Washington Informer Photographers on Display

By Larry Saxton - WI Staff Writer
Thursday, 21 May 2009

Washington Informer “The Singer,” by Maurice G. Fitzgerald, is one of more than 30 photographs on display in the “28 Exposures” exhibit at the Art Institute of Washington. The exhibit will run until Thurs., May 28. Photo by Maurice G. Fitzgerald

More than 30 original landscape and portrait photographs in black and white and in color can be seen in an exhibition entitled “28 Exposures” at the Art Institute of Washington in Arlington, Va. Victor Holt and Maurice Fitzgerald, both Washington Informer photographers, have works included in the exhibit.

The exhibition is the third annual juried members’ exhibit organized by The Exposure Group, an African American photographers association in Washington, D.C. Its members include portrait artists, photojournalists, documentary photographers, and fine artists who work as freelancers.

Holt’s black and white photograph “Shades” entices the viewer to look behind the dark glasses of the subject and imagine what he might be thinking.

Fitzgerald’s black and white photograph “The Singer,” not only shows the viewer the emotional expression of a singer, but allows the mind’s eye to imagine the soulful intensity of reaching a harmonic note.

Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of The Informer, said, while viewing the exhibit, “For someone like me who has knowledge of some of these photographers and has worked with Victor and Maurice on a weekly basis, it gives me the opportunity to see how they can make the ordinary extraordinary. It’s like that moment you exhale, when you look at a child, or a park, or a boulder, or a singer and see the artistic creativity in them.”

Some of the other photographers included in the exhibition are Lillie Lewis-Garrett, Edward Savwoir, Milton Williams, Lisa Fanning, Cleve Bryant and Sharon Farmer, who was the first African American female photographer to work at the White House during the Clinton presidency.

“The head of our photography department has a close relationship with The Exposure Group. She encourages the students to meet and talk to the photographers. The students get really excited and inspired when they meet photographers whose names they recognize,” said Tiffany Young, public relations coordinator for The Art Institute of Washington.

The exhibition “28 Exposures” runs through May 28. For more information call The Art Institute of Washington at 703 358 9550.

Larry Saxton can be reached at lsaxton@washingtoninformer.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Taken From WashingtonInformer.com

Turkey’s Female Photojournalists: Trailblazers In Their Own Right

The atmosphere is chaotic; everyone is running around desperately in all directions. Is there a fire? Was there an explosion, or perhaps a protest? It's hard to understand what's going on. An elegant and attractive, but also quite tough-looking, woman strides briskly towards the center of all the commotion and, bringing a giant camera up to her eyes, snaps a photograph.

While you may be asking yourself exactly what this woman's business is here among these crowds, she continues taking her photographs; after all, it is her job – she's a photojournalist.

Here is a look at the impact women have had on the difficult, stress-inducing but extremely gratifying career of photojournalism through the stories of a range of Turkey's female photojournalists:

Eleni Küreman was the first female photojournalist in Turkey. She began her career in journalism in 1947 with The Associated Press, and then went on to work for newspapers such as the Son Posta, Yeni Şafak, Vakit and Son Dakika.

In 1972, Küreman retired from her job with the Yeni Gün newspaper. Küreman, who died in 2001, was married to another journalist, Kayhan Küreman. Looking back, it's possible to say that Küreman had been like the mother of Turkish journalistic photography.

Just as the first Turkish female military pilot was Sabiha Gökçen and the first Turkish female deputy was Satı Kadın, Küreman was our nation's first female photojournalist. In those years, being a photojournalist was very difficult, and some of her male colleagues used to mock her efforts. After all, she was getting herself mixed up in what had essentially been a man's domain. In any case, Kayhan Küreman tells us something about his late wife's life story.

When speaking about his wife, Kayhan Küreman chooses his words carefully. His first comments are that his wife was a very special person who was always able to do anything she put her mind to.

Kayhan talks about how when his wife Eleni first started her career as a photo journalist for AP, she was able to take non-flash photos with her Leica camera with a level of skill that surprised all her peers. He continues: "Eleni was in love with photography.

She took great interest not only in political and daily events, but also in football. Unlike other photojournalists at football matches, she would always shoot her photographs from behind the goalposts, especially at Fener-bahçe matches.

The reason for this was that she wanted to capture the great plunges and saves made by the Fenerbahçe goal-keeper at the time, Cihat Arman. Some fans used to get angry with Eleni when Cihat would let a goal in, saying ‘you unlucky woman, get out from behind the goal!' Still, she was like a butterfly in a beehive."

Kayhan talks about how his wife gave up her career as retirement approached. He says: "This career that she had given her life over to, in the end, was very unfaithful to her. At the time, a huge fire broke out at the Hippodrome in İstanbul, and there was great panic.

As luck would have it, Eleni was there that day, and she took some very good photographs, which she then brought to somewhere near Taksim to develop. She developed them, but then she locked up the developing room, leaving the developed photos there to go talk to someone at the newspaper.

When she left, some of her colleagues, whose names were kept secret, broke into the room and pillaged through all of Eleni's photographs, including the ones from the Hippodrome fire. After this terrible event, Eleni really turned against that job of hers and, a short while later, she ended her career." In fact, as Kayhan Bey describes it, after this sad event, Eleni was never again able to pick up her camera and take another photo.

After Eleni departed from the photojournalism arena, it was left depleted of any female professionals for many years. Much later, women like Mine Tuduk, Bahar Mandan, Ayten Kaya, Gamze Kutluk and Ceylan Çetin stepped forward to take up where Eleni had left off.

All your fatigue turns into joy

Ayten Kaya has been a photojournalist with the Zaman newspaper for the past seven years. A graduate of the Yıldız Technical University photography department, Kaya never misses a sporting event in Turkey.

She begins by explaining, "The best part of sports photography is that the start and finishing times are quite clear in advance." She goes on: "We go to the stadium half an hour before the start of the matches.

The best location to grab is behind the goalpost where the favored team will be making their goals. The reason for this is that the newspaper always places the most importance on these photos.

The equipment I use is quite heavy. I myself am 43 kilos, but my equipment is 17 kilos. You can imagine what happens to me when I have to run. The hardest part is working when it's windy and rainy.

At least the machines I use are heavy so that they aren't affected by the wind. I guess when you take all this into consideration you might be tempted to ask ‘So what is so great about taking sports photos?'

But when you actually enter the stadium and feel the excitement of the spectators in the stands, and then you are able to capture a great instant with your camera, well then all your fatigue turns quickly to joy."

Kaya also notes that she has never received negative reactions from her male colleagues, though she is not as generous to the spectators at matches, about whom she says: "The fans sometimes throw things onto the field when they're angry, and generally these things are aimed at the photojournalists working on the sidelines. So it would be great if once in a while they threw flowers!"

A profession synonymous with freedom

Mine Tuduk, another Turkish female photojournalist, graduated from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University's photography department and entered straight into working life. With lots of experience working in the different magazine sections at Milliyet and Hürriyet, these days Tuduk works for the Referans newspaper.

Tuduk says she loves photography and that she sees it as synonymous with freedom. She talks about the special category that women in this profession fall into by way of their gender, describing a "tragicomic" situation that happened to her once.

She says: "It's sometimes very difficult and it's sometimes a great pleasure being a female photojournalist. When I first began, I had particular difficulty with action photographs. One time, I was snapping photos at a very tense protest and -- holding my camera in hand -- I tripped and fell.

Before I even knew what had happened, one of the protestors was picking me up by one arm, while a police officer from the Special Forces was helping me up by the other arm. They saved me from being crushed by the angry crowds behind me. After saving me, though, the police officer started chasing the protestor."

Bahar Mandan is another female photojournalist who graduated from Yıldız Technical University's photography department. She spends most of her time taking politically oriented photographs.

She began with the Turkish magazine Aksiyon and now works for Zaman. She is largely involved in stressful jobs such following the prime minister around the country and taking his photograph. Mandan describes the warm reception she receives as a female photojournalist, explaining: "People act very warmly towards me, especially at social events. In fact, when I am taking photographs, I can move around more comfortably than some of my male counterparts."

Mandan sums up just how much she loves her profession when she notes that she doesn't even regret jumping over a garden wall in Gebze in 2007 to snap a photo of the prime minister. She hurt her back badly enough that she had to have surgery on it but maintains, "If I had to do it all over again, I would still jump that wall."

Taken From SundaysZaman.com

A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of A Photographer

Welcome to the first Wild Faces, Wild Places column. The desire to pursue nature photography was the result of colliding life interests. Born a fresh air junkie, I've spent much of the past 30 years traveling and exploring diverse wilderness with a fly rod in one hand, a camera in the other. I've always been drawn to the outdoors, favoring anything off the beaten path.

A few years ago, I made my first wintertime visit to Yellowstone National Park. During this trip, my path crossed with the Druid Peak wolf pack. For five days I followed the Druids as they wandered their territory in the Lamar Valley.

Being witness to this intact ecosystem was an instant catalyst for change in my life. Wildlife photography, in particular Rocky Mountain predators, has become my passion.

This will be a monthly column where I'll share approaches to exploring the natural world through the lens of a camera. I'll cover three content areas each month.

Road trips: I'll share information on locations, seasonal timing, subject behavior and environmental characteristics of projects I'm working on.

Ready, fire, aim: I'll dive into the mechanics or technical side of photography. The emphasis will be how to take the mystery out of using your camera and how to optimize your results in the field. Much of what I'll cover will be around the use of SLR or DSLR cameras. However, point and shoot photographers won't be excluded.

Coming attractions: Each month I'll provide a few suggestions on subjects, locations or events in the local area that might be fun to explore with your camera

Nature photography can be as demanding or casual as you like. Our National Park Service system is one of my favorite destinations for the work I do. Great wildlife and landscape images often are available from roadside pull-outs or short, self-guided nature trails.

The fall elk rut in Rocky Mountain National Park is a great example. You can capture spectacular images of harem herds and bull elk from several roadside locations. For the more adventurous, endless trails into the backcountry provide access to hidden landscapes and undisturbed wildlife.

How do I maximize my results and experience in the field? It starts with preparation. I want to know something about the behavioral and the environmental variables of my subjects. For instance, I know in early summer elk will be split into nursery groups and bachelor herds. Cows will be together taking care of the new arrivals.

The bulls will be together fattening up for the battles later in the year. I also know they will be more active early and late in the day. Heading out in the middle of the day will yield images of elk lounging around ruminating their breakfast. Probably not what I'm looking for. Even the most modest preparation will enhance your experience in nature, with or without your camera.

May is her and to me that means bear season. I'll be heading to Glacier and Yellowstone national parks this month to photograph bears, and I'll highlight that trip in June's column.

I'll also start in on the choices photographers need to make before the shutter is pressed.

Coming attractions

> Full moons: Friday Moonrise is 8:07 p.m. and moonset 5:06 a.m. Saturday.

> Emergence of spring: Greening landscape, May flowers

> New arrivals: Look for the emergence of this seasons offspring

Taken From Coloradoan.com

New Photo Contest Focuses On Peach State's Wildlife Action Plan

Submitted by Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE — The Great Georgia Photo SWAP, a new project sponsored by the Georgia Conservancy and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, was announced Monday at Panola Mountain State Park as a way to better engage Georgians in conservation efforts around the state.

The photo contest highlights nearly 30 high-priority species in all eco-regions of the state as listed in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding efforts to conserve Georgia’s biological diversity.

Original, unaltered photos of those species submitted by citizens to swap@gaconservancy.org will be posted on the Georgia Conservancy’s Web site every two weeks at georgiaconservancy.org.

Participants can win prizes each month. The person who submits the most photos during the one-year project will win the grand prize, a digital camera. “Species of the Week” include animals such as the painted bunting, gopher tortoise and bottle-nosed dolphin.

“Nature photography is a passion of mine, and I believe the Great Georgia Photo SWAP will help Georgians become more engaged in the diverse array of wildlife we enjoy in this state,” said Pierre Howard, interim director of the Georgia Conservancy.

“Georgia is blessed with an abundance of wildlife from the mountains to the Piedmont to the coast, and it is our duty to protect this legacy for future generations. It is my hope that this project will instill in others the importance of our natural areas and the need for implementing a well-designed wildlife action plan.”

The Great Georgia Photo SWAP is a tool for educating Georgians of all ages about the importance of the SWAP, which was created to conserve the rich biological diversity of the state. By learning more about the high-priority species included in the plan, citizens will better understand the need to protect these plants and animals before expensive and restrictive measures become necessary.

Georgia is the nation's fifth-most diverse state in vertebrate animals and vascular plants. But to maintain that diversity, the state has to plan and manage it into the future, said Mike Harris, Nongame Conservation Section chief with the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division.

“The more Georgians become familiar with wildlife and habitats in the places they know, the better conservationists they will be,” Harris said. “The Great Georgia Photo SWAP is a great opportunity for people to learn about some of the state's high-priority species in the animal or plant's native habitat.”

Harris urged participants to treat all wildlife with respect and to photograph them only from a safe distance.

Rex Boner, vice president and southeast representative of The Conservation Fund, said he “cannot wait to see the entries,” calling the contest an excellent way to involve the community and educate citizens on the importance of wildlife.

“In partnership with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, we applaud the Georgia Conservancy and DNR for creatively promoting awareness of Georgia’s SWAP,” Boner said. “… We also are grateful to the Georgia Wildlife Federation for their efforts to promote the SWAP in other ways.”

With funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Conservation Fund provided support for the Georgia Conservancy and the Georgia Wildlife Federation to help implement the SWAP, which resulted from a request by Congress to create a comprehensive, proactive strategy to assess the health of wildlife and habitats in Georgia.

The SWAP lists 296 high-priority animals and 323 high-priority plants as well as high-priority habitats from each of the five ecological regions of the state. The plan also outlines actions and programs to guide the conservation of these animals, plants and habitats at the local and state levels.

Founded in 1967, the Georgia Conservancy collaborates, advocates and educates to protect Georgia's natural environment. Through its focus on clean air and water, land conservation, coastal protection, growth management and education, the Georgia Conservancy works to develop solutions to protect Georgia’s environment and promote the stewardship of the state’s vital natural resources.

The mission of the Georgia DNR is to sustain, enhance, protect and conserve the state’s natural, historic and cultural resources. The DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division regulates hunting, fishing and the operation of watercraft, protects nongame and endangered wildlife, and maintains public education and law enforcement programs to ensure conservation of natural resources.

Wild Facts: Quieting the buzz

Rain and warm weather mean more mosquitoes buzzing about.

These pesky insects lay eggs in water and the wiggling red larva can hatch into adults in as few as four days. To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your yard, simply dump any standing water and change out birdbath water before larva have time to hatch. For small bodies of water that can’t be drained, larva-killing chemicals can be used.

Even with the best precautions, some adult mosquitoes will hatch out. However, only female mosquitoes bite, and only certain species attack humans. Insect repellants can help prevent bites and the diseases they may cause.

Wild Facts is a regular feature written by Linda May, a wildlife interpretive specialist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.

Taken From DaltonDailyCitizen.com

Photographer's Boudoir Beauty Business 'Is Not A Sexual Thing'

AN Andover woman has turned her dream into reality after setting up a photography business – the only one in Andover to feature boudoir shots.

Venus Tingzon runs The Art of Venus Photography and is thrilled she is getting the opportunity to do something she loves as a career.

Venus also offers wedding photography and portraits but is keen to dispel a belief that boudoir is all about glamour and topless models.

“Boudoir photography is not purely a sexual thing,” she said.

“The idea behind it is to get women to feel glamorous and good about themselves. You don’t have to bare everything for it to have that sensuous look.

“Women have hang ups about their bodies, as do I, but through the photography they can learn certain poses to make them look slimmer.

“A lot of women are curious about boudoir photography but are very unsure about what it would be like.

“My aim is to make sure they’re comfortable and they enjoy the experience.”

Photography businesses are not uncommon in Andover but in Venus’s opinion she doesn’t think there’s any other nearby offering boudoir photography.

“As far as I’m aware I’m the only one in the Andover area doing boudoir,” she said.

“I like taking pictures and the thought of having my own job where I’m doing something I love is great.”

Venus has teamed up with Belle’s Beauty in Andover to offer makeovers as part of the many packages she offers.

Venus’s boudoir photography packages range from £99 to £385 and for more information and to see samples of her work visit artofvenusphotography.

co.uk. Her other packages for portrait and weddings are available on her website.

Taken From AndoverAdvertiser.co.uk