many pictures you take, roughly?

  403. Valery Rizzo

    Anton

    Your magazine looks great! what a nice way of promoting a project your working on. I love the way you shoot in low light. nice job, good luck.

    Valery

  404. anton

    hey Herve!

    it kind of depends on the moment, but of course you know…. I had 2,5 weeks go by with heavy negotiations and literally only 100 exposures and none of them satisfactory.

    But today was my first fruitful day and I did I think 360 exposures in a timeframe of a 5 hour shoot (the monthly meeting of the family, and surroundings). I think i have probably one keeper in that batch. in those 5 hours I “worked the scene” in about 5 scenes that happened before me (if memory serves me right), and then a dozen or so loose moments. I think usually I average a bit more exposures when further on.

    During working and shooting I take extreme care of the “social side”, interacting as much as possible with all the relevant people in as much as possible the right way, reading and keeping track of body language of several people at once, and trying to be in the right places on the street and in the rooms…. and at the same time laying foundations or making handshake appointments for future shoots, trying to confirm, or at minimum not to jeopardize, all the hard work my brother (and our fixer) does behind the scenes continuously tirelessly negotiating access into deeper and deeper, making as much as possible sure there will in fact be a next time.

    I find especially this last thing an extremely hard thing to do, because i have to do it while shooting, and after a day of shooting is done I literally crash physically and mentally with a bad headache. every time again.

    Obviously I wish I had a higher ratio… Or that I even could shoot simple more exposures… but I’m learning to accept this one I guess… and I work hard on my technical skills, to at least eliminate that as a possible factor as well… even though I feel I still have a long way to go gaining complete control over my camera/lens, feeling that I’m very slowly gaining control over my vision, is what makes me get up in the morning: it’s the most amazing thing to, through hard work, be given the opportunity “to carve my way” visually, develop further and hopefully grow to a higher level…

    2.20am here… need rest… weary head… hope I’ve answered your question…

    cheers
    a

  405. Preston Merchant

    MICHAEL Re your quote, “Greece, for example, once ruled the ancient world with brutal expansionism” —

    There is an excellent book, recently published, called “Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy,” in which John R. Hale chronicles the Athenians’ decision in 483 BC to build a people’s navy — with all ranks of society pulling oars in a vast fleet of triremes — to spread democracy throughout the known world as a bulwark against Persian conquest. At the time, democracy was a radical idea. The notion that people other than noble families and soldiers should determine how they are governed was a dangerous concept, and having individual rights as citizens or allies of Athens turned power structures upside down.

    Athens had unparalleled success as the dominant military and politically progressive force on the plant, creating a Golden Age of art, poetry, architecture, sculpture, drama, historical scholarship, philosophy, and theory of government. But democracy gave way to oligarchy, which ceded to tyranny, and Athens was sacked by Sparta. Of course, Athens fought continual wars during its very brief (only 40 years or so) Golden Age.

    But the question here is the relationship between democracy and militarism (which is different from expansion or conquest).

  406. Herve

    So telling: hundreds of PJs in Bangkok, hundreds of twits, opinions, reports, millions of pictures, and not one essay, not one picture either of the region from where Red Shirts came from, and life in the villages.

    Reds! it’s not just the Bangkok elites who do not care about you, it’s the whole freaking world!

    I am no PJ, but I will concoct something (remember, no talent for photography, only for life) and BURN will be, again, the only place, where you saw it!

    Give me 48 hours. still on thai time here!!!!

    PS:I promise there will be no pictures of smiling children…. :-)

  407. anton

    Hey Valery,

    Was just heading off to bed when I saw your comment… thanks! Glad you like the magazine…

    cheers,a

  409. david alan harvey

    HERVE…

    good…do it..remember, you do not have to have pictures of EVERYTHING….nor feel that you have to tell the WHOLE story…simply A story…..this could be very very interesting if you can do this…and remember now you will also receive a bit of compensation from Burn if it works out well….6-10 pictures would be more than enough…or even one really powerful….let’s see what you can do with these important developments in Thailand…your territory…

    cheers, david

  411. Herve

    David, thanks for the good words, I appreciate the encouragement from you, and I sure don’t have pictures of everything, it will only be…. Something! :-)))

  413. kurtlengfield

    After reading Herve’s review of Anton’s 893 magazine just imagine my excitement when I had a Lulu package waiting for me at home. Herve as well as you described this, you still did not do it justice. This magazine is simply amazing it has a feel and a tone that flows throughout the book. Burnians we need to come together and support Anton on this project. Everyone needs to purchase this magazine for your library, trust me you wont be disappointed and I truly think the 893 in the title is what it will be worth in a few short years. Folks this as close as we are likely to come to flashing back to 1966 and getting a copy of “tell it like it is” by some young up and coming photographer.

  414. Herve

    After reading Herve’s review of Anton’s 893 magazine
    ——————————
    ?!?!?….. I’d like to read it too, where can I find it? :-)))

  415. Herve

    Panos, I hope you have a good one, here’s my virtual gift to you, my friend. It did not happen this time, but still waiting for you…. in Thailand! ;-)

  417. Herve

    No need to apologize, Kurt. I have opened you site, enjoying the slideshows. Just watched Barbershop blues and County Fair,..

  418. anton

    Kurt

    just woke up to your comment here in Tokyo… sun shining bright, time for a good coffee and getting some work done.

    thanks…

    a

  419. kurtlengfield

    Herve, thanks, One of the joys about burn is we not only get to read the comments, we can usually just click on a name and get a look at where someones photography is coming from. It is the very first thing I do when viewing someones work or if their comet sparks my interest. By the way I have been following your work since Road Trips.

  420. Haik

    Folks –
    Burn is being spam attacked. Not a big deal (read “do not panic”) on its own but I am forced to deleting all messages that are in the moderation queue in bulk. I can’t imagine me going through all 300+ to fish out the real ones.

    Please forgive if your comment in moderation disappears.

    Cheers,
    Haik

  423. Herve

    You did more than answer my question, Anton, thanks for expanding on all the work that happens just to get the situation right (in all aspects) and yet having to master the technical side for that elusive shot.

    On my side, and the little self-assignment I gave myself (where do the Red Shirts of Thailand come from?), this is worse than I thought! Most of what I have is rather DOA as photography goes, still I will go ahead and “concoct”, just as planned.

  426. david alan harvey

    KURT…

    very well put and true…Anton’s 893 will be the first in a series of a Burn endorsed or published gallery of books…others will follow….i remember Gene Richards saying years ago that all photographers should buy each others books…good idea…if i am going to go broke it will be by overspending on books by great photographers….just bought 893….richer for it…

    cheers, david

  427. Ross Nolly

    David; Ironically; I just had a splurge and a Eugene Richards book was in my letterbox today! Only the small Phaidon one though, amazing work!

  428. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY PANOS !!!

    The Beautifull Cheyenne Tribe…for you …just to remember your roadtrips…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0SG-e1vw9E&feature=related
    I know you are American BUT you are Greek too…
    therefore:

    Να ζησεις να τα εκατοστησεις
    με μια καμερα στο χερι
    να γλεντας και να τα πινεις
    και τον κοσμο να γυριζεις
    την αληθεια να μυριζεις
    και στο BURN να μας τα δειχνεις
    μην αλλαξεις, μην λυγισεις
    την αληθεια να μας δειξεις…
    αχ, κουραστηκα, βρε πια,
    λογια να βρω γιορτινα…
    μπλα,μπλα,μπλα
    αντε VIVA μαλακα
    και στα δικα μας !!!

    P.S I just wished him Happy Birthay …etcetera,etcetera…

  429. a civilian-mass audience

    MR.HARVEY.
    you shouldn’t say malaka…apapa,apapa…
    I will explain …when I see you…I hope not very soon…you better avoid traveling East…
    BUT what do I know …I am just a civilian…:)))

    ΗΑΙΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ…
    all this time…VIVA !!!

    MICHAELKKKKKKKKK….
    where have you beennnnnnnnnn!!!

    THOMAS…come on… sing…we can start the party…

    I am the happiest civilian…hmmm…not,yet…KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…
    oime…where are you BURNIANSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS…???

    P.S extremely busy days for me…hiiiii…I know …Greeks work too:)))

    I LOVE YOU ALLLLL…I will be back …with baklava and tourta

  431. david alan harvey

    CIVILIAN…

    ok, i will not use that word again…my apology…Panos himself taught me that word as an expression of some kind of friendship and using it often with me, but i must admit i did not know what it meant exactly…i am now assuming some kind of vulgarity that is often used in many languages among friends (usually male) in spoken dialogue….so sorry…honest mistake….

    cheers, david

  432. stelios

    DAH
    go ahead don’t think Panos will be offended (as long as you don’t use this with anyone)

    Happy Birthday Panos!

  433. Lassal

    Panos,
    the happiest birthday to you!!!
    Hope you had a great time – sorry for being late. Just dropped in.
    :)

    All
    anybody in NY during the 8.-10. of June? Audrey and I will be in town during those days – Audrey will arrive a day earlier even, on the 7th. Anyone in town wants to meet for a nice dinner somewhere – or picknick at the riverside?? or …

    We will be going to the HBC exhibition in the MoMA on either the 9th or 10th. Will get tickets online. Audrey is a good researcher. If anybody wants to join in, drop me a line at info(at)lassal.de and we can get together.
    Hope to meet some of you.

  434. a civilian-mass audience

    oime DAH…there is no honest mistake…

    you got busted…BUT…
    I have to give you credit…
    your humor is inconceivable..

    yes, what not to love…malakes(plural)…:)))

  435. a civilian-mass audience

    the bar has been raised…
    the whole Universe is watching…hiiiii

    what’s on the menu…roasted garlic and sausages…
    ouzo and beer and one gigantic spiff as PETER suggested…

    Keep the party rolling…oime…what’s my name…

  436. Thomas Bregulla

    All,

    I’ll be in Bukarest 15th/16th of June. I’ll arrive on 14th in the afternoon. i.e. I have time to meet 14th in the evening or on the 15th in the evening. Anyone in Bukarest during this time?

  437. Lassal

    Thomas,

    ask Devin and/or Aga.
    Maybe they are there.

    Und hat es mit dem deutschen Treffen jetzt eigentlich noch geklappt, bevor Dominik in die USA ist?
    Wir sind alle ein wenig unkoordiniert, nicht? Lass uns in NY treffen :) Wahrscheinlich klappt das eher. Ich LIEBE Miles&More!

  438. Thomas Bregulla

    Lassal,
    yes I did – thanks. Maybe I’ll meet Davin and Aga there.

    Miles & More .. yes, I’d love it, too – but my employer gets them *sigh*

    New York is currently very far away, my son starts studying this year.

    Deutsches Treffen… ich dachte Dominik ist/war schon in den USA? … Ich glaube, nicht nur mein Bein war gebrochen … sollten wir nochmal angehen… REIMAR? … DOMINIK? ..

  442. Lassal

    Thomas,
    Dominik is still in the US. I assumed you three have met before he left.
    Hope your foot is ok again. No more nails and screws??

  444. Thomas Bregulla

    Lassal,

    screws and metal and stuff gets out in January, approx. I defined the ankle as healed and ignore everything else :) Life has to go on, and preserving or treating with care, did not help. Using as usual has the best development.

    No, unfortunately we did not meet before Dominik left to the US.
    The “German” meeting has to be somewhat later, then. When will you be back?

  447. david alan harvey

    STELIOS…

    i KNOW Panos not offended..or me either…he taught me the word….Panos called me that all the time when we out having a beer or whatever when i was in California…..again, a between friends only word i am sure….in English we have many potentially offensive words that when used in an among friends only casual chat are meant as some kind of verbal symbol of “we are buddies”….when i travel and am unfamiliar with the local language, the first words people want to teach me are always “bad words”…they love to laugh hearing you say them…i think this was the case when Panos taught me the never to be spoken or written again BAD WORD….

    cheers, david

  448. a civilian-mass audience

    THANK YOU PRESTON
    Malaka= usually used as a friendly greeting…
    hiiiiiiiiiiiii…you are all amazing… where is the birthday boy???
    and why everyone is going to NY??? what am I missing???

    Shall I follow MARCIN’S wave??? are we going west or east…???

    No need to reply…I just ate too much…

  449. panos skoulidas

    ALL…
    big fat thank you for b-day burn and facebook wishes …
    this will be very quick coz im dead tired..i wasnt here(home) for the last (a little longer than 2 days and one night)couple days…
    Instead of staying around family and celebrate birthday etc i chose to do something “stupid”…I jumped on a 18 (or 12 wheel truck), followed closely the truck driver and went through some sick shit…
    To be very honest i thought it would be a boring trip…I cant imagine how boring can be to sit in a huge truck for hours, days, months , no healthy sleep, nothing healthy to eat, no healthy thoughts..
    no cleanliness, mosquitoes biting you..man its sickening…but there must be “something” that make truckers proud of what they do..there must be something there except from the money..im curious ..i needed to know…and i wanted to challenge myself photographically…i need to turn the answers to my questions into photos..this is Burn after all and this is what i like doing..my Therapy..blah blah
    but back in my experience…im dead tired tonight and i wanna talk with pictures anyways coz talk is cheap..
    Soooooooooo, couple days ago, i was sitting desperate in my room (not really my room but temporary shelter somewhere in grecolandia-my fathers house to be specific-im not in a psychiatric clinic yet , although im heading there if i dont return soon “home” in the US..So while i was thinking that one more birthday of mine is coming up and i will probably have to spend it around my extra super neurotic and controlling mother, the phone rings…
    It was Pavlos! but who the heck is Pavlos? Well, meet Pavlos..He is a really cool guy, the sweetest heart, maybe not the most intellectual guy but i tell u this very seriously..Pavlos is probably one of the sweetest and more innocent people of this earth..never thinks of himself first..always a giver,…His job is a truck driver..He loves this job..He is a Free Spirit…but not a lucky “free spirit”..
    But lets leave the details for later…
    So Pavlos tells me on the phone…”Listen, im leaving on 48 hours non stop intense trip around greece..we will eat , sleep ,drink eat on the truck..Come with me…JOIN ME…you will get exhausted but you cant miss the tour de Grece …Im leaving in 10 minutes..Look outside the window..Thats the truck..all u need is a blanket..are u coming? yes or no? i have to leave in 10′”…
    I grabbed the camera bag and the blanket..YES i replied, wait for me…Well to make the long story short the trip didnt go well..EVERYTHING and ANYTHING that could go wrong did go wrong…I will tell you only one thing to give the idea…We just came back home, dead tired and exhausted, tired as hell but with NO TRUCK..yes, we hitch hiked, begged ,cried, we even begged an Orthodox Priest for help and of course HE, the representative of God, DENIED..yes the priest told us straight in our face, after he heard our story: “sorry i have some stuff in my back seat, cant give u a ride or money, bye”…and sped away…
    Yes u heard me well..so please stay tuned..i will tell u everything start from tomorrow about the story accompanied with pictures.. not only the exciting but also the mundane…otherwise make no sense..right?

    Anyway, 3:30am here, pitch dark, it was raining for the last two days around here too so to make my canvas converses unbearable to wear ..(when it rains it pours right? indeed)…I want to answer every email and Facebook mail for all the wishes..THANK YOU AGAIN, and i will personally reply to all my friends (isnt facebook great though? that reminds us about upcoming friend’s birthdays so noone gets missed or left out???-great invention:)
    ok..good night all..i will read all emails first thing tomorrow and work on my TRUCK DRIVER photos but before i go to sleep..you know i have to check the latest Essay here..
    one love

  450. panos skoulidas

    OHHHHHHHHHHH that was a great birthday present just came through Winephoto through (facebook mail),,,,,,,…….im excited….I see some burnians exhibiting here too:))))

    WINEPHOTO 2010

    “At Home Impressions of Domestic Conviviality”
    LIST OF WINNERS

    1st prize EMILY SCHIFFER, USA
    2ND GIOVANNI COCCO, ITALY
    3RD LEA MEINSLAND, DENMARK
    4TH ANTONIO DE MESA, SPAIN
    5TH PAOLO MARCHETTI, ITALY

    Special Mention LITON MASUD ALAM, BANGLADESH
    Special Mention DMITRY MARKOV, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
    Special Award given by journalist’s Jury CARLO GIANFERRO, ITALY

    Also in the exhibit
    PETR ANTONOV, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
    ANNA MARIA BARRY-JESTER, USA
    CHRISTINA CLUSIAU, USA
    ANDREA GJESTVANG, NORWAY
    MARCO ILLUMINATI, ITALY
    SANJA KNEZEVIC, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
    HENRICK MALMSTROM, FINLAND
    ALFONSO MORAL, SPAIN
    SILVIU PAVEL, ROMANIA
    JACOPO QUARANTA, ITALY
    RAFAL SIDERSKY, POLAND
    PANOS SKOULIDAS, GREECE
    LISA WILTSE, USA

    2010 edition had 340 partecipants, from 44 countries and has received 3207 pictures
    AWARDING and EXHIBIT ON MAY 30TH 2010 at Villa Braida in MOGLIANO VENETO (TV), ITALY

    The 2010 theme, “Impressions of Domestic Conviviality” is meant to embrace “Conviviality” in its broadest sense. Photographers should interpret “Conviviality” — from the Latin, cum vivere, meaning living together or living with — in the most creative way. “Domestic,” obviously, relates to home.
    So seventh edition theme, “At Home: Impression of Domestic Conviviality”, will be windows into how the world lives.

    The panel of JUDGES was composed of:

    David Alan Harvey (photographer, Magnum Agency),
    Kent Kobersteen (former Director of Photography of National Geographic Magazine),
    Antonin Kratochvil (VII agency),
    Alex Majoli (photographer, Magnum Agency),
    Paolo Pellegrin (photographer, Magnum Agency),
    Barbara Stauss (photo editor, Mare Magazine). The special mention (Menzione Speciale Food Writers) was by journalists Paolo Marchi and Regina Schrambling and Shirley Wu Yan.

  452. panos skoulidas

    Thomas Bregulla (double thanks) ,Herve, Michael Kircher, DAH, Civi, Imants;), Stelios, Lassal, Marcin …thank you..and let me move to Facebook for more…:)

  454. a civilian-mass audience

    BRAVO…BRAVO…BRAVO..MY BURNIANS…you are on the roll !!!

    2010 edition had 340 partecipants, from 44 countries and has received 3207 pictures
    AWARDING and EXHIBIT ON MAY 30TH 2010 at Villa Braida in MOGLIANO VENETO (TV), ITALY…
    visual stimulation …and wine…
    can a civilian attend the exhibit???

  455. a civilian-mass audience

    keep the energy UP…
    Fight, F…k,Forget the Fear…
    you are ALL Unique and Special…

    P.S life is Full of F’s …hihiii…
    VIVA Winephoto…
    this is my calling…oime…hiiiiiihooooooooooo

  457. a civilian-mass audience

    BJARTE,
    who am I??? you are a BURNIAN, a photophilosopher….

    DAVIDB,
    how is the project???

    KATIE FONSECA…we need update…LOVE

    VIVEK are you ok???

    I had a feeling…don’t travel East…oime…

    I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL…i gave away two chickens…I am down to 12…

  460. a civilian-mass audience

    thanks VIVEK for the check in…104…I am coming over!!!

    I will be back…

  461. Herve

    Got to let it out… FFFFIUUUUUCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    All the pictures I had edited for my little “essay” on the Issan region were on a USB key, and all the data has disappeared from that key. I have no idea how/why, first time such stuff happens to me.

    All that work to do again (and the pix are not even that good!)….

    Karma? Waht did I do? talk thai politics? Yeah, that’s it, most likely….

    Fuck de fuck de fuck de fuck…………..

  462. Haik

    Herve, you saw it on USB and then it was gone? the key here is that if you saw it once, we can see it again.

  464. Lee Guthrie

    Hey Burnians all. After days of rain, catching photos of flowers and weird experience with a horse, I suddenly decided to go to the Gulf Coast to help with the cleanup. I loaded the car with Dawn Dishwashing Soap (best thing to take oil off of birds), Pepto Bismol (??), bandages, and old sheets and towels and took off. On the road I listened to the news and heard that the first oil (that I could get to) was Grand Isle, Louisiana. After two days of traveling in the worst weather ever (tornados everywhere–behind me, ahead of me, over the top of me) I made it to Grand Isle.

    For 36 hours I tried to connect with someone who would allow me to volunteer to no avail. Could not even give the supplies to anyone. Closed doors and no one at home. Took off this afternoon in disgust and headed north again. After a few hours of doubting the reason for my existence, getting lost and starving to death I got off of at the Ponchatoula, Louisiana exit. I spotted Paul’s Cafe and pulled in.

    Paul, the owner, pulls up a chair and starts talking to me and I told him my story. He immediately gets on the phone (after bringing me extra chicken and banana pudding) and calls a woman who calls another woman. Long story short I was able to put the supplies in the hands of a group that will truly appreciate and use them. What a relief.

    Then I read Panos’ telling of the truck driving tale. Seems we were on the same road trip for a while.

    So although I was not able to help in the cleanup (need special training, etc.) supplies that I was compelled to purchase and drive two days to deliver are now in the hands of those that will use them. No photos to speak up except a few of the oil on the beach. Really disgusting mess.

    The other part of this experience is I have once again come to the conclusion that government is really whacked out.

  465. david bowen

    civi :ø)

    present and correct..
    moving for4ward..
    focused..
    all that jazz..

    how you doing, 2 chickens down as you are?
    less eggs for breakfast and you’ll soon make up the numbers..
    d

  466. jenny lynn walker

    DAH/HERVE/ALL: I just posted an article here from Newsweek about Shinawatra being a Democrat but it has gone missing. This is the intro:
    “Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was thought to be a populist demagogue. Actually, he was the high-water mark for Thai democracy.”

    I will post it again now. I was happy to read one or two of the comments which also showed how the Red Shirt protest really is a ‘Robin Hood’ effort to help reduce inequalty in Thailand.

    I already posted this once and will continue all day if it continues to go missing again and again:

    http://www.newsweek.com/id/238161/page/1

    http://www.newsweek.com/id/238161/page/2

  467. Eric Espinosa

    TO ALL-

    Some have been asking me what I was up to with my “Macadam Riders” project. This project has really only started but I did a quick Burn book with some of the photographs I have taken so far. It is way premature to make a book (I have only been to 2 or 3 locations) but the main objective is to have it with me when I plan to go to different skateparks over the summer… Useful to show around and gain confidence when I will have little time to build trust and will inevitably be asked why I want to take pictures of the kids….

    http://www.blurb.com/books/1375671

    Especially given early, do not hesitate to tell me what you think….

    DAVID,

    as always, will be interested to get your thoughts as well as I shape this new project…

    Cheers,

    Eric

  468. panos skoulidas

    Eric, i loved the design (square format) on some pages…i loved the skies…You are a true master of color too…The story is a good start…I know its not easy to go closer in those kids lives …but its something like i that i would like to see…the stories, the lives of couple of Insiders and for this to happen u gotta be one of them..start skating too, smoke with them etc..and that is not easy if not impossible..

  469. Lee Guthrie

    I like it Eric. Give the kids a copy; that could go a long way to get in as Panos says. Good work.

  470. kh

    I’d like to second DAH ‘s post on ” closing time “…Jenny & Herve…would you have any pictures to show if you are based in BKK or are long -time visitors ?
    best,
    K.

  471. david alan harvey

    JENNY…

    you frequently suggest that your comments “go missing” ..i wonder what is happening..certainly nothing at this end….i just looked “inside” and nothing is being held in pending….

  472. david alan harvey

    JENNY…

    something is weird about whatever is going on with you and comments..for example, i see your comment here obviously, yet it is not listed as a recent comment under “recent comments” under the current dialogue…hmmmm, i cannot figure this out…i am sure Anton can…

    however, i do look forward to seeing your pictures from BKK….

    cheers, david

  473. david alan harvey

    ERIC…

    i just did a very quick flip through your Macadam Riders…you are ALWAYS on it…nice work…i might have suggested a couple of sequence changes, but those are minor…is this something you are still shooting? if so, i would definitely go for either recorded live sound and/or video as well…this subject really lends itself to multi-media…and one of the kids talking about it, plus the ambient sound, plus the motion could really put it over the top….the other thing you might want to think about is to now forget the overall scene…you got it…either go extreme close , as you did in some, or way way back to give us context….get totally crazy….loose….particularly on this subject…your mastery of the color and the light is right on as usual….oh yes, you have better cover shots in there than the one you chose i think….back to you later with a few other points, but basically very very nice….you outproduce and outshoot many a pro photog….

    cheers, david

  474. Valery Rizzo

    Hi Eric,

    Nice idea to put into book form as you work on it. Cool project. I have been thinking recently of doing the same with my “Brooklyn” project. I just took a photo of black skateboarders in Brooklyn
    http://www.valeryrizzo.com/gallery.html?folio=Portfolio&gallery=Brooklyn (unfortunately the link cant be directed to that particular image, its image 33 if interested)

    DAH…..I would love to take a photography book making workshop, editing, printing etc., Is that something you do David? Powerhouse had one but it was more about just editing.
    Also I would also love some feedback from you about how my project is going, some advice and what you think :-)) Also you had mentioned something about adding something to the submission page for works in progress or ideas for projects??

    Val

  475. david alan harvey

    VALERY…

    working with photographers on their book projects is one of the main things i do, although i can only take on around 4 books per year …since you are in new york, let’s make sure we meet the next time i am in town…next time will be mid june…yes, we must still put up the idea heading on Burn…as soon as we finish EPF and BURN 01, then we will have time to get this going…in the meantime, you can always run ideas by me on email…be patient please because sometimes i am overwhelmed with email….

    cheers, david

  476. Eric Espinosa

    DAVID,

    Thanks for your encouragement. I am most definetely still shooting this subject!!! I actually feel I have just started really and I have time to build on it. I have tried to identify some of the great skateparks and communities around few large towns around Europe and little by little, I will try to go, spend some time when possible and add to this initial work. As my “day work” keeps me crazy busy since back, things are not progressing as quickly as I would like but on the other hand, there is no rush… I will certainly take on your suggestion of adding sound/video… and, somehow, I was expecting your push to get totally crazy and loose :):):):)

    PANOS/LEE,

    Thanks for the suggestions…. I need you Panos to come to Brussels and smoke with me and these kids :):):)

    VALERY,

    I think I told you this before but I love your work and look forward to the day you put a book together.

    Cheers,

    Eric

  477. wendy

    ERIC
    your book looks great!!!
    your colors are so rich…
    what gives?
    Is it how you sync your flash?
    I don’t normally get into tech talk,
    but how do you get that richness?
    in all your work,
    your color has such a punch…
    i love it….
    ***

  478. Valery Rizzo

    David…

    That sounds good, to meet up next time when your in town, providing you have the time, I entirely understand and respect what a busy schedule you have. I will try emailing you soon. Thanks.

    Eric….

    No I did not know, but that is nice and encouraging since I also love your work.

    Peace

  480. Herve

    Kh, back in California. if you remember, I am not based in Bangkok, love the place though. While all this was happening, I spent times in temples, shooting novices during their lent season, that time when many boys don the “yellow” robe, and learn Pali texts about Buddhism.

    It reminds me of HCB’s words about Ansel Adams: “the world is falling apart around us and Adams is shooting mountains!”…

  481. eva

    .. and DAH is finding a home for kittens.. now where’s Civi when you need one “what’s not to love”?

  482. a civilian-mass audience

    LEE the artist…
    what a soul…THANK YOU…
    I dream almost every night…that I help the world…
    hmmm…in the morning …I find myself in the same room …with my chickens
    BUT if I take small steps …I can do good…I will find the way
    cause I am an optimist…

    ERIC,
    …BURN colored riders…!!!

    HERVE…HAIK can do magic…he fixed my computer…
    he is DA MAN!!!

    DAVIDB…I hear you…focus mate,focus…BUT you are better when you are loose…IMO:)))

    MR.HARVEY,
    kittens gone…chickens gone…life is going on…
    WHAT NOT TO LOVE !!!

  483. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS,

    EVA is another great soul…
    she is a true spirit…
    and again…oime
    I am SPEECHLESS…

    THANK YOU ALL…
    from my civilian heart…to your heart…keep your dreams rolling and keep the trees growing
    LOVE to ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

  484. a civilian-mass audience

    ohhhh…I had a dream that BURN got a SPONSOR…hmmm…

    ok,I need another round of white water…
    OPA and VIVA…

  485. eva

    Civi, stop that..

    Can’t get Eric’s book to work, connection coming and going.. more going really.. and Anton’s mag hasn’t arrived yet.. sure will do when I’m away again, ARGH.. but at least got to see Valery’s picture :)

  488. Eric Espinosa

    your colors are so rich…
    what gives?

    WENDY,

    Thanks for your comments. Well, I am not a big tech guy so you may be disappointed here… Somehow, after lots of trials and errors in the past, I have managed to find a way of getting the colors I am looking for…. To start with I often purposely go for shooting a subject with bright colors, grafittis, etc, then try to use late afternoon light, even better dark cloudy sky (happens often in Belgium) then have my camera under exposed (-0.5 or -1), white balance set on cloudy sky and colors sometimes on saturated (when I do not do it directly with the camera, I sometimes enhance saturation afterward)… even after this I often expose on the bright part of the picture (like the only white cloud in the dark sky) and then use my flash… I have become addicted to my flash… the small pop-up flash on my Nikon is my norm… I use it all the time even in bright day light… That’s it really….not sure this helps :):):) but as you have asked… anyway, glad you liked it…

    Cheers,

    Eric

  490. michael webster

    Hey Eric, nice work. I like how you’ve handled the light and exposures. Sequence-wise, you might want to consider mixing up the people and the skating a lot more. To my eye, the skating is more peripheral to the people than vice versa.

  491. emcd

    Just checking in with a quick hello and a word to let you know that Andrew Sullivan and I have had a first and very happy and successful (albeit tiring) day of our very first workshop. I can already tell that I will need some stamina tips from DAH, if the maestro can spare a few suggestions of how to last a full week! Sorry to go missing from burn lately, but time is only allowing to keep you all in my heart…ciao

  492. panos skoulidas

    I need you Panos to come to Brussels and smoke with me and these kids :):):)
    —————————————————–
    ha ha..now you’re talking amigo!!!

  501. Eric Espinosa

    ROSS,

    Just looked at the work of Jan Grarup…The picture of the dead man with face covered in bloor and eyes opened is simply unbearable!!

    Eric

  503. emcd

    anyone remember offhand the name of the photographer who took sort of voyeuristic photos of office workers at night, including building / other windows sometimes to use the elements of the grid..nice light, quiet, lonely mood…

    thanks!

  504. Herve

    Eric, it may be more bearable if he is only wounded? I mean, I am not sure he is dead (second comment, not sure what happend to the first, maybe did not send)

  505. Eric Espinosa

    Herve,

    You are right…Not sure if the man is dead or not (I hope he is still alive) and it also does not make a difference whether he is dead or wounded…It is simply just a tough picture to look at…Probably makes it powerful though….

    Eric

  506. eva

    Panos:

    “and my unanswered question regarding Thailand…
    It is legal for a pervert to hire a 10 year old for sex but i cant smoke a joint by the beach over there in Thailand…It ls legal for any asshole Thaksin to kill a heroin addict but it is ok to protect a pimp that profits from prostitution of little kids and teenagers…Shame, hypocrites..”

    I don’t know if it’s legal, but that doesn’t really matter, since it is tollerated anyway.. I’m not much wiser about Thai politics than I was before, this party, that party, whatever colour they wear.. but as long as explotation and abuse of your very own children (if you are a politician, they are ALL YOUR KIDS), is either legal or being tollerated, it doesn’t really mater who sits on the top chair (to me).

  508. jenny lynn walker

    EVA: I agree with you.

    ERCIA: No, but I wish I did!

    ALL: I hope you got to see the faces of every dead and injured person as well! What wonderful images to be remembered by! I bet their families are over the moon to look at their brothers and sisters splashed over newspapers like this! Will you remember the way they were killed or the injury that led to them dying?

    And just out of interest: what effect do these images have on your understanding of the situation in Thailand and how far should the documenting go? Clearly documentation of human rights abuses and conflicts needs to be done – and not only of the conflict but all that gave rise to the conflict as well? What do you think?

    What have you learned from these images and what have you learned about protestors and the protest from them?

  509. Lance Rosenfield

    ERIC – lovely work my friend.. and i’m not surprised.

    i must say the sequencing threw me off a bit, starting with the close-up of the girl in purple.. she’s buried way too deep in my opinion.. and the pictures that follow her seem different than the earlier pictures.. are they meant to be a different chapter? if not i’d start mixing this up.. pace this out.. keep it hoppin’. i’m walking through the park POP POP fresh action fresh faces fresh concrete sounds… i dig it man.

  511. panos skoulidas

    it doesn’t really mater who sits on the top chair (to me).
    ————————————————–
    Eva i agree…but question remains..why this phenomenon is so tolerated? by the people? or is it not?
    is it just poverty…? well..i guess that must be it..extreme poverty…i really dont know!

  512. panos skoulidas

    Eva, i used to like a particular pizza place back in the day…most times i ordered it used to be the same guy delivering the pizza..well after a while we got to know each other a little better, ice broke..so the deliver guy once told me that he visits thailand regularly…at least once every couple of months…Super cheap and the girls are nice…you can have 5 girls or more up into your room…blah blah..
    I remember when i asked him about why is prostitution is so accepted over there…he told me something like: “ohh why being so uptight? people there see it as a job”…kinda over simplistic right? but then again he could be right..maybe i am uptight…right wing uptight i would add , especially when it comes to kids and teens…

  513. eva

    There is no free choice if you take that specific choice out of poverty.

    If there were no clients, there would be no offer. It’s a simple equation. Unless in your homeland there is some control (Italy jails the sex tourists if they discover them as paedophiles right off the airport when they land on National territory). But I could not say if this is influent, in numbers.

    I also know not enough about Thai culture to have a firm opinion (even having Thai family members).

    People there see it as a job? All fine if you’re an adult and consentient, if it is your free choice. And there we’re back to point one.

    And about poverty: is it not the politicians that should do something against that?

    One other thing I really don’t understand, all the Westeners always so paranoid of AIDS.. it hasn’t stopped them at all it seems..

  515. michael webster

    Right wing uptight about a sex-related issue? Right wing uptight means you are doing what you are so vocally criticizing or at least desperately wanting to do it, and then blaming someone else for your bad thoughts. No, I don’t think that’s what you mean. Hopefully, you are more left wing uptight, which would be more of a discomfort-with-the-fate-of-the-victims kind of thing.

    Prostitution will never go away. Some men will always choose to pay for sex. Some women and men will always choose to sell it. When it comes to legalities, imo, choice is the key word. Children simply cannot choose to sell their bodies. Minors are not competent to make such a choice. It is not a choice when one must do it to eat, or feed one’s children, or otherwise survive. But if someone is freely selling themselves in order to amass diamonds and pearls, well, I suppose that’s her own business. In that case, my concern is that adults who choose to prostitute themselves should have legal protections and safe working conditions just as miners or factory workers or any other workers. But on the flip side, the side we’re discussing, those who force individuals or prey on individual who are forced into that line of work should be branded as sociopaths and prosecuted. Is that uptight?

  516. panos skoulidas

    Yes Michael I agree…
    Prostitution is the oldest profession and I respect it..
    That under age, minor, pedophile “thing” is that sickens me
    in a society (Thai) that will Kill anyone for smoking a joint…
    That’s why I’m so against that “war on drugs” serial killer hypocritical guy:(

  518. michael webster

    And then u have California that legalizes medical marijuana but keeps prostitution illegal..

    Well, you can always live on the California/Nevada border. That way you can legally keep your whore on one side of the line and your weed on the other. Who says the systen’s fucked up? Who says there’s a system?

  520. panos skoulidas

    Michael… Yes.. That’s it… Vegas twice a month and Venice for meds..;)
    or u can have it “both” delivered in your room in NY…
    problem solved..

  522. david alan harvey

    ERICA…ANDREW

    good luck with your workshop…yes, it does take a whole lot of energy….looks simple, but of course is not…i am usually totally drained by the end and i am sure you will agree at your conclusion…both of you will do very well i am sure….wish i was around to pop in and see how you doing…

    cheers, david

  524. Brian Frank

    Isn’t one of the main arguments against prostitution (at least in the US) is that the commonality of the prostitutes’ backgrounds? Poverty, drug abuse, sexual abuse lead to the choice not exactly being a free one?

  525. jenny lynn walker

    Wow, that is a wonderful piece from Julio Bittencourt in Sao Paulo! I really enjoyed seeing an approach that manages to unveil the daily lives of people living in difficult circumstances in an intimate way so respectfully! I love it! Thanks for sharing Eva!

    ERICA: Good luck with your workshop!

  526. panos skoulidas

    in Ancient Athens though the “hetaeras” prostitutes were highly respected (way more than the average housewife to say at least)…Pericles was married to the most powerful, educated pretty ….

    “Ancient writers also reported that Aspasia was a brothel keeper and a harlot”

    Advanced society (at least at that subject);)

  527. Herve

    Panos, I am not sure, maybe you confuse Cambodia with Thailand for being so angry against child sex trafficking? Not saying there is none of that happening in Thailand, since it happens here, or in France too (often within the same family) but Thailand has made strides, if compared with its neighbour….

    It’s a society that is in many ways libertarian, very live and let live, and for each to deal with the own consequences of its act. It has more to do with the mental fabric of the society than condoning crimes.

    It’s like here, people find perfectly normal we invade another country for its own good. Well, Thais will never be responsible for having hundred of kids and women maimed or killed as casualties of war. Not to speak of the resurgence of prostitution from economic disruption in these places we want to help (the admn may go for the oil or something, but we the people definitely accept it because of the samaritan purpose).

    Must go (for the day)…

  530. a civilian-mass audience

    “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
    Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

    hmmm…I want to evolve…

    Evolve=love…Can I dance now???

  531. Herve

    Dropping by….

    Panos… soccer girl (pun vaguely not intended)… As long as she is not flied from Morocco to Gstaad by Polansky! :-)))

  533. emcd

    David – It would be so great for the students to meet you – I think you are of course away, busy, but if you appear in Brooklyn do let us know, there is a group dinner Thursday nite around the corner from Marcy and we would love you there and would treat :)

    Thanks all for the encouragement – the photos from just the first day were such a leap from their portfolios, so we are very pleased and excited for them. I’m actually a little surprised how natural it feels to teach, the first challenge I have come across is to stay fully attuned to the needs and details of 10 at once, to give everyone the same attention and consideration despite personality or photography style/experience or anything else…I feel like a momma bear making sure all the baby bears get enough to eat! Around 4 pm today I started fantasizing about laying down…I think I need a caffeine drip.

  539. a civilian-mass audience

    EMCD and ANDREW…
    you are proud bears and I am a very very proud civilian…
    we will be there too, All the BURNIANS next to you…
    cause BURN is an Open workshop with an Open window

    ahhh…DAH …there is no other feeling …like when you see your “babies”…going out to the real world…
    hmmm…actually there is…
    hiiiii….I am bad, I am bad…
    NoNToReply

    THE UNIVERSE …BURNIANS the Universe
    we are all energy…energy comes and goes and floats around us…
    we have to respect our energy…
    Can you send me a smile now??? no,not the half, whatever smile…
    I would love a smile from your heart…yeap, a real one…like when you are holding a cold beer and you are watching the birds fart by…
    oime…I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLll

  540. a civilian-mass audience

    MR.VINK,

    keep us rolling …
    beer on you in Cambodia
    beer on me in Grecolandia

    VIVA!!!

  541. bob black

    something for those interested in reading a Thai perspective about the conflict….from S.P. Somtow…a composer and author……my friend Oli Pin-fat sent me this last week….here is the text in full…

    also Somtow’s blog is: http://www.somtow.org/

    —————————————————————————————————
    Thailand: Challenging the “heroic revolution” archetype
    Somtow Sucharitkul

    I have been composing a long, day by day account of the “troubles” of
    the last three days, which I have not yet posted. The reason is that
    I’ve been getting a lot of mail asking me to explain “the truth” to
    people overseas.

    A lot of people here are astonished and appalled at the level of
    irresponsibility and inaccuracy shown by such major news sources as CNN,
    and are attributing the most astonishing motives to this, such as
    suggesting that they’re in the pay of Thaksin and so on.

    I don’t think this is really what is going on. Rather, I think that
    there are two basic problems: preconception and language.

    CNN first became a force to be reckoned with during the “People Power”
    movement in the Philippines. The kind of coverage we had for this was
    amazing. There was a camera in every camp, and we could follow this
    exciting revolution every step of the way. We knew exactly who to root
    for: the oppressed masses led by the widow of the iconic Aquino, and we
    knew that whenever President Marcos appeared he was Darth Vader, the
    symbol of an evil empire. The arc of the story was simple and
    inexorable. A whole new way of looking at the news was born, with all
    the excitement of a TV miniseries and, prophetically, a reality show as
    well.

    Of course, many of the little details of the story were conveniently
    glossed over. Reality was not — never is — so black and white. But there
    are three important things about this story: first, in its essentials,
    there was a lot of truth. And all the protagonists spoke English.

    The Philippines, as Filipinos never tire of telling me, is the third
    most populous English speaking country in the world. We will leave the
    definition of “English-speaking” to another blog, but it’s very
    important that the various sides in this conflict were able to
    articulate their viewpoints in a language which CNN well understood.

    The third important thing about the story is that it fulfilled a vision
    of history that is an inseparable part of the inheritance of western
    culture, that is so ingrained in western thinking that it is virtually
    impossible for an educated member of western society to divorce himself
    from it.

    It is a vision of history as a series of liberations. From Harmodius and
    Aristogeiton throwing off the tyrant’s yoke to the removal of the
    Tarquins and the establishment of the Roman Republic to the failed
    rebellion of Spartacus, from Magna Carta to the Bastille to the American
    Civil War to the Russian Revolution, there is this Platonic Model
    against which these big historical movements are always compared. There
    is a bad guy — often a dictator — who can be demonised. There is a
    struggling proletariat. The end comes with “liberty and justice for
    all”. This is Star Wars. The dark times. The Empire.

    The “People Power” coverage was riveting, compelling, and contained all
    the emotional components of this mythical story arc. Finding another
    such story, therefore, is a kind of Holy Grail for the international
    media. When a story comes that appears to contain some of the elements,
    and it’s too much hard work to verify those elements or get all the
    background detail, you go with the Great Archetype of Western
    Civilisation.

    Now, let us consider the redshirt conflict.

    Let’s not consider what has actually been happening in Thailand, but how
    it looks to someone whose worldview has been coloured with this
    particular view of history.

    Let’s consider the fact that there is pretty much nothing being
    explained in English, and that there are perhaps a dozen foreigners who
    really understand Thai thoroughly. I don’t mean Thai for shopping,
    bargirls, casual conversation and the like. Thai is a highly ambiguous
    language and is particularly well suited for seeming to say opposite
    things simultaneously. To get what is really being said takes total
    immersion.

    When you watch a red shirt rally, notice how many English signs and
    placards there are, and note that they are designed to show that these
    are events conforming to the archetype. The placards say “Democracy”,
    “No Violence,” “Stop killing innocent women and children” and so on.
    Speakers are passionately orating, crowds are moved. But there are no
    subtitles. What does it look like?

    The answer is obvious. It looks like oppressed masses demanding freedom
    from an evil dictator.

    Don’t blame Dan Rivers, et al, who are only doing what they are paid to
    do: find the compelling story within the mass of incomprehensible data,
    match that story to what the audience already knows and believes, and
    make sure the advertising money keeps flowing in.

    A vigorous counter-propaganda campaign in clear and simple English words
    of one syllable has always been lacking and is the reason the government
    is losing the PR war while actually following the most logical steps
    toward a real and lasting resolution.

    If the foreign press were in fact able to speak Thai well enough to
    follow all the reportage here coming from all sides, they would also be
    including some of the following information in their reports. I want to
    insist yet again that I am not siding with anyone. The following is just
    information that people really need before they write their news
    reports.

    • Thaksin was democratically elected, but became increasingly undemocratic, and the country gradually devolved from a nation where oligarchs skimmed off the top to a kleptocracy of one. During his watch, thousands of people were summarily executed in the South of Thailand and in a bizarre “war on drugs” in which body count was considered a marker of success.

    • the coup that ousted Thaksin was of course completely illegal, but none of the people who carried it out are in the present government.

    • the yellow shirts’ greatest error in moulding its international image was to elevate Thaksin’s corruption as its major bone of contention. Thai governments have always been corrupt. The extent of corruption and the fact that much of it went into only one pocket was shocking to Thais, but the west views all “second-rate countries” as being corrupt. Had they used the human rights violations and muzzling of the press as their key talking points, the “heroic revolution” archetype would have been moulded with opposite protagonists, and CNN and BBC would be telling an opposite story today.

    • the constitution which was approved by a referendum after the coup and which brought back democracy was flawed, but it provided more checks and balances, and made election fraud a truly accountable offense for the first time.

    • the parliamentary process by which the Democrat coalition came to power was the same process by which the Lib Dems and Tories have attained power in Britain. The parliament that voted in this government consists entirely of democratically elected members.

    • no one ever disputed the red shirts’ right to peaceful assembly, and the government went out of its way to accede to their demands.

    • this country already has democracy. Not a perfect one, but the idea of “demanding democracy” is sheer fantasy

    • the yellow shirts did not succeed in getting any of their demands from the government. The last two governments changed because key figures were shown to have committed election fraud. They simply did not take their own constitution seriously enough to follow it.

    • the red TV station has a perfect right to exist, but if foreign journalists actually understood Thai, they would realise that much of its content went far beyond any constitutionally acceptable limits of “protected speech” in a western democracy. Every civilised society limits speech when it actually harms others, whether by inciting hate or by slander. The government may have been wrong to brusquely pull the plug, but was certainly right to cry foul. It should have sought an injunction first. Example: Arisman threatened to destroy mosques, government buildings, and “all institutions you hold sacred” … a clip widely seen on YouTube, without subtitles. Without subtitles, it looks like “liberty, equality, fraternity”.

    • the army hasn’t been shooting women and children … or indeed anyone at all, except in self-defence. Otherwise this would all be over, wouldn’t it? It’s simple for a big army to mow down 5,000 defenceless people.

    • since the government called the red shirts’ bluff and allowed the deputy P.M. to report to the authorities to hear their accusations, the red leaders have been making ever-more fanciful demands. The idea of UN intervention is patently absurd. When Thaksin killed all those Muslims and alleged drug lords, human rights groups asked the UN to intervene. When the army took over the entire country, some asked the UN to intervene. The UN doesn’t intervene in the internal affairs of sovereign countries except when requested to by the country itself or when the government has completely broken down.

    • Thailand hasn’t had an unbreachable gulf between rich and poor for at least 20 years. These conflicts are about the rise of the middle class, not the war between the aristocrats and the proletariat.

    • Abhisit, with his thoroughly western and somewhat liberal background, shares the values of the west and is in fact more likely to bring about the social revolution needed by Thailand’s agrarian poor than any previous leader. He is, in fact, pretty red, while Thaksin, in his autocratic style of leadership, is in a way pretty yellow. Simplistic portrayals do not help anyone to understand anything.

    • the only people who do not seem to care about the reds’ actual grievances are their own leaders, who are basically making everyone risk their lives to see if they can get bail.

    • the King has said all that he is constitutionally able to say when he spoke to the supreme court justices and urged them to do their duty. The western press never seem to realise that the Thai monarchy is constitutionally on the European model … not, say, the Saudi model. The king REIGNS … he doesn’t “rule”. This is a democracy. The king is supposed to symbolise all the people, not a special interest group.

    The above are just a few of the elements that needed to be sorted
    through in order to provide a balanced view of what is happening in this
    country.

    There is one final element that must be mentioned. Most are not even
    aware of it. But there is, in the western mindset, a deeply ingrained
    sense of the moral superiority of western culture which carries with it
    the idea that a third world country must by its very nature be ruled by
    despots, oppress peasants, and kill and torture people. Most westerners
    become very insulted when this is pointed out to them because our
    deepest prejudices are always those of which we are least aware. I
    believe that there is a streak of this crypto-racism in some of the
    reportage we are seeing in the west. It is because of this that Baghdad,
    Yangon, and Bangkok are being treated as the same thing. We all look
    alike.

    Yes, this opinion is always greeted with outrage. I do my best to face
    my own preconceptions and don’t succeed that often, but I acknowledge
    they exist nonetheless.

    Some of the foreign press are painting the endgame as the Alamo, but it
    is not. It is a lot closer to Jonestown or Waco.

    Like those latter two cases, a highly charismatic leader figure (in our
    case operating from a distance, shopping in Paris while his minions
    sweat in the 94°weather) has taken an inspirational idea: in one case
    Christianity, in the other democracy, and reinvented it so that
    mainstream Christians, or real democrats, can no longer recognise it.
    The followers are trapped. There is a siege mentality and information
    coming from outside is screened so that those trapped believe they will
    be killed if they try to leave. Women and children are being told that
    they are in danger if they fall into the hands of the government, and to
    distrust the medics and NGOs waiting to help them. There are outraged
    pronouncements that they’re not in fact using the children as human
    shields, but that the parents brought them willingly to “entertain and
    thrill” them. There is mounting paranoia coupled with delusions of
    grandeur, so that the little red kingdom feels it has the right to
    summon the United Nations, just like any other sovereign state. The
    reporters in Rajprasong who are attached to the red community are as
    susceptible to this variant of the Stockholm syndrome as anyone else.

    The international press must separate out the very real problems that
    the rural areas of Thailand face, which will take decades to fix, from
    the fact that a mob is rampaging through Bangkok, burning, looting, and
    firing grenades, threatening in the name of democracy to destroy what
    democracy yet remains in this country.

    But this bad reporting is not their fault. It is our fault for not
    providing the facts in bite-sized pieces, in the right language, at the
    right time.

    This article has been republished with the permission of the author

  542. emcd

    panos – Ευχαριστώ !

    dah – Ευχαριστώ ! for next time and for all the inner support this time

    kurt – yes, but will be easier to say hello in the eves on the farm for me, not expecting to be in town much

    civi – “and the littlest bear said, and someone’s been eating my porridge…”

  544. jenny lynn walker

    BOB: Thanks for that. I must say that whilst it is extremely well written – not suprisingly coming from an author – the basic premise behind the thesis that poor reporting is down to a communication problem, a language problem, is absurd. Did the author consider that in the universities in Bangkok there are quite a number of people to turn to who speak exceptionally good English, and some of whom are native speakers themselves – and universities outside of the country as well. These people can, and do, provide very good information backed up by years of studying the situation – from between a decade to 20 years. In addition, for non-Thai speakers who are deeply interested, there is also a site where government announcements and press coverage is translated into English. I have not looked at that myself as I did not think it was necessary given that I was purely documenting people on the street – street photography really – but can probably track it down if anyone is intersted to go more deeply into it. Please let me know.

    “But this bad reporting is not their fault. It is our fault for not
    providing the facts in bite-sized pieces, in the right language, at the
    right time.”

    “… a mob is rampaging through Bangkok, burning, looting, and
    firing grenades, threatening in the name of democracy to destroy what
    democracy yet remains in this country.”

    Does anyone know if the author was actually in Bangkok at the time of the protest or reading about it in the newspapers? It is soooo sensationalist!

  545. jenny lynn walker

    Mr Vink,

    Thank you for complimenting me on the way I use natural light in my work. I really appreciated that – even though you did not state it publicly!

    Please send my best wishes to Agnes D.

    Jenny

  546. jenny lynn walker

    Brian: “Isn’t one of the main arguments against prostitution (at least in the US) is that the commonality of the prostitutes’ backgrounds? Poverty, drug abuse, sexual abuse lead to the choice not exactly being a free one?” Thank you for that!!!!

    Panos: If you can’t make it to ancient Greece, how about The World Cup – sounds like it could end up being a pretty close thing, in the context of this discussion. By the way, I am very keen on your Bangkok idea and am lining up some places in advance just in case you make it!!! ; )

  548. jenny lynn walker

    EMCD et al: “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?” Winne the Pooh. Isn’t that beautiful, and true! : )

  549. david alan harvey

    JENNY…

    again..please write a responsible story on BKK and back it up with strong photographs and we will publish it here as we did with Panos’ Greek protests….or, simply post a link with your work…curious to see something from you on these events with which you are so closely involved….

  550. Akaky

    Oh my God, that’s terrible news! Oh, I’m so sorry to hear of your troubles, Akaky, your Uncle Max, he was a good man, may he rest in peace. His troubles are over, poor man, and he’s in a better place. He didn’t suffer, I hope. Ah well, lad, it happens to us all, sooner or later. His time had come, that’s all, and [I really love this bit] things could have been much worse, you know [how? The guy died, for chrissakes, how does it get much worse than that?]

    The above is just a portion of the sort of thing you hear at an Irish wake these days, which is not the drunken bacchanal of the fevered non-Celtic imagination—we have St. Patrick’s Day for that sort of thing—but rather a somewhat somber event where you remember the dearly departed’s good points, gloss over the dearly departed’s not so good points, comfort the widow in her hour of grief and tribulation, and stare sharply at those members of the clan who didn’t get the memo about the Irish wake not being the drunken bacchanal of the fevered non-Celtic imagination. In Uncle Max’s case, however, much of what I’ve mentioned did not occur and when it did occur, the occurrence became an exercise in trying to keep a straight face. Everyone found glossing over Uncle Max’s not so good points something of a trial, as the only things most people who ever dealt with Uncle Max really remembered about Uncle Max was his not so good points. In short, Uncle Max was a complete shit.

    Saying such a thing about Uncle Max pains me deeply, a statement that falls somewhere between a campaign promise and a Spanish fly ad on the Albany, Chicago & Washington mendacity scale. I forget where Uncle Max stood in the birth order; I think he was the last or the next to last of my father’s siblings, not that it matters now, but anyone who ever met him agreed that Uncle Max was the handsomest, most charming bastard that they’d ever met in their lives. There is an Uncle Max in every family [I think]—the lovable rogue who gets away with stuff the other kids can only dream of getting away with. The problem with lovable roguery is that after a while, it gets tiresome and by the end of his life Uncle Max had gotten incredibly tiresome, and I don’t mean that in a good way.

    My first childhood memories of Uncle Max are set in the bucolic splendor of our happy little burg, where my parents had just bought a small vacation home where my brothers and me could spend our summer vacations having good clean fun instead of roaming the hot and gritty streets of the great metropolis thinking of new and ingenious ways of getting into trouble. At first, our enforced sojourn amid the fresh air and the green, green grass of not home had a profound psycholaxative effect on my brothers and I—we were bored absolutely shitless. But kids will be kids, after all, and soon we found things to do that were just as exciting as the things we could have done in the city. A burning barn, for example, may not provide the high drama of an apartment house fire, but the lack of tragic potential is more than made up for in comic possibilities; watching the local volunteer fire department trying to get itself organized and put out an actual fire was, in those far off days, one of the better shows on Earth. I should mention here, before the onslaught of angry letters from volunteer firemen and the ladies’ auxiliaries from one end of this our Great Republic to the other arrive on my doorstep, that our local volunteer fire department has become much more proficient at their job since the days of which I speak, and that my brother wishes to apologize yet again for setting that barn ablaze. It was, as he has maintained for the past forty years, an accident.

    Well, no sooner had our happy little family ensconced itself in our happy little burg than Uncle Max decided to pay us a visit. When he called my father, Uncle Max assured him that no, he wasn’t coming up to borrow money—he had plenty of money, thank you very much, and he didn’t need anymore, a claim my father doubted—fiscal responsibility, like almost any other form of responsibility you might care to mention, was not a virtue Uncle Max chose to cultivate with any degree of assiduity—but his brother being his brother, my father could not slam the door in Uncle Max’s face, even if that’s what my mother wanted him to do.

    Uncle Max called on a Tuesday, if I remember this right, and he arrived the next Saturday in a very large car. I don’t remember what model it was; it might have been a Cadillac, but I can’t really be sure now. He’d borrowed the money to buy this particularly conspicuous bit of conspicuous consumption from a loan shark; banks in those halcyon days of yesteryear disliked lending money to someone who could not repay the loan, a prejudice many bankers seem to have overcome in the years since these events occurred; and, as he would have done with the bank, Uncle Max chose not to repay the loan shark, an insouciant attitude towards the financial verities that the loan shark no doubt found irritating in the extreme. In order to convince Uncle Max of the many benefits of the free market system in general and the installment plan in particular, the loan shark dispatched two of his minions to cajole Uncle Max into seeing economic reason. Something must have gone wrong with the interview, as the two minions woke up in the hospital the next day being treated by doctors convinced they’d stepped in front of a moving truck. [N.B.: Uncle Max had a bit of a temper, as you may have guessed, and he was a boxer in his teens. He was also one of the strongest men I’d ever seen. I saw him bend a Kennedy half-dollar between his thumb and his index and middle finger when he was sixty years old.]

    As you might imagine, the loan shark was utterly aghast at this attack upon his employees and by his not getting the vig, although I suspect that latter aghasted him much more, if that’s even a word, than the former, and so our aggrieved Shylock sent forth squads of ill-intentioned men to find Uncle Max and show him the error of his ways, preferably in a very gory, painful, and public manner, lest Uncle Max’s example breed imitation amongst the rest of the loan shark’s clientele. Uncle Max, for his part, was also utterly aghast, possibly for the first time in his life, at the possibility that his actions might have adverse consequences, in this case very adverse consequences indeed, and so took this opportunity to vanish completely from the face of the earth.

    Six months later, Uncle Max re-emerged as…Uncle Moshe. For reasons best known to himself, Uncle Max decided that being a Hasid, complete with blond beard and long dark coat, was the perfect disguise for a very erstwhile Irish-American altar boy on the run from an unhappy mob-connected loan shark (is there any other kind of loan shark, I wonder). To advance the verisimilitude of the disguise, Uncle Max had acquired a truly outstanding command of the Yiddish language, speaking with almost perfect accuracy a dialect of that language unknown to the vast majority of Yiddish speakers past and present. Uncle Max’s Yiddish was Yiddish in much the same way that pouring ketchup on your spaghetti and meatballs is Italian cuisine.

    But the disguise must have worked; Uncle Max arrived on our doorstep one sunny Saturday afternoon in July all in one piece and without a scratch on him, his blond peyos fluttering in the wind, complete with the huge car that all the fuss was about and his Portuguese girl friend, Maria, and no, I have not counted the number of mitzvahs violated in either the letter or the spirit in the first part of this sentence. I don’t where Uncle Max met Maria and I am pretty sure I do not want to know. Maria could have been a gargoyle in another life and she could have been a gargoyle in this life as well, if she wanted the job. On the other hand, the two other things that really stood out about Maria really stood out, to the point that even I, at that tender age, wandered aloud if those things were real. My mother, ever the soul of etiquette, whacked me across the back of my head for my impertinence. To complete the inventory, it soon became self-evident that Maria’s English language skills were more than a little wanting; her contributions to the conversation were basically yes, no, please, thank you very much, and is that so, either singly or in some combination thereof. Whether she actually knew what these stock phrases meant is one of the great mysteries of modern times, but I suppose she meant well. She called Uncle Max “Moyshee” and she chain smoked cigarettes, often lighting a fresh cigarette with the still burning butt of her previous one, a once common habit here in this our Great Republic, and a fact I include here for its anthropological and historical interest to the younger readers. Maria and Uncle Max seemed very happy together, or as happy as a man who couldn’t speak Portuguese could be with a woman who couldn’t speak fake Yiddish.

    As my parents settled down around the kitchen table with Uncle Max and Maria, my mother told my brothers and me to go out and play until she called us in for dinner. This happened much more then than it does now, when parents feel that they aren’t properly parenting unless they are constantly annoying their children every minute of the day. We trooped out the front door and spent the next several hours doing whatever it was we were doing—I forget the details now, but it probably had something to do with riding our bicycles down a very steep hill and seeing if we could stop before we ran into a very high stone wall, an amusement my father banned a few years later after a series of mistimed stops resulted in several expensive broken bones, three concussions, and one broken nose. After that, we played a lot of baseball, which, while interesting in its own way, did not have the same thrill quotient for us that potentially fatal blunt force trauma did. On this day, though, we did manage not to break anything by the time my mother started calling us in to eat, but it was not for want of trying.

    I remember walking up the driveway when I heard something strange coming from the grass. I should point out here that at this time my home did not have a lawn in the conventionally understood meaning of that word, namely a largely pointless expanse of unnecessary foliage designed to give Mexicans of uncertain immigration status gainful employment. Instead of the trim, clipped green strip of your typical suburbanite’s darkest botanical fantasies, we had a wild, uncropped, uncut retro thatch of bush populated with ragweed stalks the size of dwarf sequoias towering over our heads and tall grass so impenetrable that a company of Viet Cong could hide out there for months on end without anyone realizing that Charlie had tunneled his way into the land of the free and the home of the brave.

    My mother called again, this time for me, and told me to find Uncle Max and his guest—that’s the word she used, guest. I said okay and I started down the path through the front forest; it seems ridiculous to call such a broad swath of flora a lawn, now that I think of it; to find them. I got halfway down the path and called for Uncle Max, whereupon I heard an immediate “Jesus frigging Christ!” It was Uncle Max experiencing not a sudden Pauline road to Damascus conversion from faux Judaism to faux Christianity, but rather him proclaiming the usual male response to kid induced coitus interruptus. Maria screeched something in response in what I guess must have been Portuguese—I don’t speak that language so I can’t be sure. There was a momentary pink flash of this and that; apparently they were real; and then the sound of my father shouting angrily at Uncle Max from the porch. My mother appeared miraculously from nowhere and whisked me away into the house, where she scolded me for reasons I did not fathom at the time and that she would not explain, and the evening and the morning were the last day I would see Uncle Max for a long time.

    And so Uncle Max is dead. I don’t know what happened to Maria; he may have married her; Uncle Max married several times, although I can’t say for certain that he ever divorced any of the wives. He died and his children wouldn’t pay for the funeral. They hadn’t seen or spoken to Uncle Max for thirty years and saw no reason to shell out money for their sperm donor. My uncles paid for the cremation and they put the urn in my grandmother’s coffin. Getting Uncle Max’s name embossed on the urn would have cost another fifty dollars, so my uncles didn’t bother; they printed Uncle Max’s name and vital dates on a post-it note with a magic marker and then taped the note to the urn. It’s not much, of course, but it’s a lot more than some people get.

  551. eva

    Ok, ALL, or those who know.. guess I’ve messed up.. question: seems I’ve overexposed by one full stop a roll (or two or three..) of Tri-X, rated at 400 asa, but EV was on +1. I tend to overexpose anyway by adjusting shutterspeed accordingly, but now I think it’s too much.. how do I develop the darned things, shortening the time? If yes, by how much? Or what? I do remember to have read something somewhere, but can’t find it..

    Note to self: never hand out a camera you’re shooting with. If you do, CHECK THE SETTINGS on the cam when you get it back. Before changing the batteries (’cause you think they might be half dead because of the too slow shutterspeed), CHECK THE SETTINGS. And before swearing at the cam, because shutterspeed still seems off, CHECK THE SETTINGS, all of them. Sigh.

    Dinner. Then back to read the postings. All of them.

  552. a civilian-mass audience

    After BOBBY and AKAKY…there is no dinner for me…
    I will be reading for quite some time…

    KATIE FONSECA,MY GRACIE,DAVIDB…
    OURPATRICIA,TOMHYDE,PAUL,BRIAN,MARTINB,JASON,PETE,JARED,LINDAO,JUSTINP,JONIK,DAVIDMG,DAVIDB,SAM,
    MATTHEW,ROSS,IMANTS,…KERRY,ANNIE,CATHYC,PSARUKLA…ABELE,KATHARINA,WENDY,LISA,RAFAEL…
    SIDNEY,REIMAR,LEEE,THOMAS……………….KATIA,STELIOS,HAIK……………..

    VIVA …back to readrink!!!

  553. Sidney Atkins

    AKAKY.

    My man, my man, my man, MY MAN!!!!!!
    It’s been a long, long wait, but man, was it worth it!!!!
    Does anyone still have any doubts at all that Akaky is the MASTER, the MAN!!!

  554. eva

    “Isn’t one of the main arguments against prostitution (at least in the US) is that the commonality of the prostitutes’ backgrounds? Poverty, drug abuse, sexual abuse lead to the choice not exactly being a free one?”

    Hmm.. is this the same in places where prostitution is legal? I mean, isn’t the fact that it is illegal, forbidden, an effect (and not a cause) of the background many prostitutes come from, or fall into?

    Would it be the same to the clients, if it was legal? Or does the fact of doing something forbidden add to the thrill?

    But then, what do I know..

  555. eva

    Bob: thank you for posting the article (and link), it finally starts to make some sense!

    Akaky! Nice tribute!

  556. john gladdy

    eva. Ouch! If you have more than one roll you can maybe do one as a test. Pull the dev time maybe 10% and agitate a bit more vigorously…or you could just do a clip test. snip off 3 or 4 frames worth and dev normally..do a visual on that and adjust. On the bright side(no pun intended) tri-x is pretty forgiving.
    good luck.

  557. Lee Guthrie

    Erica & Andrew, looking forward to seeing a post of your student’s work. Yea.

  558. eva

    john, thanks! will try.. not very keen on snipping off (and destroing for sure THE ONE pic ;) ), but I guess it’s the best thing to do. Well. Lesson learnt. Off to the next..

  560. david alan harvey

    EVA..

    one full stop over is not the end of the world…i rate Tri-X at 300 anyway..a slight overexposure is better than underexposing..a full stop not good, but you will get fairly good prints anyway, albeit a bit more grainy….yes, do as John says clip test…i would pull the time maybe 20%, but the tests will show you what to do…just make sure your develop temp is 68 degrees…if too warm it will make the problem worse even if you pull it…good luck and let us know…

    cheers, david

  561. Lee Guthrie

    Imants, I love your use of negative space. You have an artist’s touch with it.

    Wanted to send along one of the Dalai Lama’s latest posting on Facebook (yeah, he has a page and it is great to receive his stuff):

    Saying that one should be patient and withstand trouble doesn’t mean one should be defeated and overcome. The whole purpose of engaging in the practice of patience is to become stronger in mind, stronger in heart. And you also want to remain calm. If you lose patience and your brain becomes confused with emotion, you will lose the power to analyze and figure out how to overcome the negative force that is opposing you.

    Just now saw the strong connection and why I felt so clued into this aspect of Imants’ work. Yum.

  563. Imants

    Thanks Lee ……….remember it is important to nurture that impatience and foster confused emotions to make sense of what is unseen. Suppress that yearning to walk towards the sun and take you away.
    Now those negative forces time is the real enemy so we are better off fighting amongst ourselves ………… laughing

  564. Ross Nolly

    Eva;

    Couldn’t work out why my camera was shooting over and under all the time. Somehow I had inadvertantly pressed the bracketing button. I never use it, and it took me a while to figure out!

    Also if you’re using Tri-x; look for “Arista Premium B&W 400” on Freestyle’s website. It’s meant to be re-bradged Tri-x. Pretty cheap…

    Cheers

  567. Herve

    Clearly documentation of human rights abuses and conflicts needs to be done – and not only of the conflict but all that gave rise to the conflict as well? What do you think?
    ——————————

    Absolutely, Jenny. But I am not sure there are Human Rights abuses persay to report on, regarding Issan folks. And my point about the Red Shirts is that the protests were strictly about political issues (throw this unlected PM-ship out, and have elections). For example, there are many social conflicts in Thailand (and in Bangkok while the Reds were protesting), as in anywhere, but the Red Shirts have not tagged along these. Likewise with real Human Rights issues, like exploited refugees from Burma, or the 4000 Hmongs sent back to Laos (and they were camped in Issan) to a most uncertain future.

    Last year, when I was with the Red Shirts for a day, Just about half a mile away from them was “the assembly of the poor”. This is a grass roots movement mostly constituted by disenfranchised farmers, many not land owners, that started over 10 years ago. These people, not always the same, have camped regularly in front of the ministry of agriculture ever since. Real social conflict here, they want their plight heard by any govnmt, be it the old guard, or Thaksin’s. Weirdly so, the red Shirts did not have anything to do with them. Which IMO, is because the Reds are under a leadership that wants political redress, rather than pursuing advocacies of real and happening social comflicts. IMO, again.

    A month ago, 2000 farmers demonstrated in bangkok to get a fair price for their cereals (as global prices had dropped, threatening their livelihood). There too, it was completely independant of the Red Shirts protests. Thaialnd still doesn’t have a political party that would act on a progressive platform, and helps unify all these separate conflicts into one huge advocacy for profound change and against inequalities. I won’t go into why it is not so, but I gave a few hints before.

  568. Herve

    BTW, you guys are going to laugh, and rightly so, but prostitution is….Illegal is Thailand! Not kidding! :-)

    Eva, fear of Aids, but being sex tourists. I think the internet has calmed many fears, not just of aids, but of traveling, for many westerners, who otherwise would not go. The sites where guys tell of their very happy and succesful experiences at enjoying the nightlife, but also feeling welcomed and safe, regarding personal security, in a “3r world” country, are a plethora. Use of condoms is also completely taken for granted.

    So that the question would be the same as to ask why gay people still have sex outside of having a single partner? because it’s there, available, and if practiced safely, not playing Russian Roulette with your life.

    BTW, if there were no sex tourists, there still would be a lot of prositution in Thailand.

    Of course, economics has all to do with it, but not so much coming from extreme poverty, but living in the midst of a society (Thailand), where western consumerism has firmly taken grasp. It does create a lot of pressure to “keep up with the Johns”, if only for a woman to wish to send her kid(s) to school a bit further than she’d been herself, since the last time I saw some stats, only 3% of the non middle-class population have access to higher education.

  572. Frostfrog

    Except for what I intended to be a brief peek at the cover photos and nothing more, until I discovered Emily Schiffer’s piece, I have been absent for awhile and probably will be for a spell yet to come. Schiffer’s piece struck me hard, not only because of her excellent photography, but because the tiny village of Dupree, South Dakota, Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation is really where the direction of my career was set, even though I was not there as a photographer.

    The reason for my absence here is because a week-and-a-half ago, I flew from Alaska to Phoenix to pay a visit to my friend before he died. He is Navajo, but like me married an Apache and we became best friends when my wife and I spent five years living on her reservation in the late ’70’s and early 80’s. As I have mentioned before, in those days I put out the tribal newspaper and it was that experience that led to my one and only spread in National Geographic. I hired Vincent to do cartoons and artwork for me. He went on to become famed in Indian Country, not only for his cartoons but as a songwriter and performer who knew how to reach the people.

    His family gave me both the honor and the heartache to photograph his funeral and today I put it on my blog at this link:

    http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/journal/category/vincent-craig?SSScrollPosition=0

    Over the next couple of days, I will be adding some tributes to that link.

    Eva, if you have not already developed your film I don’t think one stop is much of a problem at all. I haven’t developed Tri-X in a long time, but I used to do so continually. I found that in a situation like yours, T-Max developer will produce a somewhat flat negative that preserves the full range of detail from highlight to shadow.

    Once I leave Arizona, I go straight to the Brooks Range, Alaska, village of Anaktuvuk Pass. I will not be home until June 3 or 4. It is unlikely that I will comment here again until after that, but I will try to drop by for a glance now and then and I will be thinking of you all.

  574. thomas stanworth

    Eva, If you overexposed by one stop and compensate by reducing development time, you will get lower contrast negatives. That’s fine when bright and contrasty but could be an issue if the light was already very flat. In this case, here is an option that might help:

    Use a developer that gives less film speed than what you normally use. You can do either a clip test to home in on the right development time and temperature or shoot a fresh test roll (this is what I do) with the same +1 exposure in similar lighting as you shot the ‘real roll’.

    After establishing a decent development time/temp on your test roll (you can even cut it in half giving you two development tests if need be) you can then confidently develop the real roll.

    If you normally shoot D76 1+1, even using D76 undiluted will shed up to half a stop of speed. If you normally use Xtol 1+1 or DDX, undiluted D76 will be a whole stop slower i.e. lose you the stop you accidentally gained.

    If you want you can email me at tom.stanworth@gmail.com

  576. eva

    Thanks all, no, not yet developed, will do over the weekend, one roll at a time, since the mishap occoured somewhere into one of them on day two or three (yes, I did number them!)..

    David, agreed, better over than underexposed, more grain is something I can live with.. by rating Tri-x at 300, do you mean you set the camera on 300 (320) and then process the film as if it was shot at 400 asa? Or you shoot at 400 and process as a 320?

    Ross, will check out the Arista.. on my cam there’s no possibility to accidentaly push the bracketing button, something I didn’t have on the previous camera anyway and don’t use, here you must push a button and at the same time turn the wheel with two fingers, so I suppose somebody fumbled with it..

    Abele, 9.5 mins for tri-x at 200 asa seems a lot to me (I do either 8 or 8.5, have it written down somewhere), the deviant chart indications are for the previous Tri-x, not the one now in commerce..

    Gordon, looks more WET coast than west coast ;)

    Bill, hugs!

    Herve, if somebody (wherever they reside) can afford to send their kids to school only by selling themselves, if you don’t call this poverty, then what is it?

  578. Imants

    Herve you and your side kick Jenny write all this verbal diarrhoea and don’t have a photo to show ………..that is a piss poor effort on a photographically orientated site . You guys already filled “closing time” now it is all the same “concerned citizen” stuff here and it is all talk and no action crap

  580. Herve

    Eva (Sorry, Imants), It’s extreme poverty I alluded to, not poverty. They do have a choice, and many choose not to enter that trade.

  585. Thodoris Tzalavras

    Eva…

    Regarding the TX overexposure…
    The best way to go about this is of course to do tests…
    Since you already have an established processing system though (including dilution of developer, development time, temperature and agitation) that gives you satisfactory results, a minor reduction (10-20%) in developing time (keeping all other variables constant) will do the trick just fine.
    As Thomas mentioned underdevelopment will give you a negative with a little less contrast.
    Intentional overexposure/underdevelopment is used to accommodate more-than-normal-contrast scenes—just like underexposure/overdevelopment is used to add some contrast in an otherwise very dull and flat scene.
    Cheers.

  586. Imants

    Great to see that the red shirts were corporately sponsored…….. I have always had to commit my own expenses to the cause

  587. michael webster

    Frostfrog, wow. Any plans to do a tight edit? I’d like to see one nicely presented. Might be great if you had some audio as well. Singer/songwriter, you know.

    Herve, interesting. Is that photo communicating what you want to say about the red shirts? Are they bought and paid for?

  588. jenny lynn walker

    Imants: You are hysterical! Yes, way too much verbal on this topic! I tried a couple of times to change the topic, but a tidal wave of comments had appeared again every time I logged on! Give me a break on showing images – at least a few more hours. DAH only said he wanted to see it yesterday and as you can imagine, there’s a lot of it.

  589. Imants

    Wow!!!!!!!!the reds have packed up and gone home fed the kids, said hi to the the wife and are back out in the fields licking their wounds and still no photos from you …… you could have posted a couple on your lightstalkers gallery and then link them this ain’t a difficult process as you know yourself …no tsunami of comments other than some you and the Herve guy who is back in America, eaten an airline meal and still managed to post a link image…………….

  590. david alan harvey

    THODORIS…

    yes correct..i suppose i am overexposing just a bit as “normal” by rating Tri-X at 300 in the first place..of course, this all depends on, metering method, agitation frequency, type of developer, etc as well…i think for sure we can agree that a thin negative is worse than a heavy one…

  593. Gordon Lafleur

    Eva, (laughing) you nailed it, that is its’ nickname. The outer coast of Vancouver Island is a temperate rainforest. Average rainfall in Tofino is 135 inches a year…more than ten feet!

  594. Thodoris Tzalavras

    David…

    Definitely.

    The way we evaluate the light in a scene *and* our aesthetics (e.g. some people underexpose intentionally in order to *not* have details in the lower print values while others go to considerable lengths in order to preserve those same details) play a big part in how we choose to expose and develop our films. Also, when testing to find the *actual* speed of a given film, most films are found to be from 1/3 to more than 1 full stop slower than what they’re advertised to be. So, most people do indeed tend to overexpose a bit as a default.

    And of course, when talking about shooting roll films—with exposures made under different lighting conditions on the same roll—things are even more complicated and compromises have to be made all around…

    Cheers.

  595. Thodoris Tzalavras

    Oh, and of course it depends on how you’ll be using the negatives too…

    A negative which will be printed on a condenser enlarger needs less contrast than one which will be printed on a diffuser enlarger. Also, if instead of printing in the darkroom you plan to only scan your negatives, a thinner negative will probably serve you better than a denser one…

    p.s. I bet you’re very excited to reenter the darkroom world after many years… have fun…

  599. Herve

    Michael Webster. Not about the Red Shirts, about Thailand, and it occured to me after posting it that it indeed foolowed my own comment about Western consumerism in the midst of that country.
    I am sure I took the photo merely thinking “funny, the guy did not have a real (scripted) Red shirt, but that T-shirt will do”. Thais are a pragmatic bunch, if this doesn’t work, that will do. If Democracy is not quite here, Thaksin will do… Etc! ;-)

    A firm and relax grip at the Reds camp (love the arguing finger behind):

    http://upload.pbase.com/image/124945477/original

  600. eva

    Again, thanks everybody for the help about the overexposure/developing question! Good to know not to be the only one in the boat (hi Ross ;) ), I’ll treat the rolls as shot at 200 asa, plus my usual slight overexposure, which I can handle, cross every toe I’ve got and hope for the best..

  601. Herve

    Not sure what happened, my comment did not land on BURN.

    Anyway, Michael W, I was just saying, no special comment on my part, thais are a pragmatic bunch, if no scripted Red Shirt, the Coca Cola will do fine, if no real democracy, Thaksin will do…! ;-)

    and I added a link for another picture (hope it passes this time):

    http://upload.pbase.com/image/124945477/original

  603. a civilian-mass audience

    oime …oime …SIDNEY is right…
    AKAKY,IRLAKAKY…AKAKIE…AKKAIUS…AKA..KYAKA…
    you are DaMan…DaWoman…DaSoul…DaSpirit…DaourFamily
    Respect!!!

    FROSTFROG,
    I see “real faces” in your photos…I connect…in a weird way…
    a civilian somewhere lost in Greece…can connect…with VINCENT CRAIG and his people…with your family …oime…Navajo, Apache…!!!
    Respect***

    VIVA AUSSIES, VIVA ACADEMIANS,VIVA EUROPEANS,AMERICANS,ASIANS,AFRICANS…SOUTH and NORTH POLEANS…
    … whatever you are…
    WE ARE ALL ONE…let’s BURN the name tags…we are all one…
    and I LOVE YOU…

    P.S ok,enough said… I have been TX overexposed …

  604. Frank Michael Hack

    PANOS

    I have I am sorry to say given into that wanting and lust and recently purchased a used M4-P with Voigtlander Nokton Classic multi-coated 40mm 1.4. I got a really good deal and could not pass it up. This will bring me back to my days starting out in photography with me Dad’s ancient Leica and developing in my parents bathroom. BTY some people are using the Nokton on the GF1 and are loving it.

    EVA

    Total synchronicity. I am taking notes at the expense of your dilemma. Will be loading some Tri-X and experimenting soon. Thanks for being honest and open with your situation. It helps us all to learn.

    Cheers ; )))

    Frank

  605. abele

    Eva,

    I have a very limited hands-on experience with tri-x (in the past developed some TXP @320 asa, xtol 1+1 and time around 10 minutes @ 21°C)… my favourite all around 400asa film in medium format has always been Fuji Neopan…
    ciao

  606. Ross Nolly

    Frank; I’m trying to work out whether I can afford a mint Fuji TX (the Fuji version of the XPan) on sale here; at about 1/3 the price of the Hassie. Only problem is that it has a 90mm on and I’d want to get the 45mm; and they are as scarce as hen’s teeth. I’m interested in experimenting with panoramic format for doco work.

  607. Gordon L

    Eva
    Might as well weigh in on TriX.

    My best advice is to pick one film/developer combination and work with it for a long time. There is absolutely no milage in skipping around. Reccomended developement times are only a starting point. My developement time for TriX in HC110-dilution B varied by more than a minute when moving from one city to another. I found HC110 to be the most convenient and economical, D76 1-1 is awesome, but has longer developement times and is more expensive to use.

    Traditionally, the perfect negative is one that will produce a print on grade 2 or 2-1/2 paper, with pure blacks, detail in the shadows, nice mid-tone separation, detail in the whites, and sparkling white specular highlights. Ideally, this should all happen at the minimum exposure time required to produce a pure black on un-exposed but developed film (the clear area between the frames is a good place to test)

    A perfectly exposed negative almost seems to print itself.

    Good luck with it all. I hope you become a master printer. If you just plan to scan the negs, I think you would be better off shooting digital unless you can afford a high end scanner.

  608. Lee Guthrie

    Hey all. Glad you got so much response Eva. I would have put my two cents in but it would not have even been worth 2 cents!

    I have some news. After sitting on my hands for four days I finally have been inducted into a volunteer group working with the birds that need to be cleaned and rehabilitated. It began when I got to Grand Isle and could not find anyone to take my supplies or open a door to helping. After finding the cafe in Ponchatoula and connecting with a woman who knew a woman I spent four days in a hotel in a town so small you could sneeze and someone on the other side said bless you.

    Today got the call and met up with the head of the Clear Water Wild Life something or other group that works with animals in distress such as blown about by a hurricane or needing cleaning due to the oil. I will spend the next two days assisting the group in their staging to deploy to Grand Isle (back I go) and then my job will be cooking for the group at the camp on Grand Isle.

    So excited to finally have this come to fruition. It all began over a week ago when I suddenly decided I needed to help in this catastrophe on the Gulf Coast. Patience has paid off and amazingly I have landed not just with a group of animal rescuers but with a group of Gurdjieff folks. So it is a mix of meditation, spiritual practice (not real familiar with them but similar to the Sufi’s I have followed for so many years), and wild life rehabilitation.

    After signing a paper saying I would not photograph without permission the manager started talking about how good it might be if they had photographs for a book that one of their members is doing on the effort at this center. After talking for a while she said she would have no problem with me taking photos as long as I gave the center credit when published. So slowly getting there.

    I never dreamed it would be so hard to volunteer; when I talked with the manager about it she said the state is wary due to the Katrina issues with people getting into organizations to help and it was strictly to photograph or write about the catastrophe and the effects on the people. I admit I want to photograph (obviously) but truly want to help in any way I can. Thank goodness for the Dalai Lama and his constant source of wisdom on compassion and PATIENCE. It has paid off.

    So will be posting photos on Facebook and possibly Picasa and will link when they are available. So very happy this has finally come to something.

  609. Frank Michael Hack

    ROSS

    I think the panoramic for doc work would be pretty cool. I haven’t played with the Fuji TX or the X-Pan. It really gives a cinematic feel but from what I hear can be a tough format to work in. Does the Fuji also collapse to 35mm? Jordan Roberts up here in Toronto (moving soon to New York as a Magnum in Motion Intern) has done some work with the X-Pan you should speak to him. I am sure he wouldn’t mind talking shop with you on that his e-mail is jordanrobertsphotography@gmail.com

    All the best,

    Frank

  611. eva

    Gordon, add to the ‘one film-one developer’ the ‘one camera-one lens’ bit and even ‘one paper-one developer’and you’ve got what I usually do. Unless the situation requires something different. Which happens more often than not.

    I’ve stopped scanning negatives, I make contacts and prints, and will scan some of them for web use. No master at all, but I do have fun being in the darkroom.

    Which grade to print I think depends also on how you want your print to look, personally I prefer a tad more contrast over perfect shadow details just about everywhere, don’t mind blown out parts if it serves the picture language. I often shoot in less than perfect light conditions, trying to make the best out of it.

    The lightsituation/environment of the indicted rolls were more or less these:

    http://www.slowemotion.it/pics/fred.jpg

    Less than perfect. Overexposing a tad is my choice, I don’t care about seeing the windows in the background (the print looks better than the scan though), but I wanted the face in the lower part to be seen. Also slow shutterspeed and open lens is my choice. Overexposing by one full stop here, added to the already overexposing I do normally, is too much, and NOT my choice, but a mistake on the settings. That is what threw me off and made me panicing (is that a word??).

    Happy to have gotten all the feedback (and having been of help, hi Frank!) :))

    Lee, good for you!

  612. Ross Nolly

    Frank;

    The Fuji TX is an XPan. Fuji made the Xpan for Hassie and the TX is their own badged version of exactly the same camera. I am going to use a Holga 120 with pano adapter (for the effect) too, but also want the razor sharp look too. I had looked at the Nikon N70QD; but I think it just crops down a standard single 35mm frame.

    Thanks for the email link. I appreciate it.

    Cheers :-)

  613. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: Just finishing the text to accompany the sequence and will then upload.

    Lee: I am so excited for you! It is really wonderful news! Go for it!!!

    Imants: I posted a link to my work on Photoshelter some time ago on here which has images from the protest on it. The sequence I am working on concerns the protestors themselves and the nature of the actual protest (rather than the conflicts that were ignited by opposition to it which made ‘news’) which requires going through images taken over the past 2 months.

  614. aitken

    Ross,
    XPAN and lenses = Lush

    I love the camera, the first time I looked at a roll of velvia that came out of it I was blown away by the sharpness and colour rendition, it blew the socks off my nikons. Only thing is the lenses are a bit slow.

    Small unobtrusive watch out for the vignetting though.

    Ian

  616. michael webster

    Regarding Lee’s problems volunteering for gulf coast cleanup, here is a big part of the explanation (also the answer if you are so inclined).

    In short: “You must first have the 24 Hour Hazwoper Training only offered by private companies. OSHA apparently just makes the guidelines but isn’t in the training business. This class can be taken on-line for around $200.”

    It’s not a disaster, it’s an opportunity to profit off people who care.

  618. Gordon Lafleur

    Hey Michael, “It’s not a disaster, it’s an opportunity to profit off people who care.”

    War, health care, natural disaster, all opportunities for profit. It’s the American way.

  619. michael webster

    Gordon, yea, no question.

    Regarding your comment in the other thread, and speaking to general journalistic ethics, not the Mexico essay in particular — yes, sometimes compromises are necessary, but what about when what they want you to see isn’t true? Should the pj show a false reality, just cause the photos are compelling?

  620. Gordon L

    Michael

    I’m not sure what you mean by a false reality, there are always filters on what and how we shoot, either internal or external. I suppose it must rely on the photographers own ethics. Both sides in a conflict will impose their own filter. It is up to the photographer to work within that. The North Korean essay we saw on Burn earlier is a good case in point. The photographer (sorry, can’t remmember the name), managed to make a strong statement despite the heavy control he was subjected to.

  621. pAtrIcIO m.

    Ross: I’ve been working with my XPAN since 2008 (I only can afford B&W film, bathroom developing, contact sheet, home scan, etc… not so many euros). The result is really great, at the beginning was a bit hard to compose the picture in that format/frame, but when I get use to, I really enjoy this camera.
    Is true that the 45mm f4 is a little slowly, but you’ll get to use it…

    Personally I’ve started after seeing an exhibition of Mickael Von Graffrenried in Paris. It blows me!!

    I’ve some shots in my web page, “Portraits” and “Via Piancavallo”, you can take a look…

    There is good web page about that: http://www.panorama-gallery.com

    A+
    Patricio

  622. michael webster

    Gordon, I’m talking about the journalistic ethics of presenting something that is not true as true in exchange for access. I can’t imagine any circumstance in which that could be considered ethical. I don’t see the North Korean essay as an example of that. Good use of access yes. Propaganda, no.

  624. Ryan Gauvin

    Xpans… Fun cameras. I usd to own an xpan1 but repllaces it with an xpan2 not so long ago. I actually prefer the 1 as the metering indicators are more like my m6, and I prefer the manual dials for iso and exposurecompensation. Lenses are awesome sharp. Not my every day camera but i see shots that suit the format every day that make me wish I as carrying it. It was great to have when I was working on my Tibet project…

    A couple places to watch for them are http://www.setadelstudios.com based in Toronto and http://www.rangefinderforum.com classifieds.

    Anyways, if you need any help, shout.

  625. michael webster

    On a completely different note, I’m probably going to buy a digital recorder soon. I’m looking for the least expensive most professional quality, of course. I’m pretty sure I’ve got it nailed, but thought I ought to run it by you all anyway.

    I figure the Roland R-09HR and the Mic that’s built to go with it. I definitely couldn’t spend any more than that.

    Any comments, suggestions?

  626. a civilian-mass audience

    aha…more reading…thanks to MR.VINK

    as LEE said…”Patience has paid off ”

    and the question of the day…from MICHAELW:
    “Should the pj show a false reality, just cause the photos are compelling?”

  627. kathleen fonseca

    Michael

    I think there is more than one way to skin this cat. You use the access you got, then you deliberately contradict or illustrate the necessary ambiguity of your photos by by layering on a different multi-media tool which can highlight the bias of the first source. Like you provide an interview with an anonymous citizen who describes some impropriety on the part of law enforcement that is layered directly over a photo of the cop cars in the barrio. That way you increase the tension, information, sensibility, empathy and you also multiply the facets of the essay. The more light you put on the subject the better we can see it. And of course, depending on how well he does his job, David just might have to get out of Dodge when his essay is published.

    best
    kathleen

  628. Herve

    rather than the conflicts that were ignited by opposition to it
    ——————————–

    I hope you will not pretend at impartial photo-journalism, Jenny…. :-)

  629. michael webster

    Kathleen, I brought it up over here in response to Gordon to separate the topic from David’s essay. I don’t think it’s fair to discuss his essay in such harsh terms when we have no idea of his knowledge, thoughts, or motivations. I certainly give him the benefit of the doubt on these ethical issues. What he’s done is not easy. What he’s attempting much less so. I’m very impressed with his effort. But certain aspects of his essay, particularly the access afforded by the police, raise some interesting questions. As for how he might have handled it, I’d suggest possibly by just leaving the police out of the picture. Under no circumstances would you want to give them any reason to suspect you were deceiving them in order to make them look bad. One could leave them out entirely and still present an honest story.

    Regarding the danger, yes, working on anything drug-related in Mexico is unquestionably dangerous, but Mexico is a big place and the level of danger varies significantly by region. The state of Sonora, for example, is not at all like the state of Chihuahua or Sinaloa. Sonora, in fact, may well be the least representative state in Mexico. It’s wealthier and much more ethnically homogeneous, to name probably the two most important differences. I know things must have changed for the worse since I spent a lot of time there 10 to 15 years ago, but I’m guessing many truths remain unchanged. I think one could conceivably photograph the daily dramas without crossing the cartels, police or army, though it’s true that one could always make a wrong turn or simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I used to research environmental issues related to NAFTA and spent a lot of time looking at various sites with Mexican activists, and often victims. I was allowed into many homes and saw a lot of that daily drama of which David speaks. Even then, it was very obvious that one simply did not talk about drugs. And I had a few close calls. So although I agree it could well be suicidal to pursue any kind of cartel related story in Mexico, it still might be possible to pursue some other kind of story without actively courting a violent death. Maybe not though. It would certainly be risky.

    (if you’re wondering, no, I wasn’t photographing back then. Wish I could go back in time and smack my old self up against the head with a magic Leica and change all that, but as yet it’s just not possible.)

  630. mtomalty

    I figure the Roland R-09HR and the Mic that’s built to go with it. I definitely couldn’t spend any more than that.

    Michael,

    The Zoom H4n is in the same price range and comes very well recommended by many
    heading down the multimedia path.

  631. a civilian-mass audience

    is that you KATIE, the Street fighter, the Sword Tongue…
    the ONE and Only ONE
    KATHLEEN FONSECAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    where have you been my darling young one…
    JULIETTE …mama…son…dada…
    are you ready with your landscapes to open my vision

    I am just SPEECHLEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS

  632. a civilian-mass audience

    and now I present …
    MRS KATHLEEN FONSECAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    damdaradam…We love you

    P.S I know …IMANTS…will say that he doesn’t…and the rest is history…!!!

  634. Herve

    Kathleen, How is everything. Good to have you dropping by.

    yes, your words to David were quite harsh, David R obviously put a lot of work and dedication (maybe not enough extended in time, and spaces, I am not sure) towards his essay, and he certainly didn’t come off as an insincere or clueless witness. Criticism should not equate to dismissal, and assault on the photographer.

    I hate to say it, but just as Imants did with Jenny and me, as we often did with Jim Powers…..Talk is easy. You say you know (about Mexico). We are all taking pictures, and if we know, then, we should show it.

  635. kathleen fonseca

    Hi Michael

    I likewise respect David´s photography which is why i had no criticism of it at all. Just that it failed to deliver what the title promised. Tom Hyde brought up the geography of the topic and it also occurred to me as well that if the main problem was in Juarez then why is David in Mexico City? of course the drug problem affects all of Mexico in one way or another and has done so for many, many years. It doesn´t matter where David does his work but captions would certainly have helped the viewer get a sense of the scope of this particular drug war which is so much more ruthless, brutal and horrifying than anything ever seen in Mexico before. And that it´s gotten so bad that people have simply become desensitized to it. Abuse, certainly at the deepest most psychic level of the individual condemned to live through these times in this place.

    I think that David could illustrate that the police are part of the problem in some way, however subtle it might be. I don´t think he has to just grin and bear whatever the cops tell him. There are ways to tell the truth. And if there aren´t, then do as Romans do and simply shut up. Just as you say, is it ethical to trade distorted truth for accessibility? As far as leaving the cops out, yes, i agree, that would be better than presenting a distorted truth but the presence of the police certainly jazzes up the essay, lends credibility, guarantees interesting material from a close vantage point (sometimes too close perhaps) and implies that law enforcement is making a huge effort to control what´s clearly out of control.

    I don´t know the answer. David does. And he ain´t saying. Maybe it´s like the pj´s embedding with the military in Iraq/Afghanistan. They could only tell what the military wanted them to tell. So what really is the difference? Most Americans are still blind to the fact that approximately 105,000 civilians perished in Iraq. Why? No media coverage. The Viet Nam war ended only when these photos began to appear in the media. So David´s text that decapitated heads are rock and rolled onto the disco floor doesn´t really register with average person when all we see are police cars, prostitutes and a body on the street. I think there needs to be another layer incorporating the voices of the victims, i.e., the average Mexican to drive home the immensity of the problem. CNN did a great story about Juarez also done via access to the police beat. But the audio really nailed the story. Otherwise it´s as if the victimized society is mute, ball-gagged, held hostage without a sound.

    And by the way, the Mexican cartels are not just making their presence felt in Mexico. They are most decidedly a challenge to authorities and ordinary citizens up and down the Latin American corridor from the producing countries all the way to the US border and beyond. Talk about big, little and in-between dramas, well, there are many. ´nuff said.

    best
    Kathleen

  636. a civilian-mass audience

    Thank you KATIE…!!!

    Now, I can rest my case…or something like that…

    Antios and Bestos and Abrazos

  637. kathleen fonseca

    Herve

    Yes, i know something about those ¨quiet little dramas¨ associated with this subject that are definitely dramatic though neither quiet nor little. I wish i could say more but every time i try to couch it in an unassuming bit of text it still seems too dangerous so i will shut up.

    If i was harsh with David it was only about his title. He did not deliver what the title promised though i do understand why. I certainly didn´t have a problem with the photos which were well done. He is an intellectual individual. He knows what the essay lacks and hopefully he will fill in the missing pieces. It´s half done. He´s on the inside so perhaps because he can read between the pixels he thinks everyone else can too. But i don´t think that´s the case.

    Anyway, must go..good to see you Herve..it was a long time that you were away and then i left and well, here we both are. Hope you are doing very well!

    Civilian, my Civilian

    *big smooch*..Juliette graduated..eeeehaaawww! she´s home with me briefly before heading out again. Am enjoying her presence big time and we are off to an art exhibit this afternoon. aaargh..please don´t mention landscapes..i have hit an artistic Berlin wall..just looking at my photos makes me want to retch. Am assuming this is a common ailment and that it will pass (?!?)

    best all
    Kathleen

  639. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIE…ok…I am not gonna rest my case…cause I don’t wanna rest my case…
    I am so excited that you came back…

    you know that you have a way with writing stuff…
    I was checking Perfect Strangers and Landscapes BUT I see that you are holding back…
    like you are afraid of something…hmmm…I am not a photographer
    one thing I know for sure…that your writing vision is SUPERB !!!

    I am waiting for your book…I can wait…
    And don’t forget : YOU ARE A BURNIAN…
    I LOVE YOU !!!

  640. a civilian-mass audience

    Back to my chickens…

    BURNIANS …it’s gonna be a lovely summer…
    keep it up …keep it rolling…we are rocking!!!

    Do I smell Birthday??? hmmm…

  641. kathleen fonseca

    Civiliancivcivillian

    don´t EVER rest your case..ever, never..especially when it´s because you believe someone, believe in someone or simply believe. And as for what you are saying to me, your words rest lightly on a heavy soul. One reason i am here is to get back to my work as well..being around photography, thinking about photography, being riled up about photography, rejoicing in it, immersed in it…maybe it will clear the funk..i´m trying..but writing..harharhehe, maybe someday i will have something to say that´s more than two paragraphs long but i´m not holding my breath so please don´t you hold yours either :)) love ya ´schnoogums´…and what the hell are you up to? will be back for your answer later..i must be off!

  643. Herve

    BP/Gulf…. I have this “roosters are coming home…” feeling about (the lack of) reaction to the spill. Not just from the rest of the world, but within this very country too. I may be wrong.

  644. Imants

    For some here it is time to go beyond the so called traditional PJ way and start embracing contemporary photographic practice with all its bells and whistles.
    Viewing images and essays at face value only leads to misconceptions and audience frustration. Post modern principles and practices are firmly entrenched within the photographic world and along with this comes a new way of reading and understanding. Analysis of the structural/subjective elements employed by a photographer is essential so one can understand what he/she trying to be communicated and to what audience. Then there is the impact of browbeating commercialism as a visual competitor……….
    Think beyond the rectangles you see on the screen

  646. david bowen

    something which has struck me about the last two essays is the vastly differing approach, and reflected intention of the photographers.

    i think that any change, if at all possible, comes through the photographer more than the images.. the photographers own actions.. whether it be bleesdale sending his book to ‘the powers that be’ or natchwey accepting and passing on donations to individual people in suffering he has encountered.

    emily seems to be working hard to gain the funding to educate and enlighten people to represent themselves, and fully understand the representations they produce..
    david is employing the ‘power of the still image’ in the hope that there will be an effect drawn from within us as viewers.. or is he?

    emilys work – as a by product of her greater intentions – shines with love, dedication, patience and thoughtfull appreciation of the subjects.
    genuine moments are caught rather than editorial page fillers being saught.

    davids work drags us into the life of someone we do not know – with ambiguous uncaptioned images used in an editorial way.. although the texts focus seems more far reaching than the photos.. which is a shame.. a longer edit of the photos could heal that..
    they hold some power as a series yet leave me feeling rather cold and slightly ambivient.. not to say i disbelieve the truth in what he is trying to portray, yet somehow the solidity of that truth is diminished by the cliche within the photographs and the story, which is no doubt over simplified.

    2 different photographers born the same year who have an utterly opposing spin on story telling.. and helping and educating and feeling..
    to me the drugs essey fails in all the places where emilies work graciously succeeds.

    i think davids skill as a negotiator of access, his knowledge of technique and post processing is top level.. there are some telling images.. composed mysery, pain and suffering… as with his TB work in africa..
    yet.. in his tb piece, have i not seen a similar photo shot through an x-ray elsewhere?
    maybe even on this site?
    and then the awards.. there are more than twice the award ‘aknowledgements’ than there are stories.. it makes me wonder about motivation.. why would a photographer seemingly seek out more awards than stories..? than exhibitions.. ?

    being a jack-of-all-sorrows and contriving to collect as many accolades as possible seems to be the way forward in the minds of many young photographers..

    to me the piece david has created is excellent photographically.. execution and then publication followed by award collecting by-numbers..

    however – the piece emily has created breaths soul..

    i think emily is changing the world through herself and her actions.. her interactions, and i fear that the biggest change david is effecting is to his own career and, it seems, at the risk of his life..

    ___________________________

    briefly on the cuban essay as well..
    i loved it.. i loved it like i love all my guilty pleasures.. the occassional 10CC love song.. a bit of old school rap..
    dig that vibe.

  647. bob black

    brother Bowen ;)))

    agree 100%!….funny, i was going to write something very similar tomorrow, so no need for me to add to that :))))))….have no time now to write at burn much, so busy busy…

    by the way, i am ALWAYS disillusioned by the photoworld’s need for awards…and for award accumulation…i happily have only every applied for one ‘award’ in photography (all other award competitions i never enter) and that is related to Road Trips…..it makes me depressed that we live in a swelter of award gathering….silly really…

    anyway…

    ALL;

    wanted to share this video….from Adam Smith’s exhibition…

    http://theadamsmith.tumblr.com/post/612386521/05-18-10-thank-you-to-all-those-who-attended-for

    will someday post pictures from Marinka’s show…

    ok, gotta fly…much to do…

    hugs
    b

  648. Imants

    David photographers are just catching up to an approach that has been going on for centuries in one form or another ………………..

  649. Gordon L

    Bob Black, David Bowen

    First of all, thanks for the link Bob. Good to see photographs in frames rather than push-pinned into the walls. ‘t’sall about RESPECT doncha know.

    Great post, and food for thought David, an interesting juxtaposition by photographers from the same generation, though I think in some ways you are comparing apples and ham sandwiches.

    As far as award collecting goes, I can hear what you are saying. I have belonged to a proffesional association for 25 years, though this year let my membership lapse. I never could stomach the “print salon”, a competition through which one accumulated points to earn a “craftsman, or, finally, a Master” designation.
    On the other hand, I recognise and appreciate that the awards, the letters after your name, the list of publications etc etc open doors, gain commissions, lend credibility and advance ones’ career and bottom line. Just never did like playing the game, to my detriment.

    BTW David B, spent some time with “wasted”. Great photos, but as an old fogey gotta say, what are them young people comin’ too? It’s a fucked up hedonistic world. I hate techno pop.

  650. Gordon L

    Latest news, sold my last medium format film camera system, a Pentax 645 with 4 lenses for $450. Bought a Canon 35mm f2 with the proceeds.

  651. Frank Michael Hack

    MICHAEL, MTOMALTY

    I recently purchased the ZOOM H4N. I am collecting audio for a MM I am putting together. I haven’t downloaded the audio yet, but the quality I can hear through headphones is excellent. Will let you know how it turns out.

    Frank

  652. Herve

    I think David R’s work and Emily’s are 2 different things, and find unfair to pounce on one while making the other a heroine, within the same argument, that is, one vs the other. Or we must start judging all essays presented on BURN, against Emily’s dedication and love.

    btw, I am confused, I thought she had some shots, but that most in her essay were by the kids. yes? No?

  653. byronfry

    This is a bit of a long shot but I’m trying to get in contact with David. I’m leaving in a couple of days to ride my motorcycle around Canada for about 3 months. I’m dipping down to NYC to see the Bresson show and then head back across the country and into the Yukon. I’m travelling with another friend who is also a young photographer, I’m 22 and she is 20. It would be fantastic to meet David and any other photographers while we are in NY, also if anyone on here had room on a floor for us to crash that would be fantastic.

  654. Herve

    About awards, a sincere question from me: why are there so many in the photographic field?

    Also, has a photographer ever refused one, let’s say recently (like in the last 40 years)?

  656. Ross Nolly

    Thanks everyone with all the help about the XPan. I’ll reply to everything tomorrow. I’m a bit snowed under til then…

    Thanks again Ross

  657. eva

    David B, very interesting point.. and you’ve nailed down something that was floating in my brain but couldn’t find its way into words..

    The other David, AH that is, one of the best things that are out there in this world are friends. The true ones. Hope all is fine..

  658. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNING CYCLES
    Cycles,bicycles and motorcycles…
    life goes on
    we got to move on.
    Some will go west
    anguish…no rest.
    Some will go east
    looking for peace…

    to be continued…

    KATIE FONSECA…you are holding the answers…I LOVE YOU
    if there is a vision…then, there is a way.
    and street fighters always find their way…I BELIEVE

    P.S hmmm…do baby chickens fart…???
    ok, back to our regular program

  659. Imants

    P.S hmmm…do baby chickens fart…???..only when they wear their civi dress feathers, egg laying which is a military operation all farting is banned

  661. a civilian-mass audience

    “Think beyond the rectangles you see on the screen”
    IMANTS

    only when they wear their civi dress feathers,oil drilling which is a military operation
    all spilling is banned

    Paldies

  662. david bowen

    herve

    the kids photos are on the linked site she has provided and the story here contains her own work.. award winning, of course :ø)

    gordon, eva, herve, bobus..
    and all.. apologies for a late night vent last night.. will leave my reasons clouded and carry on i think :ø)

    perhaps you are right and in comparing the work of the two i am producing an unfair juxtaposition, yet i do see similarities in wanting to tell a story.. and i think back to alejandro, last years EPF grant beneficiary who also had a story to tell.

    part of the problem for me is that competitions, with few exceptions, tend to highlight work which is average.. by it’s nature chosen by commitee.. safe bets.. and this produces a continuing mundaine and predictable path for photography in general to follow.. photographers emulating the ‘winners’.. ticking boxes.. production line snappers.. i wonder how many EPF applications this year were large format, long exposure creations?

    colour paletts and even aestethics have become cliched.. repeating themselves with different subjects and the same framing. the major force in fighting these cliches is in the photographers intention and place next to the subject. otherwise is it not just a case of mimiking a successfull framing of a suitable subject, picking up gongs and paying the rent?
    i could not begin to count the number of photographs i have seen over the past years which are oddly remenisent of this – http://museum.icp.org/museum/exhibitions/nachtwey/images/96-8-33_7.jpg – and it’s varient with the subject looking into camera.

    alejandro being awarded the EPF by the people who awarded it is an exception and an appreciation of the changing nature of documentary and perhaps journalistic work.. emily being recognised with an award recently is another exception – for a set of photos basically concieved from a situation which she has created (through workshops), while also standing as an introduction to a more journalistic story..

    emily and alejandro stand as artists working in the documentary field which, whether it seems fair or not, seems to relegate david r’s work to that of a hack.. despite the beautiful images and post processing it feels somewhat hollow.. more death, suffering and another story of pain which is told in by-the-numbers fashion.. a well trodden path which seems to advance neither photography as a language nor the plight of the subjects, yet which wins accolade and reward…

    so many awards? hmm.. money..
    so many wars? hmm.. money..
    the cogs and wheels of capitalism are lubricated with blood as money..
    from drug to arms dealers, and from PJ’s to NGO’s..

    that is to say – good work is being done, yet a more critical eye is needed when a refugee or famine victim cannot get a tent without an NGOs branding blaized accross it and dozens of pj’s fly in to save the day, taking the same photos as each other, getting 50usd a snap and picking up a few awards into the bargain.. while volunteer workers risk their lives for little praise.. and one individuals kindness is lost to anothers career path.

    it is a strange time when i can spend a month in croatia with landmine clearence workers and the red cross, (as i did last year), and win awards and money depending on the angle i choose, while 20% of them are killed every year in obscurity.

    david r shows us what is wrong – however in his story who is doing the good work? he stands in judgement on what basis?..
    where are the non-police.. community workers.. people beyond the reach of traditional media working for no reward? what do the photos tell us about mexico, compared to what they tell us about the photographers intentions when considered alongside his clear ambitions?

    the twist at the end of the tail is that in many pj’s work, they feature as the only ones doing any good.. the soul saviours and brave crusaders.
    exceptions abound of course and the greatest photographers find the people struggling through and tell us about them, as well as the problem itself.. classic examples being PJG focusing on the vietnamese.. JN showing us the one armed, one legged man fighting to keep his family together through adversary..
    PJG and JN are not the heros of their own orchestrated story, rather they find the people living the effects and let them speak.. lend them a voice through their work.. our own mr. vink, with his quite extraordinary dedication to long term coverage of land issues.. dah spending 30 years before producing a book of his findings regarding spanish colonialism..

    smart photography just isn’t enough..

    these days the population and community of a city or country have the inside edge AND the ability if guided to tell us about it.. .. and emily reaslizes that point very well.. as did andy levin with his workshops for haitians.-.- and on and on.. some are hitting a mark which is enabling at the same time as reporting.

    from the last century, photography seems to have a preoccupation with focusing morbidly on our base insticts and failings, mostly documented by middleclass people from the minority world.. the west… does this still need to be rewarded? hasn’t photography, and havn’t photographers, now evolved into much more complex animals capable of much greater deeds than simply recording and reporting what is percieved?
    war goes on.. the wheels on the bus go round and round.. perpetually reporting such in a traditional way is hack work, regardless of a talent for aesthetics or post processing, unless there is a deeper more personal story to tell.. and a clearer well defined intention to help beyond the act of bending our first finger and squinting.

    this century we have the extraordinary and exciting stage in photography whereby everyone and anyone has the potential to document and tap into their own culture and place within it.
    emily has tapped into that and as her initiative spreads as she hopes it shall it brings with it a fresh opportunity to look again at the world through eyes more accustomed to the light of a peoples own plight..

    i do like david r’s talent for photography.. yet perhaps story telling in the fashion of rio’s ‘city of god’ holds more validity and poigniency in this day and age..

    i did not mean to elevate emily – rather just compare the approaches of two digital age photographers hitting 30 years old.. in the as yet undefined latest and greatest movement in photography, possibilities abound.. it certainly is late for modernism.

    and i apologise to david r for any unintended disrespect.. there is a clear compassion and dedication way beyond that of most photographers and i’m sorry to have vented during his feature.. it could have been another story and photographer so easily.

    websites loaded with awards more than work warp into corperate ventures..

    d

  663. david bowen

    civi – i know i fart.. sometimes, and possibly today and last night, from my brain.
    gordon – thanks for looking.. wasted.. survived.. no rewards beyond the seeing and it’s further evolution.. always wanted to explore youth culture in russia.. sober and clean from here on in, hmmmm, will the photography suffer for it?.
    :ø)

  664. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDB…give me few hours…I got to go through(read) …your brain farting…:)))
    OOO

    I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLl…

  665. david bowen

    it may not be worth the investment of time civi..
    i think i’ve said it before..
    back in 1924

    ever decreasing circles culminating in the ‘finding’ of my own point.

    i hope.
    d

  666. michael webster

    Regarding the digital audio recorders, yes, I am still considering the Zoom H4N, which does seem to be the consensus choice. It’s biggest advantages, as far as I can tell, are its xlr inputs with phantom power and four channel recording capabilities. I see the XLR inputs as a great advantage because of the flexibility they give to using better quality mics. Don’t really care about 4 channel recording, though it’s always nice to have higher end features than you may find a use for someday, something involving music, for example.

    The reason I’m leaning towards the Roland R-09 is mainly because of its looks. The Zoom is big and gaudy and obvious. The R-09 easily rides in a shirt pocket, is black and unobtrusive. At a glance, most people would mistake it for an mp3 player. Of course sound quality matters first and foremost. All the reviews are good on the Zoom, though some do question the quality of the XLR inputs, which could negate its biggest advantage. I regularly use an R-09 and am comfortable with its quality. Maybe it’s that comfort that tips the scales. No, I think discreet matters more.

  668. david bowen

    michael..
    i do wish i were more concise..

    imants
    ‘David photographers are just catching up to an approach that has been going on for centuries in one form or another ‘

    you make me think of the origins of story telling in music.. folk music through to rap.. as a means of passing on heritage, realtive wisdom and culture..
    and cave drawings through to painting.. indications of where to hunt.. hints at who ‘we’ are.
    cheers for that.

    photography at a community level has great potential to step into that role

  669. david bowen

    :::::VIDEO TECH QUESTION:::::

    i have a movie in final cut pro..

    the sequence settings are 1280 by 1080 DVCPRO HD 1080i60 (16:9) frame size
    and the quicktime movie output size (and canvas of the content photos) is 1920 x 1080 letterbox H.264 compression…

    i need to resize to

    1024 x 768 and need to preserve the letterbox format..

    anyone know what i am talking about, as i really don’t.
    i have saved off the work successfully as a letterbox, 1924 by 1080 quicktime movie H.264 compression.. can i resize this saved off QT movie?

    also – i am trying, within final cut pro, to just resave the project at the size i need – make a new quicktime movie at 1024 x 768 H.264 but it is not offering me the option to do so…
    i know that this is 4:3 size.. but i know virtually nothing else regarding how to resize..

    any help would be grand..

  672. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL…DAVID…

    i will be seeing both of you soonest….and putting your expertise to work….David, please call as soon as you get in…Michael, please note my comment to David Rochkind under his essay…

  673. michael webster

    DAH, are you referring to me when you say Michael? I saw the comment to David R, not sure how it relates to me? Do you think my comments were out of line? Maybe a bit around the edges, but I’m comfortable with the main point about propaganda. Of course I agree that Burn should be considered a top quality publication and treated with appropriate respect. Paying for content will probably help. Shouldn’t matter, I would agree, but human nature is involved. And I agree that David R. handled the criticism well, at least publicly. And if there’s anything I can do to help, I think you know I am eager. And if you’re talking to one of the other Michaels, I slink away and await the inevitable jibe from Imants, which I will undoubtedly fail to get. Regards…

  675. a civilian-mass audience

    “There is a danger when I speak in English that you will get misunderstanding, because I use the wrong word. Sometimes I confuse the words pessimism and optimism.”

    Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama (Dalai Lama, b.1935)

    I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLL
    your malaka* civi :)))

    *malaka as a friend …hiiiiiiiiiiiii

  676. david bowen

    too many davids..guessing at david r.

    john g – superb stuff.. running to pick up top cat now.. will seek you later or tomorrow for a chat..
    d

  678. a civilian-mass audience

    DB…too many civilians…MASS
    ok, hugs to TOR CAPA and BEATE

    off…to my chickens

  679. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL WEBSTER…

    yes, i was referring to you and i wanted you to see my comment under the Rochkind essay because i essentially agree with you…i do not think you are ever “out of line”…i do think that to do a story like this one must gain access somehow, but it is always an issue when one is embedded one way or another…i think it is incumbent on any photographer doing this type of work to make sure that being embedded does not amount to collusion….this is of course what all of the press faced during the Iraq invasion and other stories where in order to make photographs at all, photographers simply needed access any way they could get it..thank you for pointing out the dangers therein and a call for responsibility on this kind of coverage….

    cheers, david

  682. pomara

    Olympus LS-10 seems to be a viable alternative for field recording.
    It sits in a price sweet spot between the H2 and H4n. It seems to
    have some durability and lots of options for space.

  686. Herve

    D BOWEN
    the twist at the end of the tail is that in many pj’s work, they feature as the only ones doing any good.. the soul saviours and brave crusaders.
    —————————–
    IMO, it is a myopic view, David. It’s only within that circle of people who have a very close relationship to photography and PJ work (as us in BURN, for ex., or Lightstalkers, just to stay on the net) who do this, and in many ways, the praise happens because of a few true Greats (like Nachtwey) who gave the PJ/docu profession its “lettres de Noblesse”. So, that praise does kinda reverbarate on anyone doing “concerned” PJ.

    Most people look at the pictures, and can’t care less who made them, even if they “wow!”I certainly did not until I really picked up on Photography just 5 years ago.

    On the subject of “pretty” pictures in crisis/conflict zones, I must say that more and more often, I find many people are getting critical of them, and sense the careering behind the “concernedness”. This was when I would send or show them work with a note that I thought it was excellent. So, that got me thinking…

  689. Herve

    DAH ( to, and under david Rochind essay):
    “…..I am very impressed with your work…if i was not, i would not have published it…”

    I hope sincerely you can feature work you are not totally impressed with! My old teacher, Henri Langlois, of French Cinematheque fame, used to say: “it’s not enough to save the good movies from oblivion, you must save the bad ones too”.

    PS: I admit this is not a totally disinterested comment! :-))))

  694. david alan harvey

    JENNY…HERVE

    sending pictures to my email account will only have me telling you to please send to submissions only…we have a solid system in place for submissions and my private email is not part of that system…i will never see pictures coming to my email….Herve is correct, if you do not receive a confirming reply back, then you are doing something wrong..i do not think there is anything wrong at this end..we receive about 200 submissions per week with no other complaints…after all, you are simply sending a link….

    Herve, i often publish work which is not necessarily my cup of tea, but which may represent a genre or is experimental in nature or just piques my interest in some way…

    cheers, david

  695. Lee Guthrie

    Man the plot thickens. Think this group I am with is not connected. Have made another connection though and will work it this weekend. Who would have thought it would be so hard to volunteer to help. Help do anything….like cook, move supplies, etc. I want to say very discouraging but I am not. It has really been an adventure and I have met someone who lives on Lake Pontchartrain and has invited me out this weekend and will take me out to shoot. And fish. So life goes on. Not much photo taking. This is weird. I took some of the raccoons around here but I don’t do much with those kind of photos.

    Update later.

  697. panos skoulidas

    Although… If Jenny has problem to submit from Thailand..
    Maybe this has to do with censorship.. ??!!
    I said maybe.. I never been in Thailand .. So it’s a wild guess..
    One thing I can guarantee is that u can’t surf porn websites from
    a hotel in Istanbul.. But then again maybe because my hotel was next to
    the Mosque.. ( laughing.. U know I don’t watch porn.. U know I’m classy..;)

  699. Herve

    Herve, i often publish work which is not necessarily my cup of tea, but which may represent a genre or is experimental in nature or just piques my interest in some way…
    ——————————–

    I know, David, as you know your sense of humour is always required, when I am in the same “room”! ;-)

  700. Herve

    No, Panos. If there was censoring, she would not be able to open BURN. But you have a point, technically. Many times, I was not able to post anything on BURN while in Thailand.

  701. Imants

    Many times, I was not able to post anything on BURN while in Thailand…………. Common Herve Mick posts from Bullamakenka and uses donkey ears as his satellite connection and still manages to burn ears here.

  705. Ross Nolly

    Imants;

    It wasn’t 7 lost minutes at all! Every time I look at your work I’m always left guessing. I know I could never produce work like that, but do appreciate the way your work pushes my visual boundaries around a bit. :-)

  706. Imants

    Heve remands me of a bunch of horses I saw out the back of nowhere in a lunar landscape that had foul weather blankets on with Caterpillar in large bright yellow letters ( bulldozer company)

  716. Gordon L

    Imants

    OK, I’ve invested my seven minutes. Now I have just invested another thirty in a comment, only to loose it, but I’m pressing on, although this will be the Readers Digest version.

    First of all, thankyou for posting the link. It is always a brave thing just to throw things out there to see what the reaction is.

    After the seven minutes, you drew raised eyebrows, and a wow from me. The raised eyebrows, because I have to admit I’ve never taken you very seriously before, and the wow, because I loved the presentation. You are onto something.

    I am mostly interested in commenting on your use of music. Good choice. I like the music. I particularly like the way you have paced the presentation to the music, and especially the punctuation with the chimes at the end. Wonderfully done. Some of the other music in your past links was a bit industrial strengh. I felt as if I was beaten over the head with “heavy, deep, groovy-cool”.

    Music with dance, theatre, storytelling, cinema, slide shows, and now, multi-media on the small screen on the internet, is a powerful combination. Music reaches down your throat and grabs your soul. Want tears at a wedding, funeral, or just at a slide show of your kids portrait? just play this.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I&feature=channel

    I’d love to view your stuff full screen. Have I missed how to do that?

  718. Imants

    Not missed, isn’t available full screen…… all my work even in exhibitions is only 22 (8 and a half”) cm max longest size in the book they are 21cm. This is how I work small quiet stuff…… laughing

  719. Gordon L

    Imants

    If thats as big as it gets, I must say for me it’s too small, too dark, and the images bleed into the black background. At least a quiet stroke to define the edges would help.

  720. Gordon L

    Imants, OK, there already is a quiet stroke, maybe a slightly louder stroke would help. On my 17″ laptop it is barely visible.

  721. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian

    I totally agree, when there is vision there is a way..when the vision hides, fades, evaporates, there is panic, there is despair, there is loathing.

    Love ya bro-sis..whatever your gender..if you were a teddybear, you´d be sitting on my pillow every night when i cash in my tips, fold up my apron and turn out the lights. Just knowing your here, it keeps me coming back.

    ur stfghtr

  723. kathleen fonseca

    Imants

    I posted these you tube links in David R´s essay. They are three videos from a movie called ¨Ciudades Oscuras¨from 2002. I thought of you as i watched them and so recommended them to you as well. But in case you don´t see my post there, here they are..this is an amazing movie. I am trying to get it. It´s in Spanish but you hardly need voice at all..just the music and the photography. Hope you like them…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3NcnmTT9G4

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJDBN5Tl61g&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhWOgS72KW4

    bestatcha
    k-

  724. kathleen fonseca

    DAH

    Listening to a friend
    Life decisions
    Changes
    Anguish
    Great moments flew by
    begging for status quo
    From this comes peace
    Temporarily
    Cycles

    for everything there is a season..peace to you.
    K-

  728. Gordon L

    Imants.

    Not asking for big and splashy, just a better look. Bigger is not automatically better, or worse, but neither is smaller more precious. Size, and the scale of the work determines viewing distance. Walmart and Disney?

  729. Imants

    That’s what they are dark……. don’t see why I have to change because you can’t cope, don’t like it then go on with something else,…….if you want a personal piece send me a cheque.

  730. Imants

    second thought forget the cheque and thanks for the insult quote. ..’because I have to admit I’ve never taken you very seriously before” I was going to let it pass decided against it.

  731. Gordon L

    Imants

    Honestly, I’m sorry if I offended you. I truly meant the whole comment as a compliment. I do like the piece and was only trying to offer some constructive feedback.
    In the past I’ve not been able to get into what you do, now I am beginning to get it. OK?

    Peace

  732. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS,
    “Love involves a peculiar unfathomable combination of understanding and misunderstanding”
    Diane Arbus (American Photographer, 1923-1971)

    come on…today is a day to celebrate !!!

    IMANTS…myetrouko…that’s for you…I can see you …painting your masterpiece!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9JT0PC48Vw&feature=related
    When I Paint My Masterpiece

    Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble
    Ancient footprints are everywhere
    You can almost think that you’re seein’ double
    On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs
    Got to hurry on back to my hotel room
    Where I’ve got me a date with Botticelli’s niece
    She promised that she’d be right there with me
    When I paint my masterpiece

    Oh, the hours I’ve spent inside the Coliseum
    Dodging lions and wastin’ time
    Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see ’em
    Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb
    Train wheels runnin’ through the back of my memory
    When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese
    Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody
    When I paint my masterpiece

    Sailin’ round the world in a dirty gondola
    Oh, to be back in the land of Coca-Cola!

    I left Rome and landed in Brussels
    On a plane ride so bumpy that I almost cried
    Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin’ muscles
    Everyone was there to greet me when I stepped inside
    Newspapermen eating candy
    Had to be held down by big police
    Someday, everything is gonna be diff’rent
    When I paint my masterpiece

    BOBBY DYLAN is coming to town…I can feel it

    damnit…I can’t focus today…

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…I am definitely a bear…
    teddybear??? aha…sure…aha:)))

    GORDON…say hi to your mother..maybe she can facebook …KATIEE’s mama or maybe e-mail…
    MR.HARVEY’S mama…I can play cards too…
    ahhhh…yes, when there is vision …there is a way…

  733. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: I did receive an email from Burn magazine (“site@burnmagazine.org”) to my personal email address after I sent in the submission – ie an automatic confirmation message that is dated May 28, 2010. Any suggestions?! What to do now?! This is verging on the humourous if I hadn’t broken my proverbial back to get it to you. Whether it sees the light of day on Burn or not, it was challenging to cut down the images from 40 to 30 so quickly so thank you!!!

    What not to love?! : )

  734. jenny lynn walker

    KathleenF/DAH: “for everything there is a season”! How true is that? But then for some things, the season is every single day or sometimes never…

  735. jenny lynn walker

    Re: Thailand

    Just read a blog piece in the Economist which I wasn’t keen on but i’d love to share one of comments under it written by someone here in Thailand presumably along the lines of: “Thailand will only be saved when the likes of Abhisit and Thaksin wai to each other on a free television” (meaning the need for communication and not fighting to solve the problem plus a free press in Thailand). There’s a few other things I’d add to the list but as an outsider, perhaps that’s not really my business.

    LOVE AND PEACE TO ALL XX

  737. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian

    what a nice quote..i was gonna say something at the time but thought no..the tension between the two was so personal and exquisite that it should hang in the Burn air to ripen and resolve itself..and it did..it matured into that lovely quote by Diane Arbus, the queen of understanding/misunderstanding not to mention tension. Not to mention tension. heh. had to say it twice, felt good rolling off the tongue.

    Imants and Gordon

    you´re styles are 180 degrees apart and that´s what makes Burn fabulous. That the two of you should achieve understanding and mutual appreciation for what both of you individually and uniquely offer to this unruly mob of Burnians would/will be sublime. Gordon, you´re a true gentleman. Imants, you´re a true genius.

    Jenny

    Alas, you are sooo right..sometimes the season never arrives or has already passed or indeed is every single day. I read the other day that the average adult laughs ten times a day. I marveled, damn, i don´t laugh that much! So i decided to up my quotient starting right that minute. For laughter, every day is the season. Thanks for your words :)

    best and off for the day..

    kathleen

  738. Imants

    Quote from a Imants “time is the real enemy so we are better off fighting amongst ourselves ………… laughing”

  739. david alan harvey

    IMANTS…

    Quote from Imants

    “time is the real enemy so we are better off fighting amongst ourselves”

    as i told you the other day, that is my favorite Burn quote….funny, true

  740. david alan harvey

    KATHLEEN..

    the average adult only laughs ten times per day?? really? i am way way above average in that case….if a room full of people is not laughing, then i make sure they do…otherwise, what is the point?

  741. a civilian-mass audience

    “I am in 21hours into 21 days cleanse…”
    BRAVO,BRAVO,BRAVO…

    We will be next to you…we will support you in any way possible…
    I promise …I will not talk about souvlakia,baklavades,tiropites,lambs and chickens…
    wines…yellow waters…

    we will BURN with you…oime…!!!:)))

  742. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEE…

    you really bring BURN and the BURNIANS in a different level…
    you rock my KATIE…rock…love and rock…hiiiiiiiiii…
    i like rolling my tongue too …rocklove …
    you are special…

    JENNY,

    thanks for the photos…
    BRAVO

    BRAVO BURNIANS and YOU my BURNIAN LADIES…you are smart,strong and sexy…

    ok ,enough said…I am going to buy some cranberries …
    CLEAR VIVA !!!

  743. Herve

    Well, DAH, I try to make you laugh many times on BURN, last yesterday, and at my expense too, and I often get a serious answer from you…. ;-)

    I remember that study about laughing, it also said that americans are at the bottom of the list for daily laughters, which I believe totally. To be a good laugher, you must be abe to laugh at yourself copiously before anyone else, and feel secure enough (about yourself, except if you are a jew, i hear woody allen behind me, ahahha)) to do it.

  744. stelios

    CIVI

    We will be next to you…we will support you in any way possible…
    I promise …I will not talk about souvlakia,baklavades,tiropites,lambs and chickens…
    wines…yellow waters…

    I think you shouldnt talk about these in general. some of us miss home food. ;)

  745. Herve

    BTW, are photographers good laughers? I mean, not just having a sense of humour to distill, but laughing. as public personas, many sound a bit serious (Parr) or oldsy fartsy (HCB). Peress doesn’t strike me as the laughing type.
    Weirdly, in the pix people post here from parties and gatherings, Nachtwey often is snapped laughing heartily. So:

    David, you know a few, which ones you know can engulf a room with their own laughter (Gilden?) just about any time they enter that (any) room?

  746. bob black

    ALL: :)))

    Excuse the Family Promotion, but I wanted to share with you about the Award and Publication of Marina’s Work:

    The NEW Special Annual Portfolio Edition of B/W Magazine (Black & White) has been published and is now available in bookstores/newstands/fine art places. Marina’s work for Versts has been awarded a Gold Medal/Excellence Award for her work and has received 4-page spread in the front of the magazine. Unfortunately, the images/magazines is not available on line, but you can purchase the magazine throughout the US, Canada and Europe (Asia i believe as well). For those, locally, who haven’t seen her CONTACT show, this spread will give you an taste of what her show looks like. The B/W publication looks great and is a real honor and I’m very very happy and incredibly proud of her! If you are not familiar with B/W magazine, here is a link to their home page:

    http://www.bandwmag.com/index.html

    So, if you want to see Marinka’s work, have a look, she’s right in the beginning with the Excellence Award Winners.

    Other Burn winners include Hillary Atiyeh, whose essay “In Hot Water” was published her on May 16, 2009 https://www.burnmagazine.org/photographs/2009/02/hot-springs-by-hillary-atiyeh/

    and former student of David’s and founder of Autin Photography Center David Lykes Keenan was also an award Winner! :))

    and Lastly, Brennan O’Connor, whose story ‘On the Run’ was published her in Burn has had the same story published in WALRUS magazine here in Canada (Walrus is canada’s equivalent to the New Yorker/New Republic/Harpers)…..

    https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/10/brennan-oconnor-on-the-run/

    http://www.walrusmagazine.com/

    GREAT JOB ALL EVERYONE! :))))

    and lastly:

    DAVID (AH) :))))))…so happy about your cleansing…that’s great…YOU DESERVE THE REST AND VIGOR AND HEALTH! :)))…we need u around for a long time….WILL CALL U TOMORROW…today, out all day running

    hugs all
    bob

    https://www.burnmagazine.org/category/essays/page/4/

    Brennan O’Connor “On the Run”

  747. bob black

    DAVID/ANTON :))

    I JUST LEFT A LONG COMMMENT WITH MUTIPLE LINKS CONGRATULATING SOME BURNIANS ON AWARDS/PUBLICATIONS…it’s probably in the SPAM cause i posted 4 links…

    can you release it please :))

    big hugs
    bob

  748. Gordon L

    Former bandmate Emma with her new band, Joy Kills Sorrow.

    “We will have our day in the sun. There will be forgivness, not just for some, for everyone”

  749. bob black

    ok, here is the note in parts :)))

    ALL: :)))

    Excuse the Family Promotion, but I wanted to share with you about the Award and Publication of Marina’s Work:

    The NEW Special Annual Portfolio Edition of B/W Magazine (Black & White) has been published and is now available in bookstores/newstands/fine art places. Marina’s work for Versts has been awarded a Gold Medal/Excellence Award for her work and has received 4-page spread in the front of the magazine. Unfortunately, the images/magazines is not available on line, but you can purchase the magazine throughout the US, Canada and Europe (Asia i believe as well). For those, locally, who haven’t seen her CONTACT show, this spread will give you an taste of what her show looks like. The B/W publication looks great and is a real honor and I’m very very happy and incredibly proud of her! If you are not familiar with B/W magazine, here is a link to their home page:

    http://www.bandwmag.com/index.html

    I am so happy and proud of Marina and the edition and the spread look great….hope you all have a chance to look at or purchase the Magazine :)))

    cheers
    hugs
    bob

  750. bob black

    I also want to CONGRATULATE TWO BURNIANS whose work was also given awards and published in this special edition:

    Congratulations Hillary Atiyeh and David Lykes Keenan…Hillary’s essay “In Hot Water” was published her on May 16, 2009 https://www.burnmagazine.org/photographs/2009/02/hot-springs-by-hillary-atiyeh/ her portfolio was also given an award…

    Daivd Keenan work was shown on Road Trip when he’d taken a workshop with David in October of 2008. David is also the founder of the Austin Photography Center David Lykes Keenan was also an award Winner! :)) David’s essay (about self-discovery in New York) was my personal favorite of that workshop…which included some known burnians like Kyung-hee :)))

    congrats guys

  751. david alan harvey

    BOB…

    trying to figure out how to release your comment…indeed, it is in spam…how does that happen? give me a few minutes

    HERVE…

    most of my laughter certainly does come from laughing at myself…

  752. bob black

    and LAST, but not least ;)) )…

    Burnian Brennan O’Connor, whose story ‘On the Run’ was published here in Burn has had the same story published in WALRUS magazine here in Canada (Walrus is canada’s equivalent to the New Yorker/New Republic/Harpers)…..it’s a great honor for Brennan and a great great magazine as well! :))

    the essay at burn:

    https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/10/brennan-oconnor-on-the-run/

    the link for Walrus:

    GREAT JOB ALL EVERYONE! :))))

    and finally :

    DAVID (AH) :))))))…so happy about your cleansing…that’s great…YOU DESERVE THE REST AND VIGOR AND HEALTH! :)))…we need u around for a long time….WILL CALL U TOMORROW…today, out all day running

    hugs all
    bob

  753. bob black

    DAVID :))))

    no worries, i just re-posted everything here in parts

    GREAT JOB BURN PEOPLE! :)))))))))

    DAVID, will call u tomorrow…running

    big hugs :))

    love
    bob

  755. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: Thank the Lord! : )

    Kathleen: I can personally vouch for DAHs ability to make a whole room of people laugh and ignite a party at the same time although I can only count on two fingers the times I have actually seen him outside of a workshop and in such circumstances. Circumstances I cannot forget! At a party in Perpignan where he stripped off all his clothes down to his underpants to jump in a jaccuzi – he was the first in. Not that seeing him in his under garments made me laugh, no, it was just the whole scenario, the party, the speed of launching into the pool, everything. Just the memory of the whole occasion makes me laugh!

    Laughter IS the best medicine… commit to ‘being happy’ – especially because committing to being miserable isnt a bundle of laughs ; )

  757. a civilian-mass audience

    “he stripped off all his clothes down to his underpants to jump in a jaccuzi – he was the first in…”
    hmmm…
    he stripped off all his doubts to jump in the virtual world-he was the first in…
    then ANTON…
    then the rest is history…
    ok,thank you JENNY…we got the visual…!!!

    BOBBY,BOBBY…where are you BOBBY…I believe in YOU,MARINA,DIMA…

    I believe in ALL of you…I am your papa,mama,bro,sis,cousin,uncle Max,aunt Sophia…
    BRAVO BURNIANS…I am so proud that I am gonna open this 1924 dry red wine…
    Time for celebration…hmmmm…do I smell birthday???

  758. a civilian-mass audience

    oups…my old brain…
    we are doing the cleansing thing…

    Today we will drink Sparkling water…!!!

  759. a civilian-mass audience

    STELIO…

    where are you STELARA??? are you with the other Greek Psaroukla (ANNA)…???
    Don’t worry…in few months …the food here is gonna be so expensive … that
    we will miss it too:)))
    BUT if I follow MR.HARVEY’S cleansing …I won’t feel a thing

    hiiii…please, check a new face in the facebook…PANOS…hiiii…had a makeover..
    OPA…opa…!!!

  760. a civilian-mass audience

    ANTON…NONTA…
    well NONTA is a Greek name from EPAMINONTA…that means that ANTON is Greek too…

    ok,My apologies for my brain fart…it’s the water

  761. Akaky

    “Unfortunately, the images/magazines is not available on line”

    I realize, along with Colonel Stok, that the preoccupation with rules does not sit well on the creative mind, but there are decencies to uphold none the less, especially with all the foreigners one finds drifting about the Net these days, and one of these common decencies is that English speakers do not use the singular is when we should be using the plural are. It is a small thing, I know, but the world is filled with small but nonetheless important things that ease the mind, calm the unruly stomach, and that result in elderly but incredibly violent nuns not whacking you upside your head, something that the nun, in this instance Sister Mary Augustine, will neither forgive nor forget and will cause her to whack you twice as hard the next time she gets a chance. Remember, Bob, you have been warned.

  762. a civilian-mass audience

    oups…am I a foreigner drifting about the net…???:(((

    AKAKY…I am afraid we got to blame BOBBY’S iphone…it’s hard to type sometimes…
    BUT nevertheless you are definitely politically correct regarding the proper language use…

    hhhii…you academians…I LOVE YOU ALLL…you have been warned…:)))

  763. Lee Guthrie

    Hummm. DAH stripping down to his underpants and jumping in the jacuzzi. LOL.

    I remember a particular jump of his during my first workshop with DAH. Standing in front of the shot I was trying to frame it just right and he is standing to my right and starts jumping up and down and says: “Take the f….. picture.” I almost laughed that photo away. But it turned out to be one of the best shots of the essay. I had forgotten to change the white balance from daylight to indoor lighting and it was all red but still quite good. I will never forget that laugh!

    Patience and quiet needed for this weekend to pass until I find out where I land next. Is it written in the stars?

    Happy Memorial Weekend all.

    Lee

  765. bob black

    JOHN VINK :))))

    just bought a copy! :))))…but when am i going to buy the book (i’ll take either Quest for Land or KR Trial)…dont make me finish my 2 books before you :))))…big hugs…

    DAD (Akaky):

    ok, well, let me explain ‘said’ grammatical error (to truly an error)….

    to begin with, in the clause “unfortunately, the images/magazines is not available on line”, there is a punctuation error (which i think i later corrected when i cut down the email), which inadvertently linked the ‘images’ with the ‘magazines”…originally, i meant to write “the magazine (images) is not available on line” (since there is, indeed, only 1 magazine to which I was referring), but i was typing fast this morning (just returned from a 3k run) and was galloping to the bathroom…so rest your wearily beautiful head dad, the nuns shall not beat the autumnal light from my bright-eye’d heart….but…thanks for caring ;))))))))))……normally, i know my grammar (both syntax and morphology) inside and out…but i blame lack of typing skills on you and your god damn n. 5 pencils ;)))))))))))))….big hugs A.Akakiovich :))))

    CIVI:…i’m really running….must write something for publication this weekend and really Babel and still working on my new burn essay submission (long long long) and well, live with family…marinka and dima are sending u big hugs and wet kisses…and rest assured,, i’ve just opened a lovely bottle of ‘Finca Sobreno, Crianza, 2006…spainish wine from Toro Region…gorgeous young thing :)))…i’ll make sure David’s cleansed and hot-tub ready by the time i see him later :)))

    running
    bob

  766. bob black

    Akaky :)))

    just a quick follow on said grammatical dispute…in a change of nouns, the indication of a correct subject-verb agreement is most often determined (especially in place of an object chain) by the nearest corresponding noun, to wit:

    On the floor is a pen, a knife, two books and a bottle of very old, lip-locked vodka.

    On the floor are Akaky’s notebooks, a number 5 pencil and a well-index thumb’d copy of Marquis De Sade’s “Justine’;

    in the case of compound subjects, it simpler (as your nun’s correctly reminded you) but may be offset by punctuation formalities, to wit:

    The book, Kleenex and hemorroid creme are located behind the couch.

    The book (and kleenex) is located next to the balm of hemorroid creme…in this case, the parenthesis displaces the appearance of a compound subject (it’s an afterthought) and refers to the singularity (so to speak) of the book ;)))

    ok, gotta fly..

    those damn nuns ;)))

    hugs
    b

    ahem

  767. kathleen fonseca

    Jenny–#1 story-teller:

    ¨At a party in Perpignan where he stripped off all his clothes down to his underpants to jump in a jaccuzi – he was the first in.¨

    Civilian #1 metaphor-maker:

    ¨he stripped off all his doubts to jump in the virtual world-he was the first in¨

    is that indeed a metaphor? well whatever, it was a brilliant flip of the tongue.

    DAH #1 laugh therapist:

    simply put, your reputation preceeds you :)

    (where the hell are Erica and ¨our¨ Patricia? And Graciekins? and Katherina and a slew more Burnians of the feminine persuasion?)

  770. bob black

    Yo, Gordon ;)))))))

    that was a JOKE JOKE JOKE :))))))))))))))

    Akaky and i go way back.(before Burn was a star-burst on cleansing David’s billowy heart and falling away jeans)…

    ..it’s a long running joke about my grammatical typing skills….and his beloved catholic-school nuns…(akaky, i guess it’s time u post for the uninitiated your ‘poem’ about nuns, grammars and rulers) ….

    i’m about as far from scary and intimidating as toronto is to BC :))

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4&a=hOoC247kFi4&playnext_from=ML

    b

  772. michael webster

    Hey Bob. I also noticed you had a grammatical error in one of your posts. Don’t remember when it was. Sometime in the past. You should consider going back and fixing it. And thanks for bringing up Roberto Bolaño, you’re not the first person I respect who’s told me I must read 2666. Yes, I must.

    I’m going through just about the busiest two week period of my life. Daughter’s graduating high school, parents visiting, challenging professional stuff, so naturally I started thinking about vacation. Two of the past four years I’ve gone up to Quebéc. I’m not by any stretch of the imagination an outdoor photographer. I’m generally not a fan of it and now that they’re going all HDR all the time, I’m developing an active dislike for it. But still, I’m an outdoor-type-of-guy and a photographer, so I end up taking a lot of outdoor photographs. Just for the memories, though. I don’t sit for a couple weeks in just the right spot to get just the right light as if I were a pro. I’m stuck with whatever kind of light happens to be there when I’m walking by. And I like to look at them to bring back good memories.

    Anyway, rather than working on any of the numerous things I should be working on, I spent the past few hours processing a few of last summer’s Quebéc vacation photos. I hadn’t given them much thought before now. I love Quebéc and will hopefully go back and photograph it for real someday. I only share these here because I know so many of you like to travel and to see and experience something of distant climes. So if you’re interested, this is a brief snapshot of a tiny portion of Quebéc.

  776. eva

    Back from a week in hell. When the only highlight is that you gotta play with an iPad next to 700 freaked out excited MEN (how comes there were no women??) in an Apple store then you know it’s been a bad week (nice toy though, the iPad.. not that you get a possibility to buy one, of course, even if you wanted, the things were sold out within the first hours after the opening of the stores..).. anyway, what I wanted to say:

    A N T O N ! ! !

    Thank you :)
    When home yesterday night I crashed on the couch with 893. WOW!
    (Not so) patiently waiting for the next..

    Ok, off to mix some chemicals..

  777. a civilian-mass audience

    CIVI: What’s wrong with the BURNIANS???
    IRL CIVI: what do you mean “what’s wrong”???
    CIVI : Can you see them…they are out of focus…
    and where are the ladies???
    IRL CIVI: They are all in the jaccuzi…laughing at themselves

    the above has been copied and pasted from AKAKY’S memoirs…

  778. anton

    EVA–
     
     

    thanks!! just arrived back home and crashing with 893 magazine in my couch too… but for different reasons… sketching the concept for issue #2…
     
     
    i only have 6 months to complete it… :-D
     
     
    hugs,
    anton

  779. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY …to my friends west
    HAPPY times for GERMANY…!!! for my other friends
    for all the BURNIANS in the Universe…the party is on !!!

    LEE…
    you are holding your star…
    follow your heart
    you might be wrong…
    BUT life goes on

    STELIO,
    be in UK
    find your way
    souvlakia and pites
    just a minute away

    EVA,La Vida
    patience it’s not in your agenda :)))
    mix your chemicals
    oime…eureka

    P.S after Chaos …we have the Catharsis …
    WHAT NOT TO LOVE….

  780. Gracie

    hi civi,

    happy memorial day. im happy cuz im remembering you… and the rest of the night shift.
    y’all know who you are.

  781. a civilian-mass audience

    MYGRACIE…

    how can I forget…??? I really THANK you from my heart…
    yo all know…:)))
    where is the ice-cream???KATIE is wandering around…
    DB is making a slide…BOBBY is sending wet kisses…
    PANOS had a haircut…OURPATRICIA is rolling around
    DAH is jumping …etcetera…

    and I miss you…
    I even started writing “poems”…
    hiiii…yeah, poems…
    who… I ,the dyslexic civilian…
    somewhere lost in Grecolandia
    …traveling with your photos…
    I see your struggles…cameras,overexposed,M9,pinholes…
    and I am next to you…
    and you are next to me…
    cause if you follow the wi-fi’s
    we are ALL connected…
    WE ARE ALL ONE…

    ohhh…I got chickens too…BUT we can’t talk now…
    We are doing the cleansing thing…:)))

  784. a civilian-mass audience

    VIVA ITALY …VIVA WINEPHOTO…
    BRAVO TO ALL…sponsors,contributors,producers…photographers,civilians

    where is JIMMY…???
    a BURNING … heart of gold…

    ok, I talk too much…I will blame the cleansing…

    IMANTS…I know…I have been warned:)))

    Geia sas

  786. david bowen

    1.03pm..
    sitting in the auditorium waiting for x-factor auditions.. they have wireless..
    photoing performances on commission..
    also think it will make a good set of portraits – perhaps the disappointed ones – called ‘make me famous’.. opportunity for a bit of personal documentary work as well.. floating and smiling around the place..

    the waiting room.. trying to go to the toilet involves waiting in line with people going in to loosen up their vocal chords in ‘private’,..

    amusing day ahead..

  787. eva

    Civi, thanks for the link to the Winephoto thinghie.. one day I’ll get my act together and submit something.. somewhere.. yeah, right! Pity the exhibit isn’t up longer, would have been great to visit it..

    DavidB, sounds like you’re in PortraitOpportunityHeaven ;)

  788. david alan harvey

    KATHLEEN…

    i am sure my reputation does precede me and of course always gets a bit of a boost in the telling, depending on the teller…and then in the subsequent re-telling, yet another spin…the VII party in Perpignan was in fact a jacuzzi based party (isn’t that why they make jacuzzis?) for a handful of folks away from the mainstream fest…i was indeed the first one in, but certainly not the last….remember this was France, so being in underwear was of course rather prudish of me rather than risque …i went first in to simply hide embarrassed from the hosts since my now un-named assistant had just broken a $10,000 vase in this plush apartment…with all of this carnage at 2am in the morning, and also in some very interesting conversations with my hosts, i do not recall the presence of Jenny at this party….no doubt she was there, but i just do not remember anything other than seeing her portfolio at a review earlier in the day…no, Kathleen, the story does not get better…that’s it..not much of a story huh?

    cheers, david

  789. emcd

    kathleen…

    i am here, looking in, a bit bleary eyed after teaching my first weeklong intensive workshop to a group of italians…andrew s and i partnered for this and dove headlong, and we both found it to be an absolutely fulfilling and rewarding and paradigm shifting experience. we concluded the week yesterday and celebrated the work last night, i am genuinely stunned at the personal vision revealed in several of the essays…i think one of the student’s work would be well suited to burn and i will suggest she should submit it to dah, but all the work reflected incredible and surprising growth and i feel so proud and deeply enriched by having had the privilege to act as the sand in the oyster if only for a short while, and i have only begun to process the gifts they have given me into understanding my own relationship with photography…

  790. david alan harvey

    ERICA…

    i would be pleased to view your students work as a possibility for Burn…you will notice a very high proportion of Italian photographers on Burn…not on purpose, just happens…in any case, your teaching experience mirrors mine…a nice balance of shooting and giving back and receiving as well definitely makes for a well rounded life..

    by the way, are Roberto and his girlfriend still in town? i recall vaguely getting an email from him and not opening it…a “save for later” email….now lost…anyway, say hello for me please and i am so so sorry i was not in new york to host all of you at some point…

    cheers, david

  791. emcd

    just remembered…i think it was day 3 of the workshop, we had just gotten thru a long and somewhat intense group morning review of the work that had been produced the day before, and then had finally finished the last 3 of the one-on-one meetings, we hadn’t had lunch and I was starving and was trying to grab 15 minutes to fuel my body but couldn’t get out the door because of student questions, and there was of course more to do that day…suddenly i found myself awash with a new, larger, more complete and complex understanding/respect and admiration for DAH.

    My appreciation of course for you David has been here all along, but seriously DAH, your example of continued stamina, commitment and involvement was the petrol which gave me reserve on that day when there was no fuel station in sight :) so again, thank you!!!

  792. david alan harvey

    ERICA…

    thanks…and laughing…there is no way that you can have lunch/dinner and teach simultaneous…you must wait and eat and sleep after the week is over….

  793. a civilian-mass audience

    My sincere apologies …BUT I can’t keep up with the cleansing …

    I had biftekia ,ribs …coffee and beer…
    ahhhh…and cherries…
    cherries are good
    at least I tried…:)))

    EMCD and ANDREW…you are BURNING !!!

  796. a civilian-mass audience

    POMARA…
    blue angel…nice to see you…
    next to young people!!!

    are you on cleansing too:)))???

  797. pomara

    CIVI, my cleansing is mental for now. I have not reached
    the DAH age of the full body cleaning.

    But oh how nice to hear of others doing good for themselves.
    It would mean no BBQ, no cervaza, no flyfishing,
    no nothing!!!

    Will the oil ruin my beloved Apalachicola?
    When the Gulf of Mexico is cleansed so shall I.
    When Grecoland is cleansed so shall you.

    Oil, money, ouzo

    “What not to Love”

    P

  798. peter grant

    Yes Erica, I’ve wondered the same. Where in the hell do you get the energy let alone the time. Feedback loop?

  799. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNING OIL

    Oil,money,ouzo…
    mental cleansing
    dummo…
    Happy M-Day
    we will find the way

    Check what JAMES did
    http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/05/29/world/0529HAITI.html
    he is a New Yorka…

    Check some JVINK news
    http://johnvink.com/news/
    he is in Cambodia

    Oil spill, we got to drill
    money involved
    out of control
    puppets, bagets
    of this word…
    life goes on
    life goes on…

    WE GOT TO PROCEED………………..I am an optimist
    PAUL…we love you

    P.S PETER …we are drinking tea :)))

  801. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: I’ve never shown you, or anyone else, a portfolio of my work but I must thank you for getting me into that party. I will always cherish the memory of it as I will probably never go again to Perpignan – unless it broadens its’ focus. I am not surprised you don’t recall me being among the people that went along with you and I wouln’t have gone if I’d known it was a jaccuzi party. 10,000 dollars for a vase you say, wow – what a crazy amount of money on a vase.

    It seems to me that the interesting thing about any story is how the story changes not only by who tells the story but at what point ‘you jump in’…

    Erica: Your experiences from the workshop are inspirational and beautiful. Thank you.

  802. david alan harvey

    JENNY…

    hmmmm…i seem to recall you showing me work at both the workshop in Tuscany and up on the top deck of whatever that main building is called in Perpignan…you asked if i would please look at your work in Perpignan…i took a half hour or more of my time to do so and i only remember that because i caught hell from Laura (girlfriend at the time) for taking away from our personal time to do it….anyway, i considered it a portfolio or at least a body of work….now that probably was 5 yrs ago, so yes the memories could differ a bit, but didn’t i just do the same thing for you two days ago online?……..if not a portfolio of your work, what was it? maybe we have different definitions of the word “portfolio”.. now please talk to the VII photographers about the nature of their Perpignan parties…at Magnum we have no jacuzzis, nor any $10k vases…

  803. Gordon L

    Love BAGEL on a TREE

    Anton, how does one even get STARTED learning how to do this kind of presentation? Can anyone reccomend easy to use software for turning still into a video format? So much to learn.

    Anyway, amazing job. I hope it attracts lots of interest and sponsorship. You guys are amazing.

    Thanks also for the quick re-cap of all the spectacular work we’ve seen here in the past year or so.

  804. david alan harvey

    GORDON…

    we posted that a year ago on Burn, has been up ever since, and it was a big screen presentation at Look3 fest last june…it featured the work from the first six months of Burn…our Anton is amazing for sure….was then, is now…

    cheers, david

  806. emcd

    DAH

    re your detox fast – i think you are on day 3 or so? Soon you should feel much better, especially if you are struggling with a headache…

    you wrote no salt but i am guessing you must be able to have natural salts that occur in seaweed – miso broth can be an absolute lifesaver during cleanses, add the paste to water and some veggies and tofu if you are allowed and have daily along with brown rice or millet or quinoa and steamed veggies like collards and kale with a sauce made from sesame paste, carrot, ginger as you like. also slice up some fresh ginger root and boil with water for a tea that will help your head and stomach. lime in your water feels nice and helps with detox, but fresh squeezed juices like carrot apple beet combo will give you your sweet tooth sugar fix. and amazake, a sweet drink from almonds is amazing, see if you are allowed rice syrups which may be amazake.

    indulge senses – lots of watermelon juice and crunchy things, you could make an apple peach crisp using fruit, oats and cider, a little oil or butter if allowed…

    and if you really need caffeine and are tempted to cheat, go for kukicha twig tea, has healing properties, tastes great and only the tiniest but of caffeine. and of course sushi and sashimi!!!! find a macrobiotic restaurant when you are here in nyc and you’ll be amazed because you’ll be able to eat everything nearly on the menu.

    I’ve done this many a time, pls ask if you have questions, but i need to know more about your particular plan…we can talk at look – i hope you sent miki your dietary restrictions! I did :)
    mostly, be gentle with yourself, rest and play with sabine.

  808. emcd

    also indian food makes you feel like you have indulged, you can have quite a few things like dal or chana saag (chick peas and spinach) and if you are doing dairy things like mango lassi drinks…now i am getting hungry! eggs? soft boiled with unleavened bread like ezekiel and can you have tempeh fried like bacon? just get over here, I’ll cook for you.

  809. emcd

    last one for now if you are craving sodium but the restriction is on table salt – make your own gomasio – toast some unhulled sesame seeds (pref in cast iron skillet) and grind them with a mortar and pestle along with some seaweed – makes a perfect salt. and get a bottle of tamari, it’s basically a wheat free soy sauce made from miso, healthy and totally salty and filled wth niacin, manganese, and protein.

  810. a civilian-mass audience

    OUOUouuuuuuuuuuuuuu
    SPEECHLESS !!!

    That’s why I LOVE BURN !!!you never know …what you gonna get :)))
    Can I eat now???

  811. david alan harvey

    ERICA…

    i actually shrunk when i heard on this particular diet, no sushi, no eggs, no animal products of any kind..no oils..no smoking of any kind of course….i could live on sushi i think..this is a very hardcore diet…however, i am three days in and still alive much to my surprise…beans, rice, apples, carrots, celery, strawberries etc have been my diet…and lots of water of course…i have cheated with half a cup of coffee each day until today and i have had none….decaf green tea is it…after the 21 days everyone tells me you no longer even want any of the bad stuff any more…yea, if i could have a glass of wine and sushi i wouldn’t even complain at all…i will try the seaweed sesame seed combo….after the 21 days, i think i can have a more modified experience…after all i show up in Tuscany later this summer and it would be flat out rude to turn down the pasta and wine…..anyway, many thanks for thinking…much appreciated…

    cheers, david

  812. eva

    I refuse to accept that coffee and chocolate fall into the ‘bad stuff’ category!!! Not over here, no way. Yikes.

  813. Charles Peterson

    DAH,

    Good luck! Starting first week of July I will be doing a three month or so dieta in the vegatalismo tradition I’ve been working with. For three months I will take a shaman prescribed master plant from the Amazon and do a diet of no salt (of any kind), no sugar (of any kind), no red meat, no citrus fruits, no booze, drugs, sex, etc etc. People say the no salt is the most difficult, esp with a family. Very difficult to eat out! But looking forward to a change. The diet is opened and closed with ayahuasca ceremonies.

    Keep in mind sushi rice has lots of sugar in it – sashimi is the way to go! Lots of quinoa and millet is good too. Both of them easy to do in rice cooker – 1 part grain to 2 parts water. I mix the red quinoa with the millet – looks really pretty.

    But I can attest from past diets you will feel better in a short while (amazing actually). Be sure to have plenty of fiber in the diet to flush out the bad stuff. Meditate, do yoga, go on walks. Move those toxins through!

    Will be interesting to check in and see how you are feeling.

    Stay strong,

    CP

  814. david alan harvey

    EVA…

    i am totally with you amica, but i am giving this a shot…it is not forever, nor is it intended to be…the way it was described to me it is like changing the oil filter on your car…a good clean start…even the hardcore practitioners only do a 21 day stint, assuming that it will at least make them better eaters later…

    see you in Tuscany in july i hope…with wine, pasta, chocolate, and cafe dopio…

    cheers, david

  815. Charles Peterson

    DAH,

    Oh just reread your post. Really tough diet with no animal products, oils at all. Might be a bit extreme. Anyway to modify as it progresses? Roast an organic chicken here and there? Bit of white fish?

    Best of luck….

    CP

  816. Gordon L

    DAH, you are right. I actually have some memory issues, which is OK since the whole world is continually new, and I continually meet a lot of new people.

    Good luck with the cleanse. My wife Martha does that king of thing, but I’ve never joined her. Maybe it would help my memory.

  817. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: Congratulations on your diet. I once did 10 days on fruit alone and couldn’t have gone a day longer. Good for you! Keep going and keep hydrating! Yes, I don’t consider work on one story the same as a portfolio. Thanks for looking at the story you requested I sent in the other day and at my work at the end of the workshop I did with you and Kent Kobersteen. Sincerest apologies for not remembering taking up half an hour of your time in Perpignan or annoying anyone at the same time.

  818. emcd

    Yes! you seem very much alive still – can probably do avocado sushi and the other vege options i wonder?

    I was first vegetarian at the age of 17 and never turned back, then totally vegan for 7 years, macrobiotic for 2, and a crazy weirdo fruitarian for 3 months living in hawaii, went totally raw for 6 months in Maine over the winter (what was I thinking?) and now have also been non dairy for at least 6 years. In these last few years I found I want salmon and eggs in my diet mostly because of sociability/travel, I still have way too much black tea but no coffee or alcohol…I think you are right, once you do the 21 days your body will tell you what is best and your modified experience will be a delight.

    am proud of you :) you are inspiring me to knock out some of the processed ‘health’ food…

  819. michael webster

    Regarding the diets, I believed many, many different things yesterday. Who knows what I will believe tomorrow? But today I’m firmly in the “all things in moderation” camp. And by “all things,” I mean as many things as possible. Probably the best advice I’ve seen is to eat as many differently colored foods as possible. Science still has little idea about what micro nutrients are in what plants, much less what they do, but a good variety does seem to be associated with color. Of course it’s obvious that I don’t manage the moderation thing for sufficiently long stretches, but intellectually it makes the most sense, at least to me today (he writes as he sips a nice cold memorial day beer and prepares to go downstairs and roast some bok choy on the barbie with the neighbors and wishes good times for all, no matter what hellish diet you may or may not subject yourselves to).

  820. Charles Peterson

    Gordon,

    You may want to consider a gluten free diet. I’ve been on one for a while now and it seems to help lift some of the “fog.” Everyone is different of course. But I think we sometimes forget that we are made of “matter” and therefore it matters what matter we put into ourselves. Ha! :)

    Erica,

    Yes, it’s easy to replace processed with processed. And fun to hear about your workshop.

    Best,

    CP

  821. david alan harvey

    CHARLES PETERSON..

    No sex?? c’mon dude, you just threw that in to see if i was reading your comment!! laughing…

    JENNY…

    i always do my best to keep up with my students…i tell everyone in my classes, that once a student , always a student….so, anyone who keeps in touch with me regarding their work , i really try to always make time for them as i have for you…and for the dozens of others here on Burn who request that i view their link or portfolios/work etc etc…you did absolutely nothing wrong in Perpignan requesting i take a look, i was only surprised you did not seem to remember it….but, yes, now i see that “portfolio” is different than “story”….so, i stand corrected…i looked at a “story” you were working on, not your “portfolio”, before the aforementioned fiesta….by the way, Laura was not annoyed at you, but at me…anyone who is with me at any photo event/workshop etc that is closely connected to me, must suffer through my attentions going often to others…i am sure you understand….that is why i just can no longer go to any photo festival unless i am totally alone and with no “significant other” imagining we are going to have any private time…..

    as i have indicated to you by email, i really loved 5-6 of your BKK pictures…you should post a link here for all to see….

    cheers, david

  822. eva

    David..

    ..yup.. and PIZZA :)

    Talking about Tuscany, when would it suit you best I (we if we can organise ourselves.. Lassal, Abele, who else?) show up? Better at the end of the workshop, or..? And let me know if you need a pick up!

  823. a civilian-mass audience

    “The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.” – Mark Twain

    hmmmm…

  824. david alan harvey

    CIVILIAN…

    Mark Twain gave me EVERYTHING when i was a child and then again later on as an adult reader…and his quotes of wisdom are always priceless…..as are yours!! regarding his quote above, it is a bit unfortunate that so many of our cravings and instincts are simply health detrimental…..

    cheers, david

  825. a civilian-mass audience

    MR.HARVEY,

    I will second CHARLES…:)))))))))))))))))))
    :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    we got to move the toxins…!!!
    oime…
    the bar has been raised Again…
    and again…and again…
    NNTR:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

  826. eva

    Uhm. Weird country I live in. TV is screening a soccer game. Nothing weird with that, we get soccer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7/7.. but errr.. the game on right now was being played in 1982.

    Guess it’s time for a good read!

  827. Ross Nolly

    David; Speaking of Mark Twain; as a kid Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were my favourite books. Any kid (or adult!) who can’t get excited about escaping on a raft has no sense of imagination! :-)

  828. Imants

    Diets are a load of crap one way or the other. ……. then again I have never eaten anything from McDonalds or similar in my life.

  829. Tommy

    Eva – you have now entered the twilight zone…. think of a man (well, it always was a man wasn’t it :-)

    DAH – A thought,

    your opener of this thread/section suggests that every essay / still published on burn will be in the “paid for” domain – “starting on July 1, 2010 Burn Magazine will start paying for every essay and single published online in our magazine…”

    the thought – what about the really good talent which mightn’t quite make the cut as a “paid for” selection – should there be space for this on burn / without differentiation from the paid/rewarded content.

    I appreciate it would therefore be terribly complicated as to who/what is worthy of payment, but as I was thinking about the movement and evolution of burn earlier this evening I wondered what would happen all the really great talent that maybe isn’t quite / just there – i know you personally can / will / do take personal interest in such talent but what about gaining a wider audience and hard hitting yet constructive critique/criticism that is evident from so many burn contributors. This in itself is valuable to contributors.

    I guess my question is whether the paid model, albeit laudable in so many ways and i’m not knocking it at all, but would it actually stifle the burn goals / ethos / objectives? Or should it be the case that it should simply act as a catalyst for people to “do better” to be considered worthy of being published which I believe is an ultimate form of quasi-payment?

    Thoughts maybe?

    regards.

  830. tom hyde

    Hmm, well just spent all weekend making and baking pizza in the wood-fired brick oven for the party and pigging out in general, so much food, and well, yes, not quite feeling my best but maybe that was the whiskey.

    David, can you give a synopsis of your flash tips? Bandaids and Beer Bottles: The DAH Guide. You go manual, or just dial back with a modifier, always second curtain, different techniques in different situations? Hey man, you brought it up :))) Seriously, interested.

  831. paultreacy.com

    Walked the streets today for hours. Made a few pictures and shot a wee film. All with my new little camera. The Olympus E-PL1. It’s a brilliant little thing. I had a ball. It’ll take a week to cut the film but can’t wait to show it. The image quality out of this little camera boggles my mind. The greatest pleasure was not having to shoulder the hulking DSLR system around. I feel like a new man. There was a little extra skip in my step today. Sleep calls. Good night.

  832. Lee Guthrie

    Civi???
    LEE…
    you are holding your star…
    follow your heart
    you might be wrong…
    BUT life goes on

    Thanks for the wake up call. Of course I might be wrong. Going to New Orleans tomorrow to do some sight seeing. If have not received assignment heading north. Not sure what else to do.

    I agree Michael, all things in moderation.

    Charles, no salt is harder than no sex? That’s weird.

    I agree wit Mark Twain.

    Had sun from 9:00 a.m. until just a few moments ago. Finally. Got to go biking and take photos this morning, albeit of nature…

  833. benroberts

    hey DAH – are you going to LookBetween? will you still be on your diet then? will there be a sushi BBQ?

    :-)

    i am dieting too. not quite so extreme though, but i lost 8lbs in last two weeks.

  834. Gordon L

    Charles

    Thanks for the advice. There is definitely a fog. I’ve been caught in the past few weeks putting things away in odd places. The coffee cream in the microwave, and several similar episodes. For now I’m blaming it on Lipitor.

    Tommy, “should there be space for this on burn / without differentiation from the paid/rewarded content.”,
    Perhaps that could be the “smokin'” section.

    Tom Hyde, Speaking of smokin, talking about wood-fired pizza and whisky is just plain cruel in light of DAHs situation. Seems there has been a lot of talk about food and drink since he mentioned his cleanse. please excuse any spelling errors, I’m writing this with one hand, because I have a glass of red wine in the other.

  837. panos skoulidas

    Or maybe Wine?? it’s low in alcohol and good for your heart.
    ————————————-
    Jason exactly… wine is not considered alcohol in grecolandia…and lamb is NOT considered meat either…;)

  838. panos skoulidas

    Charles, no salt is harder than no sex? That’s weird.
    ————————————————–

    Lee..i couldnt agree more…im in a six month strict sex diet straight…but no salt? nahhh…

  840. pomara

    David AH,

    I’d like to respond to your strobe TWEET.

    On my shoot in the Twin Cities week before, my plans
    were for a two. three light, dynalight setup. Well all
    of that went to hell when I kept getting yanked off of
    the script. Knowing I needed some fill, I pulled out
    my SB-600. Set on -0.3 (1/16 power). Now I’m working
    with window, florescent, and a touch of incandescent oh
    and I had to act fast.

    My over-paid assistant(daughter) became my voice activated
    light stand. A business card bounce-flash was just the thing
    for low aperture, off-camera fill. If I use a flash I don’t
    want it to look like flash. If I use strobe lighting I want
    it to look at least a bit like natural light. Everything now
    is at minimum power.

    I’ll try to post an example later.

    Green Tea for all of the cleansers out there.

  842. Pete Marovich

    DAH

    Sent you an email. Just want to make sure you saw it and it doesn’t get buried in the thousands that flood in every minute.

    Hope all is well.

    Pete

  844. michael webster

    Thanks to those of you who made suggestions regarding audio recorders. Both the Zoom and the Olympus appear to be excellent devices, both with their own strengths. As I suggested was likely, I went with the Edirol R-09HR. The deciding factor was the form. The Zoom is gigantic and both the Zoom and the Olympus look like something out of a sixties sci-fi movie. The Edirol is small, black and unobtrusive, easily fitting into a shirt pocket. I can take it out and fiddle with it without drawing any attention. Out of a person’s peripheral vision, it probably looks like a phone or an MP3 player. And I use one from work all the time, so I am comfortable with the controls and know that the sound quality is adequate for my needs.

    The accompanying microphone proved to be the budget buster. When I started looking at them seriously, I realized I was going to have to spend significantly more than $100 to get minimum professional quality. I eventually went with the Rode NTG-2. I just spent a couple hours testing it every which way I could and am very happy with the results. Mostly I figure to shoot video with the 5D and capture audio on the Edirol, but I was pleasantly surprised at the sound quality I got with the Rode mounted on the camera. Hopefully, it wasn’t too poor of a choice.

    And just FYI, while I was killing time in the pro audio section of B&H, a steady stream of people, just about everybody, was shopping for mics for DSLR’s. I’m curious how far this is going to go. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t have a lot of faith that still photographers are going to be very successful at transitioning to videography for multimedia projects. It’s much more difficult and expensive and time consuming than it sounds. And professional video people approach it with an entirely different frame of mind. But I could be wrong, or course. We’ll see. And it’s possible that steady stream of customers at B&H were video types switching to DSLR’s rather than still photographers wanting to make videos.

    And Pomara, nice flash work. When you start reverse engineering the best photographs, it’s surprising how many you find used an off camera flash or two.

  845. david alan harvey

    BEN…

    have you been in the U.S. all this time? too bad we never managed to connect in new york…getting through Look3 on a cleanse sounds like a contradiction in terms, but i am on it now…no problem…i do look forward to seeing you again…

    TOMMY…

    i am trying to understand your question/thought…

    we came up with the payment plan for anyone published on Burn…what we would have published without payment we will now publish with payment…there will be no changes in the way we view whomever is going to be published or not published..

    we did this because all we ever hear out there is that the problem with online publishing is that nobody gets paid , even by the very large media companies…no incentives for young photographers…so we are the first online magazine to do this…not enough for photographers to earn a living of course, but certainly as a working model and hopefully as incentives for the big guys to follow suit…and as our funding possibilities goes up, so will income to photographers…

    you said – “what about the really good talent which mightn’t quite make the cut as a “paid for” selection..all the really good talent that isn’t quite there”….Tommy, i just do not know what that means..honestly…if the photographer shows that they are really great talent, then they are “there” or how else would we know they are really good talent?? you have lost me on this one…but, try to explain again…i am not disagreeing, just not understanding…

    the whole purpose of Burn is to discover new talent…to give the unknown a chance to be known…at a time when the old models are gone or disappearing…and in that spirit i am totally open to any and all ideas….i do not think the purpose in the past or in the future will be to go to Burn just to make money…even the large magazines where i did receive commissions, i was never there for the money..if i had wanted to make money, i would have sold life insurance…so i am assuming nobody is here for anything other than the passion or the love of photography…at the same time most photographers would like to pay their rent and if they can receive at least a modicum of financial aid from the efforts of their passion and their talent, then i think being minimally compensated is neither a sellout for Burn nor for the photographer….or, tell me please please if i have missed your point entirely…it is late and i do not have the aid of coffee!!!

    cheers, david

  847. david alan harvey

    YOUNG TOM HYDE…

    didn’t i show you all my techniques for flash in Bangkok? all these years of doing workshops it has always been kind of a “side issue” with the primary purpose of the class to get students to open themselves up a bit and discover the chords that lead to real self expression…you know i have always been a non techie guy….however, i did develop early on when i switched from b&w to color and no longer had the darkroom manipulations available and way before Photoshop, ways to sort of “dodge & burn” with the flash since there were no other ways to get exactly what i wanted using transparency film where EVERYTHING happened at the moment of exposure..done deal…

    now i am deluged with requests even in the age of digital “editing” to explain to many the mysteries of location shooting with a strobe…i am going to do an official class in blues country next spring for those who want to add these techniques to their repertoire…as you well know i will also do whatever i do in class right here on Burn or whenever anyone buys me a glass of cranberry juice (formerly Corona) or grabs me walking down the street, so the only purpose of an official class is to guarantee my time…anyway, yes, i am going to do a tech class but combined with a normal shooting class…and just a good excuse to hang out in the blues capital of the world , Clarksdale, Mississippi…juke joints, unrivaled music experience, cold beer and bbq..the whole bit…i will do this with Mike Young my former student who listened, learned and used many of the techniques for his Blues, Booze, and BBQ book…..or, stick around here and squeeze it out of me…now , right this minute , is not the time since i must sleep…and it is a little hard to totally explain all of it without showing it, but i will give it a try…for you amigo anything….didn’t you use a flash on that elephant shot?? ok, to sleep..

    cheers, david

  848. Gracie

    dah, etc:

    so all this talk about dieting: why? or why now?

    you dont feel good? you had a bad test?
    did God tweet you? or did your mother pinch your ear?
    email offline. (wink)

  849. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: All I can say is that it is a rare occasion that I really love more than 5-6 images in any of the sequences you share on here so if you liked that many in the sequence, that is a great compliment. Thank you so much! I would love to see a single image published on Burn re. the Red Shirt protest to respect the 88 people who lost their lives when their call for a non-elected government to make way for elections was totally quashed. And since their deaths are still recent, perhaps it would respectful to do it soon? What do you think?

    Please TAKE GOOD CARE at the end of this cleanse – it is a time when you can do long-term damage to your body if you don’t come off it in the right way.

    Re. Diets: My grandmother used to say “a little of what you fancy does you good” with a glass of alcohol in her hand and a big smile every day at 11.30am. She was one of the most remarkable women I’ve ever met – always saw the good in everybody – was never sick and lived to a ripe old age. I believe it was connected to the strength and health of her mind.

    PaulT: Just walking the streets with a spring in your step. Enjoy! Perhaps I’ll get to meet you when I get back to London.

  850. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: If you are in agreement re. the single image, I would like it to be of the woman and her child sleeping between the foil sheets that she sells to protestors while the military presence is gathering outside.

  851. jenny lynn walker

    PS Oops that comment came across wrongly. It is a rare occasion that I really love more than 5-6 images in any sequence anywhere…

  853. jenny lynn walker

    “The selfishness must be discovered and understood before it can be removed. It is powerless to remove itself, neither will it pass away of itself. Darkness ceases only when light is introduced; so ignorance can only be dispersed by knowledge; selfishness by Love.” James Allen

    “The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.”
    HH Dalai Lama

  854. Charles Peterson

    LEE,

    Yes, no sex is easier than no salt – but maybe only for me because we’re so busy with a 16 month old right now it leaves little room for romance at the end of the day. :) But we’re not complaining – feeling totally blessed.

    No salt on the other hand (and this includes seaweed, etc) – try going out to dinner with friends/family and getting a restaurant to cook you something with no salt, or going to a dinner party, or eating anything out of a box or can. A real PITA and one has to always be planning their next move eating wise. Anyway, it’s so you can access the prescribed plant medicine better – no distractions. The shamans I work with are often doing year long dietas – now that’s real commitment.

    DAH,

    Hmmm, would like to hear about your flash technique sometime just out of curiosity (as you know I’m no stranger to using one myself:)). I’m always taping diffusion stuff to the front of mine. Mostly I think it comes down to fitting the subject matter with the flash look. Also shooting b&w negs easiest – if you enjoy dodging and burning that is. :)

    CP

  856. a civilian-mass audience

    LEE,
    you are on your way… I loVe traveling with you…
    and you are not a drama queen…hoiiihiii… new expressions:)))
    BUT I am a drama king/queen…it’s in my family:)))
    Keep us posting…whenever …you can

    PETE Bravo…
    now ,we know…where you have been all this time…
    it wasn’t PANOS music afteralll:)))

    PANOS,
    …may the spirits of travel be with you…I see rain
    VIVA malaka*!!!
    *malaka as a friend

    BURNIANS…
    maybe he can bring some chickens over…they are all vaccinated,toxin-free,
    5 days warranty…no problem:))) only one thing…
    Your flashes…please, they are very sensitive…:)))

  857. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY 1st…
    and HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIA ROBERTS…!!! we LOVE YOU

    VIVEK…made my month:)))

    Oime…hard days for activists…oime…!!!

  858. david alan harvey

    GRACIE…

    i was feeling just fine before this cleanse….my son Bryan’s girlfriend Michelle is a yoga instructor and health food/diet fanatic…you know the type….since she and Bry live right down the street and we do so many things together, she simply saw that i was doing just about everything all wrong, so made this suggestion to me…seemed logical, so i gave it a try…i must say that after even just these few days, i no longer have any desire for most of what i am not supposed to have…also this whole bit kinda goes with springtime/summer …i use the bike instead of the car anyway here at the beach, plus swimming etc etc, so it all goes hand in hand..

  859. Simon Griffee

    David,

    I too am looking forward to more details on your use of flash…I remember talk of beer bottles, doritos and band-aids in front of strobe…

    And another question: Is there a time of day that you feel you are most ‘in the zone’ for photographing? And how about for editing? I do know you don’t sleep too much…

    A couple of friends of mine did a 10-day ‘no food, no drinks, no smoking, no nothing apart from tea with honey’ cleanse a while back and felt much better afterwards. I find that I feel much better when I am traveling…when I stay put somewhere for too long health seems to deteriorate.

  860. tom hyde

    David, I must have missed the flash tech in BKK but I went AWOL for a day there. Yes, the elephant photo was off camera flash with a long exposure, used the technique a lot there on the street. I found it challenging to get just the look I wanted as situations changed, i.e. like I wasn’t using a flash. I understand the difficulty explaining this online but a few tips would be great if you get the chance. Damn, Clarksdale sounds like a blast, I do miss my southern blues. I started sneaking into blues shows about the time I could drive, and a little before, and saw a few greats roll through town in the small bars. Nothing beats live blues for me.

  862. Imants

    my son Bryan’s girlfriend Michelle is a yoga instructor and health food/diet fanatic…you know the type……she will take years off your life with that diet…….. laughing, in a good way

  863. Gracie

    Dah, oh I see … I’m so sorry.

    Having a woman you adore go blah blah every other minute or so might be worse than a bad test.

    ;) ;)

  864. jenny lynn walker

    DAH: Please get off the diet unless it is for medical reasons. If you were perfectly healthy before you started, then there is simply no need for it. Your body is used to certain foods and suddenly changing them in a radical way is not good for the system and as we age, even more so. If you have some specific ailment that requires a dietary change – for example a heart condition – then fine, a radical change is sometimes necessary. Otherwise, probably best stop it or at least get advice from your doctor rather than well-meaning friends and relatives.

    Now, someone has cancelled my flight on my behalf. Great!

  865. david alan harvey

    GRACIE…

    you made me laugh…thanks

    TOM HYDE…

    i think i am locked into Jackson…mostly because Rich Clarkson is my original mentor and i always “owe” him…send me a private email if you have time…

    SIMON…

    for editing purposes i can only work in the morning..same with writing….i do not think time of day has an affect on me one way or another for shooting…if i am in an interesting provocative situation, i will “wake up” no matter the time of day…

    cheers, david

  866. Simon Griffee

    David,

    Is there any chance of showing a picture/screenshot of one of your contact sheets which include a ‘selected’ photograph, maybe in a future post? I am curious about your picture taking ‘rhythm’, how many shots you take of any particular situation…I suspect a lot? Thank you for your time…I should really come to one of your workshops…

  867. david alan harvey

    SIMON…

    in my classes i usually show several “contact sheets” so students can see the evolution of a picture…i do not quite know how i would show it here…but let me think on it…..i have always shot way less than most pro photographers…i definitely do not shoot everything that moves, which i see as common mistake among many…..better to shoot intense on a few things, than waste energy trying to shotgun everything….Magnum is now coming out with a book of our respective contact sheets…should be most interesting…you skype?

    JENNY….

    here is what my well meaning friends and family said when i forwarded your comment out of health curiosity:

    one wrote:

    “This is not a DIET. This is a cleanse/fast – a concept that has been carried on by various religions and cultures throughout history, probably for good reason. Nothing extreme about eating non processed real foods. You can eat as much as you want. Doctors do prescribe this type of cleanse for people who have suffered a heart attack or have cancer. If one can tolerate this after a heart attack or while battling cancer it seems logical that you should be able to tolerate it when you are “perfectly healthy”

    another wrote:

    “Why does this scare her? What is her expertise?

    It’s not a diet… It’s a cleanse. You are eating raw and minimally/non-processed healthy WHOLE food…

    What’s wrong with that?

    The only radical thing that could spin you out is quitting caffeine cold turkey… Which you’re not doing.”

    anyway, i’ve never felt better and my cats are fighting with each other on the floor…playfully….hmmm

    cheers, david

  868. Simon Griffee

    David,

    Very interesting that you shoot less…has it always been this way, or do you think you began shooting less over time? I’ve heard about HCB shooting two or three rolls ‘before breakfast’ to practice, also Koudelka would shoot random thing often to ‘practice his eye’ if I remember right… I agree that ‘shotgun’ approach wastes energy, also with the amount of things you have to look at when editing later, but I wonder if sometimes it is good to help one ‘loosen up’ before focusing… I do skype: sgriffee

  869. john gladdy

    David. Good luck with giving up coffee. If you can manage that then I will start to believe in miracles….that may even get me religion, although thinking about it, coffee IS a religion with me.

    Three days to road trip and the SUV i bought is turning into a money pit. After replacing all the tyres and brakes, the windscreen, fitting complete new heavy duty suspension, stereo (japanese one dont work here), sat nav……after all that, took it on a little run over the weekend and the alternator packed up…which also cooked the batteries. Grand total so far £6000, and i havent left England yet. I think the universe may be trying to tell me something :) oh well..

    Peace

    john

  870. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Just checking in after days/weeks away…

    Hi everyone! All is well with me, pretty fantastic actually. Just came off 3-days/nights with 100,000 EM lovers from around the world and I’m tired, yes, but totally jazzed. I also have tons of photos and videos of these great young folks dancin’ and doin’ their thing. After 6 years at this annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Grandma Techno is famous! But the main thing is that I love every minute of dancin’, shootin’, talkin’ and generally livin’ it up. Don’t need no drugs, booze, weed or anything except the music, crowds, love and great energy. The kids can’t believe I don’t “use” but, hell, why would I need to? THEY’RE my drug of choice!

    Regarding DAH’s cleanse…

    Two months ago I changed my eating habits and basically stick to raw fruits & veggies and salads with fatfree dressing for fiber, hummous, feta cheese, sushi and lowfat yoghurt for protein. It helps that I’d already been off meat, caffeine and alcohol for years. Mine is not a diet nor a cleanse, simply a change in my habits. Have never felt better. Anyway, cleanses are good for the body and soul. Good on you, David!

    hugs to all
    Patricia

  871. Charles Peterson

    DAH,

    Actually, we are all on a “diet”, whether it be all pizza all the time or nothing but vegetables raised by killer whales. :) It’s only recently in the west that we have started to equate “diet” (ie the food that we choose to eat, usually for cultural reasons) with the need to restrict/waste away due to health concerns or obesity.

    As long as you weren’t an alcoholic or drug addict or suffering from very serious health concerns then aside from a few days of slight discomfort (often psychological) this kind of diet is about the best thing one can do for yourself. It’s only difficult in terms of societal demands (esp travel) and naysayers.

    Everybody should try it at some point in their lives. It’s important to give the system a rest and reset now and then for long life – and don’t we all want that? So many photographs to take!:)

    But keep in mind it is important to segue slowly back into any old ways. One or two glasses of wine with dinner – not the whole bottle!

    Right now I’m on the Oxycodone diet as I battle with an infected molar. Gonna have it pulled once and for all this week. Ouch!

    CP

  872. aitken

    Hey John, have fun sounds the norm for second hand trucks.

    I did a work trip round spain/portugal in a converted bus, spent a load before we left, crank shaft detached itself in portugal, continual oil leak until complete engine rebuild in southern spain. On the otherhand found nothing apart from massive generosity and kindness from locals wherever we broke down.

    On the upside too, sold it for a profit on our return.

    Have fun,

    Ian

  873. Gracie

    dah,

    ;) i told my mother we would all go on a diet, including the kids – she’s sick, and visiting for a short time. actually i brought her to stay in my house under duress.

    she says ” now why would i go on a diet i’m old and ready to die??” i told her the diet in my house is not really a diet by her definition. it’s just cutting back foods we use in excess. i believe in moderation, no one really has to lose a lot of weight except my mom anyway. my kids will just eat more veggies and not lose their chicken nuggets. more milk and water instead of juice. husband will try to drink some water and i will stop eating chocolate tomorrow. ;)

    i dont think you would have been physically feeling great with all the foods youve been missing on this diet. it’s just that it might have been so long you’ve been truly healthy.. you might not know anymore how that feels.

    it’s been decades now we know that there is such a thing as switching off cancer and autoimmune disease genes with nutrition. we dont put in and pull up foods from the ground anymore. and we spray so many foods/fruits/vegetables with chemicals to make them look good and last long enough to turn profit in the markets.

    im sure this diet will do good for you, clear the eyes and strengthen the shooting finger, make you sleep better. all the more, make you live longer.

  874. eva

    Overexposed film reporting.. so far so good, almost finished developing all the things, negs look a tad dense, shouldn’t be a problem to print them though, had worse stuff in my enlarger.. even found the one or other pic worthy contentwise, which isn’t a bad thing either.. I might join Gracie, stopping to eat chocolate.. tomorrow.. ;)

    John, have fun!!

  875. david alan harvey

    SIMON…

    well, everyone has their own way….i always just shot less than most of my colleagues at the newspaper, at Natgeo, and at Magnum…probably because at an early age i just could not afford the film to shoot so much…so i look a lot with an intense eye and take pictures in my mind almost every minute of the day “to practice”, but actual frames have always been relatively low…

    JOHN GLADDY…

    nothing better than a road trip…..good on you….money well spent no matter what…..adventures await, disasters coming, the exciting high of wondering what is around the next bend…is this work or play or a combo?? yea, caffeine….hard to go through that crash…now on my 5th cup of decaf green tea…just going through the motions….

    PATRICIA…

    welcome back home…and the Detroit music scene must be something….Motown sound has been in my life forever and i sure wish i could have witnessed your world of the last few days….i am racking my brain trying to think if any photographer has EVER really “done” Detroit…you would know….who?

    cheers, david

  876. Simon Griffee

    David,

    Is there a ‘field of view’ your eyes are most accustomed to? 35mm? I imagine with experience you look at a scene and know instinctively where you might be to get the best picture… I read a great interview with John Vink on the net and he says something about how shooting backstage in theater productions helped him…Everyone their own path indeed… Actually, here it is:

    http://wayneyang.wordpress.com/2007/03/02/john-vink-interview-part-i/
    http://wayneyang.wordpress.com/2007/03/03/john-vink-interview-part-ii/

  878. mtomalty

    In the last hour, i’ve had a coffee,a can of sardines, some Spicy Thai chips, and half
    a Mountain Dew.

    I can assure you a violent ‘cleanse’ is imminent !

  880. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAH

    There are SO MANY different “Detroits” that I can’t think of who has ever done them all. Of course we’ve seen our fill of Detroit-in-ruins and before that of Detroit-the Motor City. But MY Detroit is a city full of all kinds of people in all kinds of situations…in neighborhoods, urban gardens, music festivals, demonstrating on the streets for peace & justice, in senior centers, clubs, street fairs, schools, churches, fireworks displays, dancing, working, making music, trying to come up with new ways of getting along and being community. Yes, there is also violence and fear, drugs and drive-by shootings, foreclosures and abandoned homes, homelessness and unemployment, a great divide between races and classes, kids at risk, and more.

    Detroit is a city filled with both life and death, celebration and mourning, love and anger. As simple and complex as humanity. I love this city and its people. I wouldn’t want to live anyplace else.

    Regarding my weekend at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, I’m now looking at my photos hoping to see a thread that might pull together as an essay. We’ll see…

    Patricia

  881. david alan harvey

    PATRICIA…

    your description of Detroit makes me want to hang out there…it is definitely a microcosm of working urban middle America i suppose and yet i think one of the least documented cities in many ways and yet is the heartbeat of the country with both music and the automobile….i await your pictures….

    cheers, david

  882. Tommy

    DAH – “you have lost me on this one…but, try to explain again…i am not disagreeing, just not understanding…”

    No, you’ve understood entirely. Thank you for elaborating. In essence, if I understand your reply correctly is that criteria for publication on burn will not change and is not to be confused with a model which incorporates reward as a quasi-criteria. The essential criteria is quintessentially talent based and the payment model is a “bonus”. The payment model doesn’t suggest filtering, in that talent is talent no matter what way you look at it, and that is the essential criteria.

    Thank you so much for responding and clarifying.

    Best.

  884. paultreacy.com

    Having internet inconsistencies here at the minute. Have been tripped up by it for a few days now. Driving me nuts.

    Anyway, while I have a window… Jenny, I’d be up for meeting over a jar or three when you’re back this way.

    Gordon, will go check out your dog shots in a minute. Thanks. Unfortunately, right now my family and I do not have a dog. For the last 8 years we’ve lived in buildings with restrictions. Hopefully we’ll get a big dog in a couple of years or so. My youngest son has a special gift with animals. It’s an incredible thing to witness. If and when we do get a dog I’ll endeavour to capture that talent.

    I’ve got the flash thing down. Been using the technique on assignment for nearly 20 years. The trick is to use manual power settings. In low interior light I shoot at 320 iso, 15th to 30th shutter speed and aperture 5.6 for just enough depth of field to allow for dynamic, moving subjects. Flash set at 1/4 power for most shots but dropped to 1/8th power when in very close. Flash is always off camera either wirelessly or through cable, depending on what camera and or flash unit. Mostly D200 and SB600 or SB28. The 28 is better as it’s more powerful for when I need some extra muscle.

    The trick, ultimately, is to drop your camera exposure setting a full stop or stop and a half below average ambient setting. Or you could simply ignore your ambient and stick to 15th – 30th (depending on how much movement you want or how steady your hands are) and adjust your iso accordingly. If it’s a bright interior then drop your iso, for example.

    Also, and this is important, use a stofen dome or whatever it’s called. One of those cloudy white plastic things that snugly fits over the flash glass.

    And practice a lot. It’s easy with digital as you can see the results quickly and delete the errors. Practicing with film, as I had to, is expensive of course. And you have to make good notes which I never did. I just sort of felt it. At the moment I can tell if the flash gives out enough power by how it sounds when it fires. If the batteries are slowing and it doesn’t fire the full 1/4 power, or whatever I’ve set it at, I’ll know by the sound it makes. I’m sure there are many photographers that know exactly what I’m talking about. You just have a sense of whether or not the flash is pumping out the correct amount of power.

    Always shoot your flash manually. That way your exposures are consistent. If they’re wrong, you’re fucked. If they’re right, you’re all set. There’s no variation. With TTL the exposures can be inconsistent as will be the recycling times. A manual setting gives you a fixed amount of light and recycles quickly and it’s the same every time. That’s crucial.

    I’m getting sleepy, so if this is all garbled, I’m sorry.

    Good night.

  885. david alan harvey

    TOMMY..

    yes, you have it right….

    PAUL…

    you pretty much do what i do except that i use the flash on automatic…but i use a little $25. flash that is not hooked into the camera a la TTL, but takes the reflected light and shuts down accordingly…it works…every time…on any camera….whether on my Leica M6, M9, Mamiya VII or whatever…and i never have to think about the flash exposure…i might tweak out the ambient a bit with shutter speed as you , but that is about it….the real beauty is that on the one of two auto settings it puts out just the right amount of light so i can work wide open with the Leica and throw the background out with slow film or iso or with the Mamiya with a faster film but the lens matches accordingly with a lesser aperture…i know this little baby..because my career depended on it working all the time every time often shooting film, as in Cuba, and not seeing the results for weeks…or as in Rio this year…like i said …25 bucks…beats em all and i have tried em all…

    cheers, david

  886. a civilian-mass audience

    “Who is picking up panos at the airport?”

    HERVE…we have seen the West coast,now,let’s see the East coast filoxenia???
    Are you in SanF …or Thailand???

    Well,I got pictures of PANOS …he looks like GORDON’S dogs…:)))
    I will try to link them…aha…sure
    he explained to me …something about Picaso…hmmm…web links…aha…
    I offered him a chicken(Antigone) …he refused…
    life goes on
    we got to move on

    BURNIANS you ROCK…I am so proud of you …
    ALLLLLLLL of you…I LOVE you…

    THANK YOU
    civi

  887. david alan harvey

    HERVE…

    just skyped with Panos…he is on his way…is new york ready for this? will the Burn Hotel ever recover? i will not see him for most of his stay cause i ain’t leaving the beach for any reason til i absolutely must when i go to the annual Magnum meeting…you are of course invited to that event again…to pay the Burn Hotel rent, Panos has agreed to help me haul some of my belongings down to carolina….that trip alone will provide enough material for a reality show i think…heaven help us…

    cheers, david

  888. pomara

    David AH,

    Mano y Mano. I could never make the auto behave, so I simply use it on manual and
    low power. I make the fill “come to me”. Since I’ve always shot manual, I found
    that using the TTL could never match my expectations. So much for technology.

    Attention all: “know this little baby..because my career depended on it”–DAH

    I hope you mean your career DEPENDS on it. This less is more lighting is so subtle
    yet so effective. While I’ve always kept the fill in my arsenal, this trip to
    the Twin Cities has made me a firm believer in the power of the fill.

    Yup, that cheap flash you have does the trick and I don’t think I will be looking
    for an upgrade for my SB600. Hell, I use the damn thing with a business card
    bounce. What a waste, but the batteries last forever!!!

    Do you Skype? (Joking of course)

  889. kathleen fonseca

    DAH

    Just dug deep into the world of Burn-scroll and found your jacuzzi story. I am at the beach with my daughter who´s doing some volunteer work with Surfing Nosara Foundation http://www.surfingnosara.com/surfing-nosara-foundation They are having an art auction this month and have asked me for some prints which i am really happy to donate. But that´s way too many details. Suffice it to say this is a different jungle than the (sub)urban one i usually inhabit.

    I found YOUR jacuzzi story to be actually quite interesting. The sheepish modesty of the underpants, the broken 10K vase (eeks), the whole scene had way more context and instead of chuckling at your antics i understood your (touching) awkwardness and effort to fit the hell in the moment..yet another moment of many more then you could possibly narrate involving fitting in with strangers speaking other languages possessing other habits, expectations, agendas..the Pj world is a bit more than i could ever fathom, being accustomed to so much time alone..anyway, enjoyed your version of the story and gleaning yet a bit more understanding into why you are so good at what you do.

    Also your and others discussion of flash i am pursuing with interest. I was using flash obsessively a few months back, always on manual. But never off-camera. I am not sure how that is even done, albeit i know there is a cable involved or at least a remote control. Neither do i use flash TTL and always adjust power for my subject. But sometimes the required settings are sooooo elusive! When i need predictable i get horrifiying. And when i latch onto the perfect mix it alas changes as soon as my light source intensifies or weakens (natch´) However, that all makes flash extremely fascinating to me, it completely occupies my mind and keeps me incredibly focused in the moment. Still, i would think some predicatbility would be helpful. Perhaps with more time and more careful observation i might ¨get there¨.

    Erica

    Wow, grrl, i am super impressed that you have given a workshop. Well, not surprised of course as i know you are a teacher but now you´ve upped the antey with this workshop and i am so very happy for you and Andrew S. I hope we do see one of your students´ essays published on Burn. What a proud moment that would be for you!

    Gracie

    Night shift reporting in…a little yawn, cups of coffee all around and settling in for a long night with you and Civi and later on Ross..like the old days..it was just us..and now look? The Burn Dialogues cook with the best and the birghtest in photolandia.

    Civi

    be there or be square (nigth shift, baby, night shift)

    Ok, gotta go..this hard wooden chair at this internet cafe is biting into my back..lights are fading..where the hell is Julie?? damn. the tide´s gonna be high, we won´t be able to take the Land Rover over the beach to the house and there´s no access by road–it´s gonna be a long wait. And no camera to play with during the interim. That´ll teach me to leave it home.

    best to all

    Kathleen

  890. Charles Peterson

    Okay tooth is out. Feeling much better though novacaine hasn’t worn off yet. We’ll see… good excuse to eat ice cream and fruitcicles… sorry David!

    PATRICIA,

    I spent a few days in Detroit back in the mid-nineties doing a shoot and found it to be one of the most fascinating places ever (good and bad). I left for Vietnam for the first time a few days later and I honestly couldn’t say which was more alien. Here’s a piece by a friend of mine from Detroit in this week’s Stranger (local weekly). Fun stuff.

    http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/things-i-remember-about-detroit/Content?oid=4132988

    Best,

    CP

  891. david alan harvey

    since my last comment about 2 -3 hours ago i went out and shot what i am 90% sure will be a double page spread in Natgeo….now, most of you know i would never say anything like that…bad juju to talk about your work in advance of publication..and i do not recommend ever over selling a picture in advance…but, this afternoon was rather amazing…i walked out my front door, got on my bike, rode about 100 yards down to the sound side(bay side) of this island….my neighborhood sound beach is a haven for kite boarders who show up from all over the world…

    now i think i have forgotten to mention to this audience that simultaneous with my NG Rio commission i also was given a very special assignment to photograph home….yup a personal vision of the outer banks where i live…text and photographs…in any case, i waded out into the sound and managed to shoot something not so characteristic for me, but what i would have to classify as a sports action landscape , if there is such a category…if this picture does get published, then it will have to go on record as my shortest photo trip for Natgeo…like i said, 100 yards tops…

    only problem is you are going to have to wait about a year to see this picture, since i surely cannot publish it on Burn or even link it…both Rio and OBX are scheduled for publication in 2011….but still a long way to go for both stories…

    now back home with the sunset sky aglow and a cool glass of water in my hand the world seems right, even though i know full well it is not…but, i will take this moment while i can….and see if in the coming months i can make a photograph even closer to home…must be getting lazy…

    cheers, david

  893. pomara

    Oh how nice DAH. What a joy to come back from an evening
    fly-fishing for brim and bass on my lake. No camera, but
    that’s another story.

    Hitting “that” moment is priceless and a double-truck.
    -Wow, how good was the shoot? It was a DOUBLE-TRUCK!!!-

    “What’s not to Love”–Civi

  895. Herve

    Thanks for the invite David. Not easy for me to add more travels than I do already, so NYC a no go this month. But Paris next year, more likely. That is if our friends of the Parisian Police let me back in! :-)

  896. jenny lynn walker

    Scared by a fast or a cleanse?! Now that is funny. I lived in a Muslim country for 3 years and adhered to the annual fast without problem (albeit it only from sunrise to sunset), have done cleanses myself and qualified myself as a yoga instructor years ago (hence the link to Swami Sivananda re. Ahimsa). Each person must decide what is right for them. But when someone states that they were feeling perfectly well before they started and now do not feel at all well – if they are not making it up and just seeking attention, one option is always to stop it.

  897. jenny lynn walker

    Flash disturbs the subtle nuances inherent in any moment it seems to me – the interplay between the people involved in any scene. It puts the photographer in the picture because he or she can ‘be seen’ – you become visible and your presence disturbs it. Better play God with light in Photoshop afterwards – at least at the moment you press the shutter, you are as invisible as possible to what lies beyond your physical presence and its interplay. Henri Cartier-Bresson didn’t agree with it either did he David?

  898. Jason_Houge

    DAH –
    Here is a picture of my display in the latest showing of my Jewish project from the workshop – There’s also a link to some Flickr images taken during the reception by another person who was in the show.

    http://jasonhouge.com/2010/06/art-garage-show/

    Jenny Lynn –
    David’s cleanse seems a bit extreme because of how far WE have deviated from what our natural diet should be. An even more extreme take would be to “fast” as various religious groups do and what Mohandas Gandhi did for peace. I think David will live and be stronger after it. :) Maybe he’ll give up smoking – sparing him from cancer and he’ll be around many-many more years. I’m sure when he was working in a darkroom in college – there weren’t many safety regulations in place… so he may be at risk!

  900. John Vink

    Fasting, cleansing??? From what? From good food? From pleasure? Good food and pleasure are dirty? Sounds more like self castigation to me. What would that be good for?

  901. jenny lynn walker

    I’m loving the beach stories on here. Fingers crossed, I’ll be on or near a beach soon. I hope it will be cold, or at least cooler than my blood, that the wind will be blowing and I can hear the sound of gulls above the crashing waves.

  902. jenny lynn walker

    Jason: I don’t find David’s cleanse extreme. I may be asking for the full details of it for myself in a few weeks time. I think you missed my last comment. There’s an image on that link you added that I’d love to see in larger size (top left, in one, very small so cant see it too well).

    John: Perhaps there is a time for everything, like Kathleen said? I’m so looking forward to gorging bread and cheese because I have not seen any for 5 years – not the bread and cheese I grew up with anyway. After that, I’d love to go totally Japanese – perhaps permanently if it is an option!

    How do you feel about flash by the way? I feel it disturbs everything – the naturalness of the very moment itself – the interplay between the people and the evolution of the scene. Perhaps I also dislike it because I prefer to be invisible or try my best not to disturb it other than when specifically asking for a portrait.

  903. Imants

    No such thing as natural…….no such thing as cleansing………. try the fruit loops and red drink diet Jenny it will do wonders, it’s as natural as as taking a photo without a flash.

  904. Gracie

    what? a double trucker seeks attention or coffee?
    which one’s better?

    @kathie:
    hi kathie! im glad ur enjoying time with sissy.
    i miss night shift when people weren’t too fancy.

  905. a civilian-mass audience

    MYGRACIE…
    trucker or coffee…???
    you can’t go wrong…either way …you are screwed…:)))

    KATIEEE…Street Fighter…I would love to see some pictures of JULIETTE and your mama…
    maybe an essay…THE RETURN OF THE HIGH TIDE…damdaradam
    night shift…I miss you all and i definitely thank you for my heart…DAVIDB,BOBBYB…ROSSY
    GORDON…please, I forget names…help me out…I might have to do some “memory boot”

    “I’d love to go totally Japanese”
    JENNY…we are all waiting ANTON’S green light…:)))

    PAUL O’HARA…I love the skies,your photos from the above …keep it up…
    BURNED BBQ on you!!!

    Come on BURNIANS…listen and follow your inner voice…
    whatever works for me…it might not work for you…

    when I am trying to ride my life’s surf board…
    I am looking for Balance…I need balance and skills to do the turtle roll, the pop up,the bottom turn…
    oime…ok, back to our regular program

    To Flush or not to Flash???

  906. jenny lynn walker

    CIVI: Anton’s green light? to flush or not to flash? I guess the question has already been answered? Listen to your inner voice.

    DAH: I am beginning to see the confusion you often identify – lost in the transatlantic cultural difference perhaps? It makes me feel sad. On this occasion, it was on the question of: to flush or not to flush? Many of us care about your health on here, me included, and since the advice you had been given was on one side, perhaps it was right to offer up a different side after you had mentioned that you were not feeling good on the diet (before you then later said you were feeling fine). Here’s one comment written by a ‘so-called health expert’ that was published on-line. Sorry bit tired, can’t find the link but it was written by Susan Moores, R.D., a nutrition consultant and spokesperson for The American Dietetic Association, I believe:

    “The scores of detox diet books and kits out there each have their own take on how to cleanse the body — one calls for spices and fruit juices, another for only vegetable purees — but most of them boil down to extremely low-calorie, primarily liquid diets.

    The idea behind these plans, which can last anywhere from three days to about a month, is to rid the body of toxins absorbed from the environment and the less-than-healthy foods we eat. This cleansing is supposed to leave you feeling energized.

    Some plans restrict all solid foods and instruct dieters to survive on only low-calorie beverages for days at a time. The Joshi holistic diet involves an elaborate list of so-called acid-forming foods to avoid for three weeks, including seemingly healthy veggies and grains.

    Many intestinal experts say we don’t need an extreme diet to cleanse our insides.

    “Your body does a perfectly good job of getting rid of toxins on its own,” says Dr. Nasir Moloo, a gastroenterologist with Capitol Gastroenterology Consultants Medical Group in Sacramento, Calif. “There’s no evidence that these types of diets are necessary or helpful.”

    While there are medical conditions that interfere with organ function and prevent the body from clearing toxins, healthy people already have a built-in detoxification system — the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin, says Moloo.

    And by attempting to flush out the “bad stuff” from our intestines, Sandon warns, you’re also “flushing out the good bacteria that keep the intestines healthy.”

    Lots of bathroom time
    The side effects from prolonged, severe calorie restriction can include headache, fatigue, irritability, aches and pains. Because many rely on aggressive laxatives, these diets can also get pretty messy. Frequent bathroom visits can lead to irritation and breakdown of skin on your bottom, as well as dehydration. FREE VIDEO

    Do detox diets really work?
    April 11: New detox diets make big promises, but do they work? WMAQ’s Nesita Kwan finds out.
    NBC News Channel

    While believers claim they feel lighter and more energetic, studies on starvation show the longer you fast, the more lethargic and less focused you become. Because most of these diets contain very little protein, it can be difficult for the body to rebuild lost muscle tissue.

    Although people can quickly drop pounds on these diets, the majority of people regain all the weight they lose on any diet, especially the highly restrictive varieties, according to recent research published in American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association. While people can lose 5 to 10 percent of their weight in the first few months of a diet, up to two-thirds of people regain even more weight than they lost within four or five years, the researchers found.

    Cutting back on high-fat foods, eating in moderation and consuming more vegetables and fruits may not seem as glamorous as starving yourself like a celebrity for days, but it’s healthier for you in the long run and certainly sexier than rushing to the bathroom all day.

  907. jenny lynn walker

    oime Civi. I think there are 2 articles mixed together on that last but I hope the gist is clear – that the body is itself natural (used that word for Imants benefit) and knows how to take care of itself so long as we don’t totally abuse it. We need to listen to it as our own voice. I’m listening to mine and it does seem to be telling me to quit smoking, get out of the city and/or back into yoga. ; )

  908. Herve

    Not sure what natural has to do with flash. Someone might just say I do not take pictures because the very act of using a camera takes me away from the naturalness of the moment.
    But if you do, ie. use a camera, It all has to do with what you want to do, and use or control the means to achieve that goal. Flash, no flash… Just means to an end, and an expressive end, not a natural one. IMO.

    Like David intimated, many pictures with flash end up to be pictures where the means (flash) were not controlled.

  909. jenny lynn walker

    Imants: The entire planet is also natural, isn’t it? Our kind is abusing it, polluting it, using it, covering it with concrete and so much that is ‘un-natural’ – just as we can do to ourselves. But beneath all of that – and beneath all of the layers we create around ourselves – like the spirit of love itself, at our core, we are 100% natural.

  910. jenny lynn walker

    Herve: Me neither. No idea. No connection with natural. Photoshop is also un-natural. But there is such a thing as a sun and that is pretty natural and if we use the light that comes from that sun rather than other light sources, it would perhaps be the closest thing to ‘natural’. But like you say, the camera itself is not ‘natural’ – a piece of recording equipment that captures moments in time on this essentially natural planet.

    I am now tending towards this idea:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/mar/11/caravaggio-art-studio-photography-first

  913. Imants

    Other than that……. flash photography here is my take, the rosary beads put god on my side, the character keeps the subjects eyes wide open and after the shot I click the head and hand out a pez as a bonus and it is all fixed to the camera hot shoe ……… http://www.etrouko.com.au/im.htm

  914. eva

    Hmmm.. how do you use flash off camera, if you have a manual camera.. I’m missing at least one hand?!

  915. pomara

    “Hmmm.. how do you use flash off camera, if you have a manual camera.. I’m missing at least one hand?!”- eva

    DAH, you want to take this one.

    My reply is- Practice and experiment.

  916. emcd

    “In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.”
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    :)

  919. Lee Guthrie

    The only flash work I can stand doing is with studio work. Otherwise, it really offends my senses; I do not like at all someone flashing me for a photo unless it is in a studio. Some do really good work with flash–I do not.

  920. Charles Peterson

    RE FLASH,

    Was on a panel of rock photographers a while back and Neal Preston, who had just shown a picture of Jimmy Page and explained that the up light on him was from a bank of runway lights Led Zeppelin were using on this tour, then went on to say he didn’t believ using flash was true photography. Well, I’d just shown my pic of Cobain sprawled on a drumkit in a sleazy little club. No way would I have gotten that shot without a flash. It would have been a blurry mess.

    Anyway, I interrupted Preston and told him that not all of us are fortunate enough to have our subjects lit by runway lights – totally cracked up the audience.

    Daniel Kramer recently said in a talk that he works with available light – and if need be he has 200 pounds of it in his car trunk available at all times (referring to strobes). Whatever works – don’t limit yourself. Flash may not be your style but there’s certainly nothing wrong with it. I love how it can freeze a moment in time that would otherwise be lost.

  921. Charles Peterson

    DAVID B.

    Looks familiar! I used to use a Vivitar 285 with off camera cord. I would duct tape the compact Quantum battery to the top of the flash. Fun stuff… and yes, pre-focus and use 24 or wider…

    CP

  922. Akaky

    CIVI, to flush or not to flash???????????? hmmmmmmmmmm…………

    HAMLET: To flush, or not to flash–that is the question:
    Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
    The slings and arrows of outrageous flatulence
    Or to take Rolaids against a sea of troubles
    And by opposing end them. To flush, to flash–
    No more–and by a flush to say we end
    The bellyache, and the thousand natural shocks
    That flash is heir to, so don’t play with the damn strobe in the shower or when you still have the batteries in it.. ‘Tis a constipation
    Devoutly to be wished away, and sooner rather than later, if you ask me.. To flush, to flash-
    To flash–perchance to forget HCB’s warnings about flash and photography: ay, there’s the rub, and there will be no rubbing and flashing or flushing in public or the cops will show up muy pronto
    For in that flash of flush what dreams may flash of flushing, and make us wish we lived in SoHo or Tribeca or even Park Slope
    When we have flushed off this mortal coil,
    Must give us paws, which won’t do a damn thing if you’re stuck in the toilet bowl; just ask any rat who’s been caught in that situation . There’s the respect
    That makes calamity of so long flash.
    For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
    Th’ oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely
    The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
    The insolence of office, or the photographer fiddling with his gear while you’re sitting there in your very stiff Sunday best and feeling the sweat start to run down your back because this doofus doesn’t know the difference between a f/stop and a cheese Danish, and the spurns
    That patient merit of th’ unworthy takes,
    When he himself might his quietus make out of papier-mache and half-empty cans of Spam
    With a bare bodkin? (Bodkins are often bare; it’s some sort of religious thing. The last sighting of a clothed bodkin was in 1778, when a unbare bodkin was seen serving in the Continental Army at the Battle of Monmouth). Who would fardels bear, the fardels bear being a particularly rare species of European brown bear, for those of you interested in zoology, once used by the Romans in gladiatorial games,
    To flush and flash under a weary life,
    But that the dread of something after flush,
    The undiscovered country, from whose bourn ultimatum
    Only the plumber returns, puzzles the will, especially when you see how much he’s charging you just for looking at your piping,
    And makes us rather bear those flashes we have
    Than fly to others that we know not of?
    Thus incontinence does make flushers of us all,
    And thus the native hue of resolution
    Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of Photoshop,
    And enterprise of great pitch and moment
    With this regard their currents turn awry with pastrami and hot mustard
    And lose the name of action, but not for very long, if you insist on eating this kind of stuff.

  925. michael webster

    With flash, and indeed most if not all gear questions in photography, I’m in the ends justify the means camp. And regarding what a flash photo looks like, the possibilities are infinite. The term they use in the video world is ” sculpting light.”

  927. Gordon L

    Michael W

    I’m with you.
    Eugene Smith, when asked if he shot available light, replied something like “I’ll use what-ever is available” which included flash. His famous shot of Albert Schwietzer was bounce flash.

  928. michael webster

    Just noticed Herve made the ends/means point above. Personally, of all the things I’ve learned from dah since finding burn, I think the fact that I really needed to take my flash skills to another level was probably the most important, and I learned that from studying his work, not from anything he wrote.

  929. Frank Michael Hack

    DAH

    Just some thoughts on the cleanse. Seems like you are getting lots of conflicting advice. As a pharmacist I am confronted by this all the time. It really comes down to a world view between the Western scientific reductionist perspective and an Eastern holistic approach to health. In terms of the Western scientific modality there is little evidence that cleanses are necessary or that they work. The only time a gastroenterologist will recommend a cleanse is when they want to look at your bowels with an endoscope and use various means to clean everything out before they go in. This approach looks at the body as a machine and the doctor as a mechanic.

    On the other hand from an Eastern and holistic perspective practitioners look at the whole individual including their spirituality. Cleanses and fasts have been part of most spiritual traditions for thousands of years. This empirical approach recognizes that fasting and cleansing the body also cleanse the spirit which is oftentimes even more critical. In our society we often don’t listen to our bodies, we eat when it is time to eat not necessarily when we are hungry. We use all manner of stimulants (coffee, tobacco, etc.) to stimulate our physical and mental selves. This is not necessarily a bad thing but sometimes we need to clean the mirror to see our true reflection. My only advice is to listen to your body and become in-tuned with it, this is probably the most beneficial aspect of a cleanse. If the goal is to lose weight it probably won’t work in the long term. If the goal is to become more physically and spiritually aware then I think it is worth the effort. Hope that helps : )))

  930. eva

    DavidB, kinda figured prefocus was the answer.. still kinda miss a hand though.. I guess for me one of those flash holders to attach to the cam would be easiest.. and yes, practice..

  931. Herve

    and beneath all of the layers we create around ourselves – like the spirit of love itself, at our core, we are 100% natural
    —————————
    Like oil gushing out in the Gulf of Mexcio? 100% natural from “our” core, beneath the layers… ;-)

  933. a civilian-mass audience

    astounding…mind-blowing…AKAKYYYYYYYYYYY

    MICHAELW…We are with you…

    oime…keep shooting…

  934. Lee Guthrie

    I do like strobes that are portable and you can place around a subject and love bounce and behind lighting in my studio stuff. Shooting outside of a studio though I have not gained the expertise I would need to be good with flash and the logistics of flash equipment. When I had my 30D the flash was nice as I would put a bandaid over the flash (DAH trick) and liked that better. The 5D Mark II does not have a pop up and in experimenting with mounted flash I have not been able to gain a comfort level yet.

    Never say never but so far have not managed to conquer this one. There are many shots I do not keep in my finals because they did need more lighting and I did not have the means at hand.

    Still holding on here in the Gulf and hopefully will know if this latest possibility works out by early next week. Thank goodness and I am really ready. In the meantime acclimating to this heat and eating garlic to discourage the mosquitoes who absolutely love me. Photos are still those that come within my purview in between the storms. Another one coming in. But having periods of sunshine so helps. So much humidity here that in the sunshine it hangs in the air like a thick pollutant.

  935. Herve

    Charles Peterson, not to belittle anyone else, but your name is with DAH the only one from our ” BURN community” I have seen, and see regularly (that is your Seattle Grunge book) on “photography” shelves in bookstores. Now peole will ask: all bookstores really? New or used/discounted?

    To which I will faithfully answer: Yes, not all, far from it, and no, not new, but instead used/discounted, but here too, like (again, in my neck of the wood)…..DAH’s books! ;-)

  936. kathleen fonseca

    Jenny

    i really start to sweat when anyone says this or that is not appropriate in photography. Cuz i used to do it all the time until a number of different people (Imants included) and readings from different sources changed my mind. It´s all good (except of course manipulating news photos). Same with flash. It´s so yesterday to talk about how unnatural it is to artificially light a scene when one considers that we´re artificially manipulating that same scene in PS. Lighting with flash sure beats missing the shot. The use of flash is a personal decision based on subject matter and our objectives. Further, i find most people opposed to the use of flash haven´t the vaguest idea how to use it properly. NOT that i do, heh, i wish! However, i find it an extremely useful and also highly challenging tool. To possess its secrets is to paint with light in a most creative and effective fashion. Every shot on this blog with two exceptions were shot with flash.

    http://dyathink.blogspot.com/

    Civilian,

    i don´t know about photos of this place. It´s not really that kind of trip but i´ll see what i can do. I shot last night but nothing too great. Still i will take some just for you, k?

    best
    ur strtfgtr

  937. david alan harvey

    WENDY…

    nice to see you here always…you are a continuous bright light….are you EVER in a bad mood? i have not seen it in person or in any of your positive thinking writing…i know you told me what you were working on since we saw your Cuba movie in L.A., but now i am totally lost…tell me, tell me…..

    FRANK…

    your explanation is exactly as it was explained to me and how i see it…many thanks..please remember i AM eating all the time…fresh fruits , nuts, veggies, lots of water etc and the point is to balance out after the 21 days and come back to something realistic but not McDonalds…not designed to lose weight…just to eliminate a few toxins which cannot possibly be a bad idea, particularly in my case with more than my share…you have been around me and i am sure you have observed that i tend to overdue everything….anyway, into day 5 and my only problem is too damned much energy…i was never in short supply, but now i am ready to leap tall buildings with a single bound…or better yet, …..

    JOHN VINK..

    smiling…yea, good point…however, in my particular case , a bit of self castigation probably not a bad idea…balance the goal…

    KATHLEEN…

    you have it right….there can be no judgment other than the evaluation of the work, assuming of course there was all due respect to the subject…..thanks

    cheers, david

  938. david alan harvey

    HERVE…

    if you find one of my books discounted somehow, buy it (Div Soul, Cuba) and i will buy it from you…no more left, and the price going way too high in most specialty book stores…

    CHARLES…

    i lost the D700…again…first it took a hit by a wave in Rio on New Year’s Eve and managed to bounce back miraculously…this time don’t think so…when looking through the viewfinder yesterday at the kite boarder who was just missing me (on purpose) and the light was perfect and the scene so so nice, i just held fast for the shot, knowing that the spray would hit me…i was neck deep in the water anyway….well, i can always get another D700, but i will never see that shot again…

  939. a civilian-mass audience

    Where are you JIMMY POWERS???
    two essays on my screen…we really BURNING here!!!

    LEE,
    try ouzo…mosquitoes might go away…hmmm…and your liver too…
    bahhh…forget it…

    HERVE,
    I had a dream…I was in a bookstore…only books from the BURN community,BURNING books,
    AKAKY,KATIEEEEEEEEE,SIDNEY,EVA,ROSSY,IMANTS,PANOS,OURPATRICIA,BOBBY,HERVE,AUDREY,LEE…
    …………. One million books from my BURNIANS…

    KATIEEEEE…
    I can wait…:)))
    VIVA dynamic!!!

    the BURNING BOOKSTORE!!!…back to sleep…too much energy, I am ready to bite my chickens…
    I’ll be back

  940. a civilian-mass audience

    MR.HARVEY,

    don’t worry…we the BURNIANS can get you a new D700 …one euro each…
    you will be back on the road…it will be your birthday present…
    you deserve it …afteralll!!!
    BUT easy with the cleansing stuff… if you feel the energy wave coming…
    please let the cameras down…:)))

    NoNeedToReply :)))

  941. Ross Nolly

    Katie;

    All true as usual! Flash unnatural? Well it can be, but it also can be used well too. Anyway; just having a photographer at the scene can make the scene unnatural. And of course everything is filtered through the photographers mind; the most complex filter ever designed! :-)

    Flash/no flash, rangefinder/slr, digital/film, PS/no-PS, fly on the wall/interact. All are subjects that often turn into dogmas. Use whatever works to fulfil your view, as long as you are being true (respectful) to your subject.

    Cheers :-)

  942. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    The bad news is I just spent 3 1/2 hours sitting around while my wheelchair accessible minivan was being serviced. The good news is I had Anton’s 893 magazine with me.

    What an AMAZING document!!! Anton, I am in awe of where you have been and are continuing to go with this project, which is so much more than a “project”: it is a life journey. I was fortunate enough to see your book dummy one year ago at LOOK 3 and was mightily impressed then. But the magazine takes us deeper into both the world of the Yakuza and into your own internal growth as you document the complex and paradoxical paths they travel.

    The magazine itself is so well done. It gives me a view visually, intellectually and emotionally into a world I never imagined I’d want to examine. And somehow it is poetic as well, darkly, mysteriously poetic. You make me hunger for the next installment. And I can’t wait for the final book, which may be years in the making. Take your time, my friend, and stay with it as long as they agree and you feel comfortable. This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity and you are using it well.

    Bravo to you, dear Anton. I can’t wait to see what doors open up for you once the photo biggies see what you’re up to. You are going to be soaring in the stratosphere!

    Burnians, if you haven’t ordered 893 magazine yet, don’t miss it!

    http://stores.lulu.com/antonkusters

    Patricia

  943. Charles Peterson

    DAH,

    Well, the D700 might be replaced by Nikon with a new model soon so if you can wait… did the lens survive? Sounds like an awesome shot.

    HERVE,

    Always good to hear that my books are being seen out there. Now get your friends to buy them! :)

    CP

  944. Herve

    only books from the BURN community,BURNING books
    ————————————-

    It’s not a dream, Civi. It’s reality, in a parallel universe. There, David laughs at every lousy irreverential joke I make, too! :-)))))

    David, DS and CUBA seem to be keepers though, as well they should, because the only book I see out there is LIVING PROOF, but just a few bucks off the list price. AMAZON carries everyone of your books, including the one whose…. Unsinkable properties will cause you grief until the day you die…You know which one I’m talking about! ;-)

    PS: Actually, My CUBA is a copy signed by the author. I know him, he can sign me another one anytime, so you can have it for a 100$… :-)))))

  945. david alan harvey

    HERVE…

    well, Living Proof is a relatively new book, so there are plenty around and ironically, considering the subject matter, is in the MOMA book store..normal price…funny about book prices…i just looked on Amazon now and the price of Div Soul runs from used $25, to new good condition almost $1000 even unsigned and the best used Cuba at $180. and zero new ones …hmmm…..you have Cuba or Div Soul signed? both signed in good condition probably now at 2k depending on country, market etc…ah yes, the Va. book…..i think i told you that even though HCB hated color, flash, and interacting with the common man, he did shoot a color book on France…but somehow he must have had the resources to either buy them all up or somehow get rid of them..or maybe only serious collector’s have them….i had it in my hands once but alas did not have the sense to buy it…his bad book on France is even worse than my bad book on Virginia…good thing he hated color, because he certainly was not adept at shooting it…nobody is perfect…..but, the worst part is that i coulda shoulda woulda had a good Va book…i actually had some good work at the time, but what you have in your hands was the commercial product of a company that did that kind of book and i was too young and naive and let it happen….i suppose there is some value in its “badness” (now $100. triple its orig price..so somebody is on to it), only because other work followed..anyway, i know you treasure your copy….

    cheers, david

  946. david alan harvey

    AKAKY…

    as usual you are the only one who really makes sense around here…or at least it would make sense if i could smoke whatever you have….

    cheers, david

  947. sam harris

    DAH

    so it seems the wise book shopper should buy two copies… one for the collection and one for the bank account!

    problem for me these days is that there are always more books to buy and never enough funds… used to get books on expense of jobs as ‘research’ :)

  948. david alan harvey

    SAM..

    well, since i am much more of a book buyer than a book seller, you are actually right…i used to go in to the book store, admire a book, and figure i would get it later…not any more…if you see a book you like , better buy it…they run out..or if they are popular among collectors they get very expensive later…out of print books that are a “hit” so to speak in the book collector market become quite valuable….and if you are at a book signing , yes, get one signed straight up and another personalized…not that you are going to make money buying and selling books…but some books are treated as objects of value and it simply adds to their appreciation….i would never sell my HCB signed copy of The Decisive Moment with the Matisse cover …probably worth a whole lot..priceless to me and i do value it as an object of art as any other art object…

    PATRICIA…

    yes, Anton is on a life journey with 893…and yes this is different than a project although projects , the best of them, do turn into life journeys…some long, some short….hopefully for all of us we will take our work seriously enough to create a life’s body of work…all the rambling about this and the rambling about that needs to come around finally to one’s life work…thanks for your eloquence and astute observation….

    cheers, david

  949. Brian Frank

    I have not gained the expertise I would need to be good with flash and the logistics of flash equipment.

    —————————————–

    Lee, I despise the flash, but it’s a reality of the project I’ve been shooting. I had gotten pretty good with the flash mounted on my 40D, but I am struggling with my new 5DM2 and flash. Very inconsistent. So don’t feel bad.

  950. Charles Peterson

    SAM,

    I found a copy of Lee Friedlander’s first book for $7 a few years back. It was unpriced on the shelf of a small town bookstore. The woman started to go to the computer (the ruin of most good deals these days) but then was like, how about $7? Of course I feigned indifference…

    I remember years ago seeing a stack of Bill Burkes’s Minefields on cutout in SF. Hesitated and then they were gone. Now worth a lot – though I picked up a signed reprint recently. For me it’s about the images not the rarity.

    I did sell my copy of Nirvana’s Love Buzz 7″ single at Christie’s last year for $3K. Stupid thing is that I was in charge at the time mailing them out. I had as many as I wanted (out of edition of 500) at my disposal and only grabbed two (the second one I sold many years ago for very little). So as DAH says if you like it buy it because it may not be accessible in the future.

    CP

  951. Herve

    Charles, Sam, don’t bookstores keep a book on hold a few days? I usually do that, then of course get home to check if amazon/Barnes sells it cheaper. Many times, it does (sometimes, for a penny + shipping, or Gilden’s “beautiful catastrophe” for a buck), but I got Winogrand’s “Man in the crowd”, immaculate, for 35$ at my local bookstore, and I see today it’s 475$ new, 200$ used on Amazon.

    We mentionned that before here. Photo books that made the history of the medium are rarely in ciculation, and very expensive. we just have Martin Parr to thank for lifting the veil on a few.

    Kind of weird,, what a difference with books, music recordings, movies or paintings too, that made history. Somehow, they are available either everywhere (books, music), or somewhere(paintings/sculpture).

  952. peter grant

    Yeh Herve.. I know this sounds idealistic, but I also prefer to give my business to local people, if I can. Of course if I was to save enough that would make a noticable difference to me, which is subjective, I’ll look out for myself but I’d much rather know that at least I’ve been supporting a local shop. I worry about this in our community here in Australia where huge conglomarant’s putting small grocery stores out of business. Its crazyness…. am I just being nostalgic?

  953. Herve

    Nope, Peter. But I am a little turned off by some bookstores in San Francisco, who charge way too much for used books. Especially when they buy them back from you just a few bucks. My opinion is that some used books are indeed rarer, and deserves a good price, but used pocket books sold for 9 or 10 bucks, yes, that turns off the nostalgia factor for me.

    I wonder also who will buy the 20$ book in a store, if it’ s online 3 , 4, and even sometimes, cheaper than this ratio online.

    On the other hand, in Berkeley, stores like Moe’s have definitely friendlier prices for their used books. As concerns me, I rarely buy a book if it’s over 15$. A budget decision.

  954. anton

    PATRICIA!
     
     
     
    great you like it….
     
     though I can imagine anything would soothe your mind on a 3,5 hour wait, I’m glad it was 893 mag :-))
     
     
     
    hugs,
     
    anton

  955. sam harris

    Charles, Herve,

    you gotta love the small town bookstore, especially in the states…

    i wish i could tell you about the gems i’ve uncovered but almost all
    my books were bought on the charing cross road, london. although i do have one
    story…

    a few years back after getting married we went to visit a long lost uncle of Yael’s for
    the afternoon. he was a graphic artist and had re-married in his 60’s to a lady, Anise who
    used to be a photographer in the 40’s & 50’s. of course we dived into a wonderful conversation,
    during which my eye kept getting drawn across the wall of books that filled the tiny apartment.
    many art and design books… then i noticed on a book spine in grey type ‘Avedon Capote’… the next
    minute we were pouring over a slightly yellowed original copy of Observations. an hour or so later
    we were leaving and saying goodbye and Anise took the book and thrust it into my hands and said ‘i
    want you to have this book, you enjoyed it so much’… i was so touched i was almost lost for words… wonderful experience, fantastic book…

    as for keeping books on hold, i’m not sure, probably with a deposit. i must admit though i have been
    guilty of stashing the last copy of a photo book in the yoga section once or twice until i can come
    back and decide if i want it…

    happy hunting!

  956. Thomas Bregulla

    DAH,

    last year during the portfolio review session in London where we met, I saw you signing the one copy of Divided Soul at the Photographers Gallery. Unfortunately I bought during that event already so many books, I could not carry more. But in October I returned on a business trip, found it there and it is now in my shelf. :)
    I doubt that I will sell any of the photobooks I have, ever.
    I am amazed however, how fast books sometimes go into the second hand bookshop, where I buy most of my photobooks.

  957. a civilian-mass audience

    “The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all.”
    Voltaire
    Come on …let’s BURN the Universe down…

    P.S I will stick to my picture books…FIREEEEEEEEEE…!!!

  958. a civilian-mass audience

    I am just a body …hmmm…
    “A home without books is a body without soul.”
    Marcus Tullius Cicero

    …I buy lots of books…many books
    BUT as I said before…I give them away to friends,family,neighbours…
    …according to CICERO …I am just a freaking body (with toxins)
    and I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

  959. david alan harvey

    THOMAS…

    when you see me next, have me sign it…will quadruple the value at least..now mind you i do not have anything to do with setting the price of my out of print books…but now i do wish i had a basement full of them!! the Div Soul copies i do have will go to my sons….i cannot think about this stuff too much, i am on to my next book..

    cheers, david

  960. panos skoulidas

    Good Morning from Williamsburg NY…
    A big thank you to Michael Webster for helping out at the airport ordeal…
    Jet lag definition: Its when u wake up at 6am and you crave both a cold beer and a coffee…
    weird…

  962. Akaky

    Here’s the thing: I don’t do vacation well. This is a terrible thing to have to admit about yourself, and I realize that most people might find this particular form of anhedonia a bit mystifying. To the vast majority of people, vacation, especially paid vacation, is something one cherishes, plans for, and enjoys for every second it’s worth before the inevitable return to the quotidian world of work that makes those few precious weeks of vacation possible. Everyone loves vacations; people write books about where to go on vacation and what to do when you get there, the Go-Go’s sang a really catchy tune about vacations, there are entire countries, in fact, dedicated to getting you to spend your precious vacation dollars in their particular neck of the woods. And then there’s me.

    I am not sure when my antipathy towards vacations began. I never liked summer vacations when I was a kid, a fact I kept to myself lest some vacation-worshipping bully decided to beat the crap out of me for being such a damn weirdo. Summer vacations meant the annual migration out of the mean streets of the city for the bucolic lanes of our happy little burg. In those days our happy little burg was much more bucolic than it is these days, when the prevailing mood is one of a small corner of the Rust Belt giving way to creeping suburbia. Back then you could still catch the occasional deer wandering up and down Main Street in the middle of the night like some nocturnal country cousin, stopping every so often to take a wide-eyed yokel’s look in some store window. That doesn’t happen much anymore. But I wasn’t thinking about that as I sat in the back seat of the car wishing I was dead; I was thinking about all the fun my friends were going to have pulling false alarms, shoplifting, and setting the winos in the park on fire, whereas I would spend my summer playing baseball, riding my bike, and being bored completely out of my mind. It was enough to make anyone wish that summer vacation only lasted a week and I often did. I even wished it upon a star once, just like in the Disney song, but the star must have been in his dressing room not taking calls or on strike for shorter light years or fighting with his agent because nothing ever came of the wish—summer was still two stultifying months long, whether I wanted it or not.

    After I left school and entered the poison ivy clad halls of the civil service things were pretty much the same. I don’t see the point of taking a vacation when the whole point of having a civil service job is to do as little as possible most of the time for as long as possible; there does seem something counterintuitive, at least to me, about doing nothing on my own time. Some years I just skip vacation altogether, not, as I tell my colleagues, because I don’t have the money to go anywhere, but rather because I don’t want to be bothered thinking about vacationing; it’s just easier to go to work. This attitude invariably raises the hackles of the people I work with. They find the idea that anyone would willingly skip vacations more than a little disquieting and the annual end of the year recounting of just how much vacation time I am losing and my general indifference to the loss causes a general increase in hypertension, frustration, and personal aggravation amongst the confreres. They try to reason my dislike of vacations away, but, as I’ve mentioned above, I don’t see the point of going somewhere to do nothing when I can go to work and do nothing.

    And so we come, at long last and after much literary preambling, to paraphrase Kerouac, to the point of the exercise, which is that for most of the past month and a half I have been on vacation whether I want to be or not, and, as you might imagine, I am definitely in the not category. The leadership of the egregious mold pit decided—I am not sure when, but then no one tells me anything—in its collective and near divine wisdom—yes, near divine, people; these clowns pay my salary and in return they expect a certain amount of doglike devotion from us drones—to renovate this mycological breeding pit from the floor on up. In order to implement this miraculous metamorphosis, the powers that be told the staff to get lost and stay lost until we got the call to come back. In a gaggle of carpenters, painters, carpet layers, and other technically competent people all rushing back and forth in the midst of their renovatory labors, the real employees are redundant, if not actually obstacles to that labor, and so we are now on a strange sort of vacation. The vacation does not count as a vacation in the strange calculus of our happy little burg’s civil service department, and yet here I am, on vacation and slowly going out of my mind.

    The first few days were not so bad; they were sort of like a very long long weekend, but after the fourth or fifth day of this apparently endless weekend, I began to experience withdrawal symptoms. Since the beginning of this nightmare, I have gone to the great metropolis twice, there to document, in digital color and on black and white film, the strange customs of the indigenous inhabitants in their colorful native costumes, and I’ve driven up to the county seat on a similar mission, but left when I realized that most of the county seat’s inhabitants are lawyers and congenital idiots, who live near each other so that they can support each other’s campaigns for the county legislature, and therefore we should not, simply as a matter of good manners, exploit these poor wretches photographically. Trips to the great metropolis also give me an opportunity to indulge my love of dirty water dogs and huge pretzels with way too much salt on them, and to do so in a spirit of rebellion against the depredations of the nanny state. That’s right, Mr. Mayor, I read the obligatory health information on the hot dog stands, I can see how bad all of this stuff is for me, and guess what, I don’t give a rat’s ass! Take that, smart guy!

    But man does not live by pretzels alone, and it is a good thing too, given the thirty or so bucks it takes to get from here to there, or else man would die of starvation or scurvy or something equally loathsome. So, with my finances barring a constant back and forth to Mencken’s second rate Babylon, I resolved to photograph nature in all of its splendor. This was vaulting ambition at its most revaulting, to be sure, especially since I do not vault nor do I have any ambition to do so; I was never a track and field kind of guy, and I don’t have much patience with nature, anyway. In my experience, nature is one of those phenomena that looks better on television than it does in real life, and is, therefore, something one should pass through as quickly as possible on one’s way to anyplace with central heating. But at the time I did not take counsel of my fears, however well thought out they were; instead, I invoked the words of that great American, Horace Greeley, to go west, young man, and grow up with the country.

    With these stirring words in mind, I packed up my cameras and set forth for the wide open spaces of the American West. Just as an aside here, I did not grow up with the country and no, I am not young anymore—such, after all, is life—and after a right turn off the interstate, I wasn’t heading west anymore, either; I was heading north, north to Canada, north towards Alaska, the last frontier, north towards the Pole Star.

    I did not reach Alaska, Canada, or the North Star, in that or any other order. I did reach, through traffic permutations too numerous and Byzantine to recount here, the Catskills, or a reasonably decent facsimile thereof. The Catskills are a mountain chain, for those of you who do not know, although I have heard that the Catskills are not really mountains at all, but rather a gigantic eroded plateau pretending to be a mountain chain in order to hide from an ex-wife and her process servers. Whatever the geological truth of the matter might be, the Catskills are sufficiently high to cause the empty Diet Pepsi bottles that carpet the back seat of my car to pop like a nervous DWI suspect cracking his knuckles in the county jail’s drunk tank.

    I stopped at various places to admire the view and to listen to the truck drivers scream obscenities at me for stopping on such a narrow road. Ordinarily I would have agreed with them, but I was there to capture nature in the raw, which would make manipulating the images later on my computer that much easier, and so had no time for such petty concerns. Fortified by my belief in my photographic mission, I advanced to the guardrail, cameras around my neck, there to view the valley below from this commanding height and to document its beauty, and then promptly began to scream, sweat, feel my throat constrict as my gorge rose, and needed to perform an excretory function, all at the same time. Yes, there I stood, either on a mountain or the side of an incredibly eroded ancient plateau, take your pick, looking down on the verdant and sun-dappled valley below, with my morbid fear of heights more or less (more, actually) intact and completely oblivious to the geological category this particular Catskill belonged to. Now terrified out of my mind, I slunk away from the guardrail and crossed the road to get to the other side, there to relieve nature’s sudden summons and to wait for breakfast to return to my stomach.

    Now completely aware that I WAS VERY HIGH UP, I made way down the mountain/plateau/whatever you want to call it as swiftly as the circumstances allowed, which, in retrospect, was not very swiftly at all. I did not want to destroy my brakes or pull the steering wheel off its column, despite the best efforts of that guy in the Wal-Mart truck to get me to do those things and hurry the hell up. Once I got down to the valley floor, I accommodated the lousy bum, after giving him the finger, but I must admit it was touch and go there for a while. Still, I was down at sea level where I belonged, needing gasoline in the quiet town of Kunisha Lake, a town whose existence I was completely unaware the day before. I was so unaware of the town’s existence that if you’d asked me about it the day before, I would have told you that Kanisha Lake was the name of a retro porn star. In Kunisha Lake, I am happy to report, people from the Indian subcontinent own all the gas stations, just as they do everywhere else in this our Great Republic, and that the Mexicans are perplexed most of the time; nothing in their much-thumbed copies of Ingles para dummies prepared them for the large numbers of signs in Yiddish.

    So, having arrived in Kunisha Lake, I took in the local sights, or, to be truthful, the local sight: the eponymous lake. The town does, in fact, border a large body of fresh water completely surrounded by land. You have, I should point out here, just read everything of interest about Kunisha Lake. I stood on the shore of this not vast nor not terribly interesting body of water, my arms set akimbo, like mighty Caesar surveying Gaul, thrice divided into plain, sausage, and anchovy, and like mighty Caesar I proclaimed so that all of Rome could hear me, I came, I saw, I said what the hell am I doing here, for chrissakes, and promptly left. I am at home now, where I belong, wondering what am I going to do with myself until the mold pit reopens. The one thing I am sure of is this: Horace Greeley was a putz, no two ways about it. Go west, my ass, and tell Tchaikovsky the news. Vacations suck, no two ways about it, but you can go have one, if you want to. I’m not close-minded about other people’s enjoying them, you know.

  963. a civilian-mass audience

    …BRAVO MICHAEL WEBSTER…

    My dream is coming true…
    …people are helping people…they exchange cameras…books,
    ideas…professional secrets…they share recipes,diets…
    they are opening their homes…they support each other…

    cause …we are all BURNING…under the same sun…

    Keep the roll
    use a pinhole
    make a book
    do the cleansing
    move around
    like you are BURNING
    find your voice
    find your vision…
    LOVE TO ALL!!!

    P.S PANOS welcome home…raki on you…!!!
    geia mas

  965. panos skoulidas

    Civi…it seems that you are responsible for keeping/bringing people together in the burn planet..
    yes MichaelW is a hell of a great guy..but so is Michael C…that runs everything so smoothly..he is a great help/key here in this Zoo York City..

  967. a civilian-mass audience

    yeah…PANOS…blame civilian…

    WE LOVE MIKEC…What a BURNIAN…how can i forget him
    he was the one responsible to bring down some flies and some civilians …
    who were traveling around the cyberspace…aha
    MICHAELC THANK YOU…Credit when credit is due…

  968. panos skoulidas

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BimunVI3xt4&feature=fvst

    Viva La Vida Lyrics

    I used to rule the world
    Seas would rise when I gave the word
    Now in the morning I sweep alone
    Sweep the streets I used to own

    I used to roll the dice
    Feel the fear in my enemy’s eyes
    Listen as the crowd would sing:
    “Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!”

    One minute I held the key
    Next the walls were closed on me
    And I discovered that my castles stand
    Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

    I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
    Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
    Be my mirror my sword and shield
    My missionaries in a foreign field
    For some reason I can’t explain
    Once you go there was never, never an honest word
    That was when I ruled the world
    (Ohhh)
    [Viva La Vida Lyrics on http://www.elyricsworld.com ]
    It was the wicked and wild wind
    Blew down the doors to let me in.
    Shattered windows and the sound of drums
    People couldn’t believe what I’d become

    Revolutionaries wait
    For my head on a silver plate
    Just a puppet on a lonely string
    Oh who would ever want to be king?

    I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
    Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
    Be my mirror my sword and shield
    My missionaries in a foreign field
    For some reason I can’t explain
    I know Saint Peter will call my name
    Never an honest word
    But that was when I ruled the world
    (Ohhhhh Ohhh Ohhh)

    I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
    Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
    Be my mirror my sword and shield
    My missionaries in a foreign field
    For some reason I can’t explain
    I know Saint Peter will call my name
    Never an honest word
    But that was when I ruled the world
    Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh

  969. david alan harvey

    CIVILIAN…

    thanks for the shout out for Michael Courvoisier..Mike C has worked with me for three years running my workshops, making my exhibition and collector prints, organizing my digi files and well just keeping me afloat in so many ways….i do not know whether he is more like a son or a brother, but for sure he is a loyal friend…

    Mike was with me recently in Spain where his exhibition prints of American Family were as important as the space and the lighting…nobody can handle as Mike students rushing at him at the last minute while he calmly puts together our workshop slide shows under extreme pressure often with an audience waiting and minutes til showtime…even when things go wrong and i am climbing the wall, Mike is like the pilot who put the plane down in the Hudson River..he focuses as no other and makes it happen…

    next summer when we plan to do the ultimate cross country road trip workshop from New York to California and again from Paris to Istanbul, Mike will be a key player…most likely driving the van, keeping things in order, and producing those amazing shows…Mike stays quietly in the background, but in my mind he is front and center and i could not make a move without him….again, thanks Civi and thanks Mike for making me look good when we all know often both engines are out and yet we still gotta land safely…

    cheers, david

  970. a civilian-mass audience

    oime…what are you smoking MR.HARVEY…???
    who said we are landing safely….
    We are on FIREEEEEEEEEE…BURNing Fire…

    P.S …you know WE LOVE YOU…right BURNIANS…aha…???

  971. a civilian-mass audience

    the above post…to be perceived as a joke…:)))

    back to our regular program…oime…

  973. a civilian-mass audience

    how can I forget…
    we are on a cleansing mode…:)))
    But you know me …I copy and paste…

    david alan harvey
    June 2, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    AKAKY…
    as usual you are the only one who really makes sense around here…or at least it would make sense if i could smoke whatever you have….
    cheers, david

    no green, stay lean

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE…!!!

    P.S got to go for few days…I will be back for the birthday…

  974. tom hyde

    Oh dude, did you say roadtrip workshop? Seriously? Now that could be epic, and a book, but you’re going to need a bus ;-))

    David, quick question regarding Divided Soul: A Journey from Iberia. I know there is both an English and a Spanish edition, as well as a poster (found a signed one). Was the first edition in English or Spanish? Were there multiple printings? I have a line on a number of new books for reasonable prices but I only collect first editions and I want to make sure (my wife once owned a small bookstore and we still collect, much better investment than the stock market imo). It appears to me that the English version printed in London was the first edition, with yellow board binding and blue lettering, as well as dust jacket of course. Your assistance would be most helpful so I make sure I’m getting the real deal. Would you like me to grab you a few? Would that secure a seat on the bus? Shameless, I know.

  975. david alan harvey

    YOUNG TOM HYDE…

    Divided Soul was printed in English, Spanish, and French all simultaneous and all first editions…i do not recall the poster….you have a seat on the bus no matter what amigo, but yes i would love it if you have a line on some new copies in good condition..some “new” copies seem to be in better condition than others…this would indeed be a good investment for both of us…by this time next year i doubt there will any deals at all and i have noticed the price rising fairly fast in recent weeks…used prices will rise soon…new or used Spanish or French editions might even be more valuable…i only have two copies each in French and Spanish so if you can get your hands on those, that would be a coup….

    yea, the across U.S. and across Europe rolling workshop is going to be something…photo workshop meets rock n roll tour meets circus meets jack kerouac …i have been fantasizing this sort of thing for many years…and of course a group book will come out of both….i am sure you can visualize the possibilities…

    cheers, david

  976. Herve

    David,

    Is that summer 2010, or summer 2011, for the rolling WS? Is there a price tag on joining, being a WS?

    Thanks.

  980. Ross Nolly

    Speaking of photo books; I bought Freeman Patterson’s “Portraits of Earth” and a year or so later saw a signed copy on Amazon. I didn’t want it as an investment just wanted a signed copy.

    So I ordered the book and planned to sell my copy. The book duly arrived, the signed dust-jacket was mint, but the book was scruffier than mine. So swapped dust jackets and sold the scruffier book. Yes I know; I’m such a book geek…. :-)

  981. Herve

    I think david has given out an information (rolling WS) that is going to keep his mail box even busier than ever. Yes, count me in too for the Europe stretch, I am sure that if someone has to cancel later on, his/her seat will be filled in no time. so, which year are we speaking off?

  982. pAtrIcIO m.

    “Cuba” By DAH (in Spanish) for 17 Dollars, perfect condition in a hidden bookstore in downtown Buenos Aires (the book was also hidden). Could not believe when I asked the price!! Sometimes life rewards you in this kind of way, and the whole day becomes wonderful :-)

    P.

  984. tom hyde

    David, thank you!, will do and saving/planning for the ultimate road trip. Couldn’t be more excited. I have to make sure the “new” books are not clipped remainders, been burned on that before. The poster is from the Leica Gallery reception for Divided Soul and the gallery’s 10th Anniversary party – Oct. 17 – Nov. 15, 2003, reception Oct. 16, with two color photos (“Lisbon, Portugal 2002”, bottom image “Seville, Spain 1991”) from the book and your signature. Excellent condition. Your middle name is spelled right so it must be authentic! Just bought it. Not telling how much. Will let you know about the books. Have not found a French edition, will keep looking, a trifecta set would be nice. Perhaps you will sign them.

    Uhhmm, I have issues with book collecting. Recently scored signed first editions, first printings of The Kite Runner and Water for Elephants, two favorites, for a ridiculously low price. The first edition Faulkner I bought when I was 12 from the Bellevue rare book store and gave to my brother is now worth at least 100 times what I paid for it. I haven’t had the guts to ask him if he still has it.

    Sorry for the ramble, books get me going. Thanks again.

  986. tom hyde

    Ah, and speaking of buses, yes I do have a first signed of Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test ;-))
    Someday, someday I will have a Hemingway …

  987. pomara

    Since ya’ll are talking great photo books out of print, let me suggest
    Barney Cowherd by Bill Strode. When I met Bill he did
    not even have a copy, kind of Harvey-like…

  988. dq

    Book collectors on Mac — for $18, an awfully good application — bookpedia — http://www.bruji.com/bookpedia/ — just hold the books bar code up to your webcam, it’ll look up the book and enter it into your database. pretty awesome. don’t have a webcam? just type in the ISBN number. did i metion it was pretty awesome?

    turned out that my bookcase held $10K in books, and i have a small library. i was once in DAH’s loft and saw just an awesome collection sagging his shelves, who knows the value. note to DAH: have an intern, assistant or cat catalog your collection. then insure it.

    my question, though — these books are supposedly worth something, but how do you sell them for their alleged value?

  991. humanfiles

    McGowan checking in. Nice to see all the familiar writers here. Anyone going to LOOKbetween in Charlottesville next weekend? Harvey?

  992. david alan harvey

    DAVID MCGOWAN…

    so so nice to hear from you…absent without leave amigo…how are you?? yes, going to Look3…you be there?? hope so….it will be nice to catch up…looking forward

    PATRICIO…

    good deal y suerte …my friends in Japan say it goes for about $500. there….

    cheers, david

  995. humanfiles

    Hey David… had to drop out of cyber life for a while and catch up on real life… took a long time but I think I’m back on the right path. I’ll try to make it down there… would be fun to catch up!

  996. Brian Frank

    Half Price books stores can be a treasure trove of photo book gems.My favorite Thai place is next door to one. I always place my order to go, then go browse the books (usually buy one). My version of a dinner and a movie.

  997. michael webster

    Hey Bob, yea a beer sounds good. Feel free to contact me on Skype (mweb202), and that’s true for anybody. I don’t want to monopolize the other thread, probably said too much already, but I do want to address at least one of the issues you raised. Regarding the concept of “the African-American community”, yea, I agree that there is no such thing here in New York and I was actually pontificating on that very subject yesterday so was careful to phase it a bit differently in my comment to Brian. More accurately, there is a great variety of African diaspora communities here. Within the traditional African-American community there are different socio-economic divisions. Then there are diverse, divergent communities from the West Indies, Latin America, Africa and elsewhere, each with important cultural and often linguistic distinctions. But this question of representation, and that is how they phrase it, cuts across all of these cultures. I know from experience that a lot of people, particularly people from the African diaspora, would look at those photos and be upset with the “representation.” That’s why I say it’s morally questionable. To me, “morally questionable” doesn’t mean morally wrong. It means exactly what the words mean. The content raises moral questions. The answers are not presupposed. Personally, I think what Brian has shown is very important, though I get no sense from his writing that he has a very deep understanding of it. And as I said over there, if it’s not morally questionable, it’s probably not very good.

    And David, I trust this is coincidence, but this is two essays in a row on subjects I happen to be very close to and have at least some depth of knowledge about. Stop it. Please. I don’t like being so fucking hyper-critical.

  998. Herve

    particularly people from the African diaspora, would look at those photos and be upset with the “representation.”
    ——————————

    Tough shit. ie. Does anyone hold a moral ground on these young women?

  999. michael webster

    Does anyone hold a moral ground…

    Well yes, we all do. A big part of being moral is trying to understand and empathize with the moral grounds of others. No?

    And “tough shit?” Along with the oft-repeated contention in this thread that “they made they’re own choices,” that pretty much sums up elitist attitude towards inner city people and their problems. Makes us feel real smart and resourceful, dunnit? Unfortunately, reality is significantly more complex.

  1001. bob black

    Michael :)

    will do (send u a note when i get down (hopefully late summer/early fall)…:))…

    i hear you…that’s always been the problem for me in general about description of ‘african american’ community by other folk/media etc…’cause my experience as a kid and adult in the city and even more true now living in toronto (an even more multinational/cultural city that nyc by %) is that there is no fixed idea(l) of what that means…shit, i have a friend here from jamaica whose boyfriends consistantly are e.europeans and who is constantly beat up for her choices (and she’s a french translator by profession) and another bud whose from st. lucia whose married to a japanese divorcee and one of my closest colleagues is a guy from somalia whose wife teaches in full burka….i mean, here to ‘african american’ means nothing just as the n.american ‘black’ history/culture is often at odds….i blame this all on folk who just think in terms of monolithic notions…i know alot of colored folk (and clearly white folk) who would hate what brian’s pics look like but…here that IS WHY i posted the link to Jodi’s great essay…….for me, understanding history begins with understanding personal emancipation, which comes, right or wrong, from choice of self-determination….

    and by the way, i totally agree that morality begins with understanding and empathizing with other’s sense of morality….understanding, yes…imposing, no….

    must be, for me, the middle way ;)))

    gotta fly

    cheers
    bob

  1002. bob black

    and i do know that many ‘africans’ would be angered by the pictures….but remember Africa is not monolithic either but probably the MOST diverse continent on the planet (culturally, linguistically, spiritually, tribally, historically, etc) and YET people see paint africans as 1 notion: American black culture vs. african’s perspective ;)))….what about carribean culture…s.american culture….that’s it, it’s endless….somehow, historically too, now more than ever, we gotta some how transcend those boundaries and take our approach beyond the wire…..how to do that, i have no clue ;)))))…that’s why i’m still stuck like everyone else :))

    cheers
    bob

  1003. david alan harvey

    PATRICIA..

    i took a look at the link you posted for Lauren Greenfield which you say was part of the New York photo festival.

    Lauren is one of my favorite people in the biz…she assisted me when she was just getting started, her books Fast Forward and Girl Power broke new ground, her HBO specials have been terrific, she is probably the best example of a working wife and mother around, and she presented me last year the Lucie Award….yet sticking to my guns for honest critique, i found the multi-media technique for Fashion Show quite annoying and the content bereft….multi-media used for its own sake , simply a fashion show from A to Z with nothing revealing at all, and certainly not the best example of her usually fine seeing….seemed totally pointless……when i see Lauren Greenfield and Fashion Show as the header i thought i was going to see a statement, an expression, an irony, a point of view, a twist, a revelation… just something with some weight, as her other work, rather than the routine sequence of any fashion show

    maybe she simply was hired to this as an assignment for the show…..one show, one coverage…that absolutely is what it looked like….no problem.. a commission to help pay college tuition….but if so, why was it presented as a body of work at a photo fest?

    cheers, david

  1004. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL WEBSTER…BOB

    why on earth did you bring the discussion which belongs clearly and importantly under Black Girl over here??? confusing to all ….do you mind if i re-post? i will double the entry , leave it here and put it there and if you object then i will take it out of here or there and leave it either there or here….know what i mean? there is unlimited space and unlimited discussion possibilities under all essays at all times….and this one is particularly important….thanks gents

  1005. michael webster

    David, sorry, I guess I haven’t totally got over the one comment under essay, discuss further in dialogue rule. Sure, repost as you see fit.

    Bob, et al, just note that nowhere in my comments have I stated a negative opinion on this piece, but mostly have discussed questions related to it that I often hear discussed in real life.

  1006. Imants

    I guess that “multi-media used for its own sake” is the worrying aspect for still photographers who are used to saying all within one frame. Stitching frames the frames together into multi media doesn’t work the next frame has a tendency to kill off the previous frame.
    Slide shows were different as there was real audience participation, the chance to go back to a frame via real time dialogue not text in blog form. Someone could always ask the photographer to go back a few slides as it is relevant to the slide currently viewed etc
    It is all a learning curve and maybe the burn poster generation will miss out on producing relevant multi-media and it will be the “circus ” contributors who figure what it is all about.

  1007. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL WEBSTER…

    ahhhh yes, the one comment rule..that was then, this is now…smiling…well, you know how rules are..they are made for one reason and as we all know the circumstances surrounding the original rule no longer apply , but the old rule still rules, ruling out any common sense and negating the possibility for new rules to be applied which would make the most sense for ruling a blog, a country, or a relationship… man, this carrot juice has gotten to me i think…

  1008. bob black

    DAVID :)

    yes, feel free to re-post :))…i just commented here as i wanted to continue the dialogue with Michael :))…which is a good/important discussion…like michael i didnt want to clog up Brian’s essay with bob black comments..but, i agree, it belongs there :))

    Michael :))..i know you weren’t suggestion negativity, i was only relating to the discussion that some in the ‘african american’ community would react negativity…the clash between ‘africans’ and ‘americans of african descent’ is a part of the community, but as i said, at some point, i hope we all get beyond that..maybe it’s not possible for any of us…our inherent limitations :))

    ok,gotta fly

    cheers
    bob

  1009. eva

    EVOLUTION, that would/should be it, more often than not it’s a step behind common sense.. perhaps logically so..

    DAVID, been to the darkroom yet? You were talking about a project even nearer than the one 100 yards away (feet? meters? whatever..), I guess you got it, even if selfassigned.. I remember something about re-printing your first book?..

  1010. david alan harvey

    EVA…

    yes, i built this darkroom specifically to make/print 15 hand made copies of my original hand made book for my grandparents when i was 14…the Off For A Family Drive book i am now working on around the U.S., and which was just exhibited in Madrid, is a spinoff from this original boyhood work…the title came from the caption i wrote under one of the pictures and is the intended cover…

    the 15 hand made copies of course will be all a bit different due to the nature of darkroom printing and no two albums alike…i have scoured the country for vintage photo albums from that era, and they are all just a little different…so each “copy” will in fact be an original….the original original will be locked in a bank vault and of the 15 albums, 2 will be kept as artist proofs for my sons, and 13 will be offered through galleries etc…2 actually have already been purchased and i have yet to make the first print!!

    cheers, david

  1011. david alan harvey

    HERVE…JOHN GLADDY

    the across U.S. roadshow will be in spring/summer 2011 and i suspect the European version for 2012 ,Paris to Istanbul…with super organization i might be able to do the Euro version sooner..i must do the U.S. version first as it will conclude the work i will do on the family project…the folks on the bus will be i think up to 10 photographers who will make the whole trip and be specially mentored along the way….the book will be theirs….

    however, the whole point are stops along the way…you know , sent up a tent, invite the locals, show slides, have a beer, build a campfire, and well whatever we think to do and wherever we decide to go which will naturally be serendipity realized to its fullest extent…as i said earlier i have talked about this trip for years, but now it is ON…..

    no no no, we will NOT accept reality tv show offers…yuk..ruin everything….we might however consider a serious documentary to match the book…..anyway, just thinking and working on just enough of a plan to get us going …there is a lot of territory between New York and California as there is between Paris and Istanbul…there will be no pre-determined “route”…we will make it up as we go along….6-8 weeks i think or who knows…

    after all this will not be a trip, this will be a life….

    cheers, david

  1012. Akaky

    “well, you know how rules are..they are made for one reason and as we all know the circumstances surrounding the original rule no longer apply , but the old rule still rules, ruling out any common sense and negating the possibility for new rules to be applied which would make the most sense for ruling a blog, a country, or a relationship…”

    You know, I don’t go around criticizing what you guys do for a living, do I?

  1013. eva

    DAVID, are you looking for specific buyers? I mean, any control over it, or first comes first served? I wonder ’cause it’s quite a personal work (both, the pictures and the own printing), personally I wouldn’t know how I’d feel to give them away (meaning in selling) just to anyone..

  1017. bob black

    patricia….

    indeed…saw it earlier…just killed me….just devastating how much we’ve fucked up this planet and continue to do so….

  1020. peter grant

    Ryan.. thanks for putting your images up to check out. I don’t envy digging around in the mud but really excellent using that moment to document it.. Well done for a good idea, expanding on your previous work. Looking good.

    Peter.

  1021. peter grant

    Patricia.. I’m always left with a strange feeling when something so destructive can look so wonderful.

  1023. Gracie

    civi, andrew, kathie,

    some stuff going on over THERE.
    diet soda for you andrew not me.
    ranch on my popcorn please.

  1024. eva

    Ryan, link works even for non-facebookers.. thanks.. good to see you’re continuing!

  1025. Eric Espinosa

    ANTON,

    Just back from spending a week in Osaka/ Kyoto for work…Had been in Japan before but still found Japan a fascinating place with such a unique culture…Thought of you and your project often while there… Went to one of these “bath” ritual with some Japanese colleagues… quite an experience… I recall you taking few shots there… We also had a Japanese traditional Tea ceremony in Kyoto..fascinating… You should try to capture this as well…

    DAVID,

    Was just reading about your planned across U.S. roadshow in spring/summer 2011… what can I say… the the 10 photographers who will make the whole trip and be mentored along the way will have nowithout a doubt the experience of a life time…. I so so wished I could join you in such an expedition but I know that it won’t be easy to get a “seat” in that bus and taking off 8 weeks from work is never an easy thing to do…Just hope at least I will be able to join you and the crew for a few days either in the US or during your European roadshow…

    TO ALL-

    I am sure many of you have seen this work before but I just saw the new feature of Paolo Pellegrin on the Iraqui diaspora…I saw some of these pictures in Perpignan couple of years ago… very powerful…

    http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.StoryDetail_VPage&pid=2TYRYDB79Y_D

    Well going out to enjoy a beautiful sunny day in Belgium and play with the kids I have not seen in a week so… Cheers,

    Eric

  1027. a civilian-mass audience

    THE BURNING BUS

    I dreamed that you were on a BURNING bus
    traveling around like invariant mass…
    You were living in a tents,taking pictures…
    making books,drinking beers along the routes…

    I dreamed that you were on a BURNING bus
    trying to find your way home.
    You had vision, you had strength,
    you had passion…you got BURN!!!

    I dreamed…you were on The BURNING Bus
    you were knocking Civi’s door
    you ate chicken soup and olives
    wishing had some anchioves…

    you were ALL some BURNING Souls
    you put your visions on the walls
    CIRCUS, BURN philosophers…
    you were Magnets of the Universe !!!

    the above needs editing:)))
    civi

    ..I am so freaking Happy…I miss you ALLLll…
    KATIEEEEEEEE…MyGRACIE is here…
    AUSSIES,AFRICANS,EUROPEANS,ASIANS,AMERICANS,NORTH SOUTH POLEANS…
    you give me so good energy…THANK YOU BURNIANS,MR.HARVEY,MAMA HARVEY…SPONSORS,DONORS,
    THANK YOU …just THANK YOU…I will be back.

  1028. Eric Espinosa

    PAT,

    These pictures of the birds covered in oil are really heart-breaking….

    http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/04/assignment-35/

    As an aside, I mentioned to some of you that I have a day job outside of my passion for photography. I am actually in charge of DAWN washing-up liquid product development at a big US consumer goods company and we have been trying for years to help with rescuing birds from oil spills… I am attaching the campaign we have used in the past to promote this (giving $1 per bottle back for IBRCC) as well as how the IBRCC organism had identified that Dawn was so effective at this task… This partnership has unfortunately been going on for years now. Obviously not going to solve the issue but every little thing helps…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGcZrqP4f98&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axEpVTaK1-k

    Eric

  1031. a civilian-mass audience

    what a circle of life…
    guns, sex,money,prejudice…

    can I drink now???

  1036. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.HARVEY…
    you have definitely a vision
    you are a person with a mission

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.HARVEY,
    may your life be full of love,health,
    wealth…
    all of that you are longing for…

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.HARVEY,
    may you keep the fire BURNING
    may you leave the windows open
    it’s your passion and we love it…

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.HARVEY,
    when you are up on your bike
    may the winds give you a message
    from your family and friends
    VIVA DAVID ALAN HARVEY
    have a happy farting days!!!

    from your BURNIANS

  1039. tom hyde

    Eric, I can attest it works well from first first hand experience. Twenty years ago in the midst of a massive bird cleanup I couldn’t help but think what a marketing opportunity for Dawn. Glad to see the contribution, and the direct donations to cleanup efforts. I wished it worked as a general dispersant as well, Corexit is just nasty, nasty stuff – carcinigous, liver, kidney, eye damage. I know some people being paid by BP right now to test various applications of microbe and fungus (mushroom) to clean contamination from collected soil and sand. There is a significant amount of remediation testing going on in the gulf right now, I hope your company is looking at all the possible applications of this simple safe oil/grease cutter on the ground in the real world laboratory of this mess. Lots of opportunities to think outside the bottle. No hurry, this will be a long term disaster.

  1041. david alan harvey

    PATRICIA…

    thanks for the Lens Blog link with the heart breaking pictures from the oil spill…the more i read about the spill and the circumstances surrounding it, the more i am puzzled oftentimes by the dark side of human nature…i am generally uplifted by man’s nature, but not this time…

  1043. david alan harvey

    many thanks to all for the B’day wishes….it was definitely a day of reflection and positive energy…

    so many of you i have met in person because of Burn and of course this is the reward of this forum and the wonderful and unexpected spinoff from years of teaching etc…every once in awhile i go look and marvel at the Burn birthday gift from all of you created in December by Lassal, Haik , Anton and others…

    it is a bit ironic that my photography is such a solitary experience and yet teaching is exactly the opposite…and the online version of the mentoring i have always done, does present its own challenges…one on one , eye to eye teaching is of course still my preferred medium and i must say where my energy will go in the future….

    while there have been cases here where perhaps a link review and a few skype calls have been helpful to a photographer here, there have unfortunately been many cases of wasted energy, total misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the kind that just would not happen in normal person to person discourse…

    perhaps coincidental with my B’day and perhaps not, some of the totally unattractive side of online banter has manifested itself to the point where my Pavlovian response when seeing the header “recent comments” section here on Burn, is to go ride my bike..probably not a bad idea anyway…when it gets to the point where i simply do not have any desire to open this section, then i will not, and then i suppose it is time for a change…while i have invited guests into my online “home” for open discourse , nobody wants their home desecrated ….this is NOT a photosharing site, but a place where i might have a chance to sit down and converse with serious photographers…

    i think you have heard me say many times to young photographers, “do not spill your wine on the ground”…

    publishing Burn is not at all for me anything about the blog part of this magazine..the blog , dialogue comments, really represents such a small minority of the readers here on Burn..i think it is actually only about 25-30 regular commentators out of the thousands of regular visitors….while i do take on a sort of personal responsibility for these 25-30 because it more closely resembles one of my classes, the time spent doing it will simply have to be reduced….the behind the scenes work that we do for the EPF, the long preparations that are necessary for the essays before they can be published here by Germana Lavagna, Diego Orlando, Anton and me, the hours i spend skyping everyday with so many of you, and all the work that is being done behind the scenes , would tell any normal sane person that there is no time left to jump in on comments….and on top of that find the time to do my own photography and assignments which at this time are very real and significant with two books in the works, Rio and OBX as major magazines commissions, and my teaching as well…

    still it is in my nature to be helpful if possible, hence i do jump in here, not so much to make comments,but to answer questions…Burn is not my “job” or “duty” after all …this is intended as an altruistic service for emerging photographers.. if jumping in here on comments is not either rewarding or fun, then any of you who know me know one thing….gone gone gone…..this is NOT about disagreeing or agreeing with concepts…we are here for discussion and i like healthy debate…..this is about decorum….rude or condescension or just plain silly has me out of a room faster than anything on the planet….

    as most of you know, i have a basic open door policy…in my home and in my life..this mostly works…it goes against my grain to have to shut the door on anyone…but friends and family are leaning on me hard to at least tighten the circle a bit….i think they are right…no different than editing pictures down to the right size grouping i suppose…besides, my darkroom ready to go, my personal website has been neglected for a year or more, and i just cannot afford to get behind on my own work….and,

    there is a very fine line between being accessible and being taken for granted….

    none of what i am saying affects the publication of Burn Magazine, the upcoming EPF finalists and winner, nor the BURN 01 special print edition or any of my personal meetings with so many of you…it will only affect my time here in “comments”…i will not disappear , but i will pick and choose discourse very carefully and mostly to answer legitimate questions……the discussion should be mostly amongst yourselves anyway…

    again, thank you for your birthday wishes….it should be pretty obvious by now that you all mean a lot to me….a bit like my garden out the front door…a rose here, a fig tree there….a pretty eclectic garden and always subject to the weather and season and position of sun…too many plants and some will die out…better to have a few strong ones than too many competing for the same soil…

    so get your respective acts together…get on your work…..make some photographs that you care about so much , that it will make all of us care about them as well….i will try to set a good example….

    hugs, david

  1044. Gracie

    about a pigeon talking to hisself walking around the bronze base of a statue in the park
    (been over a year since i wrote this for you)

    PIGEON’S SARGEANT

    He once was famous
    Says this freckled plaque
    Beneath the hoof that bears this man
    I’ve yet another day of dealing
    With my nervous tics
    Pouring over mementos
    My friends left
    Eternal stains on his cold garb
    His eyes once sharp and meaningful
    Now glassy and distant
    This sergeant still dreams I think
    Of saving every single life
    That passes by
    And he has
    But
    Only a few
    Come back
    But none stay long enough
    To watch the raindrops
    Fall
    From his still bronze eye

    4.10.09

  1046. a civilian-mass audience

    Dearest MR.HARVEY…

    we the BURNIANS sincerely apologize if we have crossed the fine line…
    we have never taken you for granted…we just got over excited …

    THANK YOU for everything…and yes, you have the most amazing garden…:)))
    You are one of the best examples…we are with you…!!!

    LOVE ,RESPECT and PHOTOGRAPHY

  1047. a civilian-mass audience

    MYGRACIE…WENDY…

    you know how to write poems…
    I tried too…BUT I crossed the line…:)))
    hiii…

    BACK TO WORK BURNIANS…follow your vision

  1050. a civilian-mass audience

    Sunshine WENDY…is your new movie ready???
    I can wait …:)))

    Come on BURNIANS…focus,focus… we need to evolve…
    this place needs katharsis …needs fresh air…
    go out …believe in you…
    you have one of the best mentors on your side…
    it’s up to YOU…

    The bar has been raised…

  1051. Brian Frank

    we the BURNIANS sincerely apologize if we have crossed the fine line…
    we have never taken you for granted…we just got over excited …

    ————————————-

    Exactly. Well said. As I’ve spent time learning and talking to photographers, I’ve become fascinated by how passionate they are about things…anything. It’s a far cry from what I experience in my full-time job residing with the other cubicle dwellers.

  1053. eva

    “..make some photographs that you care about so much , that it will make all of us care about them as well…”

    Made it, developed it, printed it.. care about it, the project, the people..

    http://www.slowemotion.it/pics/william.jpg

    ..now working on the 2nd part of the sentence.. really getting my act and the whole lot of pics together.. thanks for kicking!

  1055. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAVID

    What you share above has been a long time coming. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has often wondered why the hell you’re using your precious time and energy responding to posters whose comments border on and sometimes cross over into disrespect. I’m pleased to hear that you are cleansing not only your body but your mind of such distractions. Speaking as your elder (ha!), I have come to realize that nothing is as valuable as my time and attention. And the older I get, the less time and attention lies before me so setting my priorities becomes essential. And sticking to them even more so.

    You are at the peak of your powers now. This is the time to stay focused on what is important to you. From what I know of you, David, that is your family and friends, your photography, editing/curating, teaching and mentoring. Blogging had its place but now there are not enough hours in the day to juggle it all. Those of us who care about you–and there are many here who do–will understand if you pull back from the discussions. You’ll be missed but we can carry on. There’s lots of wisdom here.

    And happy happy birthday! May you have many many more…

    hugs
    Patricia

  1056. bob black

    David:

    just seeing your note now (running crazy at work) :)))

    no time to write, but just sending a hug (left a message on your answering maching on b-day)….just remember, if possible, a few things :))….

    remember what you need and deserve are sometimes different things, but what you need and deserve above all are those folk who need and deserve you (look at OBX, colorado, belgium/japan and some folk now in or near kibbutz, for starters)….having gone over that same road too many times (as i told you in december), just remember that forgiveness is all, but that you deserve to be treated lovingly and all burn communities needs is work :)))

    and i sent u something in the Submission box, to make you smile…a prelude of something bigger ;)))…fur u and A….

    and something to make you laugh

    “Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much.”-oscar wilde

    now get biking….and watering that garden and steeping the green tea ;))

    hugs
    b

  1057. paultreacy.com

    Yet again, it appears I’ve missed something. If it was nasty then I’m glad I missed it. But I will scroll back to get up to speed. But tomorrow.

    David Alan Harvey, do you mean to say that along with everything else you do, you garden too? The mind boggles.

    Good night.

  1058. Imants

    Back to photo essays etc………. how unusual for me to make comment.
    “There seems to be a certain alienation of audience in these essays, expectations of the audiences to be in the “know” about subject/intent/style etc. Sure there many of the burn audience are photographers and they can understand the language of visual representation but the wider audience is not part of that group. If you are catering for photographers only, fair enough but you will not sell your story to a audience reliant and fed on mass circulation. By sell I do not mean the monetary kind of sell, I mean as a source of information and experience”

    “Stringing a bunch of pictures together with a sketchy concept in the hope that others will understand is no longer enough for the audiences out there”

    My take is that to a certain degree we have to let technology dictate our creative juices. With the advent of the still/video camera it is time to use it to it’s full potential and produce quality multi media stuff. I have used it with point and shoots and kids in a classroom, we discuss/ brainstorm an idea, draw up a storyboard and go out and shoot some still and video footage. Back into the computers, review the footage and make an essay with integrated text(not captions) stills,video footage and audio. Sophisticated software no way!!!!!!! we have just used the basic Microsoft stuff that usually comes as bundled software with most PCs.
    The results are audience friendly, easily to relate to, direct in message and run about 4 minutes maximum.
    Try it, and remember there are few new still cameras out there in the market, it is all about videos and stills……………. and that is the way we communicate

  1059. david alan harvey

    CIVILIAN…BOB..IMANTS…PATRICIA….BRIAN…PAUL…CHARLES …EVA…DAVID B….GRACIE…WENDY

    thanks for caring…i love all of you and you know it..nothing different with anything between us…

    hugs, david

  1060. kathleen fonseca

    Imants

    i wanna be a little tyke in your classroom..how do i morph myself into that little chair?

    Gracie

    damn girl, you can really write! i am speechless!

    Civi

    i think i missed graciekins a couple days dack..boohoo..but she´s like the Holy Ghost..i always save her a seat right next to me when i´m Burnin´..she´s a wonderful muse..as you are..i smile to remember back then..the night shift..both of you..the best, the very, very best..

    DAH

    What, did you turn 60 or something? All this introspection and cleansing and thinking and musing and pondering..surely you hit a decade mark? heh..just teasing you..it´s all good…honestly, i think now is a very good time to finish a very special project that will mean one hell of a lot to you, even if my shooting is a POS..yes..kathie go finish the damned thing and stop sitting here making threats..

    ok…gotta go, my inner adult is raising her voice..

    BEST ALL!
    Kathleen

  1061. Imants

    Kathleen it is all about focus, intent and care,,,,,,,,,, start small no need for the end game. Get that storyboard singing the rest will fall into place

  1062. kathleen fonseca

    Imants

    Gosh, well that was rude..made a reply to you and got booted straight to hell..ok..well i am back..Imants..what program do you start kids playing with? i mean it..i have no idea..and i think video might be amazing to mix with stills..i just have no idea how to start and that´s why i´d love to be 12 again or whatever age these lucky kids are who have you as their teacher!

  1065. Imants

    Windows Movie Maker it is free and easy to use………. just add good content. But there are a heap easy editing applications out there. The main thing is to play you can get serious later if you wish to go down that path

  1066. Thomas Bregulla

    DAH,

    thank you for the time you spent commenting here. I always appreciated and learned a lot of these comments. Like Patricia, I was asking me how you managed the time to be able to have some many balls in the air juggling.
    I am sure, we keep in contact – direct and indirect, and I am looking forward to it.

    Thank you very much for all the effort, patience and wisdom you shared with us so far and in the future.

    Cheers,
    Thomas

  1069. paultreacy.com

    Since people are posting links, I’d like to post a wee film from London’s Southbank. I got a new toy, the Olympus E-PL1. It’s a gem of a camera. Great video facility. That’s why I got it. This is my first test with it.

    Street photography in motion at

    And BMX riders at

    Back later.

  1070. michael webster

    Although this comment is inspired by the other thread, I’ll bring it here because it’s not specific to Brian’s work. That, and unfortunately it’s grown a bit tiresome over there.

    Anyway, I thoroughly disagree with the idea that the amount of melanin contained in one’s skin has anything whatsoever (except maybe in a few extreme cases related to access) to do with one’s ability to photograph people of different melanin content. Nor does melanin content have anything whatsoever to do with one’s ability to comment on any particular photograph. It’s all — all — about culture, people.

  1071. michael webster

    I’m a little less secure saying the same thing regarding the arrangement of human x and y chromosomes, but I think it is also irrelevant in at least the great majority of cases. Culture, culture, culture! Chromosomes and variations in the hues and intensities of reds and yellows, not so much.

  1072. kathleen fonseca

    Imants

    IMANTS

    Yes, i get the whole play thing..in some ways i miss the days of my early shooting because that´s all i did was play..digital editing was like an etch-a-sketch only much, MUCH better! Then i got serious and little-by-little something very important faded. But..but…gonna look into the camera Paul just mentioned and who knows, maybe go back to the beginning again :)

    Thanks! (and hahaha, your question on the other thread about how Jenny looks in the snow..made me spit my tea all over my tee!

    best
    Kathleen

  1074. wendy

    so….
    what happened to the one comment rule?
    sonrisa bien grandote….. :)
    wow,
    still going on,
    days later…..
    WOW!!!
    HOT
    topic….
    around and around
    circles….
    xxx

  1077. a civilian-mass audience

    hiiiiiiiiiiii…
    that’s the BURNIAN spirit…!!!

    I am busy with a new project…
    hint: the BURNING Garden…

    KATIE,STREET FIGHTER…I want my book signed…don’t start the pouf and the puff and the excuses…

    can you here me…DAVIDB,TORCAPA,BRIANF,THOMAS,WENDY,IMANTS,PAULT,MICHAELW,BOBBY,OURPATRICIA…
    and the other BURNIANS…the Love is here…the Energy is there…
    time to GO GREEN…

    I am out of soil…I will be back…

  1078. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAVID

    Any chance of resurrecting the one comment rule on the essays? What is going on over on Brian’s essay is a good example of what can happen when folks are allowed to keep posting and keep posting and keep posting on an essay. As Michael Webster put it, this can get VERY tiresome. If the discussion–which was originally a good one–had been over here in the dialogue section I suspect it would have wound down long ago.

    Please reconsider the value of Jim Powers’ suggestion to limit posters to one comment on the essays and to move any discussion over here to Dialogue. It’s like enough already.

    Patricia

  1079. a civilian-mass audience

    and can I say…I LOVE YOU ALLLLL…???

    yes, and we Love and the silent readers…YOU,you,you …
    we know you …you are out there…checking the essays, the comments, the dialogs…
    we can feel your urge to comment…we can feel your urge to yell…WFK…yes,
    we can feel your urge to laugh,to cry…cause we have been in your BURNING seat…
    well, we LOVE YOU ALLL…

    THANK YOU…
    respect…(your civilianofilos platifillus)…what am I drinking???:))))))))))))))))))))))

  1080. Jordan Weitzman

    ANTON,

    got my copy of 893 yesterday and just read through it…a big congrats man! love the visual language and the grpahics and the layout, but mostly, the whole thing really takes you into a world and makes you wonder…

    so curious – how did the whole project come about and what was it that convinced Soichiro to allow you access? given the nature of who they are, why would they want an outsider in with a camera?

    best,

    j

  1081. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAVID

    I was wrong. I just checked back over on Black Girls and saw that the discussion is evolving not stagnating. Actually it was probably best to keep it over there after all. If readers don’t want to go there, they don’t have to. Please ignore my previous comment.

    Patricia

  1082. kathleen fonseca

    Wendy, ¨Our¨ Patricia

    The Black Girl essay reminds me of back in college when we went through a Rummy 500 phase in the cafeteria. A game would start up in the early morning and go on pretty much all day long with players leaving for class, new ones coming in, others just observing. The life cycle of this essay has been long and i agree with DAH that proves how successful it is. Most came early and left. I came late and stayed late. But it´s been an amazing experience for me. Discussion, whether heated, laconic, focused, general, cheerful, energetic, impassioned, educational, professional, warm, chilly, and yes, perhaps even circular :)) is all good for the soul, gets the blood moving, ignites the brain and promotes deep thought, evaluation and analysis of the issues. Even if it´s not everyone who feels the need to participate. Fortunately, DAH permits these lengthy discussions and even more fortunate for the Black Girl essay, Brian has endured it and hopefully benefited from it. I just want to say thanks to them both..and thanks to everyone here for your tolerance.

    Best
    Kathleen

  1083. anton

    ERIC!

    yes you are seeing the right things…. hope you had good sushi and sashimi too…

    Osaka is definitely the hip place to be, and in Kyoto you can marvel at the ancient Japan….

    The agreement for me to take pictures of the Yakuza was “set in stone” with a traditional tea ceremony so to speak… unfortunately no pictures because I was taking part :-)

    hope you enjoyed it there… it certainly seems like you did

    cheers,
    a

  1084. david alan harvey

    PATRICIA…

    i think there are going to be days when we wish we had the one comment rule, and days when we feel it a restriction…for awhile there i was really wishing we had it when it was the same drumbeat over and over and over…however, in the long run i think it worked out fine…as always your astute observations on just about everything help to clarify many a situation…

    thanks, hugs…david

  1085. Herve

    CIVILIAN…BOB..IMANTS…PATRICIA….BRIAN…PAUL…CHARLES …EVA…DAVID B….GRACIE…WENDY

    thanks for caring…i love all of you and you know it..nothing different with anything between us…
    ————————————–

    11 apostles (no Judah)…..a modern rendition of the LAST SUPPER, by DAH VINCI? :-))))))))))))

    PS: I could not resist, David. All in good humour, OK?

  1087. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    ALL

    I’d like to throw out a topic for discussion and see if there are any takers.

    Over on the NY Times, they recently published a profile of a family that is highly “wired”–laptops, iphones, ipads–and pretty addicted to all their gadgets, not to mention Dad making his living starting up online companies and such. That article then went on to discuss research about how this new boom in technological multitasking is affecting our brains by overloading us with information. They even posted a couple of tests you could take to assess your ability to focus and retain information.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html

    Then today they had a panel of experts discuss their views on the subject and give suggestions on how to “unplug” yourself if you feel your brain is being affected by your overuse of techstuff.

    http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/first-steps-to-digital-detox/

    So what about you? Do you recognize yourself in any of these articles? Obviously we all use computers and probably other tech devices as well. Do you feel you’re overusing them? Are you noticing changes in your social relationships, ability to focus, ways in which you use your time? Do you think you’re addicted to your laptop, iphone, ipad, etc.? If so, have you any suggestions on how to break the addiction? Have you tried? Had any success?

    As for myself, I feel I am addicted to my laptop. Can’t imagine a day without it. And that is why I’ve refused to get an iphone. I don’t want to become like the folks I saw at the opera a couple weeks back. You know, the ones whose faces lit up with that iphone glow the minute the curtain went down for each intermission. I know myself well enough to know that if I had access to the internet every minute of every day, I’d be there. As it is, at least I have to go upstairs to my laptop–no WiFi either–in order to satisfy my addiction.

    So is this a topic that interests anyone else?

    Patricia

  1088. Gordon L

    Patricia

    So here I am staring at this screen, it’s nine at night, lots of other things I could be doing. I check into Burn multiple times a day. A Burnaholic?

  1090. a civilian-mass audience

    “…and thanks to everyone here for your tolerance.”
    KATIEE …I love you…U are a GREAT SOUL…

    “Intolerance…”
    MR.VINK…:))) you upload

    Antio To ANDREA VOUTSINA…LOVE.

    ANTON… 893…the Japanese winds are with YOU…

    HERVE…damnit…you are good…if you keep it up like this…MR.HARVEY will be out of bags :)))

    11 apostles…oime…:))) May the spirits of diegesis be with you…:)))

    Are we talking about my chickens:)))???

    I will be back…

    P.S Where is LEE??? and many others…PANOS???…REIMAR???…BURNIANS…I hope u are ALL ok
    MR.HARVEY easy with the wires…WE LOVE YOU…
    UNIVERSE THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

  1091. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS:
    “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”
    I copied and pasted…:)))
    cause we are All BURNING under the same Sun…

    P.S SPACECOWBOY…do you copy…what is your 10-20…
    OURPATRICIA……THANK YOU for the link
    I know who I am…and I like it…
    VIVA !!!

  1092. eva

    Michael, ok, egg first.. soooo.. which one’s the egg, culture or education?

    Civi, your chicken still alive? Isn’t it time already??

  1094. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…VIVA ITALY…!!!

    I ate 4 …I am down to 10 …
    they are emerging …EPF…let’s who will be the finalist…

    Life is going on…
    we got to move on
    the fire is BURNING
    the CIRCUS is waiting…:)))

    LOVE , RESPECT and PHOTOPHILOSOPHY…

  1095. paultreacy.com

    Was hoping to get my Photohumourist Magazine out today on my birthday but it’ll likely take a few more days yet.

    I will make plenty of noise when it’s ready, mind you.

    DAH, might you get a chance at some point to quickly scan my Boyhood submission? Curious to know if it’s suitable, is all. Consider it my birthday wish.

    Damn, am I pushy today or what. I make no apologies.

  1096. paultreacy.com

    Patricia, thanks for those links. Will explore in more detail later. Intriguing.

    I too am closely attached to my laptop. However, I have recently gotten a Blackberry and I love it. It allows me to get out more, away from my MacBook to make photography but remain connected to some degree. It’s been a revelation.

    Mind you, getting a new tiny Olympus Digital Pen at the same time helps too. A new excitement has enveloped me as has an independence from the Mac.

    No telly in our house but we are getting enhanced, faster broadband in a couple of weeks. Hopefully in time for the World Cup.

  1097. Lee Guthrie

    DAH, so glad you spoke up and said something about the rude comments. I sometimes would stay away for long periods when it started.

    Civi, I’m here. Been in the boonies of Kentucky without internet and now in Tennessee visiting my grandchildren and daughter.

    Never connected up with a group that I could get into the trenches with. I didn’t want to clean birds or the beach of oil but was hoping my other skills (cooking, etc.) would be utilized. When I return to the mainland in September maybe I will have found a good avenue. Headed back to Maui in a few so ran out of time; waited in Louisiana for over 2 weeks. Feel rather disappointed and like I failed somehow but know I shouldn’t.

    Love the new essay The Ave.

  1098. Lee Guthrie

    Patricia, I just read your post. I think we are way overloaded with electronics. During my visit to Kentucky with my brother and not even a cell phone signal I found myself slowed down and loving it. But I am like you: love my laptop and checking in with Burn and Facebook.

    My daughter’s family is overloaded with electronics. X-Box, laptops, iPhones, iPods, and even my 10 year old granddaughter can’t be without her phone. It would be a shock to most people if all of a sudden those were gone. I can remember a day when you had to find a pay phone to call someone. It also kept my parents out of my hair! They couldn’t find you so easily.

  1099. michael webster

    Hey Eva, I think we’re referencing two different conversations, but that’s okay.

    What I was trying to say is that anyone can legitimately take a picture of anybody, regardless of skin color and/or gender, that the difficulties we face are related to cultural divides instead. That’s in response to ongoing questioning of whether a “white” person can legitimately photograph “black people.” I use the quotes because I do not recognize any such divisions. Or that a man cannot legitimately, or at least insightfully photograph a woman. I’m significantly less certain about the gender thing though. I can certainly see how men and women can bring different insights to the art. Regarding “race,” however, no. Any difference in insightability would be cultural.

    Regarding what I think is the other conversation, which would be about how to overcome the problems of low income people who make poor life choices, I’m not sure which comes first. For example, here in New York we have a lot of immigrants from Caribbean cultures where there is a strong belief in the power of education. Yet within one or two generations, that culture is gone and the children are struggling with incredibly bad educational habits which mire them in a cycle of poverty, unhappiness, and often violence. So yea, what screws them up so badly and what will fix it? Is our education system the root cause? Or is it the American ghetto culture in which they live? Or is it something else? Maybe related to our economic system which thrives on an underclass of throw away people?

    A lot of very smart people work on these issues and there appear to be no easy answers. If I were declared all powerful dictator, I would focus on parental education and providing all the resources possible for enriching a child’s intellectual environment from early pregnancy through the age of three. Because, you know, when these kids get to high school, they’re unprepared to do grade level work and don’t have the proper life skills to do it. But the same is true when they get to middle school. The lower schools did not adequately prepare them to work at grade level. And the same is true for pre-k and kindergarten. From the very first, they arrive at school unprepared and in most cases they never catch up. So it’s the early childhood education that, to me anyway, clearly needs to be addressed before all else. But that’s not happening. It’s not even on the table.

  1100. panos skoulidas

    Roadtrip started…
    We left Brooklyn couple hours ago..Philadelphia 11 miles to the right.. Going towards Carolina.. 6-7 more hours to go.. Quick stop to buy a camping tent..Rainy skies..
    Little green jeep hauling

  1101. JKaranka

    Hey guys!

    If anybody is around, at Third Floor Gallery (Cardiff) we have tomorrow evening the opening of For Love of the Game by Chris Steele-Perkins. As usual, a pleasure to go through the Magnum archives! The show has been kindly printed by the School of Art, Media and Design of Newport University (who had the first documentary photography course in the UK). Also, on the 16th of July we have the opening of Paradise Rivers by Carolyn Drake, check her on google if you don’t know her work!

    More info at http://www.thirdfloorgallery.com ;-)

  1102. Herve

    Michael W., on both your questions, there are no answers, nor should they be. Only clues. So we feel our ways thru it all, and in doing so, learn it’s indeed all “in the journey”.

    If we open up to that possibility of seeing life as such, funny as all of a sudden, “low income” people have wealth, not money though, to offer to “high income” people. They/we often are the ones who need as much help.

    (This said, the debate on Brian’s essay was started and sustained on pure hysteria)

  1106. eva

    Michael, ops, think things got a bit mixed up, sorry.. the egg/hen question was more a rhetorical one..

    About what you write here:

    “Or that a man cannot legitimately, or at least insightfully photograph a woman.”

    and that you cannot see division of race, but are less sure with the gender thing.. I think nor race nor gender matters, if we talk about insightfullness, but that doesn’t mean that the work will be the same. And I’d say, thanks heaven to that, would be boring otherwise!

    Agree with what you say about the early childhood education.. you must have spoken with my mum, she alswys told me: remember, the first three years you teach them (the kids), the rest of the life you try to correct your mistakes..

  1107. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAULLLLLLLL!!!
    Enjoy your B-day
    cake on you…

    oime…PANOS is on the road again…with other BURNIANS…
    may the spirits of safety be with you…
    you might remember what happens when you are next to PANOS,HERVE,MR.HARVEY…
    oime…I wish I am wrong:)))

    today we celebrate…again

  1109. michael webster

    Herve, I think I understand and agree with what you are saying. No, it’s not really about money. So what word best describes low income people who are also poor in culture, education and spirit?

  1110. kathleen fonseca

    Panos..have a great trip!

    Civilian..

    been meaning to ask..how is your azalea? I planted one a few months ago and everytime i look at it i am reminded of you..mine has flowers that are a very unusual color..white with pink speckles or would sthat be streaks? Not sure but my little plant is extremely generous with her blooms which suprises me since i never expected to be able to grow azalea in Costa Rica so easily. Funny to think that a little flowering shrub could tie Greece and Costa Rica together when they seem as different in most other ways as night and day.

    Also, how did you feel about The Feastday essay? I thought it was wonderful..without a single reservation, just wonderful.

    love UUUUU
    katie

  1112. Herve

    So what word best describes low income people who are also poor in culture, education and spirit?
    —————————
    Michael, I think it’d be the same word as if they were filthy rich, but not sure if it exists specifically. Moron? Philistine?

    PS: I know in French though, it’s “trou d’uc”… :-)

  1113. michael webster

    Herve, well it’s quite different for the rich. Not that they don’t cause societal problems, but they are mostly different societal problems, and for the most part they are far less unhappy and mostly bring what unhappiness they do have on themselves. Many of the low income poor, on the other hand, are mired in a dysfunctional society of both physical and emotional violence and brutality and lack the social skills to do anything about it even if they recognize that the possibility exists. Yep, a different word, or phrase, is needed. Do you really feel comfortable calling poor kids in those difficult circumstances morons or philistines?

  1115. Herve

    Michael, I wouldn’t be comfortable calling any kid a moron or philistine. For me, children, all, are a world unto themselves.

    It’s you who says there are people with no education, culture, and spirit, not me, BTW.

  1116. david bowen

    HARVEY

    am in.. all is very well.. apart from JFK security checks

    reminds me a great deal of the 2 studios i lived in .. smart living..
    :ø)

    brilliant stuff..
    any house rules?

    d

  1120. david bowen

    going to be a suprize just who is there i think.. will be plenty of familiar names from here which bodes really well..
    will be there on the magic bus friday with lassal anton audrey ben r and more arriving same day i think

  1122. david bowen

    panos – road trip over :ø)
    24 hours no sleep.. long journey.. missing beate and the bean.. thanks for the keys.. worked out sweet after fast food courtesy of marceys underpass..
    yesyes..
    norway is the future.. am i living in that past?
    6 hours at least to be sure..
    must catch beate n the bean before they away for the day.. waiting.. awaking.. i owe the fridge a beer.

    chuffed.
    d

  1126. kathleen fonseca

    Hey David

    I live in Costa Rica but i stayed at the loft in early January..it’s SO nice to hear that you are there! When i was there it was bitter cold..i couldn’t stand in the stairwell unless i had on my down coat..i envy you there in good weather! How long are you staying?

  1127. kathleen fonseca

    Not sure if you drink tea but i left a bunch of teabags..well, i had no idea where there was a liquor store and it was NOT the weather for a stroll around the neighborhood..tea bags were all i could muster up..DO go to Marlowe’s the food is staggeringly good as is the ambience..a bit of a sardine fit but a lot of fun. Have you figured out the front door key thing? It’s a bit quirky..or it was..

  1128. Gordon L

    Michael

    I hear ya. Western culture, TV, internet, etc etc, has produced a generation of pretty fucked up kids. I include my own kids here I’m afraid.
    It is a failure of our culture. American blacks fare worse than black immigrants. Here in Canada, aboriginal people, accustomed to being spoon-fed by the government, fare worse than immigrants, or non-status aboriginal groups such as the Metis, who actually pay taxes and fend for themselves.

    The current essay highlights this situation. On one level, it appears to be about a lot of dis-advantaged kids. From another perspective, it is about a lot of self-indulgent spoiled brats who have never actually had to work for a living. Enablers will feed you, clothe you, any “spare change” (money you don’t have to actually work for}, can be used to buy drugs or alcohol.

    It is so bizarre. I’m clue-less as to why, or how to make it better. Third world kids hunger for opportunity, education, while here, so many young people are compeletly caught up in consumerism, hedonism, drugs, stupidism etc.etc.etc. It is all very depressing.

  1129. paultreacy.com

    I don’t have much time as the day is just starting but I’m saddened at what I’m reading about our western youngsters. My take is rather different. I find many youngsters to be very well informed and politically sophisticated. Many of them use the available technologies in very imaginative ways.

    Gotta go make breakfast. More on this later.

  1130. kathleen fonseca

    Gordon

    Gosh..i am sitting here scanning, just mildly reading your words as the scanner ticks-ticks-ticks its way through a frame. But my eyes alighted on the 3rd paragraph..i am not sure you can generalize so severely about why these kids are where they are doing what they’re doing. I am sure some of them are doing precisely what you say while others i am not so sure. There are a LOT of walking wounded staggering through life trying to fit in wherever they can. Families are ravaged, childhoods poisoned, meaningful prosperous futures turn into an impossible dream. There are those who are borderline or actually mentally ill who have run from somewhere going nowhere finding solace with more of the same..self-medicating themselves some peace and quiet from the demons. Gordon, Gordon..please rethink the broad brush you have used to paint a lot of these kids..unless you walk in their shoes you can’t know..you really really can’t know.

    This song played as i read your text..strange how these things happen:

    The Boxer
    Simon and Garfunkel

    I am just a poor boy
    Though my story’s seldom told
    I have squandered my resistance
    For a pocket full of mumbles such are promises
    All lies and jests
    Still a man hears what he wants to hear
    And disregards the rest

    When I left my home and my family
    I was no more than a boy
    In the company of strangers
    In the quiet of the railway station running scared
    Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters
    Where the ragged people go
    Looking for the places only they would know

    Lie la lie …

    Asking only workman’s wages
    I come looking for a job
    But I get no offers,
    Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
    I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
    I took some comfort there

    Lie la lie …

    Then I’m laying out my winter clothes
    And wishing I was gone
    Going home
    Where the New York City winters aren’t bleeding me
    Bleeding me, going home

    In the clearing stands a boxer
    And a fighter by his trade
    And he carries the reminders
    Of ev’ry glove that layed him down
    Or cut him till he cried out
    In his anger and his shame
    “I am leaving, I am leaving”
    But the fighter still remains

    Best
    Kathleen

  1131. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEE,
    I have said it before…I am extremely proud of ZISIS…
    Feastday… SPEECHLESS …and I am still waiting for his raki…
    BUT I can wait …I am a civilian:)))
    OOO

  1132. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANSSSSSSSSSS…
    what a beautiful day…come on …keep moving …
    get out of the house…camera on your right…fresh juice on your left…
    BURNED back on your shoulders…and GOOOO…
    okkkk…iphone4 just to be covered:)))

    KATIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE,my Street Fighter…
    AZALEA :
    ” Azaleas grow best in well-drained soil or in plant pots in a cool, shady position. They are easily damaged by excessive soil moisture” JIMMY…we are talking about azaleas…
    yeap, I love azaleas…cause they live near trees and sometimes under them…

    TREES and DREAMS…
    …long time ago, I was talking about my dream…and now. I see, my dreams are coming true…
    BURNIANS are meeting BURNIANS…sharing…keys under the third flower pot…kibbutz has the smell of
    MR.HARVEY mixed up with the Universal air that other BURNIANS are bringing in …Costa Rica,England,
    Greece,Norway,India,Australia,Romania…Russia,Spain,Italy…oime…
    My dream is coming true…!!! that is my vision for BURN…I love photography…BUT I am not a photographer
    and I don’t wanna be one…BUT I know that in your journey…you need each other…

    Trees and dreams…that’s why I love MR.HARVEY…cause he is an example of Vision and Action…
    IMO…vision is not enough…IMO…Action is not enough…
    IMO…there must be a balance…IMO…I got to find my chickens…
    I will be back…
    LOVE…

    P.S KATIE…remember your room is next to GORDON’S ,next to MYGRACIE’S…in your Greek house…
    my dream is coming true…one day…I BELIEVE!!!

  1133. a civilian-mass audience

    “Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and the wrong. Sometime in your life you will have been all of these.”
    Dr. Robert H. Goddard (American rocket engineer 1882-1945)

    we got to be tender…
    RESPECT

  1134. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian

    god, WHO are YOU? An angel? you make my life a better place to be. Azaleas, chickens, meaningful quotes, keys, olive oil, kindly and lovingly dispensed advice couched in chatter so charming but so loaded. Do you realize the ragged gaping hole that would be left in this gray photo-safe background if you were ever to go away? You put a proud and happy smile on my face every single day. How is it you make me so happy to be me? It’s a mystery.Also more than happy to bed down in the room next to Gordon’s (cuz he’s un real caballero) and on the other side of Graciekins (cuz she’s got the icecream, heh)..but i’d have to know you were across the hall cuz, cuz..i would have to always keep you close.

    xoxoxoxo ad infinitum

    ur strtfghtr

  1136. paultreacy.com

    I find myself being quite optimistic about the youth of London. Sure there are some horrendous issues that need dealing with. Knife crime. Post code violence. There is even an issue of misogyny in some communities which boggles the mind. However, there is something else too that gives cause for positive expectation. The numbers of young people who came out to vote in the recent general election and how they’ve shaken the status quo, for example, helping to bring about a coalition government, something the Brits have not had for a very long time. It works very well across Europe and so why not here?

    The language spoken by youngsters in London is very different from that of my generation. It effortlessly incorporates languages and slang from across the globe. Youngsters on the whole here in London and increasingly throughout the country, are seemingly blind to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and much more besides. Many of the issues that still trouble us older folk are simply not an issue for the younger, emerging generations. Notions of nation state seem almost daft to these kids who are globally aware like no other generation before, it seems to me.

    And they are so full of interesting, innovative ideas that seem to come very easily to them, being as they are so technologically sophisticated.

    Okay, I’ve got to get my two yahoos ready for school. Back later.

    Paulyman.

  1138. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEEE…hiiii…come on…

    I am a civilian, I am next to you, I am your mama,papa,sis, bro,uncle,auntie,kid,grandpa,grandma…
    I am all of you…I am one of you…I can’t exist without you cause I am YOU…
    me gustas…te gustas…

    I AM DANCINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG…till the end of LOVEEEEEEE…
    oups…pfff…I can’t hold it…I am not young BUT I feel Young

    “People grow old only by deserting their ideals, Macarthur had written. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope as old as your despair. In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer and courage, so long are you young. When your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then, and then only, are you grown old. And then, indeed as the ballad says, you just fade away.”
    Douglas MacArthur

    I can’t hold ittttt…I will be back…running like BOBBYYYYYYYYY

  1139. Ross Nolly

    Gordon;

    I suppose I may as well add my 2c worth here, since all I’ve seemed to do over this last year is stand up for kids. You’re right, there are fucked-up kids, as there are fucked up doctors, bakers and candle-stick makers. We won’t begin to start on photographers! :-)

    And if you want to see fucked up; just look at many middle-aged men and women going through mid-life crises. They make “such” wonderful role-models for our kids.

    I think we also have to realise that it was our generation that have been their role models and who are now moaning about them. So if we want to moan about kids general consumerism etc, then we have to moan about the generation that taught them how to be model consumers.

    Here in NZ there is a lot of angst-ing going on about teen binge drinking. Lots of images of kids passed out on the streets lying in pools of puke on the TV news. In the last 12-months I think I’ve been in a reasonably good position to see what does go on at parties, clubs.

    Do kids get arrested after being on the booze? Yip. Does the vast majority not get into strife? Yip.

    I did a rough calculation a while ago and figured that there was probably about a couple of thousand kids out at night in the clubs in our small city. I’m sure if there were a couple of thousand doctors, bakers or candle-stick makers (or photographers) out on the grog there would be as many arrests as I see at night!

    I’ve seen a ton of (the vast majority) responsible fun loving kids. The one thing that has been driven home to me is how easy us oldies forget what it was like to be young.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEdxnu-PLwQ

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-jyTRO3_cQ

    Paul; Everything you say x2! :-)

    Katie; Got a few azaleas in the garden here Down Under too :-)

    Cheers

  1140. Ross Nolly

    “It is an illusion that youth is happy, an illusion of those who have lost it; but the young know they are wretched for they are full of the truthless ideal which have been instilled into them, and each time they come in contact with the real, they are bruised and wounded” W. Somerset Maugham

  1143. paultreacy.com

    Wow. All this talk of the youth of today and I having just turned 41 yesterday. My brain still sizzles with optimism and ideas. I still have copious amounts of creative energy. I can still move with alacrity and my eyesight has even sharpened slightly over the last few years.

    But my back gives me grief from time to time. And I can no longer digest dairy products which is no bad thing. On my birthday yesterday, my sense of celebration was cut short by a huge lien from the NY State Dept. of Taxation & Finance. I looks like an error was made but given that my wife and I are about to finally close on the sale of our NY apartment, this could cause very serious problems. We may have to pay in escrow to secure closure which presents enormous problems.

    But that’s middle age for you. Or as I like to think of it, perhaps foolishly, late youth.

    Also, in 15 minutes I have to see my doctor about a blood spot that has appeared on the back of my right eye and this is making me nervous as he wants to rush me through the system for emergency investigation by a specialist team. All I can say is that I am very pleased that I’m back in Europe rather than having to face this in the US with all the added stress of insurance coverage.

    Oh to be young again. Well actually, I wouldn’t like to be young again. I like being exactly where I am despite all the grown up shit that has to be dealt with.

    At least I’m not a smoker and only an occasional drinker and then of not more than a two beers. So I should be okay.

    Paulyman.

  1144. a civilian-mass audience

    PAUL, ah you English people…we are with YOU…
    whatever the eye specialist says( by the way) you can check another one…:)))
    we are next to you…
    cause you are an optimist …cause we love you …
    don’t hesitate to scream …
    what the heck …I got 10 more chickens…
    VIVA PAUL…
    VIVA BURNIANS
    ainte ROSSY the AUSSIE…
    the kids are All right…
    KATIEEEEEEEEEE…yes, we dare to Bloom
    BLOOM in BURNLANDIA…

  1145. paultreacy.com

    ‘Tis in England I reside but I’m an Irishman by birth and attitude.

    a civilian-mass audience, you are a hoot. I HAVE to meet you sometime.

    Anyway, the doc is happy that my blood pressure is within normal parameters. Slightly elevated but that’s the whole white coat thing going on.

    The surprise, however, is that I’m being referred to a specialist ophthalmology hospital and also to an ears, nose and throat hospital. Both pertaining to issues with the right side of my head.

    BUT I FEEL FANTASTIC AT THE MOMENT. So what’s going on?

    Okay, I must get on with the days tasks. Finding work, calling NY State Tax people, set up a parkour shoot tomorrow night… this list goes on. As does the buzzing in my ear. Grrr!

  1146. michael webster

    It’s you who says there are people with no education, culture, and spirit…

    Yes, because I’ve observed that close up, all too many times. Though I phrased it badly. Of course everyone has some type of education, culture and spirit. Unfortunately for us all, many people’s education, culture and spirit are pathologically dysfunctional.

    And although I’m sure on some abstract level it’s true that each child is a world unto him or herself, in reality I’ve seen no evidence that those new-agey feel good phrases have any meaning. Fact is, when children are physically and emotionally abused from birth that world unto themselves is more likely one of horrific dysfunction than endless opportunity. This is not an equal opportunity planet. If you’re born to an AIDS ridden mother in the Sahel or in the projects of East New York, the odds are very much against you. If you want some easy-to-digest idea of what I’m talking about, the recent movie Precious, though not without flaws, and set in a past which no longer entirely exists, provides a window into the world of low-income America.

    Gordon and Ross, I sympathize and would enjoy discussing it, but you’ve expanded the topic way beyond anything I was saying, though Gordon’s point about handouts is not without resonance.

    Okay, ya pués. Enough already.

    Paul, I hear you. I got letters from both NY and the IRS informing me I’d errored on my taxes and they were right. Went from big refund to owing a couple hundred dollars. Happy days.

  1147. panos skoulidas

    Good morning y’all from majestic north Carolina..
    Simone and her two kittens next to my pillow..Antlantic ocean
    right in front.. I see from room David watering the plants and I hear
    Mike snoaring next room
    .. Great day starts…:) coffee? 7:42am

  1148. Imants

    Maybe that is how they see people like you Michael……….. as someone with no real world education and dysfunctional in culture and spirit.

  1149. michael webster

    Maybe that is how they see people like you Michael……….. as someone with no real world education and dysfunctional in culture and spirit.

    Nah, that’s how their teachers and social workers see people like me. And you.

  1150. Justin Smith

    Crap.

    In-laws and daughter are staying on Hatteras Island right now. The wife and I opted out of the trip to save some money for some necessary work on our house, but I could’ve driven up and met DAH, Mike, AND Panos…

    UHHGG!

  1151. paultreacy.com

    So, just got off phone to NYS Tax. Everything on hold pending investigation. Huge relief. Trying to get $16K out of me is an exercise in futility. Someone has fucked up. And it wasn’t us.

    Blood pressure has just about normalized. Phew!

    Okay, back to things photographic.

  1152. paultreacy.com

    People, don’t ever let New York State authorities ruin your birthday celebrations. I wish I could have another June 9th but have to wait a whole year now. Bastards!

  1154. Gordon L

    Kathleen

    Sorry if I was generalising about street youth. Of course some are there due to unfortunate circumstances. However from personal experience I can tell you that a large number of street kids do not come from broken homes or terrible circumstances. I have three personal friends, nice people, whose daughters just seemed to go temporarily insane at age 13, ended living on the street in Victoria, drugs, prostitution, the whole deal. In both cases their brains finally kicked in after a few years and they asked to come home, and have re-claimed their lives.
    I have another aquaintance, loving woman, beautiful home, whose oldest daughter did the same thing, ended up a prostitite in Vancouver, and is one of the victims of Clifford Olson, the serial murderer. My daughter is best friends with the murdered womans daughter, and was in the custody of her grandmother since age three.

  1156. kathleen fonseca

    Hi Paul

    So glad things have sort of mellowed today..must have been a nerve-wracking day yesterday..congratulations on the sale of your apartment (not a thing to take for granted these days) and i hope for the best results possible from the extensive testing of your eye condition.

    Gordon..

    whose daughter was in the custody of their grandmother since age 3? Yours? The loving woman´s daugher who is now dead? Well, anyway, i don´t know..sounds like the glass half empty to me to point to these obviously troubled teens as a way to corroborate your notion that youth has gone to hell in a hand basket. That is simply NOT my experience. I come from a family of 20 kids who all have children..i have two siblings who are troubled but i think their mental wiring was a bit off from the start. The rest are productive and thriving. Same with their children who mainly are older adsolescents in spite of the up´s and down´s of any family struggling to keep its head above water. Same with my kids and their amazing friends. My daughter just graduated college and is devoting a year to volunteer service and art. Look at Pete Pinn, author of the current essay..an amazing bio! I did an entire group of portraits of Goth kids in CR and talked a lot to them and not a one of them was anything less than polite, respectful, wholesome in their way and enthusiastic about their ideals and futures.

    But maybe that´s just my glass half full view of the youth of the world..Still, i prefer my view because my faith in kids gives me hope for the future. Besides, Gordon, for heaven´s sake, you and i are from the same generation and i can recall our parents banging their heads against innumerable walls as they watched us ditch our bras, grow our hair, ¨disregard our appearance¨, take off for parts unknown to lives off the earth on communes (and thank GOD many of us did that because we had the notion that organic and green was the only way to go that now permeates all our lives), protest the latest war invented to keep the world safe from Communism, etc. etc. Give these kids a break..they are the new inventors, they are the new parents and service workers and teachers and doctors and scientists and artists and musicians and everything else this world needs more of.

    Best
    Kathleen

  1157. Charles Peterson

    PANOS,

    Oh man I’m so jealous. Actually woke to some sun this morning but sky darkening as I type. Seattle living up to it’s myth of rain and suicide. I think I will have some freedom in October and will try and meet up with some Burnians (hopefully you and DAH?). Give a big hug to yourself and David for me (we will meet some day).

    :))) CP

  1158. Gordon L

    Kathleen

    I guess I’m coming off as another old fogey repeating the age-old “what are young people coming to these days”
    I’m glad your kids are achievers. Yes, many of those street kids will be social workers and lawyers in 10 years.

  1161. panos skoulidas

    near Avalon Pier morning breakfast.. Then espresso… Now walking over the dunes with mike for a swim..
    Brilliant sunshine.. Waiting also for Anton .. Will land to Norfolk VA in a few hours.. I was so impressed yesterday from the drive.. It was a 20 mile drive over and under water.. The tunnel.. It feels like a freeway on the water.. Trippy..
    Anyway, time to climb on the Dunes..
    Charles:)
    big hug y’all..
    Michael :)… Big slideshow… Has to wait.. Didn’t bring laptop..
    He he., David Bowen , yes the fridge in the loft requires more beer..;)

  1162. kathleen fonseca

    Gordon

    I am not saying that there arenpt bad kids..i have two kids and one of them is an achiever..the other is well, i´m still praying..but he has Aspberger´s as you know so one must be very patient with him..and yes, there are awful kids..REALLY awful! And a lot has to do with the breakdown in families endemic to our generation. I see it in CR so much. The traditional family values has gone all to hell and the surge in tourism from Canada, the US..Europe has made this generation of kids wonder why the hell they should pick coffee for a living when they can pick pockets instead. Or worse. I wish it was just pockets. But i couldn’t/wouldn´t crucify an entire generation for the percentage of lowlifes who are giving the rest a bad name.

    Thirteen year old girls don´t turn to prostitution for no reason. That is the result of low self-esteem because of something you are not privvy to. And i will bet that many of the kids in Pete´s essay have a lot more baggage than a 747.

    Anyway, sobre todo, Gordon, i suspect that many of your sentiments have their origin within you maybe because of something happening or that has recently happened in your life. If i am correct i hope that things resolve themselves soon and that your normally sunny genteel view of life returns to Burn. Have a wonderful day, k?

    Kathleen

  1164. david bowen

    kathleen.. will seak out them there tea bags..muchos thanks.

    panos.. done.. same brand.. and burgers n buns.. and for LB bourbon on the table.. now..

    where is everyone?

    anyone in new york that is able – please come join us at the loft for some rooftop sunset action this evening weather permitting..

    lassal and audrey check yer mail :ø)

    dand

  1167. Herve

    I’m sure on some abstract level it’s true that each child is a world unto him or herself, in reality I’ve seen no evidence that those new-agey feel good phrases….
    ————————–

    If you have ever read me here, Andrew, you know new-agey doesn’t fit too well with me. There are very definite psychological and physiological thresholds marking the difference between being a child and an adult. No abstractions. You also conveniently misread me. I did not say each child is a world unto himself, but all are, meaning childhood.

    But let me make it even simpler for you: I love children.

  1169. a civilian-mass audience

    AVE BURNIANS…

    “Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
    Shel Silverstein (American poet, cartoonist and composer best known in children’s literature for his poetry, 1930-1999)

    We will meet someday…
    Goodnight from Grecolandia…I LOVE you ALLLLLLLLLLL

  1171. Imants

    Remember Herve…….. according to Michael there are are golden statues of him in the ghettos and they burn effigies of others at his command.

  1172. michael webster

    That’s right Imants. And I remember … I … I … I cried. I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it. I never want to forget. And then I realized … like I was shot … like I was shot with a diamond … a diamond bullet right through my forehead. And I thought: My God … the genius of that. The genius. The will to do that. Perfect, genuine, complete, crystalline, pure. You know, I went down to the ghetto once when I was a kid. There’s a place in the ghetto.. I can’t remember… Must have been a gardenia plantation at one time. All wild and overgrown now, but for about five feet you’d think that heaven just fell on the earth in the form of gardenias…

    Have you ever considered any real freedoms? Freedom from the opinions of others…even the opinions of yourself? The horror… you know the rest?

  1174. bob black

    ALL:

    this will be quick…

    david LOOKS fabulous!…looks like a REAL fisherman (handsome at that) and lost weight…Anton and Michael were hiding from me/camera ;)))….who knows why? ;))))…shy guys…Panos looks fabulous…and he looks exactly like my younger brother…god damn…..will see them, i hope, in nyc later in the year…

    now, must fly away for a while….

    dont take it personally….

    need time for some soul re-catching….

    deep, private time…

    hugs all around!
    b

  1176. a civilian-mass audience

    “I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.”

    Antoine de Saint-Exupery (French Pilot, Writer and Author of ‘The Little Prince’, 1900-1944)

  1177. a civilian-mass audience

    BOBBY…

    …do your thing…take your time…
    866 words per post…ain’t easy :)))
    I need to relax my eyes too:)))

    I LOVE YOU…WE LOVE YOU…
    MARINA,DIMAS …Enjoy

  1178. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL TREACY !!!
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU
    wishing you happy years
    staying away from the IRS
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL IRISH
    have a cold one on me …
    YESSSSSSSSSS!!! (sound effects)

    PAUL…why wait another year…hiiiii:)))
    ENJOY !!! (we will meet one day)

  1179. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDB…in New York…oime…

    LASSAL, AUDREY…in New York

    ANTON, PANOS…in New York…

    oime…THOMAS… oh,nooooooooo…THEY are definitely in the wrong continent…:)))

  1180. a civilian-mass audience

    MICHAELW…thank you…
    ahhh…the gardenias…

    KATIEEEEEEEEE… first we got azaleas…then, we got gardenias…
    Juliette needs new shoes:)))

    LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL:)))

    NoNeeToReply…cause you don’t have too:)))
    OOO

  1182. a civilian-mass audience

    LOOK BETWEEN …festival…

    Getting to Charlottesville
    Charlottesville is located in Central Virginia about 120 miles southwest of Washington, DC and 60 miles west of Richmond, VA.

    I am LOOKIing BETWEEN…I am LOOKing around…hmmmm…
    THOMAS…you might be right…we are in the wrong continent :)))
    BUT we LOVE YOU all and we will be LOOKing for YOU

  1183. Thomas Bregulla

    Civi,

    I’ll take LOOK on m Radar for next year.
    …please don’t tell me it is only every two years!

    What not to love?

    BTW – tonight Dominik has a vernissage in Frankfurt. I’ll be there!

  1184. a civilian-mass audience

    THOMAS…canapés and wine on DOMINIK
    I will LOOK3 for you …Enjoy

    WHERE ARE YOU BURNIANS???
    …hope you are shooting…

    LOOK …I am LOOKing at YOU:)))

  1185. paultreacy.com

    It’s official: today, 11th June 2010, after several false starts, marks my return to my IMAGE MAKING CAREER. Starting tonight with my first big shoot on my documentary film project on Parkour.

    I am WELL excited. It has taken me ages to get to this state of readiness after so much time at home with the youngsters. I’ve managed to get my confidence back to where it should be to take ownership again of photography and filmmaking.

    Charging batteries, formatting cards and cleaning lenses. I’M READY!

  1186. a civilian-mass audience

    oh…PAUL…that’s why I am here…

    BURNIANS …that’s what I want to hear…
    confidence is power
    it’s not an overnight acquisition…
    you might be scared…
    I am scared tooo
    BUT what the heck
    WE ARE READYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY:)))

  1187. david alan harvey

    Mike C and i won the Avalon pier pool/billiards tournament beating Anton and Panos two games to one…traditional 8 ball of course….my game was way off however, and Mike C had to carry the day…earlier in the afternoon i did manage to come from behind and in dramatic fashion beat Mike C in bean bag toss…if you do not know this game, you are not from either Illinois or Carolina or anywhere where country folk practice the art….

    convergence on LOOKbetween fest in Charlottessville, Va. today….Lassal, Audrey, David B. coming from new york…Mike C, Panos, Anton and i driving up from Carolina….EPF grant recipient announced tomorrow night…no sleep last night….working on the appropriate finalists slide show for the photo event……stay tuned

  1188. paultreacy.com

    Now that I would have liked to have witnessed, the pool game. My favorite pool game was in the West Village a few years back during a lightstalkers gathering. It was fantastic fun. Preston and Erica were there. Do you remember? Preston? Erica? A great night.

  1190. paultreacy.com

    a civilian-mass audience, you are like an omnipresent support system for all Burnians and a very generous soul. Were I religious, I’d say that your place in heaven is secure. He he!

  1191. a civilian-mass audience

    PAUL…I guess the only secure thing is that I have tonight’s dinner…
    makaronia with dried tomatoes and mozzarella …

    hiiii…I checked your website…
    you are ready…and your family tooo…
    you are on your way !!!
    I will be waiting for your vision…!!!

    yeap,I know…we will meet…:)))
    and Irish water on you…the deal is closed…
    hiii…do I sound like a business person…???

    the deal is closed…:)))

  1192. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANSSSSSSSSSSS

    EPF is almost here…!!!
    Time to celebrate…and please remember this…:

    ATTENTION,ATTENTION…To all PHOTOPHILOSOPHERS…:

    No matter what the results will be…YOU are and you will always be …
    in my civilian* heart…THE WINNERS !!!

    * civilian = family,friends…

  1193. a civilian-mass audience

    “…sleep last night…”

    we knew it…:)))

    P.S I got to go…nuff not said…10 chickens …my heart is breaking…

  1194. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Well, folks, some of us are on the right continent but at the wrong latitude/longitude! Even so we are ALL united by hearts and minds as so many of our number gather in Charlottesville, Virgina. Safe travels to those who are on the road. Fill yourselves to bursting with inspiration, information and a sense of your own and others’ ways of using this amazing medium of photography. Congratulations on being invited to join such a select group of emerging and established photographers and please share your images and thoughts with us here on Burn…

    hugs
    Patricia

  1195. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    PAUL

    You’re going to soar like an eagle. Now is the time and you are the man. Savor the moment…

    CIVI

    You, my dear, are the wings on which we ride. You are well loved…

    Patricia

  1196. david alan harvey

    PAUL…

    i second Patricia’s thought and totally forgot to leave a comment this morn after i read your comment on energies directed…once energy is directed in the proper way, nothing can stop you…great feeling, right? go for it…and let me know if when you need any assistance…

    cheers, david

  1198. kathleen fonseca

    Paul

    Wanted to also tell you good luck. And to do a project on Parkour is one of my dreams. I happened on somde devotees practicing in a park in the city and they told me all about it. I wish you luck and may the wind of the muse be strongly at your back.

    i am likewise trying to get my traction after not shooting for about 5 months. I was severely disappointed in about 6 contact sheets i left the negs in their envelopes just staring up at me telling me what a loser i was. I refused to even use the computer where my work is stored but escaped to my home office instead to fritter away my time checking out celebreties´red carpet forays, splits, OD´s, sex scandals and who the hell knows what other stupid stuff. I let an entire summer of gorgeous sunlight blow right through my fingers and now am faced with a winter of 6 months of rain that has started out with gloomy bang. However, although i have a web site built by someone else i am now starting to build my own..i scanned the accusatory rolls and discovered some damned good work.

    I am wondering if what happens as our ability and vision matures whether we become more discrimanating and demanding of ourselves and naturally more frustrated when our efforts don´t measure up to our expectations. I recall reading about couture fashion designers, how they don´t have the luxury of an artistic flat period to hide away and lick their wounded psyches but must continue to grind out amazing work every six months, year after mind-numbingly stressful year. Makes artists look like whiny school children the way we go into funks the way they do. Hear ye, hear ye. Will the whiny school child please raise her hand? I stand guilty as charged.

    So best of luck, Paul..I agree with Patricia, David and Civi that a focused charge into your project will yield swift and exhilirating rewards that will propel you into the next phase of your passion..who knows? Perhaps an exhibit and red carpet foray is in your future?

    DAH, Panos, David B, Audrey, Lassal, Mikes, Anton..(who di i miss??)

    May Look be everything you are hoping for..may your time among friends be a totally happy experience and may you all be propelled into the most creative times of your lives as a secondary effect of this event!

    Civilian:

    You are scared too? ahhhhh…of what? creative malfunctions or wardrobe malfunctions? Life? Love? Azalea failure? The future of your beloved country? Do you write, Civi? Or, as our civilian mass audience, do you suffer the normal existential angst of just having to survive on this laugh-a-minute-planet-a-go-go?

    ALL..

    ok, have i missed the EPF finalist essays being published on Burn? I was away a good long time so it´s entirely possible..but discussions about the EPF are nothing like they were last year so i´m just wondering why/what´s different this year..anyone want to help me understand?

  1199. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian

    ohmygod, HOW did you know Juliette needs new shoes? i ´bout bust a gut when i read that..she is about five hours away at the beach working and lost her flip-flops. Her dad is there on business this week and she called me in despair to tell me he was flip-flopping on his commitment to get her new ones. Hopefully he flips again because you know what they say about girls going barefoot..no? either do i but barefoot and pregnant comes to mind ;))) (she would shoot me if she read this!)

    Love yuuuuuuuuuuu
    Katie

  1200. Akaky

    “DAVIDB…in New York…
    LASSAL, AUDREY…in New York

    ANTON, PANOS…in New York…

    …THOMAS… oh,nooooooooo…THEY are definitely in the wrong continent…:)))”

    AKAKY: So?

    AKAKY IRL: No.

    AKAKY: Come on, it’s only 75 miles away. Civi’s on the wrong continent, but we’re not. We can do it.

    AKAKY IRL: “We” has to work for a living, remember? You don’t get paid to go to the city and look at pictures with people you haven’t met before.

    AKAKY: God, you’re such a stick in the mud.

    AKAKY IRL: Yes, I am, and I’m sure the people you pay bills to are very happy about that.

    AKAKY: So I guess there’s no chance that you’ll fill yourself to bursting with inspiration, information and a sense of your own and others’ ways of using this amazing medium of photography?

    AKAKY IRL: [Pause]

    AKAKY: Well?

    AKAKY IRL: [More Pause]

    AKAKY: So?

    AKAKY IRL: [Still More Pause]

    AKAKY: [Pause]

    AKAKY IRL: You’re on drugs, aren’t you?

  1203. Ross Nolly

    Paul;

    I think it is important to surround yourself with positive people too when embarking on a new-re-newed venture. Positivity feeds on more positivity. You go for it!

    Cheers :-)

  1204. Lee Guthrie

    Sounds like Look is on. Thought it wasn’t although I am fairly certain I would not have made it this year. But it was a blast last year and the year before.

    Just arrived today back into Northwest Arkansas and totaled my miles: 3500 since May 18. Really glad to be in one place till I leave for home in a few. The landlords have opened the pool up so lazy days in the sun.

    The photos I took were more snapshots than anything else but mostly because the weather really never cooperated. It was either grey and rainy or so bright sun you almost could not see.

    Looking forward to being in my own home again. 10 weeks on the road is hard.

    Love to hear all of us are traveling so many places at the same time. See you aren’t going to Look3 either Patricia. I am anxious to see the winner of EPF.

  1206. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    LEE

    LOOKbetween in C’ville this weekend isn’t really LOOK3 even though it’s under their auspices. Next year, June 9-11, 2011, LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph will resume with its new 3 years on, 1 year off schedule. Here’s how Andrew Owen described LOOKbetween in a group email dated May 6, 2010:

    “In other news, on June 11 & 12, LOOK3 is hosting an experimental two night event to present the work of 90 innovative photographers on a farm 30 minutes west of Charlottesville. The 90 artists showing work were asked to participate by experts in this field such as PDN, Burn Magazine, Humble Arts, Getty Images, VII, and others. This initiative, which we are calling LOOKbetween, is designed to showcase early-career talent and engage the presenting artists with media professionals on practices and trends influencing the direction of photography today. We will turn the traditional mentorship model on its head and let the established professionals hear what the next generation of photographers has to say. Thank you to BD and National Geographic for supporting LOOKbetween.

    “To come ‘back to the backyard’ for LOOKbetween, there will be a limited number of guest passes available for purchase ($50 pass includes BOTH nights) for those who would like to join this discussion and view the evening projections. This guest pass includes dinner on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 6PM and access to the projections (45 each evening) starting at 9PM.”

    So, several of our Burnian sisters and brothers who travelled to C’ville this weekend did so because their names were put forward by DAH. They are to be celebrated by us all.

    Patricia

  1208. kathleen fonseca

    ALL

    i think i speak Civi’s langauge so um, anyone hanging around who can tell me what became of the EPF finalists? Were their essays not published this year? Did i miss the memo?

    best
    k

  1209. kathleen fonseca

    Patricia

    “So, several of our Burnian sisters and brothers who travelled to C’ville this weekend did so because their names were put forward by DAH. They are to be celebrated by us all.”

    Patricia, do you know exactly who they are? I mean, i know some who have traveled recently to Look because they’ve been mentioned in recent posts. I’m assuming they’re on the list of the 90..but are there others i am not aware of?

    Congrats to those i know of..or think i know of..it’s all sort of vague..

    best
    k/

  1210. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    KATHLEEN

    It’s all sort of vague to me too. If you read the email message I copied above, there was a list of blogs, magazines, etc. who also put forward names for this event. For all I know some of our Burnians might have been on their list instead of or in addition to DAH’s. Folks might also be attending as guests. Hard to know for sure. All I know is that I sure wish I were among them right this minute! Must say, I’m a bit green with envy ;=)

    Patricia

  1211. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Regarding the EPF finalists, I’m expecting we’ll see their work after DAH gets back from C’ville. To answer your question, their work has not yet appeared here. Nor have their names.

    Patricia

  1214. a civilian-mass audience

    GOODMORNING BURNIANS
    LOOK what I found…
    http://look3.org/info/blog/
    BRAVO to all the PHOTOPHILOSOPHERS…

    OURPATRICIA,the white Eagle,ROSSY,IMANTS,PAUL,LEEEEEEEE,CHARLES…let’s try for next year 2011!!!

    CHARLESP… TOUCH ME ,I AM SICK !!!what can I say ,your wish is granted…:)))
    FELIX is growing up…KISSES and HUGS…oime, What not to Love!!!

    KATIEEEE…I believe that the EPF…it’s Saturday night…BUT what do I know…
    ( I am in the wrong continent…hiiiiiiiiiiiiii)

    AKAKY…or you are on drugs…or you are a genius.
    I will go with the second …cause I Love to second myself…
    PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

  1215. a civilian-mass audience

    VIVEKIUSSSS…thanks …hiiiii…
    my computer took forever…oime…

    MYGRACIE…where is the fire…You are the muse…come on, BURN the place down!!!
    LOVE

  1216. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEE…(damnit, you know how to write…)
    “Love without reason lasts the longest.”
    I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU…….

    I will be back …coffee anyone???

  1217. a civilian-mass audience

    2010 FIFA World Cup !!!

    another PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
    the Universe is celebrating !!!

  1219. pAtrIcIO m.

    CIVI and ALL:

    Yes, World Cup is another big big party! Even in the deepest Patagonia there is always a football pitch.
    Here is the pic -> http://www.patricio-michelin.com/

    Good luck, and a have a great week to everyone participating at the Look festival!

    Pat
    PS: Can’t wait to see the winner of EPF 2010!!

  1220. a civilian-mass audience

    PATRICIOM….VIVA mate!!!

    Where is everyone???
    BURNIANS down in Virginia,
    it’s midnight…are you out there???
    Walking after Midnight???
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkkM7K6smQA&feature=related

    MARCIN…they are all BURNIANS…and if they are not yet…they will be soon…
    cause we Are All One…

    LOOK BETWEEN…what can you see???
    I can see PEACE,LOVE and PHOTOGRAPHY
    can you feel it???

  1222. eva

    Wishing everybody on the right side of the planet lots of fun and success (also to those on the wrong side of Mother Earth of course).. taking time off.. gotta focus!

    Cheers!

  1223. a civilian-mass audience

    “Today, just over half a decade later, Greece faces South Korea in a crucial match in Group B as the FIFA World Cup continues to roll in South Africa…”

    oimeeeee…RAFAL…any BURNIAN from that side of the Universe…
    doesn’t look good…

    MARCIN…got to get some green…so we can make it to LOOK 2011…or at least…2020:)))

    EVA…My Italian Diva…yeap…I will be waiting…one chicken down…to 9…
    LOVE U

    JENNY,
    thank you for your kind words…keep it up…we will meet (book of face)

    WENDY,
    yes, you might be in the wrong aisle(book of face)

    ALLLLLLLLLL…I am having cold ones…I am watching football…hiiii…I am a civilian after all

    KATIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE…THANKS FOR EVERYTHING…!!!

    I will be back

  1224. kathleen fonseca

    Patricia

    Sorry i didn´t respond last night..i was having ¨internet issues¨…*sigh*..ok, thanks for elaborating and again, sorry if i asked you for information you originally said you didn´t have. That´s what i get for reading Burn while simultaneously building my new website. I now understand the year off taken by the official Look event. Well, whatever Burnians are to be feted among the 90 innovators, i would like to say congratulations right up front.

    Also, regarding the EPF..i was so thoroughly absent from Burn that i never checked to see if the Finalists were published here like last year. That certainly was a heady time last year and it seemed all was mighty quiet here considering it was so close to announcement time. But i see that DAH has kept the EPF in shrouds. And i am sure he had superb reasons since last year was not only heady but turbulent around here. But that´s when i came to Burn so i found it all very exciting. I look forward to seeing the winning essay..am sure it will be amazing.

    Thanks so much for clarifying these items for me, Patricia!

    CIVILIAN

    Why is your cluck-cluck population declining? You had 10, now 9..do they have the West Greece Avian Flu Ka-chuu? Are they flying the coop? Fleeing the feed? Out-foxed by foxes? Crossing roads without looking twice? OR..ohmy, i get a tear in the eye just to contemplate the incomprehensible, are they falling prey to a loco hatchet-wielding Civilian with a recipe for chicken cacciatore in his back pocket?

    Love without reason lasts the longest, eh? Who said that? Not me! Love without reason makes one unreasonably nuts for an unreasonable length of time. I hope you love me with good reason…many, many good reasons. As i do you. Ok, maybe a little love without reason would be an interesting change of pace right now.

    You say you will be back..i will be here. Gracie too (WTF? :))) and perhaps Ross and ¨our Patricia¨ and all the other oddballs who drop in now and again..take care and work hard, celebrate life and your chickens and your azalea and your books and your family and your fear and your happiness and who knows, perhaps your ´love without reason´as well.

    besosbabe
    katie

  1226. jenny lynn walker

    For those ‘on the road’, a thought from Lao Tzu: “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, especially those at the festival!

    DAH: fyi, I didn’t want to take up a challenge of ‘a counter’ for Black Girl because I do that every time I take a photograph. It does not fit into a vision of one humanity with Earth first.

    Love to all. xxxxxxxxxxxx

  1228. a civilian-mass audience

    Congratulations to Korea …credit when credit is due…

    “Greece and no dreams may as well live in the trees”
    IMANTS is back scratching my wounds
    painful his words, hurtful his thoughts
    BUT truthful indeed…oime how…he dares:)))

    COME ON BURNIANS…dance with me…it’s a beautiful day!!!

    KATIEEEE…yeap,I can’t do it..I ate two of my chickens…I gave 4 to friends…
    I got 9 with names…I can’t continue like this…my heart is breaking…
    EVA was right…I shouldn’t have never, EVERRR given names…
    Street Fighter,come on …I LOVE YOU with a reason…I LOVE YOU cause you are YOU
    hmmm…wait till you see what IMANTS has to say…
    BUT WTF what IMANTS says…cause he is my adorable etrouko…VIVA!!!

    as JENNY said LOVE TO ALL…I will definitely be back…

  1229. a civilian-mass audience

    EPF WINNERS here we are…:
    dandaraddaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,paarrrammmmpammmmmmmmm

    oups…not yet…

    I will be back…KATIE…I will

  1230. Brian Frank

    Anyone know if the notifications have been sent to the finalists for EPF? My mom’s phone calls about it are more reliable than a sundial.

  1231. a civilian-mass audience

    connection problem…I am back…

    Is anybody out there??? Can I sing now???

  1237. a civilian-mass audience

    I received the following lyrics
    from a BURNIAN…he/she asked me …if I can copy and past

    HERE we are…for you my dear:

    A word’s just a word
    ‘Til you mean what you say
    And Love isn’t love
    ‘Til you give it away
    We’ve all gotta give
    Yeah something to give to make a change

    Send it on
    On and on
    Just one hand can heal another
    Be a part
    Reach a Heart
    Just one spark starts a fire
    With one little action
    The chain reaction will never stop
    Make it Strong
    Shine a Light and Send It On

    Just smile and the world will smile along with you
    That small act of love
    Is spent for one will become two
    If we take the chances
    To change circumstances
    Imagine all we can do
    If we…

    Send it on
    On and on
    Just one hand can heal another
    Be a part
    Reach a Heart
    Just one spark starts a fire
    With one little action
    The chain reaction will never stop
    Make it Strong
    Shine a Light and Send It On
    Send it on
    Oh Send it on

    There’s Power in all of the choices we make
    So I’m starting now there’s not a moment to wait
    A word’s just a word
    ‘Til you mean what you say
    And love is not love
    ‘Til you give it away!

    Send it on
    On and on
    Just one hand can heal another
    Be a part
    Reach a Heart
    Just one spark starts a fire
    With one little action
    The chain reaction will never stop
    Make it Strong
    Shine a Light and Send It On

    On and on
    Just one hand can heal another
    Be a part
    Reach a Heart
    Just one spark starts a fire
    With one little action
    The chain reaction will help things start
    Make it Strong
    Shine a Light and Send It On

    hmmm…yeap…I wanna do the chain reaction…I wanna start with the oil cleaning…
    I am a civilian…I CAN DO IT !!!

  1238. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSY…Thank you mate…THANK YOU…
    cause with I am coming from the old days…and it smells here…like my old feet, when I take my shoes off:)))

  1239. a civilian-mass audience

    sorry for the typos…I know the Sponsors ,donors,the Universe is watching…
    BUT…I am typing fast…
    cause I might loose connection…again…
    oime

  1240. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian

    Yes, Imants always appears with that bottle of vinegar to dress the salad of our wounds. But his balls-out honesty endears him greatly to me. Which will probably piss him right the hell off to read. But he is like my cat Tessa. I rescued her from a very deep hole when she barely had her eyes open. You’d think she’d be grateful? You’d think she’d be a model of loving kitty submission? HEH! NOT! She’s a witch..hisses and scratches if you get close. Never purrs..if you get her into your arms in a vulnerable moment she tolerates it barely before leaping free. So you’d think i’d just give up on her..but nah, i find her fierce independence refreshing..she is always hanging around, never wanders far but she is purely her own person and doesn’t do the cute pet thing just because you feed her. Imants and Tessa..love them both because of who they are, not in spite of it.

    And naming chickens destined for the stew pot? no, no, no. better stick to naming your azaleas unless you find they are likewise good in the stew pot. But at least they can regenerate a limb. Pobre pollitos :(( But damn, bet they taste great! Tell me, did you name them after mythological deities? Or would that have been blasphemous?

    And you know, i know you will always be back..It’s one of the good things i have going in my life..the inevitable return of CMA!

    Ok, today i went shooting for the first time in months. hahaha, karma was paying me back for being such a slouch..testing my will and motivation. It was a gorgeous morning, sun shining into a sky as clean and clear as Elin Nordgren’s blue eyes. I rushed to the city and as i did a dark cloud peered at me from above my windshield..was that menacing cloud shaped like a mockng smile? i wondered..Detoured around a bus and taxi fighting for right of way directly in front of my fave parking lot..found another (covered, fortunately)..obediently backed into the spot, check the fading light with a sinking heart..collected the film i thought i’d need and hit the street exactly at the moment that the first drops began to fall. Undaunted, stuck close to the roof overhangs, got off a few shots and wham, battery died. By then the isolated drops became a torrential downpour. Still determined, ducked into a cafe, drank a coffee and changed my batteries. Drip-dried my umbrella but my sneakers and jeans were drenched to the knees. Still keen to continue, i removed my ASA 1600 film and loaded up with ASA 200 so i could work on panning the pedestrians on the boulevard with their colorful umbrellas. BUT the alarm company called me to tell me my house alarm was going off again and again. My neighbor has a remote and was turning it off and activating it again but still it was acting up. I groaned. Said i’d see how it went. Shot two rolls in the pouring rain without any idea if my panning experiments would work..decided to go home and passed by a tiny barber shop on a side street..saw an amazing shot..amazing..decided to do the right thing and loaded a roll of ASA3200 film into the camera and turned around to get the shot when the damned alarm company called again to report that my alarm was definitely having a psychotic break. So much for the amazing shot..one must be responsible with alarms blaring your neighbors right out of their siestas. Back home..put the alarm to rights..looked at my two rolls, felt very very good because i KNEW i had beaten back the bad Karma of not having shot for five months. It’s good, Civi, it’s so good. Gonna continue building my website now. Hope this didn’t bore the pants off you (which i definitely would not find boring, heh)..toodles..and I WILL BE BACK! Fado on the Ipod..ohhhhhh..so nice for a taciturn rainy afternoon.

    Besos y winshield wipers, carino

    ur strtfghtr

  1246. Imants

    emu there are better alternatives, though the hound loves a chew………. I can’t remember the last time I had some chook other than eggs

  1247. kathleen fonseca

    Ross,

    what a great song as well, an all-star cast! The funny thing was that when i got your post, BB King was on my Ipod..so was a natural transition..geez, that was great and at the end, COMEON LET’S TWIST AGAIN, LIKE WE DID LAST SUMMER, YEAH LET’S TWIST AGAIN, LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR..DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN…

    yeah, rainy schmainy, great weather for web site building..i ain’t missin’ nada out there, just lightning bolts. You’re gonna shoot f-f-f-f-FILM?? well, you go! I once blew a digital camera shooting 15 minutes in a fine mist and so me and digital cameras do NOT chance precipitation. I take analog out there in the rain, and then with only the most minimal electronics and even then..best of luck..you must be VERY determined to shoot in the same stuff we have going on here. Good luck!

    k

  1249. kathleen fonseca

    Ross

    ahhhh, ok, shouldda known..since i don’t shoot inside practically ever it just slipped my mind that others can and actually do shoot indoors :)

    well, do enjoy yourself then..

    i am pissed..my POS web design software doesn’t have pull-down menus..crapola..pain in the ass..

    k

  1250. Lee Guthrie

    Kathleen, I sympathize. I’ve dealt with the rain and fog and haze ever since I arrived on the mainland mid-April. And driving in the rain. It is and has been raining all over the world.

  1251. kathleen fonseca

    Lee..

    YOU TOO???? So i am in Central America, Ross is down in NZ, where are you, Lee?

    i mean, we’re in the rainy season and everything but this is strange weather..we usually have sun in the morning and rain storms in the afternoon but these days it’s like an hour of sun very early and then just gloom the rest of the day and night, sometimes not even that much rain, just an oppressive blanket of ick. And wow, look what happened in Arkansas???? how bizarre is that? Poor people!

  1252. a civilian-mass audience

    I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLL

    BRAVO TO THE PHOTOPHILOSOPHERS

    BRAVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE

    PS I will be up in the mountains…can’t see anything yet…
    I will miss u all…KATIE and to the rest of my BURNIANS…500000000000…LOVE

  1253. kathleen fonseca

    CivilianSweet

    You know mountains are living things. They move, they shake, they erode, they chip away..just getting there, climbing through the layers of weather is like being born again, which is why we think heaven is “up there”..for me it is. Mountains are the original way of getting closer to the spirit..moving from the humdrum at sea level to a place that begs much of a man to survive and prosper. Breathe sweeter there, Civi, stand taller, feel the feeling..

    rejoice

    katie

  1254. Gracie

    hard to mess up my curls, entire coif moves with the spray net.. yet i keep scratchin my head…
    so when it is sooo hot, you complain and ask for rain…
    and when rain is much, you hide and sigh.
    should we all be so finicky like woman???

    hi there night shift… hope the party stays in out of the rain for now til the mornin

  1257. Lee Guthrie

    Kathleen, I’m in Arkansas, in the NW corner. The flood happened in SW corner. Yes, this entire trip (since mid-April) has been in the rain. And it started in Maui with really strong winds for days on end. I wish there was strong sunlight for an hour a day in the morning. Actually, just looked out the window; got my wish. I have photographed this property to death though. My landlords of the vacation property I am staying have opened the pool and yesterday there was sun for a couple of hours. I definitely took advantage of it.

  1258. kathleen fonseca

    Lee

    ok, help me out here..you are from where, going where? On a photography road trip? I haven´t been on Burn for a long time so missed any previous details. I feel your frustration though..sounds like you´re doing a big project and your weather conditions are very uncooperative. We get those same winds you talk about in Maui but with lots of straight overhead sun–no lovely sideways light this close to the equator unless you get up at dawn. Then it´s rain everyday for months. It is difficult to shoot in either circumstance. I also am chuckling at shooting the vacation property to death. I was at a beach house last week. 3 days of high wind followed by 3 days of steady rain. I went out at night to shoot the grounds for an ongoing night project but the house is in a clearing surrounded by pitch dark jungle with a cliff along one long side and a raging sea below. So, aside from a perimeter of light about two meters around the house that´s as far as i could go.

    I recall that Garry Winogrand thought it would be great to shoot tourists in Hawaii. He went a couple times and became so frustrated by the unreliable weather he never went back. Far better L.A. i suppose. From what i know of California light compared to the tropics, no quarrel there!

    Best of luck in spite of it all. I have been seeing the weather coverage in Texas and Arkansas and it´s a deluge and a half. Where do you go from here, Lee?

    GRACIE

    Ohmygod, the least of my worries is my hair, hahaha…however, in this i agree…After several months of parched sunlight, by April we are all crying for rain here..dancing rain dances for even the merest ten drops that might squeeze themselves out of a thimble-sized cloud. And the rain gods listen, oh boy, do they ever..because in May and June we start building an arc to take us away from all the precip´.

    Sorry i defected from the night shift early last night and missed you. A poem or two rained down on us lonely nocturnal souls would be nice one of these days..so? If you feel so inspired, that is……..

    best all
    Kathleen

  1260. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Funny how whenever I wish I were someplace else — as I wished I was in C’ville on Friday night — things happen that help me see I am exactly where I am meant to be. Yesterday (Saturday) was one of those days. Three significant encounters with individuals who taught me such important lessons about life. And I even got some irreplaceable photos. All is well.

    Patricia

  1261. michael webster

    I know all days are different, but in general I like wet, rainy days. If you can keep the sky out of the picture, the colors are often nicely saturated. Often, a warming polarizer and a graduated ND make the sky interesting as well. It’s sunny and warm here. Very nice beach weather.

  1262. a civilian-mass audience

    When and if you receive this message…

    remember that …when there is a vision,there is a way…
    BURNIANS…I hope that you will get inspired with all this visual stimulation…
    I hope you are not disappointed …with the list…
    life is a circle…a BURNING one…

    I LOVE YOU ALL…

    P.S KATHLEEN FONSECA may the best energies of all the Universe…be with you.
    up in the mountains …street fighter…I am thinking of all your writings…
    damnit…the book…I will be waiting!!!
    I don’t know …when I will be back:)))

  1263. a civilian-mass audience

    ohh…I am back…

    CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR FINALISTS and of course to the big winner…
    I got him a chicken (already named) :)))

  1264. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDE …WE LOVE YOU…!!!
    and for the rest of my BURNIANS…finalist or not…

    THANK YOU…!!!

    P.S BURNIAN is whoever has a BURNING love for Peace,Love and PHOTOGRAPHY…chickens,azaleas,olives,
    sex,friendship,cleansing,drinking,writing,confessing…etcetera

    as long as the windows are open…THANK YOU MR.HARVEY …and your amazing family and friends…
    everyone is invited…
    IF THERE IS A VISION …THERE IS A WAY…as long as you believe in YOU…

    LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

  1265. a civilian-mass audience

    you have been warned…

    I will be back:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

    out and about…

  1266. a civilian-mass audience

    before I go…

    IMANTS…
    “.as the cliché goes may your chooks turn into emus and kick your shithouse door down…”
    go figure…no clue…damnit, I am a civilian…
    Can I phone a friend…cause I don’t speak good Australian …
    …it sound look good..hmmm…but I know you love me…hmmm

    LEE…i follow you…till MAUII…VIVA!!!

  1267. Imants

    it is a statement you can make when, you’re not very happy with what someone has done to you. As you know the backyard dunny is a throne so if you treat the chooks(chickens to you)in a detrimental way like eat them, they will transform into emus and inflict revenge……. smiling like a mother-in-law in a divorce court.
    Civi be extra careful with your chooks………….

  1268. a civilian-mass audience

    IMANTS…my respect…THANK YOU

    may the spirits of unconventionality be with you!!!

  1269. Lee Guthrie

    Understand the confusion; I am on a ten week road trip (7 weeks in) based in Arkansas. I have been road tripping from there. Not frustrated at all actually. Just noticing the beauty everywhere in small spurts. And taking note of the wet and wild weather.

    Actually, I have learned more on this trip than any before.

  1270. a civilian-mass audience

    Can someone report from C’ville???…
    before my chooks turn into emus and kick the shithouse door down…:)))

  1271. a civilian-mass audience

    LEE,

    “Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be…Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you’ll live as you’ve never lived before.”

    Erich Fromm (German born American social Philosopher and Psychoanalyst, 1900-1980)

    Thank you

  1272. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Ah, CIVI, that Eric Fromm quote describes just what I’ve been experiencing of late. What he neglects to mention is that as you take this journey into the unknown there will be fleeting moments when you look back with longing. Like a caterpillar entering its cocoon of transformation, you will see the darkness that surrounds you as loss. Only when your butterfly wings manifest themselves will you realize all loss was gain. And then you soar…

    Patricia

  1273. peter grant

    Can’t see you abusing chooks CIVI… I got the feeling you’d be more likely to make pets of them.. which is what the world needs..

  1274. kathleen fonseca

    ahhh, Civi..you are SO funny! God you made me laugh with eh emus kicking down the shithouse door…hahaha..

    Patricia..nice, nice thoughts..happy for your weekend..happy for you :)

    Lee…yes, i hear you..so glad you are finding the inspiration all around, that is nirvana for sure.

    Michael..yes, wet weather is nice because there’s no question about camera settings. It’s all the same light plus or minus a stop. Problem with wet weather is balancing the umbrella and the camera at the same time. Were it not for that then it would be bliss. But i returned for more of the same today and apart from cramped fingers from gripping the camera one-handed, all went relatively well. Still, there’s something about splatters of sunlight across faces, illuminating expressions, pointing like an arrow to what the photographer wants to say..Contrasty light can be harsh or it can be magic. Low light can be sullen or it can be moody. Both have their joys and their trials. That’s a wonderful photo, by the way..i mean it..really nice!

    Best all

    Kathleen

  1275. a civilian-mass audience

    OURPATRICIA…oime…that’s what I was waiting months now to hear from you…
    that’s my White Eagle…
    I understand that you have to go through the dark …to become a caterpillar
    and then come back…the BURNING CIRCLE of life…I got that…I have my circles too…thanks the spirits,God,mermaids…I have KATIEEE and All MY BURNIANSSSSSSSSSS that keep my spirit up…ycle
    BUT one I have to say…

    LIFE is A BURNING Cycle,Circle…Enjoy
    OOO

  1276. a civilian-mass audience

    PETERG…how do you find the way…when I really need you…
    are you BURNING any Skype with KATIEEEEEEEEEE???:)))

    P.S I have to admit…I ate some of my chickens…oime…I am not innocent BUT I can’t go on
    like this…I am waiting for MICHELLE’S book (MR.HARVEY’S diet)
    i am an optimist

  1277. a civilian-mass audience

    MICHAELW,

    I can’t figure you out yet (not that it makes any difference)
    BUT the photo beach makes sense…like your trees …and the dreams !!!

  1278. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEE…I have to give the credit to IMANTS…
    BUT I can feel it…he comes back to haunt me with the caterpillar …

    oime…I hope ALL YOU BURNIANS are safe and you are doing the
    BURNING CYRCLE

  1279. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian

    i sense..mmm..how do i say this without the rest of the mass audience listening..well, come close and let me whisper..that something’s up with you. Some kind of change is going on. I know, i sound like today’s horoscope..the moon is in Scorpio and you Geminis will find stimulation at work, your love life will be better than ever amen..but no, really..there’s some undercurrents here and little vibrations like a single plucked guitar string..or a single piano key..not enough to guess the rest of the song, just enough to ask you..r u ok? I can’t imagine that this is all about grief for your expired, cooked and digested winged creatures..but something more. I know you won’t speak to this directly..but if i am right then you know i send your hand a tight squeeze of support. Friends don’t have to have specifics to send love over the ether.

    All

    Has anyone listed to the Beatles Revolution #9 with headphones lately? Damned thing just invaded my Ipod. Have to say it was pretty extreme for its time. Really pretty nice in a nine-ish sort of way.

    Ross
    Where the hell are you?

    Gracie?
    How’s your hair? Mine’s a wreck after two days of rain. But the shooting was worth it.

    Imants
    hi

  1280. Ross Nolly

    Katie;

    I’m around. Just had a frustrating couple of days trying to organise a shoot. Yesterday’s never eventuated and today’s fell through too. Oh well hopefully it will come together tomorrow… Touch wood..

  1281. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSY,
    touch wood?!?…I thought this is a Greek thing…

    KATIEEE…we will be charged for being tedious, self-absorbed …
    they will send us to exil…to facebook,e-mails…
    We got to understand their point of view…BUT…you are crazy like my 4th chicken
    BOUBOULINA…oime
    one I have to say…WHAT NOT TO LOVE you…!!!

    LOOK BETWEEN people…please report to the nearest BURNING window …

  1282. a civilian-mass audience

    BOUBOULINA**

    **http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laskarina_Bouboulina

    VIVA!!!

  1283. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian, Ross

    it’s 3:15 am..i am stupid with fatigue..tomorrow is another day. glug-glug..not crazy Civi, it’s the night shift..you can dangle your feelings out there..it’s permitted, donchaknow! You BETTER not eat Bouboulina or you will have ME to answer to..and you don’t want to have to explain that one. hmmm…

    Ross, this one’s for you *wink* so you feel better after your frustrating days of shooting (not)..

  1284. kathleen fonseca

    ok, wait a second..after reading that Wikipedia entry, Civilian, i have to say if you eat Bouboulina, you are going to have to answer to Bouboulina herself and from the sounds of it, she was a pretty tough chick herself! I wouldn’t mess with her :))

    k

  1285. a civilian-mass audience

    HOW do we inspire …how can we inspire …everyone around us…???
    Are you captains of our hearts, of our souls…???

    hmmm…I should avoid the visits up to the mountains…
    I am coming down to earth…with more questions…and no answers…

    KATIE…you are our street Fighter…MY BOUBOULINA :)))

  1286. a civilian-mass audience

    ooops…I forgot to say THANK YOU…to our BEAUTIFUL BURNIANS…yeap,they are BURNIANS too

    MRS.ALESSANDRA SANGUINETTI
    MR.MICHAEL “NICK” NICHOLS
    MR.BRUCE GILDEN

    I am out of chickens BUT I have wine…not the Italian WINEPHOTO type
    But I am an optimist…

    Thank you !!!

  1287. a civilian-mass audience

    ok…I believe that is time to do something different…it’s time to explore something new…
    let’s express our feelings more openly(KATIE for you)…let’s make the most of our opportunities ,let’s brake the barriers…let’s go out and celebrate our freedom to be US…

    LOVE PEACE AND PHOTOGRAPHY…
    I am a master of the first two…………damnit, I am funny:)))
    you all know by now…what it happens to me…when I laugh hard…

    P.S I miss so many BURNIANS…may I see you again…

  1288. a civilian-mass audience

    Sword Tongue…I LOVE ETTA JONES…

    hmmm…how did u now??? damnit…BURN is the place to be

  1289. a civilian-mass audience

    Am I doing morning,evening,night shift…:)))

    where is AKAKY,SIDNEY,MARCIN,EMCD,LASSAL,EVA,WENDY,REIMAR,HAIK,KATIA,KERRY,JENNY,PETE,MIKER,
    JASON,FRANK,BOBBYYYY…
    SO MANY ……………………..ok,enough…
    you are out there …in the fields …shooting…!!!

    MR.HARVEY…BURNIANS are following your example…
    my dream is coming true

    P.S IMANTS…don’t even think :)))

  1290. panos skoulidas

    well it was two nights ..just two nights…but two nights full of wonders..
    meeting cool people…camping by the fire…patron and Mendocino green..
    flashlights, fire, sensual energy…like a true music festival…yes i do have photos….soon..
    now im back in brooklyn…a vicious ride with Mike C,an endless trip…and then ugly traffic
    just to reach the Holland tunnel, then cross Williamsburg bridge…
    but Mike C is the coolest person to be in the same car with..Yes we got lost couple times i think,
    somewhere in Maryland or Virginia or north Carolina? or maybe was it New Jersey..cant recall, doesnt matter…
    does it? now David Bowen just went to the liquor store, waiting for mexican delivery..
    Ahhh Lassal is a great person..sooooo sweet…and Audrey? hell yes Audrey’s photos made an impression
    at the festival, same as Anna’s …
    David McG was there , Anton sleeping by the fire, Hillary telling stories to Kerry and Jessica,Lets just put it this way…nobody slept on the tent..for two nights in a row… we watched the sun come out in the morning, next to the fire..
    more coming up
    David B, just arrived..;)

  1291. Eric Espinosa

    PANOS,

    Looking forward to have a detailed report!!!! Such great memories of Charlottesville and I am a bit jealous to know you were in such great company :):):) I am sure you all must have had a special time…just wish I could have been there this year but hey….hope I can make it again next year!!! Give my regards to Audrey, Lassal and the whole gang if they are still with you…

    Cheers,

    Eric

  1292. a civilian-mass audience

    is PANOS,the mate from Grecolandia …who is reporting back from the Dreamland???
    I am the happiest civilian of the world…

    Trees,Dreams…fire…energy…visual stimulation…

    What not to BURN…

  1295. Lee Guthrie

    Lots of thoughts in this discussion. All good. Love reading about light in the rain. Found some nice light this morning after the rain. Editing and enjoying the photos.

    Swimming in their pool has been spellbinding. Tall trees all around; birds talking; bugs rescued from the pool and watched as they recovered or expired from the experience. And so many photos of flowers. And bugs on flowers. It shifts me.

  1296. panos skoulidas

    Lots of new talent at Lookbetween fest.90 essays shown over two nights.3 mins each
    ———————————————————————————–

    True…lots and lots of good work…Virginia, is a beautiful state…Waking up next to the lake , tall trees..green green green green everywhere you long…It was a beautiful, gorgeous ranch/farm/barn…
    A little paradise…photogs from all over the world…thirsty for knowledge…thank god DAH was there…

    ALL,
    i want to say a big THANK YOU to DAH…
    He has the power and the energy to be once again in the center of “giving” , “attending” , and gifting away his time, energy and passion for photography…
    David Harvey has this PASSION AND LOVE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY THAT becomes CONTAGIOUS…
    No way i can imagine Look3 without David, the heart and soul…
    Thank you DAH…

  1297. marcin luczkowski

    Just like previous years.
    I thought that will be a thousand comments with words “congrats” under winers essays.
    But anyway.
    Great job David and Anton.
    Applause for juries.

  1298. a civilian-mass audience

    AKAKY…when you are next to me…
    NO FEAR :)))
    Today is an amazing,extraordinary beautiful day…the reason for that…:

    That there is no reason!!!…
    PANOS…you sound like a civilian…
    Life is a BURNING Circle…
    and we are doing the rounds …around

  1299. a civilian-mass audience

    MARCIN…yeap…
    Credit when credit is due…
    BRAVO TO THE JURIES…
    I hope they are not on a cleansing mode like MR.HARVEY…cause I have wine and goat cheese…

  1300. Ross Nolly

    Katie; I’ve only ever heard Etta James sing the blues so yes; it was great to hear. One for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI98xPkLNVU

    Well; my shoot never eventuated today and I think the entire idea is going to be toast I’m afraid. I haven’t given up on it; but it’s been a bit like trying to wrestle with an eel getting it underway. Oh well nothing worthwhile come easy! Also, it proves that touching wood doesn’t work either!

    Cheers :-)

  1301. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA…
    may the spirits of everything be with you…

    ANTON…you are next…:)))

  1305. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSY…IMANTS…AUSSIES…

    What our BURNING life would be without you…:)))

  1306. david bowen

    now then, now then.. whats going on here?

    sun over town on my last day in nu yawk..

    lookbetween was great.. need to get a big inflatable cinima screen for beate and mines balcony now.. seeing work on a laptop screen will never be the same again.

    thanks to all from here who turned up.. was brilliant to put names to faces.. bower, kurt, panochio, bardou, roberts, lance, lassal, gina, kerry, frank and the dirty gatecrasher bickford.. such a treat to meet.

    big up’s also to david and anton for trusting me to talk about more than my love of squirrels and stationary in the discussion groups… lets hope some of the conclusions are built upon.

    it’s the first time i had encountered so many photographers, having not been to a festival before, and it was really impressive to see so much humble attitude.. given how impressive the collected experience of all the heads in the place was, the fact that humour, smiles and connecting outshone attitude, ego and pretense made for an open experience.. proving that real talent and focus has no need to intimidate.

    and so.. a wander in to town now.. a bagel.. a squrrel hunt in central park.. maybe a detour into a stationary shop..
    then home to the hugs of beate and tor capa, (who apparently saw some monkies at a park last weekend, pointed at them and said ‘pappa’)

    salad days await..
    d

  1307. Akaky

    AKAKY: See all the people we missed? All of these people were in the city this past week; we could’ve seen damn near everyone in one fell swoop.

    AKAKY IRL: You’ll live.

    AKAKY: You know, there are times I really loathe you.

    AKAKY IRL: Ditto, I’m sure.

  1308. a civilian-mass audience

    CIVILIAN: i am sure too…

    CIVILIAN IRL: You are sure of what?

    CIVILIAN: I don’t know…AKAKY said it…it must be good

    CIVILIAN IRL: Civi,I am tired of you…you always copy and paste…
    damnit…you are so predictable…

    CIVILIAN : so…at least I am who I am…when I am who I suppose to be…

    CIVILIAN IRL: you better start eating protein again…like chicken meat:)))

    LOVE YOU BURNIANS…AKAKY… thanks for the inspiration

  1309. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS,

    you are becoming Universal…

    DAVIDB…I am SPEECHLESS…”bower, kurt, panochio, bardou, roberts, lance, lassal, gina, kerry, frank and the dirty gatecrasher bickford…david…anton…”…BRAVO…
    TORCAPA and BEATE…I can feel it…they are proud!!!

  1311. eva

    Ok. So. Done the focus thing.. hard stuff if the weather gods decide to play in the pool and splash wet stuff all over, since the thing I had to shoot was weather dependant: no sun, no party.. BUT.. was lucky, it stopped raining sometime this morning, and started again when I put away the camera about half an hour ago, PHEW!

    Gotta say thanks to DAH and Burn’s inhabitants for pushing, focussing and getting the work done.. and Rodolfo for pushing me out of the house today!

    Now praying the exposure and developping gods for not (having messed) messing up that one or two pics I might have been able to see AND shoot!

    Civi.. 8?

  1312. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    ROSS

    I know that you touched all the necessary bases to set this new project in motion. A very sensitive and respectful process in my view. May whatever is holding it up get resolved in a satisfactory way for all concerned. Guess this kind of thing comes with the territory of doing essays of people who are in unexpected circumstances. I’ll be holding you and your subject in good energy.

    PANOS

    Love hearing about and seeing LOOKbetween through your eyes and heart. I’m so glad you were able to be there! You belonged in that company of new talent, as did everyone you mentioned. Yes, Virginia is a beautiful state. I was raised in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC myself so have fond memories of it.

    KURT

    So happy you were there too. I still see in my mind’s eye the super essay you created in C’ville’s night spots during DAH’s and Jim N’s workshop last June. What fine work!

    DAVID B

    Oh my, how I wish I could have met you during this rare visit to the States!!! I still need to get you to Detroit for the big electronic music festival. Maybe you, Beate and Tor Capa will come someday…

    hugs to all
    Patricia

  1313. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…VIVA…yeap…8

    PANOS =PANOCHIO= you have Mexican blood too=you are Universal

  1314. a civilian-mass audience

    PATRICIA =PATRIS=in Greek means Country=you have Greek blood=you are Universal too

  1317. Ross Nolly

    Patricia; Thanks for that. I haven’t totally written the story off, but it’s looking like it’s going to go down the gurgler. Anyway, that was a possibility right from the start. But unless I can get regular shooting I can’t invest the huge amount of effort (and emotional resources) needed to pull off such a sensitive story. I know I have made all the correct steps so will just play it by ear for another week or so before pulling the pin.

    Cheers :-)

  1319. a civilian-mass audience

    oupss…OURPATRICIA…the song above for you

    your civi with LOVE !!!

  1320. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSY…yeap…you never know…

    life is a BURNING circle…
    all my good energy to You!!!

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEE…wake up…I am spreading L-O-V-E

  1321. a civilian-mass audience

    oime…BOBBY is posting…please check the recent comments EPF 2010 Finalists…
    I will have to come back tomorrow…to read this one…:)))

    My eyes are heavy…back to my trees and dreams
    Goodnight from lovely Grecolandia
    OOOZZzzzzzz

  1323. panos skoulidas

    Lance just arrived…its great coz i was getting used to DavidB..but now he is flying…back to his beloved family..sooo i was sad .. its so funny to meet someone you think you know…but when in person, we are different, “better”, relaxed… I thought i had an idea about DavidB but the only thing i knew was his blog persona…in other words i knew nothing…we spent the last couple days, talking honestly about our fears, photography, insecurities…blah blah…i really enjoyed Davids company, personality, sense of humor..i also clearly realized the true love he has for his family..amazing..
    but im not sad..as i said Lance just arrived..picking up some chinese and stella and head to the roof…
    Damn David Harvey..you created a GREAT COMMUNITY..in your home, in your own house..not just talking and bullshitting…but true actions..David Harvey had created something unique..You see artists, photographers are usually insecure folks..they dont usually encourage or help other comrades photogs..On the contrary..Problem is that competition is fierce(no, thats an excuse)..its not competition to be blamed..its the EGO and Insecurity that does the damage…
    But David Harvey is HERE to set the example..He Teaches for Free (Burn), creates a community of dysfunctional egomaniacs (us, the photogs), and even more…he opens the door to his home literally…mentors people for free…he even drives after midnight to the occasional jail to bail a photographer out..
    ok, David, once again a HUGE thank you for all you’ve done for BURN and im sure that Lance also agrees…
    Alright , back to Lance ..im sure he has some cool stories to tell..and man , my oh my..look at the skyline..look those big city lights..i feel dizzy…somehow those lights makes me feel kinda small…hmmm
    big hug

  1325. Charles Peterson

    PANOS,

    Oh man, you’re killing me! :)) Wish I was there – especially sleeping under the stars by a campfire. Ain’t nobody doing that over here!

    I’ll try and make it out for Look next year.

    Take care brother. CP

  1326. michael webster

    Well said Panos. Just because somebody wins doesn’t mean somebody else loses. This isn’t the fucking World Cup.

    As Bukowski writes at the end of Barfly, “Drinks for all my friends!”

  1327. panos skoulidas

    Michael
    yes..yes, for ALL , my friends

    Charles
    yes, campfire , blankets and sleeping bags …by the pond, Chris Bickford on the guitar playing bob dylan’s “girl from the north country”, Anton sleeping on the haystack

    http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.soil-net.com/album/Farming/slides/Haystack%2520in%2520Hertfordshire.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.soil-net.com/album/Farming/slides/Haystack%2520in%2520Hertfordshire.html&h=640&w=800&sz=105&tbnid=oNlWziIIgj1XIM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhaystack&hl=en&usg=__gZKS1tVaLkd56U58btLZBzbaOwc=&sa=X&ei=Y1UYTNWcCNL0lQecpr3zDQ&ved=0CEYQ9QEwBw

  1328. Gracie

    brother panos,

    youre killing me. youre sounding like bob now.. you should be a writer. youre putting tears in my eyes.
    but ahmmm…. where the hell is anton? underneath that damned haystack?

    sounds like fun brother p…
    still waiting though for you to get out of your funk and start record spinning
    nite shift is kinda sorta lonely.

    G

  1329. sam harris

    Yes Panos!

    just been reading your commentary, posts…
    so glad you and david bowen got to meet up, and of course
    dah, anton, et al… sounds so good, i could use some of those
    kinda good times myself right now… enjoy! and please keep the
    reports coming…

    also, how very true your words are
    “Damn David Harvey..you created a GREAT COMMUNITY..in your home, in your own house..not just talking and bullshitting…but true actions..David Harvey had created something unique..You see artists, photographers are usually insecure folks..they dont usually encourage or help other comrades photogs..On the contrary..Problem is that competition is fierce(no, thats an excuse)..its not competition to be blamed..its the EGO and Insecurity that does the damage…
    But David Harvey is HERE to set the example..He Teaches for Free (Burn), creates a community of dysfunctional egomaniacs (us, the photogs), and even more…he opens the door to his home literally…mentors people for free…”

    MASSIVE THANKS because for me, without BURN i would be i real isolation… David leads by example and i’ve learnt so much just by quietly (for the most part) watching, reading and internalising… always lessons to learn in life and photography and here on burn it all comes together…

    ENJOY!

  1330. sam harris

    David Bowen!

    i hope you catch this before leaving NYC… maybe i’m too late…

    don’t forget the New York mantra: ‘I’m walkin here!…’

    safe flight home

    sam

  1331. pAtrIcIO m.

    Yes, Pano, totally agree with you. David started and made this community, and NOT virtual at all…perfectly REAL!!

    There is a phrase that i like so much in Latin: “Res, non Verba”. (Facts, not words)
    It should be from DAH… but was from an anonymous roman guy (I think), before Christ.

    Keep going, enjoy the spring/summer in US
    Patricio

  1332. a civilian-mass audience

    I am in tears…THANK YOU ALLLLLL…from happiness and from the gas…
    i ate onions and I laughed hard…no more silents

    SAMMY…you got BURN …BURN got you…lonely no more…LOVE

    no chainsaw can break this CHAIN OF BURNING LOVE…Nope,OXI,nada…..

    I am extremely busy…I will be back …cause I have more gas to spread:)))

    P.S I know…the bar has been raised…again…etcetera…

  1334. audrey bardou

    Lookbetween Crew, All,

    It was very nice to finally meet you or see again, thank you so for your kindness and your welcome, I felt meeting a family, even if I did not speak a lot because my English is not good…

    Many Thanks to David Alan Harvey, Anton, Lookbetween, Lassal, Panos, David Bowen, Lance, David McGowen, Gina, Jenna, Anna, Andrea, Brian, Geoffrey, Mustafah, and all the persons I forget names in writing now…

    it was a great, amazing, inspiring weekend…. a wonderful place, wonderful persons, wonderful works, wonderful festival… Merci !

  1335. a civilian-mass audience

    ohhh…please, ANTON has birthday on the 17th…I need your support..cause…
    without his help…you know…credit when credit is due…
    buy the Amazing ANTON’s Book…
    I am out of time…

    I will be back the soonest…HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTON…

  1336. sam harris

    CIVI…

    my link will be back soonest ; ))

    lots of new photos to share… the girls are growing up fast, too fast!!
    i guess that’s one reason why i photograph them…
    meanwhile i’m trying some changes to my site. lots of ideas, looking forward >>>

    now, which drink goes best with onions? perhaps a merlot…
    x

  1339. wendy

    P
    will comment here too….
    LOVE your multi media piece..
    THANK YOU!!
    the swimming hole,
    mud…..
    made for some great water shots….
    xo

  1342. bob black

    brother panos! :)))))))))))

    love love this flicks….Virginia is god’s country ! :)))))))….i love that place and looks like y’all had a brilliant time…love the love vibe you guys got….love the portrait of Anton :)))…he and david look almost like brothers ;)))..

    glad y’all had a great time….what a beautiful experience for everyone….very jealous of the camping :)))…and the swwimming :))…and the time at OBX :))>..but loving jealousy :)))

    great gift for Anton

    running
    bob

  1343. a civilian-mass audience

    Is this ANTON??? the ANTON???
    damnit…you BURNIANS…

    and the video from PANO…oime…
    you are the most beautiful people…
    MY BURNIANS…THANK YOU Universe…
    (PANO …did you do any technical manipulation…hiiii…tech talk from civiliam)
    more gas is coming …your way…Open the windows

    SAMMY…I can wait…:)))onions with raki…
    may the spirits of heartBURN be with me

    DAMNIT…I LOVE YOU ALLL

  1344. Lassal

    PANOS
    you are wonderful! But you should say that I was only “bored” because they were showing the WM, and that is something I was not particularly interested in. Also I had this gordious magazines at hand … and of course you at my side … so “bored” is really not the adequate expression.
    Panos, I am so happy to have finally met you. Trully, trully, trully so!

    BOB …
    the camping was great. There was just the small fact that you had to be faster than the spiders. Big, harmless spiders, that were looking for warmth in the tends … Quite cute actually, but they filled up the small tends really fast. So the second day I slept out in front of the bonfire with Panos and Anton on some haystacks. Was great … I woke up when someone stood upon us to take pictures of the haystack-sleepers. Still waiting for those to appear – although not sure if I want to see them – we were looking hideous. :)

  1345. eva

    Panos, ’twas about time we got visual EVIDENCE.. talking talking and not showing.. pffffffffffffff… ;)

  1346. Lassal

    EVA
    You are so right! Geeee … I think I only have 5 pics from LOOKbetween!! Somehow I felt like always needing my peripheral vision – and not like taking pictures at all. Especially because we had some of the most amazing pictures being shown to us.

    LOOKbetween had some people there to take pictures from the happening. I think they will put up a tumblr-site for it. http://lookbetween.tumblr.com/
    I cannot wait to see it!

    Will check out my few pictures and put them up (maybe tonight or tomorrow).

  1347. panos skoulidas

    Lassal, Eva..
    im working on a detailed slideshow (haystack photos included)as we speak..stay tuned..editing, coming up…
    btw, Lassal is the sweetest creature i’ve ever met..

  1350. Herve

    Lassal & Anton sleeping on the haystack next to the campfire…
    ————–

    Panos, we need 3D glasses for that shot, no?…..

  1352. bob black

    Panos :)))))))))))…love that road trip :)))

    i want to see the pic of David and Simone sleeping on the haystack…what gives?? :)))))

    Lassal :))))….i’m a country boy at heart (takin’ from the city, grown up on a farm)….now them spiders well…and crayfish :))))…

    ok, running running
    bob

  1353. bob black

    DAVID (ah), Panos, Anton, Mike C:

    you guys blew me off on thursday night skype for just that men’s night at Avalon pool hall ;))))))))))))))))))).(now i’ve seen the evidence/Panos pics)……and i thought you guys had to ‘run’ to listen to music and chat with some female surfers at sunset??…;))))))…damn, now i know :))))))…but, i expect a good pool match when i arrive

    running (for real now)…russian test

    b

  1354. panos skoulidas

    bob, pool game indeed…unfortunately no female surfers involved whatsoever…
    Me and Anton lost the game..so practice , practice, practice…
    big hug
    :)

  1355. bob black

    P :)))…

    i’ll kick dah’s butt when we chat over skype…now i know ‘gotta go to a place to listen to music’ is Burn code for ‘kick panos/anton ass in pool’….

    ok, running

    b

  1356. emcd

    Anton / DAH

    Road Trips is no longer publicly available?

    LOOKbetweeners –

    It’s so crazy seeing your pics and faces – lord knows how I missed so many of you. I was in an equally amazing, but parallel LOOKbetween reality I guess!

  1358. anton

    hey Erica –

    no worries… just some testing, getting google rankings in order and stuff. should be back ok soon.

    cheers a

  1359. Imants

    Lightning bolts.Can turn the sand outside to glass.Total meltdown.Scary.So vulnerable.Exciting as hell.Death by nature’s hand wd be perfect…….. David get someone to stand out in the road pointing a steel rod to the sky……… this will make sure that the tree is safe from a hit

  1360. Gracie

    imants,

    how bout getting someone to take a long exposure out there, get the eggs on the frying pan, fire up the heat and save the tree, get some breakfast going… hehe

  1361. david bowen

    ahhhh. HOME
    after 2 cancelled flights 2 stop overs and 30+ hours.. good stuff.. good hugs
    PANOS
    love the little movie.. my self portrait with inflated cheeks made the cut.. so proud.. so proud..
    badass snap of the lassal.. bullshit camera did the bizz.. beate really dug her presents.. victoria delivered :ø)

    cheers for monday chatter n sunday chatter.. n tuesday chatter.. tim wrote me that he knocked 10 mins after i left.. ahh well.

    now get stuck into new york – there is a photo rep waiting for you at a kebab stall in chinatown..
    d

  1362. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTON
    WE LOVE YOU…

    Have the best life EVER…may the birthday spirits of all the universe be with you…
    LOVE PEACE and EVERYTHING

    DAVIDB…welcome back…we were waiting for You!!!

    PANOS…hug our MARIA…we LOVE HER…
    (white angel is gone …life has to go on…I have to be strong)

    P.S love forever …

  1365. eva

    Panos, thanks for the trip :)

    Anton, happy happy joy joy :)

    Lassal, are you coming to Tuscany next month?

  1368. Imants

    The times that I was in Luang Prabang, there were no tourists playing spectator sport game………..then again the monks looked a bit thinner. I guess it is more like food for walk now but then I haven’t been back for over a decade
    “we have lost something valuable in human experience: adventure, discovery, exploration of the unknown”………. seems a bit smug to me, the great white hunter mentality

  1373. eva

    It’s kind of funny.. workshops are offered all over the place, the last one I’ve just stumbled over is one in Myanmar, cost $ 4’985.00 (plus flight), no skills or portfolio required.. but then we (who’s we?) complain about the exotic tourism.. spoiling the fun and work for photojournalists/photographers.. dunno..

    Seeing people flashing at and invading other peoples spaces like shown in the link posted above makes me cringe.. and to me there’s no distinction if it’s a tourist or a photojournalist behind the lens.. it’s about respect..

  1374. Imants

    spoiling the fun and work for photojournalists/photographers.. I sorta like that

    it’s a tourist or a photojournalist behind the lens……….then again as I said they were hungry boys before the cameras came to town

  1376. michael webster

    So what was their answer to the question?

    Still waiting. I’m holding my breath though. Maybe that will speed things up?

    and to me there’s no distinction if it’s a tourist or a photojournalist behind the lens.. it’s about respect..

    Too often the nature of photojournalism, eh? I am often tempted to take photographs of people who don’t want to be photographed at events where photographers are not welcome and sometimes do. In most cases respect is a given. In some cases, such as racist gatherings, disrespect is a motivation. But for me, most often, the deciding factor has evolved to be whether or not I think the photograph might be important as a social or historical document. Takes some kind of inflated ego to answer yes to that, I know, but on occasion it may actually be true.

    But it rained last night and this morning was glorious. Up before dawn for some photo editing, walked an hour to the subway. The air was crisp and the sky clear and blue. No dead guys on the street or sirens in the distance. But I think I could feel a change in the weather. Summer officially arrives this Saturday. I fear it’s gonna be a hot one.

  1377. Lee Guthrie

    Eva, thanks for posting the Camera, Camera and the article. It is so true. Many, many times my camera never comes out of its bag because I am so lost in the moment it feels like the camera will interfere. Technology–a curse disguised as a blessing?

  1378. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    ANTON

    May this new year of life bring joy, surprises, adventure and creative electricity. Happy birthday, my friend!

    PANOS

    Love love LOVE the eye in LOOKbetween and your journeys. You have a terrific gift for video and multimedia! Your work is so alive!!!

    hugs
    Patricia

  1380. david alan harvey

    PANOS…LANCE

    anton and i leaving beach soon to drive up to new york…probably arrive early evening….bringing extra sleeping bag….sounds like a camping out situation to me….so, what’s new??

  1381. kathleen fonseca

    PANOS

    Enjoyed your video greatly..made me feel like i was there and your music comforted me after reality reminded me that in fact i was still here in Costa Rica. Thanks..i am so glad to see you shooting video and hope you are thinking about doing more.

    CIVILIAN

    ¨CIVILIAN IRL: you better start eating protein again…like chicken meat:)))¨

    keep your carniverous eyes off Bouboulina, you, you, CARNIVORE you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    LASSAL–you are just too, too Euro chic, chica!

    AUDREY–you totally look like i imagined!

    DAVID B..it was unusually special to put a face to your name. i really love your late night (muy early morning, actually) posts here..you are such a member of the night shift so now i have a better idea of who you are.

    ANTON

    They say it´s your birthday…MUST SEE!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdsXQVQRWXM&feature=related

    have a Happy birthday in a real weird al way!

    best all
    Kathleen

  1383. paultreacy.com

    Hey, all you Londoners amongst us, I’m screening, along with loads of others, at the Slide Luck Pot Show London II this Saturday. I made it this time. Come along for some food (I’m making my delicious orange cake) and the drink is supplied by Brooklyn Brewery. Good stuff. I miss it so I’ll be having a few.

    Come along. Try my cake. See some quality artistic endeavours on the big screen by loads of interesting image makers.

    Slide Luck Pot Show London II

    Paulyman.

  1385. Frostfrog

    I’m afraid I haven’t been much of a participant here lately and I probably won’t be for awhile – just too much going on in life. But, every now and then cats come up on this forum and DAH himself loves a cat. Two days ago, I had a great cat die.

    I put a post on my blog and have received more reader response in the form of comments than to any other post I have ever put up. In addition, I just put up a spread of him from my black and white days and before the day ends, if I can find the energy, I will put up a color spread. To all burnians who love cats, this link will take you to the two that are up and, after the color post is published, will include that as well.

    So, Civi, if you are giving out love today, it is needed here.

    http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/journal/category/royce-memorialized

  1386. Gracie

    frostfrog deariest,

    all the nite shifters (and more) in BURN send our love…
    now’s thats-a-lotsa-LOVE…

    incense to eternity
    friends come walking
    backwards
    heal and hold our hearts
    in their hands

  1389. peter grant

    Michael…
    I think this observation is spot on. I also believe that everything is about respect. Obviously whoever may being photographed dose not know, and probably may not care, if someone with a camera is a tourist or a paid photographer. Sometimes a person likes the attention given because of whatever reason they may have, personal, political. Or they may feel intruded upon. Whoever is giving the attention, or intruding, dosen’t matter much to them.
    Of course respect isn’t simple as there are cultural differences and sensitivities. I guess it comes down often to getting to their level and perspective of the world, as much as is possible.

    RESPECT.. Vote 1 for respect..

  1390. Imants

    So Peter you are willing to grant the same respect to a despot regime as you would any other that you consider as being right in your eyes? Would you respect the right of the enemy not to get shot by you (remember you are an enemy in turn)?

    Of course it matters who intrudes upon who.

  1391. Jeremy Wade Shockley

    DAH,

    Flying to DC in the morning to shoot traditional Cambodian Wedding, will have some time on Sunday evening and Monday morning if your in the DC Area….drinks are on me! Back to Durango on Monday Night. Hope all is well with you & projects at hand!

    wadeshock@gmail.com/(970)769.2939

    Cheers, Jeremy

  1392. peter grant

    Hi Imants.

    Yes thats true, in a political environment those acting on behalf of the state, or another political organization, have given up that right of personal space.
    As far as not shooting the enemy, thats a question that has disturbed much more intelligent people than me. Shoot, or be shot? I think I’d shoot.. Awfully murky question Imants.. No doubt about you. You know how to throw a spanner in the works.

    But generally speaking, I understand respect to be vital to human relations. At least its a good starting point.

  1393. david bowen

    PAUL

    nice one – seems i am on the screening list as well.. unable to make it though.
    jet lag.. i cannot even remember climbing into bed last night.. must be what it´s like for an alcoholic..

    kathleen..
    yesyes – silly hair.. thats me :ø)
    d

  1394. Mike R

    Don’t know if anyone noticed the heads-up from Imants but …James Chance selected as 2010 recipient Winning Project: “Living with the Dead: Manila’s North Cemetery”….. Congratulations James!!

  1395. Imants

    One of the roles of a spanner is to undo nuts ……….. a comment too good to miss.

    Remember Michael was happy to compromise some attitudes for that photograph which might be important as a social or historical document

  1397. Ross Nolly

    It’s nearly 9pm here; sitting here scanning old B&W negs, a glass of bourbon and coke and the Stones playing “Wild Horses” on the stereo. Have come to the conclusion that HP5 is a damn nice film! The night shift has begun for me…. :-)

  1398. Ross Nolly

    Imants “One of the roles of a spanner is to undo nuts” One of my mates is a dab hand at putting screws in the wall with a hammer…. No he’s not McIver either. :-)

  1401. paultreacy.com

    David Bowen

    I’m in good company so. Pity you can’t be present. It’d be good to clink glasses again. Some day.

    Have you ever slept on your feet? That’s something I did once having been overly tired. I was actually walking home one night and managed to find myself in a locked park having sleep walked into a fence and fallen over. I had no idea how I’d gotten in there. But under normal circumstances it would have been an effective shortcut home. One of the weirdest experiences I’ve ever had. Auto pilot. I guess consciousness is not always necessary for such mundane tasks.

  1403. Ross Nolly

    Imants; Then please explain to me why I’ve dusted off the old FM2 and have bought a Zorki-4k rangefinder and a bunch of B&W film and can’t wait to use it? :-)

  1404. michael webster

    Should mention as well, the “respect” conversation began with the example of tourists photographing a procession of Buddhist monks in Laos or Thailand. Don’t know about over there, but here in the U.S., if you go out in public, particularly if you participate in a public parade, you cede a large part of your right to privacy, certainly as it pertains to being photographed. Here in New York, there are any number of semi-private public parades put on by groups that don’t want the general public, much less journalists or photographers, to know about them. I’m aware of a few of these events from having accidentally come up on them during my ceaseless roaming. It’s those kinds of things I was thinking of when I made the comment above. Some years I respect the wishes of the participants and don’t photograph them. Other times I think someone needs to get this beautiful thing on record. Still on other occasions, the participants are largely a bunch of assholes and I just don’t care whether they like it or not.

    But it’s really tough for working photojournalists with a conscience. One former photographer friend described for me how he almost had a horrific accident while driving 90 miles an hour on a crowded freeway to get to the scene of a horrific, multi-fatality accident and photograph it for the evening news. That was his moment of clarity that caused him to leave the profession. Just so fucked up on so many levels.

  1405. david bowen

    paul..

    i think it was sleep walking yes..
    i remember a guy at a festival 6 years ago who was utterly clean.. no potions.. his only high was sleep deprivation and after 3 nights he was as stoned as the rest of us.

    any chance you could take a snap of my work when it is up for my blog?
    can credit you fully and pay you a beer next time we meet.

    now.. there are some photographer terms which would cause a riot on lightstalkers.
    d

  1406. Imants

    Ross it is nostalgia or a safeguard from Obama when he hits the plug on the internet……… not that we will notice as our broadband will still be loading up yesterdays news.

  1408. paultreacy.com

    David Bowen.

    I’m very happy with those terms. I may have my wife and sons with me, at least to hope I will, so please forgive me if I forget. I’ll do my best.

    Hoping Claire, Eoin and Connor can come as it’s a good opportunity for them to see what it is that Daddy does. And since the flick showing is of their making, ultimately, then it offers a life long, happy memory of seeing themselves on the big screen with lots of people in the audience giggling at their antics. I’m excited.

    Cheers.

  1409. Ross Nolly

    It’s funny seeing the results of shoots that are 3-4 years old. I’ve never seen the negs I’m scanning before; just had them processed and put them away to sort through “one day”!

  1413. john gladdy

    David Bowen.
    Post me those films and I will dev and scan the B/W and have the guys at the lab I use do the c41/e6……as a small gift to you and your project.
    Just imagine the goodies that might be lurking there.

    let me know

    John

  1414. tom hyde

    John, that was cool. Just don’t burn those D-Day negs on the drier …

    Question for those attending C’Ville …

    I understand quite a few of the presentations incorporated sound, and some video. Did it inspire you to do the same, or are you already? Too many directions? I’d be interested in any of the tidbits of the discussion about this that followed as well. (I know James Chance and his wife are a team doing this which would seem the ideal situation but the team approach is not practical for many). I’ve started a project ala One in 8 million and have found I have to do either sound or stills at a time and in some ways doing interviews first is helpful in establishing trust/relationship. Thoughts?

  1416. panos skoulidas

    Anyone needs an update?
    From the Kibbutz? Yes?
    Ok, that’s what I also thought..
    David and Anton finally arrived last night after
    a long and arduous drive from OBX..
    Well there was party for Anton last night..
    Birthday party..Kerry (as per usual) was the hostess..
    Champaigne, red wine, beer, snacks, pink blankets..
    The whole deal.. Also Hillary did a great job.. Lance and
    many more were up there and more came later..
    To make long story short.. Me David and Anton finally
    made it back to the loft to sleep.. Dead tired..
    The rest of the partygoers are probably still up there …
    Anyway , the girls went to MOMA and Anton is in magnum office
    working.. Gilles Peres just picked David up for a meeting
    and supposedly returning for lunch..
    I’m doing my thing and much more to come..
    I do have lots of photos from last night party on the roof..
    Coming soon..

  1417. skiwaves

    Panos,
    Are you returning to the outer banks? Why didn’t David tell me you were in town? He must have been having too much fun. I live only 25 miles south of nags head. It would be nice to meet the real you, instead of the cyber-version. Of course, this also applies to all the other burnians. Have fun in NYC.
    Mike

  1423. a civilian-mass audience

    MY FROSTFROG…BILLIEEEEEEEE…

    I LOVE YOU ROYCE…
    we don’t miss you …cause you are next to me, next to BILL, next to the HESS family,next to the people of Wasillia, next to all of the BURNIANS…
    I am happy for ROYCE…cause he is spreading purrr’s and farts and love to ALLLLL…
    and yeap …you are not gonna believe it …on June 17,2010…my dog died …my white angel…
    so my WHITE ANGEL is playing with ROYCE and VINCENT CRAIG…

    LOVE LOVE LOVE …come on …let’s celebrate…PARTY …can I sing and dance until my tears get out of my face…???

    Damnit…it’s not a sad day…don’t get me wrong …I am typing and I am crying…BUT damnit…
    life is beautiful…loss is loss…life goes on…our dead friends…whoever,wherever, whatever…
    they will be in our hearts foreverrrrrr…

    FROSTFROG…and to ALL that you have experienced Loss…I am sending LOVE and courage…
    our friends…are sending silents…from up there…

    WHITE ANGEL …I promise…I do better…:)))

    I will be back …I can’t see …my eyes :))) not from the onions…
    COME ON BURNIANS…DANCE…!!!

  1424. Frostfrog

    Civi – When I opened up the comments to my blog entry on Royce and read your’s – same as you copied in above – it brought tears – and a chuckle too.

    You make me feel as though we all are really one family.

    Royce loved dogs, as long as the dogs were decent to him so he and White Angel, and so notwithstanding the holes they leave here, they should get along good. Vincent was the kind of guy who rescued many cats and dogs, even when others told him it was pointless and he should just put them down. They will make a good trio.

  1425. david bowen

    JOHN G

    mate – you are priceless :ø)
    will think on it.. many thanks..
    saw england play from the farm at lookbetween.. useless..
    fingers crossed for an hour.

    PANOS

    party snaps.. good stuff.. my head is still at the loft, shuffling to the toilet and cracking open another beer :ø)

  1426. Herve

    the “respect” conversation began with the example of tourists photographing a procession of Buddhist monks in Laos or Thailand
    —————————

    first, FrostF, sorry about your cat. But if I can help lighting up your heart, remember they have seven lives.

    respect. I find in many places, it’s a moral point imposed by fellow tourists on other fellow tourists, when the locals see nothing wrong to it. Which is usally the case with buddhist procession in South-East Asia. Foreigners (tourists too) are given a wide berth as to what they can do that could be a bit over-bearing or over-reaching. Basically, because being buddhists, it’s the nice thing to do.

    One will also more than often remarks that the most “dosrespectful” (in the eyes of the tourist who read in his guidebook the dos and donts of a place) behaviour with a camera, is often done by local (thai/asian) tourists. That too is “understood” by the monks, as usually, these locals are much more generous in their donations than a foreigner/tourist, in such occasions.

    And of course, the foreigner commenting on the lack of respect usually thinks he/she is being respected for “respecting” the local culture. It’s a nice feeling to have, but a wrong one. We are all outsiders in such far away cultures. and viewed just about the same, however we behave publicly, here angling with a camera.

  1430. a civilian-mass audience

    hmmm…I have a weird question…
    i know about wedding,antique,sports …photography…

    Do we have death photography…hmmm…???

  1432. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…VIVA!!! …yeap, they are all up there …laughing at us:)))

    KATIEEEEEEEEEE…where are you my Street Fighter…

    BURNIANS…come on …I am out of tears…

    ANTON…I will never forget your Birthday …LOVE you!!!
    can you sign your photo …(the one on the pier…you know, from PANOS):)))

    BURNIANS…damnit…you are so quite…sooo…do we have death photography or no???

  1433. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…VIVA,yeap…
    have a beautiful dreams
    …better for all…:)))

    WE LOVE YOU…

    P.S …

  1434. michael webster

    Do we have death photography…hmmm…???

    You can find a very interesting reference here. I saw a slideshow of those postmortem daguerreotypes. They are very strange, fantastic.

    Then of course there’s Salgado…

  1435. abele

    EVA,

    time to organize the BURNinITALY meeting ;) I will be in Tuscany (family holidays) till the 24th of July: if I can remember correctly, Friday the 23rd was a suitable date for a BURN meeting chez TPW…

  1436. a civilian-mass audience

    MICHAELW…thank you…I didn’t know…
    RESPECT…oime…

    ABELE…yeap, BURN ITALY…BURN…
    my dream is coming true…

    Goodnight…from your neighbor …LOVE,PEACE and BURNOFOTOGRAFIA

    P.S WHITE ANGEL…I miss you…ROYCE and the others will be next to you…

  1437. michael webster

    We are all outsiders in such far away cultures. and viewed just about the same, however we behave publicly…

    Yep. But then if we stick around long enough, how we behave privately modifies things a bit.

  1438. Imants

    stick around by living the same happens,

    “But then if we stick around long enough, how we behave privately modifies things a bit.”
    that’s like saying milk will eventually curdle in the sun and………

  1439. Justin Smith

    A former boss used to have a family collection of photographs taken in the early 1900’s, showing the deceased in caskets surrounded by family – sometimes the caskets were even propped up on the church or home front steps. IIRC, these were from the Eastern Kentucky/West Virginia area. (I’ve seen a lot of posing and baptismal photos from my own family, but no death photos.) My wife remembers that in her youth, a neighbors home had these types of photos hanging on the wall – this would be SE Kentucky in the late 1970’s…

    I have heard of some funeral photographers, taking photos of the family at funerals. After all, this might be of the few occasions that everyone would gather.

    Some of you may have heard about the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation:

    http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/

    Their mission statement: “To introduce remembrance photography to parents suffering he loss of a baby with the free gift of professional portraiture. We believe these images serve as an important step in the family’s healing process by honoring their child’s legacy.”

    It seems to me that post-mortem photography can serve as a way for the family to accept that a loved one has passed; and my heart goes out to those photographers that donate their services to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep – that can’t be an easy job.

  1440. panos skoulidas

    Update? We are at a Thai place , 7th and w22nd , manhattan …
    We just left the magnum office with anton and dah..Met Carl de Keyzer and DAH gave me a tour to the Magnum archive/gallery…
    What not to love?

    Civi…sorry for the loss.. We are all on your side…
    and u know this:)

  1441. Imants

    Justin I photograph a fair few funerals all gratis,friends and family who ever asks.These days I make a slide show, put the images on a www dot link and the family involved gives out the link to friend both here and overseas.

    It’s all pretty day to day normal event. Sure I am sad like everyone else but there is a grace to the whole event

  1442. Justin Smith

    Imants,

    I think that is a very generous way to share yourself; I think it takes a special kind of person to do that. It may sound morbid, but I actually have many nice memories of spending time with family at funerals and wakes, amid the mourning.

    Cheers,

    Justin

  1444. Justin Smith

    Ross,

    You are right; the last family funeral I attended, I saw 2nd and 3rd cousins for the first time in 10 or 15 years…

    -Justin

  1445. a civilian-mass audience

    “… I photograph a fair few funerals …It’s all pretty day to day normal event.”
    IMANTS…hey mate, I knew it…and I see the grace in your photos…
    I have to do the same…yeap,JUSTIN…that can’t be easy BUT
    let’s embrace death with grace…THANK YOU ALL for all the messages…

    I kinda have to go out and wrestle with the waves…I got to keep moving…

    PANOS, you make it sound hmmm…like…Disneyland…MAGNUMLAND, BURNLAND…next stop…
    the House of the Haunted Photogs…hiiiiiii…….
    Laughing hard…harder than I should…BUT I don’t mind…no” should” for me today

    cause today WE CELEBRATE…Life and death and fire and love and VIVA TO ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

  1446. a civilian-mass audience

    “Life lives, life dies. Life laughs, life cries. Life gives up and life tries. But life looks different through everyone’s eyes.

  1447. a civilian-mass audience

    “I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge – myth is more potent than history – dreams are more powerful than facts – hope always triumphs over experience – laughter is the cure for grief – love is stronger than death”

    hiiiiii….that’s why I am a civilian:)))

    Where is JIMMY,KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE,MYGRACIE,OURPATRICIA,REIMAR,THOMAS,LASSAL,AUDREY,DAVIDB,
    SIDNEY,BRAVO JAMESC…BRAVO,HIILARY,LAURA,GORDON,BRIAN,TOMY,AKAKY,KATIA,KATHARINA,WENDY…
    CATHY,JENNY,EMCD,ANDREWB,VIVEK,…
    and…and…LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLl

  1448. Frostfrog

    Civi – I am with you on White Angel. I am very tired and cannot think of words to write, but I am with you here. Also, seeing how deeply you feel about White Angel, I just want to come and visit you in Greece. And for those folks around you who do not understand, they are balanced by so many who do. My post on Royce’s death and funeral has drawn more comments than any other post I have ever put up.

    Did the death of my cat spark this discussion on photographing death? I have photographed a few funerals, as recently seen concerning my friend, Vincent, but also of family and friends. Yes, Ross and Justin, funerals are sometimes the only place we reconnect with certain relatives and friends and sometimes we make new friends. I made a whole bunch of new friends in Arizona.

    I once thought about joining the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

    Eva – she is a real beauty and she reminds me of a kitten I met in India who also had a brother. But the opposite happened – the sister got eaten by a street dog and the brother saved… I hope. The story is on my No Cats Allowed blog, but I am too tired to find the link.

    Herve – Thanks… love the picture… nine lives… I think Royce lived maybe 19 lives…

    I hope I haven’t left anybody out. I am totally fatigued at the moment. I can hardly read.

  1449. david alan harvey

    YOUNG TOM HYDE…

    in C’ville i think there were quite a few very interesting examples of multi-media….it was certainly the trend which was of course no surprise…still, the effect or novelty of it dominates imo….many see multi media as THE way to go rather than ONE way to go or as a valuable tool to be used when appropriate…yet when done well, as many were, the power of it was undeniable…for sure i think we want to take Burn more in the direction of well done MM but this will take way more work and skill sets on the part of photographers submitting as well as a whole new team at our end…

    i am now facing 10 days of meetings concerning evolutions at Burn and at Magnum…in both cases it is pretty obvious that structuring toward mobile devices is a key….however, i do not see the iPad as the final destination for work , but as the second to last venue before docking with the big flat screens that everyone will all eventually have….all the mediums for communication are converging …..all of us will need to be either multi faceted or have teams working with us…this will not take away from the basics of storytelling which are becoming more valuable by the minute…the merger of Corbis and Flickr will only ADD value to my authorship mantra…individual pictures will be cheap now , of less value, on the Corbis/Flickr network, but stories, essays, MM combos, will rule…stay tuned…

    cheers, david

  1450. david alan harvey

    i am trying to remember where i just saw a series of incredibly beautiful photographs of deceased babies and very young children….these children were all dressed up and this was a very deliberate cultural effort …..can anyone help me here?

  1452. michael webster

    David, could they be those Southworth and Hawes daguerreotypes I linked to earlier in the thread? Apparently, there was a retrospective at the ICP awhile back. I can’t find them on the internet, but I recently saw a slideshow presentation with 10 or 12 examples. Very moving images.

  1453. michael webster

    David, as you may recall, I’ve thought for some time now that the hi-def flatscreens made for a good opportunity. I’ve been working quite a bit on multimedia lately and looking into HTML 5. Mixing motion pictures and graphics with still photography seems a very difficult balancing act. Very easy to go all hokey on a project or image. I’m also curious what the professional ethics are, and will evolve to be, concerning image manipulation. I may be wrong, but it seems that people are generally okay with Ken Burns effect type methods, but what about 3D effects and other advanced motion graphics tricks applied to still photos? How far can one go? Talking photojournalism ethics of course. Outside of that I know one can go as far as one can get away with. Back to the hokeyness problem though. Motion graphics artists have been up an down this road for years. And HTML 5 is a mess that practically takes a web production department to pull off.

  1454. martinbrink

    DAH,
    You mean Getty and Flickr, right?
    Seems like Flickr has undergone a major transformation because of the social media boom. I see more and more good photographers, stories and photos there.
    Multimedia probably is part of the future and hopefully we’ll also see it more as part of exhibitions in the future. Whole stories maybe could be sold/shown as video works are..

    Cheers

  1458. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL WEBSTER…

    i want to meet with you soonest…Anton will be in new york now for almost another week…we are scrambling on many fronts, but will take time for you….meet monday??

  1460. michael webster

    Ah yes, but the real lesson of that site is “After Effects.” The tutorials provide valuable clues. That and the fact that although motion graphics are all shiny and new for still photographers, there is a large community of professional artists and graphics designers with many years experience using these tools. Due to that reality, to a large extent, the path to skill and knowledge is well-mapped, but still, entering and mastering that domain is not a trivial pursuit. Those free apps with the cute little Ken Burns effect that newbies get exited about are to motion graphics what buying a throw away film camera and sending it off to Kodak for developing and printing is to photography.

  1462. Justin Smith

    Given the talk that pops up regarding new business models that crops up here, I thought some of you might get a kick out this guy:

    http://music.jeddavis.com/

    New single released on a wax phonograph cylinder – limited edition of 50 at $30 each. Or, you can download the single for $1.98.

  1463. a civilian-mass audience

    FROSTFROG…BILL…
    BASILIS=you are Greek …therefore your home is here…
    THANK YOU for your words
    http://nocatsallowed.blogspot.com/
    I AM WITH YOU

    MICHAELW…yeap…MICHAEL got some links…

    DADDY …I wanna be a death photographer…!!!
    What not to LOVE !!!

    HAPPY FATHER’S DAY …I think it’s tomorrow…

    I am all over…
    I know…
    BUT …I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLlllllll

  1464. tom hyde

    David, thank you for your thoughts on C’ville presentations and MM. It is a challenge all the way around, a good very focused one though. I had no idea I was so rusty on my interview skills but it is good to learn again to just shut up and listen, stop and let things unfold, chill and see what the universe will provide (with just a little prodding), or not. Everyone has at least one good story to tell. Thanks again for the insight. Perhaps submissions that incorporate MM ready to go, or nearly so, without the need of too much additional time or staff, will increase. It’s good to hear you talking about the future of BURN.

  1465. Brian Frank

    The gulf oil disaster has got the Pearl Jam song “Do the Evolution” running through my head. Constantly.

    I’m ahead, I’m a man
    I’m the first mammal to wear pants, yeah
    I’m at peace with my lust
    I can kill ’cause in God I trust, yeah
    It’s evolution, baby

    I’m at piece, I’m the man
    Buying stocks on the day of the crash
    On the loose, I’m a truck
    All the rolling hills, I’ll flatten ’em out, yeah
    It’s herd behavior, uh huh
    It’s evolution, baby

    Admire me, admire my home
    Admire my son, he’s my clone
    Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
    This land is mine, this land is free
    I’ll do what I want but irresponsibly
    It’s evolution, baby

    I’m a thief, I’m a liar
    There’s my church, I sing in the choir:
    (hallelujah, hallelujah)

    Admire me, admire my home
    Admire my son, admire my clones
    ‘Cause we know, appetite for a nightly feast
    Those ignorant Indians got nothin’ on me
    Nothin’, why?
    Because… it’s evolution, baby!

    I am ahead, I am advanced
    I am the first mammal to make plans, yeah
    I crawled the earth, but now I’m higher
    2010, watch it go to fire
    It’s evolution, baby
    Do the evolution
    Come on, come on, come on

  1468. carlos filipe

    DAVID

    concerning those photos from dead babies maybe it’s because of Mexico. but it goes back to the early days of photography in Europe.
    check “Prayer for a Sleeping Child: Iconography of the Funeral Ritual of Little Angels in Mexico” by Daniela Marino, at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119160077/abstract
    or another text, also from Daniela (in spanish), at http://codex.colmex.mx:8991/exlibris/aleph/a18_1/apache_media/3LP69DHDIFXA45A6LL4BB2APQPCYDR.pdf

    um forte abraço,
    Carlos Filipe

  1469. carlos filipe

    ALL

    José Saramago, Nobel prize-winning portuguese writer, died yesterday aged 87.
    for those who don’t know him (or his books) i suggest start by reading his lecture at the 1998 Nobel prize ceremony, “How Characters Became the Masters and the Author Their Apprentice”, at http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1998/lecture-e.html
    and begins like this:

    “The wisest man I ever knew in my whole life could not read or write. At four o’clock in the morning, when the promise of a new day still lingered over French lands, he got up from his pallet and left for the fields, taking to pasture the half-dozen pigs whose fertility nourished him and his wife. My mother’s parents lived on this scarcity, on the small breeding of pigs that after weaning were sold to the neighbours in our village of Azinhaga in the province of Ribatejo. Their names were Jerónimo Meirinho and Josefa Caixinha and they were both illiterate.”

    but because Burn is a place for photography i leave you with the words from one of the characters of Saramagos’s book, Blindness:”I don’t think we did go blind, I think we are blind, blind but seeing, blind people who can see, but do not see”. the same book that goes with the epigram: “If you can see, look. If you can look, observe”.

    um forte abraço para todos,
    Carlos Filipe

  1474. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

    “One of life’s greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn’t good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world.”

    i will be back…LEE…you are a great soul

    I feel like a BURNING MAGNUM today …hiiii…

    YOU are ALL Amazing… together we can do it…!!!

  1475. david bowen

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cWzxJvgWc8

    missing the nu yawk today.. worked on a couple of photos from the handful taken over there..
    i think beate myself and the bean will be there at some point in the future..
    anyway.

    we´re all going to move to rural norway for a while in three weeks.. maybe a year maybe less.. get a better grip on what this norwayland is all about.. cities are cities are cities.. gonna soak in the fish farms.. photo life on the longest fjord in the world.. get to the bottom of why social democracy here works so well..
    all within a stones throw of grandparents, cousins, aunties and more who can lend a hand with top-cat and enable me to venture from the nest on extending the music project.. one more year.. russia.. more in eastern europe and other territories feeling it for the first time.. been all quiet about it and no need for whispers anymore.. big plans afoot.. catching an updraft and floating high.. soon..

    so. there it is.
    just been on the balcony with LIVING PROOF david – want to grab you for a chat about this one.. adore the party snaps.. solid portraits.. need to get a better handle on the narrative if you are free to chat AND – is that you in one of the pictures? at an awards ceremony – far right creeping into frame? if so.. who took the snap?
    decisions have also been made on wasted.. format.. next steps.. talked through with people and want to let you IN..
    gonna be big, yeah.
    at least physically if not in marketability.
    yeah.

    in other news – photos from the loft on the way.. the view outward and the view inward.. a write up and recommendations of who to look at from the exhibitors at lookbetween..
    blahblahblah.. sunday meanderings..

    firstly – it´s lunch in the norwayland and beate is cooking up something special.. we have built up quite an appetite today, yes we have..
    yesyes..

    mumble mumble.. missing the lookbetweenians n others.. wish i could have packed you in my luggage..
    jeff,
    david mc
    david g,
    david ah
    kurt,
    michael web,
    lance,
    panos,
    lassal,
    audrey,
    chris,
    carl,
    anton,
    andrea,
    brian,
    branden,
    dima,
    bess
    and invisable erica…
    did that really happen? and if it did – THANKS for all..

    talking stuff n gumble today..

    PAUL TREACY – how was SLPS..

    chips
    d

    ps – not fathers day in norway.. just a sun(ny)day

  1478. eva

    Bowen, all the bold and not even ONE pic?? ;)

    From the sound of it it seems you’re up to something.. cool.. looking forward..

  1481. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDB…what’s in the menu today???
    I am calling BEATE…
    hmmmm…and you better wash the dishes…
    cause it’s my calling…

    LOVE like …BURNING skies!!!

  1482. a civilian-mass audience

    AUDREY…go BURN,BURN,GIRL

    SLIDELUCK POTSHOW PARIS
    Location: Le Comptoir Général
    Time: 7:00PM Wednesday, June 23rd

    PAULT…in London…BRAVO …please, update…
    i am back and forth …in this book of face…

    BRAVO to all my BURNIANS…for those who haven’t found your calling…
    one I have to say…don’t give up
    if there is a vision, there is a way…

  1483. a civilian-mass audience

    FROSTFROG …I have update…

    ROYCE and WHITE ANGEL are chasing tumbleweeds …
    MASAAKI is there, next to ANDY WYERTH…
    aha…they are drinking something…:)))

    VIVA !!!

  1484. a civilian-mass audience

    “If you can see, look. If you can look, observe”.
    VIVA CARLOS…

    LOOK,Observe,
    DARE to BURN…
    ipad is on my hand
    MAGNUM vision
    on my lap
    and the Universe …
    gobsmucked

  1487. a civilian-mass audience

    ouowhhh…!!!BILL… the Universe, the energy…there must be a connection…
    AUDREY…I will be there…I am always next to you…
    I am your papa.mama,bro,sis,auntie,kids,Uncle MAX…I am the civilian next to YOU…
    if you just turn your head…you will see me:)))
    hiiii…what am I drinking…
    VIVA

    I LOVE YOU ALLL…Speechless

  1488. michael webster

    I have so much I should be doing, so I did this instead. I go to the Coney Island Mermaid Day parade almost every year. It’s not any kind of photo project for me. I just like going and take a few snaps for the memories. This year, for example, I didn’t take any pictures of the parade itself, or Lou Reed, or the official celebration in the waves.

    Just a warning about the link. Many of these photos contain standard NY street parade variety T&A. In addition, some people may consider many of the photos and sequences obscene, so take care (I’m thinking of you, Panos.)

    Finally, this is all for fun. If you recognize anyone in a shot, let me know and I’ll remove the image. I left out quite a few interesting shots because people looked vaguely familiar.

  1489. Lee Guthrie

    Michael, good slideshow. Aside from the excellent-ness of these photos I noticed tons of cameras. In fact, the cameras became a featured piece after viewing the slideshow a bit. The link to camera, camera came to mind; just viewed that yesterday and really set the brain to working about photography and the current state of it.

    Panos would call this work gonzo. I do too.

    Thanks for sharing; so hot here this afternoon. Great entertainment for a hot afternoon respite in a cool room.

  1490. Frostfrog

    Crimeny, Mike! Why didn’t you tell me about this when I was in New York? We don’t have parades like this in Wasilla. I could have come back.

    Great series, and great fun to look at, excellent choice of music.

    Another piece that will make me embarrassed to ever expose a big lense in public.

    Yes, Civi – I am amazed at the never ending flow of connections.

    Later this week, I will spend one afternoon and night in Copenhagen, enroute to Nuuk, Greenland. I know – still a long ways from Greece, but kind of in the neighborhood. I will cast a wave in your direction.

  1491. michael webster

    Thanks Lee and Bill. I changed the music, btw. Now it’s some drums I recorded at the event. Those of you who noticed my request for advice on buying a digital recorder, this is the result. The only audio engineering I did was to cut the length and fade in/out.

  1493. david alan harvey

    DAVID B…

    i took all of the pictures in Living Proof, so cannot be in it as well..not sure which picture you mean and do not have a copy here in the loft, but will look after i return home…..sure, we can chat about the narrative any time…not sure if you mean text written by rappers or sequence of the work…

    EVA…

    nice interview with Anders…he is one of my favorite photographers and we taught in Tuscany same time last summer….what an interesting man…..i suppose we will be meeting soonest…looking forward…

    cheers, david

  1494. eva

    DAVID… can’t remember how many Anders’ books I have, more than 4 at least.. saw his exhibition last year in Arles (if I remember well).. interesting to say the least, even just looking at the pictures, can imagine even more in person..

    Yep, hope to meet soonest, busy busy busy over here shooting and printing, wanna show you something other than undevelopped rolls.. made some new Palio stuff.. family trying to drive me crazy, but I’m much more stubborn than all of them together ;)

  1500. kathleen fonseca

    Michael

    I really enjoyed your good-natured slide show. Men ogling women ogling each other ogling cameras..i never saw so much equipment in all my life! Those lenses were downright phallic as they poked upright and outright into the crowd seeking sexy subject matter. Quite an amusing and revealing exploration of human behavior. I loved your attitude..casual, bemused, observant..

    best
    Kathleen

  1501. Frank Michael Hack

    Michael

    That was awesome. I really enjoyed that. The drum beat in the background is perfect, and set the right tone. Man there are so many photographers with good gear out there. How come we see so little really good photography? I guess they all have their lenses pointed at the same thing.

    Frank

  1504. sam harris

    FANTASTIC NEWS !!!!!

    Civi – take notes please : )))))

    Today 22nd June, FINALLY, the wait is over…

    Australian Permanent Residency is ours!!!!

    in sync with the winter/summer solstice which is NOW!
    new beginnings……
    positive growth…..
    dreams….
    love & much gratitude…..

    DRINKS ARE ON ME TONIGHT!!!!

  1505. Ross Nolly

    Katie;

    I’m still around. At the moment sitting here warming up over a bowl of home-made soup. Well it is winter here! I’ve spent the last month or so adjusting my way of working so I can spend more time shooting serious project work. So far, so good; I think things may work.

    NZ has gone football mad with our team doing well in the World Cup. We’re not used to seeing so much football on the tv news, usually it’s rugby, rugby, rugby!

    Here’s one for you!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY5a3Un3y8g

    Sam; having a coffee on your behalf now! :-)

  1506. Ross Nolly

    Sam;

    One of my English friends was looking at getting residency here in NZ. I got all the documents together; including the points system needed. After reading the point system criteria I discovered I probably didn’t have enough to live here! Maybe it said something about all the “could do better if he applied himself” comments in my school reports!

  1507. kathleen fonseca

    Ross

    ohmygod, that’s a moldy oldie..hhe sings so effortlessly..have you heard any of his more “recent” music? I like the album Buddha of Suburbia..here’s one from that album:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rllBPMbuvIY&feature=related

    And hey, it’s winter here too..which is a relative term in Central America. Just means it rains for 6 months. I’m so happy that yu’ve carved out a way to work on your personal projects. It’s so hard to have anything left over for creative work. Actually when you make money with photography it’s wonder you have any resources left (emotionally and every other way) for private projects so best of luck with that!

    ah yes, football..global mania..say no more :)

    Sam
    Congratulations on your residency! That’s great news..this surely will free your mind to just explode with new growth and opportunity..you go!

    Goodnight, all!
    k

  1508. sam harris

    Ross… make that a double shot ; )

    it probably says more about the current system than anything else. most of my friends here have commented in a similar way. no doubt the migration ‘rules’ have changed a lot over the past decade… after jumping through innumerable hoops and dealing with moving goal posts, we barely scraped past the finishing line… it’s been a long and rocky road, started way back in 2005 – hard to believe it’s actually in the bag!

    time to put a party mix together for tonights impromptu gathering : )))

  1509. Ross Nolly

    Sam; The acid test will be, who will you support during The Ashes? :-)

    Katie; Editorial work has been pretty scarce, so instead of moaning about it I’ve decided to cut it back anyway and find ways to fund project work. If I’m going to be broke I may as well be broke shooting/writing work I care about.

    “it’s winter here too..which is a relative term in Central America” It’s always funny when I travel to the islands (Vanuatu etc, been a while though…), you try to go in our winter, June-Aug to coincide with their dry season. You’re wandering around in t-shirt and shorts and all the locals in polar fleece and beanies because it’s “only” 23 Celsius!

  1510. Ross Nolly

    Katie; One of NZ’s most prominent documentary photographers left a prestigous local mag because he wasn’t happy with the way they wanted him to shoot. He left to pursue his own projects and washed house windows for a couple of years so he had free time to shoot. As he said to me; “You’ve always got money to shoot projects if you know how to wash a window”!

  1511. a civilian-mass audience

    ok…SAMMY what are we drinking??? I know the feeling…I hope you have screamed your lungs out…
    hiii…where are my academians :)))
    Too many AUSSIESS…VIVA, Happy times

    KATIEEEEEEEEEE…more music …time to celebrate…parties all over…I am wearing my Braziliero hat
    and I am doing the Universal dance…

    MAGNUM parties…oime MR.HARVEY is gonna dance…
    AUSSIES are dancing…

    Life is beautiful…MICHAELW…I love your mermaidia …
    today Maradona is goona suffer…hhiiiii

    What BURN is ALL about… hmmm…I will be back…I am not focus…:)))

    one I know that I LOVE U ALLLLLLL….life is like photography…full of surprises

  1512. sam harris

    Civi…CHAMPAGNE of course !!! : ))))))))))))))
    Ross, enough tests for me… lets wait for citizenship before facing ‘that’ test : )
    Kathleen, ta!!! new growth and opportunity… yep! i’ll drink to that!

    ok, 6pm here, friends about to arrive, i better finish making the hummus…

  1514. Lassal

    Sorry all, that I have not really commented on LOOKbetween yet.

    1. I got totally jetlagged – more than usual – when I came back (only happens when I fly east).
    2. I got the post woodstock blues
    3. I had to work like a maniac despite of #1 and #2.

    As everybody mentioned already, it was a blast. I am waiting (like everybody else) to see the pictures come up on their tumblr website. There were several photographers on the payroll (I hope) to document the event …

    Now I think I should see that I unpack that backpack and finally do the laundry before the dirty clothes start moving by themselves … :)

  1516. david alan harvey

    ALL..

    if you are in New York, please come to our Magnum book signing fiesta Wednesday evening 6-8pm at Milk Studios…yes, it will be too many Magnum photogs in the same room at the same time, but this is of course a very rare happenstance….if you love or collect signed books, this will definitely be THE place to be….

    FRANK HACK…

    one of the realities of life i think is that you will never see as much really fine photography as you might imagine you would see…part of the reason is that after a few years of immersion your tastes change…what looked good to you as an entry level photographer, may not look good to you anymore…nor should it…then you find that actually there are very few who can really strum this guitar…not a bad thing…only makes fine photography more special..but i do know what you mean…with all the tech advances, with all the education opportunities etc etc, you would imagine more good work…same with Hollywood for example…who can imagine why oh why there just aren’t more good movies..all that money, all that talent….again, perfection is a rare commodity no matter how you look at it…and even the best has flaws….

    VALERY…

    we do have some singles coming soonest..we have been saving them up for good pacing…..but for sure there are way way fewer singles submitted than essays..a phenomena not completely understood by any of us…and remember even your fine single that we published from the beach was actually part of an essay…right?? i think it is a good thing by and large that photographers are thinking narrative…but i also do like to celebrate the solitary moment…..send me one please!!

    cheers, david

  1517. a civilian-mass audience

    yeap…what’s wrong with the singles…
    Come on BURNIANS…can you submit at least one…:)))

    VALERY…it seems that you BURNIANS are very focused celebrating life…

    “and even the best has flaw”…go figure…
    another round on me…:)))

  1520. a civilian-mass audience

    …THOMAS…it seems that we are again in the wrong continent…

    noooooo…BURN is the place to Be…BUT if MAGNUM is in the same family as BURN…then
    mathematically :

    MAGNUM = BURN
    BURN = is the place to be
    then we can have the exisosis that
    MAGNUM is the place to be

    ok…I am out…for now…KATIEEEEEE…my dream is coming true…

  1521. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…7th in the stomach…got to go…I know who is coming after me…

    laughing loud…and you all know by now…what it happens to me:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

  1522. david bowen

    lookbetween n slideluckpotshow..
    what i did shown and photos – 2 of.
    http://www.bophoto.co.uk/wpblog/

    i´m still intending to write up lookbetween properly and point to some of the most interesting presentations.. one hour soonish..

    DAH – the narrative in photographs of living proof.. wondering what the main direction in mind was, since it seem non-linear.. mixed crowd, live and portraits.. begins with the contemporary and midway through introduces african roots..
    will read the text again since i have only skimmed so far.. perhaps the answers lay therein.
    the crowd shots are excellent – from one who knows how difficult it can be
    :ø)

  1523. Valery Rizzo

    Hi David,

    I have had a single submitted for the longest time, maybe since last year. Another portrait from my Brooklyn series. I just figured the editors decided on other photographs or essays to publish. Maybe I should resubmit.
    Thanks David. By the way if I did not already say so, I thought the choices for The EPF finalists were superb.

  1525. michael webster

    …with all the tech advances, with all the education opportunities etc etc, you would imagine more good work…same with Hollywood for example…

    I watched a special about Pixar last night and the takeaway on how they manage to do such high quality work film after film was that they all genuinely loved what they were doing; the only audience they considered was themselves; and that telling a compelling story came before everything else. There was some interesting stuff about what makes a compelling story as well.

    Thanks all for your kind comments on the Mermaid Day thing. I like the many levels of irony in the piece, a few of which reflect back upon myself. Technically, I’m a little bummed because I’m working on an entirely different way of presenting these things, but am not even close to having my workflow down to where I can do something like that in a 24 hour turnaround. Soon though. Soon.

  1526. a civilian-mass audience

    http://www.bophoto.co.uk/wpblog/
    OOO

    FROSTFROG,
    I am with you…safe travels…we will meet …!!!

    MR.HARVEY,
    thank you…for everything

    KATIEEEEEEE…and the nightshift…MYGRACIE,ROSSY,GORDON,BOBBY…
    all of you …you know your names…I LOVE YOU

    BURNIANS…find your vision…be you…be real…civilians will follow you…

    I need more BURNIANS…the silents one…I know you are out there

    SPONSORS,DONORS…thank you

    No nee to reply…I am celebrating…death and life…

    P.S

  1527. a civilian-mass audience

    AKAKY…civilian is getting too needy…lately:)))

    MR.VINK…we need update…safe travels:)))

    I will definitely be back…

  1529. david bowen

    eva.

    it is – not half as involved as i wanted it to get.. ran out of time on it so working on another one now which is far more choppy and will lend much more of a feel to what it is like to shoot and move at the venues.. more energy, claustrophobia and sweat.. and more time..
    look three needed 3 mins only.

    want to get much more into manipulating in photoshop and treating each photo on a frame by frame basis.. i mean to say animating the photos through manipulation in photoshop and laying them into the time line..
    learning final cut has opened a door in perception of slideshows for me which reaches far beyond slideshow pro or soundslides.. the ability is there to do so much more and i want to explore deeper.. especially seeing as so many potential clients (such as at look 3) are open to the idea of dropping ready made multimedia into sites.

    :ø)

  1530. eva

    “Man there are so many photographers with good gear out there. How come we see so little really good photography?”

    Perhaps ’cause there’s the wrong association with two words made: ‘good gear = good photographer’.. or simply ‘gear = photographer’.. I wonder how that comes, we don’t call everyone holding a pen a (good) writer, nor everyone playing a guitar a musician.. but very often to possess a camera equals being a photographer.. wrong in my eyes..

  1531. michael webster

    David Bowen, I really like what you did with the multimedia presentation. Great stuff.

    Are you familiar with House music? I went to a dance thing a few months ago and one of the companies did work based on House. It was fantastic stuff and I was blown away by the music (haven’t been able to find any House remotely like it, unfortunately). Anyway, I went to a talk afterward and the founder of the company spoke about House in a way that can only be described as deeply religious. She had been an anthropology major at Princeton but abandoned academia to concentrate all her time on House. Just wondered if you see or are familiar with that kind of thing?

  1533. david bowen

    michael – muc of the work i photographed over the 12 years was at house music events.. some techno.. some hip hop.. some electro.. mostly house and it´s various styles..
    some deep house music at the jazz end of the spectrum still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
    the surprise for me is that the sound, invented in detroit and taken much, much further by the english, has never really got the solid foothold in the states that is has done in europe.. even in the major east and west coast cities it remains obscured and on the sidelines for the most part.

  1534. david bowen

    in many clubs around the world house music has led to a kind of religious experience for many of it´s followers.. from the hippie free party ethic to the heavily MDMA influenced love in´s.. it is mainly house and it´s incarnations which have facilitated this first world-wide movement in youth culture, although undoubtedly other sub cultures are doing the job of breaking down borders themselves.

    right – running to pick up tor capa..
    back tomorrow perhaps.
    d

  1537. david bowen

    a couple of record labels to look at would be WARP, ACCIDENTAL, DIY, DEFECTED.. all have pretty good range of electronic and house music represented and created by musicians..

  1538. kathleen fonseca

    David B

    GREAT WORK! i envy your technical and creative abilities..that multimedia piece put me right there, made me feel the music i couldn´t hear, even though there was music in the background..i LOVE electronic music of all kinds but wouldn´t know the diff between house and cottage..i put some on at a drawing class recently and everyone peeked around their easels at me and asked me if they were in a gay bath house. I had no idea what they were even talking about (i know, duh!!). I just developed a taste for this music in a total vacuum. I didn´t know who was good, bad or indifferent..just began buying CD´s. Didn´t/don´t know anything about the scene, underground or otherwise. Did you see the Underworld video i posted above? No matter..anyway, thanks so much for posting the link to your piece. You did a wonderful job.

    ROSS

    You are adapting to a changing world. That´s what artists know how to do best, i believe. Adapt to the resources at hand. Problem-solving. Turning lemons into lemonaid. It´s how an artist thinks, on their feet, creatively, intuitively, flexing, flowing, thinking, doing. Keep me updated on his it´s working out for you. I wish you the very best in your newer simpler lifestyle with hopefully mature and powerful personal work coming out of it.

    Best
    Kathleen

  1539. david bowen

    actually – michael.. some of the coolest intimate house parties i have photoed were in and around Brooklyn .. small cafes which warp into nightclub type vibes for up to 40 or 50 people once nighttime comes.
    i don´t have the names of any i worked as i was with a fixer, yet they cannot be so hard to find.

    NY nightclubs are odd when it comes to house music.. centro fly used to be a good center although it has probably closed, as seems to happen through a combination of anti rave restrictions and lack of interest in the states.
    d

  1540. michael webster

    David B, mweb202 on Skype. Thanks. I’ve gone back and forth about getting in touch with some of those people and checking out the scene. Probably won’t do it myself, but next time you’re in town I might be able to point you in interesting directions.

  1541. david bowen

    thanks kathleen..
    i´d really encourage anyone to spend a little time with video editing software and photos.. once over the exclusive feel of the knowledge needed, it´s actually pretty smooth learning.. not as fearsome nor intimidating as the software might seem.. and the benefits over regular slideshow programs are astonishing.

    i missed the underworld vid – sorry to say i have been too busy to read much and selfishly turn up only to post at the moment :ø) heard and photographed them many, many times though.. there was a year or two where it was not possible to go to a festival without them headlining..

  1542. kathleen fonseca

    David

    Imants has been saying the same thing..what software do you recommend for a rank beginner? i have never even done a slideshow but since i have built a website (not operational yet)..i would love to take my work to the next level.

    Hahaha, yes, i am sure you´ve seen your fill of Underworld..i tend to feel they are my own private discovery which, when you think about it, that i found them only by totally feeling my way around in the dark, is natural. The video i posted was ¨Cowgirl¨..and i can tell you, that and a double expresso helped me stay up till the wee hours editing photos.

    Anyway, congratulations on your work. I await more!!!

    Off to worksi

    kat

  1545. david bowen

    and..

    andy levin posted to me through facebook in response to the NYT article.. and my response to andy..

    ¨Andy Levin
    Great stuff…the future of photojournalism has more to do with the beancounters who run the media business now than the photographers themselves, this has been the case for more than 20 years. Photojournalism predates even television and now its progeny, the internet….it has survived albeit feebly till now and will probably stagger along propped up by seemingly more frequent catastrophic events…at least I hope so.
    2 hours ago ·¨
    ¨David Bowen
    it is a great piece andy and highlights for me the point that it is the photographer, not the image in itself, which brings about change.. in tims case he has found the best way to engage with the greatest size audience he possibly can.. bleasdale talked on burnmagazine about his congo book being more of a packaged folio he could put directly … See moreinfront of the ´right´ people.. and how he has given hundreds of them away in doing so.
    i think tim is right that maximum audience for his work is the right way to go, rather than a narrowly channeled direction.. i guess we all have to decide for ourselves which way to go.
    as an aside – after reading this i really wish tim had made it along to lookbetween as his points hit the nail of many discussions.. actually – would have been of great benefit to have you there as well :ø) ¨

  1547. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAVID B

    WOW, man, you really NAILED IT with that mm piece “Wasted”!!!!!!!!! Knowing EM as I do made it all the more meaningful but I’m sure EM novices would love it too. Great work!!!

    Grandma Techno

  1549. Ross Nolly

    David AH; “what looked good to you as an entry level photographer, may not look good to you anymore…”

    Funny; I had an example of this a week or so ago. Every now and then I still attend the local camera club. There was one person’s work that continually shone out above everything else; there were glimmers of what could be.

    She took up photography about 2 years ago, but about 12 months ago became really serious, and wasn’t getting the help she needed at the club, or from a 12-month polytechnic course she took. The polytechnic course was a joke; the paying course run by a “photographer” who didn’t really care and never tried to help his students.

    Over the last 3 or 4 months I’ve been trying to help her out with critiques etc. I work on the theory that people have helped me out (you included!) so why not do the same?

    She had just bought a book by a portrait photographer and was so excited when it arrived. Well about a week later we looked over 2 books over a 3-hour cup/s of coffee. We looked at Bill Allard’s Portraits of America and Sylvia Plachy’s Self Portrait with Cows Going Home. We sat there and pulled to bits and deconstructed every image.

    Next day I got a text from her saying “I was growling at you all this morning. I looked at my new book and hate it now! Every picture is a “nearly!” A nearly is what I call one of my photos that is “nearly” right, but I didn’t pull it off.

    She was amazed how much her eye had changed in a 3-hour period. She was exposed to work she had never seen before. And I don’t think Plachy’s work is easily accessible for a beginner, I know I wouldn’t have “got” her work at her stage of development.

    I also learnt a lot from deconstructing every pic and describing what was in it and why it worked. So it was a valuable exercise for me too.

    Cheers :-)

  1550. panos skoulidas

    Relief Haiti fund…James Nachtwey exhibition…tonight , NY , 401 West St…be there…anton arriving, kerry driving, hillary keeps company to anton, im shooting…mike C is already there (he did all the nachtwey prints-big bravo), DAH will be there and lots and lots of good people …

  1551. Justin Smith

    Ross, always glad to read about guys like you and DAH giving selflessly. It reminded me of some correspondence I had with the late Al Kaplan on The Rangefinder Forum. Upon writing to him that I had enjoyed and learned a lot from his posts, he replied:

    “Sometime about 1966 I attended a lecture by the cultural anthropologist Margaret Meade. She talked about changes in the American family. Smaller families with less kids from one generation to the next, people moving away from their families to faraway places, like my mom moving from Massachusettes to Florida. She talked about the fact that kids traditionally learn skills not just from their parents but also from aunts and uncles as well. Uncle Bob might be a skilled woodworker or Aunt Emma makes the world’s best chocolate chip cookies, but that world was fast disapearing. She said that we should strive to be aunts and uncles to our friends’ and neighbors’ children, passing on our skills and knowledge to them. That’s why I write so much on the forum.

    Al”

    That really stuck with me – now I’m the bicycle repair dad for my street. We also have a street sports mom, the ice cream vendor dad that gives the kids free snow cones, et al…

    Tell your friend to not be too discouraged with the “nearlies”; some of my favorite music is nowhere near perfect, with the wabi-sabi of unintended guitar feedback or the notes of a slightly missed lick. Having something to say and raw sincerity means a lot – to me, anyway.

  1552. Ross Nolly

    Justin;

    I think the lack of “unofficial” aunts and uncles in modern society is a real shame. With people living more insular lives there doesn’t seem to be the same free exchange of information and help between neighbours over the back fence.

    Funny; I just had a quick coffee with my friend and we talked over the subject. What she was surprised about was just how much her view had changed (and how much she had learnt) by being exposed to more challenging work. The book she had initially liked now seems too “simple and easy” to her now.

    But I also stressed to her how it was a two-way street because I learnt a lot too. The sheer act of talking about and pulling each pic to bits forced me to see many elements in the photos that I hadn’t really noticed before. I suppose the message is that you never stop learning!

    As for music; as much as I love Clapton, give me a rough and ready Keith Richards riff any day!

    Cheers :-)

  1555. kathleen fonseca

    Justin

    That was just a great post..i read it after writing my comment to Ross..what a positive attitude you are expressing..i also agree that there is often a lot more soul in the nearlies than there is in the perfect. The perfect just stops there. Like a period at the end of a sentence. The consensus is, yup, perfect. What more is there to say? The imperfect on the other is open ended. It yearns for more, would be more, could have been more..sits there silently begging for acceptance for what it is or perhaps even what could still be made from it with the proper skills. Sometimes the imperfect is only that. A fragmented phrasing that will never suggest a deeper mystery or truth. But sometimes we find there was more than we first knew about a nearly. Occasionally, magically, over time we find the only thing “nearly” about the photo was that we very nearly threw out perfection.

    thanks, both..great posts!

    best
    Kathleen

  1556. Ross Nolly

    Katie;

    What I mean by “nearly” is not whether it is perfect etc, but that it actually fulfills your vision you were trying to convey. I really noticed it looking through those 3-4 year old negs the other day. There were so many where I could see what I was aiming to depict, but didn’t quite pull it off. Nearly; as in very nearly pulled it off, but not quite!

  1557. kathleen fonseca

    Ross…

    wahhhooooooooHooOOoooooowaaaaahooooooooohoooooooo..damn but i enjoyed that guitar..hot and slow as sweltering blacktop runnin’ straight through town like an underline coming from nowhere, going nowhere.

    i almost ended up living in Mississippi once..aside from Jackson, the state was a really, REALLY, old timey southern place..in every way. i remember front porches made from raw old planks, washing machines in the side yard, dogs in the heat, country blacks looking like they’d been planted there a hundred years ago. Like being on the moon for me, a yankee from up north. i got out fast as i could.

    Thanks for that, Ross, took me back in time..way back :)

  1558. kathleen fonseca

    Ross

    Yes, i see..i was talking about the ones we think were nearly right when we shot them and then find out later that we actually were shooting far above our skill level at the time. Two sides to the same “nearly” coin, no?

    k

  1560. kathleen fonseca

    Ross…

    my contribution to the night shift..mmmm…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uFcPjILC7k&feature=related

    nah, never saw Wrong-eyed Jesus. (will check out the YOu-tube links in a moment). It’s is so unfortunate that i had no thoughts of photography back in the 70’s when i lived down south..i lived way back in the piney woods of East Texas (yes, Jim’s country)..if i knew then what i know now..i’da had a Canon AE1 plastered to my face 24/7

  1561. panos skoulidas

    ok..we’re back…Photo auction/Haiti relief , success…
    One of the exhibiting photogs was Charles Peterson, (Kurt Cobain smiling photo)…
    DAH’s photo (two horses fighting) sold of course ..Bob Dylan’s portrait (Billy the Kid) and a street scene also sold..same as Bruce Springsteen’s portrait…
    great experience/party… Many bought photos helping Haiti…u could also buy a t-shirt and contribute/donate from as little to as much u can afford,,,all funds going to the relief fund…
    Dinner with Michael Loyd Young and Hill,Kerry,Jess…they continued to the Bembe bar for reggae night but me and DAH returned to the loft…1:09 am in NY…2 be continued..

  1564. a civilian-mass audience

    RIDERS

    The surest thing there is is we are riders,
    And though none too successful at it, guiders,
    Through everything presented, land and tide
    And now the very air, of what we ride.

    What is this talked-of mystery of birth
    But being mounted bareback on the earth?
    We can just see the infant up astride,
    His small fist buried in the bushy hide.

    There is our wildest mount–a headless horse.
    But though it runs unbridled off its course,
    And all our blandishments would seem defied,
    We have ideas yet that we haven’t tried.

    Robert Frost

    I will be up in the mountains …reading poetry …hiiiii…or pretending…:)))
    You are ALL RIDERS…and I LOVE YOU …Keep the music ,keep the spirit,keep reporting
    …I wanna know everything…I am a civilian after all
    Thank you

  1566. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSYYYYY…KATHLEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN…JOHNG…
    keep the music running …
    PANOS keep the news coming…
    JUSTIN keep the memories alive

    AKAKY … if you submit one more of the farm pictures …I will have to eat my 6th chicken…

    P.S JENNY….LASSAL…MARCIN…thank you for all your messages…!!!

    HAIK you are the best…Thank you…

  1567. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS…ATTENTION…don’t forget:

    “Magnum book signing party. Wednesday evening June 23 rd 6pm at Milk Gallery New York…”

  1568. a civilian-mass audience

    ohhh…it’s signing..not singing…
    oupsssieee

    anyways…What not to sign!!!:)))

  1570. michael webster

    Nice write up David B. I think the upshot will be that professional photographers will pretty much will need at least one staff, possibly two (creative and technical). I like what you did with your presentation, and Imants is another example of someone here who does those things very well, but I fear those just scratch the surface of what will be expected. I’m aware I’m all talk now. I’ve been working a lot on an ongoing project, which I do not show, but am planning to put together some more generic examples to hopefully generate discussion. Cause it’s not just the time and technology. Those are the pre-reqs, but you gotta have good taste and design sensibility or none of that matters. And there are ethical questions as well. Just how much farther can we go in manipulating still images? The technical answer is a helluva a lot farther. Cropping and cleaning up dust specks gave way to adjusting curves and the like in Photoshop. What about turning a still image into 3D and rotating a virtual camera around the subject or exploring the nooks and crannies of the composition? To do those things is technically difficult, but doable; very challenging taste and design-wise; and ethically questionable within the context of historical photojournalism. See what I mean? No? Well…

  1571. david bowen

    i think it´s going to be all about in house MM experts at the mags, and my collaborating with them as i used to with art directors on layout..
    i´m not sure things will be so different for me day to day in the long run – so long as magazines reinvest savings from print costs into in house MM staff..

    i´m no video expert.. perhaps i will become one, who knows.. remember though that i´m no magazine layout expert.. no webdesign expert.. all by collaboration.

  1573. Justin Partyka

    David Bowen,

    I think you’re right there about MM experts at the mags etc.

    I think it is very easy to lose focus on what we as photographers should be doing – out there making content for these MM experts, not spending our days in front of the computer trying to become half-arsed experts at MM production, when the REAL experts can do it far better.

    At Look Between, was there much discussion about how MM content will be paid for. I still think if this shift to digital content having priority is going to work, the photographer has to receive a worthy financial rate.

    Justin P

  1574. michael webster

    Yea, to some extent, but the trend seems to be (definitely is) offloading more and more of the work and expense off to the photographer.

    Since my last post I created this as a very unrefined example of using motion graphics to move around a photograph and direct the viewers’ attention. Quickly tested on Safari and FireFox. Didn’t work on Iphone.

  1575. kathleen fonseca

    Ross:

    I had NO idea you liked Who!! I never did like them. Just never cottoned to them. But i liked that video so hope you did too. I am enjoying our video exchange at night. It keeps me awake :))

    Civilian Mountain Man!

    I loved the Rider poem..it was so apropo..and i laughed at your comment to Akaky about eating Bouboulina..from behind clenched teeth that is..as in, DON´T YOU DARE! And please, when you ¨see¨him, say hello to the Haik-u among us. He is missed.

    must be off (my rocker)
    besos y abrazos darlingest one

    Katie

  1576. aitken

    Justin P,
    I completely agree, as technologies, software, hardware and mediums evolve more and more has been placed at the photographer’s door and clients demand more and more from the individual. 10 years ago who would have expected photographers to be delivering fully colour adjusted, possibly retouched and prepared high res tiffs al produced in house all for a small increase in rates. This is the norm now. There are photographers/studios who will leap on the MM possibility and learn the skills but there are also photgraphers who will know that their value lies in taking the pictures and letting others do the backend work.

    Finding that worthy financial rate and sticking to it is key. The same as any industry.

    Cheers

    P.S we must go for that beer sometime, we live in the same county.

  1577. Frank Michael Hack

    DAH

    I like your analogy of photography to music. Definitely need some technical skill and a good instrument helps but how many can make a Gibson sing like BB King with Lucille. There is something in between the notes that not everyone can capture. Still trying to figure it all out. As they say practice makes perfect…. Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge…. Maybe my Dad’s insistence on taking accordion lessons still has a chance to pay off : ))

  1578. Akaky

    CIVI,

    NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    DO NOT KILL THE 6TH CHICKEN! THINK OF ITS PARENTS! HOW WILL THE CHICKEN LIVE UP TO ITS POTENTIAL IF YOU TURN THE POOR BIRD INTO CHICKEN CACCIATORY-LIBDEM? WHY INFLICT SUCH A TRAGEDY ON ONE SO YOUNG AND UNDESERVING OF SUCH A FATE? NO MORE COUNTRY FOR YOU, THEN; ONLY URBAN SCENES FROM NOW ON, BUT SPARE THE POOR 6TH CHICKEN. OH WOE, WOE IS ME, OR RATHER, WOE IS THE 6TH CHICKEN! DO NOT DAMAGE ITS SELF-ESTEEM IN THIS WAY, CIVI, GENERATIONS OF CHICKENS YET UNBORN WILL THANK YOU AND HONOR YOU AND SING YOUR PRAISES ABOVE THOSE OF EVERY OTHER GREEK OF THIS GENERATION!

    AKAKY IRL: Okay, I’ll bite: why are you screaming at this Civi person?

    AKAKY: I’m trying to save the 6th chicken from a fate worse than death.

    AKAKY IRL: Really? Let’s start from the basis that chickens are fairly nasty little bastards to begin with, what could be a fate worse than death?

    AKAKY: Not living up to its fullest personal potential, dude, you know, or becoming fried chicken or somthing like that.

    AKAKY IRL: I hate to rain on your parade here, guy, but for a chicken being deep fried with the Colonel’s 11 herbs and spices is living up to its fullest personal potential.

    AKAKY: You know, I refuse to believe that.

    AKAKY IRL: Look, guy, you can refuse to believe a lot of things, but that don’t mean they ain’t true.

    AKAKY: You’re a very cynical individual, you know that, right?

    AKAKY IRL: So people keep telling me.

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3565/3371410544_8d498086a8_b.jpg

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3370590269_70da69aa3a_b.jpg

    [DISCLAIMER: No chickens were harmed during the taking of these photographs.]

  1579. a civilian-mass audience

    ohhh…KATIE FONSECA…you are such a writer…the book…I can wait…
    I will leave the chickens alone…I am into fish now:)))
    LOVE U
    AKAKY…damnit…that’s my mountain…are you in Greece too???

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABELE …Viva Italia!!!

    Back to our regular program…videos,MM’S …you got to do what you got to do…
    you are the PHOTO PHILOSOPHERS…

  1580. aitken

    In Ghana, the chickens that live the longest are called “Professor chickens” because they might be bright to have lasted that long.

    I

  1581. a civilian-mass audience

    okk…can someone help me out with the AKAKY phenomenon…

    just a raw talent…where are my academians…when I need them…

    I LOVE YOU AKAKY…my respect…Thank you

  1582. a civilian-mass audience

    MR.HARVEY…

    IMO…I believe we have singles-selected photos from the master AKAKY…
    just a suggestion …I know…

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE…

  1584. david bowen

    with MM experts.. true it could be left to their hands..
    yet – having spent years manipulating photos in a colour darkroom.. 2 enlargers.. 1 day per print if lucky.. id on´t know if the technology is that much to learn.
    that is to say – black n white & colour printing n developing.. print manipulation.. time spent going to the lab.. post office.. all the areas in phtoography where time has been saved through the web and photoshop..

    it might be the case that getting a good grasp on the possibilities of MM is no more work than things used to be.

    the money.. well thats the thing.. where is the money going to come from.
    then again – having always tried to do more than the client asked for in the first place, there has always been an element of doing work for the passion.. to do my best and try out new things.

    one thing which is certain is that the old model for publishing is going..

  1585. michael webster

    I’m sure it will play many different ways. On the higher end, as you say, collaboration with experts will be key. For DYI, my guess is that After Effects is the new Photoshop. Actually Photoshop + After Effects + FCP is the new Photoshop. But again, technology-wise, these things are doable. Right now I’m more curious about the taste, design, and ethics of it. What do you think of that crude little example I made? Is that kind of moving around an image, drawing attention to its different parts Kosher? I think if not it will be quite soon and I see it as a formidable design challenge. I can pretty much guarantee loads of garish crap will be produced. It will be as bad or worse than when people first got their hands on Photoshop and started replacing colors and compositing.

  1587. tom hyde

    Civi – Tom Young is finishing the chicken coop, over-engineered and designed as usual but going off-farm soon, soon.

    Michael – I like MM but simple, like One in 8 million, or if more involved with video, then like Driftless: Stories from Iowa done with Media Storm’s help. If the story is compelling then bells and whistles do more to detract than add for me. I wish I could have seen the MM pieces at LookBetween that David Bowen describes so well on his latest blog post (thank you David?). Starting to dig through the links looking for nuggets.

    David B. – Where is the money going to come from? It will happen for the best work, I have faith. With quickly evolving content delivery systems, and the millions wrapped up in them, content will once again be king. But I wouldn’t expect the commission up front.

  1589. michael webster

    Tom, yes, simple, that’s what I’m talking about regarding taste and design. But I just don’t see how Driftless is significantly different than newsmagazine broadcast journalism. I see nothing new whatsoever about that. I’m okay with the construction of One in Eight Million but suspect that people will find much more creative ways to use the technology to present photographs and photo-centric multimedia stories. Also, when speaking about these things we should keep in mind that multi-media and motion graphics are two different things, though one often includes the other. On one in eight million, the opening screen with the reel of stories makes much use of motion graphics. The stories themselves are multi-media.

    Perhaps the Ken Burns effect is a good example of what I’m talking about. That is a simple example of motion graphics. First it was radical, now it is ubiquitous and for many a pre-requisite for looking at photos. If we accept that panning across photos in that manner is okay, then I don’t see any significant ethical difference in doing it better, with 3D motion tricks and such. Whether or not that can be done in such a way that is tasteful and compelling is a question, but I suspect that, like the Ken Burns effect, someone will hit on it and that new look will become ubiquitous as well.

  1590. michael webster

    Personally, btw, I prefer images presented the more traditional way. Still, matted, framed, and perhaps sequenced. Can be books, prints on walls, or slideshows on screen. And maybe the old ways are the best ways, but back in 1995 I couldn’t imagine that I would prefer to read news online instead of holding an ink stained dead tree in my hands, and I was involved in some fairly high level media discussions about that possibility, so I’m open to other possibilities. Not just open, but interested in actively pursuing them.

  1591. tom hyde

    Michael, gotcha, and everything you say makes good sense of course. It’s just my personal preference which I’m sure does not fit the mainstream market. For me, the Ken Burn’s effect is most certainly not a prerequisite. In the same way, I prefer photos in a book on a very clean page, my favorite architecture stripped down to its essence with subtle complexity, and my furniture classically proportioned at 8:5 with its strength often hidden in joinery details you have to really look for. Again, just me, and I am not discounting in any way the imperative for innovation and experimentation.

  1594. kathleen fonseca

    AKAKY IRL

    Obviously you have no idea who Bouboulina was..or else you would not, NOT suggest that immersion in a deep frier is in any way fulfilling her highest potential. Bouboulina was born to lead legions of our feathered friends into battle for improved conditions: i.e. farther flung free ranges, tastier grub, sexier, more cluck-worthy roosters, plusher nests, a longer life-span, more colorful hybrid models, and getting pigs, goats and what-not the hell out of their barnyard once and for all. So join me in urging Civi to keep eating fish and let the teenaged Bouboulina grow-up to become the stuff of legend for generations of future chicks instead of just another pretty bit of breast meat on Civi´s dish.

    Besy
    Kathie

  1596. Gordon L

    So it seems Burn has comletely abandoned the “selected photograph”, too bad, I miss it. Singles spawned some of the most interesting discussion.

    Regarding software, the essays that appear here, other than the multi-media peices, are created with what software?

  1598. Frostfrog

    Kathleen – I saw the reference to the book you must have coming out, so I started to back up to see if I could learn something about it. I haven’t found it yet, but I did find your link to The Who.

    I didn’t intend to watch more than a few seconds of it, but, damn, I watched the whole piece. I was fifteen again, surfing in the cold waters of Northern California, near Eureka, burning fires make of redwood driftwood to warm by on the beach, shotguns and rifles at the ready for ducks, or just to shoot targets when the surf was down and we got bored. Pepsis and Hostess Berry pies. I could see it all, smell it and taste. Just because of your post.

    So that’s where you put me. I loved the Who. And later, Led Zeppelin even more.

    I don’t think I have any more time to search for the info on your book, but I am certain you will post more down the road. I want to know and I want to see the book.

    Michael Webster – I was fascinated by your exercise at moving around on the photo. As you know, I am flailing away, in the early stages of trying to figure out how to present myself and survive online and I had not even thought of adding in such a thing.

    So much to learn.

    Well, I don’t really have time to be here. I leave for Greenland in 34 hours and if you could see the list of things that I need to do between now and when I leave, you would see that I should not be here at all. I am just escaping, so that I will face that much more pressure to escape from tomorrow.

    I guess I just have to miss out and it looks like much of the discussion lately has been about things that deeply interest me. I don’t even have time to fill myself in.

    If I don’t make it back here before I leave, I certainly do not expect to have time to do so while I am gone, so right now I will invite anybody who might be interested to follow along next week as I make a valiant effort to photo-blog the happenings and the people who will be gathering from Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland for General Assembly of the Inuit Circumpolar Council.

    It should be an interesting experiment. We will see what one man with a camera and willingness to go long hours without sleep can do with such an event. I have been thinking about adding in a little video and sound, but I don’t – that might be the distraction that breaks my back. Oh, God – I hope I have a good, fast, wireless internet connection. I am told I will. I sure hope so.

    Michael, I want to learn more about the sound system you purchased. Not right now, but sometime down the road.

  1599. Gordon Lafleur

    Frostfrog
    My band does an old whaling song “Greenland is a hell of a place, it’s a place that’s never green, where there’s ice and there’s snow, and the whale fishes blow, and the daylight’s seldom seen brave boys, the daylight’s seldom seen.”

    Of course this time of year, the daylight is always seen, and Greenland is getting greener with global warming. Have fun. Show us some pics when your’e back.

  1602. a civilian-mass audience

    FROSTFROG,

    you are traveling to Greenland, I am in Grecoland…AKAKY is in Farmland…KATIE is in Costa Ricaland
    …BUT all we BURNIANS, we are connected…cause we are all in BURNLAND…

    HAIK…DA MAN …you da man…

    TOM,HERVE,PANOS…Thank you for reporting …!!!

    KATIEEEEEEEEEE…the book I told ya…i ate fish yesterday…
    I am proud of myself…come on join me…

    LOVE YOU BURNIANS…VIVA MAGNUM…

    Can I have my chicken now???

  1603. michael webster

    Gordon, it depends on what applications you have. My guess is that if you have Lightroom, you’d want SSP for Lightroom. If not, and you have Flash, then SSP for Flash. Otherwise Standalone.

    I have SSP for Flash and actually chose it after a lot of research before I ever saw Burn. The workflow for creating a slideshow is kind of clunky but I’ve done it so many times now that I can blow through it very quickly. Bit of a learning curve though.

  1604. david alan harvey

    GORDON….

    i have mentioned several times lately that “selected photographs” is not dead, but it is true we receive very few strong single submissions…we receive approximately 1000 submissions per month, and when Anton and i recently went through all of them, i think we pulled out only a handful of singles…we do have some good ones coming however, so please be patient…right now we are in the middle of trying to redesign the Magnum website and overall Magnum online presence…right along with a redesign for Burn and Burn 01….all going hand in hand and all taking 20 hours a day….we have been on a marathon of thought and work…..in any case, send me a single….. a special portrait from you would be most welcomed….

    cheers, david

  1605. david alan harvey

    JUSTIN PARTYKA…

    how photographers are going to be compensated in the near future is a concern to all whether it be MM or traditional presentation…and trying to find the right model for this occupies much of my thinking for those of us here on Burn, at Magnum and all who practice this craft as a way of earning a living from the wellspring of our deepest passions…our token payment plan here on Burn is of course intended mostly to set an example for the large media companies to follow suit…no matter how Burn manifests itself in the future , i doubt we would ever be able to be a financial support system for photographers..but, we might just be able to help…while making money is not a motive for any serious photographer i know, it still would be nice to be able to earn a reasonable living from our craft..one of the Magnum photographers just came back from a gathering of young photographers in Germany and he said that none of them even thought there would ever be any chance for assignments in the old model…most were just going from one grant application to another…both Emily Schiffer and Davide Monteleone have won multiple grants/awards this spring for example…i cannot see how one can go through a career winning grants etc, but at least there are enough out there for some photographers to at least get a kick start…again, i am working on it…whether or not i can make something of it beyond our grant and payment plan i do not know….but i do feel compelled to give it a shot…

    cheers, david

  1606. Imants

    The great part is that the new generation of photographers will no be weighed down with excess baggage of the photograph being king. Most will be MM predators with a great flair for diversity

    As for the freelancer their table of goodies gets better day by day. Technology is making things easy, there will be no need to learn high end applications like after effects etc as stuff is broken into smaller applications strung together to create the final product. I can have a simple slide show on the net running in minutes once I have the content.

    That is the key,,,,, good content will get you a great result as technology helps to gloss the imperfections. Great content will give you what you really want to express with simple technology. Look at the moving pictures, sophisticated technology has not led to better results and even the kids are aware of that.

  1607. aitken

    Great/easy technolgy/software, good content, guts and determination win out even with the kids. The world is a diverse place, individuals all have their own likes and specialities. If you prefer working with the software, so be it if you prefer working behind the camera, so be it, if you like to fuse the two, so be it.

    Check this 19 year old http://www.joeyl.com he has a fine grip on commerciality, software and photography and also a fine sense of his position and direction in the world. He is already balancing commercial work, with travelling, exploring and shooting his personal stuff.

    cheers

    I

  1608. michael webster

    Very good points, Imants. I’m not so sure, however, that the high end applications will go away any time soon. One reason is that many of us will always want to create something unique, or at least relatively unique and will always feel ridiculously constricted by simple, building block type applications that have limited, if any, customization options. The other reason is that higher end applications, although they may have a steep learning curve, are actually much easier to use once mastered. David Bowen’s presentation at Lookbetween, for example, would have been much easier and quicker to do in After Effects than FCP and the result could have been a bit more sophisticated. I don’t know what you used for your recent 7 minute production? Something like FCP, I’m guessing? Anyway, I think you are the better example here. Without design sense, technology will just produce crappy presentations and the higher end apps will just produce more craptacular shows. Didn’t I read somewhere that you write design textbooks? Maybe you oughtta write one for multimedia presentation design. Probably be a nice market for that. I might even buy one.

  1609. a civilian-mass audience

    FOR YOU MY BURNIANS
    “What’s really important is to simplify. The work of most photographers would be improved immensely if they could do one thing: get rid of the extraneous. If you strive for simplicity, you are more likely to reach the viewer.”
    William Albert Allard

    and FOR THE CIVILIANS(like myself)
    “With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy.”
    Lope de Vega (Outstanding dramatist of the Spanish Golden Age, author of as many as 1800 plays, 1562-1635)

    so let’s give it a shot…!!!

    P.S http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh4r5BTptxM
    for all of you…Simple Man-Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Video
    LOVE PEACE AND PHOTOGRAPHY

  1610. a civilian-mass audience

    and for my BURNIAN LADIES…
    my sincere apologies …BUT I had to do…what I had to do
    copy and paste…:)))

    Come sit beside me, my only daughter
    And listen closely to what I say.
    Oh if you do this
    It will help you some sunny day.

    Uh ohoh

    Oh take your time… don’t live too fast,
    Troubles will come and they will pass.
    Go find a man and you’ll find love,
    And don’t forget daughter,
    There is someone up above.

    Chorus:
    And be a simple kind of woman.
    Be something you love and understand.
    Baby be a simple kind of woman.
    Won’t you do this if you can?

    Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold
    All that you need is in your soul,
    And you can do this if you try.
    All that I want for you my daughter,
    Is to be satisfied.

    And be a simple kind of woman.
    And be something you love and understand.
    Baby be a simple kind of woman.
    Oh won’t you do this, for me daughter, if you can?

    Girl, don’t you worry… you’ll find yourself.
    Follow you heart and nothing else.
    And you can do this if you try.
    All that I want for you my daughter,
    Is to be satisfied.

    And be a simple kind of woman.
    And be something you love and understand.
    Baby be a simple kind of woman.
    Oh won’t you do this, for me daughter, if you can?

    LOVE…I know…the rest is BURNING history

  1611. paultreacy.com

    Beautiful essays most recently here at Burn. Intimate and personal etc. And the discussion on our future earning potential as photographers is all very important and something I too have been thinking a lot about.

    However, I was to go and shoot a short docu film today but have been feeling a little off as a result of a minor tummy bug and stayed home. Instead I decided to read up on what is happening with our bleeding planet.

    I am utterly sickened by what we have done. Humankind’s pomposity and hubris is very, very dangerous.

    Given that I am at a pivotal point in my career, emerging as a I from an extended sabbatical, I have decided to dedicate my talent as a photographer and filmmaker to environmentalism.

    I do not have a car. I don’t want a car. I don’t want to ever take a long haul flight again (though I likely will have to). My family and I try daily to leave as tiny a carbon footprint as possible. We use a car club only 4 or 5 times a year.

    I’m completely convinced that this is what I must do with my work. This has been settling in for some time and my reading today has been revelatory.

    I want to try and make work on a local level here in the London area and perhaps across the UK and Ireland. But I’m a little unsure where to begin. Any ideas, inspiration and advice would be hugely appreciated.

    Thank you.
    Paul Treacy.

  1612. Imants

    multimedia presentation design……. I wrote a few chapters some time ago and found it all a bit standoffish. This is really in teaching terms a team sport/ game, needing constant input and staying on task by all. That is the beauty it cannot be written ……….

  1613. paultreacy.com

    I’m going to start with a short film on crows. I’m fascinated by them. Their shadowy shenanigans. Their flying skills. Their weird squawking. Mixing it up with stills, motion and audio. Just a few minutes. I want to show people how amazing they are.

    Then maybe foxes. Urban creatures. Perhaps a series of short films of how these creatures thrive in our urban environments. No narration. No interviews. Just visuals and soundscapes. Then I’ll make a short film on humans. The racket we make. The machines we use. The litter we drop. The waste we cause.

    Not sure. Just brainstorming at the moment. Can I use my apparent ability with visual wit to shame us into changing our ways? That’s pompous and grandiose thinking right there. But I’m very fucking annoyed. Particularly at people I know well here in my London community who talk the talk and yet do nothing. They continue to guzzle fuel in copious amounts when they could so easily walk or use public transport.

    I’ll stop now otherwise I’ll really upset myself.

  1615. paultreacy.com

    Blame what?

    I’d just like to be able to challenge people to consider their habits and addictions in hopes of helping the sustainability effort.

    Let’s improve the management.

  1616. eva

    Been to an exhibition today, called reGeneration2 – Tomorrow’s Photographers Today

    http://www.elysee.ch/en/exhibitions/detail/article/regeneration2-photographes-de-demain/

    I was rather curious to see what these young people were up to, most were born around 1984, some elder, some younger, 80 photographers, 30 countries, usually 3 pictures each.. what I brought home after seeing the exhibit is one word: concept.

    With very few exceptions it’s all about introspectivity (if that is a word.. and if not, then it needs to be), more than about photography it is about the photographer and her/his looking at her/himself.

    It’s a long time I’ve not been so puzzled about photography.. and it’s quite some time I’ve not brought home the book or catalogue of the exhibit..

  1617. panos skoulidas

    Too many great photogs in one gallery…last night
    Magnum
    Iconics.. I don’t wanna start mentioning names
    cos there were too many…
    But I had to shake Antoine’s hand and tell him
    I love his work.. I had to..
    But yes, pretty much everyone was there:)

  1618. michael webster

    Hey, those interested in the multimedia/motion graphics conversation, I further refined the little test I created yesterday. In addition to being smoother and better, I think, at communicating what I’m trying to do, it also now plays on IPhone. The browser will be able to tell whether you have an IPhone or a computer and size it accordingly.

  1619. paultreacy.com

    Michael, what about a BlackBerry? Let me go explore.

    Eva, the word you’re looking for is introspection. And too much of it does my head in as well.

  1620. paultreacy.com

    Michel, I really like where you’re going with this. A whole movie in a single image. Excellent. Some audio of the surf would be lovely.

    Here, some European jazz of the highest calibre. I needed to chill and this did it for me.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtEztYjk88s
    The pianist died last year. Or perhaps the years before. A diving accident. What a loss for the European jazz scene. A loss indeed for jazz and music everywhere.

  1621. Akaky

    AKAKY: Were you there?

    AKAKY IRL: Was I where?

    AKAKY: I don’t know.

    AKAKY IRL: Probably not, then. I was reading about the adventures of Boubilina the SuperChicken.

    AKAKY: Is that a new comic book?

    AKAKY IRL: I dont think so. Boubilina exists to protect Greek chickens from the frying pan.

    AKAKY: An exercise in futility in the long run, dont you think?

    AKAKY IRL: True, but it gives idealists and vegans something constructive to do with their free time. Otherwise they’d all be at the track, betting on the horses.

    AKAKY: That doesnt sound like a terribly vegan thing to do.

    AKAKY IRL: Look, vegans dont eat the horses, they’re just betting on them. Being an idealist costs money, you know.

    AKAKY: So I’ve heard.

  1622. carlos filipe

    ALL (or to whom it may concern)

    another award for emerging photographers, “or every creator who uses photography as main expression, regardless of nationality, gender or age”: the ‘International Photography Award EMERGENTES dst’, from Festival Encontros da Imagem, in Braga (Portugal) has a prize money of 7.500€ plus an individual exhibition at the Festival in 2011. the deadline for submission (pre-selection) is July 30, 2010.
    rules and application form (in english), at http://www.encontrosdaimagem.com/portal/?page_id=297

    um forte abraço,
    Carlos Filipe

  1623. Brian Frank

    Hey all –

    I am planning a trip to NY to try to meet with photo editors, hopefully get my name out there and be thought of when Iowa caucus season comes around. Any of you NY Burnians want to get together? I’ll probably be in your neck of the woods the week of July 19.

    DAH – While I’m out there, I’d love to stop by the Burn-land and meet. I can bring the beer.

  1625. Ross Nolly

    Looks as though it is going to be a quiet night shift here!

    It looks as though the story I had thought had fallen through is back on track. I was wondering why there had been no return calls, texts etc and that somehow I had done something to have inadvertently blown the story. Turns out the person had been in hospital!

    I’m not playing secret squirrel with the story; I just don’t want to tempt fate and talk too much about it without having some runs on the board; so to speak!

    I also think I’ve managed to sort a way to clear a way for 12 (-ish!) months straight shooting/writing without having to rely too much on magazine work. So hopefully I’ll be able to do as the song says and “keep on walking til I find my way back home!!!” Back to the photography that I originally left the supermarket to do!!!

    Nobody says it better than Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee!

  1626. Herve

    ANGKOR FESTIVAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY wishes to promote the work of asian women photographers, during its November 2010 manifestation (Siam reap, cambodia).

    For this, the curator of the project, Yumi Goto has given me permission to bring this to your attention on BURN. The idea being to have asian women to submit their photographic work, with “how to” details in that link:

    http://web.me.com/heritagedesign75/Special_Call_for_Submissions/Special_Call_for_Submissions.html

    Hopefully, some of you know, or are, worthy candidates, and I can only encourage you to help Yumi and the Angkor festival highlight more uncovered asian photography, one of the goals of the festival.

    Thanks!

  1628. a civilian-mass audience

    AKAKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYIEEEEEEEEEEE…you are crazy:)))
    BUT
    “No great GENIUS has ever existed without some touch of madness.”
    Aristotle (Ancient Greek Philosopher 384 BC-322 BC)

    ROSSY…where is home???
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCk-f03o6aA&feature=related

    HOME IS the UNIVERSE…all we need is a good feta cheese and some red wine…:)))

    HERVE,PAUL,MICHAEL,EVA,PANOS,FELIPE,NACHO…Thank you for the updates…

    FRANK bring the beer:)))
    and
    …BRAVO to CHRISTOFER ANDERSON…today beer on him …

    LOVE TO ALLL…together we will make it

  1629. a civilian-mass audience

    ohhh, I have to thank GORDON(how is mama?),IMANTS,AITKEN,JUSTIN…for the updates…

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEE…I wanna throw up…no more fish…

    LOVE LOVE LOVE all we need is a photo…shelter:)))

  1630. Lee Guthrie

    Eva, you posted a photo a few days back to Civi. Is this a series? I love that photo.

  1633. Harry

    Paul, I like the idea, everything that is global is local, You could do well with the right kit telling stories about the flora and fauna on an inch of your skin. I’m trying to spend a year taking pictures within push bike range of my house (which is pretty close for a fat man like me) I really wanted to do a story on the Tuvalu Islands but it seemed stupid to fly around the world to do a story on Global warming. I’m really not sure about changing peoples minds though, we as a species seem shockingly stupid.

  1634. panos skoulidas

    ROOF TOP…KIBBUTZ ROOF TOP…click slideshow link below..

    ok…here is a slideshow about the legendary ROOF TOP of the KIBBUTZ building here in brooklyn…
    Many good people lived and still live here…many artists that you can meet every sunset on the rooftop…
    couple photos shot around the magnum party, couple at Nachtweys show , couple inside the loft but most,
    most of the photos are from the roof top..around that time when magic light arrives…

    http://picasaweb.google.com/innerspacecowpanos/RooftopJpg#slideshow/5486786484856219810

  1636. john gladdy

    So most of the time The ‘Magic Light’ was going on you were looking the other way right ? :)…or checking if you had a spinal tap asa setting.

  1637. Eric Espinosa

    PANOS,

    Thanks for sharing those images with us… You can feel in these images the good times, the warmth, the friendship… This rooftop is an amazing spot…the whole atmosphere in that building with all the artists, the “open door policy” is almost surreal!!! I wish I was there with all of you… I am sure you must enjoy these special moments…. Someone (might be Thomas) said that sometimes he feels like he is living on the wrong side of the ocean… It is easy to feel this way when looking at these pictures. Have fun gentleman and pass my regards to Lance, Chris and the whole gang…

    Cheers,

    Eric

  1638. a civilian-mass audience

    ERIC…I am sorry BUT I have to copy and paste:

    “PANOS,
    Thanks for sharing those images with us… You can feel in these images the good times, the warmth, the friendship… This rooftop is an amazing spot…the whole atmosphere in that building with all the artists, the “open door policy” is almost surreal!!! I wish I was there with all of you… I am sure you must enjoy these special moments…. Someone (might be Thomas) said that sometimes he feels like he is living on the wrong side of the ocean… It is easy to feel this way when looking at these pictures. Have fun gentleman and pass my regards to Lance, Chris and the whole gang…”

    hmmm…COME ON …damnit…I have an idea…we were all there …can you see us???
    You are photographers…do the photoshop magic…
    BUT I am a civilian…I close my eyes …I hold my corona …and I am right there!!!

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE…THANK YOU

    P.S Where is my JIMMY POWERS???

  1640. Simon Griffee

    David,

    Since Magnum is being redesigned, a couple of suggestions:

    1) Make URLs more human-readable. For example: permanent links to photographers’ work in the form: http://magnumphotos.com/photographer-name/

    2) Make the pictures at larger, and with less intrusive copyright watermarks.

    3) Get rid of Flash, or at least provide an HTML5 alternative (I’m sure you guys are on this!)

  1643. James Chance

    Regarding the photo award mentioned above:

    “The selected works produced for the International Photography Award EMERGENTES dst shall become a property of the sponsor company, dst, s.a.”

    Not cool.

  1646. Anthony R.Z.

    It was so nice to watch Kibbutz Rooftop images and get a feeling of colleagues life in NYC… I am working very hard in finding even any little opportunity which would allow me to make a permanent move to New York… I will… no matter what, this autumn I will try to join you on the Rooftop… of course, if you allow me to do so… I am so excited to start my new photographic adventures in a new place… from zero… Best wishes…

  1647. david bowen

    panos – agreed.. mike staring into distance.. chris playing guitar?..
    harvey watching.. anton chilling.. kerry? photographing?
    cool..
    and the never ending williamsburg bridge.. still have my blisters from that darling.

  1649. michael webster

    Hello all. I finally went to the Cartier-Bresson exhibit at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), which was a good thing since this is its last weekend. So anyone in New York who hasn’t been yet better go. And now you gotta pay. For those of you planning future visits, at least MOMA and the International Center for Photography (ICP) are free on Friday evenings. The Cartier-Bresson stuff is great. All the most famous photographs and several hundred others. Gordon, I’d guess you’ve seen HCB’s portraits. They are exceptionally special in a nice framed print. The Camus portrait made me want to start smoking again. If there had been a Tabac on the corner I might have bought a <a href="http://media.nowpublic.net/images//21/a/21aa98189ed833471896b9f710b806ae.jpg"pack of Gauloises and ruined my life. Ah, but I’d look cool with a Galoises. Not as cool as Camus though. Nobody holds a smoke like a doomed French philosopher. In other news, I was shocked to see an HCB photo that actually resembled one of mine. Not coincidentally, I suspect, that’s my biggest selling pic. It always reminded me of French farm country west of Paris.

    I would have liked to go to the show with Lassel and Audrey when they were in town, but in addition to that being a very busy week, I typically shy away from expensive outings to Manhattan. Brian Frank, or anyone else, you’re always welcome to get in touch when you’re in New York and I will happily meet you if at all possible, but I much prefer Brooklyn. I like Manhattan on occasion, but always end up finding it tiresome when out-of-towners come in. That and I quickly find myself broke. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great place. Biggest shopping mall on earth. The food court is fantastic. But still, it’s pretty much just a shopping mall. Brooklyn is closer to real life.

    Wish I was gonna be in London, John. Had I known, I could have probably dug up an old Hawkwind album cover to donate. I mean that literally though. They’re no doubt moldy after being in the ground all these years.

  1650. eva

    If you’re not sitting on a rooftop and get a chance to be in Switzerland the next few weeks, I’ll recommend to visit the ‘Where Three Dreams Cross’ exhibition at the Fotomuseum in Winterthur (near Zurich), 150 years of photography in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan:

    http://www.fotomuseum.ch/WHERE-THREE-DREAMS-CROSS.22.0.html?&L=1

    Take your time, the exhibit is huge and worth to be seen with care.

    I’ve written down some names, photographers I want to explore further, one of them being Pablo Bartholomew..

    http://www.pablobartholomew.com/

    and many others..

    If I had the money and if the photographs would have been up for sale I’d have brought home at least two right away, one being one of the latest essay by Prabuddha Das Gupta and another by Sohrab Hura, which I can’t find on the net..

  1651. emcd

    Brian – i am all over the map for awhile, but feel free to email me if you like around the time you are here in case we overlap.

    CIVI – no work for civilians on the weekend, right? hope you find a lake / beach / grass / hammock / mountain…

  1652. a civilian-mass audience

    EMCD…where have you been…I checked all PANO’S photos …I checked DAVIDMCG’S photos on the face of book…hmmm…BUT it’s good that you are reporting back…

    Well,Civilian is always here and there…I am planning a journey around the Universe…
    …time to meet some of you, my beautiful BURNIANS…
    hiii…who wants a chicken leg for good luck…oime

    KATIE…I can’t hold it anymore…BOUBOULINA is safe…BUT ALEXANDROS is gone…

    …what’s for dinner???

  1656. eva

    Civi, sitting right here behind the laptop, with a cat at my feet and another checking the keyboard.. stuck here because of family business when I should be at home taking pics to finally finish my (neverending)story.. uff.. and if you don’t kill ALL your chicken SOON they’ll be too old to even make a good soup of!!!

    Where’s Lee, can’t see her?

  1657. a civilian-mass audience

    our tweety is back …marathon started …
    VIVA MR.HARVEY…!!!

    EVA…don’t worry…I prefer them in wine …

    BURNIANS…find your vision…!!!

  1660. Akaky

    OH MY GOD, SHE KILLED THE CHICKEN!!!!!!!! NO MORE COUNTRY SCENES FOR YOU, CIVI, JUST URBAN LANDSCAPES FROM HERE ON OUT. PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDNT KILL THE 6TH CHICKEN!!!! OH, THE HUMANITY!!

    AKAKY IRL: It’s just a damn chicken, guy.

    AKAKY: Yeah, but you gotta make it look good, you know. It’s like soccer that way, you know, the way you give someone a dirty look and then they fall down and start screaming that you broke their foot. Squeaky wheel gets the Greek, you know.

    AKAKY IRL: I’ve heard variations of that. Still, the phish must be happy that the chicken are disappearing. One more day for them.

    AKAKY: It’s an ill wind that doesnt blow someone some good.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/akaky/sets/72157624357006976/show/

  1661. a civilian-mass audience

    What are you drinking BURNIANS…:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

    EVA…I finish them with wine…

    AKAKY…you are really versatile …

    KATIE…no I bypass the 6th chicken …yeap,as I said ALEXANDROS is gone …

    PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

  1662. a civilian-mass audience

    ALL…I am learning how to make cheese…

    WE GOT TO GO GREEN …LOVE YOU …

    I won’t be late :)))

    I am running like BOBBY
    and as EMCD says …WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING???

  1663. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS…

    ATTENTION ATTENTION…please proceed to the new dialogue session…

    WE HAVE A NEW BURNIAN…or should I say MAGNUMIAN…his name is MR.CARL and his definitely a photophilosopher.

    You can ask questions…
    I hope he has some tips about my cheese project…he is from Belgium afterall…

    WAKE UP BURNIANS

  1664. kathleen fonseca

    Civilian Mountain Man

    HulllooooOOOOooOOOOO!!! I am at the beach..rain, rain, rain, food poisoning, more rain..and did i mention the rain? Howler monkeys howling to each other from treetops in the upper canopy of the rain forest all around me, cliffside surf breaking,chomping, chopping hard, snarling its way up the rocks to my toes hanging over the edge with a death-defying grip on tree roots and vines. Trying to dry clothes and towels on a rough rope tied between two palm trees but it´s futile, crippled cat sleeping on a boogie board..no food to give it..just some rice, tuna and canned milk..she´s happy with that. Books, magazines, newspapers, weeping soggy salt, pages flopping heavily as i turn them, listless story telling, half-heartedly breaking the news in this 100%+ humidity. Today an art auction to benedfit the local schools..i am offering a dyptich and triptych hand-carried 6 hours on the bus, glad i decided to mount them on PVC board instead of foam board which would have crumpled under the dripping load of water-soaked breezes. i yearn for home..i hope someone buys my photos..i think they´re phenomenal. hahaha…

    And yuca, babe? How are you? I hope and pray you are in a more positive climate and enjloying a refreshingly dry time of things. Please tell me yes. In fact, if you have a dry day, pleasededicat eit to Kathie on the West Coast Waiting (for sun)..my love, my dear friend..

    ur katie

  1665. Gordon L

    Akaky

    “The squeeky wheel gets the Greek” Love it.

    Did I notice a guy shooting with an old 16mm Bolex on that street series? Someone needs to tell him about HD video.

  1666. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIE…bad news to report…RAIN is coming down…like there is no tomorrow…
    I am on and off …electricity …internet connection loose…(IMANTS is coming after me)…
    KATIE …I don’t know about photography…and I am not going to judge you fair
    cause I LOVE YOU BUT one think I know is that you are THE KATIE,THE STREET FIGHTER,THE SWORD TONGUE…
    and I am gonna buy a print right now…How can we help…???

    Your mountain-civi…

    GORDON,AKAKY,EVA,JOHNG,BRIAN,EMCD…I am the proudest civilian of the Universe BUT please…can we go and study MR.CARL…he will be here to share his vision…I ‘ve heard he is shy…
    I got ouzo …hiiiiii…it might help…

    ok…if you don’t hear from me…I will be fighting the storm…KATIEEEEE,MY BURNIANS…
    I will be back cause BURN is the place to be…1,000.000.000-2,000.000.000…

  1668. michael webster

    Those of you who found my recent Mermaid Day slideshow interesting may want to check out this video I made a few years ago. I think it does a good job of capturing the spirit of Mermaid Day before it was fatally sapped by the infernal thousands of photographers and their goddammed gear.

    Click here. Should work on IPhone as well. HTML 5-R-Us.

    You’ll see a pretty good approximation of what it was like at my first Mermaid Day. I was just sitting at the beach with the kids, the boy was 2, the girl 9, drinking beer and we heard music coming towards us and then we were surrounded by crazy looking people dressed as sea creatures, dancing, and I had a cheap little film camera, and I took a whole roll of film, and then I remembered the kids, but they were okay, dancing in the surf with the mer-people. Those were the days, my friends. Those were the days.

  1669. michael webster

    Forgot to mention, in case you watch the video, this was back in my day of being obsessed with Orson Welles, so I was looking for long tracking shots wherever I could find them. This was my best. Years, literally years, of planning went into this shot. Or maybe it was just minutes, or even seconds. Hard to remember. And the crane, right, it was only in my dreams.

  1670. panos skoulidas

    Had a coffee with Nikos Economopoulos yesterday at gustorganics (6th ave & 13st)…Nikos hated the iced coffee..but he is greek u know…he was expecting a frape kinda coffee and all he got iced mud water …
    Anton stopped by to pick up the kibbutz keys..Earlier i had a nice walk with Hilary’s mother through Central Park..Amazing Tour…and the lady is also amazing..She walks around like she owns this city and i think she does..
    Anyway Anton left this morning for Europe …and Nikos also flying to greece today for his Jerusalem workshop…David has another full day of final magnum meetings and im seriously thinking :”Coney Island”
    happy Sunday to y’all

  1671. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS…the plants in kibbutz…need help…
    they are looking exhausted :)))

    To those who are traveling…May the spirits of travel be with you…

    Mermaid day…from our MICHAELW

    GORDON…oime
    “Akaky
    The squeeky wheel gets the Greek” Love it.
    ouzo on me…

    and yes, WHERE are YOU BURNIANS ???

  1673. Akaky

    The trouble with shaving off one’s beard is the way that it forcibly reminds the now cleanshaven dolt why he grew the beard in the first place. And yes, my face does feel naked now.

  1674. a civilian-mass audience

    AKAKY …for you:
    “Art can never exist without NAKED Beauty display’d.”
    William Blake (English visionary Mystic, Poet, Painter and Engraver. 1757-1827)

    BUT I will hold on my moustache…cause I am from the land of the Moustaches…
    is that right PANOS???:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    damnit…the plants need water:))))))))))))))))
    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

  1675. Justin Smith

    Akaky,

    When I grow a beard (usually once during winter), I am reminded why I stay clean-shaven. Maybe if my beard matched my hair color better, I would keep it. It usually end up looking calico cat, with dark brown, white, and red (where did that come from?). Fortunately, the red is starting to turn white and I entertain myself with the fantasy that one day I will day be able to pull off regal bearded look, a la Sean Connery.

  1676. john gladdy

    So I had a little walk around around the flea market today and picked up an original pennie smith 10×8 of paul weller and a jill furmanowsky shot of the jam. stamped and dated 1982…….£10 the pair. Happy Camper.

  1677. a civilian-mass audience

    JOHNY …where is your flea market???
    …cause I had a little walk too…
    BUT I came back home with a pair of socks …5 euros. Happy walker ???:)))

    BURNIANS… over…

  1679. a civilian-mass audience

    JG…cashmere …:))) oime…
    …I got new socks BUT today it’s 28 degrees celcius
    What I was thinking …JOHNYG…what I was thinking???

    VIVA ENGLAND,VIVA AUSTRALIA,VIVA USA,VIVA FRANCE,VIVA ITALY…VIVA BRAZIL…
    VIVA formula one in SPAIN…Wake up BURNIANS

  1682. Ross Nolly

    Civi/Gordon; I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m around! I managed to get out to shoot two days running after a month or two of very little shooting; trying to get finances sorted.

    Spent most of Saturday photographing an old derelict tumble down farm house. Every farm used to have an old house on it and stored a few hay bales etc in it. With the advent of large round bales (and the growth in dairy farming where every square foot of ground is used for grazing) they weren’t any use any more and most are being torn down.

    Every time I find a new (old) house I always try to photograph inside them. It’s always sobering to think they were once someone’s pride and joy; now crumbling and derelict.

    Sunday; spent the afternoon photographing a real “grass roots” rugby game between Whangamomona (pop 174) and Toko (pop 1164) for the fiercely contested Dean Cup!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whangamomona
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toko
    http://www.taranaki-rugby.co.nz/community/page.asp?id=86

    I wasn’t photographing the action, just looking for behind the scenes stuff in the old unlit changing rooms etc. A world away from the glitz and glamour of All Black rugby! But good fodder for the youth project!

    It was so nice to get out and shoot after a month or so of not being able to.

    Cheers :-)

  1683. Akaky

    [Commercial break fades; dramatic TV news music, the kind of noise that’s supposed to make the usual gruel of crime, traffic accidents, sports, weather, and celebrity gossip sound much more important than they really are, swells up, and the main camera swoops in on the anchor desk. There are two anchors, of course, a middle-aged white male with more than a little gray in his hair, and a young and attractive female from an easily distinguishable ethnic or racial minority. The middle-aged white male is sitting there to lend some gravitas to the journalistic fast food the viewers at home are getting; for reasons best known to clinical psychologists and their Canadian lab rats, a great swath of the American television viewing public finds getting bad news from a middle-aged white guy with a deep voice easier on their collective nerves than getting the same bad news from almost any other flavor of anchorman you care to think of. The female anchor, who smiles a lot and is often anywhere between fifteen to twenty-five years younger than her male counterpart, is there to report the bad news regarding women and children, the happy news, if there is any, and to serve as a lightning rod for the sexual fantasies of the station’s no doubt large viewership of well-informed pervs.]

    White Guy Anchor: There was dramatic testimony today in front of the Senate Banking Committee, as B.B. Wolfe, president of the locally owned financial giant Acme Consolidated Bank, admitted under oath that the bank has used tough and possibly even illegal methods to collect on delinquent loans and mortgages. Erica.

    [Cut to female anchor, who makes a quarter turn to face the camera. She is not smiling now, but the quarter turn does subconsciously remind the viewers, especially the male ones, that she has one of the best racks money can buy.]

    Female Anchor: That’s right, Frank. We should warn parents that the testimony they are about to hear contains some graphic descriptions of financial dealings that might frighten younger children. We go now to our Washington affiliate, WBHO, and reporter George Smith, who is covering the story from the Capitol. George?

    [Cut to George, who clearly wants to be sitting in a nice air-conditioned studio reading the news than standing in front of the Capitol on a hot and humid summer night sweating like Mrs. Murphy’s prize pig, but he’s still about ten years too young to be the voice of experience that most people crave in an anchorman and so until then he’s got to do these stand-ups in front of places he wouldn’t get caught dead near any other way. Still, the Capitol building makes a nice background visual, no two ways about that, and it’s better than standing outside a kosher soup factory in Brooklyn trying to explain to tens of thousands of goyim who couldn’t care less one way or the other why a crowd of Hasidim torched the place after learning that their fish and tomato soup was, in fact, shrimp cocktail. People can be so strange about some things.]

    New White Guy Reporter: Thank you, Erica, and yes, today’s testimony was shocking in the extreme. The subprime mortgage meltdown and the subsequent banking crisis have sent shockwaves through the American financial sector, but no one thought that matters would come to this. Let’s take a look at a portion of the relevant testimony.

    [Cut to a Senate committee room. Sitting in the chairman’s seat is, appropriately enough, the chairman, a man who has sat in this chair for too long for any good he has been doing and whose chair sits directly under a cleverly disguised five ton containment bubble built to prevent the chairman’s ego from spilling over and causing an ecological disaster. Sitting at the witness table is Mr. Benjamin Butler Wolfe, president of Acme Consolidated Bank. A graduate of Phillips Exeter, Harvard, and the Harvard Business School, his friends have called him B.B. since childhood. Mr. Wolfe has been president of Acme Consolidated since 2008. To his left sits Mr. Thomas Nym, of the law firm of Goniff, Ladron, & Snaffler, LLC, and counsel of record for Mr. Wolfe.]

    The Chairman: Mr. Wolfe, I must turn now to what is, at least to me, the most disturbing part of our investigation. I am referring here to Acme’s use of what I can only describe as pretty strong-arm tactics to collect on loans from people who basically don’t have the money to give you.

    Mr. Wolfe: Mr. Chairman, I am sure that there might have been a few cases of collections officers going overboard in a few isolated cases, but I feel that if you step back and take a look at Acme’s collection practices as a whole, you will find them in line with what are fairly standard procedures throughout the banking industry.

    The Chairman: You will understand, I hope, Mr. Wolfe, that I find that statement very hard to believe, especially in light of your personal involvement in the Porco brothers matter.

    [Wolfe puts hand over microphone and confers with his attorney for a moment.]

    Mr. Wolfe: Mr. Chairman, my personal involvement in that matter has been greatly exaggerated in the media. The Porco brothers’ dispute was resolved in line with industry standards. As I’ve said here and in several other venues, the media has blown this one case way out of proportion.

    The Chairman: Well, Mr. Wolfe, this is your chance to set the record straight, if you choose to do so. What was Acme Consolidated’s relationship with the Porco brothers?

    Mr Wolfe: Mr. Chairman, the Porco brothers are, to me, a classic example of what got our industry into the mess we face today. All three brothers had no jobs, no income, no real assets, and their credit histories were nothing short of poisonous, and just for the record, I want to point out that they got their loans before I became president of the bank. Had I been president of the bank at the time frame, they would not have gotten a loan at all. I don’t have the figures in front of me right now, but if I remember this correctly, the Porco brothers’ combined credit score wouldn’t add up to the IQ of a none too intelligent gnat.

    The Chairman: I see. If, as you say, Mr. Wolfe, the Porco brothers were such bad risks, how then did they get their mortgages? I’ve seen in the documents we requested from Acme that not only did they get mortgages, but on more than one occasion they managed to get home equity loans from your bank. How was such a thing even possible, given the obvious risks in loaning them money?

    Mr. Wolfe: It was the bubble, Mr. Chairman. I must say that it affected us all, myself included. We found a way to make a lot of money very quickly and with securitization we believed we found a way of protecting the bank against the risks of default. As we all know now, we were wrong.

    The Chairman: I must admit, Mr. Wolfe, that it is a bit refreshing for those of us who’ve been on this committee for a while to hear any witness say they were wrong about anything. But let me ask you, sir, why did you go along with the practice of handing out these bad loans, knowing, as you must have deep down, that there was bound to be a down side to it?

    Mr. Wolfe: Mr. Chairman, I run a bank. Banks are in the business of making money and catching the upside of a bubble is a great time for making a lot of money. I think that too many of us in the industry let the huge sums we were making blind us to the economic reality of what we were doing.

    The Chairman: Which leads us ineluctably back to the matter of the Porco brothers, Mr. Wolfe. I see in the documents that all three brothers complained that Acme Consolidated used some very high pressure tactics trying to collect on their mortgages and outstanding loans. What do you say to those charges?

    [Wolfe confers with his lawyer, then shakes his head.]

    Mr. Nym: Mr. Chairman, I just want to say for the record that my client insists on answering your question against my advice.

    The Chairman: Duly noted, counselor. Mr. Wolfe, you were saying?

    Mr. Wolfe: Mr. Chairman, I must disagree with your assessment of Acme Consolidated’s collecting practices as high pressured. We are not loan sharks, sir. The Porco brothers fell into the chasm that separates a robust economy from a struggling one. They received loans they shouldn’t have gotten at all, and then when we asked them to repay at least some of what they owed they laughed at us and told us to sue them.

    The Chairman: Which you did.

    Mr. Wolfe: Which we did. We were able to foreclose on two of the brothers and finally managed to get them out of the homes they’d bought with our money.

    The Chairman: But then you continued to badger them, Mr. Wolfe, even in their new homes, demanding that they repay loans you knew they no way of repaying.

    Mr. Wolfe: That, Mr. Chairman, is the crux of the matter. The two brothers we are speaking of here, Donny and Lou, used the home equity loans to buy cars, jewelry, flat screen TVs, and other high end consumer goods. In essence, they were using their homes as ATM machines, and as long as times were flush, they were able to get away with it. But the wheel turned, Mr. Chairman, it’s as simple as that. Every party has to end and the Porcos did not want to admit it nor pay the bill that had come due. That attitude was at the heart of their difficulties with Acme Consolidated.

    The Chairman: Difficulties, sir?! You call what the events of last June difficulties? That is hardly the word I would use, sir. You personally went to Donny Porco’s house with a squad of private detectives and threatened to knock it down if he didn’t start to repay his loans. Do you deny that, sir?

    Mr. Wolfe: No, Mr. Chairman, I do not. We went to that house, and I should specify that Donny Porco was at that time still living in a house we had foreclosed on, unlike his brother, who had already moved out of his house, and then refused to move when we served him with an eviction order. That’s when I got a more heated than I should have and made that threat. But he was quite emphatic that he was not leaving. I believe the police report will bear me out on his refusing to leave the premises.

    The Chairman: Yes, it does, Mr. Wolfe. The police report states that Mr. Porco used a Sicilian phrase that translates roughly as “not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin.” At which point, sir, your squad of goons turned on an industrial strength wind machine, the kind used in Hollywood to mimic hurricanes and the like, and then used it to knock down the Porco home. You do not deny any of this, do you?

    Mr. Wolfe: No sir, I do not, although I do take issue with your characterization of the private detectives as company goons.

    The Chairman: Duly noted, sir. Now, please bear with me for a moment, Mr. Wolfe, because I do not understand what happened next and I do want to understand it. After successfully knocking down the Porco home, you and your cohort of private detectives then held a luau, a Hawaiian style luau, at which Mr. Porco served as the main course. What do you say to that, sir?

    Mr. Wolfe: He was delicious, Mr. Chairman.

    The Chairman: I beg your pardon?

    Mr. Wolfe: He was delicious. Especially his ribs.

    The Chairman: Mr. Wolfe, I hardly think the flavor of Mr. Porco’s ribs are the issue here, considering that the next day you went and did the same thing to his brother Lou.

    Mr. Wolfe: Your pardon, Mr. Chairman, but Mr. Porco’s brother, I’m speaking here of Lou Porco and not Tom Porco; in that instance there was no luau. He was roasted over an open pit fire. We did not do the same thing to him, as you put it.

    The Chairman: You are failing to see the point here, Mr. Wolfe. Is it the policy of Acme Consolidated Bank to eat customers who cannot meet their obligations?

    Mr. Wolfe: No sir, only the good tasting ones. And I should point out that Tom Porco immediately paid down a substantial part of his obligation the next day, so the events did have a net positive result for the bank and its shareholders.

    The Chairman: Mr. Wolfe, the American people could not give a tinker’s damn whether or not eating the Porco brothers had a positive result for your shareholders. They want some reassurance that they are not going to be next. Can you give them that reassurance, sir?

    Mr. Wolfe: At the moment, Mr. Chairman, no, I cannot. Acme Consolidated is doing what it can to protect honest creditors from dishonest ones, and if the occasional meal is the price that we have to incur to concentrate people’s minds then it is a price we will have to pay.

    [Cut back to George, who is tired of standing here in front of the Capitol and is wondering if he can get home in time to catch the ball game.]

    New White Guy Reporter: There you have it, Erica. I think it is safe to say that the banking crisis in this country has just gone into new and uncharted territory.

    Female Anchor: Yes, it has. Thank you, George. Frank?

    [Cut to male anchor.]

    White Guy Anchor: We’ll be right back after these messages.

  1684. kathleen fonseca

    AKAKY

    re: your portrayal of the female news anchor.. ´ish´

    CIVILIAN:

    Yes, hurray! My prints were bought by the organizers of the benefit who outbid those who think highly enough of photos to even place a bid. The other art, painted sunsets, ceramic ashtrays, mirrors in varnished frames composed of glued on sea-shells..ish (see above to Akaky) BUT there was a great jazz band, listless food, wonderful ocean views and nice people in this small Pacific Ocean community called Nosara. And it was all a great success for the foundation that organized the event to buy art supplies for the local schools which are all rural and hopelessly under-equipped.

    Today, no rain, only glorious, intoxicating sun, coolish breezes and wonderful salads at hilltop restaurant with great company and more killer views. Also went to a semi-abandoned hotel that was built by a Greek who still lives in a tower on the property as a recluse. The hotel was quite the place in its day but now it´s a slowly deteriorating monument to great ideas gone stale. Crumbling walls, moldy cement finishes, ripped up toilets, a green pool, a ghostly vacant reception area, doors falling off hinges, drink coasters lying on the bar as if they had soaked up drizzly condensation from margaritas just last night. Creepy, silent..and up in the tower, up, up, the Greek, probably studying us through torn curtains as we slipped in and out of shadowy doorways peering at his life´s work trying to comprehend his choice to take the slimey moss-covered decline into oblivion. I wish you could have been there to see his murals..most curious..making me think of The Fountainhead. To think he spent his adulthood building this place and then deliberately turned from it, sequestering himself literally in his turret dungeon, wasting away as assuredly as the cement tower of Babylon all around him.

    I am sorry you are deluged with rain but i suppose it´s the season, no? I hope you had as wonderful a day as we did.

    well, Civilian Mountain Guru, i am on a tiny ten inch mini and can´t abide this cramped keyboard..may you be well as we speak..i am back to the city tomorrow..i have pictures!

    xoxoxox
    katie

  1686. Frank Michael Hack

    Just an update from Toronto in the aftermath of the G8 and G20 summit. Downtown was a ghost town toward the end of the week with huge swaths of barricades surrounding the perimeter of the delegate zone. Yesterday Toronto was burning. Torched police cars in the financial district and elsewhere downtown, smashed windows and general mayhem. About 300 people arrested and detained, lots of injuries. Just filled a script for antibiotics and heavy duty painkillers for an amatuer photog that sliced her finger to the bone trying to get out of the melee. No pictures on my end, steered clear, was shooting in the projects of Scarborough. Toured the block my man Citizen Kane used to run, now he has passed the torch to the next generation of street thugs. Most just out of prison and still hustling so a little camera shy. Some images I dare not use.

  1687. a civilian-mass audience

    electricity on and off…

    AKAKY (naked truth) …it is safe to say that with your posts …my way of thinking has gone into new and uncharted territory…I will never be the same …did I say thank you???:)))

    ROSSY…you are like my KATIEEEEE…shooting the decadence…Canon of Kings…oime…

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEE…the one and only KATIE FONSECA…
    nope,it’s not the season…
    you give to the Universe…the Universe gives back…
    I am waiting for your pictures…BUT …how can I say it…
    I LOVE YOUR WRITINGS so much…I am addicted …LOVE

    if this message goes through…
    LOVE TO ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
    DAVIDB,MYGRACIE,OURPATRICIA,BOBBY,TOMY,HERVE,MR.VINL,MARCIN,AUDREY,FRANKB(thanks for sharing)
    LASSAL,SIDNEY,THOMASSS,REIMAR,THODORIS,AITKEN,KATIA.KATHARINA,JENNY,DOMINIQUE,WENDY
    CATHY…DAVIDMG (birthday boy tomorrow)…
    ok…I will be (right)back

  1688. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS…I am proud of yo…

    http://www.londonprintstudio.org.uk/G3_forthcoming.html
    JG

    bravo to JAMES CHANCE…where are you AUDREY…we need update from France…23rd of June
    PAULT…update from London…EVA…update…MTOMALTY…same…:)))
    PANOS are you shooting with MICHAELW…in Mermaidialand…

    so many…thank you, keep it up…
    ohhh…please, don’t forget …MR.CARL DE KEYZER is in the other aisle…LIVE workshop…
    WHAT NOT TO LOVE !!!

    FROSTFROG…I am with you…
    MY AUSSIES…LOVE YOU
    VIVEK …POMARA…come over…

  1689. Justin Partyka

    DAH,

    I totally agree with you. The fact that Burn can contribute at all financially to helping some photographers make their work is a wonderful thing. After all, every little bit adds up.

    I think Bob Black said something about grants and awards a few weeks back, and the importance of not becoming fixated on winning them and depending on them. Again they can help both with money and getting work seen by a larger audience, but like you, I cannot see how a career can be sustained by those alone.

    Isn’t the answer about a combination of all the opportunities available?

    Things are certainly a little chaotic right now with all these shifts and changes taking place. Because of that it is more important than ever for photographers to keep focused on carving out their individual path. It is far too easy to waste energy chasing the wrong things and that typically leads to frustration, doesn’t it?

    I’m assuming these kinds of things were discussed at Look Between?

    I’m curious where Magnum has decided to focus its energy?

    Cheers,

    Justin

  1690. eva

    Civi, moved from two cats to a 6 year old kid and one cat.. and a million of cows and flies.. still stuck in cheeseland, solving last problems (hopefully) tomorrow.. missing the event I’m working on back home.. one more delay, guess there’s a reason..

    5?

  1691. david alan harvey

    ALL…

    i do hope all of you are aware that Carl De Keyzer is now in a dialogue discussion with those of you who are interested, and is giving the best answers to questions asked by this audience of anyone we have asked to do this…you might want to study the quiet but prolific De Keyzer and then ask him a question or two…i think this will be the last day he will respond to questions before heading back home to Belgium.

    JUSTIN PARTYKA…

    you are absolutely correct as far as i can figure…it will be a combo of small things rather than dependence on large institutional offerings i.e. large media companies….however, while i generally agree with Bob that one should not become fixated on the grants available, one should not shun them either…after all they have more than saved a few young photographers and i think if you look at the patterns of who receives these grants, the same names often keep popping up…the cynics of course declare corruption or collusion and the realists will come to the correct conclusion that some photographers in a given era/generation will simply excel…

    yes, all that you imagine was discussed at Look3 by an all emerging photographer discussion group…some of the new photographer coop leaders had some very interesting things to say and interesting creative ways of generating business…

    after 10 days of meetings on Magnum related business, it amazes me once again how Magnum has managed to be deft and survive the unsurvivable..our focus biz wise is simple..drop things that do not work, and take reasonable gambles on the things that do seem to work, all with the total focus on authorship and photographer rights and freedom……

    i can tell you without revealing anything and without any false pride that the name Burn did come up as a “model” in many a conversation during our long biz weekend…additionally, and while the picture licensing business would appear to be in deep trouble due to mergers like Getty/Flickr, we are moving forward in a big way with this assuming always a boutique market and the ability of Magnum photographers to tell stories etc…also some very new sophisticated key wording and search mechanisms will be employed…

    yet the mysterious internet is the hot topic…as it is here and as we practice it here…Magnum should be able to do Burn times ten or fifteen or twenty….right?? i am sure they will at this point….the impetus is there, the mechanisms are there, the talent is there…..all the right stuff….of course i am a part of trying to find the key…….so, we will not wait and see, but we will work and see….

    cheers, david

  1692. Imants

    A week or so ago there was the discussion of photography and funerals sadly I find myself in a position to shoot my Dad’s funeral tomorrow. Most of his relatives live and lived in Latvia and I guess the only way for them to have a sense of presence is via images and the online slide show that I will create. It will be a tough day tomorrow ………….

  1697. Akaky

    AKAKY: What’s an ish?

    AKAKY IRL: Huh?

    AKAKY: What’s an ish?

    AKAKY IRL: Beats the hell out of me. Maybe we can ask Carl.

    AKAKY: There’s an idea.

  1698. a civilian-mass audience

    MY IMANTS…we LOVE YOU

    Neither a present nor a future. What has been
    has never been better than it is for us now,
    not what was a moment ago or what soon shall be.
    Because our duty is to live this moment.

    Free my bird through a white window
    and keep a white wind in the treetops!
    Call in, feed the shepherd,
    we too are shepherds like him.

    If victory exists, then it’s in this moment, the now
    this almost improbable sprouting of a grain,
    Everything is probable, while we look into each other’s eyes.
    Everything is possible — while we still call each other by name.
    Imants Ziedonis

    Es esmu tik atvainojamies par jūsu zaudējumiem. lūdzu, jūtieties brīvi sazināties ar mani … ja jums ir nepieciešams kaut ko. Visu savu mīlestību, lai jums un jūsu ģimenei … Es esmu ar jums.
    I hope it make sense…otherwise …we are with you…
    and don’t worry…WHITE ANGEL, ROYCE,ANDY…and many others are waiting…

  1699. bob black

    Justin/David:

    just to clarify….i am a supporter of grants…i apply for them, as does marina, all the time…you would be harder pressed to find a family of 2 working artists struggling to raise a teenage son in an expensive north american city while continuing to make the stories we do without complaining…what i bemoan and abhore is the predilection of the photocommunity to trump awards over all, to support the same names, which sometimes has to do with excellence and sometimes does have more to do with name recognition…this year’s EPF was stellar…as where the people chosen to go to Lookbetween, but what i find often depressing is the way we talk about this…the future of photography is both complex and simple…one thing for sure that must happen is for the boundaries of inclusionary mentality to be reduced….the photographic era, when looked in retrospect, is rarely representented by those who receive awards….where does meatyard fit in or frank in the 50’s or arbus…we must be very careful not to trump up awards, nor as photographers, to chase them….we must focus on making work that feels right as story tellers (whatever those stories be) and to support one another…as much as i respect and love magnum (and love the members i know personally like david and john v and chris a and have strong feelings for mark p and alec s), we must not equate magnum with the entirety of photography….magnum represents the apotheosis, for sure, of a certain kind of work and their model, especially in the last 10 years, have been of forward thinking, but we must never focuse on a group but on the ways that stories can be told to as many who crave them and to support the makers of those stories….

    so, in that way, while in full support of any person and any group being awarding sustenance, i worry that we get clouded over by all these photo awards….i have always liked that the EPF award was designed to sustain work, and that is it’s remarkable generosity….

    grants great :))))))….

    but as i said many many times…the people i best admire are the people who help others and give back and seek not the limelight….

    david: you’re generosity and spirit to give back is of the highest form of that kind of value…and that will always mean more to me than whether or not you’re with magnum :)))

    running
    b

  1700. david bowen

    ¨the cynics of course declare corruption or collusion and the realists will come to the correct conclusion that some photographers in a given era/generation will simply excel…¨

    that´s a provocative statement to anyone who has yet to win an award, yet who struggles forward with their passion.. excellence in photography surely must be recognized in other ways than through the awarding of badges of honor.. it´s pretty depressing for those of us not picking up 30 or 40 000usd a year in grants otherwise..
    what hope do we have ? :ø)

    that said, i´m not in the least bit bitter to any who win an award – it´s great to see so much good photography as always..
    i´d just not want people.. themselves.. the judges.. the editors.. to believe that they are awarding the cream of the cream.. for example, any of the EPF finalists could easily have won given a different panel of judges.

    there is a middle ground – people who graft endlessly for others, as bob puts it, rather than for the limelight.. there is no question that many contemporary award winners are as defined by their plentiful means to work purely towards awards as they are their great photography.. whether those grants come from government bodies, awards or wherever..
    jeeez, what i could do with 5 000 right now…

    as i see it, the trouble with being too competition-centric is that through the winners, or more to the point the shortlist, we do see the best..
    yet only the best of those who enter competitions in the first place. with so many competitions around it cannot be that difficult to pick up a gong if deeply focused on that goal, which many graduates now are.

    i´m not cynical when i see a website adorned with awards and credits or a single photographer picking up every big money award with a single body of work.. although i can feel disappointed when these mentions far outweigh any perceivable effort to get the work in print and in front of the public.. exhibited.. so on..

    photography and photographers can become far too caught up in the middle of our own proverbial belly button.. when in actuality it is a language for communication to the wider world, as well as within our own private room.

    if we are too pleased by pleasing other photographers / judges and with awards glorification we may well pick up a whole bunch in the space of a year – yet those who excell prove their talent over a much longer game.. and, as i felt at lookbetween, if too caught up in the bells n whistles of awards and what other photographers want to see, the aesthetic and sometimes the ideas and subjects becomes far too commonplace.. mimicked.. and i think there was a certain amount of mimicry mixed in with the gloriously genuine originality at lookbetween..

    i was chatting with one snapper.. heavily published.. very good indeed.. who seemed almost embarrassed to have one an award, (by coincidence rather than by intention)..
    i think that´s an award worth winning.

  1701. david bowen

    in other words – bobs work remains some of the sharpest in terms of looking inward.. panos remains one of the best at showing life as though looking at it for ourselves.. imants puzzles need not be judged.. and david AH – there are no awards listed on your site…
    yet all-of-the-above remain relevant and rightly placed for the talent contained within them.

    i´d dare to include myself in the glorious non-winners.. by no means ´loosers´, yet fear i may already be wrongly read as embittered in some way :ø)

    much love

  1702. a civilian-mass audience

    Thank you Universe…Thank you BURNIANS…Thank you MR.HARVEY…

    we are ALL one big family…yes,IMANTS…we are one big BURNING family…
    we expand every minute…we have a vision, we care…we inspire,we celebrate, we cry
    and we laugh…we share and we fight…we love and we believe…

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE !!!

  1704. david alan harvey

    DAVID B…

    i am getting ready to jump in a car right now and have about 10 hours of driving ahead of me, with Hillary as co-pilot, and leaving Panos in new york all alone…sort of…….however, i feel that your question or rather your apparent dilemma needs addressing….i will address it because i feel that i might just have some answers for you, but will simply have to wait til i get back online by later today or more likely tomorrow…for a short answer right now before i hit the road i would say this…while i think it is obvious that there are always those who excel in any arena it does not mean that for those who are not on the World Cup team, nor i the same foursome with Tiger Woods, or do not win grants, that they cannot be great soccer players, or enjoy golf to the fullest extent, nor make photography an integral part of living….so hold thqt thought please and i will back soonest…the whole point of Burn is exactly this point of course….

    cheers, david

  1705. david alan harvey

    BOB…

    running…and i get your point totally…and agree with it in general…..however, i do think that Meatyard, Arbus, and Frank all were recipients of Guggenheim Grants ….Frank for sure, that is how he did The Americans…and i think Arbus too….anyway, yes yes, all must be kept in perspective which i have told my students and colleagues all along…

    Hillary and i OBX bound…anything better than a road trip????

    cheers, david

  1709. bob black

    IMANTS…

    ironically, i am about to leave for a family drive to see my own father, whose birthday is this thursday, on which he turns 70….once, long ago, when i was a young and arrogant shit (as opposed to being a middle age arrogrant screw up), my father and i had a big fight…he and i were driving from Providence RI to Newport to watch the sailboats and stare at the sea….we got into a crazy fight over politics,…being young, 23, and angry at him at the time (for my parents’ divorce, for having been burdened with the fianacial responsibility of helping my younger brother), i told my dad that it was silly for him to have the ‘political views’ he had considering all the suffering he and our family had endure…a right young shit i was…he was silent for a long time…and then said, ‘bob, you’ll never understand life until your father dies’….so, on this night when i’m getting ready to drive to see my own, i send you a small, simple thing…a hug, a big hug from across the ocean, from one child who loves and cherishes his father to another…they may leave us, but they remail both as and as a part of us…and that is his gift to you…sending you love….hugs….

    DAVID:

    yes, but, i agree with grants…shit, i think we should do anything we can to tell all people, not just photographers/artists…grants for business owners and grants for teachers, grants for the unemployed and grants for the broken….as i said, i’ve applied for my share (writing and photo) as has marina…my entire thing, my beef with the world of ‘awards’/prizes is that the photoworld seems fixated on them…..just as the photoworld seems on fixating it’s categorization…and i guess i reject the idea that awards mean anything truthful about photography or people…that’s the problem…people thing ‘prizes’ mean something real…they can help/support…and they should, we all should help each other..and yes, one person has to ‘win’ something…but the sooner we realize it is nonsense, the better, i think…i think what Road Trip and burn has done is infinitely more rich and infinitely more loving than most of the awards i see….and that is a tribute to you, to anton and to all of us at burn, ….i guess when i criticize something, it appears negative and that isnt the way i intend….so, let’s just say anything that helps another person is important…..like i said, the richer hope i have is that all of us focus on the fundamental thing: living and being well and acting well to others, with love and compassion ad without grandiosity…I think the EPF is one of the finest examples of that….david bowen and i are on the same page…maybe it’s because we’re older, have toiled longer and with the responsibility of raising kids without having the mentality to go after things….:))….who knows….i see this makes no sense…i meant that meatyard, frank and arbus won many ‘prizes’ in their lives :)))))…i just didnt like the suggestin that people who critize prizes are malcontents….or are less as photographers….excelling has nothing to do with awards, none whatsoever…….but, that’s an old song between us ;)))))))))))))…sneding you hugs…

    ronically, we’re both headed to nc….i’ll be there tomorrow….crossing paths again….

    all the best y’all

    b

  1714. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Imants, may tomorrow’s leavetaking be filled with the comfort of family, the sense of a life well lived, and the sadness that comes with such a profound loss. And may you, through the lens of your heart, find a way to bring those who cannot be there physically into the circle of love surrounding your father.

    Patricia

  1715. Brian Frank

    Imants, I can’t say how sorry I am. My heart grieves for you, as I know how sad this time is. I lost my father when I was 20, after he struggled for years with a crippling disease. The only words I can say that might help is that the grief you feel now may never pass, but it will subside.

  1717. Imants

    A new day here and thank you all for your condolences. today is the day when friends and relatives say goodbye to Dad, I have said my goodbyes just after he passed away.
    Bob we fought politics almost to the end , he was far right and I spent my young days on the far left. But that is a good thing that our differences there never really were resolved as there was never any need, others may feel different.

    Well I better be get on with stuff…….. catcha and see you guys later thanks again

  1718. Justin Partyka

    DAH / Bob Black,

    I agree too, grants and awards have their place. Like Bob and Marina, I’ve applied for them and won them in the past. And I will be applying for them again.

    I’ve been keeping my head down lately, just working, producing lots of work (both my own projects and for a commission), the kind of work that I feel inspired and excited to make. I don’t know if it is grant / award winning work, but that is not the purpose.

    There are lots and lots of things happening in photography with these shifts that are continually discussed. I personally feel that it is a hell of a lot to contemplate, and right now if I tried to understand it all and decide how to proceed differently, it would take way precious time from being out there making photographs.

    David, do you think it might be harder for independent photographers, who perhaps do not have the infrastructure available that an agency would help provide, to adapt to these changes and the required shifts in business models? Or do you see the independent photographer being able to adapt more easily? Obviously it all depends on the individual to a big extent.

    Best,

    Justin

  1719. david bowen

    david aH

    personally i have yet to properly try-out for the england team.. and it looks like their talent pool is way below the expected par, so i am hopeful :ø)
    rather than relating personal disappointment over EPF, for which my entry was awful, nor the ice-cream company, for whom i did not apply, i just find it an odd happening when work seems created for the consumption of the photo industry.

    perhaps awards and grants is where my emphasis lay for the next year or two.. i have no objection to those who win and i could use the money..
    a friend from burn once even suggested i carry out a year long project with the pure intention of applications and the like.. tailor the work… a suggestion i find bemusing and disheartening to say the least after 12 years traveling to photo my passion.

    from what i have been reading recently the normal course of advice is for young photographers to get a short project together and put aside 600-1000usd for the sole purpose of entering competitions and grants over a year with it.. calling the money a ´marketing budget´, whatever that is.. (ho-ho-ho)

    awards.. hmm.. it´s just struck me that i have been a recipient..
    5000 gbp in 1997 from the national lottery of great britain to carry out inner city photo workshops.. 500gbp from the arts council in 1998 to buy film for the early days of getting wasted.. 5000gbp in 2000 from the princes trust to buy equipment to carry on getting wasted… i´d not presume to list these on my website nor in my press – they were awards to work..

    my point is not so much related to any personal lack of success with grant proposals as such – it is more that there seem to be professional ´gong´ collectors picking up chunks of cash without thinking beyond the cyclic photographic world.. you know.. hey – good for them.. it´s a big world..
    i´m just unable to accept the idea that due to the winning of grants and awards snappers excel beyond others who work towards different aims.. especially in these days of weekly awards, and grants which are run more akin to a business in themselves than anything more.

    when i have 600-1000usd to spare and am able to pitch in a tight high quality edit of my work next year, perhaps the beers will be on me :ø)

  1720. david bowen

    my point is not that awards and the like are a problem, nor that some of the winners are not deserving, (adding jonas B to the list with an award from the norwegian fund which i need to tap into for next year – he produced satellites), it is that i don´t think they are necessarily measures of those who are excelling..

    i hope i am reading as i mean to – having always been able to produce as i have wanted to produce, and with no need to envy ..

  1721. david bowen

    ¨I’ve been keeping my head down lately, just working, producing lots of work (both my own projects and for a commission), the kind of work that I feel inspired and excited to make. I don’t know if it is grant / award winning work, but that is not the purpose.¨

    as justin says :ø)

    AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IMANTS::: again.. good luck for today.. none of the above is as important.

  1722. david bowen

    and bob..
    whiskey one day.
    ¨‘bob, you’ll never understand life until your father dies’…¨
    it´s a stretch to comprehend even after the event..

    the outpouring of that day left my eyes dry for too many years after.
    d

  1725. Gordon Lafleur

    ¨‘bob, you’ll never understand life until your father dies’…¨

    I finally realized how much my father must have loved me when my first son was born.

    Imants. Warm and tender thoughts going out for you on this difficult day in your life.

  1728. Frank Michael Hack

    Imants.

    I am truly sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family. Keep them close. In times like these our friends and families give us the strength to carry through.

  1729. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAVID B

    I very much appreciate your perspective on the awards/competitions/grants side of photography. As one who has pretty much struck out every time I’ve tried to enter my work in such arenas — another rejection came yesterday — I am coming to realize that my work is for myself and that had better be enough. The minute I let myself be influenced by what “makes it” and what doesn’t, I lose sight of why I made it in the first place. I am not in this for money, prestige or recognition. Thank god. I do what I do because I love doing it, pure and simple. Yes, it’s lovely if other people find value or meaning in what I create, but that’s really just icing on the cake. It’s the cake itself –the making of the work — that interests me. So my work doesn’t rise to the top like cream. So what? If it even comes close to expressing what I see and think and feel, that’s enough. After this last series of rejections, I’ve decided to step back from entering my work for awards/competitions/grants. I’ll just keep on doing what I love to do. That’s what it was all about for me at the start, and I feel fortunate to have such a love to pursue. How sad it must be for folks who never feel passionate about their interests. We’re the lucky ones.

    Patricia

  1730. Ross Nolly

    David B; Funny; I applied for an arts grant this year, and one of the reasons they gave me for missing out was that I had a side/main job (photography); so didn’t need the money.

    Reading between the lines; and from their inferences was that the less I tried to make the work viable; the better chance I had. It all seemed a bit arse about face to me. The more you worked to make the work possible, the less you “needed” the dosh! Oh well; live and learn eh?

    Katie; I put this link up once before; but it is beach themed; sorta…

  1731. david bowen

    patricia
    always for the love of… :ø)

    ross
    when i approached the princes trust and the arts council of england they helped my proposal by telling me just what you detail.. that they would not want to help a commercial nor easily viable photo business idea.. good in a sense as the the funds are intended for people without any support network who think creatively, yet odd all the same.

    other industry help-in-kind from kodak eastman, kentmere and more has come through well presented and timely applications rather than competitions.. for exhibition materials, printing and so on.. still it would feel odd to detail it on my website..
    perhaps i need to though, if that´s the way the times have gone and people want to see who we have instilled belief in.

    in any case – the inge morath award has been announced..
    check out Lurdes for well placed belief :ø)
    http://agency.magnumphotos.com/about/news#MOI2010

  1732. aitken

    Ross, agree totally.

    A few years ago I started to explore the possibility of arts grants for a project I was working on…..

    One grant which has a specific policy of being open to all(which is why I explored it), very definitly had an open secret agenda leaning towards ethnic minorities when I went to the open day about it. One chap from an ethnic minority, had never picked up a camera was proposing a photographic book about his immigrant grandmother, The staff dolling out the grant couldn’t do enough for him, they were even holding his chair out for him to sit down (like royalty). Sure it was a worthy subject but please surely these priorities should be made clear in the application process and also notification about not actually having a craft skill to undertake the project….

    On another occasion I called the advisors for some help, and stated my aims of the project. The advisor in a very couched manner suggested if i was to stand any chance of receiving the grant I must have no project in mind at all??????????? What??????

    Needless to say I gave up after investing a fair amount of time, I am dumbfounded by the grants process and it takes a specialist to apply for them. I think DAH has mentioned here he has someone who knows their way around these things to do it for him.

    Sure some grants are good but I am with David Bowen on this.

    Happy grant hunting

    Ian

  1734. emcd

    david b: “jeeez, what i could do with 5 000 right now…”

    or 500 – that’s 50 rolls of film bought & processed :)

    imants – good to hear the new day and you have welcomed each other

  1735. a civilian-mass audience

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVIDMC…

    EVA…DOWN TO 3:)))

    MIKER…where have you been…I miss your stories…

    DAVIDB…YOU ROCK DUDE

    BOBBYYY…amazing …you got a gift!!!

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…I am down to 3 chickens…ANTIGONI and PATROCLOS are gone…
    I promise though that BOUBOULINA will stay…
    kisses to family and to JULIETTE and to the rest of the FONSECA familia…
    I am busy trying to get ready for my journey around the Universe…
    LOVE…like there is no tomorrow…yeap,I am a drama one…

    be careful out there freaking BURNIANS…hold on tight…ENJOY every minute of your life…
    say THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU…the rest is just history:)))))))))))
    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))silents

  1736. a civilian-mass audience

    Drink many toasts???
    hmmm…go figure…I love toasts…I eat them…hiiiii…

    ok,ok,I am out …my humor is kinda situational …oime

  1737. david alan harvey

    DAVID B…

    well, however you want to work it out in your own mind is of course the way to think about grants/awards etc etc…as long as cynicism is not the end result….if you look carefully at Emily Schiffer or Chaskielburg or Monteleone, who have won recently multiple awards , i hardly think you could describe them as playing for the “photo industry”…quite the contrary….all very sincere photographers with honest motives, unique perspectives and intent and simply a whole bunch of talent…why is it so hard to swallow that some will excel?? in photography as in absolutely any other pursuit you can think of…why should photography be any different than any other art/craft etc etc??? the more egalitarian photography may seem on the surface, the more common the language, the more likely some are going to rise above….again, as Patricia wrote, this does not mean that everyone else should hang up their cameras…again, quite the contrary…how about simple inspiration as a by product of one photographer receiving a just reward rather than thinking of all the reasons why it did not go in another direction??? just a thought…

    cheers, david

  1738. michael webster

    i´m just unable to accept the idea that due to the winning of grants and awards snappers excel beyond others who work towards different aims.. especially in these days of weekly awards, and grants which are run more akin to a business in themselves than anything more. — David Bowen

    David Alan Harvey, you see and publish a lot of photographers. I don’t keep track, but it does seem a good number of those you publish have won numerous grants and awards. So is it true that those who successfully pursue those things are generally better photographers than those who don’t? What is the ratio? I seem to recall that you look at the photos without knowing who the photographer is? Is that true? If not, how much are you influenced by the resume? I’m sure you would use all of your effort not to be influenced, but still…

    Along those lines, as David B has noted, we don’t see a long list of awards after your name, yet we know they could be there. Why do some people list all their professional successes while others don’t? Is there a level of success one reaches where it becomes kind of tacky? Personally, when I see a long vita before I see the work, I suspect the author, or the publisher, might be trying to tip the scales.

  1739. kathleen fonseca

    ROSS

    That video was killer..i laughed my togs off..at the beach where i was at the guys all were in surfing shorts..but there was this Columbian friend of Juliette´s..now hers were definitely ¨undies¨ though i certainly didn´t hear too many of the men complaining.

    CIVILIAN

    I can´t believe you name all those chickens..wait, wait..there´s guys in there..does one also eat roosters? i have never heard of that but i guess, why not..they´re birds too, right? are? eating roosters? And if not, then why give girl chickens boy names? Well, no matter, as long as Bouboulina is safe i can rest my head and sleep at night. What does she look like? i mean, what color are her feathers? I saw a lot of chickens this weekend..all free-range of course..very free-range, clucking and plucking all over the jungle floor i guess till something bigger plucks them. ´course it´s all free range there, snakes, lizards, monkeys, birds, turtles, dogs, cats, cows, horses, flamingos, kids, motorcycles, bikes, and the otherwsie stoned and intoxicated..ranging free all over the landscape. But i am now back, safe and sound and think i will sleep 3 days straight to recover from this weekend.

    You are taking a trip around the universe? really? well, Costa Rica is a teensty part of same so please drop in for a visit, even if only figuratively. That would be so nice. Juliette ended her volunteer gig and now has a job as an assistant at a girl´s surfing academy where foreign girls with very wealthy parents send their little muchachas for a week of surf, yoga, health food and no boys allowed. After that, i believe she will be back in the city for ¨real¨ work and grad school apps. But all is well, Civilian..and now i can focus again on getting my website filled with pics and up and running.

    Best, best

    ur civi-holic

  1740. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEEEEE…THANKS for the update
    ROOSTER CORFU
    Serving size depends on the bird (mine are medium)

    1 rooster, cut into pieces
    7 garlic cloves, smashed
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon black pepper
    3 tablespoon olive oil (virgin if you want)
    1 tablespoon tomato paste (or use some tomatoes)
    2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
    2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
    3 ½ cups water
    ½ cup dry white wine (or vermouth )no ouzooooooo,noooo
    1 teaspoon sugar

    Pat chicken dry.
    Stir together cinnamon, salt, pepper and sprinkle over chicken.
    Heat oil in a skillet and brown chicken in two batches on all sides, transfer to a plate
    meanwhile, stir tomato paste and vinegar.

    Add more oil to skillet if necessary and sauté onions till golden; about 6 minutes.
    Stir in tomato mixture and simmer 1 minute. Stir in water, wine sugar and simmer uncovered,5-6 minutes.

    Add chicken to pot and simmer, covered, until tender (1-3 hours, depending on how tough your rooster is).

    Transfer cook chicken to a platter and boil sauce, uncovered, till reduced to about 2 ½ cups (about 10 minutes). Season with salt!!!
    ENJOY

    ahhh…BOUBOULINA is beautiful…looks like AKAKY…I mean when he was unshaved…
    anyways…no time…

    MR.HARVEY…you need to relax…easy on the cleansing…THANK YOU !!!

  1741. david bowen

    :ø9
    no problem with people excelling.. it´s good stuff..

    only i rarely associate the winning of awards with excellence.. sometimes – EPF etc, sure.. mostly not though..

  1742. a civilian-mass audience

    oupsie…my mistake…

    MR.HARVEY …the “need to relax” sounds very weird in English …
    all I want to say is …may you have a nice relax seasons…

    oime…I shouldn’t have dropped out of ESL classes…

    VIVA!!!

  1743. david bowen

    if i did associate excellence with awards too closely i would have to say that the ¨lighthouse family¨ make great music, the ¨hurt locker¨ was the best film last year and every wedding and portrait snapper on the high street is worth a second glance.
    next i´d have to believe there was no collusion in the PDN 30 and that the winners of MILK earnt the accolade for more than photos which look good on greetings cards
    :ø)

    anyway – as a conclusion for me, some awards do reward excellence and i think the EPF is an example along with inge morath and others.. there are so many benchmarks for excellence though – and i so cannot agree that the leading photographers of a generation are always represented with awards.

    still – i hope to gains grants next year when i focus on them for my project..

  1744. david bowen

    michael w – in the ´about´ sections of website i always look for publications and exhibitions.. to me that gives a better indication of the amount of work put into a body of work and the motivation for the photographer..

  1745. john gladdy

    DAvid Bowen. Isnt it just easier to look at the pictures? If they are good then thats all its about…if they are are shit then all the awards in the world cant change that. Let the work speak for itself.

  1746. michael webster

    John Gladdy, no, I think it’s easier to to make the authorities’ opinions one’s own. You’re just one of those people who has to do things the hard way, eh.

  1747. Ross Nolly

    David B;

    I hope my comments didn’t come across as sour grapes, because that wasn’t the intention. What I couldn’t understand with arts grants was; if I took a part-time job at Mackkas to help finance my art project, I had less chance than someone sitting on their arse saying “I’m too much of an artiste to lower myself to work to get my art out there”

  1748. david bowen

    john g.. right you are..

    enjoying other peoples work can be inspiring and mind expanding.. and when teaching i love encouraging others so much..
    frankly though, and without wanting to appear crass, most of all i really like my own photo practise..

    photoing new work gives such a massive buzz .. the physical act of it and then looking at the photos a day or two after.. and then shooting some more, leaving yesterdays to ferment with a little time..

    i love that groove.. want it to go on always..

    i´m my own favorite photographer.. about to award myself a cup of tea n sandwich ..
    :ø)

  1750. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL WEBSTER…

    any curating i have done over the years i do looking at pictures only …at least at first…finally i may read a resume, but even this rarely…in any case, a resume would not influence the way i view the pictures….i do not know if the percentage of those who pursue grants are better photographers, but certainly seems likely that the ones who receive them certainly are…again, “better” being a very subjective call….however, having been involved in several curatorial efforts in the last few months, i can tell you that in almost every case every juror, regardless of background, will go for the same photographers…there are exceptions of course, but usually everyone’s number one choice is the same and wide differences usually only come up with the ones that are in second or third slot…this year the EPF was a very close call…never saw one closer…

  1753. pomara

    Bob Black:

    I never intended Meatyard as an example of an award winner, only
    as a perspective. Actually I was unaware that he had any fame other
    than a goofy yet poignant Kentucky photographer. If Matt did not know
    his work, it would be good for him to be exposed to it. If you need
    a tamer example check out Barney Cowherd. Kentucky has a great history
    of creative, concerned image makers. Meatyard is just part of that
    legacy. Strode was a monster. Hardin set the bar high. Billy Luster
    shot under the bar (laughing), and I must include Richard Nugent,
    what a great volunteer fireman.

  1754. emcd

    talking about grants – thought I would share this with you all…I am out the door headed to a grant interview for add’tl funds for dark light – so I looked back at what I had done –

    It is exactly 2 years to the day that I took the first photo for the project – I shot 50 rolls of 120 – and the 100th roll of 35mm is in my camera now.

    neat, eh?

  1755. kathleen fonseca

    Civi-chef

    um..that recipe sounds dandy..do i have to use a rooster? I don´t actually have one running around the house. Can i use a chicken if i cook it for less time? Bouboulina looks like AKAKY before he shaved? What about her rack? If she does a half-turn, is it the most expensive that money can buy? Must be so since you haven´t eaten her yet. Please, when you do, do not, *boo-hoo*, tell me..please just lie to me..tell me she has lots of little bouboulinas running around..just do that for me, alright?

    As for me, i have so much work to do i don´t even want to start for fear i will never be able to stop..but i have to (start) so i am off to the races..dreaming of rooster corfu and you.

    ((((1+1=3))))

  1758. Ross Nolly

    Well; I just returned from our local cattle and sheep saleyards. I took my “new” 1977 Zorki 4K rangefinder for a walk. Loaded up with Fomapan 400, 55mm lens, no light meter; so back to “Sunny 16” rule. I shot half a roll. It was nice getting back to use a “normal” lens again; a focal length I used to use a lot in the film days.

    Actually, it was a bit like using the Holga, because I was amazed how many people stopped me to ask what type of camera I was using! A while ago I was shooting at the local wharf and this young guy flew past on his pushbike, did a big skidding stop and came back to talk about Holgas!

  1759. Frank Michael Hack

    Correction to previous update. Over 900 hundred arrested during the G20 summit. The most people that have ever been arrested at one time in Canadian History. The police stood by and watched as hooligans (The Black Block) torched police cars and smashed windows yet with considerable force removed and arrested peaceful protesters. Special secret powers were enacted for the police during the summit. Many are still protesting over the trouncing of civil liberties. One billion dollars was spent on security for the summit. Sounds like martial law… Canada the police state.

  1761. david alan harvey

    JUSTIN PARTYKA…

    you used independent as either/or (opposite) from having an agency and i see having an agency as the only really good way to get to independence…it helps to have help…as in all things…i do see now many young photographers starting cooperatives which is a good logical business model allowing the best sharing of resources…..however one must be very careful in starting an agency…many tend to form agencies with their buddies after a few cold beers and this is probably the worst idea…coops should be formed with biz in mind….if you want a club, then join a club….but coops demand full time observation and work…

  1762. Justin Smith

    Imants,

    Glad to see you’re posting – I’ve been thinking of you today…

    Pomara,

    Thanks for your list of KY photographers. I’m familiar with Meatyard, but will have to research the others. Might we add Shelby Lee Adams to your list?

  1765. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEEE,STREET FIGHTER,
    may the spirits of energy be with you…you are unbeatable…
    well, BOUBOULINA is kinda like you…she is sweet and fiesty…she survived 5 attempts…
    yeap, five…you photographers had to be there…that was an essay by itself…
    and yes, you can use chickens …(less time):))) energy savings:)))

    GORDON,
    ducks…you gave me an idea:)))…but your photo…they look adorable
    hiiii…I am bad,I am bad:)))
    Tell MARTHA…I will be back…I am a civilian:)))

    POMARA…love you

    EMCD…Happy Anniversary

    ROSSY …what not to Holga!!!

    FRANKMH…900…ahhh…we had the same in Greece…signs of our times…
    I wasn’t there BUT that crazy PANOS was all over…hiii…troubled times…

    TOM HYDE,
    what’s in Oregon…???:)))…oregano,no???

    HERVE…DB…JUSTIN…BURNIANS…LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLL
    KATIE…I am waiting for your book…ROSSY,FRANK…IMANTS…I BELIEVE

  1767. peter grant

    fingers crossed over here for you ERICA. Though I’m sure you dont need luck but you certainly have my hopes that it pans out…

    look forward in seeing it here on BURN when its ready for viewing.

  1768. kathleen fonseca

    Civi-Chef

    FIVE ATTEMPTS????? five attempts on the life of my beloved Bouboulina? You see? She is a warrior-ess, deserving of her name and her lineage, a feisty bit of barnyard fauna you have on your hands! Way to go, Boubou!! And you, CIVILIAN, why, if i was there, i’d be chasing YOU around with my cast iron frying pan for having the nerve to scare that poor bird half to death..i send her my iron will instead to resist oppression to the end!!! Blessed be the cluckers of the earth for they shall be eaten.

    Check your e-mail for pics of stuff related to earlier stories from Central ‘Merica.
    And put that butcher knife back in your holster and spare poor stressed-out BouBou! Go eat Alkaterine or Agape, or Nomiki or Stavros or Anastasia instead!

    xoxo

  1770. Imants

    Love the names Cowherd, Luster, Meatyard

    The cemeteries in Latvia are one of the most significant and visible examples of cultural history………..along with traditions it all becomes part of who were are and were.

  1775. Valery Rizzo

    Hi DAH,

    I guess I missed meeting with you while you were in New York…….oh well, maybe next time. I did send you some singles though. I will be in Italy at the same time also but southern, so it will have to be next time in New York.

  1779. eva

    “erica
    you inspire!!!
    congrats on show in italy!”

    Whops.. hold on a sec.. where in Italy??

  1782. Frank Michael Hack

    CIVI

    At this point I am not sure if that is my thing. I am sure we will see more protests in future. I think we are heading for a double dip, if not then hyperinflation, more sovereign debt trouble, and more general unrest. Panos will have lots of opportunities to shoot : 0

    DAH, MICHAEL

    With regard to awards, grants and the like I have to say with vain hope that I thought there was a chance (perchance a tiny sliver of hope) of being recognized for EPF, and was sorely disappointed. It has forced me to re-evaluate what I am doing and why I am doing it. The awarding of grants and awards seems to by the key that opens up the gates of photography as a legitimate means to existence. It made me realize that photography for me is a way of life, a way of seeing and interpreting the world that is uniquely my own. It is the one thing that as a personal vision I have complete control over which offers a ray of light through the clouds of uncertainty.

    What now? Still need to work as a pharmacist by default to support my family and my photography. Keep shooting for the love of it. Maybe do some more workshops just to hang and learn from other cool people, and never give up. My goal is still to get published, find an agency, and land assignments, and make my passion into a sustainable living, but if this is not my life’s purpose then at least I will have a visual record of my journey.

    For the EPF finalists and winner I have to stay that at least I lost out to some excellent and inspired photographers. A standard of excellence has been set which is something to strive for while maintaining my own personal style and vision.

  1783. Mike R

    DAH, your twitter post “Whew. Meetings over. Surprise of surprises, all came out right.Magnum will now advance in good spirit.Proud of heritage, but looking forward” is very intriguing: are you able to elaborate?

    I presume recognising that the old model of being assigned by magazines is gone and that a new model must be embraced is part of the looking forward? Of course, magnum has never entirely relied on the old model: some preferring to produce a body of work and then finding an outlet for it – although assignments for magazines often provided travel that could be used to produce personal work. For example, how Sebastiao Salgado produced his Workers book. Any thoughts?

    Mike.

  1784. emcd

    David B – i think it went well, it felt good anyway. the money part of it is pretty small, but the continued project support is invaluable; I’ll know saturday.

    eva – Wendy is referring to the FotoGrafia festival Rome 2010. both Lance and I have work in the fest…thanks bob for the heads up about this! thanks wendy!

    now if I could just get DEVELOP launched, I could go shoot. but like they say, when you are in biz for yourself, you can work any 16 hours a day you want :)

  1785. kathleen fonseca

    Civi-friend

    :)))), is all i can say…

    Erica:

    i hear you groaning under the burden..hang in there..you will have so very much to show for your troulbe at the end of the day..and we will all be looking forward to sharing your success..best wishes!

    Kathleen

  1786. emcd

    kathleen – you have it right, so I just took an hour to talk on the phone with my 91 year old grandmother…needed a little paradigm shift! thanks for the wind beneath my wings :)

  1787. Gordon L

    Frank

    Be careful what you wish for.

    What do I know, but it seems a pharmacist must have a relativly easy time finding work. Maybe you could work half the year, or half the week, and devote the rest of the time towards your passion of making photographs.

    I’ve had the same dentist for 26 years. He’s a keen amateur photographer. Every time he’s digging and drilling away he tells me how lucky I am and how much he would love my job. So two weeks ago, his office sent me a letter, Murray has retired, very comfortably I’m sure, and has sold the practice to a new young hotshot dentist. As it happens, I broke a tooth last week, and had to go see the new guy. Marge, the dental assistant tells him that I’m a photographer. “Oh really, what kind of cameras are you using?” I say I’m using Canons, “which one he says, I use the 5dmk11”. So it turns out that the guy has more gear than me, including underwater housings, and lenses up the yin-yang.

    Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, and wouldn’t want to do anything else. But a well-paid gig with a regular paycheck and benefits looks pretty good sometimes.

  1788. Imants

    The awarding of grants and awards seems to by the key that opens up the gates of photography as a legitimate means to existence.The following is not directed at anyone in particular.

    It is just like tendering for contracts the most appropriate on wins, it has nothing to do with who is more deserving or should succeed. Trouble is that when things are tight the tendering system comes under extra scrutiny and losing applicants start shifting the goalposts why they were not successful. People get pissed off and spit the dummy, vow all sorts of illogical threats e.g..refusing to tender again, stating they will never darken the doorstep of a www dot site like burn,milk, world press awards etc.
    Giving the funds to someone who has sort of made it in the industry is a smart move as it promotes the grant. Unknowns tend to disappear when the cash runs out as they cannot sustain the commitment along with earning a living. Then there are others who don’t really care enough, probably squander the money on who knows what and spend more time big noting their achievement. Many are not interested or say they aren’t………… the ones that really loose out are the those that counted the chickens before they hatched.

  1789. Imants

    Civi I would say there are lots of un-hatched eggs around……….gather them up and you should be able replenish your chicken run though you may end up with the odd goose!

  1791. a civilian-mass audience

    TO KATHLEEN FONSECA

    “We cannot tell the exact moment a friendship is formed; as in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one that makes the heart run over.” vroommm…vroommm

    THANK you for your e-mail and the photos (you are a photographer after all) BUT

    “Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are.”

    EMCD…”thanks for the wind beneath my wings :)”…it feels good…hugs to grandma…
    yap…I copy and paste…
    SPEECHLESS…

  1792. a civilian-mass audience

    IMANTS… do you want a chicken…3 left…BOUBOULINA, NEFELI and DIONISIS…
    I have to admit…I ate the eggs…my cholesterol level is UP…thumps UP…oime
    I might have to contact MICHELLE or MR.HARVEY …for the cleansing …:)))

    IMANTS …VIVA!!!

  1794. a civilian-mass audience

    “…the ones that really loose out are the those that counted the chickens before they hatched…”
    hmmm…I ate them…does that make me a looser :)))???

    OIME… I LOVE YOU MY BURNIANS…!!!

    keep shooting…don’t forget the journey…I know you want the money, I understand,I can feel your
    anguish BUT you know…no matter what…have your cameras focused …your vision is only yours
    and when there is a vision there is a way…
    damnit …back to my screen

    P.S I think that my chickens are watching football…hmmm….oime…

  1795. a civilian-mass audience

    hiiii…IMANTS …is that your photo??? do you shoot color???
    I mean …hiii…what do I know???

    WE LOVE YOU IMANTS…damnit…you made me night…
    my etrouko book signed…

    Goodnight from Grecolandia…THANK YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

  1797. pomara

    Justin Smith,

    You come from some furtile turf. The Courier-Journal was a hot-bed of
    great documentary work in the 70’s and 80’s. They were loud and proud
    about it. Why Kentucky was the chosen place is beyond reason, later it
    became the Mid-West and of course middle VA. Everyone likes to think
    of Breson, Smith, Douglas and others as the greats, there are so many
    along the way who have contributed to the collective visuals of our age.

  1798. michael webster

    Guess I have to mention that a big reason the Courier Journal was such a great paper in the 70’s and 80’s is because they hired so many IU J school grads.

  1799. Frank Michael Hack

    GORDON

    Thanks for your reply. It may appear that I am somewhat ungrateful for what I do have and whining about what I don’t. Too a certain extent that may be true. I am grateful to have a career that for the most part can sustain me and my family (pharmacists don’t make nearly anywhere what dentists make). Again hoping not to sound ungrateful but raising two kids in a large city in North America is tough financially even with two working parents. Add on top of that the money not earned (I get paid by the hour) due to time away from work to pursue personal projects or go to an annual workshop. Plus paper, film, equipment, photobooks, travel expenses, printing costs, computer related costs. There is also the cost to me professionally when superiors find out about my passion and dedication to photography and question my commitment to what I get paid for. I guess you could add to that a spouse that has not been supportive or enthusiastic who has subsequently become an ex-spouse. Did I mention that I lost my very well paying job (six figures, company car, expenses account, bonus, and frequent travel) in part because I decided to take my photography seriously (I also blew a small neon orange plastic whistle)

  1800. Frank Michael Hack

    Sorry hit submit by accident.

    Just saying I am not bitter about any of this, in fact it is kind of liberating. I am happier now than I have been in along time. I feel like it is OK to be me, and not try to fit in to some predefined corporate image or societal expectation. I am starting to embrace frugality as way of life and mindset, I don’t need to buy shit to be happy. I used to drive a BMW, now I don’t own a car. I am releasing my attachment to material things. A couple places where this trips me up… photography expenses and appreciation of the female species. My point being is that while I am not on a path of self-destruction perse I am on a path of self-discovery, self-empowerment, and self-transformation that is witnessed by my photography. Again chicken or the egg kind of thing. Is photography destroying me and in the process creating something entirely new, or is my photography a witness to self-transformation that is driven by its own fire?

    Don’t get me wrong I have not counted any chickens at this point, I am a novice. As in the Tarot I am… The Fool.

  1802. Thomas Bregulla

    Frank,

    I feel what you are saying. You go an interesting route, and actually you are a little ahead of me. All you are saying I can feel already, and I admire your consequence. I am not there yet. I still have my job, but I already got the feedback my photographing is disturbing. (However, when a photographer is needed I am remembered :) – in the corporate context for free of course.)
    We had a lot of re-organisations, and I am trying to move to the communications division, because I see some opportunity to have both – my job and photography, if that fails I have to take a decision. – Which then leads me your route probably.

    I like your tatoo pictures. I think, one can see whether a picture was made with the eye or with the heart. You are a photographer by heart. Keep it up.

  1803. david bowen

    frank ¨The awarding of grants and awards seems to by the key that opens up the gates of photography as a legitimate means to existence. ¨

    i think it´s much, much better to put time and energy into contacting editors and appropriate magazines.. part of the trouble with awards is that there is now a culture which sees them as required and really they are not – editors take ideas based on how well they fit the mag, how unique they are and whether they believe the photographer can fulfill the brief.
    the misconception that there is no work out there is just not true – there is plenty of work for the right idea pitched at the right time, regardless of awards and the like.. if hip hop is your thing go to one of the magazines focusing on it.. knowledge.. xlr8r.. urb..

    if you have a hook in your local scene and think on a festival, event, interview – something like that – the odds at getting published are actually much better than the odds of winning a grant.
    more than 1000 entrants to the EPF.. how many people have your unique hook into your local scene? a handful? less?

    awards are great to kick start things – the money i got certainly helped me get up off govn benefits – sooner or later though it´s the editors and publications who will make it a sustainable living.

  1804. david bowen

    .. and as KRS mentioned when he visited my home town in the u.k. for a show – hip hop is honesty .. that´s all..
    so if you want to do it, just approach the right people and tell them honestly what you want to do.

  1806. david bowen

    just to reitterate – NO editor has ever asked me about my education, awards nor grants.. in fact i did not even have a website for the first 7 years of working full time freelance.. just a phone line, a camera and a hotmail account.
    when starting out there is enough to think about already – the simpler you can make ¨the confidence game¨, the better.

  1807. john gladdy

    At the end of the day its about motivation right?
    If you make pictures because you love it more than (nearly :) ) anything else, then you find a way to do that. I started out cutting show reels..freelance editor for hire, jobbing lighting cameraman…local government teaching..low budget documentaries…..all of it for the sole purpose of getting enough money to make the pictures I wanted to make. All that backstage rock and roll stuff, theres no money in that, but I love doing it, love the way of life, so I had to find a way to fund it. This also brings freedom. The freedom from a picture editors brief, or a clients wishes.
    Now I work on contract for a company. Whole team of reporters, bunch of editing assistants doing my leg work. They pay me well, and they send me all over the show to make infomercials for them….but ALL that is still just to get me to a place where I can make pictures..pictures I want to make. If I walked away from this contract tommorow I would find something else to do that made me the money to pursue that. ..Its only ever about the pictures you make for yourself..and trying to improve them all the time, forever.
    The way I figure it is that if a thirty seven year old, terminally ill ex-junkie, with nothing but scars, track marks and war stories can pick himself up off his arse and do that, then anyone can.
    I mean, how much do you want it?
    what are you waiting for?

    PEACE.

    JOHN

  1810. a civilian-mass audience

    DAMNIT …MR.JOHN GLADDY..our JOHNY…THE JOHN …THE JG…
    Speechless…
    what the fuck are you waiting for…??? what the hell do you want…???
    that’s why I love you…oime…freaking BURNIANS…
    I wanna reap my clothes off…
    soul and blood and tears and farts…
    THANK YOU…I can rest my case

    P.S I will be back …I am overstimulated…3rd chicken has to go…
    WHAT NOT TO LOVE…I will drink to you JOHNIE

  1812. a civilian-mass audience

    my apologies for my language…
    I will blame MYSELF and the hormones:)))

    back to our regular program…

  1815. aitken

    DB, thanks for the FSOL link.
    Just writing a proposal and doing a bit of dispalcement activity by reading Burn and you pointed towards the perfect companion music for writing.

    cheers

    I

  1821. eva

    “I mean, how much do you want it?
    what are you waiting for?”

    There you go, I think that’s what DAH means with commitment, go out and do the work, no genius is sitting unrecognized on a stack of photographs.. and, ONE stack of photographs isn’t enough, commitment over time, care for your passion over time, not for the glory, but for the profound need no matter what, that is what in the end, will count..

    But then, I’m no photographer, so I’m glad John said it :)

  1827. Gordon Lafleur

    Frank

    Just got back from our local Canada Day parade. Here is Brian with three Mounties http://www.pbase.com/glafleur/image/126141386 I only had time for a couple of snaps with my point and shoot as Brian and I were in the parade handing candy out to the kids.

    I’ve got another shot of a guy in a moose costume and three other Mounties in the background, but it’s not that great.

  1829. Gordon Lafleur

    Canada Day update. A Martin Mars water bomber just passed over my house on its’ way to the community park for a fly by. It made two passes and passed over my house 3 times. These awesome WW11 aircraft are the largest flying boats ever put into service, and are home based at Sproat Lake about 45 min from here.
    Here it is going over my kitchen deck. http://www.pbase.com/glafleur/image/126142328

    Here is a utube video of this aircraft http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkfHCRChve8&feature=related

  1830. panos skoulidas

    Im in California…attending a friends funeral …killed himself yesterday…he hiked on top of the mountain and shot himself dead… anyway , hello y’all from sunny Los Angeles…
    please take care of yourselves, do not take your life lightly, or for granted… please cheer up, if u feel depressed please ask for help…
    Craig rest in peace…
    peace

  1831. Imants

    Panos it is always a bummer when mates lose their way and take this option, one sorta feels dumb for not realising that things were grim.
    Take care and gather strength

  1833. Ross Nolly

    Panos; I’m sorry to hear about your friend, there are no words to convey what darkness a person must be going through to contemplate taking their own life…

  1835. Ross Nolly

    Imants “one sorta feels dumb for not realising that things were grim”

    The problem is that those who do go through with it often don’t display any outward signs. That’s why it is usually such a shock to those close to them. Suicide is a real problem here in NZ for young (18-26-ish) men. Their numbers are totally out of kilter to other demographics. Sad, but true.

  1836. Gordon Lafleur

    Frank

    “How much do you want it?”

    This is a much more complicated question than it seems. Every choice comes with a cost. Some people pay a very high price for their choices and their obsessions. Do you want “it” badly enough to sacrifice family, security, health, etc etc. Panos reminds us not to take life too lightly, I have to add that we also have to avoid taking ourselves too seriously. I’m glad you are out with your kids today.

    Angst comes from within. I would be happy if only_______(fill in the blank). More than thirty years ago, when I was about thirty, I was having a personal crisis. I was unhappy with my job, a great job as a photographer in the AV dept of Vancouver Community College http://www.pbase.com/glafleur/image/111358961. I felt un-fulfilled, depressed, didn’t know what to do with my life. I had an aquaintance who was an industrial psycologist, and he offered to put me through a series of aptitude tests. For two full days I filled in questionaires, took tests, answered questions. The results? I should become a photographer or an audiologist. I figured I was already a photographer, soo..

    As a working photographer, I need to seperate my art from my craft. My craft is image making. People pay me to make images, better images hopefully than the ones they could make themselves. Some of the work can very creative, sometimes it is not. I actually spend much more time doing marketing and keeping the ducks in a row than I do actually making photographs. It is just part of the job. It is also part of the job to worry a lot about money.

    And the globe-trotting photojournalist? I guess that sort of life seems romantic and appealing to some. Constantly away from family and home. Airports, schedules, red tape, bad food, night after night in hotels, potentially dangerous situations, I’m sure I’m leaving a lot of stuff out. It seems like a manic/depressive lifestyle to me. (sorry globe-trotting pjs)

    Apart from my job, I make photographs for myself. It is an on-going passion which I have never felt the need to share or to make money from. In the past I never felt the need to share my personal snaps. Since posting on Burn, I felt that if I was going to post, that people deserved to know where I am coming from, hence the pbase gallerys.

    I guess what I want to say here that go for it if you want to, but first make sure it is actually what you really want. No shame at all in deciding, naw, I’ll just keep photography as my personal passion, where the only person I need to please is myself.

  1837. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS…tell it as it is ,dude…I will be back for you…
    κουραγιο …

    I am gonna take care Nefeli…chicken number 2…
    it has been a hard day…
    a hard week,month …hold on BURNIANS…
    oime…
    oime…

    may the spirits of Strength be with us…and especially with our BURNED one’s……..

    Never give up…never surrender…!!! Together …

  1838. Imants

    In a way Ross yes, but we as a society spend way too much time on other stuff to notice……… unfortunately I know all too well about the fragility of these situations and how the events unravel.

  1839. panos skoulidas

    as per usual, nobody was expecting it…he has a strong tough guy..one of the best mountain bikers around too..
    tough as nails…not reading poems or shooting photos or involved in arts or being “sensitive” in any way…
    or thats what we thought…weird, makes no sense…
    but anyway thank you all..dont mean to ruin the day or depress anyone..
    its just life and life only…and maybe im a little pissed..maybe because deep inside i think suicide is selfish..but hey what do i know?
    take care yourselves and each other please…
    again thank you all…

  1840. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    Panos, my friend, this is one of the hardest things life can bring. At least it has been for me. And yes, when one young woman I knew committed suicide, I was very angry. Angry with her for giving up on life at such a young age (35) and for insisting her friends help her kill herself. She was also living with MS and we had shared some moments along the way. I had trouble understanding how she could give up without more of a fight, but how could I know what was going on inside her. What I do know is that our common friend never got over his part in her final moments.

    Anyway, I guess there’s no understanding what our companions are living. And their choices are their own. Even when we know someone is suffering, it can be impossible to help. All we can do is try our best to be a friend, lover or member of their family. We can never make choices for them.

    Be gentle with yourself. I’m glad you’re able to be there to help send Craig off. May his spirit find the peace it lacked in life.

    hugs
    Patricia

  1841. david alan harvey

    MARCIN…

    i am back…good as new!! sorry for long lapse, but i had meeting after meeting after meeting..regarding Burn, Magnum and my Natgeo projects…and all intertwined…..i would feel terrible after all those meetings had they not all been necessary and more importantly good came from them….however, i do not plan on any more meetings til next year…enough is enough….funny thing, i know some people who do nothing but go from one meeting to the next…all the time!! could not do it myself…anyway, spent most of the day driving home and the very last part on on a sailboat with family and friends in perfect wind and light….all good, all at peace….

    GORDON…

    your description of the globe trotting pj sounds like something more in your imagination than is quite what i know to be true not only for myself but for my globe trotting colleagues….if it were a miserable lonely life as you suggest, i doubt anyone would do it…while some of the elements of which you speak are surely true for some, they do not represent the whole truth…the whole truth, and i think i speak for many “globe trotters”, is that a better life, a richer life could not be imagined….

    on many occasions i have been with a group of fellow travelers and we often have to pinch ourselves at our good fortune…sure there is some suffering, some divorces (about the same as any profession), some jet lag magnified times ten, some bad food (and some of the best as well), but the energy derived, the world view education obtained, the artistic expression fulfilled, the storytelling personified, takes most world traveling photojournalists to heights they never would have imagined at the beginning of their careers…

    whatever suffering one does while standing in the too long security line at the airport is more than made up for when immersed in some one of a kind once in a lifetime situation that is playing out all around you and the kinetic energy builds up to to sometimes beyond ecstatic proportions when you are “in it” and making photographs…and perhaps even years later when that experience manifests itself in a strong magazine portfolio, or prints in an exhibition, or gracing the pages of a monograph book, the world traveling photojournalist knows that there is no other way for them and they would not trade with anyone for anything for any reason….lucky, very lucky is how most feel i am sure…

    of course, there is nothing that is for everyone….

    PANOS…

    since you have been “behind the scenes” a bit in the last couple of weeks, you well know that we have an essay coming dealing with exactly this trauma….ironic that we discussed it several times while you were in New York…in any case, so sorry to hear it came so close….and so hard to shake it…one of my favorite writers and friend at NG took his own life i think almost 15 yrs ago…i was feeling as you….and am still quite angry with him to this day…

    cheers, david

  1842. Justin Smith

    Frank Michael Hack,

    I wish you all the best. I just wanted to share that when my father was a practicing pharmacist, he took a break from the corporate world for about 3 years to work as a relief pharmacist at 3-4 pharmacies that were sole-proprietorships; giving the pharmacist/owner a day off. Might be something to consider to give you the flexibility you need and income to fund photographic pursuits… During travel, you might also be able to work as a technician for funds. Not sure about Canadian provinces, but in the States you must be licensed by each state’s Board of Pharmacy to practice as a pharmacist in that state.

    Gordon L.,

    Love that snap of Brian and the Mounties :-) His orange windbreaker giving bit of “pop”… (My daughter saw on the screen and really liked it , too.)

    Panos,

    Sending good mojo your way… Props for being there for your friend. Take care…

  1843. david alan harvey

    FRANK HACK..

    i just saw your comment from a few days ago i suppose at your disappointment at not being in the EPF lineup….i was very surprised that this was your reaction to the extent that you would say “what now?”….first of all, winning awards, receiving grants, might open the doors for some , but surely is NOT the only way and i am quite amazed that you would think so….i think if you were to go through the list of photographers you admire or whose work influences you or whose books grace the shelves, you would find very few who were grant recipients or award winners…yes, some of course…but, far from all…what separates photographers is the work itself…not necessarily curated work…just work…so, focus on what you are doing…sail your own boat…..look to others for inspiration to a point, then with blinders on, move forward into your own realm…if you can get there, you are untouchable…unassailable…this is no small task…but involves nobody but you…

    ERICA…

    i read you are being congratulated for an Italy show…i cannot find the link or comment where you stated such, but i too congratulate and please post this link again for those of us who just cannot find it…

    cheers, david

  1844. Gordon Lafleur

    David

    I’m smiling, as I thought you might respond to my description. I’m sure you are aware of how much your lifestyle is the envy of the rest of us.
    I envy your lifestyle in the same way I envy those who climb mountains, race motorcycles, fly jet fighters, write novels, or play music professionaly. I don’t aspire to do any of these things, but can enjoy vicariously.

    I too consider myself lucky, and would not trade places with you or anyone else. I love being home too much, and I love making portraits. We all find our own path.

  1847. Frank Michael Hack

    GORDON

    Thanks for your feedback. At times I put way too much pressure on myself and often end up disappointed. This is a personal trait I am trying to come to terms with. In my past job I traveled a lot for work and loved it, before that traveled a lot for pure enjoyment and loved it. I find I get restless and just want to explore and discover, get out there and collect experiences. I struggle with the competing priorities of work and family. Always have and always will. I love my kids and love spending time with them, but there is a wanderlust in me that tends to nag. I want to be able to use photography as my personal creative outlet as an artist. I am lucky in that I have something to fall back on for money.

    I didn’t know your son has autism. You must be an extremely patient and loving man. My son is now 4 and half and seems to have some form of high functioning autistic spectrum disorder. I think it is from my side of the family and I think I have some personality traits that are similar. Ryan is my boy, we are tight, but it can be a challenge at times.

    JUSTIN

    At the moment I am basically doing as you suggest. I work at 3-4 different pharmacies, some more regular than others, making as much money as I can so I can support my family and also pursue photography to the extent that I can. I am trying to figure out how I can spend more time shooting and less time working as a pharmacist but the balance is tough. I am working on a few long-term projects including Hip-Hop and will be working on a book soon. I also just bought a ticket to Jamaica for a few weeks in August where I will be staying with a friend who lives in a small village so I hope to bring some interesting photos back.

    DAH

    I sound a little like a spoiled kid I guess. My hope in entering the EPF I am sure was just as real and strong as the other 1000s entrants, and if they weren’t disappointed for not being recognized then I would question their passion for photography. I make photos for myself, but want to push my own boundaries and reach for excellence. I was personally disappointed in an egotistical and narcissistic way. I was hoping for recognition to lend credibility and gain acceptance for what I am doing. “now what” was a personal realization that my desire to create is greater than my desire for personal recognition and ego gratification, again it was kind of liberating. My parents, ex-spouse, extended-family, co-workers for the most part don’t really understand what I am doing or why I am doing it. I guess I was hoping for something tangible that I could show them and say “see I am not crazy after-all”. My vanity was in hoping that I had a chance and I dared to put my faith in that, but now realize that the journey has just begun.

    The fire that was lit underneath me was a direct result of attending your workshop in Toronto, and I will be eternally grateful to you for that. Your enthusiasm, passion, and generosity and all-round fucking coolness have inspired me. You have given me something that is more valuable than any award could ever possibly be. Thank you amigo.

  1848. aitken

    John G,
    Its not for me, but there is an interesting job for a commercial photog who will pay.

    Drop me an email or call and I can fill you in.

    Cheers

    Ian

  1849. david bowen

    re – photoing and traveling..
    gordon.. i know what you mean.
    david H.. i know what you mean

    :ø)
    i do think it requires a certain kind of passion to get through the logistics and peripheral arrangements.. and although globe trotting is much desired it is also much misunderstood..

    anyone that wants to do it can do it..
    if the magazine has no budget for travel, find a promotion or event where you want to go that does..
    if there is not a promotion or event that can fund travel & accom, find a tourist board that can..
    if there is no tourist board then self-fund and sell to 4 or 5 magazines instead to cover costs..

    always a way if prepared to do the work and it´s something you need to do.
    really though – how many really want to do it? attaining your dreams means you have to have new dreams and reality rarely hits the same spot as fantasy.

    best of people and the worst of people await those with the strength to put their trust in the kindness of strangers and their dreams and passions to the test..

    yesyes..
    ¨Trust me, it’s paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven’t tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience.¨
    ¨You hope, and you dream. But you never believe that something’s gonna happen for you. Not like it does in the movies. And when it actually does, you want it to feel different, more visceral, more real.¨
    (from the beach by alex garland)

    a flight to derry or belfast from east midlands airport was cheaper than a taxi home from a nightclub in town..
    barcelona was a weeks food shop away..
    india, a months rent..
    so – what to do?

    it´s all there for anyone who REALLY wants it.

  1851. david bowen

    panos..
    jeeez..
    *insert story 1 of friend who killed themselves* here
    *insert story 2 of friend who killed themselves* here
    hope you´re going easy on yersen..
    they take a part of us with them while also infusing a part of themselves into us.
    d

  1853. david bowen

    From Paul Graham’s lips
    to your ears:

    When I get stuck, I tell myself, ‘Relax. It’s everywhere and everything. It’s all around you, and you just have to let it speak to you.’ It’s not about having to cross the great American West, or the deserts of China. You don’t have to do that. It’s right in front of your face; all you have to do is relax and breathe it in. Having said that, I have travelled quite a bit.

    http://susanaraab.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/from-paul-grahams-lips/

  1855. david alan harvey

    MARCIN…

    no i am not tired…and Anton and i have very healthy discussions and like minded attitudes about Burn…neither of us want to give up shooting and personal publishing no matter what…we both see ourselves as photographers first, and editors second…so in this sense Burn does have its limits…if i were to drop everything as a photographer and simply concentrate on Burn as an entrepreneur, then Burn could have a whole new life…i have four major shooting projects going and all symbiotic/organic with my life so i cannot forsake that important work..Anton feels the same about his work….i think that we have set enough good examples here as it is and it will be up to others to move this concept forward in the future……in a short time we have built grants to further projects, pay for online content (as of yesterday), audience driven, focusing on the young emerging, and finally coming up with Burn in print will be enough of a mark for either of us to make in the world of publishing….our whole philosophy is that we want to be able to quit tomorrow and feel good about all that we have done…nothing lasts forever, nor should it….too much time on the stage and the play gets boring…boo

    our focus in the next few weeks is definitely Burn 01..collector book/magazine…..a sample copy passed around Magnum and at Look3 made us realize how powerful this special edition will be….we are also working on a new design for our web presence and within two months Burn will be html 5 compatible with the iPad and other mobile devices…so, the show is not over yet….and when it is , i want it to be a memory in which all of us can be proud….

    cheers, david

  1856. emcd

    Hi DAH – you are right, I didn’t link to anything…

    Wendy had referenced that the dark light dummy was chosen of the FotoGrafia Festival Rome 2010, selected by Marc Prust – part of the fest is showing a selection of not yet published books – and Lance’s Thirst for Grit is in too. Nothing to link to yet, Wendy heard thru the grapevine. I actually need to redesign the dummy and FAST, as the dummy that exists only has photos up to a certain point in shooting, and the shooting IMO got better after the input from you, Gene R. and Paul F. So selected it was, but they’ll be nothing of mine I want to show in Rome unless I get to the redesign!

  1858. david alan harvey

    ALL…

    we are going to create soonest a “bulletin board” for your benefit…people contact me all the time as below….you never know, one of these “tipoffs” could be good for some of you…do a bit of homework on Colors then check this one out please:

    Hello everyone,

    This is an URGENT call for fresh stories for COLORS Magazine for our ‘Dance on YouTube’ issue.
    We are looking for photo essays to publish, absolutely as SOON as possible.

    Here is the angle we are interested in:
    strong/unexpected/interesting VISUAL stories about a dance, or a dance event, or a dancer/dancers.

    Please forward this to anyone you know who may be interested!!
    All best, in haste,

    COLORS Magazine
    Contact:
    laiaabril@gmail.com
    skype laia.abril

  1859. david alan harvey

    ERICA…

    ahhhh yes, i think Anton is in that exhibit as well…sounds interesting indeed….and stay tuned in the coming months as i think we are going to really follow through with our thoughts on being a serious imprint…we will see how BURN 01 etc goes …if it goes down well and we think we can distribute successfully, then everybody saddle up!!!

    cheers, david

  1860. emcd

    I guess it’s called Photography and Publishing, but I don’t see a link to it yet…eva – no prints, a book dummy.

    I have every faith in burn and it’s ability to distribute!

  1862. Sean Gallagher

    Panos…

    So sorry to hear about your friend. It’s quite scary that everyone seems to know someone in their life that has taken their own. It’s almost like a taboo subject though. I do know of one photographer working on this subject. It’s a tough one though.

    David…Good luck with Burn 01. I am sure it will be rather special. I wish I could of made it to LookBetween. It a bit too far from Beijing unfortunately. We need to get some festivals with bigger draws over here!

    I read with interest the recent posts about grants and awards. I wanted to share with you that I recently secured a second grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. This time I am to begin work on covering issues surrounding wetlands in China. I hope to share some of the work with you soon. I have 7 weeks of travel ahead of me first though, starting next week. The thought of nearly 2 months on the road working is really quite exciting. Complete immersion in my work. Do you still get this same kind of buzz?

    Best,
    Sean

  1863. david alan harvey

    EVA…

    skype me please when Palio over….i think i am not going to see you in Tuscany after all…i have now two very conflicting agendas and something has to go…painful these things…but, i think the Tuscany workshop will have to be sacrificed for me this year…the Outer Banks story (where i live) has moved up in importance for NG editors and this will be my only summer to shoot…i really cannot afford to leave July out of the picture and Tuscany simply makes this almost impossible…i wish i could be everywhere at once…tried that maneuver before and it really does not work…in any case, anxious to see your Palio…

    SEAN….

    congratulations on your most recent grant…you have really been able to use grants to your advantage…what you have really done that works, and is surely one of the reasons why you keep getting grants, is that you stick to your guns and keep working China and the environment….when one thinks China/environment now, one thinks Sean Gallagher…good work amigo..proud of you…..

    cheers, david

  1864. Justin Partyka

    SEAN,

    well done on the second Pulitzer grant. I’m sure that it will be a very exciting adventure exploring the wetlands of China for 2 months. I for one know nothing about them, so I look forward to learning about them through your work.

    Good luck!

    Best,

    Justin P

  1867. eva

    AH, David.. I mean David AH.. your bad, you’ll miss out on good food and wine and sun and.. well, you gotta do what you gotta do, Tuscany will be here next year too (it’s not yet 2012 after all), and I’ll have a little more time to print this stuff.. will catch you on skype when ready.. and wishing you a beautiful Summer in OBX!

    Now. Back from shooting. Why, oh why oh why do I always pick projects I’m emotionally so involved with, will I ever learn and be able to close myself off? OH WELL.

  1869. a civilian-mass audience

    The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

    Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
    And sorry I could not travel both
    And be one traveler, long I stood
    And looked down one as far as I could
    To where it bent in the undergrowth;
    Then took the other, as just as fair,
    And having perhaps the better claim,
    Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
    Though as for that the passing there
    Had worn them really about the same,
    And both that morning equally lay
    In leaves no step had trodden black.
    Oh, I kept the first for another day!
    Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
    I doubted if I should ever come back.
    I shall be telling this with a sigh
    Somewhere ages and ages hence:
    Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
    I took the one less traveled by,
    And that has made all the difference.

    I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLL…as FROSTFROG said …I forgot my reading glasses…
    hiiiiiiiiiii…I hope you are ok and BURNING…
    down to 2 …
    hey, whatever you do…please do it well…
    I will be back to call you out…
    yeap,VIVA !!!

  1871. Ryan Gauvin

    Erica, some of my work will be in that show too – spent my Canada day holiday struggling through some of the final prep work.. Not sure if I’ll be able to weasel my way over to Italy, but I’m gonna try!

  1872. kathleen fonseca

    DAH

    Colors Magazine..way cool site..8 pages of dance essays, videos; a mad potpourri of global hipshakin’, mind bending, sometimes shocking movement (check out Jamaican “Daggering”)..i got a real education browsing those pages. Ya gotta see Pantsula..a type of dance done in the South African Townships, also the deaf dancers from the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe performing their stunning “The Thousand Hand Guan Yin” and of course the gravity-defying 2010 US Pole Dance Championship..

    The Dance issue is #78..with other issues titled, “Cease-Fear”, “Victims”, “Telenovelas”, “Slavery”, “Energy”, “Fans”, “Luxury”, etc, after fascinating etcetera..

    Thanks for this new addition to my bookmarks bar!

    Best
    Kathleen

  1881. kathleen fonseca

    Panos..

    ok, i get it now..i am so sorry for the living who have to make sense out of what happened. But there is no sense..especially when nobody saw it coming. God, i’m sorry, Panos.

    ((((hugZ))))

    kat

  1890. david alan harvey

    EVA…

    yes, i feel terrible about missing Tuscany this year….i had two choices to make and both of them were going to leave some scorched earth….obviously the changing of the obx schedule came as a surprise to me, but in this biz those kinds of surprises are not really surprises…yes the food and wine i will miss, but the travel scramble i was going to have to make to get from Carolina to Durango, Colorado and then to Eugene, Oregon and then to Rome and then 5 days of workshops later back to Carolina was going to negate some of the pleasures anyway…hurry up and enjoy your wine is not my idea of savoring the pleasures of Tuscany….normally i combine Tuscany with something else going on in Europe, but this time it did not work out….i think we are going to have a Magnum gathering in Italy in january, so perhaps we can meet then….in any case, skype when you have time and with Palio down to say 50-60 pictures….can you do?…

    KATHLEEN …

    yes, Colors has always been out on the leading edge visually….heretofore a magazine in print as well, but i am not sure if it still exists in print form….come to think of it, i have not seen a copy for a long time….

    cheers, david

  1891. david bowen

    looking at the colors site it seems to be about uploading content free – i think i read that some may be selected for print publication..

    anyway..

    off to photograph the cruise ship tourists walking / standing and sitting bemused in isolated pockets.. like sheep let out of the pen and dumped into a foreign environment.

  1892. david alan harvey

    DAVID B…

    well i do not know about any rights issues….you should definitely double check….Colors is after all Benetton public relations and advertising , so they should have financing for pictures….

  1895. abele

    DAH,

    “i think we are going to have a Magnum gathering in Italy in january”… hope to meet you in that occasion, then!

    EVA
    I will be around Siena from the 11th to the 17th: hope we’ll have a chance to meet and share a good bottle of Brunello. My mobile is 338-8351128 or drop me an email. Ciao

  1896. abele

    “Lance, detained”… hmm, that’s crazy… it looks like they are applying the same media management policy as in war zones… who wants to be embedded in a pipeline?

  1897. marcin luczkowski

    DAVID,

    Dialog is very important part of Burn, it make Burn unique, and I see that you are always fuel for the audience. Without you it’s no fun. Hard stuff.
    “O CAPTAIN! my Captain” like Whitman wrote :)

    Btw, I miss two photo essays of yours in NatGeo because yours photographs are only for members with subscription for magazine. And I think I will not see your pictures from Rio either. It makes me little angry because the best photos in NatGeo are for members only, so I feel like person of second category.
    But maybe Polish Natgeo give me a gift and I’ll be able to see your Rio photos I wait for so long :)

    peace

  1898. eva

    DAH..

    I’m sure you made the right decision, your schedule would have been very very busy, to say the least.. food, wine, Tuscany and company will be here, be it January or next Summer or whenever!

    And yes, can do and will do it, finished developing, still have your edit, will take it from there.. thanks :)

    ABELE, ho memorizzato il numero, grazie, emailing you later!

  1899. panos skoulidas

    BP , one of the “7 sisters” that terrorizing the world
    by destroying the environment is working hand in hand with local police … Anyone surprised?
    BP side by side with “JTTF”?… detaining photographers, muting the PRESS? BP polluting the world , compromising our kids future is the Ultimate Terrorist…but the question is : why does Texas police is on BP’s side? Why not protecting us? The citizens? After all they are hired and paid by us ( the citizens)… They are our employees… But instead they turned against us, against the press, against free speech , forming an evil alliance with BP… which is a corrupted PRIVATE company that destroys this planet… Make sense?????

  1900. david alan harvey

    MARCIN…

    you always make me smile…do not worry, you will see everything i promise…the one thing that is driving you crazy is that you just happen to know i am shooting in Rio because i told you so via this medium..before this blog , you never would have known and then when you saw my Rio book you would simply have been surprised or whatever…one of the caveats of assignment or commissioned photography is that the pictures cannot be shown until published as per the commission…90 days after, then anything goes…i will publish Rio on Burn , in a book, and following the Anton example, probably do a magazine as well….few realize how much time passes on the these NG assignments and publication of the work…from my first tweet on New Year’s Eve 2009/10 until it will actually be in print, almost two years will have passed…pretty normal i think….i rarely show work more than once every two or three years anyway, so i am quite used to the long delay from click to print to show…

    cheers, david

  1901. a civilian-mass audience

    LANCE…oime LANCE…
    you didn’t read the advisory…

    STAY AWAY FROM PANOS / HERVE / MR.HARVEY…
    either combination of those above can be BURNING…

    detained…jail time…fines…???

    P.S LEE welcome home…!!!
    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…thanks for the e-mails…let’s go Hawaii so we can meet with LEE

    BURNIANS…THOMAS,THODORIS,ABELE,EVA,GORDON,JIMMY,DAVIDB,BOBBYB,EMCD,ROSS,IMANTS,SEAN,MARCIN,PANOS,
    LASSAL,DOMINIQUE,WENDY,AUDREY,SIDNEY,TOMYOUNG,POMARA,FROSTFROG,JASON,BRIANF,STELIOS,ZISIS,EMILY,
    JOHNG,AITKEN… BURNIANSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    HAPPY DAYS…be YOU…you can’t wrong…and follow the advisories…:)))
    :)))….:)))…:)))

  1902. a civilian-mass audience

    LANCE…oime LANCE…
    you didn’t read the advisory…

    STAY AWAY FROM PANOS / HERVE / MR.HARVEY…
    either combination of those above can be BURNING…

    detained…jail time…fines…???

    P.S LEE welcome home…!!!
    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…thanks for the e-mails…let’s go Hawaii so we can meet with LEE

    BURNIANS…THOMAS,THODORIS,ABELE,EVA,GORDON,JIMMY,DAVIDB,BOBBYB,EMCD,ROSS,IMANTS,SEAN,MARCIN,PANOS,
    LASSAL,DOMINIQUE,WENDY,AUDREY,SIDNEY,TOMYOUNG,POMARA,FROSTFROG,JASON,BRIANF,STELIOS,ZISIS,EMILY,
    JOHNG,AITKEN… BURNIANSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    HAPPY DAYS…be YOU…you can’t go wrong…and follow the advisories…:)))
    :)))….:)))…:)))

  1903. a civilian-mass audience

    sorry…I got excited…hmmm…

    and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY…

    LOVE YOU MY BURNIANSSSSSSSS

  1904. a civilian-mass audience

    ooooo….AKAKY,MY GRACIE…LOVE you

    ANTON…LOVE

    OURPATRICIA…

    oime…I sound too cliche…BUT …I am a civilian and I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLL

    P.S and to the new readers out there…BURN is the place to be…

  1906. panos skoulidas

    OK ALL…PLEASE PAY ATTENTION…
    THIS IS FOR ALL IPHONE USERS OUT THERE..

    AGAIN… THIS IS FOR ALL iPHONE USERS….

    OUR GENIUS TECH GURU HAIK…JUST CREATED AN AMAZING ONE CLICK BUTTON APP (LINK) FOR THE iPHONE..
    FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:

    go to burn site on iPhone.
    in Safari click on the new + icon at the bottom of the browser,
    then select “Add to Home Screen”,
    Type in burn and hit Add.
    You’ll now see a direct link to burn on your home screen.

    AGAIN BIG HUG AND THANK YOU TO THIS BRILLIANT GUY…(name is HAIK)…

    welcome to 21st century y’all…
    im not advertising iPhones here…but if u have a friend with one, get a taxi and drive to your friends house..dont drive because you are gonna get drunk from happiness once you see how beautiful and EDGY Haik’s
    little invention is…again i repeat follow the instructions below:

    “1) go to burn site on iPhone.
    2) in Safari click on the new + icon at the bottom of the browser,
    3) then select “Add to Home Screen”,
    4) Type in burn and hit Add.

    You’ll now see a direct link to burn on your home screen.

  1907. panos skoulidas

    “Black is Beautiful”
    so is Haik’s new BLACK BURN BUTTON/LINK/APP/shortcut , whatever u wanna call it…

    sorry but as an iPhone addict im thrilled…

    HAIK THANK YOU..
    and as CIVI said CREDIT GOES TO THE HARD WORKER…

    Let me tell u about this guy..i know Haik for quite a while now…
    One thing for sure the guy is smarter than me..
    ha ha…
    seriously , Haik is the most talented TECH GURU in this earth at least..
    Writing code, designing…u name it..Haik has it..

    procedure below once again:

    “1) go to burn site on iPhone.
    2) in Safari click on the new + icon at the bottom of the browser,
    3) then select “Add to Home Screen”,
    4) Type in burn and hit Add.

    You’ll now see a direct link to burn on your home screen.

  1908. a civilian-mass audience

    ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    hiiiiiiiiiii…I am in …it’s very classy

    BURNIANS…if a civilian can do it then it can be done…

    THANK YOU HAIK…Credit when credit is due…
    what can I say HAIK has saved my computer…

    P.S !!!
    REIMAR…THANK YOU !!!

  1909. a civilian-mass audience

    “dont drive because you are gonna get drunk from happiness once you see how beautiful and EDGY Haik’s”
    PANOS…the moustaches are looking for you :)))

    Shall I keep Dionisi or no??? We got to celebrate after all

  1910. Gracie

    been away for daze and days…
    brother p… read up a little…
    i too think suicide is selfish. but yeah, what do i know? we not be the judge. leaves us thinking about our woulda-coulda-shouldas as friends. we toss and turn at night for ages… and the kids. what do we tell them?
    thanks for spinnin’

    @civi: not so smilin about your chicken talk, really. we all got to eat but i dont need to know how my dinner got on my plate :(

    @kathie: photography on hold. too hot. too busy. too many phone calls. too much email. too many bills. too little time. too many needy peeps. too many damned excuses.

  1913. marcin luczkowski

    Panos,

    We have the president elections today, so we have very patriotic day also :)
    And magnificent sun for a picnic!
    But I have important work to do, so it will be very quick picnic.
    Happy day for everyone!

  1915. eva

    Ah, Gracie, nonono!! See, if we all would be more aware on how what we eat gets onto our plate, or the toll it takes to gas up our cars, perhaps we’d do it less lightheaded and think twice.. someone’s gotta take responibility, and a lot of our politicians (all over the planet) are too attached to their seats to be free to take decisions that go against the economical powers.. so long live Civi’s chicks.. or not..

  1916. a civilian-mass audience

    NO worries…MYGRACIE…I didn’t know you are MySensitive one…
    No more chicken talk…(I wish you had warned me earlier)
    Life goes on
    we got to move on…

    HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEE…you have warned me too…
    thanks for your unconditional LOVE…
    Football here I come…PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

  1918. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA..VIVA…
    we have to meet …ITALY…
    we are so close…oime

    to all My ITALIAN friends….siete stupefacente e ti amo tutto!!!
    EVA:)))

  1919. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…down to one…BOUBOULINA is here to stay…
    I love your photos …

    Gracie

  1928. michael webster

    Regarding the ongoing multimedia conversation, some of you know I’ve been experimenting with new ways to present work, at least new to me. This is still a bit rough and possibly very tacky, but I was happy that I was able to produce a workable rough draft in a fairly short amount of time. Still so much to learn. But although I’m still swimming in the kiddie pool, I’m at least getting comfortable in the deep end of the kiddie pool. I thought this up and wrote it last night after taking a picture of a horse; then produced it this morning.

    It plays on the IPhone by the way. So you see, Panos is right, it does take a super genius to get a slideshow to play on the IPhone. Just kidding, it’s just an export option. Don’t have one of those for the IPad yet. If anyone out there has an IPad and wants to let me know how it looks, I’d appreciate it.

  1930. Herve

    SO… the question is; how free you feel you are??
    —————————–

    Yeah, Panitos the Caveman: do you feel lucky today, punk? ;-)

    Lance apprehended and questionned by the police? hmmmm…. shades of Magnum Ball 2008 revisited….Welcome to the club, Lance! :-)

  1931. Herve

    Maybe someone posted this before, but maybe not, a real crack up, “bag 101” from you know who (very good quality vid’… what was inhaled before, too!):

  1932. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    “The eye is the camera’s. The message is yours.”
    David Alan Harvey

    A photographer friend of mine who lives in Singapore used this quote as part of the text in her brand new Blurb book called “where the photos have no name.” I admire Ai Li’s work tremendously and encourage you to check it out. I’ve just ordered her book myself and can’t wait to hold it in my hands.

    http://www.blurb.com/books/1449362

    Patricia

  1934. michael webster

    Yes John, these things were, are, and always will be slideshows. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would be as a slideshow integrated with moving images. Or if your point is that this one is simple and could be done in any number of programs? Well, yes again. Baby steps. The technical goal is to shorten the time between coming up with a visual idea and being able to realize it. The real challenge, I think, is much more one of aesthetics. How to tell a compelling story? Compelling in the sense that people watch the whole thing because they wonder what’s coming next. Cause that’s about the best we can hope for from presentation. After that, they can determine whether it’s shite or not the old fashioned way.

  1935. Imants

    It is all about communication not a fancy notion of multi media. Michael you are trying to get there in a hurry, there is no there. Relax and give yourself space to develop your ideas they will come in time. It is all looking a bit forced and have lost your personal take of image making

  1939. sam harris

    John,

    Harrow Rd… how many times have i walked that route…
    nice to hear there’s a gallery there now,
    all the best for thursday evening…

    love to see a shot of your panels…

  1940. michael webster

    Imants, thanks. I can’t speak for my subconscious, but consciously I don’t have any exalted notions of “multimedia.” It’s true that I’m trying to raise my skill level in a hurry and am guilty of showing rough drafts when I probably should be more patient and present finished products. I think that one looked a bit forced because of my poor skill set as a motion graphics editor rather than trying too hard to make “multimedia.” Trifle though it is, the conception was pure. And that’s what I like about it. The short temporal distance between thought and expression. I am a production-minded individual. Hopefully, better aesthetics will be realized with practice, with better control of the tools.

    Anyway, if anyone hasn’t seen it yet and is interested, here is my second draft. And if you do watch it again, you might want to clear your browser cache first or it might be the same as yesterday.

    And John, congrats on the show. Wish I could be there. It’s been way to long since I’ve been over that way.

  1944. michael kircher

    Panos & Haik…

    Very cool about the new homepage icon for Burn… but we still can’t see the images due to Flash. Kind of pointless… unless it’s only dialogue you’re interested in.

  1947. panos skoulidas

    Michael W…
    Great.. Keep it up.. good job..

    Michael K…
    I agree about the “flash” complain..
    Burn is soon to be slideshow/iPhone/iPad
    fully compatible.. You see it’s well known
    That flash is dinosaur technology that slows down
    Phones (think Android)
    and it’s the main reason that phones crash…
    So obviously Burn should embrace the non flash technology
    …but that costs… Stay tuned

  1951. Ross Nolly

    Just about to head out to the backcountry to try out my new Holga 6cm x 12cm pinhole camera. F133 and 6 shots per roll, that should slow the process down! Shooting film that expired in 2001 always adds a nice touch of variability!

  1952. peter grant

    Ross,

    let me know what results you get from this expired film, and of course what film it is, and what effects that 9 years of expiry date literally had on the film. I’ve got a few rolls of chrome film thats expired, and over past few years have put off using it resorting to using cheap colour neg, which has been disappointing at times. Can’t afford to just keep buying new chrome film these days. Never could actually.

    So i’d be interested to hear how it went.

    cheers.
    peter.

  1953. Ross Nolly

    Peter; I’ve been using 2001 Kodak Portra 800 and 2006 Fuji 100 Superia and Reala. All 120 negative film.

    The Portra has slowed down; I shoot it like a 400asa film. It seems to have got grainier and sometimes there are colour shifts. I’ve only had 2 roll (out of 23) where I’ve had hassles with images not showing etc. The Superia and Reala has an occasional magenta cast; but nothing too drastic. All the film had been stored in a fridge.

    Here’s a link containing mostly pics where I used expired film:

    http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/26409

    All pics excepting the statue and cow pics are expired film. All Portra; except the fairground ride and the last two pics. The last two were taken with my newer Holga, which has a different vignette.

    I hope this helps.

    Cheers :-)

  1954. peter grant

    Thanks Ross. Yes, always helpful hearing results such as this.

    I guess chrome is much more sensitive to shifts in speed and tone due to age? I know, hard to generalize. I have both Provia and Velvia, all stored in constant room temp of 10-20C, due to seasonal change. More concerned about exposure compensation. anyway!. Thanks for the link. I’ll go check them out.

    Cheers Ross.
    Peter.

  1955. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANSSSSSSS…

    expired film …stored in the fridge …???!!!
    aha…
    “Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.”
    Vernon Howard

    Up in the mountains …getting ready for my journey…need to focus…
    cause the devil is in the details:)))

    I will be back…KEEP SHOOTING …show me what you got…you never know when I will be knocking
    your door…cause I am a civilian after alllll…and I love you ALLLLLLLLLLL:)))

  1958. Ross Nolly

    Civi; “Up in the mountains …getting ready for my journey…need to focus… cause the devil is in the details:)))

    Famous British explorer H.W. Tilman once said “Any worthwhile expedition can be planned on the back of an envelope” :-)

    Unless you need chargers, laptops, hard drives etc etc etc ad infinitum; for your digi cameras!

    I’ve got more expired film in the fridge than food! :-)

  1959. jenny lynn

    Today is the Dalai Lama’s birthday. He is 75 years old today. If you feel you’d like to send him a personal message today, click on this link and it will be posted on “a wall of wishes” outside of the temple in Dharamsala. There is also a global tribute message being sent today: “We wish you well on your 75th birthday and stand together across the world to express our thanks for your leadership for justice, non violence and peace.”

    Here’s the link for both: http://www.avaaz.org/en/dalai_lamas_birthday/?cl=644819735&v=6739

    There wasn’t anything like this on DAH’s birthday but if there had been one that said something along the lines of the following, I would have signed it:

    “We wish you well on your birthday and stand together to express our thanks for your teachings, guidance and ceaseless work to help others express their creativity and achieve their dreams AND for the love you continue to show to your students, teachers, Magnum, the practise of photography and most of all, thank you for your vision of “our common humanity.”

    Civi: Wishing you a enjoyable exploration wherever it may lead: “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” Lao Tzu

  1968. eva

    Argh, David, if you’d said you needed a paperwight I could have sent you a rock or two.. hope ‘was digi at least..

  1969. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSY,
    ” Meticulous planning will enable everything a man
    does to appear spontaneous.”
    Caine, Mark
    I believe that the devil is in there…:)))
    expired film…?!?!?!hiii…do you have a cold beer in your fridge or something for civilians…???

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our DALAI LAMA…he is a BURNIAN too…
    THANK YOU JENNY…and where is LEEEEEEEEEE???

    “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” Lao Tzu
    PANOS,JENNY…I intent on arriving…I have plans…oime
    BUT I am a BURNIAN…therefore…I have immunity …
    may the spirits of travel be with me…

    BRAVO to our HOLLAND people…!!! HERVE…you are in…

    and bravo to DAVIDB…

    I would love to hear from JOHNYG ,AUDREY…and others for their
    I am calling all BURNIANS…like DQ…
    OUZO and pastitsio on me…KATIEEEEEEEE love you…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2s_c8ZALEw&feature=related
    life goes on…
    WHAT NOT TO LOVE

  1971. Imants

    Watching the Lance caper it is a bit of a non event ……… news for the sake of it.

    Wednesday 7th July Marc Chagall was born on this day a ling time ago for the majority of living persons………..

  1973. Imants

    Other than Yul Brynner being born on this day it is…………………………

    ………… Tell the Truth Day

  1976. Lee Guthrie

    I’m here Civi. Dealing with a lot of conflicting emotions and trying not to plaster then on the face of Burn. Plus, there has been a lot of negative stuff being tossed around and I tend to back off when that happens.

  1978. eva

    Civi? You can go? Packing that one chicken left, right? ‘Cause you don’t want to leave it behind, right?? Poor thing.. rats, am in the wrong place again, looking at Jared’s link.. too late, I’ll be there too late..

  1979. david bowen

    eva – was a digital camera.. dropped from only a foot or so high..
    if it were film i have the feeling it would have more than survived..

    ahh. well. only 3rd camera broken in many years.

  1984. Herve

    Lance Rosenfeld getting detained by British Petroleum
    ————————–

    I know it sounds better and helps the rhetoric this way, Michael, but Lance was not detained. Then there is the other question that BP can detain people? really? and where?
    IMO, the question is not on BP, but on the citizenry of that state, and this country, to show they won’t take it anymore. Alas, they have all but let 2 political parties decide all courses of action in this country.

    And dems are not about to unleash their grass roots outfits to have people demonstrate against our dear leader!

    Basically, we should have a huge “coffee party” making noise out there, but instead we have the contrary, “tea parties” reactionnary activism.

  1989. a civilian-mass audience

    journey started…

    LOVE PEACE and PHOTOGRAPHY…

    I will be back…sooner or later :)))))))))))))))))))))))))

    drinks on you …

  1990. michael webster

    Herve, I don’t know about the Lance thing, just linked to it because someone else here had expressed interest. It said he was detained, but I didn’t look deeper. Seems I’ve read from numerous sources that BP is paying local police to essentially work for them as a security detail and keep people away from embarrassing locales, arresting them if they persist. Not surprised these days when media reports prove false. Will see about those.

    Regarding coffee and tea, yea, but the analytic mistake people make is to consider the democrats a real opposition party in a two party system. In reality, they are to the republicans what the Washington Generals are to the Harlem Globetrotters. Employees hired to give the rubes the illusion of a contest when there’s really only one game in town.

  1991. dq

    David, DAH, Mr. Harvey — you tease and you tantalize with your tales of work/play behind the camera — but do we ever see a picture? No! OK — RARELY. You’re killing us! Many other blogsters, including NatGeo “shooters,” at least give us a little Behind The Scenes, or Notes, from their assignments. But from you? NADA!

    We can’t wait until 2011 to see OBX or RIO… what do we have? A shot in a restaurant from Austin, a train crossing, and yes, the most wonderful image at the top of this ( now very old) post by you.

    Am I being selfish? Yes, ok, I’ll admit it. I mean, it’s not like you don’t have other stuff to do, and what with your semi-recent pledge to be ever-so-slightly less generous… but I mean… you know… we readers like your work and would really appreciate seeing more.

    Pretty please?

    ~ dq

  1992. david alan harvey

    DQ

    laughing…yes, yes i understand…well, it is funny you should bring this up….because both Anton and i have been working under the old model where the editors do not publish their own work in the magazines they are editing….i did publish in my old Road Trips blog, but always felt it was inappropriate for me to publish my own work here other than as part of an editor text piece…however, this will change…first of all, the old model was based on print where space was a premium…here on Burn there are no space issues and we can publish as much content as we can produce and as often as we want to produce it…so, in the coming months both Anton and i will use Burn as an outlet…

    it is a little crazy that we have this popular magazine that goes everywhere and we do not get a piece of our own creation….we do have a new design concept for Burn coming up that will i think make it easier…and, of course, no content from any submitting photographer will be affected nor deleted nor changed in any way if occasionally either Anton or i publish as per your suggestion…we will use the film industry model from now on where directors can wear several hats in a film , rather than the old conservative newspaper model….

    the Rio and OBX work of course cannot be published here until after it appears in Natgeo which is still a long way out for both stories…such is the regulation on any magazine commission….just seems more pronounced at Natgeo because they have the longest “lead time” in the biz….

    ok ok ..new post coming …this post got old because yes yes EPF dominated for awhile…new picture coming taken at Mike Courvoisier bday party..gotta travel today and tomorrow, but will do new post from my mother’s house…she inspires…

    thanks for your patience…

    cheers, david

  1996. Akaky

    Τραγουδήστε, ω θεά, την οργή των Μπουμπουλίνας, κόρη του Δία, που έφερε αμέτρητα δεινά από την Στρατιωτικών. Πολλοί μια γενναία ψυχή έκανε Μπουμπουλίνα στείλει σπεύσει κάτω στον Άδη, και πολλά ήρωας έκανε αυτή αποφέρει μια λεία για τους σκύλους και όρνεα, για τόσα ήταν οι βουλές του Δία πληρούνται από την ημέρα που ο γιος του Ατρέα, του βασιλιά των ανδρών, και τη μεγάλη Πολιτικός, πρώτα έπεσε έξω με το ένα το άλλο.

    And a translation thereof:

    Sing, O goddess, the anger of Bouboulina, daughter of Zeus, that brought countless ills upon the Civilian. Many a brave soul did Bouboulina send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did she yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Civilian, first fell out with one another.

  1997. jenny lynn

    Anthony: Thanks again for the tip on the Gilden interview. I’m sharing it now! Fantastic!

  1999. panos skoulidas

    Akaky…
    AMAZING!

    DAH/Anton..
    Yes… Think of Clint Eastwood.. Think of Woody Allen..
    and many many more… I personally can’t watch a WoodyA movie
    and not expecting him to shine ..
    Or think of Alfred Hitchcock .. He was always somehow in
    a scene or in a mirror reflection or somewhere in the frame..
    That was brilliant…
    Revolution continues…
    Plus both of u guys still emerging IMO ..
    And that’s not just an empty compliment.. We stop emerging the day we die …

  2002. Frostfrog

    David Bowen –

    Try a Canon s90. On my way to Greenland, I overnighted in Copenhagen where I took an afternoon walk in a groggy state of mind. I had my s90 in my right hand, lens out and fully extended, when I unknowingly stepped into a bike lane.

    “Hallo!” I heard a man shout – and then my hand was struck by a speeding bike. The s90 went flying at least six or seven forward then bounced, bounced, bounced, off the pavement.

    I shouted an obscenity at the biker, who did not stop, walked to the s90, picked it up and it was fine.

  2003. Frostfrog

    Akaky – Damn. That verse just hit me. I want to write like that. I might not always understand exactly what I was saying, but I’d say it beautifully and I would sure be proud of it.

  2004. Frostfrog

    Speaking of Greenland, before I left I said that I was going to do a little experiment – to see if one man working hard all day and sacrificing sleep could adequately cover, in words and photos, an event such as the General Assembly of the Inuit Circumpolar Council that I went to cover.

    Well, the experiment failed. It didn’t work. In part because I was not only exhausted but sick but also in large part because the computer would just bog down trying to crunch all those large RAW, files from my 1 Ds 3 and 5 D M2 in Lightroom and I would spend hours getting almost nowhere. Speaking purely blog, it would have worked a lot better if had stuck to the pocket camera, the s90, both because you cannot get that many shots off with an s90 so you do not have the huge numbers to edit and because the files are much smaller so they do not bog the computer down.

    I had to shoot the big RAW files though, so that we can make a paper publication later.

    In retrospect, I think it would have been pretty damn hard, even with a pocket camera, but I believe I could have done it.

    The week after next I go to Fort Yukon for the Gwich’in Gathering. After Greenland, I don’t think I will even try to do an intense blog. I will just get something up front that states the purpose of the gathering, pick half a dozen people or so a day and feature them on the blog and then shoot everything else like crazy, so that my client that is paying to bring me there has plenty of images to choose from afterward.

    Anyway, unlike DAH who is reluctant to feature his own work on his electronic publication (but, thankfully, he is rethinking that) it is just the opposite with me. I have created this little publication as a venue strictly for my own work. I don’t have the slightest idea what I am doing, but I keep experimenting and one day, soon I hope, I expect to find the way.

    I just wish that I had a good tech person working with me and that I knew more about writing code myself.

    I am all alone.

    But it is lots of fun.

  2006. bob black

    DAvid/Anton:

    thought you could use a bit of this after today/yesterday :))))

    check your email :))

  2007. bob black

    Akaky/Panos ;)))))))))))

    well, i cant claim to know greek (except when drinking), but will share from the same ‘blessed house’ to which akaky-papa referred:

    Long has there been current among men an ancient saying,
    that a man’s great prosperity, brought to completion,
    has offspring, and does not perish childless;
    and that from good fortuned for a family
    there is born insatiable woe.
    And I am apart from others, alone in thought;
    for the impious act
    begets more after it,
    like the stock from whence they come.
    For the fate of houses that walk straight in the paths of justice
    is a fair offspring of their former fate.

    running
    hugs ya’ll

    b

  2011. panos skoulidas

    thank u Brian…we needed that…i almost feel guilty that i “quit” dj-ing here…
    i didnt quit but so much happening in my life right now (whats new?)…but yes keep it up..
    music above everything…i cant live without an iPod..i cant shoot without music in my ears..
    music
    music
    music
    cures the soul!!!!!!!!

  2012. Herve

    Enjoy the wedding, Anton, especially the party afterwards! I have been invited to one in Oran, Algeris, for the end of the month. It’s been long since I went to one, yet not sure I can make it, but definitely will be in France, comes July the 13th, and me too, i am happy for that! :-)

  2014. peter grant

    Panos.. never tried photographing with music but what a great idea because when I look through my images listening to music it seems to enhance the mood of them in some way.

    I also love music.. as we all must… vital… inspirational actually!

    Radiohead is 1 of my favorite groups.. they’re so evocative, rumbling dissilience..

    ANY BURNIANS… have any idea’s in how they try to capture music, .. harmony, complexity of harmony; rhythms in photography. Mood…?

    soft-hard-space-clutter

    Love to hear your idea’s….

  2015. david bowen

    panos / peter..
    one of teh greatest joys.. i-pod (walkman as it was) in ears and mumbling around looking for photos..
    photographing with the backdrop of music really bakes my cake.

    ¨any idea’s in how they try to capture music, .. harmony, complexity of harmony; rhythms in photography. Mood…? ¨
    that´s an interesting question – not least because both art forms interact with us directly through the senses.. there is plenty in common..
    at gigs the crowd is a reflection of the sounds.. from violent to gently bobbing, they express whats going on in their ears..
    photography.. much more cloaked than music i think.. much, much more difficult to layer, evolve.. perhaps this is where new technology can help.. video motion and blending being possible with more control and software like FCP or premier.. just exploring this myself so no answers ..

    any time i listen to music i imagine it with pictures in my head.. my photos because i know them best maybe.. always my photos and utterly tied to the music in a way i now know is possible.. my knowledge of technology has to catch up with my mind..

  2016. Thodoris Tzalavras

    DAH…
    re: your panic…
    I know the feeling…
    It’s a terrible sense of loss…
    A year ago, I was informed that the place where I had all my negatives from 1996 to 2002, was flooded with 4″ of water… due to lack of foresight the cardboard boxes with the negative files were stacked on the floor… when I heard the news I felt a part of me dying…

  2017. david bowen

    thodoris + harvey..

    yes.. lost all my negatives from 8 to 16 years old in a wet basement..

    almost lost the next period 16 to 28 – fire in the loft above my studio..
    hit the pub over the road while the firemen did there thing.. got very, very drunk indeed watching flames leap from the roof…

    returned to find they had covered my negative bookshelf and computers with tarpaulin to protect them.. rest of studio flooded.. ceiling collapsing.. a firemans leg came through the roof as i was sighing with relief.

    god bless firemen.

  2019. peter grant

    THODORIS… sounds like we all probably have sad stories such as your own. I lost a box full of chrome film in a fire, ending up with mainly black gloules of stink and warped twisted..ouch.. wish you hadn’t reminded me now..Sorry about your experience..

    DAVID.. Yes, I checked out your images from Goa and the clubs and Pubs of, where was it, Manchester? anyway, I saw exactly what your saying about the energy of a crowd, wether it be at a Punk, or Techno or Disco or traditional Folk, or whatever, the mood of the people will shine through to illuminate the mood. Let me know more about the FCP when you know more.

    Got to go but will look back later with enthusiasm..

    thanks David.

  2021. jenny lynn

    Anton: My brother’s wedding was one of the best days of my life – I enjoyed that day far more than my own because I was photographing it! To see our loved ones experience their happiest times is one of the greatest joys of all. Wishing you a really special time.

  2023. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    To bring a different perspective to the discussion of shooting while listening to your iPod, it just wouldn’t work for me. I need to have all my senses engaged in the moment at hand to take my best pics. If I brought my own music, I would lose the sounds of the place/people I’m shooting, especially the subtle sounds. But then, I’m not an iPod lover. If I’m out on the streets or in nature, I want to hear everything around me. That, to me, is the music of life. My favorite time to listen to music is while working on the computer. I love it there.

    It’s so interesting to see how unique each of us is.

    Patricia

  2024. Imants

    Lost some negs??? ………. why lament?… just go out and shoot a couple of frames……… if you can’t do that shoot some pool/ billiards….. your mouth ……. anything!…….

  2025. Akaky

    Thodoris, it is easy to write in Greek when all you do is take Butler’s translation of The Iliad, insert the necessary changes, and then run the text through Google’s translator. Nothing to it at all. :-)

  2026. Carsten

    Just had to post this, absolutely love it. From Chase Jarvis’ blog:

    This is the opening paragraph from Henry R. Luce’s 1936 original, confidential prospectus for what became LIFE Magazine.

    “THE PURPOSE: To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events; to watch the faces of the poor and the gestures of the proud; to see strange things – machines, armies, multitudes, shadows in the jungle and on the moon; to see our work – our paintings, towers and discoveries; to see things thousands of miles away, things hidden behind walls and within rooms, things dangerous to come to: the women that men love and many children; to see and to take pleasure in seeing; to see and be amazed; to see and be instructed; Thus to see, and to be shown, is now the will and new expectancy of half of humankind. To see, and to show, is the mission now undertaken by a new kind of publication, THE SHOW-BOOK OF THE WORLD, hereinafter described…”

  2027. Frostfrog

    David Bowen – It’s not a big thing, because I know how easy it is to miss targeted comments here and I’m certain I’ve done it myself, but it does feel a little funny to direct a comment directly to an individual as I did to you and then to have that individual come on shortly afterward, respond to various people but ignore you.

    Carsten – thank you for you posting! Perhaps decades have past since I last read this statement and it had gone entirely from my head. It is beautiful. I miss the original Life magazine – not the sorry things that it evolved into at the end, but what it once was. It was a big inspiration for me and I believe it did try awfully hard to live up to that statement. No one else has done anything like it since.

  2028. Akaky

    FF, I want to write like that too, but nobody’s as good as Omeros, and he couldnt even write; he had to memorize all that stuff

  2029. Frostfrog

    Akaky – Sometimes, when a person who is very good at translating has interpreted the words of Alaska Native and American Indian elders relating their oral histories, I have been amazed at the beauty in the words. Probably the same kind of thing.

  2036. eva

    Panos, now one could say that Europeans prefer to keep violence at home opposed to export it.. but that’ll be a generalisation as much as what you’ve said.. so I’ll keep my mouth shut.. and remember, never say ‘ever again’.. or something like that ;)

  2038. Ane

    I too support Doctors Without Borders. An excellent service to those without resources.
    Keep growing….
    Ane

  2041. Ross Nolly

    Imants “Then come to Bullamakenka, Mick will take you out pig shooting and a night out with the ewes”

    It’s lambing season here, so the wild pigs will be out looking for a nice lamb supper…

  2043. Imants

    For the sake of our human race and ecological time bomb, it is probably time to dump democracy and hit the the dictator trail. If he/she says no more oil for family drives then the people will do as they are told. The only problem is to find those non democratic types with a yearning to look after the welfare of their grandchildren.

  2045. Imants

    No you need to control the population, China/ Asia is in the best position to do this, Europe and the US are basket cases with their I demand societies.

  2048. david alan harvey

    KYUNGHEE LEE…

    i have found your e-mail and responded to you this morning…thank you for reminding me…unfortunately, it is easy for me to lose e-mails these days….as always, my best wishes to you and to your daughter…

    cheers, david

  2049. eva

    DAH, or anybody else shooting at home:

    When is enough enough? David, you’re shooting OBX, you have a timeframe given by NatGeo now, but how do you decide you’re done? When time is over? I guess not.. I’m having a hard time calling ‘it’ done. Is it only me or is that a normal thing?

  2050. david alan harvey

    EVA…

    this is one of those very difficult to answer questions….and for everyone it is different…i can easily take a look at another photographer’s work and see how close they are to finished…i will be able to see your Palio and tell in 5 minutes where you stand….for myself it is more complicated…

    i work in a very odd way compared to most photographers i know…for example i rarely look at what i am doing while i am doing it…i usually cannot bear to look at what i have done ..too painful…..therefore, i keep working….keeping a mental track of what i am doing, but never or rarely satisfied….now mind you i am enjoying myself shooting…just not enjoying looking at my own pictures….at some point i will decide to look…if on commission, i am forced to look….if on my own , i might wait a long long long time before i really make an evaluation…i might wake up in the middle of the night and realize it is time to edit..weird, but no joke….when i finally do look, then i know how close i am to “finished”….it is only then that i know and it usually comes as a surprise…as in “hmmm, look what i did…had no idea!!”…then i make a final push….then i make prints and put them on the wall and look and look and look…then i get myself locked into an exhibit or publishing deal and i am then FORCED TO FINISH ..sort of..at least for publication…never really finish, but move on anyway ….is this any way to live?? smiling…dunno, but that is what i do….

    in any case, let’s look at Palio soonest….

    cheers, david

  2051. john gladdy

    eva. ‘when is enough enough?’

    no its not just you. its certainly me too, and I suspect most of the rest of us as well.
    As you say DAH is working to a deadline on the obx thing, and he will know when he has enough pictures to bring to the table with his picture editor….but I doubt very much if david will stop shooting obx after that. it will probly continue as long as he can hold a camera. And new shots will come in that will raise the bar again, and change the game. in fact that IS the game. The story will grow, and shrink…and grow some more…etc etc. I would truly like to hear from any photographer who believes they have shot ‘THE DEFINITIVE’ project; that is truly finished, could not be improved upon, etc. I will bet there are very few takers on that one….but ‘ready to be published/shown to the world’, is the judgment of the individual photographer when they believe that the work reaches the bar they set themselves on the quality of work they will release…..and how due the rent is, of course :)

    john

  2052. Imants

    John there is a time when it is done and dusted, going that extra yard can turn the whole lot into mush……… ask a painter, a sculptor etc. In your head a voice says yes it is time to move on so the smart ones do just that.

  2053. john gladdy

    IMANTS. I disagree. Painting and sculpture mainly deal with the transformation of an inner vision into a representation of that, over a period of time, with a ‘concrete’ medium. Photography is the semi random and very ‘fluid’ capturing of the ongoing moment, and as such is always subject to the random gift, which cannot be ignored. The very best I did Yesterday can ALWAYS be reduced by the first shot I make today…upsetting the proverbial apple cart and forcing a re-think on what I thpought was ‘done’

    john

  2054. Imants

    The painting/sculpture(visual arts) are not a concrete medium unless you have a very narrow perspective of contemporary practice. Remember sculpture includes performances, videos photography etc. and the same fluidity exists in all the arts, dance music etc photography does not have a mortgage on it
    To think that artist do not re-think or re-evaluate is a bit naive. I know many a painter that will paint for several years and 100s of paintings for a few final results or a show and are continually re-creating what they thought was done .

  2055. eva

    David..

    one reason why I prefer film is that I can leave the rolls just there, noone can force me to look at anything, not even I.. so I prefectly understand what you’re talking about.. but I also think you, as a professional, are one of a minority to work like that, at least of those I know of..

    With the Palio thing (finished printing last pics this morning, will scan when dry and then skype you up) the problem is that.. I’m done.. well, I’ll be out this evening taking pics for it again.. and will keeping doing it as long as I’ll live here I guess, so there’s no end. But I feel I need an end, to keep on going, not starting from scratch, but freeing the mind.. weird stuff this photography..

    John and Imants, I see both points, don’t think one excludes the other.. and am closer to what John writes, always going back, doing again, doing new, different but from the same starting point, expanding, shifting.. and coming back to the same.. good thing it’s not my paying job, I’d be starved by now.. or perhaps would have learnt..

  2056. Imants

    “and am closer to what John writes, always going back, doing again, doing new, different but from the same starting point, expanding, shifting.. and coming back to the same.. ”
    That is what artists do to say that that is not so in their practice both traditional and in our post post-modern (contemporary) practices show a lack of insight in the arts. But there comes a time to complete and move on whether it be for a show or self otherwise there is no progress and creativity is stifled.
    Most of my work of late is photographically based and I ain’t standing still

  2057. john gladdy

    yes. ‘re-creating’ …..who mentioned re-creating
    yes. I have a very narrow view of comtemporary practice….I would word it a tad stronger that that
    yes. I am a bit naive. whats an artist??

    still not really getting your point, which seems to contradict the first one you made….although yeses two and three probly account for my inability to ‘get it’
    happy days.

    john

  2058. eva

    Imants, lack of insight in the arts, ok, might be.. or having those pics floating in your head, knowing so much about the subject that you perfectly know there are so many more angles to cover, even if the viewer doesn’t know anything about it, but YOU know it’s there.. not sure if it’s the same with paintings and such, but I guess yes..

  2059. Imants

    …….. no contradiction but if you don’t complete you have nothing to offer the audience or a client etc. An artist/ photographer/stonemason etc may have more to offer in the same subject,concept and may create a plethora of versions doesn’t mean that each version isn’t resolved and complete.

  2061. Thodoris Tzalavras

    Eva…

    If not for deadlines, I would never “finish” anything…
    And I say “finish” because to me a project is never “done”… not really…

    As long as my subject exists and I’m alive and kicking, chances are, I might stumble upon a new picture which I’ll use to replace an older one from a previous edit… and so on…
    Also, we mature and inevitably look at our own work through different eyes…

    Of course this only applies to personal work…
    For clients, when I give them what they asked and paid for… well… that IS finished to me…

  2062. eva

    Thodoris, if it’s a quick work for clients, then yes, you give them what they’ve asked for and are done… but what with longterm projects and the freedom for example David AH has (at least relative freedom I think) with a project like OBX, at home, no travelling (not much at least) involved.. that’s almost a personal project.. much more difficult, much more rewarding one would think..

    Imants, a plethora of versions.. so not done, ever..?

  2063. nacho

    Not a lot of football (soccer) aficionados at Burn, uh?
    Anyway, go Spain! We are the champions, etc. etc.
    Madrid must be a fun city to photograph tonight.

  2064. Imants

    plethora of versions doesn’t mean that each version isn’t resolved and complete……
    Each version is resolved within it’s own criteria so a particular work is completed. Works may have shifting goals eg as in portraiture, each person photographed creates individual visual problems for the photographer to come to terms with .

  2066. Akaky

    I should also mention that I’ve been standing all day in the hot sun and that my feet hurt and I’ve got a horrible sunburn.

    AKAKY IRL: How about that? Well, here’s fifty cents-call someone who gives a shit.

    AKAKY: I knew that was coming. I can always rely on you.

    AKAKY IRL: That’s what I’m here for, guy.

  2068. Imants

    Jim’s back in a new role …….just lurking around as a silent assassin, silently selecting his victim and bang!!! with his weapon of choice…………. This isn’t photography

  2072. david bowen

    FROSTFROG

    no intention to ignore – apologies.. yes.. looking at camera now and thinking on replacing it.. absolutely no money for now though.. cheers for the tip off.. they seem reasonable on ebay.

    PAT

    found some internet laying between the cushions of the couch.. new ‘home’ will work out..

    IMANTS

    always shooting.. fish.. camera.. very soon hunting rifle when season starts..
    bangdead
    d

  2080. Frostfrog

    Thanks, David B. I hope you don’t stay broke too long, but, for many of us anyway, being broke much of the time seems to be part of being a photographer. Then there are those times when money just pours in and you think you can do anything, buy anything and all will be forever grand and flush and then next thing you know you are broke again.

    Nacho – Yesterday, my youngest daughter came to visit and we went out, bought some coffee and then took a long drive to drink it and as we did, we talked about the World Cup, among other things. When she was in high school, my daughter played a bit of soccer but even though she never played baseball, she is a rabid Chicago Cubs fan. She got to wondering what the mood would be in the US if the US had made it all the way and we concluded that people would be happy about it but that it would not create huge excitement as it is just not a part of our American pysche the way American football, basketball, baseball, etc, are.

    We both felt badly that the parakeet lost.

  2083. Brian Frank

    My trip to NY has been moved back a bit. Getting books done at Blurb, so I needed to add some time for completion. I’m still trying to find a place to stay that doesn’t break the bank. I’m considering trying couchsurfing.org as an alternative to a hotel room, but I’m a little nervous about safety issues. Anyone ever done it before?

  2087. Imants

    Bob the camera is just a perceived threat by then you may have found a more compelling form of communicating. Love the number in fahrenheit

  2088. mw

    I’m so into multimedia these days that when I looked at the elaborately conducted 3D spaces in Kate Stone’s work I wondered why she didn’t add a camera layer and navigate through them.

    But I was really impressed with the Franco Pagetti essay Eva linked to in the Afghanistan story comments. Not only is the photography fantastic, but I very much like that approach to the multimedia photo essay. On the surface, it’s not about Afghanistan, it’s about the photographer and how he wants to be invisible. But of course it’s about Afghanistan. That kind of sophisticated narrative strategy, I think serves the story and actually focuses, albeit through misdirection, our attention more fixedly on the photos than if they were presented in the more traditional manner. Although I feel the video at the end goes on too long, I think this work also points us in the direction of how best to use moving images in these things without overwhelming the stills. I hope so, because I’ve been pursuing a similar strategy. (and sorry, but try, try as I might, I can’t help mentioning that not a single one of those images would serve as an advertising for military recruitment)

    Also, regarding multimedia, I find the new “Plunder My Soul” video from the Rolling Stones fascinating. It was free at the ITunes store but they’re charging for it now so I extracted a small piece to give you the idea. It was kind of fun to realize I have a pretty good idea how to go about doing something like that. Yea, I know it’s way too much for a photo essay, but I’m pretty sure if I work on enough of these things, some of those techniques can be incorporated.

    I started thinking about this comment while watching yesterday’s exchange between Imants and Gladdy. I’m curious what you guys think about those examples. Regarding the exchange itself, I don’t get the mystery. There are as many ways for artists to work as there are artists. Personally, I am incapable of finishing a personal writing project. I either have to type as fast as I can and hit submit or have an editor and a pub date. Meanwhile, I’m still working on novels I wrote in my twenties, work that unfortunately has had all the life revised out of it ten times over. Conversely, with photography I can knock projects out quickly and walk away. That’s no doubt a big reason I so much prefer photography.

    Regarding the discussion about going back years later for a second look at finished work, the Stones recent Exile on Main Street re-issue is probably a typical example. Exile is considered by just about everybody to be one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever. The new issue includes six or eight songs that didn’t make the original cut. They’re very good songs, but you can feel the producers were right to leave them out the first time. That’s what I typically find when I go back to my finished work.

    I was sorry to see the personal attacks on Jim. Between having little better memory than the guy in Memento and not having been around here that long, I may be wrong, but I don’t recall Jim ever impugning the character of any of the people whose work he criticizes?

  2089. mw

    Wow, my comments are being moderated now? Hopefully that’s just because I changed my nickname. Not trying to come off as someone else or anything nefarious. Nevertheless, from here on out, mw = michael webster.

  2090. john gladdy

    People ask me why I still shoot on old film cameras, especially as I have many high end digital slr’s/p/s/MF backs. And the reason is quite simple. Joy.
    With a good digi setup I can shoot all day, unlimited frames if need be, tweak exposure on the fly, review the work as I go and know that I will get close to perfect, ultra sharp(or blurred if i want) frames. I can then run them through potatoshop, if need be, and mess with balance, curves and saturation level. I can even drop a filter on that more or less faithfully mimics any film stock I want. I can then print them out full wysiwyg onto a wide variety of paper, some that even mimic trad FB papers. The print will be fantastic, and I can hit the button over and over again, getting perfect clones of the print ad nauseum. ‘Well whats wrong with that?’ you might say. ‘isnt that what its all about?’…
    Trouble is, I dont get the same ‘satisfaction’ from shooting this way. There is a ‘hole’ in my pleasure.
    and for me at least, the whole proccess is about pleasure and feeling passionate about what I do. when I have made some shots, and taken the film through the development, held it, nursed it through its fragility; shone a beam of light through it onto paper, and made a print that will ALWAYS be imperfect in some way…then that print has a part of ME within it. From start to finish I made it what it is.
    And while it may well not be as ‘perfect’ to a casual viewer, or even indistinguishable, it is to me that it matters, as I dont make pictures for anyone elses satisfaction. I do it purely for my own JOY in the making.
    I know I know….fucking luddite..what can I say?
    except have a nice day.

    john

  2092. david bowen

    bill
    bust and boom :ø)
    money just buys time.. rarely have anything spare – and less now with the little man.

    still though – i wanted to live without money ever being a reason to not do something and it’s going pretty successfully.. probably have to work harder thna i would to organize things and find a budget, yet that also means being in contact with more people.. which is a good thing :ø)

  2094. tom hyde

    John G., all the young art students at the local college just roll their eyes at digital … as they are scanning negs (okay, and sometimes prints). “Perfect” is anything but, if you know what I mean.

  2096. david alan harvey

    JOHN GLADDY…

    that was the best case i have ever read for using film…love you dude…now, get your a__ back to the U.S. and help me set up my darkroom …

    cheers, david

  2097. a civilian-mass audience

    MY BURNIANS…I am receiving a sunshine of wi-fi…

    I am so happy you are all healthy and kicking …
    now,I am gonna start to read…aha,I read slowly BUT I feel fast…

    the spirit is moving…I am moving too…
    THANK you all …I miss you …I will be back

    yeap,JG…what can I say…I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

  2099. a civilian-mass audience

    AKAKY…you are a freaking genius…as SIDNEY,the academiam once wrote…
    you have a true Grecian soul and may the spirits of Homer be with your pen …wherever
    you go…THANK YOU AKAKY…

    are we serving hamburgers now…??? what’s wrong with BBQ’s and the wild pigs and the lambs…
    souvlakia,pita giros,spanakopites…oime…

    MR.HARVEY wants a darkroom…why,what’s wrong with the lightroom…:)))

    MICHAELW…has a new name…

    JIMMY was here???…

    NACHO …dance for me too…VIVA SPAIN…

    COME ON BURNIANS…rock me…hiii…it’s the ouzo…

  2100. a civilian-mass audience

    THODORIS

    http://www.tzalavras.com
    BRAVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    I will spread the world

    where is MR.VINK…??? I promised him that I will spread the world…

    EVA…I met many Italians…I LOVE YOU …!!!

    DAVIDB,
    you are strong…we believe in you…come on, kick some assssssesssss…
    it’s hard…BUT you have to do what you have to do…
    I will be check in you

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEE…where are you???

  2101. a civilian-mass audience

    2100…yioupiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

    I used to play football(soccer) for years…that’s why my legs are like bottles…
    oime…I should have listen to my mama…

    baby civi…don’t you love ballet???:))))))))))))))))))))))))))

    COME ON BURNIANS…shoot your souls…

  2102. david alan harvey

    MICHAEL WEBSTER…

    i was alerted by Haik that you had two comments being held in “pending”…i have no idea why that happened to you and has happened to several others here as well…i can assure you that neither Anton nor i monitor or hold comments for any reason…surely you cannot imagine we have either the time nor the inclination to monitor comments… the only time that i know a comment would be held in pending is when we have a first time registering commentator…these are immediately released when we see them…anything besides this first time registration “hold” is some tech glitch of which i have no understanding….tech glitches are the bane of my life…having said all this, i released your two comments which were in pending and i swear they seemed to disappear into thin air..they are no longer in pending and they ain’t here either…scratching my bald head…if you saved them, please publish again…if not, then i apologize for whatever is wrong with this system and perhaps my ineptness at the back end…the only button i hit was the “approve” button, so i cannot imagine that somehow lead to this disappearance…..

    cheers, david

  2103. mw

    David, no, I figured it was something to do with the nickname change. I remembered that when I first commented here my comments went to moderation so just assumed that first time commenters were checked to avoid spam and that the nickname change made me look like a first time commenter. I noticed they popped up earlier and I still see them on the previous page. 9:21 pm time stamp, I think.

  2104. david alan harvey

    MW..MICHAEL…

    ahhh, ok , so they are here …just not in the most recent …thanks for clarifying….proving once again that i am indeed a nerd, just not a tech nerd…

  2105. eva

    CIVI!! Be careful with those Italians.. crazy people, believe me ;)

    John: YES, that’s it! Now, if those chemicals would smell a little less funny.. happy today, finished printing, I’m done after 4 or 5 years.. well, not done done, but done for today and tomorrow at least :)

  2107. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…VIVA…!!!
    I love ITALIANS…of course I LOVE you ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL

    no more scratching heads …obladiobladidaaa

  2108. a civilian-mass audience

    VALERY…
    what is this BURN 01…???
    am i included…???
    ouos…I am a civilian afterall…

    LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
    where are you BURNIANS…???

    Question: do you photograph better …when you are in Love …no, same…hmmm???

  2109. Valery Rizzo

    Civi…

    BURN 01 is the first printed version/book of burn that David and Anton have been working on. David mentioned it in his tweet and they had also mentioned at one time photographers included being notified of the publishing so I was curious since its almost done if anyones been notified?

    Question: do you photograph better …when you are in Love……

    The Same, but then again I am married, but still in love :-)

  2110. a civilian-mass audience

    VALERY…thanks…
    in love…what not to Love…!!!

    I am happy…I am addicted to BURN…oime…
    i better check out…my condition is more than critical…:)))

    LOVE is the answer…love yourselves and the rest is history…

  2111. a civilian-mass audience

    Astrophel and Stella

    XXXI

    With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb’st the skies !
    How silently, and with how wan a face !
    What, may it be that even in heavenly place
    That busy archer his sharp arrows tries?
    Sure, if that long with love-acquainted eyes
    Can judge of love, thou feel’st a lover’s case;
    I read it in thy looks; thy languisht grace
    To me that feel the like, thy state descries.
    Then, even of fellowship, O Moon, tell me,
    Is constant love deemed there but want of wit?
    Are beauties there as proud as here they be?
    Do they above love to be loved, and yet
    Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess?
    Do they call virtue there, ungratefulness?

    blame the ouzo…:)))

  2112. Akaky

    There’s no long piece attached, just an observation here. I ate my lunch about half an hour ago down the street in my favorite deli, a nice place that offers quality sandwiches, air conditioning, and, even more important, distance from the egregious mold pit wherein I labor for my daily bread, enough distance so that the importuning masses who plague my existence during working hours will not follow me hither and yon demanding that I solve their problems for them, as opposed to solving them themselves and leaving me alone. I know that that’s too much to hope for, I know, and I suppose if these people could solve their problems themselves they would, which would put me out of a job, but it’s still annoying, no matter how you look at it. So there I was, consuming my chicken cutlet sandwich and looking out the window at the traffic, vehicular and pedestrian, passing down our happy little burg’s main thoroughfare, when I saw a man parking his car on the other side of the street. He was careful not to park in the handicapped spot, something that clearly marked him as an out of towner, since no one who actually lives here pays the slightest bit of attention to those handicapped zone signs, a basic lack of respect that flows inevitably from the ease with which you can get a handicapped sticker for your car in this neck of the woods. I think at this point damn near everyone in town has a handicapped sticker somewhere either on or in their automobile; even I have one and there’s not a damn thing wrong with me that kicking a small child in the shins and then lying about it with a straight face wouldn’t cure in a New York minute. So our careful parker makes sure that he is in his carefully allotted slot and then rolls his windows up, which brings me, at last, to the point of this screed. I am not sure I fully understand the logic behind driving a convertible with the top down, parking said vehicle, and then rolling up the windows without putting the top up. Rolling up the windows in such a vehicle will stop a potential car thief for less time than it takes a Democratic politician to propose a tax increase and thus has little or no deterrent effect on the criminal classes. Nor will rolling up the windows and keeping the top down prevent sun, rain, wind, or the occasional incontinent bird from soiling your nice new leather seats. There must be a point to performing such an action, but clearly I am not grasping the Aristotelian depths of the logic involved and no one wants to explain it to me. I also find it impossible to detect the difference between minutes in New York and minutes in any other state, but I usually ascribe my ignorance to my limited knowledge of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which can, no doubt, explain all the mysteries of the universe, except, probably, why a man in a convertible would roll his windows up while leaving his top down. Some things are just beyond the wisdom of men and this is one of them.

  2113. a civilian-mass audience

    walking down the street wearing my new sandals…30 euros
    drinking my raki…4 euros

    reading AKAKY…priceless…

    that’s why I am addicted…to BURN

  2114. Haik

    MICHAEL WEBSTER, FOLKS

    It is a rule in wordpress that holds first-time registered users in the pending state until a human approves it. Simply to prevent spam. It is possible to override the rule but you all would be forced to read about achievements in medically enhanced actions and other very vaguely related to photography literature in between Akaky and Bob.

    Cheers,
    Haik

  2118. a civilian-mass audience

    oime…I left for few days…and what do I see???

    I see JIM and STUPID and JOE and VICKY and VIVEC and …and…new people…new BURNIANS
    and I am happy like a happy fish …and I miss many more KATIEEE BUT hey…life is beautiful and
    I will be out of range again…therefore…

    please be you and the rest will follow…
    I will be back…sooner or later…

  2120. a civilian-mass audience

    and to my ANTON, the ANTON…

    best wishes ever for your brother…you are next…oime…
    I kept the best wine for your happy hour:)))

    VIVA !!!

    and to MAMA SOCRATES…WE LOVE YOU…!!!

  2121. Frostfrog

    DAH –

    “i rarely look at what i am doing while i am doing it…i usually cannot bear to look at what i have done ..too painful…..therefore, i keep working….keeping a mental track of what i am doing, but never or rarely satisfied…”

    While I am rarely or never satisfied, I am just the opposite. I love to look at what I do as I move along, because I usually discover that it is not as bad as thought it was as I was shooting it and I like to play with layout and editing, for real and in my head.

    But once I have finished a project and it is out in print, I cannot look at it. Sometimes, a year will pass before I can pick it up and look at it.

  2122. pomara

    DAH, the good ones will never change. They were great when
    you worked with them and they just kept getting more like
    themselves. Have a great reunion.

    P

  2123. Ross Nolly

    Just got home from a day (and night) away shooting for a magazine article. Get to the front door; hmmm; there seems to be quite a lot of condensation on the front window. Open the door and greeted by the sound of running water. Ooooooh shit, the frost has burst a pipe in the ceiling and there is water pouring everywhere.

    So now; the plumber has fixed the 2 leaks, the sparky has made the power safe, there are two bloody great heaters and a dehumidifier roaring in the background (for the next five days) and things are slowly drying. Oh; and half the ceiling in the kitchen is missing!

    Ain’t life grand! :-)

  2125. Ross Nolly

    Cheers Panos; but no worries. Shit happens, and if that’s all I’ve got to bitch about then I’m pretty lucky! One thing about not being able to afford carpet is that it’s one thing less to dry out! :-)

  2126. a civilian-mass audience

    ROSSY,

    go Greece,the key is under the third pot next to the cactus…
    summertime …
    I will be back in September…
    may the spirits of strength be with you…

    FROSTFROG,
    we follow you …through your blog…
    the photos with the kids…keep it up

    POMARA,
    photo with the skeleton …same as the aerials…

    ok…I will be back …wifi…out of range

  2127. Thodoris Tzalavras

    Civi…
    Thanks man…
    I appreciated…
    gonna need all the help I can get in promoting it…
    have fun in your travels…

    Ross…
    sorry to hear about your house…
    you sound to be taking it lightly… the best thing you can do…

  2128. Justin Smith

    Ross,
    That really sucks – but good on you for keeping so positive :-)
    Having a child and a dog, I find carpet vastly overrated… I would like to get rid of what little we do have in our house.

  2132. Frostfrog

    Oh no! I had left a comment in response to Akaky’s statement about the guy in the convertible and the handicapped spaces – but that comment is gone! And I am too tired and lazy to make it again!

    Thank you, Civi.

    Thodoris – you have already set my mind to work.

  2133. Frostfrog

    I might add that it was a brilliant comment, the most brilliant single comment that anyone had ever made on Burn – or anywhere else in cyberpsace.

    And now it is gone. Gone, gone, gone!

    It is gone and no one can ever read it.

    What a loss to humanity.

    And to humanity’s cats and dogs.

  2135. Ross Nolly

    Thanks everyone; I hope I didn’t sound like too much of a drama queen! Should all be sorted in a couple of weeks. Nothing valuable damaged, so really just a pain in the arse! One thing I can say is that even though it’s been a hard year dollar-wise, I never let the insurance slip, which is coming in damn handy!!!

    Maybe I should take it as a sign (as I’ve been trying to move away from magazine work); the last two magazine jobs have had something go wrong that cancelled out any profit! First one; my flash blew up ($480 down the drain), and yesterday’s job will just pay for the insurance excess!

    Oh well; at least the ceiling will get a new coat of paint!!! :-)

  2140. panos skoulidas

    michael….

    well…………………………………………………………………………..

    Come you masters of war
    You that build all the guns
    You that build the death planes
    You that build all the bombs
    You that hide behind walls
    You that hide behind desks
    I just want you to know
    I can see through your masks.

    You that never done nothin’
    But build to destroy
    You play with my world
    Like it’s your little toy
    You put a gun in my hand
    And you hide from my eyes
    And you turn and run farther
    When the fast bullets fly.

    Like Judas of old
    You lie and deceive
    A world war can be won
    You want me to believe
    But I see through your eyes
    And I see through your brain
    Like I see through the water
    That runs down my drain.

    You fasten all the triggers
    For the others to fire
    Then you set back and watch
    When the death count gets higher
    You hide in your mansion’
    As young people’s blood
    Flows out of their bodies
    And is buried in the mud.

    You’ve thrown the worst fear
    That can ever be hurled
    Fear to bring children
    Into the world
    For threatening my baby
    Unborn and unnamed
    You ain’t worth the blood
    That runs in your veins.

    How much do I know
    To talk out of turn
    You might say that I’m young
    You might say I’m unlearned
    But there’s one thing I know
    Though I’m younger than you
    That even Jesus would never
    Forgive what you do.

    Let me ask you one question
    Is your money that good
    Will it buy you forgiveness
    Do you think that it could
    I think you will find
    When your death takes its toll
    All the money you made
    Will never buy back your soul.

    And I hope that you die
    And your death’ll come soon
    I will follow your casket
    In the pale afternoon
    And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
    Down to your deathbed
    And I’ll stand over your grave
    ‘Til I’m sure that you’re dead.

    just for justice purposes…MW is not out of line..
    i know what he means when he uses the word “propaganda”…or “embedded”

  2141. kathleen fonseca

    Ross

    I read your last few posts…i am really sorry for the load of bad luck that’s come your way. You must get discouraged sometimes. Who wouldn’t? Hang in there, friend..hang on..keep paying that insurance no matter what and shoot your vision. Stay true to you no matter what you do. Tried to find a song about house repairs but found this and somehow it worked..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIe_sjKeAY

    your nightshift pal
    katie

  2142. panos skoulidas

    and “truth” is somewhere between Tim’s “Restrepo” and Bob’s “Masters of War” and Dima’s work and MW’s truths & revelations….right? right?
    u’all know what i mean of course…right?

  2147. panos skoulidas

    “Man walks along the railroad track
    He’s Goin’ some place, there’s no turnin’ back
    The Highway Patrol chopper comin’ up over the ridge
    Man sleeps by a campfire under the bridge
    The shelter line stretchin’ around the corner
    Welcome to the New World Order
    Families sleepin’ in their cars out in the Southwest
    No job, no home, no peace, no rest, NO REST!

    And The highway is alive tonight
    Nobody’s foolin’ nobody is to where it goes
    I’m sitting down here in the campfire light
    Searchin’ for the Ghost of Tom Joad

    He pulls his prayer book out of a sleepin’ bag
    The preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag
    He’s waitin’ for the time when the last shall be first and the first shall be last
    In a cardboard box ‘neath the underpass
    With a one way ticket to the promised land
    With a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand
    Lookin’ for a pillow of solid rock
    Bathin’ in the cities’ aqueducts

    And The highway is alive tonight
    Nobody’s foolin’ nobody is to where it goes
    I’m sittin’ down here in the campfire light
    With the Ghost of old Tom Joad

    Guitar Solo

    Now Tom Said; “Ma, whenever ya see a cop beatin’ a guy
    Wherever a hungry new born baby cries
    Whereever there’s a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
    Look for me ma’
    I’ll be there
    Wherever somebodies stuglin’ for a place to stand
    For a decent job or a helpin’ hand
    Wherever somebody is strugglin’ to be free
    Look in their eyes ma,
    You’ll see me! (repeat 8 times)

    And the highway is alive tonight
    Nobody’s foolin’ nobody is to where it goes
    I’m sittin’ down here in the campfire light
    With the Ghost of Tom Joad.”

  2150. kathleen fonseca

    Panos

    Saw that Cheney was recovering from heart surgery..i was really sorry to read that..i mean, sorry to hear he was recovering.

    is hate too strong a word?

    kat

  2151. panos skoulidas

    well…my favorite person in the world just skyped me..
    and thats all i can say:

    america is still in deep pain..u’ll be surprised but obama didnt do much yet
    they wont let him
    unfortunately…he is all alone..
    everybody hates him and fights him..
    he cant reform Wall street..not yet
    but….(good news) he is fighting..hard
    all by himself…
    noone on his side..
    America still in deep darkness…that is the TRUTH
    but….(good news) he is fighting..hard ….that is the TRUTH

  2152. panos skoulidas

    is hate too strong a word?

    no……i mean it is…yes hate is unacceptable…
    and thats what Cheney’s and Bush’s heart is full with: HATE..
    and thats not acceptable…and thats what we are going through right now…
    paying for their crimes…

  2153. kathleen fonseca

    On another note:

    CIVILIAN mountain person, chicken chaser..How is mi querida Bouboulina? still pecking and praying you’ll spare her the stew pot?

    And how are YOU?

    I have been away, fortunately..shooting, and shooting. But alas, did something absolutely awful to my back and i need a scan and x/rays to find out just how awful. Am a little scared..it’s been a long and painful 3 days. Happened very far from home and i hoisted myself into the car and drove home anyway. Damn if i was gonna end up in some hospital alone that far from home. Literally almost passed out at one point. I mean, not when i was driving of course..eeks..but passing out from pain was a new experience for me and i refused to go down, thinking, if i faint then my back will really be f**ked.

    So that’s all the noise from South of the Southern border..trusting you are well and still full of cheer..i have missed you..trust me on that!

    ur friend, ur strt fghtr

  2154. kathleen fonseca

    Panos

    man, sorry…but for what “they” have done to the US since 9/11..hate is not unacceptable and not too strong a word. My heart has grieved till it could grieve no more and then it just started blocking the whole thing out. Now i watch HGTV till i’m delerious. I mean, there is no truth left. You say Obama’s working hard..i’d like to believe that. I have no choice BUT to believe that. Well, enough of politics..but this IS the late shift and pretty much anything goes this time of night.

    Take care..goodnight boy..

  2156. kathleen fonseca

    Panos

    saw the slide show..don’t think it’s really “America Today”..not in its entirety..too personal for a wide stroke with such a broad brush. But in some of the photos i felt you really were feeling that it was America. I got your sense of sad discconnect, where you looked left while everyone else was looking right and you saw something invisible to everyone else. And you shot that thing and i got it too. But mainly i saw a eulogy..for who, your mountain biking friend who had such a sad ending? If so, well, there was sorrow and there was laughter and there was food and there was drink and there was song (i’m thinking there was anyway) and he would have liked that. A lot. :))

    hugZ
    kathie

  2157. panos skoulidas

    Kat..yes..exactly…mountain biking can kill…but nothing compares to “ignorance” related deaths…
    and u know im not referring to bicycles…
    Craig (the dead friend) used to always say: “you havent really lived if u aint got a close CALL”….

  2159. kathleen fonseca

    Panos

    and i would very much agree with those wise words..wow..yes. sounds like he was just way too smart for this life. He will be terribly missed, i am sure. Ya know, though what makes me think..he talks about a close call. He gave everyone a close call and then he just hung up the phone. I wonder if he brought more than a few people to their own brink as they tried to wrestle the demon of senseless loss to something they could manage. I’m glad you were there. Did you wear brown too? Have you resolved the loss within yourself?

  2160. Gracie

    nite shift, hey y’all, im in.

    kathie, please drink plenty of water. even though its the pits to make way to the potty. but think about it, the disks in your back are shock absorbers practically because they are filled with water so without hydration, they go bonkers. now im not talking smelly water, panos party style or colored water or soda pop or civi’s stew… well i guess you can take civi’s stew but do please drink plenty. and im glad you got in ok.

    ive been telling everybody to take care of themselves. and i walk up and decided to take care of me. well, i have been on the piano for about 65 minutes and i should be in bed, but i just needed to stretch a bit and shall go again.

  2163. mw

    I went to a gallery opening last night in Chelsea. The theme was the re-interpretation of iconic photos. Contemporary photographers did their takes on classic works by artists such as Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Walker Evans, Cindy Sherman, and others. You know, it turned out to be a good thing I’ve never quite got the fact that my iphone also functions as a camera. To be honest, it’s never really sunk in that my ipod can make and receive phone calls, much less take photographs. Anyway, after leaving the show I thought up a really bad, possibly career killing joke about the reinterpretation of iconic photos, but fortunately it required a picture of the gallery to pull off and I didn’t have one. Suffice it to say, that although all the photographers in the show did an admiral technical job on their photos, I was significantly less than enthusiastic about the results and downright hostile towards the very idea of the entire exercise. I’m not against homage or respect for our forebearers: I just didn’t get any sense of that kind of homage or respect from the proceedings.

  2165. Kerry Payne

    John Gladdy – I’m London-bound! Want to grab a pint in a charming pub with a ridiculous name? Arriving tomorrow, back Tuesday night. Free Monday/Tuesday if you’re around?

  2168. emcd

    “The artists apply diverse approaches: appropriation, re-creation, homage, parody, and pastiche.”

    ‘nuf said minus the homage. not very inspiring to me either. could have been very interesting had the chosen artists already been working in an *inspired* by way.

  2169. john gladdy

    KERRY PAYNE….MONDAY EVENING IM ALL YOURS. Also if you are around sunday afternoon there is a video shoot going on that will probly be a blast.lots of rock and roll people etc…
    email me at john@john-gladdy.com and we can set up times and contact numbers etc.

  2170. JKaranka

    Just quickly updating to those who might be around (Cardiff, South Wales or surroundings). Tomorrow evening we have the opening of Paradise Rivers by Carolyn Drake at Third Floor Gallery at 7pm! We’ll have all the usual, beer, raffles, embarrasing speaches, etc. Then the show carries on till late August, so there’s potential for visits in case you miss tomorrow. She’s definitively one of the most talented photographers out there, I remember starting to check out her work around 2007. Time definitively flies! More info at http://www.thirdfloorgallery.com

  2171. david alan harvey

    promise promise to write a new post either tomorrow or day after….long overdue i know…flying all night this evening from west to east…i will be in heavy shooting schedule now for several weeks, but have already edited down some good stories for you beyond the EPF finalists and can sneak in a few comments now and then as well of course….cannot believe summer is half over…want to make pictures with that summer feel…sounds easy, but of course nothing is…

  2172. kathleen fonseca

    Gracie and Erica

    i was so grateful to get your messages! Gracie, every time i think of your post i gulp down a glass of water. Erica, will send you e-mail. My internet’s been down alllll night! Had to get ex-rays today and have to get a resonance magnetic scan–whatever that is–tomorrow. Major expensivo. Doctor told me there is to be NO photography trip this weekend. He has no idea what that did to me. Maybe just a little trip? maybe not so much walking? haha,as if! i am getting stronger every day. Can actually walk to the car and from the car to the doctor’s office. That’s more than i could have hoped for on Monday. So thank you both, thank you so very much :)

    best
    Kathie

  2174. eva

    Kathleen, meant to post this last night (hope there’s nothing major with your back!)..

    “You all, wanna know how I spent the last 18 hours? Sure you do, you’re reading!

    Got out of the house at 6.04 am (4 minutes late), spent 15 hours driving with 4 30 minute breaks for the following reasons:

    – 30 minutes sitting at the laywer, to sign 4 papers which make me the proud owner of an appartment. Now, mind you, said appartment is made of 20 to 21 square meters of a room with sort of a kitchen in one corner, a shower/toilet and sink in another corner (closed off by walls and one door no less) and another two corners with nothing but two windows. But it’s mine, and the reason for the drive up North today.

    – 30 minutes were spent shopping. I absolutely hate shopping, if it’s not for books, darkroom equipment and fabric. I picked up chemicals (two bottles of Neutol WA and 3 bags of D-76, just in case you were curious). Took about 5 minutes. On the way to the grocery store I saw a convertible, without top, but with the windows up.. had to think of Akaky.. perhaps they can’t lock them with the windows down?.. anyway, picking up sausages, pepper chips and two packs or instant coffee (don’t ask) took about ten minutes more.. and that only because I didn’t know the store, usually I get out quicker!

    – Another 30 minutes I sat in queue on the highway for no apparent reason, since after a while we could drive off, quite speedy, and nothing seemed wrong, no police, no wrecked car, no men at work, no nothing..

    – The last batch of the 30 minutes breaks I spent sitting in a Land Rover. Never been in one so far, there’s always a first time.. but could have done without for another while. All we did was talking on the phone with the lady from the insurance, exchanging info, searching for numbers and papers.. if the guy driving the land rover wouldn’t have tried to park the darned thing in the back of my own car I’d been as happy as before, or even more.. but now I know that a land rover is more sturdy than my poor little vehicle, shorter by an inch..

    Anyway, got home at 10.59 pm (at least one hour late!), spent some time in the shower after having argued with the hubby (ALWAYS call the POLICE if you have an accident abroad, sheesh) and will spend the next 30 minutes scratching at least a billion mosquito bites..

    So, that’s it. Could have posted on my blog.. which I don’t have.. off to scratch.. ;)”

    That was yesterday.. backpain, neckpain and headache today, but at least I know why.. happy day all :)

  2176. david bowen

    REALLY thrilled about this – City of Culture is a tourist orientated PR exercise really – there can be a lot to be ambivalent about, yet this will go a long, long way to changing peoples perception of the city.. and the money the City of culture commission brings with it .. well.. it´ll assure the continuation of Celtronic and other small cultural events for a couple of years at least..
    just great
    http://www.bophoto.co.uk/wpblog/?p=282

  2178. mw

    DB, great news.

    On a totally different topic, just came across this gem. Should make a good soundtrack for something.

  2179. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    KATHLEEN

    Sending healing energy your way. Severe back pain is a wake-up call that refuses to be ignored. I know it secondhand as an acute back problem kept my Eddie down for a couple of months in 2008. It finally passed with no surgery and he’s pretty much back to normal. May your recovery be fast and complete.

    gentle hugs
    Patricia

  2180. mw

    The topic of how to get commercial assignments comes up here periodically. I’ve mentioned Workbook in the past as an example of what art directors use to choose photographers. Just now, I came across this book and thought you all might find it interesting. At first glance, it looked to be more high-end than normal and then I noticed that Bruce Davidson is represented among the photographers (strange though, he’s not listed on the website). Anyway, it’s by invitation only, but probably gives a good idea of photographs that are likely to grab an art director’s attention.

  2183. paultreacy.com

    Great news about Derry. Great too for the entire region.

    Watch the back pain. I’ve switched from Nikons to the diminutive Olympus Pen cameras with back pain being a major contributing reason.

    I have to stretch every morning to keep the pain in check and now, after many years, I’m well supple. It can be overcome but it takes discipline.

    Been away for a while on medical grounds and also finally finished a huge new anthropologically weird street photography book, the photohumourist – mixed messages for the Photography Book Now competition.

    I’m sure many of us here have entered this competition. Shall we share some links? I love to see some other contenders.

    Back later. Need sleep now after pulling an allnighter. Haven’t done that in years and it does not get any easier.

    Paul Treacy.

  2184. david bowen

    aitkin.. poor norwich.. poor partridge :ø)

    michael, panos and erica..
    it really is great news .. and for people i know have worked so hard to earn it..

    it strikes me – there is always money for those suffering as a consequence of war..
    and rightly of course.. always press for misery as a contributor for change..

    yet in serbia i know promoters beaten by the police for putting on parties which cross the divide.. in derry they struggle so hard to raise a measly budget for their yearly festival, celtronic..
    people in their own homeland working tirelessly to bring about change, and yet the budgets are not there for press nor promotions..
    celtronic has barely survived, in fact.. and through some tough times..

    now the hope is that for at least the next 3 festivals that hard work will be in confidence that a budget will be there for the event…

    it may be the media which highlights the problems of a place, yet it is the people who live there and struggle through it that bring about real change.. community level – and that change deserves to be screamed about and supported.

    :ø)

  2188. kathleen fonseca

    Eva

    hahaha, i LOVED your account of your day..you are so funny! Congratulations on your new digs..tiny as they are..i wish you the very best in your teentsy tiny corner of northern paradise. (even if not technically paradise, it is your world in 20-21 square meters–hotdamn that’s small!).

    Patricia, Eva and Panos..

    Thanks for the best wishes but i think i need some prayers to go with them..the back thing is pretty serious..i mean REALLY serious..surgery appears at this point inevitable. But i have to ge the full and complete diagnosis in person tomorrow. There IS an upside as i told Erica in an e-mail..maybe a long recovery would finally force me to get a decent edit of my work done. But it’s a glum prospect nonetheless so i am hoping there are alternative treatments or that at worst, this can wait for awhile. Crossing my fingers! Thanks for the warm, generous spirt of your words..along with Erica and Gracie and Ross..thank you, thank you!

    HugZ all around

    Kathleen

  2189. kathleen fonseca

    oops PANOS, thanks to you too!! How could i leave YOU out of the mix??? and thanks for that hilarious wedding video..i bet that wasn’t water in that fountain but all the tears he cried after ruining his camera! Not to mention his day!!! EEKS!

  2190. kathleen fonseca

    PANOS, and another thing..about Ira’s fabulous DAH camera bag obsession..i was groaning as he weighed the bags and talked about the pressure on the lower vertebrae or whatever the hell is plural for the lower back stuff..just wondering why i’m finding out about this NOW?! I thought i traveled light. But i am thinking i should have traveled lighter still. boohoo.

  2191. panos skoulidas

    Kat… did u get a second doctors opinion?
    Is it accident related? i had enough bad news for this last month…
    please recover soon..u have to…please, u gotta do this for me…
    promise?

  2192. kathleen fonseca

    Ross,

    here’s my video for the night shift, wherever you may happen to be at the moment..under the circumstances it was the only one that fit my mood :(..and besides, i LOVE this band!

  2194. kathleen fonseca

    Panos

    My doctor consulted with several others tonight before calling me..i have to see him tomorrow when he said he wants to talk to me in the most considerate way..eeks..but look, if i end up six months from now stronger than ever and being able to shoot the street without paying such a high price physically as i have for the last two years then it’s worth it!!! I can do this!!! If i drove myself home over the mountains with all the trucks and the rain on Monday morning after it happened, Panos, trust me, boy, i can do anything ;) (and you know i know you aren’t a boy but my daughter’s been referring to all men as boys lately and it’s really quite endearing so i say it with total affection)

    ok, gotta go to sleep..or something like it!

    besos y asbestos, as Civie says..

    kat

  2195. eva

    Just to cheer everybody up:

    http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth/2010/07/in-focus-starved-for-attention.html

    “The U.S., the world’s largest food aid donor, is sending sub-standard foods that do not meet basic nutrition requirements for infants and young children,” Jason Cone, MSF communications director and executive producer of the project, wrote in an e-mail. “Foods we would never give our own children to eat are being sent overseas as food aid to the most vulnerable children in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia.”

  2196. eva

    Kat, healing vibes on the way over to you! Civi’s left the poor chicken behind.. all by its own, now can you imagine that?

  2197. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA …
    CONGRATULATIONS for your new home
    and BRAVO for your good energy …you have strong Italian bones…
    I can send over some of my finest chicken soup for speedy recover…
    BUT …you know …I am down to my last chicken…and I can’t touch her
    it’s BOUBOULINA:)))
    love you… check your e-mail

  2198. a civilian-mass audience

    I don’t travel light…how can I travel light???
    …you are so many…you are all squeezed like
    the sardines that I ate yesterday…you are all in my “brain”

    KATIEEEEEEEEEE,KATHLEEN,MRS.STREET FIGHTER…get your sorry back up again
    grab your camera and get the heck out…I don’t wanna listen to any excuses
    hiii…BUT that’s not me…I am your civilian…
    therefore…I am sad cause I am not there to help with my chicken stew…(MYGRACIE knows me so well)
    I don’t do massages :((( but I can sing and I can make the best ouzo cocktail…
    you will even forget …your name…:)))
    I LOVE YOU KATIEEEE…yeap…as PANOS said…”please recover soon..u have to…please, u gotta do this for me…
    promise?”

    Check your e-mail:))) No internet connections…I am trying to find me…journey of the lost

  2199. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…I am not home…BUT …I have the best news…
    last chicken has a boyfriend…

    life goes on…
    we have to move on…

    BURNIANSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    Surprise me…:)))

  2200. a civilian-mass audience

    Philippine typhoon death toll rises to 53

    please…BURNIANS …I need update…

  2201. a civilian-mass audience

    DAVIDB… DUDE…rock on dude…
    I mean I am so proud that I can fart all day long…(and the night)

    ROSSY…how is the house…???

    IMANTS…I see color…!!!

    KERRY …you can do it…

    AITKEN,FROSTRFROG,PAULT,EMCD,JK,MW…OURPATRICIAAAAAAAA…BURNIANS
    I LOVEEEEEEEEyou

    “…. IM ALL YOURS.”…that’s what I LOVE to hear…

  2202. a civilian-mass audience

    ooohh…I miss so many BURNIANS…and I am looking forward to hear from new …

    where are you BURNING BURNIANS???

    P.S PANOS…the video with the bags…bagology …amazing
    MR.HARVEY looks so Greek…you know…like the people at the market (laiki)

    all my Greek people can relate…Edo ta kala karpuzia,ola ta sfazo,ola ta maxerono…
    and for the rest of my Universal BURNIANS…

    WHAT NOT TO LOVE…surprise me…

  2203. a civilian-mass audience

    Question:

    do you always “manipulate” your pictures…when you go back home…???
    I mean…”The perfect picture”…whatever is that for each of you…
    does this feeling exist…yes, no, …you have to manipulate…???

  2204. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS…what is this yellow bomb next to your name…

    hiiiiii..you look like a killer bee…what the heck are you drinking???

    and KATIEEE…you can call me boy , girl,damnit…I am everything…
    and I am happy …cause I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLL

    wifi here I am,
    keep me close to those
    who BURN
    have to find my soul
    again
    keep my back free of
    pain…
    green tea…oime…
    it’s not for me

  2205. eva

    Civi, what do you mean with ‘manipulate’?

    To answer your question (does this feeling exist…yes, no, ): definitely yes. Very very rare, but yes. And much much easier if we’re talking about pictures taken by others than yourself (myself I mean)..

    (mail checked.. check back ;) )

  2206. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    KATHLEEN

    Hang in there, girl, and trust that this too shall pass. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger and you’re already more than halfway there after Monday’s heroic drive home. Keep us posted, OK?

    gentle hugs
    Patricia

  2207. mw

    Kathleen, what Panos said. And more. Get third, fourth, fifth opinions if they’re recommending the knife.

    A few years ago I had what I feared was chronic back pain. My doctor recommended I read “The Mind Body Connection” by Dr. John Sarno. I did, and thought it was a bunch of shit, but I tried to follow his advice anyway and my back pain went away. Now when I do something to hurt it, usually camera bag related, I realize it’s just a muscle strain that will go away in a few days and it does. Your initial reaction will probably be the same as mine, guy’s full of shit, but back operations are a very, very serious risk that usually result in making the problem worse.

    And people, consider a camera back pack instead of the typical camera bag. It makes all the difference in the world and now they have those sling bags that are almost as convenient as a messenger bag.

  2208. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    CIVI

    I love you too…

    “Question:

    do you always “manipulate” your pictures…when you go back home…???
    I mean…”The perfect picture”…whatever is that for each of you…
    does this feeling exist…yes, no, …you have to manipulate…???”

    The perfect picture? I don’t even think about that possibility. If I get just one keeper a day, that’s enough.

    BYW I’ve been manipulating the hell out of my photos of late and couldn’t be happier! Once I decided to follow my passion, I found I was much more suited to fine art photography than documentary. After all, I was a visual artist for three decades before picking up a camera, and an abstract/surrealist artist at that. Not that my new stuff looks all that different from what I’ve been showing here over the past couple of years, but the making of it feels different to me and that’s what counts. No more rules. No more shoulds. No more have to’s. Just play and see where that takes you. Photography is fun for me again and that is as “perfect” as it has to get…

    Patricia

  2209. a civilian-mass audience

    EVA…
    manipulate= photoshop,stuff like that…that you ,photographers are doing to the photos…

    KATIEEEEEEEEE…
    what MW is talking about…knife…what knife…??? no knife…wait…
    there must a different way…not that I have problem with knifes BUT yes…
    I believe in your …inner power

    OUR PATRICIA…thanks for…explaining…
    hmmm…
    can a photoreporter manipulate the picture …or it’s a no,no…
    hmmm…
    blame the journey…

    LIVE-LOVE-LAVE

  2210. eva

    Michael, thanks, trying that!

    Civi, photoshop is not photoshop is photoshop, there’s a billion ways of using it.. anyway, to me it’s as little as it gets, all I want is that the pixels on screen look as my print does.. if it’s art I have no problem with people using whatever, if it’s reporting news then it’s a no go for me.. BUT.. what Justin Maxon has done, since it is IN camera and not copied and pasted afterwards, is fine to me, even if it’s PJ stuff.. mesmerizing pictures..

  2211. david alan harvey

    PATRICIA…

    i have enjoyed what work you have showed me from your new project and sense your new found “freedoms”…however, i am a bit mystified by the “rules”, the “shoulds”, “have to’s” etc that you evidently felt when doing your FIP and other documentary work..to what rules do you refer and made by whom?? i am not aware of any “rules” associated with documentary photography and we certainly publish here about as wide a variety as can be imagined….yes, a sense of subject integrity is usually associated with documentary, but that is about it from my viewpoint….

    were you not following your passion before now?? seems to me from looking at FIP dozens of times, you were pretty loose and free…at least that is how it looks and feels….i would imagine the passions for documentary would be the same as for fine art or whatever form of photography you ascribe to being “your work”…more importantly, how would you describe the new work as being in the fine art category rather than documentary? as you well know, i see the lines criss crossing all over the place, and perhaps you do as well…just curious for your point of view on this….

    cheers, david

  2212. emcd

    hey all – a techie question

    For self publishing pieces such as blurb – should you always sharpen a little?

    If so, if the optimal image size for layout a is 3,000 pixels tall, and optimal image size for layout b is 2,700 pixels tall, can I just sharpen the 3,000 file and use for both scenarios, or should I sharpen at each size?

    I know you aren’t supposed to make changes to files after sharpening, but is 300 pixels downsizing after sharpening going to really affect the way the image reads?

    Meaning that I know that some images in the layout will be at 3,000 tall, and some will be 2,700 tall, and it would be easier to resize to 2,700 within the booksmart application from the 3,000 image when I decide in layout that some images should be at 2,700.

  2213. emcd

    i hope that wasn’t totally confusing. am trying to get the redesign for the dark light dummy done in time for the rome fest…so to clarify, my question is in regards to images scanned from film. i’d like to be able to just prepare all files for the layout at the maximum size i might use them, including sharpening if need be, and then resize in booksmart if i choose to include some smaller sized images in the layout.

  2214. dq

    YES, EMCD, the rule IS to sharpen at the final size, but if you are under the gun, I guess you can hope for the best on the down-sampled files. I would say, IF POSSIBLE, can you print a test book before doing the final? It would be helpful to see if there is any difference (submit the same image in two sizes) and it will also let you know what the difference is between what you are seeing on your monitor vs the printed piece — as you know, colors will shift, even black and whites will may have different casts depending upon blurbs output… and you can also see what different amounts of unsharp mask do for the images…or perhaps you have done a blurb book before and you’re all calibrated, locked down, etc?

    My answer is about as clear as your first question :-) or even less so…

    well, FWIW, carry on, stay cool…

  2215. emcd

    yes, this is a redesign and i can’t recall if i sharpened first go around. totally under the gun, 2 days till it needs to ship, so no testing now…

    how important is sharpening i wonder for these products (blurb)? the other route is not to sharpen anything, if the downsizing might make a weird effect

    or just size all at 3000 of course…

  2216. Thodoris Tzalavras

    Erica…
    If you haven’t already sharpened the 3000 pixel files…
    Take the un-sharpened files into booksmart, nail down the layout, then go back in photoshop and resize the pictures you want to use at 2700 pixels and *then* sharpen then all… creating an Action and using the Batch process will minimize the time and effort required… that’s what I would do…

  2217. emcd

    Thordoris – but then I’d have to bring all the new files in again to booksmart and replace the old, might be same amount of hassle?

  2219. Thodoris Tzalavras

    Erica…

    I haven’t used booksmart, so I wouldn’t know how much time it takes to replace image files…
    most layout programs have a “place” or similarly named function which gives the freedom to update the actual file that you have “placed” in a specific place in your layout…
    don’t know if booksmart has that function…

  2220. bob black

    DAVID/ANTON :)))

    check your email…i’ve slayed the beast….sent it to you just now…it’s 2400 and change….

    hugs, running
    bob

  2222. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    DAH

    At the end of this post, I am including a few examples of what I mean by “rules” regarding the digital manipulation of documentary photographs.

    Regarding my new work, I have allowed myself to crop out backgrounds I don’t like and replace them with black if I so choose. I may select part of the image to lighten or darken it, adjust the color or tint it with a photo filter. On each of the photos I am enhancing the color saturation and using a post-processing “glow” technique taught me by a computer graphics expert that involves using a complex layering through Photoshop. I have not cloned, removed or repositioned parts of the image, but that is just because I am pleased with the original composition I caught in camera. But I certainly crop when and what I choose. I’ve always done that.

    With Falling Into Place and Just Another Married Couple I stuck pretty close to what came out of the camera, except for cropping and simple PS editing tools like sharpen, contrast and curves. I was conscious that these images were documenting my own and my friends’ lives so they needed to be as close to the truth as I could manage. What I’d call straight photography.

    The Space Between is fine art photography because it’s all about mood not reality. And I am playing when I shoot and certainly playing when I prepare the photos in post-production. Actually I have the most fun after the fact when I recreate what I have seen to bring it closer to what I was feeling the children were saying when I snapped their picture. It is more about interpretation than reality, my interpretation of the magic of childhood.

    So here are just a few examples of some of the rules set in place for documentary or photojournalistic work:

    –The disqualified entry “Street fighting, Kiev, Ukraine”, shot by Stepan Rudik for the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, had won 3rd prize in Sports Features for the World Press Photo awards. After requesting that Rudik submit his RAW file, the judges determined that the image had been digitally manipulated by Rudik when he removed a foot from his cropped version of the original photo. His photo was disqualified and the 3rd place prize award was taken away.

    —Klavs Bo Christensen’s Haiti photos were disqulified from the 2009 Danish Picture of the Year competition for being digitally manipulated, ie., color saturated, beyond what the judges considered in accordance with the stated rules for entry to the competition. The rules stated:

    “Photos submitted to Picture of The Year must be a truthful representation of whatever happened in front of the camera during exposure. You may post-process the images electronically in accordance with good practice. That is cropping, burning, dodging, converting to black and white as well as normal exposure and color correction, which preserves the image’s original expression. The Judges and exhibition committee reserve the right to see the original raw image files, raw tape, negatives and/or slides. In cases of doubt, the photographer can be pulled out of competition.”

    –In connection with a controversy over Edgar Martins’ images that had been published in a July 2009 NY Times Magazine, the NY Times Lens blog posted the following long-standing policy of the New York Times regarding manipulation of photos published in print and on their web site:

    “Images in our pages, in the paper or on the Web, that purport to depict reality must be genuine in every way. No people or objects may be added, rearranged, reversed, distorted or removed from a scene (except for the recognized practice of cropping to omit extraneous outer portions).”

    After a reader pointed out discrepancies in Eric Martins’ images, the editors published the following note:

    “A reader, however, discovered on close examination that one of the pictures was digitally altered, apparently for aesthetic reasons. Editors later confronted the photographer and determined that most of the images did not wholly reflect the reality they purported to show. Had the editors known that the photographs had been digitally manipulated, they would not have published the picture essay, which has been removed from NYTimes.com.”

    David, thanks for asking these questions. Helped me think things through a bit more deeply.

    Patricia

  2223. panos skoulidas

    Simply no … No extra sharpening is required for Blurb printers…
    You might notice a slight underexposure …(if any at all)…
    But definitely no extra sharpening needed ( unless u like it extra sharp )… And if u print in B&W it’s easier .. No color shifts to worry about either..

  2226. david alan harvey

    PATRICIA…

    ahhh yes…of course i understand you now….i did not initially realize you were referring only to the “rules” regarding digital manipulation and the press…my misinterpretation…

  2240. Gracie

    you know… this hmmm david alan harvey (no descriptive word comes to mind this unearthly hour), famous photographer stuck with no pictures coming to mind… of daily life he says at least not for today. looking for something symbolic and big.

    little does he know he can turn the camera inside out and backwards and take a picture of hisself. he has made the world smaller, tied the tides together and made possible friends who have never laid eyes on each other. symbolic he says he’s looking for. this BURN of his… this is what it is.

    thank You and thank you.
    to the nite shift and european early morning shift: sweet dreams and dark sweet mornin coffee

  2243. panos skoulidas

    ok..correction…one of the people really helped making the above video…
    thank u girl..u thought the loft was on fire…well it wasnt literally..although it really was…
    big hug

  2244. kathleen fonseca

    GRACIE

    You said it :)))))))))))))))

    PANOS

    Not ignoring you, just not able to give you full attention at the moment..i know you understand.

    Peace, love and kisseZ to all!

  2245. a civilian-mass audience

    “Friendship is never established as an understood relation. It is a miracle which requires constant proofs. It is an exercise of the purest imagination and of the rarest faith.”
    Henry David Thoreau (American essayist, poet and philosopher, 1817-1862)

    I have been known… for my wild imagination …:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    oime…
    Can you feel it??? :))))))))))))))))))

  2246. kathleen fonseca

    David Bowen

    good morning, yucca..

    goodnight, night shift..as Gracie says:

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Civilian

    ain’t leaving you out, stay tuned tomorrow morning my time when i am better able to string two coherent sentences together!

    now really zzzz

  2247. kathleen fonseca

    oime, indeed..speaking of Civilian, here he/she is!

    wonderful quote..very fitting at the moment..now i know why i work the photography night shift..cuz of the company i am able to keep on Burn :))

    now REALLY zzzzzzzzz

    besos y asbestos, Cheery One!

  2248. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS,yeap,credit when credit is due…

    KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE………….
    SWORD TONGUE…THE STREET FIGHTER …
    I felt it…
    I am in a remote location…somewhere between Greece and Italy
    and you few miles away…
    what a timing…!!!
    e-mail checked???
    LOVE like there is no tomorrow…

    night shifters…I am in the morning zone…all those years(as…DAVIDB and the rest)
    kick it and BURN it and what the heck

    it’s only BURN and we LOVE it

  2250. a civilian-mass audience

    KATIEEEEEEEEEE…

    ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz…
    may the spirits of dreams and trees be with you …
    may the pain go away…and visit my bottle of ouzo
    and stay there for ever
    may the rain brings minerals that will make you …running like
    Bouboulina again…

    THANKS FOR EVERYTHING
    NoNeedToReply…LOVE

  2251. panos skoulidas

    and speaking about the ultimate New Yorker, Lou Reed…let me really close my
    LA nightshift with something positive:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz6nq4AhFZE&feature=related

    I don’t know just where I’m going
    But I’m gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
    ‘Cause it makes me feel like I’m a man
    When I put a spike into my vein
    And I’ll tell ya, things aren’t quite the same
    When I’m rushing on my run
    And I feel just like Jesus’ son
    And I guess that I just don’t know
    And I guess that I just don’t know

    I have made the big decision
    I’m gonna try to nullify my life
    ‘Cause when the blood begins to flow
    When it shoots up the dropper’s neck
    When I’m closing in on death
    And you can’t help me not, you guys
    And all you sweet girls with all your sweet talk
    You can all go take a walk
    And I guess that I just don’t know
    And I guess that I just don’t know

    I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
    I wish that I’d sail the darkened seas
    On a great big clipper ship
    Going from this land here to that
    In a sailor’s suit and cap
    Away from the big city
    Where a man can not be free
    Of all of the evils of this town
    And of himself, and those around
    Oh, and I guess that I just don’t know
    Oh, and I guess that I just don’t know

    Heroin, be the death of me
    Heroin, it’s my wife and it’s my life
    Because a mainer to my vein
    Leads to a center in my head
    And then I’m better off than dead
    Because when the smack begins to flow
    I really don’t care anymore
    About all the Jim-Jim’s in this town
    And all the politicians makin’ busy sounds
    And everybody puttin’ everybody else down
    And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds

    ‘Cause when the smack begins to flow
    Then I really don’t care anymore
    Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
    And that blood is in my head
    Then thank God that I’m as good as dead
    Then thank your God that I’m not aware
    And thank God that I just don’t care
    And I guess I just don’t know
    And I guess I just don’t know

  2252. a civilian-mass audience

    PANOS…it’s just hit me…
    you photograph like a youtubistas…

    What a perfect day…indeed:)))

    BURNIANS…wherever you are…if you reading this…

    PLEASE, give me a smile…
    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))):)hmmm…you can do better…
    yeap, now we are talking

  2253. a civilian-mass audience

    ” panos skoulidas
    July 19, 2010 at 3:29 am

    and speaking about the ultimate New Yorker, Lou Reed…let me really close my
    LA nightshift with something positive:”

    hmmmm….for PANOS it’s quite a positive one…
    at least you tried…
    oime…

    Can I dance now???:)))

  2254. a civilian-mass audience

    BURNIANS…look what I found…

    you know me …I love copy and paste and quotes…
    and check this out…
    aouchhh…it hits home…

    “Quotes are nothing but inspiration for the uninspired.”

    now what do I do …??? how can I go on…I am in the middle of my journey
    and I receive this…hmmmm…

  2256. a civilian-mass audience

    and to all my friends out there…don’t try to google me …cause I am in the nowhereland zone

    I will be back…yeap, I know…Surprise me :)))

    doobiiidoobidoo…naana…dooobidiooboo…~~~*~~~*~~~ = dance

  2257. Mike R

    Kathleen, Hope it’s good news today for your back. We’re all thinking of you!

    Mike.

  2258. a civilian-mass audience

    MIKER…

    I definitely miss you and the stories of papa…whenever you have a beer and time to BURN…
    I am all ears…

    ok, out of range… free of my cage

    I need update from England…and then Italy…and

  2259. david alan harvey

    KATHLEEN FONSECA..

    somehow i missed the details on your back problem…surgery, no surgery, is i think the issue….in any case, take care and get a dozen opinions and best wishes from all of us…nothing worse than back problems…or almost nothing…the one thing that is worse is the wrong surgeon if you go that route…

    cheers, david

  2261. Mike R

    Hi Civi, good of you to remember my dad, Gravy Jim.

    He was a character and a keen domino player. Up until just a few months before his death (age 90) he was captain of his domino team and a formidable opponent! Earlier in life he was a member of the Buffalos – a sort of poor-man’s freemason. My mum, who had him weighed-up nicely, said that he wouldn’t be a buffalo if the meetings weren’t held in a pub. The same went for the dominos.

    Gravy Jim? During WW2 he was first mate on a minesweeper sailing out of Scapa Flow. The crew were mainly from the east coast of Scotland and, apparently, didn’t like gravy with their meals. My dad would say “What, no gravy?” – hence Gravy Jim. Although he was first mate, he often cooked for the crew (with gravy, I presume) as the “cook” (a cockney, who had been sent to cook school by the navy) could only cook rice soup. The skipper used to say “Hey Jimmy, go down below and cook us some proper grub”. It was a sorry day for Scotland’s taste buds when he was sent to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) – just in time for the end of the war.

    His finest wartime achievement was winning the bingo on a troopship on the way home to blighty. He won a packet but dared not sleep for days incase someone stole his winnings!

    Best wishes Civi,

    Mike.

  2262. Sidney Atkins

    Heads Up for ALEX WEBB fans… Alex does it again, this time in the August National Geographic, “The Iron Silk Road” article on the southern Caucasus… some of my favorite Alex Webb images to date. He makes it look so easy…

    Cheers,

  2263. Sidney Atkins

    MIKE R,

    Your tale of Gravy Jim reminds me of “Moose Turd Pie”, an old shaggy-dog story from the logging camps of the Pacific Northwest (Tom Hyde, do you know this one?)… the point is, whoever complains about the food has to become the cook…

  2264. Gordon Lafleur

    Kathleen

    Just back today from a marvelous week off the grid on Lasqueti Is.

    M’Dear, please email me if you want some back advice. Oh dear…anyway, DO NOT go under the knife unless you have explored ALL options. I’ve had two back surgeries, the first one, catastrophic and which left me in horrible un-relenting pain for more than twenty years. It ruined my life. The second surgery, by a very gifted surgeon seven years ago gave me my life back, although I still live with constant pain. If I could, I would go back in an instant to the condition I was in before the first surgery.

  2265. Thomas Bregulla

    Kathleen,

    if finally the consequence is that you need a surgery, please let it do by a neurologist, not by a orthopaedic. my former boss (an anesthetist), always said – “orthopaedic can work with hammers and saws, but nerves are too fragile”.

    now, everybody thinking of you in good health, that should help your back!

  2266. kathleen fonseca

    Hello Thomas Bregulla, DAH, Mike R, Patricia, Ross, Gracie, Panos, Civilian..ohmygod, ALL who have so very very kindly sent their best wishes and adivce..

    I am rounding the bend toward being without pain after a week..this is good. The recommendation from the doctor is a hip replacement. The back problem is not the issue. What’s a herniated disc or two? Apparently nothing compared to a hip that no longer wants to shake it. I will get second and maybe third opinions on this. It’s not a decision to take lightly. The idea of having titanium jewelry where a bone should be is not particularly appealing. But then, neither are hip breakdowns in strange hotels far from home. (Patricia, this episode made me admire you more than ever..you’re amazing!!!!!!!!!!)

    Thomas, wow, that’s a thought..about the nerves..brr..nerve damage..brrr..

    Anyway, in the overall scheme of stuff that could be wrong with a body, this is relatively mild. It could definitely, absolutely be much worse!

    In fact, i was feeling so much better today that i brought my Bessa in to the city for repair after the strap broke, it smashed on the pavement (oh yes, did i mention i stupidly insisted on going back to the scene of the crime to shoot the street Saturday night? No? well, i paid with a partial-relapse on Sunday so that was not too smart of me) anyway the camera hit on the its corner and the counter stopped counting. And a few nicks and scrapes besides. I shot 4 rolls with a broken counter though so all was not lost. I hope they can nudge the counter back into place. I am optimistic. But i walked a fair number of blocks in the city, then came home and walked the dogs and felt GREAT!!!!

    Ok, so for now i am relatively back to normal and will deal with this surgery decision little by little.

    Thank you all..you have NO idea how much your care and concern has meant to me! (and please forgive anyone i left out of the thank you list. These days have been a bit harried and distracted)

    best to all
    Kathleen

  2267. kathleen fonseca

    eeks, Gordon..

    I had not scrolled up at all and just saw your post! LORD, what a terrible ordeal for you! Someone told me..who? Can’t recall..sorry..that thank God it’s my hip and not my back. Your story has me shivering at the idea that something so awful could happen. The worst case scenario and all that chronic pain you have lived with. I am sitting here just shaking my head at the sadness of it. The waste. I am so sorry that happened to you, Gordon! And i am so glad to see you back. I wondered what was up with you!

    Ok, must really sleep now..it’s the first time in a week i actually feel tired. I think i am finally relaxing. It’s been a long hard week.

    Goodnight ALL!

    Burnians are the bEsT!

    Kathleen

  2269. Mike R

    kathleen, good to hear that it is your hip and not your back: probably due to carrying heavy camera bags. My right hip is dodgy and hurts a lot if if do any continuous climbing (like a mountain). I’m going to attempt to die of very old age before I need it replacing.

    Gordon, you have my sympathy friend, at least you were able to get some relief second time around.

    And Sidney (laughing) my dad made the best chips (fries) ever! When he retired from work my mum retired from everything. They had terms of endearment for each other: she used to call him a “hook-nosed-gyp” (as in gipsy). His nose wasn’t that pronounced and he wasn’t from Romany stock but hey, never let the truth get in the way of a good insult.
    When he was young he lived with his parents in the optimistically named Paradise Grove. The terraced houses of said Grove were only on one side and facing empty ground where, periodically, travelling gypsies used to stay.

    Best,

    Mike.

  2270. a civilian-mass audience

    MIKER…you have the ability to tell the story…
    Thank you mate…
    ouzo on me

    SIDNEY…oime,welcome back…thanks for checking in…

    GORDON…our baby KATIE…well, we are here…we can help…
    cause WE ARE ALL ONE

    DB,THOMAS…OOO

    I believe this aisle is closing down…I see …MR.HARVEY and the rest of the Universe …

    Ability to tell…go figure:)))))))))))))))

  2271. Patricia Lay-Dorsey

    KATHLEEN

    That’s good news. Hip replacements are a lot more successful than back surgeries. May it go well. And please remember when you’re admiring me, I have absolutely NO pain, just legs and hands that don’t work very well. Pain is a real bitch, weakness is just a bother ;=)

    hugs
    Patricia

  2272. jared iorio

    Hey ALL,

    This has nothing to do with the discussion on “ability to tell” so I’ll post it here.

    Just returned from Haiti, amazing trip that was about 1-part photography, 5-parts work. The project I was working on to build a 75-year-old woman a new earthquake and hurricane proof house has stalled for lack of funds. The group I was working with wasn’t a big NGO, it was a private group of individuals attempting to help one Haitian woman who needed it, and they could really use some minor financial support.

    I’m holding a Print Sale for the next 36 hours to try and raise the funds needed. Any help the Burn Community can give would be greatly appreciated. At the very least please tweet, reblog, and facebook post the link if you can. I’ll kill the print sale as soon as we have enough funds to complete the project. Thanks for looking…

    http://jarediorio.com/blog/2010/07/real-help-for-haiti/

    DAH,

    Met a couple of people you may be interested in talking to there. 80 neighborhood kids, ages 5-13, in the town of Jacmel (where the only Haitian film school is located) who want to be filmmakers and photographers. I’m planning a possible summer camp there in October. If you’re interested I’ll send you an email once the build is complete. Ties into Circus well, I think.

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