NY Photo Festival 2008

powerHouse Books and VII Photo are pleased to announce both the dates of the first-ever New York Photo Festival (May 14-18, 2008), and the appointment of festival curators Kathy Ryan, Martin Parr, Lesley A. Martin, and Tim Barber.

The festival, built around the future of contemporary photography, will debut next May in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Daniel Power, publisher of powerHouse Books, and Frank Evers, director of VII, are co-chairs of the festival and producing the inaugural event with the help of Two Trees Management.

For further details, visit NY Photo Festival 2008

Jenny Jozwiak: Wanderlust

Image Copyright © Jenny Jozwiak -All Rights Reserved
Jenny Jozwiak is an award-winning travel and culture photographer, whose talented work in photojournalism and spontaneous portraiture speaks for itself. Her passion has taken her to 37 countries, where she has shown a singular gift for capturing the lives of people and their environment.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Jenny in Siem Reap, where we photographed amongst the temples of Angkor Wat for a few days. Her imagery in Angkor Wat has impressed me with her brilliant composition, as well as by her intelligent use of colors. We photographed the same monastery near Angkor Wat, but she managed to capture the light in a way I didn't, and yet we were there at the same time of day.

Jenny is also the curator and dirctor of the photodocumentary competition "Diversity of Devotion: Celebrating New York's Spiritual Harmony" for the nonprofit photography collective Positive Focus. I posted about this compelling project a few days ago on TTP.

I chose the beautiful photograph of a 'blue door and monk' at the monastery near Angkor Wat to illustrate her talents. As her photographs amply demonstrate, Jenny is a thorough color and composition perfectionist, and her photographic eye is enviable. She offers private and group photography workshops, and is currently planning her upcoming trip to inner Mongolia, China and Tibet.

Here's Jenny Jozwiak's website.

Canon EOS 1D Mark III: Updated News

Rob Galbraith's website has now updated its analysis of Canon's new release of firmware v1.1.0 for the EOS-1D Mark III. The firmware update was principally meant to improve the camera's AI Servo autofocus performance.

According to the analysis of firmware v1.1.0, "the EOS-1D Mark III's ability to acquire focus initially, hold focus on static subjects and track moving subjects remains poor. In bright sunlight on warmer days in particular, the camera delivers an unacceptably low percentage of in-focus frames."

The Travel Photographer's August 1 post.

Read Rob Galbraith's Updated Analysis here. The update is at the lower third of the page.

Lynn Johnson: Tibet

Image Copyright © Lynn Johnson -All Rights Reserved
Yet another visually compelling collection of photographs of Tibet from the extremely talented photojournalist Lynn Johnson, whose work is known for its intensity and sensitivity. Over the years Lynn divided her time between assignments for LIFE, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated and various foundations, and traveled from Siberia to Zambia.

She writes that Tibet will soon be known only as China, and that "Tibet—Land of the Snow Leopard, prayer wheels and yak herders—is being transformed by degrees as the Chinese erase both Tibetan religion and culture first by violence, then “re-education” and finally, mass immigration of Han Chinese. Some say it is progress, others genocide. These images are records of a time when anti-government monks had gone underground, common people were fleeing to India over the snowy passes of the Himalayas and those left behind were losing hope."

Although all of her photos of Tibet are excellent, I particularly liked two of the photographs...no, make that three: one is of the two monks above, and the other is of a gnarled hand reverently holding the picture of the Dalai Lama. I also liked the one of the father and son on the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, but finally decided on the two monks for the post.

Lynn Johnson's Tibet.

Canon Asia Contest 2007

To celebrate Canon’s 70th Anniversary, Canon in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam bring you Canon Photo Marathon Asia 2007 - a photography contest that claims to challenge your imagination and empowers you to set new standards in photography.

Canon Asia wants you to show them what you can do based on various themes assigned to you under the pressure of time. Your creativity and endurance to complete the marathon will give you a chance to win attractive Canon prizes and/or a Photo Clinic with a professional photographer to Japan.

As always, read the terms and conditions of the contest very carefully before participating!

Photo Marathon Asia

The Digital Journalist: Visa Pour L'Image

Image Copyright © Tyler Hicks-All Rights Reserved
In its August issue (I know...I'm behind the times), the excellent The Digital Journalist website offers a sneak preview of the 2007 Visa pour l'Image photo festival, which will be held in Perpignan, France, from Sept. 1-16 [pro week, Sept. 3-9].

This is a treat for me as three of my favorite photographers are featured: John Stanmeyer (a friend and a super nice person), Veronique de Vigurie and Tyler Hicks. Their work is just sensational.

The Digital Journalist's Visa Pour L'Image gallery.

PDN Pulse

I'm happy to report that The Travel Photographer is featured on Photo District News' own blog, PDN Pulse.

I do not read nor do I subscribe to any photography magazine except PDN magazine. Are they're returning the favor?