Burn Magazine

burn was launched as an online magazine/journal on December 21, 2008 by the legendary David Alan Harvey and a team of emerging photographers. Its intent is to provide a platform for such photographers both online and in print.

In my view (and in the view of many), David Alan Harvey is a role model for all established photographers...he gives, he teaches and he mentors...he relates to younger photographers who benefit from his experience, from his expertise and his knowledge. If there's such a thing as a Nobel prize for photography, David Alan Harvey would be on my short list of candidates.

I encourage you to bookmark burn, to visit it often and see some remarkable talented work from emerging photographers, and to join its community and submit your work.

Great Photo Journalism

Photo © Nanna Kreutzmann/-All Rights Reserved
Great Photojournalism describes itself as an online free community of selected or invited members worldwide, where professional photojournalists from all over the world, display their work.

The concept is by Sofus Comer, a Danish photojournalist himself, who confirms that each member has full editorship of his or her work through via the site's content management system which he built.

Websites such as this one are always valuable to the photojournalism community, as they increase and enhance the visibility of photojournalists...and we all know the more exposure the better. I liked the work of Nanna Kreutzmann, especially her gallery on the Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Flipbac Viewer

Here's an innovative product which piqued my interest when I stumbled across its website a few days ago. It's the Flipbac, an angle viewfinder and LCD screen protector for digital cameras. According to its website, the Flipbac accessory allows photographers to take photos "without kneeling, take candid portraits without hiding behind a camera, or capture a classic portrait."

It's essentially a stick-on flip-out mirror that can be affixed over most digital point-and-shoot and digital SLR cameras with a 3 inch live view LCD. The cost is US$19.99, plus shipping.

Naturally, the first thing I thought of is whether the adhesive would damage the camera it was affixed to. According the Flipbac's website, it uses a type of adhesive that is easily removable and "peelable". This assertion will eventually be put to test by consumers of the product.

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't use this product since it's not useful to my style of photography, but it may appeal to others....especially to those who use advanced point & shoots similar to the Canon G9 and the G10.

Canon 5D Mark II: Firmware Update

Canon has released updated firmware for the EOS 5D Mk II. Firmware v1.0.7 addresses the 'black dot' and vertical banding issues experienced by users of firmware 1.0.6. The latest version can be downloaded from Canon's website. The company also asks users to update their DPP and Picture Style Editor software.

Via Digital Photography Review

POV: A Tribute to Palestinian Photographers

Photo © Mahmud Hams/AFP-Getty-All Rights Reserved
We all see the wanton carnage and loss of innocent civilians in Gaza on our television screens, in newspapers and on the web. We also learn that the Israeli government has denied access to Gaza for the world’s media despite its country's Supreme Court ruling otherwise.

The Foreign Press Association said this denial amounts to a violation of press freedom and puts the state of Israel in the company of a handful of regimes around the world which regularly keep journalists from doing their jobs.” (Source: The New York Times).

Despite the clamp on the media, some courageous Palestinian photographers have worked in Gaza, putting their lives at risk, working under unimaginable difficulties, and facing incalculable psychological damage from documenting all they see. So I thought of naming them here...a small tribute to their courage:

Mohammed Abed
Suhaib Salem
Ismail Zaydah
Said Khatib
Khalil Hamra
Mohamed Salem
Mahmud Shams
Abid Katib
Eyad Baba

In the meantime we wait to hear from Elie Wiesel, the celebrated "humanitarian" voice who famously said:

"...to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all..."

Will you at least whisper the same words Mr Wiesel, or are the Palestinian dead children in the above picture still not worth it?

Cham! The Dancing Monks of Tamshing!

Image © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved
Here's a recently produced audio slideshow titled Cham !! of the photographs I made during my October 2008 photo-expedition Land of the Druk Yul. The audio was recorded live while at the monastery of Tamshing in the religious heartland of Bhutan.

For uploading to my website, I prefer to use large format images as you see in this slideshow, however for publishing in a commercial website, I would use a much smaller size and reduce its footprint.

(Click on the image to see it in larger format).

PBS: The Story of India

Image © Callum Bulmer-All Rights Reserved
Yesterday's New York Times' reports that “The Story of India”, a six-hour, three-night mini-series will begin Monday on most PBS stations.

The series is from the British historian Michael Wood, whose projects have included “Art of the Western World” and “Conquistadors.” I met Michael Wood in 2001 while photographing the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabd. I presume that some of the footage he produced there will make its way in the series.

The article promises a documentary with lush photography, fascinating facts, and sense of discovery. Just in time to whet my appetite for my forthcoming Theyyam of Malabar photo-expedition!

I'm surprised that there are no credits for the photographs which appear on the PBS website.

Correction: Ethan Goldstine (Producer at kapow, inc) emailed me pointing out that there is a photo credit on the film credits page, and the correction has now been made.