Karl Grobl

Please Visit My New Blog.....www.KarlGrobl.com/blog

2010-06-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Please Visit My New Blog.....www.karlgrobl.com/blog

My new, improved blog (link above) has replaced this older blog.

The new blog has been up and running for almost 3 weeks now, and it's working well.

See you at www.karlgrobl.com/blog

Thanks for following.

My New Improved Blog

2010-06-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

After a ton of help from my good friend Marco Ryan, I'm happy to announce the arrival of my new and improved Wordpress blog!

I'll be leaving this existing blog in place for a while, but from now on, all new postings will be at www.karlgrobl.com/blog.

Here's what it looks like

I sincerely appreciate all of you for taking the time to follow my blog. Your comments, participation and encouragement provide me with the desire and motivation to continue posting.

There will likely be a few bumps in the road as I learn to work with my new blog, but I'm confident that it's going to provide you with a better visual experience and easier navigation. So, please hang in there, these next few weeks may involve a bit of a learning curve for all of us.

Thanks again and I'll see you over at my new blog. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.
www.karlgrobl.com/blog.

EDC Update Magazine Wins Beacon Award

2010-06-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Daphne Northrop and here communications team!

EDC Update, the quarterly print magazine of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), has received the prestigious Beacon Award for Excellence in Education Marketing. This top prize is bestowed annually by the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP), a national association whose members include publishers, schools, universities, researchers, and both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations.

The Fall 2009 issue of EDC Update entitled “What a Catch” was selected in the Magazine/Newsletter category. The cover story, “Building Opportunity Around the World” describes EDC’s work to develop job skills and employment opportunities for youth in Timor-Leste, Bangladesh, and the West Bank.
The award was announced and presented to EDC Director of Communications Daphne Northrop at a luncheon ceremony June 8 at AEP’s Annual Summit in Washington, D.C.

According to the AEP website, awards honor outstanding resources for teaching and learning “and aim to identify products that exemplify the highest standards of professional, quality educational content, and set benchmarks to which the rest of the industry can aspire.”

The Beacon Awards recognize marketing products in 13 categories, including annual reports, brochures, catalogs, and e-mail marketing. Beacon winners, which have included The Wall Street Journal, Scholastic Inc., and Pearson Education, are judged on design and editorial quality, efficacy in reaching intended audience, and overall cohesiveness.

In addition to its international cover story, EDC’s winning entry also featured examples of domestic work, including programs focused on elementary science teaching and suicide prevention.
For more than four decades the AEP Awards have honored outstanding resources for teaching and learning. The EDC annual reports “Tangible Results” (2007) and “Portraits of Learning in Action” (2004) were previous Beacon Award winners.

Personally, I'm delighted to have shot the images for the cover story for EDC, it's nice to know that one's photos are making an impact.

Returned from the Philippines.

2010-06-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

I have just arrived home from the Philippines scouting trip, it was a great success. There are so many great photo opportunities there, I'm really excited get down to the "nitty gritty" and pull it all together. Over the next few weeks I will be putting the final touches on an itinerary together and contacting the folks I met with while there, to hammer out the logistics and pricing for a 2011 tour!

It's sometimes funny how little coincidences seem to pop up. Like last night while going through some mail that had accumulated during my absence. Here I was, just returning from the Philippines, and on my desk I see Education Development Center's 2009 Annual Report. On the cover was an image I shot for them in Mindanao and on other pages, shots I took in Afghanistan and Guinea.

Education Development Center (EDC), one of my NGO clients, is a global nonprofit organization that designs, delivers and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic opportunity. Working with public-sector and private partners, EDC harnesses the power of people and systems to improve education, health promotion and care, workforce preparation, communications technologies, and civic engagement. They have 350 projects in 35 countries around the world with programs and services which include research, training, educational materials and strategy, with activities ranging from seed projects to large-scale national and international initiatives.

So often in the news we only read about tragedy and conflict, so please, have a look at EDC's Annual Report and perhaps explore their website for a few moments. It's refreshing to see the wonderful and amazing things being done around the world by a committed group of individuals like those at EDC.

Stranded on Boracay Island

2010-05-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

The island of Boracay, just off the coast of Panay was originally home to the Ati tribe. Boracay is part of Aklan Province which became an independent province in 1956. Formerly undiscovered, it wasn't till the 1970s that tourism began to develop in Boracay, and the island became popular with backpackers in the 1980s^. They tell me that years ago, Boracay Island was a well-guarded secret, but then in the 70s a foreign movie crew accidentally "discovered" this island paradise. Since then Boracay has become one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines.

I came to Boracay Island in an attempt to find a tropical island get away for our possible 2011 photo tour; a kind of retreat, a place to recharge our batteries, review our portfolios and take in a little bit of Philippine beach culture. This kind of R&R is not usually a part of any of our other photo tours, but with the beauty of the Philippines, I am reluctant to exclude it from our tour.

I hadn't planned on spending this much time here, but after arriving I was informed that flights off of the island were fully booked. Anyway, as beautiful as it is, it's a bit too touristy, so tomorow I'm off to try and find another, less traveled island, one that can be our little slice of "undiscovered" paradise. Of course, there could be worse places to be stranded, so I'm not complaining. In fact, I took advantage of the time and yesterday, hired a guide Anthony, and his boat, for a circumnavigation of the island...Boracay is truly a stunning place!

Paalam! (Tagalog for good bye),

Leaving Sagada, the long haul to Baguio

2010-05-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

Just prior to leaving, I came across a small group of people, preparing food in a forested area near town, they were dismembering chickens. I was not able to communicate with them but everyone got a kick out of me being so interested in photographing the scene.

The main bus terminal (actually just an intersection with a small sundries store) in town was buzzing with action. Travelers and families waiting for the buses to fill before the drivers would proceed.

While waiting for my local bus to Bagio, I noticed a group of Filipino photographers ane we started a conversation. Several of them were carrying Think Tank bags, so I grabbed a few shots before the bus took off for Bagio. I think the folks at Think Tank will be happy to see that photographers the Philippines love their Thnk Tank bags!

It was a long 7 hours to Bagio and it was raining heavily on arrival. The road between Sagada and Bagio is an amazing engineering feat. The trip is not for the squeemish or those who tend to get motion sickness, but the scenery along the way is totally amazing. This stretch of road is considered by many to be the most beautiful section of road in the Philippines and I wouldn't disagree. The road passes through countless small villages and provides views of rice terraces, nearly the entire way.

Rice Terraces and Hanging Coffins at Sagada

2010-05-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting in such a long time, I was under the impression that this post had already been uploaded, but when I checked the blog a few days later, I saw that this post was not successfully loaded. Anyway, here it is again...

The amazing rice terraces of Echo Valley, Sagada. Absolutely stunning and they are everywhere! I will be hard to choose the ones to photograph.

My local taxi driver guy said that the day before the fog was looming above the terraces!

Below you can see the cliffs near Sagada, where locals "bury" their dead. The coffins are actually suspended on the cliff face!

Here's a close up showing a skull and bones clearly visible.

Oh what a difference one vowel can make!

2010-05-23T03:06:00.000-07:00

After a short flight and a long bus ride, I arrived in Vigan, hot and dry, stepping off the bus I reached into my pocket for my Chapstick (probably laboratory tested on animals) and applied it to my parched lips. Wearing my leather flip flops, (made from genuine cowhide), I set off to find my holel. Along the historic cobblestone streets of this UNESCO World Heritage City, I passed vendors selling the Philippine's famous balut (boiled egg with embryonic chick inside) and restaurants selling Vigan's famous Longanisa sausage, (a delicious concoction of all things carnivorous). It appeared, at least at first glance that there were few Vegans here in Vigan. Like I said....what a difference one letter can make. Now, let me go on record as saying that I have nothing against Vegans, or vegetarians for that matter, and I do spend quite a lot of time in parts of India where meat is difficult to come by. Although I enjoy a nice vegetarian curry dish now and then, when it comes down to my eating preferences, I do prefer a 100% beef burger over a McVeggie or a tofu sandwich any day. For example, tonight, I stopped for some street BBQ, it was delicious!

After checking into my hotel I set out for a quick twilight shoot of the historic district of Vigan, the heart of which is Calle Crisologo, with it's crumbling Spanish architecture. Vigan kind of reminds me of Havana, but without all the music, nightlife and partying!

All around the historic heart of Vigan, horse drawn carriages were plying the streets past shops selling antiques and handicrafts. There were even a few shops selling cigars made from local tobacco and Vigan's own mango wine.

Today I did a thorough exploration of the town and discovered some photo locations, including a weaving cooperative and a pottery factory.

Last Day in Manila

2010-05-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

It's been an amazing three and a half days in Manila and I think that there will be plenty of options, if we decide to run a tour here. Between the bustling markets, the street scenes and all the photo-friendly folks, Manila has much to offer for photography. Here are a few "parting shots" from Manila. Tomorrow I head up-country to Laoag and Vigan. I'm told that the Vigan lives up to its reputation of being the most well preserved Spanish Colonial town in the Asia. UNESCO lists it as a World Heritage site, so it's probably going to be excellent.

Water front promenade, Manila Bay, Ermita.

Jeepnies plying the streets at sundown.

Motorcycles in front of old door, on Mibini Street

Man with shopping bag, waterfront, Manila Bay

Child scavenging through flotsam and jetsam on the beach, Manila Bay

Sunset over the guard tower, United States Embassy, at Manila Bay, Ermita, Manila.

Manila Day 3

2010-05-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was spent mostly in traffic, commuting around Manila meeting with travel agencies and checking out a photography gallery in Makati. Despite all that time sitting in taxis and jeepnies, I couldn't help but take a few snaps along the way.

CocaCola logos can be found in all the remote places on the planet, and they are a great backdrop for photos. Whenever I see a Coke logo with someone or something interesting in front of it I grab a few shots.

This guy saw me walking along, and lit up with a great smile and a thumbs up, I quickly raised the camera and snapped off two frames.

I share the four shot sequence above to point out the importance of staying with a subject long enough to capture the unfolding emotions or expressions. I often shoot sequences like this for my NGO clients, so that when they put together a piece, they are able to use the image that fits best. Moral of the story...stay with it, don't put the camera down and start chimping until the action is over! My favorite is frame number three, what's yours?

Cheers,

Karl

Manila: a lot more here than envelopes and file folders... (bad pun)

2010-05-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

Day two in Manila and there is so much here, I would put it on a parallel with Bangkok in terms of photo opportunities.

Red Santos and I started out by exploring and shooting around the railroad tracks in Manila, about 40 minutes away from the Ermita area, where I am staying. Just getting to a destination in Manila, provides plenty of visual stimulation. Jeepnies are a favorite of mine, with their color and adornments!

Under a highway bridge, just 2 meters from the railroad tracks, about 20 families have set up living quarters, each family staking out a spot large enough to construct a makeshift bed from cardboard, wood, or discarded mattresses. This family with four children have been living here for 4 years. The man works as a motorcycle taxi driver earning about 100 pesos a day ($2.25 US). The children play along the tracks, keeping a sharp eye open for oncoming trains.

There are quite a few men who operate small human powered trains, that will transport people along the tracks from point to point for a small fee. The "train" consists of a bamboo platform with seating and an umbrella. Underneath small wheels and a braking system can be found. The whole rig is powered much like riding a skateboard, pushing with one leg. If a real train comes along, everyone just jumps off and the driver removes the rig from the tracks, the ride is resumed after the train passes. Red and I took a ride and it was quite amazing! It reminds me of the "bamboo train" in Battambang, Cambodia. I've tried to upload a Flash video that I made with the D3s. I converted the AVI file to Flash using Proshow Producer. I have no idea how to do this, so there is no guarantees but if you are on broadband, you might try this link..and then wait for 4 megs to download...good luck

Next we got back on the "real train" to get across town to our next photo shoot at a large marketplace. En route, the train hit a pickup truck at a train crossing. No one was injured but it caused quite a commotion.

After a long, hot, productive day of scouting, I bid farewell to my new found friend Red Santos. Thanks for all the help Red!

Manila: Day One of the Scouting Trip

2010-05-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Red Santos met me at my hotel, the Grand Prix (see photo below) at around noon and we set out for Obando, a suburb about one and a half hours away from here to see and photograph Obando's famous Fertility Festival. (please note: if you're coming on the photo tour, don't worry, we'll be staying at the Hyatt down the street rather than the Grand Prix!).

Manila's traffic is legendary, so Red and I used a combination of cabs, taxis, moto-cabs and Jeepnies in an attempt to get to Obando as quicky as possible.

Red knows his way around town, and with his expert guidance, in no time, we were standing on the platform of Manila's intercity rail system. The ultra modern, comfortable, air conditioned cars are clean, economical and efficient.

photo by Red Santos

We took the rail system as far as we could and then caught a local Jeepnie for the last leg of our journey to Obando.

On the ride there, Red spoke to the locals, asking some specifics about the location and activities surrounding the Fertility Festival. One man in the Jeepnie was a wealth of information!

After about an hour and a half we arrived in Obando, and headed to the large church where the parade and mass takes place. Locals told us that there was a mass at 5:00 followed by a procession at 6:00. With time to kill Red and I wandered around making pictures in the area. We decided not to wait around until the procession, choosing rather, to visit one of Manila's largest flower markets.

With amazing color and a mix of fragrances, the flower market was fantastic! If we end up doing a photo tour in the Philippines, this will be on our list of shoots.

As the afternoon went on, my jetlag started kicking in, so Red grabbed a Jeepnie back home, and I, took a cab back to my hotel.

Quite an amazing first day here in Manila. This Philippines photo tour is looking like a good idea!

Stay tuned,

Karl

The Philippines, a new photo tour destination?

2010-05-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

After 17 long hours I arrived in Manila, to a spectacular sunrise. The flight seemed long, especially with a refueling stop in Guam, but I had time to read parts of the Nikon D3s manual, which by the way, is like slogging through Tolstoy's War and Peace.

I'm here in the Philippines to evaluate the potential of offering a photo tour here. I've worked in the Philippines extensively for my NGO clients, and throughout my travels I have discovered that it's a place full of friendly people, great food, beautiful scenery and some very unexpected photo opportunities. Jim and I have been looking to expand our photo tour offerings into some of the less visited areas of the world and the Philippines seems like the perfect spot.

During the long flight here, I gathered some great information and recommendations about traveling in the Philippines from my seatmate Jay, and his friend Andre. Jay and Andre are Filipino businessmen, they were returning from a motorcycle tour through Chile and Peru. Both were a great source of information about overland travel in the Philippines due to the fact that being part of a Manila based motorcycle club, they have traversed much of the Philippine road network, including both paved and dirt roads. We poured over maps and books and Andre and Jay filled me in on road conditions, travel distances and travel times.

I'm now sitting in my hotel lobby, unable to check in because it's only 8:00 am. I should try to get some sleep, but I'm to pumped up about getting out there to shoot some images. At noon, there's a Fertility Festival in Obando calling my new Nikons.

Take care, and stay with me...I'll try and provide a bit of info on my travels, along with a photo or two everyfew days.

Cheers,

Karl

RTFM

2010-05-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'm not looking forward to tonight's long flight from LA to Manila. A coach seat isn't exactly what you'd call comfortable, especially with an expected fly-time of about 17 hours. But that doesn't have to be time wasted..not when I have a new "novel" to read!

With the arrival of the new Nikon D3s's, it's time for me to really familiarize myself with these new tools. Having shot Canon for the past 6 years, I'm actually looking forward to learning something new, and getting my hands back on some Nikons. If there's one thing Nikon excels at, it's ergonomics. Nothing feels quite as good in your hand as that sculpted Nikon grip and the way the shutter release button is canted at just the right angle to meet your finger. Ahhhhh!

Time to RTFM (read the * manual)....my gosh, it's three quarters of an inch thick and contains over 430 pages! Today's camera manuals are a whole different story from what we were used to seeing back in the film days.

Upon arrival in Manila, I'm meeting freelance Filipino journalist, Red Santos. We're heading north of town to shoot the Obando Fertility Festival, so tonight will be my last chance to have an in-depth look and the D3s manual and make any last minor tweaks.

On Friday, I shot the D3s's in Los Angeles during an assignment for an old friend, Dan Tobin. Dan previously headed up the communications department at Education Development Center, an NGO with prorams world wide. Dan now runs Stenhouse Publishers and he needed photos of high school students reading, learning and interacting with teachers. One of the classrooms I was photographing in, lacked a window, so I shot most of it at ISOs over and above what I could have, with my 6 year old Canon Mark II's. Everything with the D3s's was great, except that I felt like the focus was a bit slow. I think I'm going to have a look at reducing the number of available focus points, and see if that speeds things up.

So, on the plane tonight, it looks like I'm going to get a chance to test the effectiveness of the D3s owners manual. Let's see if it is as potent as an Ambien and a Bud Light.

Sweet dreams all.

Ciao.

Karl

Reach Global

2010-05-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to highlight one of my clients: Reach Global. I shot for Reach in India, documenting their activities and programs. Click here to visit their website

Reach designs life changing education on health, livelihoods and family finance and replicates its delivery in the world's poorest communities. They are an amazing group of dedicated individuals, out there making a difference. They are the quiet heroes that you probably have never heard of, so I'm introducing them to you. Have a look, I think you'll be quite impressed with the work that they are doing. Cheers, Karl

10 Questions

2010-04-30T08:04:00.000-07:00

Heber Vega is a humanitarian worker and photographer. He's originally from Chile but now based in northern Iraq doing humanitarian work. Heber has a very informative blog and website. Currently, he's doing a series of interviews called "10 Questions", it's about photographers who shoot for NGOs (non-government humanitarian organizations).

He has interviewed several different photographers, and last week interviewed me. He just posted the text and pictures on-line, this morning. If you would like to see the interviews and learn more about photographers who shoot for NGOs click here.

Have a great weekend.

Karl

The Nikons arrived, my Canons are for Sale

2010-04-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, as much as I hate to do it, I'm selling my Canons. It's been 6 years that I've worked with them, but it's time to let 'em go. These two workhorses have done an admirable job for me and I have enjoyed making images all around the world with them, but the new Nikons were expensive, and it's time to recoup whatever is left of my original investment of $12,852 in May of 2004.

So, without further ado, here is the technical info and some images of my "legendary" Canons. If you, or anyone you know needs these, I'll be auctioning them off with a starting bid for the whole system of just $3500 USD (plus shipping). Please note that I will not be selling individual components of this system, it goes as a package deal. If you're interested just send me an email with your bid and when I get back from my assignment in Ecuador on May 8th, (if there are any bids) I'll contact the winner. My email is karl@karlgrobl.com

In the case of a tie, I'll go with the person who's email came first. Please don't call my house, as my wife knows nothing about these cameras. I'm really hoping that by offering them up to you guys, my friends first, that the cameras will go to a good home....if nothing happens here, then they go to an Ebay auction and will probably end up being purchased by a re-seller who will clean them up, split up the set and sell the pieces individually for more.

The complete system includes the following:

2 Canon EOS 1D Mark II bodies
1 Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS Lens (USM)
1 Canonm EF 16-35 f/2.8L Lens (USM)
1 Canon EF 2x Extender II (mint condition..never used)
1 Canon Speedlight 580EX Flash
4 batteries Canon NIMH Battery Pack f/EOS 1D (they hold about 40% of their original longevity after a full charge). In other words, when I start a day with a fully charged battery and shoot 300-400 frames per camera, they would burn through one battery each.
All original boxes, lens cases, cables, software disks,1 like-new charger and 1 "thrashed" but repaired charger.
No lens caps, no straps, no UV filters (UV filters were always protecting the lenses but now I'm transferring those filters to my Nikons).

click on image to enlarge, then click again to see full size

As you can see by the pictures in this link, the bodies and lenses are pretty "rough" on the outside, but they are in excellent working order. The lenses have no scratches on the front or rear elements. My buddy Ken Rockwell tested and reviewed the 70-200 after I dropped it a few years ago, see that review here . Ken commented... "Not only does this dropped lens still work, it's one of the best lenses I've tested for real-world use".

I recently slipped and fell on wet pavement while working in Hanoi...the body with the 16-35 lens hit the ground, but it's still working just fine. That story here.

Both bodies have over 160,000 shutter releases. One had a defective shutter which Canon replaced free of charge after about 40,000 and it's now at 126,051, the other shutter is at 162,611. These shutters are rated for 200,000, but often work well beyond those predictions. So, even if the shutters die at 200,000 frames, you still have a combined total of over 70,000 shots left, or the equivalent of 1,944 - 36 exposure rolls of film before taking them in to Canon to have new shutters installed.

I have tried to answer any and all possible questions here but if you need to know something else about the cameras, please email me rather than leaving a comment on the blog, as I won't be looking at comments nearly as often as checking my karl@karlgrobl.com email. And, again, I'm going to be in Ecuador until the 8th, so emails won't necessarily be replied to quickly either. Sorry.

Again, please don't call the house, my wife has no info on the cameras.

Anyway, I would love to see these bodies continue to be used, they would be great tools for someone who's on a budget, and needs or wants a professional system. I was making a living, selling the images that I was shooting with these cameras just last month, perhaps you can too.

If you are new to this blog and you would like to know a bit more about me, here's a link to a recent interview I did about my work as a humanitarian photographer.

Cheers,

Karl
karl@karlgrobl.com

see more photos below, click on each image to expand

It’s official, I’m announcing retirement:

2010-04-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

The retirement of the two Canon Mark II bodies and the 16-35 and 70-200 lenses that have served me so well over the last 6 years. These two workhorses have been the tools which have helped me earn a living. They have been by my side through thick & thin, and then some. I’ve lived with them and enjoyed them as friends. I’ve slept with my head resting on them during train rides across India, I’ve protected them from would-be robbers in Haiti, and hid them under beds in Kabul, Cotabato and Cali. I've been tossed out of Cuba with them when I couldn't convince immigration officials that I was a vacationing tourist who just happened to have worn-looking professional cameras. My Canons have been locked up with my PackSafe in countless five-dollar-a-night hotels around the globe. I’ve shot them, unprotected, in heavy downpours in East Timor and in the dust storms of Southern Sudan. I’ve made images of Rajasthani rickshaw drivers and watched their eyes light up as I showed them their picture on the screen. I’ve handed them to novice monks in Burma and watched in delight as they discovered, wide-eyed, about the magic of digital photography.

Although I have mishandled them, including one incident when I dropped my 70-200 nine feet down, off of an elephant, (that story here) and Ken Rockwell's review of the amazingly undamaged lens here), only once did these Cameras ever let me down; that was in Sri Lanka, back in 2006 while shooting one-year anniversary of the Tsunami when a shutter broke (story here).

But alas, technology marches forward in this new age of building faster, lighter, better, sharper cameras every 6months. In “digital camera years” these Mark II bodies are dinosaurs. In order to serve my clients well, and provide them with the best images I can deliver, it’s time to replace them with upgraded technology. So, a few days ago I pulled the trigger and ordered two Nikon D3s’s from Adorama…..Nikon you gasp…yep, that’s right, Nikon. After much thought and a thorough analysis of the costs, I have decided to switch back to Nikon. You may remember my story in 2004 when I was robbed of my two trusted D1X’s while in a really bad neighborhood in Lima Peru (story here).

The debate that many photographers have over Nikon vs Canon, is something that has never really interested me, and I’ve always said that which camera you’re using doesn’t make a difference (see my quote in the last paragraph here.

My decision to “upgrade” is based on the improvement in picture quality at high ISO’s which I believe to be the most significant advancement in recent years, and my decision to switch from Canon to Nikon is based mostly on economic reasons....Let me explain: The way I see it, at this time, Nikon offers a full frame pro body with high ISO capability for $5000 while Canon’s full frame Mark IIIs is $6,115 and lacks high the newer, cleaner, high ISO settings. Since I have to buy two bodies, the math is simple. I can get 2 Nikon bodies, the 2 new lenses I need (the17-35 f2.8 and the new 70-200 f2.8), one extra battery and a flash (SB-400) for $14,609, while with Canon, it would cost me $12,229 for 2 full-frame 1Ds Mark III bodies, (old technology with max 1600 ISO), plus another $2499 for the new improved 70-200 2.8, for a total of $14,729 . (Replacing the 16-35 2.8 would add another $1,520, but of course, I could just keep using my existing 16-35, 2.8).

Perhaps some would say, “but you can get the 5D Mark II for $2,500”…..I know, I know, but I need the toughness of professional bodies which can withstand the rigors and abuse that I will be subjecting them to, as well as ergonomics that don’t allow dials to be accidentally rotated when bumped (this is a problem I see with the command dial on the 5D Mark II). And then there was the option to get the new Canon Mark IV but I really wanted to get back to a full frame, for the little bit of extra wideness rather than stay with the 1.3 crop factor.

So; soon, I’ll be shooting Nikon again. Frankly, I’m looking forward to something new. Change is good, that’s one of the reasons I love my job so much…whether it’s traveling to a new country, covering a new story or in this case, getting new camera gear; change offers me an opportunity to learn something new.

Sure, I’ll have to get used to lenses that mount and zoom in the reverse direction, and yes, I’ll have to read an owner’s manual the size of an encyclopedia, but hell, why not, I need something to do on my next 16 hour trans-pacific flight.

As for the future of my 2 “gently” used, near “mint condition” Canons (ha ha), I’ll be selling those in order to help defer the cost of the new Nikons. So, if you know someone who might be interested in buying them, let me know, I’ll give them a great deal.

Cheers,

Karl

Model Release?

2010-04-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

I get a ton of questions regarding model releases, and to tell you the truth, I rarely if ever get them because most of the images I create are for editorial use. That being said, there are occasions when I want or need to obtain a model release.

Woman, Wad Shamam, Sudan (no, I did not get a model release)

It's always a pain digging through the camera bag (which is usually back at the hotel, or in the vehicle, too far away to get at) for a paper copy of a model release. So, when I learned from my friend Matt Brandon (The Digital Trekker) about Easy Release, available as an iPhone App, I went ahead and grabbed it for $9.99. It's an amazing tool which just eliminated another piece of paper that I had to worry about carrying around. Wow, every time I am away for a few months I come back and something newer, faster, easier has come along!

Easy Release works like this...you download it onto your iphone or ipod touch, fill in the "photographer details" and next time you need to get a release you follow the on-screen instructions, and have the subject of your photo sign right on the screen of your iPhone. When it's all done, you email yourself, and the model a copy (including a PDF with a photo if you like) and you're done!

Moro Islamic Liberation Front Fighters, Cotabato, Mindanao, The Philippines 2009

(no, I did not get a model release)

Be advised, it does take a bit of time to fill in all the information using the tiny screen on your iphone, as you stand there, in the field with the model, but in the long run, having a digital copy makes a lot of sense, and the time and effort is probably worth it.

Here's the link to the App Store page for Easy Release

Below please find and exerpt from the American Society of Media Photographers about model releases. (full tutorial here)

"A release is a written agreement between you and the person you are photographing, or the person who owns the property you are photographing. The purpose of the release is to protect you from any future lawsuits the person might file for claims such as defamation and invasion of privacy.

A model release says the person being photographed has given consent to be photographed and to the use of the images you capture. It doesn’t just apply to professional models or situations where people know they are posing for photos. You should seek to get a signed model release any time that your photos contain recognizable images of people, unless you are certain that you will never want to use them for anything other than editorial purposes.

A property release says that the owner of a certain property, such as a pet or a building, has given you consent to take and use images of the property. You don’t need one for public property, such as government buildings (although you may run into problems just from photographing them, for security reasons). But for images of private property — and particularly of objects that are closely identified with specific people — you are safer if you get a release.

The releases you obtain should be saved forever and should be linked in some way with the photographs to which they relate. You can expect to be asked to produce them whenever you license an image, and you will need them if you ever have to defend yourself in court."

Coke, Color and Cops

2010-04-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Coca-Cola, or "nectar of the gods" as I call it, is the one thing that you can usually find, no matter where you are in the world. Zambuanga, Mindanao, the Philippines was no exception. I liked the combination of texture, color and shape in this scene, which I noticed on the side of the shop were I had just purchased a cold Coke.

I'm always on the lookout for great color combinations, and this mixture of blue with a dash of red caught my eye. The image was shot from the back window of the vehicle I was traveling in while stopped at a stoplight in Koronadal, Mindanao, the Philippines. Waiting for the boy to notice me as he peered out of the garage, I squeezed off a frame at the very moment our eyes met.

Cops are usually the guys you want to be friendly with, especially in dicey areas. While in Cotabato, Mindanao, the Philippines, I got to know the policeman who was in charge of the checkpoint on a bridge on the outskirts of town. On the day that I left, I asked to make his photo, he happily complied.

Back in San Diego

2010-04-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it's been over three months since my early January departure for Sri Lanka to cover a story about post-war peacebuilding for the Asia Foundation . That assignment, followed by other NGO jobs, and my work leading 2 back-to-back photo tours in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia as well as a new photo tour to Vietnam, has kept me pretty busy.

I'll be home for a while, catching up on correspondence, re-supplying, recharging and enjoying the comforts and conveniences of San Diego.

It's always nice to come back and see some of the mail that has accumulated, including publications that have come in, from clients who have used some of the images that I shot for them.(below EductionDevelopmentCenter's use of an image I shot for them in East Timor)

It's also my opportunity to catch up on reading and get inspired...mostly by my magazine subscriptions including NPPA and National Geographic.

Once I dig out from under tons of correspondence and catch up on phone calls, I'll have a surprise announcement for you gear-heads, so please stay tuned, and as always, thanks for following the blog.

Cheers, Karl

Participant's Images

2010-03-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

Now that the Vietnam Trip is finished, I would like to showcase some of the participant's images. Everyone captured some truly amazing photos. It's always exciting to see how each person "saw" a particular scene.

This outstanding image shot by Steve Chan was made during out boat trip on Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin, north Vietnam

Vietnam Tour & Angkor Wat extension finished!

2010-03-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it was a great trip...our first, annual Vietnam photo tour! I know everyone who came along had a great time and I hope that all of you following the blog enjoyed all the updates and images. Now I would like to point you to a blog written by Anientra Hamper (daughter of Robbie Hamper, who's been on almost all of my tours, and a few of Jim's). Anietra was a first tim Jim Cline tour guest. She's a news anchor for 10 TV in Ohio. If you have a moment, have a look at what a real writer can do with a blog! I was blown away by her descriptions of the tour. Here's the link Enjoy!

Photo Tour Extension to Angkor Wat Cambodia:

2010-03-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

We have arrived in Siem Reap, home of Angkor Wat. It's been a non stop photo shoot!

No time to write anything, but I wanted to share a few images.

Cheers, Karl

Apsara Dancer and Huge heads at Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom Above,

Below: Tour guests Steve and John exploring Beng Mealea temple.

Kompong Kleang fishing village on the Tonle Sap Lake

Mother with children Kompong Kleang

Kids having fun playing with my cameras.

Sunset Angkor Wat

Ouch!

2010-03-15T02:04:00.000-07:00

Drizzly conditions make for slick pavement, which is great for photos but dangerous for walking. While photographing this flower vendor on the streets here in Hanoi about an hour ago, I stepped on a wet curb, slipped and fell, dropping my Mark II with the 16-35 f2.8 as I went down.

I saw the camera leave my hand, and watched its trajectory in slow motion, then heard that nasty shattering sound and saw some glass flying out past the lens hood as it hit concrete. All the Vietnamese sidewalk vendors gasped and frankly I feared the worst too. Picking up my camera, which had landed with the lens facing away from me, I was thinking to my self; this could be expensive, As I turned the camera towards myself I noticed that it was only the UV filter that had been obliterated. The lens’ front element was intact. I did a quick examination of the camera body as I picked the last chunks of remaining glass out of the bent filter ring.

I snapped off 2 frames; one of the crowd that looked on in horror (above) and one of the noodle shop guy who was standing next to me (below). Everything seemed to be working fine, so I showed the noodle guy the back of my camera, he broke out in a huge smile, the crowd cheered and I breathed a sigh of relief, raised my camera up high, smiled back at everyone and went on shooting.

Damn, these Canon Mark II bodies, and the pro quality lenses are built tough! I'm not so sure that a lesser quality, cheaper built camera and lens could survive this type of accident. Just another chapter in my "Thrashed Canons" story. Cheers, Karl

Hanoi drizzle...that's a good thing!

2010-03-14T23:44:00.000-07:00

We arrived back in Hanoi this morning at 4:30 am on the train from Lao Cai. Since we were not able to check into our rooms, we grabbed an early breakfast and then hit the streets. Thanks to overcast skies and light drizzle, the streets were glossy and reflective, making conditions outstanding for photography.

Tonight we have a big photo sharing session and farewell dinner for those who won't be joining us on the Angkor Wat extension.

Bac Ha Bonanza!

2010-03-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

I just can't stop shooting, today has been totally amazing and it's not even noon! The photo opportunities are incredible. The Sunday market here in Bac Ha has offered up more than we can even keep up with! Totally amazing!!!!

Sunday Market Bac Ha

2010-03-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

Morning in Bac Ha was amazing! There were hundreds of Flower Hmong hill tribe folks coming into town and we captured the activity as it happened. The light was fantastic; overcast and soft, with areas of shade and strong light making conditions for "people photography" just perfect!

A 15th of a second pan shot using exposure compensation set to minus 2/3

Bringing a water buffalo to market

Jim sharing photos with a group of Flower Hmong women

Waiting for a customer

Man in traditional dress

Afternoon Motorbike Ride, Bac Ha

2010-03-13T03:39:00.000-08:00

On our ride through the countryside this afternoon we spotted some women returning from working in the fields. By waiting until they were in the correct part of the path, we took advantage of a stong lead line to make some nice images.

This was Barb's first time on a motorbike and within a few minutes she was as comfortable as the locals!

We have arrived in Bac Ha

2010-03-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Lao Cai this morning at about 5:00 am on the overnight train from Hanoi.

We drove directly to Can Cau market and had a great time. More images and info soon, but I have to get some lunch!

Cruising Halong Bay, Gulf of Tonkin, South China sea, Vietnam:

2010-03-11T21:04:00.000-08:00

Last night we arrived on Cat Ba Island in the gulf of Tonkin. Cruising Halong bay on a Chinese Junk boat was an amazing experience.

We were virtually alone on our trip through the limestone monoliths because we were taking a unusual route.

One of the tour guests, Jim House, who’s previously been on several of our tours is shooting a medium format Pentax. He’s having a blast shooting through tons of film!

Earlier in the day, on our way from Hanoi to Halong City (where we caught our boat) we stopped at some rice paddies long enough to make some great photos.

If you are interested in coming along on one of the small group photo tours that Jim Cline and I are leading, please check out this link

Our private boat arriving at Cat Ba Island

Today we head to Hai Phong, then by road to Hanoi and catch the night train to Lao Cai. Upon arrival in Lao Cai, we’re going to visit some local hill tribe markets around Bac Ha. I’ll try to post from Bac Ha, if internet is available. Cheers, Karl

Hanoi, Vietnam, Day 2:

2010-03-10T04:23:00.000-08:00

Today we hit the streets of Hanoi again, visiting the old quarter, some markets, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Tomorrow we are off to Halong Bay. I wish I had time to write more. Cheers, Karl

Silk Street, old quarter, Hanoi

Modeling on the red bridge, Hoan Keim Lake

Rushing along

Shot for my buddy, Ken Rockwell

Wedding couple

Things have a way of balancing out...

2010-03-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Today started out pretty poorly and didn't seem to get much better.

Around 9:00 am, I left my ATM card in the ATM machine at the airport in Danang and didn't realize it until I got to Hanoi. Then I set out on our afternoon photo shoot with what turned out to be, not one, but two near dead batteries; one in each camera. After about 6 shots I was out of juice and my two cameras became "dead weight"....bummer.

But as you might have guessed by the title of this post, things got better, a whole lot better......

While walking around Hoan Kiem lake near Hanoi's old quarter, I looked up and saw someone that I immediately recognized. It was Nick Ut, an Associated Press photographer from Los Angeles. His Vietnamese name is Huỳnh Công Út and he is best known not by his name or his face but rather by his Pulitzer Prize-winning picture of Phan Thị Kim Phúc, a burned and naked 9-year-old girl running toward the camera to flee a South Vietnamese napalm attack on the Trang Bang village during the Vietnam War. The picture became know as "the Napalm girl" and it is an image with such impact that many believe that it changed the course of history.

Photo by Nick Ut

I approached Nick, introduced myself and we started talking. In a few moments many of my tour participants arrived, so I introduced Nic to them and explained who he was. What an amazing opportunity, to be in Hanoi and run into Nick Ut, especilly having just come from Saigon and a visit to the Requiem photo exhibit at the war museum! What a tremendous thrill it was to meet the man behind the photograph.

Photo by John Rickaby

What started out as a bad day will be a day that I remember forever...a brush with photojournalism history... a hand shake, a short conversation and a photo with a legend....Nick Ut....wow....that's all I can say....WOW!

Photo by John Birgiolas

Following up on a promise:

2010-03-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

During last month's SEAsia photo tour, I promised everyone that I would post one of their images on the blog. Well, here in Hoi An, Vietnam, I have a free day, so I am starting to place some of the pictures. If you were a participant on the trip and you're reading this, please email me a few low resolution versions of your favorite pictures from the trip and I'll start posting them. Cheers, Karl

Below, are my favorite participant's images....enjoy

Ruth's shot from the Leper Terrace, Angkor Tom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Henry's image of monks, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Nadine's photo of a boy in Kompong Kleang, Tonle Sap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Darren's image of three monks at Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Fara's photo of a Padong Longneck Karen woman in Northern Thailand

Kim's photo of a schoolboy on a field trip, visiting the same temple we were photographing

Marlyn's image of two monks praying in northern Thailand

Joel's shot of a monk walking the halls at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Our First Day in Hoi An:

2010-03-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we arrived flew from Saigon to Danang. Upon arrival we drove to Hoi An, and along the way made a short stop at China Beach for sunset. Today we spent the day exploring this UNESCO World Heritage site. The photo opportunities here in Hoi An are amazing and we took full advantage of them!

Shadow on the sidewalk

Shot from our cyclo ride

Woman in conical hat, smoking

Standing in the doorway

Incense burning in the temple

Tonight we dined at my favorite restaurant in Hoi An, the Morning Glory Cafe. The food was fantastic and the place offers a cooking school, which several of the tour guests have expressed interest in. Tomorrow is a free day for tour participants so perhaps some will take a cooking class. Me....I'll be renting a motorbike and heading out to explore the countryside and perhaps have lunch on the beach. Central Vietnam is a wonderful place...wish you were here! Cheers, Karl

Motorbike on the sidewalk at night

Afternoon In CanTho, Vietnam

2010-03-05T03:13:00.000-08:00

After our morning shoot at the floating markets, we had a photography lesson, including topics like exposure compensation, focus techniques, and "looking for the light". Additionally I gave a quick lecture on my technique for downloading, editing, backing up and batch renaming images. Guests were then given a few hours off to work on the morning's photos, take a nap and or get lunch. In the afternoon we headed out on foot to the Khmer Pagoda and then to a local, riverside market. Below are a few images which I shot this afternoon. Enjoy!

Down into the Mekong Delta

2010-03-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we spent 6 hours on the Mekong, traveling from Saigon to CanTho, the busiest warf in the Mekong Delta.

In the evening we shot the market which was chock-full of fruits, vegetables and fish vendors selling their products. The atmosphere here is quite less frenetic than Saigon, and we are all struck by the kind, welcoming, and friendly demeanor of the people.

This morning we woke early and traveled by boat to the amazing floating market of Cai Rang, which is about 30 minutes up river from our hotel

We made several passes through the throngs of boats and vendors, each busily buying, selling or transferring all sorts of products.

Later we slipped down some small canals, ending up in a small village to witness rice paper being produced.

Vietnam Photography Tour Off To A Great Start:

2010-03-03T04:21:00.000-08:00

This is our first year to run a Vietnam photo tour. All guests arrived in Saigon and met for an orientation meeting last night and today we set of to explore and photograph the frenetic activity of Saigon!

Our first stop was the bustling market in Cholon (the Chinese district). The photo opportunities were fantastic and the entire group quickly began making images of the amazing spectacle that was laid out before us.

After an hour and a half we moved along exploring the city further, visiting temples, churches, historic buildings and even stopped at a crafts center, where disabled people were making lacquerware.

Every step of the way, Saigon offered up some fantastic street shooting opportunities, including people photography, architecture and still life. The colors and textures were astounding!

Our last stop was the War Remnants Museum, where we viewed the photo exhibit "Requiem", a collection of images by Photographers Who Died covering the conflict in Vietnam and Indochina. (here's a link to "The Digital Journalist" with more info and images about the exhibit and the photographers)

The Spider Holster: My impressions after 2 months of daily use

2010-03-01T20:57:00.001-08:00

Let me start out by saying that the Spider Holster is the most significant piece of camera gear that I has come out in the last few years. Rarely do I get this excited about a new product, but I must say that the Spider Holster, has for me, forever changed the way I carry my camera.

For many years, I was constantly trying to find a camera carrying system that allowed me to carry my cameras without the shoulder or neck fatigue associated with traditional straps. I wanted a system that was secure, yet allowed quick access.

Over the years I tried LowePro’s Street and Field hip/belt system and then switched to the Think Tank Speed Belt and bag arrangement. (See those reviews here). As a working photojournalist, I see the bag and belt system and the Spider Holster as having two separate and distinct purposes. I use the Think Tank Speed Belt system for transporting my cameras from point A to point B, and I see the Spider Holster as a platform from which I can work, once I am “on location”. For me, working out of a belt and bag system is too slow and cumbersome. I will do it when there are no other options (inclement weather for example), but when it comes to my daily work, the bags stay in the hotel and I hit the street wearing only my Spider Holster. The freedom of movement, security, comfort and the speed at which I can access my cameras is key, and the Spider Holster makes that all possible.

Photo by Harry Purcell

As a bit of background, I’ll tell you that I always carry two cameras. Both are Canon Mark II, one with a 16-35 2.8 and the other with a 70-200 2.8 (see my gear here). The body with the 70-200 is attached to my right hip with the Spider Holster, while the 16-35 is slung over my left shoulder using an UPstrap (see review here).

photo by Fara Sunderji

In early January I arrived in Southeast Asia for a series of assignments and photo tours (see my photo tours here). It is now March and these are my impressions after daily use for a solid 2 months. I literally have worn the Spider Holster 8-12 hours per day for the last 60 days. So please feel confident that what I am telling you is not some two hour evaluation resulting in opinions and or fears based on “perceived” ideas of how it may or may not work or perform. I have read things in several reviews indicating that it’s dangerous not to use a strap, or “what if you drop your camera” or, what if a pick pocket sees you with an expensive camera hanging on your hip…..OK, OK, enough with the “what ifs”, the reality is, if you pay attention, (as you should), the Spider Holster system is as safe or safer than a strap or bag and certainly more user friendly. For me, a camera is a tool not a jewel, I make my living by actually using cameras, therefore anything that gets in the way of me “using” my camera is a pain in the ass, and any product that is ergonomic and allows me to do my job quickly and easily, is a godsend.

Photo by Henry Greene

So, here’s my scoop about the Spider Holster. It’s built tough, it has a solid “machined” feel….it is a piece of professional gear. The Spider Holster hip based system keeps the weight of a heavy camera/lens combination off at least one of my shoulders, and gives me quick and easy access, just like a gun holster. Let’s call it a “quick draw” camera system.

Here’s a picture of me shooting at the Leper Terrace at Angkor Thom in Siem Reap Cambodia. As you can see the camera is hanging on my hip. Shai, the developer of the Spider Holster suggests using the Spider Plate rather than the Spider Pin, but I find that the Spider Pin allows my Mark II with the 70-200 to hang in a comfortable position. To each his own….do what you want but for me, the balance point is perfect with this set up.

Photo by Harry Purcell

I do have two minor complaints, and these may already have been addressed with the newer version of the Spider Holster. Let me explain….from January 6^th to late February I was using an older version of the Spider Holster, then, one day the boat on which I was traveling from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang Laos sank. I was able to save my camera gear and computer, but my luggage, paperwork, guide books and my Spider Holster ended up at the bottom of the Mekong River! I was happy to get out of the incident in one piece, and a few days later a Laotian diver retrieved my baggage. Most everything was salvageable, but the Spider Holster was never found. I was totally bummed, and had to resort to my old camera carrying system for about a week. While in Luang Prabang, I sent an email to Shai at Spider Holster and asked if he could ship a replacement unit to my attention at the Foreign Correspondent’s club in Phnom Penh Cambodia. Amazingly, a week later, when I showed up at the FCC, there was a FedEx package waiting for me.

Anyway, back to my two minor complaints….the original Spider Holster belt that I had was beginning to show signs of wear (some loose threads and fraying) and the constant friction of the Spider Pin against the groove in the Spider Holster tended to create some gray particulate matter similar to graphite shavings. This “dusty” debris would get on my hands, or on my pants, or on whatever came in contact with the Spider Pin. Although this was an annoyance, it made no difference to me, because when laundered my pants cleaned up nicely. Perhaps Shai has found a solution to the wear and debris issues with his “newer” version. If not, don’t let these minor issues stop you from getting a Spider Holster. I can tell you, when my one Spider Holster ended up at the bottom of the Mekong river I was severely bummed. The loss really impressed upon me, just how much I love the Spider Holster. In all honesty, I will never go back to a shoulder strap, the Spider Holster is the absolute best. Get one, you won’t regret it for an instant. If Shai can ship me one on short notice to Phnom Penh, I am sure he can get one to you, wherever you are. The Spider Holster is worth every penny, it’s the biggest advancement in camera carrying systems to hit the market. For working professionals, it will likely become the system of choice. Bravo to the Shai and his Spider Holster, this is the killer product of the decade!

Photo Harry Purcell

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2010-02-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Phnom Penh yesterday evening after our drive from Siem Reap. Along the way we made several stops, including our "standard" spider photo shoot in Skun. Tarantulas were subjects of our photos and also tasty treats for Cambodian travelers. As usual, the hairy arachnids made some squeamish, but after some time, most group members warmed up to the creatures. Ruth was reluctant at first, but as you can see in the picture above she overcame her fear and even had some fun!

(photo © Henry Greene)

Today we visited Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S21) and the Killing Fields of ChoeungEk. While at S21 Prison, we had an amazing stroke of luck and actually met, talked to, and got a tour of the facility by Chum Mey, one of only seven survivors of Tuol Sleng. We stood in stunned silence as he described his life during his incarceration.

Angkor Thom, Bayon

2010-02-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

Apsara photo shoot.

Group Arrives Angkor Wat, Cambodia

2010-02-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we arrived at Angkor Wat

Luang Prabang, Laos

2010-02-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Today we the morning procession of monks through the streets of Luang Prabang and in the afternoon, visited the local market and waterfalls 30km outside of town.

Arrival in Luang Prabang

2010-02-13T00:49:00.000-08:00

Due to unusually low water levels on the Mekong, yesterdays' trip from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang was longer than expected, and shall we say; quite exciting! Mid-way from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang, our boat hit bottom, spun sideways and got wedged between some rocks. It's a long story, but ultimately, we were able to disembark, change to a smaller boat and continue our journey. It was a long and challenging day, but everyone remained cool, calm, collected and in good spirits. As the sun set, were all happy to arrive in Luang Prabang.

Cheers,

Karl

Pak Beng, Middle of Nowhere, Laos!

2010-02-11T03:48:00.000-08:00

We just arrived at the Luang Say Lodge in Pak Beng. Today the river was so low that we had to use an alternate, smaller boat from Huai Say to a spot about 3/4 of the way to Pak Beng. Along the way we stopped at a local riverside village.

Along the river today we saw many people fishing and panning for gold. The lower water levels meant that the shores of the river were in closer proximity, so we were able to make some nice images. Tonight we will photograph the cultural dance performance. At this moment I am sitting on the veranda of the hotel using the free wi-fi.....amazing, for where we are!

Morning on the Mekong & Longnecks Before Lunch

2010-02-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

We had some fantastic light this morning at about 6:15 am prior to the sun cresting the horizon!

My favorite Longneck child. Her eyes are always pools of amazing reflected light!

After lunch we visited the border town of Tachilek Myanmar (Burma).

Sorry, again, no time to write much and we're off to Pak Beng in the morning. Will try to post more descriptions and images when we arrive in Luang Prabang, Laos, two days from now.

Arrival, Golden Triangle, Northern Thailand

2010-02-09T05:08:00.000-08:00

6:00 pm bell ringing at monestary, northern Thailand

Tour guest, Henry Greene in action.

Wrapping up our Bangkok based shooting opportunities

2010-02-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

Salt production facility on the outskirts of Bangkok where we are able to photograph workers "harvesting" the salt and transporting it by wheel barrow to a covered storage area. In order to properly expose the white salt, I used a bit of positive exposure compensation.

This is my favorite elderly woman at the floating market. She's been selling potstickers from a boat for as long as I can remember. I bring her a photo each year and she's always very appreciative.

This green Buddha head was for sale in the market place, so I snagged a short depth of field shot which included a shopper to give the image a sense of place.

I snapped this child making a photo at the Grand Palace in Bangkok...she was so engrossed in her picture taking that she never noticed me.

Three monks shopping Ayuthaya

Child waving from bus during a school field trip day in Ayuthaya

Mauy Thai Kick Boxing at the Pink Panther, Bangkok, Thailand

2010-02-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

Last night we photographed Muay Thai kick boxing at the Pink Panther Bar in Patpong, Bangkok. The action was intense. With ring side seats we all had great photo ops!

Between rounds a fighter gets doused with ice water

The match ended in a knock-out, with a powerful kick to the head.

Southeast Asia Photo Tour Group 2 Starts!

2010-02-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

We are in Bangkok having a great time. Here's a shot from yesterday at the floating market. More images to come soon....

Participant's Images

2010-01-28T17:12:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our farewell dinner at Phnom Penh's famous Foreign Correspondent's Club. Our photo tour has been an amazing journey. I have asked that each participant provide one image to post here. The following are their photographs.

Judi Purcell of Pensacola Beach Florida, a two time Jim Cline Photo Tour participant, made this image using a Casio point and shoot digital camera. As you can see, it's not about the equipment that one uses, it's about the eye of the artist. Bravo to Judy for showing us that we don't need to lug around all that heavy, expensive, high tech gear. The image was shot in a small village in Laos, during our 2-day boat trip from Chaing Khong Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos.

Judi Purcell's husband, Harry captured the above image while visiting the Karen Long Neck Hill Tribe in Northern Thailand. Harry noticed a small child wearing the traditional neck rings and carefully positioned himself so that the child's mother was visible in the frame. The child alone would have made an excellent photo, but Harry took this image to a completely higher level by providing context and an additional area of interest. Way to go Harry! For more of Harry and Judi's images see their website HERE

Dr. Michael Rosenfeld, a primary care physician from Vancouver BC, Canada; a first time Jim Cline photo tour participant, snapped the above image of two beautiful Cambodian dancers at Bayon temple at Angkor Thom in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Using an 18-200mm Nikon VR lens, Michael captured this amazing shot. Michael commented that this image exemplifies for him, the typical Cambodian "warm welcome" which we received throughout the country. This photo should be on the cover of every Cambodian tourist brochure! Nice job Michael!

One of my favorite images of our trip was shot by Aaron Teitel. Aaron has traveled extensively and has participated in many photo tours and photo workshops, so we were delighted when he signed up for our tour. Aaron captured this moment, when three young Laotian boys were sitting on a low stone wall. The playfulness and camaraderie of the children is so typical here, and this shot gives us a feeling for not only the place, but also a feeling of a culture. Aaron shot this image with a Canon 5D Mark II, and a 28-300 zoom lens (at 170mm). Wonderful image Aaron!

Phnom Penh: Sunrise and Cyclos

2010-01-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Phnom Penh last night. Our ride from Siem Reap was long and tiring but a few stops and some nice scenery along the way made it interesting. This morning only Galye made it to the sunrise shoot on the river front.

Here, Gayle reviews her shots before taking a cyclo ride around town.

Off to the Killing Fields and S21 prison....more later

Siem Reap / Angkor Wat ..Another Epic Day!

2010-01-26T03:18:00.000-08:00

Below: fishing nets, Kompong Kleang, Tonle Sap Lake near Siem Reap, Cambodia and a grasshopper perched on an infants back. No one freaked out when the grasshopper landed on the child, and a few moments later, the mother casually removed the grasshopper with her hand. Further below, a Khmer man wearing a traditional Kroma (Cambodian Scarf).

Above, I photographed this child playing with home made billiard table. Using marbles, a wooden stick, and plastic stools for table support, he was totally engrossed in the moment, and was not even initially aware that I was photographing him. It always delights me to see imaginative children amusing themselves with home made toys. I hope X-boxes and GameBoys never make it to Cambodia!

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

2010-01-24T16:19:00.000-08:00

I don't have much time because we are sitting here eating breakfast at our hotel, the Pavillon Indochine, eating breakfast. Today we go out to the Tonle Sap for a boat ride and then later to seldom visited Beng Melea temple, but I wanted to post some pictures from yesterday. We visited the well known, Angkor Wat, where we saw many monks. We shot the huge stone heads at Bayon and photographed a beautiful Apsara dancer, and later in the day we visited Preah Khan another amazing, yet less visited temple. Enjoy the images

Mostly Monks

2010-01-21T23:58:00.000-08:00

It's our free day in Luang Prang and I could have slept in, but it's just to hard to resist another 6:30 am parade of monks, so most of us are up and out the door by 6:15. Today, I thought I would try for something different in terms of my images.

Choosing a low angle by placing my camera on the ground, I shot with my 70-200mm 2.8 lens. My settings were ISO 640 (my old Canon Mark II gets pretty noisy at anything above 640) my shutter speed was 1/250 of a second because I needed enough speed to stop the moving feet, the resulting 3.2 f-stop was very shallow as you can see by looking at the pavement. With my focus spot set to just left of center and my focus mode in AI-Servo in order to track the subject, I snapped off about 4 frames of each passing monk. As expected, I had to throw most away, but there were a few which I liked.

A small girl sitting on a tiny stool caught my attention and I watched her looking up at the monks as they passed, her hands pressed together in the traditional sign of respect called the "wai". I framed the shot by sitting on the ground perpendicular to her and fired off a few shots each time an opening between the monk's orange robes appeared.

On the walk back to the hotel, I spotted some laundry hanging out on the front porch of a Laotian home. It wasn't even 7:30 am and I had already shot more than 150 images. It's just another great start to a phtoto-rich day here in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang, Laos

2010-01-21T02:02:00.000-08:00

Last night we arrived at the boat dock in Luang Prabang at around 5:30 pm. Our two day river trip allowed us the opportunity to sit back, relax and discuss photography, share images and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Mekong river.

On of our last stops along the way was the amazing Pok Au cave, where hundreds of Buddha images have been placed in a large riverside cave.

Now we're at the Chang Inn right among many of the famous monestaries of this old French provincial capitol of Laos, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Luang Prabang is truly a jewel of a city, known for it's delicious food, friendly locals and countless Buddhist temples.

But the real reason that we are here is to photograph the procession of 600 saffron clad monks every morning. This morning was fantastic and we all captured some wonderful images!

LensFlare 35 interview

2010-01-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

Just for your information, I was interviewed by LensFlare35 last month, the interview is now available here if you're interested.

We are off to Luang Prabang today....I gotta' get down to the boat dock....cheers, Karl

Mid way along the Mekong River

2010-01-19T06:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that I'm blogging from Pak Beng! Check it out on any map, Pak Beng is the middle of nowhere, yet our hotel has internet access...this is amazing. Today we left Thailand and traveled on a private boat for about 7 hours. Pak Beng is our midway stop before arriving in Luang Prabang tomorrow afternoon.

In a small Laotian village west of here, these children in a window caught my attention due to their contemplative expressions. I shot these in color but felt that they would be more dramatic in black and white.

I'll blog more tomorrow and update things from Luang Prabang. Until then...enjoy.

Long Neck Tribe and the Burmese Border

2010-01-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

Today we visited a long neck tribe about one and a half hours away from our hotel. Along the way we stopped to photograph some workers in a rice field, pulling up seedlings and replanting them. The action was fast and furious. Everyone got some great, up close images, and no one fell into the water!

Meeting, observing and photographing The Karen Long Neck tribe is always an amazing experience, and today was particularly good because the lighting conditions were ideal. Overcast skies, the shade provided by the bamboo and thatch market stalls, combined with nice, warm, bounce light coming off of the dirt floors, gave our pictures a wonderful "glow".

After visiting the long neck tribe we headed to the Burmese border at Tachilek, where we crossed through immigration and spent a few hours photographing a local market and a large hill top pagoda. Tomorrow we head down to Chaing Khong and then cross the Mekong to Huai Sai, Laos, and pick up our boat to Pak Beng.

Golden Triangle Tranquility

2010-01-17T06:30:00.000-08:00

Today we left the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, flew to Chaing Rai and drove north to the small, tranquil town of Bon Sop Ruak. This is the area known as the Golden Triangle, where Burma, Laos and Thailand all converge, with the Mekong and Ruak rivers separating the three countries. Once know for it's opium and illicit drug trade, the area is now becoming a bit of a tourist attraction, with its easy access to the Burmese border and several local hill tribe villages.

Upon arrival we took an orientation walk along the Mekong river and then hiked up to my favorite Buddhist Monastery, where at 6:00 pm a monk rings a large iron bell, signaling the time and alerting other monks to gather for chanting. We had the opportunity to photograph the ritual and then returned to our hotel for dinner.

Tomorrow we set off to see the long neck tribes, followed by a brief border crossing for some photography in Burma. Wish you were here!

Tuk Tuks and Thai Boxing

2010-01-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

Our photo tour is moving along nicely, although traffic here in Bangkok is terrible. After leaving Wat Pho we spend nearly two hours in traffic to cover the 3 kilometers back to our hotel! The streets are full of cars, trucks, motorbikes and the ubiquitous Thai Tuk Tuk. In the above photo, I panned at a 30th of a second and caught this image of a passing Tuk Tuk.

In the evening we had a delicious dinner at the Mango Tree restaurant and then headed over to the Pink Panther for thire nightly Mua Thia (kick boxing) show. This is where the newer, high ISO capable cameras really shine. With my old Canon Mark II I'm limited to ISO 1600 which is just barely enough speed. The action is fast an furious, and with ring side seats we have to be careful not to get hit by the boxers as they are up against the ropes!

Bangkok Thailand

2010-01-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

I'm in Bangkok leading the first of two back to back 2010 Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Photo Tours which I lead annually for Jim Cline Photo Tours. Check out this link for the full itinerary of our tour.

Today we started our tour with a visit to some salt drying areas along the roadside en route to the famous floating market of Damnern Saduak. In the above image I chose a low angle and caught a worker pushing a wheel barrow of salt towards Michael Rosenfeld, a physician from Vancouver BC. Michael is a veteran of photo tours and workshops and a first time tour guest with Jim Cline photo tours.

Workers harvest the salt by hand, and using wheel barrows, transfer the dry salt to collection areas, begfore it is cleaned and packaged for sale.

At the floating market flowers, fruits, vegetable and cooked food are available for purchase. I shot the above image using a 16-35mm F2.8 lens to accentuate the steaming pot while, including the cook, seated in her boat preparing a bowl of soup.

One of my favorite subjects, an elderly woman who sells pot stickers, was in her usual spot today, so our group all had the opportunity to photograph her.

At the royal palace, this security guard near the royal residence caught my eye, so I positioned myself to place him on a background, created by a rust colored pillar. Waiting for him to look up, I then fired off a few frames, of which, I like this one best.

Later in the day, Harry Purcell, who has travel with me before (on our Peru tour), was interviewed by a group of students wishing to practice their English. Harry didn't seem to mind all the attention and the girls were really getting a kick out of talking to him.

Back in Colombo

2010-01-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

Late last night I arrived back in Colombo after visiting several Asia Foundation programs in central and eastern Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with several large coastal cities, lush fertile lowlands and cool, fresh hill stations. A "leftover British flavor" lingers and in many ways Sri Lanka reminds me of a more tidy, more sedate, more manageable, India.

Over the past 30 years the Sri Lankan government has been fighting the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and just recently the Tigers were defeated. A sense of guarded optimism is palpable as the country enters a new chapter in its history.

While traveling around the country, police and military roadblocks are frequent. One of the components of The Asia Foundation’s Peace Building Initiative is a program wherein police receive Tamil language training, so that they can better communicate with Tamil people.

Even though the war is over, the government is still preoccupied with security. East of Kandy, where a bus load of passengers were being screened at a checkpoint, I took the opportunity to photograph the procedure. All the passengers were asked to off load, pass through a document check, and then reboard the bus. I photographed the police and the Tamils, Sinhalese, and Muslims traveling to eastbound destinations. All was calm and orderly. The government has set a date of January 31 to resettle all internally displaced Tamils in the country.

Earlier today, I was shooting in the main fish and vegetable market in Colombo, grabbing some Sri Lanka daily life images. The market was frenetic but as most markets are here in Asia, they're great places for photography. Above is an image of a worker in the fish market, pausing for a cigarette. He was delighted that I took the time to photograph him and we chatted briefly before I moved along.

48 Hours in Transit

2010-01-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

I've arrived in Colombo Sri Lanka after what seemed like a very long time. First was an 18 hour flight from LA to Bangkok, followed by a 12 hour layover, then a short 3 hour flight to Colombo. Arriving at the airport last night at about midnight, I was picked up and transported to the hotel. The streets of Colombo were virtually devoid of cars and people, with only the occasional military check point, slowing our progress to the hotel. I awoke this morning anxious to get shooting with the Asia Foundation. I'll be documenting a Post Conflict Peace Building Initiative, aimed at improving the relationship and communication between the police and the Tamils.

The last time I was here in Sri Lanka, I my work was centered around the recovery efforts following the 2004 Indian ocean Tsunami along the south coast. This time I'll be driving across the interior of the country and on to the east coast. In less than one hour I will be traveling to Kandy to meet Bent Jones, who's writing the story and the Asia Foundation's local staff who will be assisting us. Given the opportunity, I hope to have the opportunity blog again soon, and to provide a more interesting image...the one above was all I could muster from the window of my hotel room this morning.

Trip Preparations:

2010-01-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm one day away from departure, and this trip will be a three month gig, starting in Sri Lanka to shoot a story about post-war peace building efforts (pdf about peace building) on the east coast of Sri Lanka for The Asia Foundation , and then to lead several photo tours in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Vietnam. There are a few open spaces left on the Thailand Laos Cambodia trip, and one spot open on the Vietnam tour, so if you are interested, just click on the link to get more information, including other trips lead by Jim Cline as well.

Since my return from India in late November, I have been busy with lots of clerical and communication issues. I've moved my website to a new hosting company, started a new and improved blog, (which is currently off-line...sorry for the delay) and I also upgraded and moved into a new laptop, the Sony VGN-SR.

With all the photo tours and my work with NGOs I will be busy around the clock, but my work is so much fun that I'm really looking forward to hitting the road. It seems that my life has centered around computers for the last several weeks and I am anxious to get out into the "real world" again.

In other news.....I was interviewed by two different on-line photography shows. I will be posting about that, and including links to the podcasts closer to when the programs will debut on line. So please stay tuned in.

Finally, I'm happy to announce that on this trip I will be testing a new product called the Spider Camera Holster. As you may remember, during my last trip I was evaluating the Cotton Carrier. This time, I'm going to evaluate the Spider Holster, and I'm really excited about it. It's a low profile "mimimalist" approach to a quick release, hip based, camera carrying system. I think it's going to be the "killer product" of the decade. Finally, someone has come up with a fantastic way of making cameras easy to carry, and ready at a moment's notice.

Above, you can see a close up of the Spider Pro capture mechanism, with the addition of a "pin" attached to the bottom of the camera, your camera slides into this "receiver". To get a better look at it, check out Spider Holster's website by clicking here. Over the course of the next few weeks I'll be posting my impressions about the Spider Holster, so please check back here for updates.

I hope you all had a nice holiday and I wish you all the best in 2010.

Take care and thanks for reading....and I should have my new and improved blog up and running soon.

I've got a new and improved blog!

2009-12-22T21:44:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

First of all I would like to say thank you to all who have been following my blog. Since the very first post, I've enjoyed reading your comments and hearing your encouraging words. Even those of you who have not commented.....it's just nice knowing that you're interested in what I have to say. If it weren't for all of you, I wouldn't be doing this....so, again, thanks for coming along for the ride so far....it's nice to have you on board.

This blog is important.to me, because it's my way of sharing my experiences, insights, and opinions. Since it's important, I felt compelled to take it to the next level, so I hired a woman named Suzette Durazo, (a recent graduate of Platt College of design in San Diego), to get it up and running. I think you'll like the new blog; it's a bit more elegant and personalized than my free "blogger" blog.

Anyway, if you don't mind migrating over to my new blog and re-signing up or whatever, I would appreciate it.

This blog will remain up indefinitely but all new posts will appear at

www.karlgrobl.com/blog
Sorry folks, as of midnight January 1 I am having some difficulties and my new blog is off-line. I'm working on it and hope to be back on line soon!

If you have comments, suggestions or constructive criticism, I'm all ears...there's a contact page where you can drop me a note.

Well....I guess that's it, I'll see you over at my new blog address..... www.karlgrobl.com/blog

Sorry folks, as of midnight January 1 I am having some difficulties and my new blog is off-line. I'm working on it and hope to be back up soon!

Thanks,

Karl

Back From a Quick Trip to Chicago

2009-12-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not having posted for such a long time. I have quite a few things in the hopper at the moment and haven't have time to write. Just yesterday afternoon I returned to San Diego after visiting my folks in Chicago. Now I'm back to work.......Please hang in there for a few more days as I'll be announcing the launch of my new, improved, blog.

Have a great weekend.

Karl

Good News From Afghanistan

2009-12-10T08:04:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai, "Our relationship with Afghanistan is a long-term commitment," "As security improves our relationship grows ... especially with economic and political development. Speaking of development and commitment; with funding from USAID, one of my biggest clients, Education Development Center (EDC) has been implementing education programs in Afghanistan. In 2005 I had the opportunity to document those projects.

If I've learned one thing while traveling all over the world and shooting for countless NGO's it's that education can make a country more self sufficient and secure. An educated populous is probably less vulnerable to exploitation by some charismatic, but tyrannical leader or political party. Education is, as the say; power.

In Afghanistan there is a huge need for education. According to EDC, "Many Afghans who grew up during decades of war and repressive rule are now in their twenties, struggling to find their footing in a dramatically altered and rapidly changing country. Deprived of the opportunity for schooling in their early years, many are unable to read. In rural areas, about 70 percent of heads of households cannot read or write." Women are also at a great disadvantage when it comes to learning. Women in Afghanistan are more often than not denied any formal education at all. EDC has been working to change that.

EDC's Literacy and Community Empowerment Program (LCEP) is a groundbreaking community development project that connects rural villages throughout Afghanistan with an integrated package of literacy, governance and economic empowerment opportunities. LCEP is the first step in a larger, more ambitious long-term initiative to create sustainable literacy and community development opportunities for Afghanistan's rural population. Click here to see a slide show and learn more about what EDC is accomplishing.

We hear a lot of bad news from Afghanistan, so I thought I would point out something positive. And, oh, by the way; if you were wondering about the photo of the bridge (below) in my previous post...that's another EDC project. I guess you could say that EDC is building bridges, both literally and figuratively.

The Gandamack Lodge, Kabul

2009-12-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

With the news websites awash with talk about the time frame for troop withdrawls from Afghanistan, I've been reminiscing about my 2004 trip there. I ended up clicking on some video footage and was reminded of a guy I met, named Peter Jouvenal. He is the BBC cameraman who shot the liberation of Kabul in November 2001. Peter opened the Gandamack Lodge in Kabul later that year. Since then, Peter's place has been a hang out for journalists, similar to the Oloffson in Port au Prince, Haiti, which I wrote about here...but that's another story.

Anyway, the Gandamack must be buzzing these days and I keep wondering who might be staying in the room I occupied during my visit to Kabul. The room in question is on the main floor next to the front desk, just down the hall from the gun display/sales cabinet.

The door to the room had been kicked in a few too many times and it wouldn't latch, but that really didn't matter, because anyone trying to get in would first have to get through the iron gate out front, or scale the barbed wire fence and navigate past the armed guards, dogs and the two guys brandishing AK47's at the door. Besides, since the room didn't have a private bathroom, the broken door made it more convenient when I had to go down the hall to use the facilities.

On one wall of my room was a kerosene heater from the 1970's with a dilapidated vent system that leaked like a sieve. The room smelled like a fuel depot, but hey, it was my temporary home and the other guests at the lodge were pretty interesting folks, so I was happy to be there.

On my first night there, the Taliban blew up a school just down the street and the explosion woke me up. After that, I slept fitfully for the rest of the night, and was anxious to get breakfast and meet some of the guys who I had heard drinking and partying well into the night. It turned out that they were two British ex-SIS guys (Secret Intelligence Service) and a retired Navy Seal from Iowa. They were all doing private security in Kabul. Arriving at the long, family style, breakfast table they each un-holstered an assortment of 9mm semi-automatic pistols and several clips of ammunition. One Brit had a copy of Soldier of Fortune Magazine under his arm.

The first guy to speak greeted me with "So, what the Fuck are you doing here?", I replied that I was in Afghanistan to take some pictures for an NGO doing a women's education program and several community development projects funded by USAID...he looked a little confused at my answer, then asked me what I was "packing".

"Uh....Canons" I said as I reached under the table to pull out my Mark IIs, one with a 70-200 f 2.8 and the other with a 16-35 f2.8 attached. ...the two Secret Service guys and the Navy Seal looked at each other, shook their heads and burst out laughing, then the second Brit exclaimed... "goddamn, you're fuckin' crazy!"

That was my welcome reception in Kabul. For the next few weeks I would travel around the country photographing Education Development Center's programs in and around Kabul and in the north near Herat.

I'll be blogging tomorrow about that experience and the NGO, Education Development Center, for whom I have shot jobs on 4 continents.

Bt the way, for those of you planning a visit to Kabul for the holidays, it's good to know that Peter has body armor for rent right there at the Gandamack and he will even help arrange fixers and/or body guards for you. Oh, also...don't forget the house rules at the Gandamack, which clearly state that only sidearms are permitted in the dining room, so please, leave those RPGs and your larger weapons at home or in your room.

The Gandamack is located at Sherpur Square, next to the UNHCR HQ, just up the road from DHL, across the road from the queues for visas at the Embassy of Iran. TELEPHONE +93 (0) 700 27 6937 there website is here

Hopital Albert Schweitzer, Haiti

2009-12-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

While on the topic of Hospitals, I feel compelled to share with you the story of another truly amazing hospital, this one, in Haiti. Back in 2001 I shot a job for Health Volunteers Overseas. One of the locations that I photographed was HAS or Hopital Albert Schweitzer (yes, it’s Hopital not Hospital). HAS was started 50 years ago and the story behind it is one, that I think, you might be interested in.

HAS was started by William Larry (Larimer) Mellon, a member of the wealthy Carnegie Mellon family of Pittsburgh. Larry fell under the spell of Albert Schweitzer, the Nobel laureate, physician and humanitarian who started a hospital in the African country of Gabon. Following in Schweitzer’s footsteps, Larry Mellon, well into his 30’s, enrolled in medical school, became a physician and built a hospital in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Mellon’s story and the story of HAS is told in the book “Song of Haiti”, which should be on Oprah’s must read list.

I’ve had the opportunity to shoot for HAS many times and my visits there are always eye-opening and inspiring. The work being done there by HAS’s crew of dedicated humanitarians is astonishing. Have a look at the HAS website to learn more about this amazing institution. I produced a rudimentary video for HAS, but since I made it quite a while ago, a plug-in required. Sorry.

While in Haiti, I usually make it a point to spend at least one night at the Oloffson hotel in Port au Prince. It’s one of those places where journalists hang out, and one always meets interesting people there. Here’s a short piece I did about the hotel and it’s colorful proprietor, Richard Morse.

Have a great weekend, and I'll try to post on Monday.
Cheers,
Karl

Angkor Hospital For Children, Cambodia

2009-12-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

Yes it's true, just last month posted about Angkor Hospital for Children, but I'm posting again for two reasons. First, because their 2008 Annual Report just came out, full of images that I captured while shooting their story for Town and Country Magazine earlier this year.

And secondly, because Friends Without a Border is having a Photography related charity event in Los Angeles this month which benefits the Angkor Hospital for Children! As you may remember from the article in Town and Country or my earlier posts, The Angkor Hospital for Children was started by photographer Kenro Izu

THE FRIENDS WITHOUT A BORDER'S 1ST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES GALA will take place on Thursday, December 10th, at the historical Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel The evening includes both silent & live auctions with a special "Children" portfolio by famed National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry

There are also musical performances by Robin Thicke, celebrity hosts Paula Patton, Kate Hudson, Josh Jackson, Ali Larter & Hayes MacArthur, Eva Longoria Parker, Molly Sims, Anne Hathaway, Stephen Moyer, Amaury Nolasco, Jennifer Morrison, Rebecca Gayheart & Eric Dane, with special guest emcee Matthew Lillard.

View the Invite. View the Catalog. Including the piece I donated here
For inquiries, email mayanna@fwab.org or call 323.843.2870.

If any of you folks are looking for a fun night out in Los Angeles, which benefits a great cause, check it out!

PADF: The Pan American Development Foundation:

2009-11-29T12:41:00.003-08:00

Over the last 8 years I’ve done quite a bit of work for The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), shooting for them in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Cuba, so I’m going to take this opportunity to highlight them in my blog today.

PADF is a non-government humanitarian aid organization that works to empower disadvantaged people and communities in Latin America and the Caribbean to achieve sustainable economic and social progress, strengthen their communities and civil society, and prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other humanitarian crises.

Haiti is the poorest country in this hemisphere and being so close to the USA, one would think we would hear more about it than we do. In Haiti, PADF does everything from promoting agricultural development, to building rural infrastructure, implementing soil conservation, and supporting agro-forestry and improved watershed management. They also work to improve public sanitation, and have a program designed to improve border relations with the Dominican Republic. In April PADF received a $1.1 million dollar grant to expand their work there.

In Colombia PADF has two primary areas of focus; internally displaced persons and former coca growers. PADF provides humanitarian assistance, job training and placement, and related services including health, education, and basic sanitation. Here’s a short slideshow I made about their program to help incenitivize coca farmers to grow non-illicit crops.

A diverse organization with great people and great programs, PADF is one of those organizations that doesn’t get enough attention in the media, so I’m hoping you take the time to check them out, and perhaps pass this info along.

Saludos,

Karl

Packing for a trip:

2009-11-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

People often ask what supplies and equipment I take with me on my travels. So, here we go…I’m going to break it down for you into three parts. The following describes absolutely everything that I bring on a trip, down to the smallest item. This list is the result of a re-examination of the contents of my bags at the end of each trip, and eliminating any unused item. It doesn’t matter if I’m traveling for two weeks or four months; I always pack only the followin items.

First let’s examine my “checked luggage”. It contains all my clothes, toiletries, and non-essential photography gear. Starting at my feet and working up….1 pair Lowa Tempest hiking shoes. 1 pair flip flops, 2 pairs of ankle length socks, one belt, 3 pairs of Kuhl Jeans , 1 pair of Levi’s 560 comfort fit, 25% poly 75% cotton jeans (this is the one indulgence I grant myself…there is nothing better or more comfortable than a pair of good ole’ American-made, Levis). Next, 6 pairs of underwear, two Coolmax T-shirts, 2 hats, 1 pair nylon running shorts, which can double as a swim suit, 2 Eagle Creek Leg Stash money holders, a dozen plastic zip ties, a few rubber bands, a blower to clean my cameras, 4 extra AA batteries and charger, 1 extra AAA battery, electrical adapters, my Canon Mark II battery charger with 2 extra camera batteries, a Pac-Safe security net and four Snickers bars. All of these items are packed into 3 "packing cubes", two small and one medium.

Next let’s look at my toiletries, they include toothpaste, tooth brush, cortizone cream, triple antibiotic ointment, deodorant, chapstick, tums, razor and shaving cream, sunblock, nail clippers, dental floss, a Leatherman Mico tool, scissors, a flashlight and eseential medications packed in mini zip-lock pill containers which you can purchase at most drug stores.

All of the above items are packed into a Eagle Creek Hovercraft 25, which, when full, weighs 26.6 lbs, or just under 12 kg. I've never paid over-weight charges, even on small regional carriers, many of whom limit checked baggage to 15kg.

Next is my carry-on backpack. It contains my laptop computer and power supply, passport, passport sized photos, cell phone & charger, Ipod Touch with earphones and USB cable, Ambien sleeping pills, ear plugs, two Sharpie markers (one fine point, one medium point), and the guide book(s) for the country or countries that I am traveling to.

Finally, let's take a look at my camera gear. It all goes into my Think Tank belt system: 2 beat up, old, Canon Mark II bodies, a Canon 16-35 f 2.8, a Canon 70-200 f 2.8, Canon 580 EX flash, SanDisk CF Cards, flash memory sticks, external hard drive, reflectors, micro-fiber cloth, brush, press pass and Sony voice recorder.

In my pockets I carry , a Zebra F301 compact pen, chapstick, cash and a Moleskine, Cahier writing pad.

That’s it, that’s everything…nothing more, nothing less.

For more details please visit the "equipment reviews" section of my website.

Bon voyage!

Cambodia: 30 Years After the Genocide:

2009-11-25T08:56:00.000-08:00

Cambodia has a special place in my heart. I work there often, shooting stories for my NGO clients and also visit as part of an annual photo tour I lead. So, I always log on to the Phnom Penh Post to see what's up and check on news about the ongoing trial of those responsible for Cambodia's genocide in the mid to late 1970's. Today's news was that prosecutors in the trial of a former Khmer Rouge prison chief asked a U.N.-backed Cambodian court Wednesday to sentence Kaing Guek Eav, known as "Duch", to 40 years in prison for his role in the torture and deaths of thousands of his fellow Cambodians during the communist Khmer Rouge regime's rule from 1975 to 1979.

As part of my photo tour, I visit Toul Sleng Memorial and Choeung ek (the killing fields) and over the years I have shot many images of S-21 prison the skulls at Choeung ek. I keep telling myself I need to put together photo story about it and post it to my website. Perhaps writing that here in my blog will light a fire under my butt to do it. Anyway, Toul Sleng (S21) prison, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is the site is a former high school which was used as a prison, interrogation and tourture center by the Khmer Rouge regime. Tuol Sleng in Khmer; means "Hill of the Poisonous Trees" or "Strychnine Hill".

From 1975 to 1979, an estimated 17,000 people were imprisoned at Tuol Sleng (some estimates suggest a number as high as 20,000, though the real number is unknown). At any one time, the prison held between 1,000-1,500 prisoners. They were repeatedly tortured and coerced into naming family members and close associates, who were in turn arrested, tortured and killed.

So, today, with Cambodia's genocide trial in the news, I thought it would be a good idea to make a post and encourage all of you to learn more about Cambodia's dark past. As with Auschwitz and Rwanda...everyone always says...it will never happen again...let's hope it doesn't.

Two final notes, those interested in photojournalism and a photographic record of Cambodian history, I share this.....Last week, while in Bankgok waiting for my flight home, I was perusing a bookstore and saw a new book by Roland Nuveu entitled The Fall of Phnom Penh. The book contains Roland's images of the invasion of Phnom Pehn and I found it fascinating.

And, to see a story I did for Zuma Press, entitled "Cambodia's New Killing Fields" click here
Have a happy Thanksgiving.....and please do take a moment to reflect upon just what that means for us.... in this country we have a lot to be thankful for.

The Philippines: Massacre in Mindanao

2009-11-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I blogged about my work documenting human trafficking in The Philippines, and today I woke to news about a masacre in Mindanao. To say the least, I was saddened to hear about the recent violence there.

News agencies report that more than 45 people were killed in the remote town of Datu Abdullah Sanki in Maguindanao.According to reports,100 armed men believed to be supporters of the vice-mayor's political opponent attacked a convoy on their way to register the candidacy of the Vice-Mayor for the gubernatorial post in the coming 2010 elections.

For decades, elections in Mindanao have been fraught with problems of violence and fraud. My recent assignment with the Asia Foundation was to document the work they are doing to help facilitate violence free elections.

While in Mindanao, I accompanied The Asia Foundation's staff on a meeting with commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in their heavily guarded encampment, near Cotabato. The Asia Foundation is working with MILF to try to broker a peace agreement among the conflicting factions. (Today the MILF issued a statement condemning the recent killings).

I also documented several pre-election seminars, which The Asia Foundation was conducting, aimed at preemptively mitigating election violence.

The situation in Mindanao is complex, with many political and religious groups all vying for position and power. Organizations like The Asia Foundation play a key role in helping to remedy this volatile situation by bringing key players together and encouraging dialog, but unfortunately, despite their best peace building efforts, tragedies like today's incident, still occur.

With the international spotlight now temporarily on Mindanao, I hope that more international attention will be paid, and perhaps additional strides will be made to help this troubled region.

Human Trafficking

2009-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've recently returned from four months worth of assignments and people have been asking me what types of stories I was shooting for my NGO clients (Non-Government Organizations). So, why not use the blog to explain.....In August I was in the Philippines working for two different NGOs one for a story revolving around the conflict between the Philippine government and Muslim insurgency groups, Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The other story was a documentation of the Human Trafficking problem.

Human trafficking is big business in the Philippines. Men, women, and girls are trafficked for labor and sexual exploitation to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Africa, North America, and Europe. The government and NGOs estimate the number of women trafficked to range from 300,000 to 400,000 and the number of children trafficked range from 60,000 to 100,000.

My client, The Asia Foundation supports halfway houses in the ports of Manila and Davao. The halfway houses provide services to intercepted victims of trafficking, including temporary shelter, repatriation, referral, and telephone hotline counseling.

Among the many people I photographed and interviewed was this young girl who escaped from her "employer". With the help of an information leaflet that she found on a ferry boat (a leaflet distributed by The Asia Foundation), she was able to reach a halfway house where she found food, shelter, counseling and financial assistance, giving her the ability to return to her village.

This is the kind of shoot that keeps me motivated....if I can help The Asia Foundation get the word out , perhaps this program will be able to continue and even expand, and there will be more success stories, like this one.

Desperation

2009-11-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

Last night, while driving home, I saw a man in the median holding a cardboard sign which read "Homeless Veteran: Need Money, Please Help". I immediately though about a family that I encountered in Myanmar two months ago.

Since I travel extensively in the developing world I've grown accustomed to people asking for "donations". I usually give to those people who are obviously disabled in some way, for example mine victims in Cambodia, club footed people in India, and/or those in makeshift wheelchairs; because in most developing countries, services for these people is severely lacking.

Anyway, while in a Burmese market, photographing vegetable vendors, I saw a woman with two disheveled children watching me. I noticed that her tiny, skeletal body was visibly trembling and there was this terrible look of desperation in her eyes. The woman looked at me but said nothing.. It was immediately obvious to me that she was in serious need,. I stopped shooting and just looked back at her. There is something terribly visceral when you see this kind of look in another human being's eyes, and I thought to myself, my god, in this country, with virtually no social services, life must be incredibly difficult for her.

Not knowing what to do, and since she wasn't asking me for anything, I looked at her children and then back at her, smiling as if to say...wow, your children are beautiful, then I motioned with my camera as if to say "can I take a photo?"...no reaction..... I bent down near the two children and using the screen on my digital camera, showed them a photo I had just taken of the vegetable seller just across the aisle. The children both smiled, as children do when they see something interesting and new. Next using my wide lens, I snapped a quick headshot of the two children and showed them... their faces lit up with smiles. With a bit of rapport established and some sign language, I communicated that we should go over to a colorful old truck that was parked just a few yards away. She and the children followed.

I made a photo of the three of them and then a few more photos of the kids standing in front of the truck. Then I reached down with both hands and lifted the little girl up and placed her on the seat of the truck. To my surprise and horror, she was light as a feather and as I lifted her I could feel every rib in her tiny little chest. I thought to myself, this child has got to get some food! After a few minutes of making and sharing pictures of the children, I smiled at the mother, folded my hands in the Asian "wai" meaning " thank you" and "I respect you". She looked back at me and in her eyes, I could once again see her terrible sense of desperation. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed some Burmese Kyats and as I shook her hand to say goodbye, I transferred the money into her palm.

For the rest of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about her and her situation. I wondered what her life must be like and how she survives..and what she must feel, being responsible for her two children. Now I regret that I didn't do more for her. I should have purchased a few kilos of rice or something that would help sustain her and the children for a few days.

Since my encounter with this poor Burmese woman and her two children, whenever I see a homeless person with a sign here in the USA, I'm reminded of her and I wonder how she is doing.

No, I didn't give anything to the guy I saw last night, or others who hold signs and stand in the median here at home. I'm confident that they get enough to eat (and smoke and drink). It's those who are truly desperate that I wish we could do more to help.

My Experience with the new Cotton Carrier Holster System

2009-11-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

For the longest time, I've been looking for a "waist/holster" camera carrying system that would allow me to carry my cameras "naked", allowing immediate, easy access. Last July, prior to leaving for four month's worth of assignments in Asia, I spoke with Andy Cotton, the inventor of the Cotton Carrier. Andy was launching a camera carrying system for photographers working in what I'll call, highly active situations. The system is designed to be worn as a chest harness and has an optional second "holster" which can be added. Andy and I talked and agreed that I would field test his Cotton Carrier system. Andy tried to convince me to use the chest harness, but I told him I was only interested in the "second holster". Anyway, I persisted and Andy agreed to send me just 2 bare holsters without the chest harness.

I applied the two holsters to my Think Tank Speed belt and gave the "hybrid" combination of Cotton Carrier Holsters and Think Tank Steroid Speed Belt a field test while leading my India photo tour. I also asked one of my tour guests, Peter Fay a well known San Diego based photographer try it out. Peter is a retired engineer.

Shown below is Peter with his Canon MarkII and 70-200 f2.8 lens hanging in the Cotton Carrier Holster, mounted on a Think Tank Steroid Speed Belt, similar to how I used it.

During the trip, I also ran into Nevada Weir and the National Geographic photo tour group, and low and behold, one of the members of her group was using the Cotton Carrier System! Vicki Athens, a podiatrist and professional photographer from Michigan, was using Andy Cotton's 2-camera set up. Vicki says it's the best camera carrying system she had ever used! Shown below is Vicki with a local Sadhu at Gadisar Lake, near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

The Cotton Carrier system is a great way to get the heavy load of camera gear off of your neck and into a position where your cameras are safe, stable and readily available at a moment's notice. The chest harness system that Andy suggests accomplishes all these things. My "aftermarket" application of the Cotton holsters in combination with the Think Tank Steroid Speedbelt worked OK, but I found that the holster, when placed on the Think Tank belt, resulted in my camera hanging too low (Andy had warned me of this, which is why he encouraged me to use the chest harness set up). That being said, I really did like the fact that I had the weight of my camera off of my shoulder and was ready for instant use (quick draw), from my hip. Below, you can ssee Andy's photo of the "second holster" in use and Andy wearing the 2-camera set up.

In summary, the Cotton Carrier is a well made, innovative system for active photographers who need a stable, quick-release camera carrying system. Learn more about the Cotton Carrier and watch Andy's instructional videos at the Cotton Carrier website.

David duChemin's Visionmongers Book Released

2009-11-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

I'm sifting through mail that has accumulated since my departure in July (it's hard to believe, I had been on the road nearly 4 months!)...anyway, David interviewed me back in June and included my story in his newest book: VisionMongers. Visionmongers is about Making a Life and Living in Photography.
The book is peppered with inspirational and real-world case studies from photographers from various disciplines, including: Chase Jarvis, Kevin Clark, Gavin Gough, Zack Arias,Dave Delnea and, yours truly.

As encouraging as it is realistic, VisionMongers is about making a life and a living in photography.

David is a great guy, with a seemingly endless energy for photography and writing. If you have not already seen it, check out his blog. In my opinion David's blog the best photo blog on the net. I read it weekly for inspiration. see http://www.pixelatedimage.com/blog/

Back in San Diego after 4 months on the road: Catching up on correspondence.

2009-11-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

I've been back in San Diego for two days now but my body is still on Asia time, so I'm up all night and falling asleep at mid day. The generic Ambien tablets that I bought in Delhi are helping but as usual, it will take a few weeks for me to readjust.

With plenty of coffee, and little desire for sleep, I'm catching up on correspondence. My friend, John Cantrell, Editor of Town and Country Magazine with whom I worked earlier this year, on a story about Cambodia's Angkor Hospital for Children, just informed me that our story, entitled "Opening The Way" was awarded Honorable Mention yesterday, in New York, at the min’s Editorial & Design Awards.

I'm delighted that the story is getting additional media attention because Angkor Hospital has a special place in my heart. If you have not had a chance to read the story please have a look here. http://karlgrobl.com/TownAndCountryAHCarticle/Index.htm

Bodhgaya India

2009-11-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Bodhgaya, Bihar, India. It's here that Buddha attained enlightenment...I'm trying to attain it too, but it doesn't seem to be working. I am here shooting for Pathfinder International. Pathfinder began working here in 1999 to advance the reproductive health needs of underserved and vulnerable populations. Today I was photographing a (FCA)Female Change Agent, meeting with a young mother to discuss family planning and contraception. For more info about pathfinder visit www.pathfind.org. In a few days I will head back to Delhi, then to Bangkok and home...it has been a long 4 months on the road!

India Photo Tour: Varanasi extension

2009-11-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

Varanasi is the most holy city in Hinduism, being one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for Hindus of all denominations. More than 1,000,000 pilgrims visit the city each year. Hindus believe that bathing in Ganga forgives sins and ensures release from the cycle of reincarnation. While many photographic opportunities exist along the river, this morning, I chose to walk along one of Varanasi's many small winding streets. I came across a group of bicycle rickshaw drivers. Using two thirds of a stop of under exposure and positioning myself so that I had a clutter free, monochromatic, medium-dark background, I made this shot of one of the driver's feet resting on the seat of his rickshaw. Ah...India, and its endless stream of photographic possibilities!

We're heading back to New Delhi today as the trip comes to an end. Many are heading home, others stay in Delhi for a few days....me, I'm off to an NGO assignment in Bihar, India's poorest state.

It has been another fantastic India adventure! Thanks for coming along and thanks reading the blog. Happy shooting out there wherever your camera takes you and I hope to see you on another of our tours in the very near future.

India Photo Tour: Varanasi extension

2009-11-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

Tonight we took a fantastic sunset cruise on the Ganges. First we paddled down river to the main burning ghats to observe the amazing spectacle of Hindu cremation ceremonies. Every day approximately 300 bodies are cremated here. Photography of the cremations is not allowed, but we will have the images forever in our minds.

After leaving the burning ghats, we had one of the many flower seller girls pose for us on the front of our boat. Her name is Shivana, she's 10 years old. We surrounded her with lit candles combined with flowers in small bowls made from dried leaves. Shivana and other children sell these to be used by pilgrims as offerings which are set adrift in the Ganges. The combination of a beautiful child, the illumination by candle light, and the backdrop of Varanasi was incredible. This shot was made with my Canon Mark II set to 1600 ISO, using a 16-35 f2.8 lens. I chose auto white balance and under exposure of two thirds of a stop.

India Photo Tour: Varanasi extension

2009-11-05T02:47:00.000-08:00

Walking the streets of this amazing city provides fantastic opportunities for photography. Sadhus (wandering holy men) abound here. We found this man sitting just steps from our hotel. After a brief chat he agreed to be photographed. The 67 year old man is from the state of Punjab and was formerly a school teacher.

India Photo Tour: Varanasi extension

2009-11-05T02:41:00.000-08:00

We've arrived in Varanasi, India's holiest city, situated on the banks of the Ganges river. This morning we took a sunrise boat ride on the river. With a little bit of negative exposure compensation and my camera set to cloudy white balance I made this image of a boat full of Hindu pilgrims silhouetted against the rising sun. Later today we will walk the streets of this ancient city and try to capture some images out of the wonderful chaos that exists here.

India Pushkar Fair PhotoTour: Vivien Rickaby

2009-11-04T00:27:00.001-08:00

Three time Jim Cline Photo tour participant Vivien Rickaby of Cyprus made this wonderful portrait of a gypsy girl at the Pushkar Fair. Vivien can add this wonderful shot to her portfolio of images taken on her three different trips with us. Vivien and her husband John fist traveled with us to Peru, then to Southeast Asia and now India. The subject of Vivien's photo is Anita, a gypsy girl who I've known for years. Each year I find her at the fairgrounds and we hire her for an exclusive photo session on the dunes at sunset. Vivien released the shutter just as Anita tipped her head. She also selectively framed Anita off-center, leaving plenty of blank canvas to the right side of the frame. The resulting, perfectly balanced image is more than a great portrait, it's a masterpiece. As Vivien's husband John would say.... "splendid"!

Our India, Pushkar Photo Tour Group

2009-11-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

Our group at the Amber Fort in Jaipur: Standing: left to right, Digvijay, Marcos, Tom, John, Michele and Alice. Sitting left to right, Liz, Vivien, Ayn, Caroline, Pete
Lying in front, Karl

Back Side of the Taj Mahal closed !

2009-11-03T02:25:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Agra after our bus ride from Jaipur, checked into the hotel, refreshed ourselves and then headed to the back side of the Taj Mahal. The back side of the Taj Mahal is a little known spot, accessible via road, by driving around and through a very interesting Muslim neighborhood, or by hiring a boat just below the wall on the east side of the Taj Mahal. Unfortunately, when we arrived at our usual spot at the backside of the Taj Mahal we were greeted by several armed Indian army soldiers who informed us that we could not approach the Yamuna river to shoot sunset reflection shots. When DV, our guide asked them why access had been blocked, they said that the Indian Supreme Court had ordered that the back side of the Taj be sealed off for security reasons. The guards also explained that the boat, which one can hire, has been restricted to an area well to the east of the Taj Mahal, a position which doesn't offer good opportunities for photography. With no other option, we spent an hour or so making images from the riverbank, near the army encampment. Here's a shot of the Taj Mahal, looking through the razor wire at the point that we were stopped. Tonight we're going to try to hire the boat and get a bit closer, but for the time being, it looks like no one will be getting those amazing reflection shots that were once a key part of many savvy photographer's Taj Mahal experience.

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: Alice McKinnon

2009-11-03T02:06:00.000-08:00

Alice McKinnon of Moose Jaw....I mean, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada has an eye for composition. While walking under an archway leading into Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan, Alice paused just long enough to capture this compelling image of two men chatting. The dramatic lighting, combined with the patina of the crumbling sandstone wall makes for the perfect backdrop for this shot of two elderly Indian gentlemen. This image should bode well with the judges in your camera club...knock their socks off with this one!

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: Liz Bryan

2009-11-03T01:21:00.001-08:00

Liz Bryan a writer and photographer from British Columbia, Canada captured this beautiful still life image of a pot against a wall in the "blue city" of Jodhpur.
Wherever we go, Liz returns with images that few other tour guest capture. Liz has a great eye for landscapes and still life imagery. Here, her use of dramatic lighting along with saturated color and a perfect composition, offers us a visual treat. Thanks to Liz for "seeing differently". Excellent work!

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: Peter Fay

2009-11-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

My long time friend, Peter Fay of San Diego captured this stunning portrait of a man in a doorway in Jodhpur India. Peter will likely be adding this image to his upcoming India show at the Ordover Gallery in Solana Beach California. Pete is a veteran shooter and frequent Jim Cline Tour participant. He has traveled with us before, to Guatemala and Myanmar and always has a fantastic gallery opening a few months after returning home. Pete, we're looking forward to your India opening!

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: (by Blank)

2009-11-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

(blank) of San Diego California spotted this bird perched on a motorcycle rear view mirror and captured a magnificent image. The tiny bird only paused for a few seconds but blank was quick to capture the instant that the bird noticed his own reflection. When blank is not traveling he shoots surfers on the California coast, so he's used to reacting quickly and catching the decisive moment. Nice job Blank! (photo and name removed by request )

Digvijay Magazine!

2009-11-02T23:44:00.000-08:00

I rarely use Photoshop, but it sure comes in handy when you need to combine images and text. While driving from Jaipur to Agra Ayn Brown and I sat in the back of the bus and created a "Magazine" featuring our local India tour guide, Digvijay (DV for short).
I made the photograph of DV while he was leaning up against a wall at Amber Fort. He was in the shade with some wonderful bounce light illuminating him. The pose was so "GQ" that I had to get it. Using the text tool in Photoshop 7.0 (yes, I'm a bit behind on Photoshop upgrades) I overlaid some text to create what looks like a magazine cover. We presented DV with a printed copy, made a a local one hour photo store while we were enjoying a nice dinner. I think he really got a kick out of it!

Our Photo Tour Makes the Local Newspaper!

2009-11-02T23:28:00.002-08:00

Jim Cline Photo Tours highlighted in the local newspaper! While shooting an impromptu sunrise ceremony at Gadisar lake near Jaisalmer, the local newspaper snapped this shot of Vivien Rickaby photographing a sadhu. The caption (in Hindi) reads “Smile for the camera”. Other group members visible in the photo include Pete Fay and Ayn Brown.

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: Caroline Villeneuve

2009-11-02T23:28:00.001-08:00

Caroline Villeneuve of Bathurst, New brunswick, Canada, one of the novices in our group (and a very quick learner, I must say), immediately began to make many wonderful, interesting and evocative images. Here, Caroline captured three Rajasthani men sitting in a row. She positioned herself so that the three men were at an increasing distance from her lens, and by using a shallow depth of field, created a photograph with an amazing feeling of depth. Way to go Caroline, you've got the eye!

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: Michel Sirois

2009-11-02T23:26:00.000-08:00

On our second morning at Pushkar Fair several tour guests decided to get up before dawn to photograph the Rajasthani tribal men sitting around the campfires and having their morning masala tea. We situated ourselves at an intersection of two foot paths near a busy tea shop and started panning everyone that walked past. Michel Sirois of Bathurst, New brunswick, Canada, captured this incredibly powerful image by panning with dead-on accuracy. The resulting picture evokes a tremendous feeling of motion. Bravo Michel!

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour: Ayn Brown

2009-11-02T09:23:00.001-08:00

This killer shot is by Ayn Brown of Johannesburg South Africa. Ayn captured this man smoking a chillum. By putting the subject off center and also framing the man's head and the smoke against the darkness of the window, Ayn took what could have been a good shot and made it an extraordinary image. Way to go Ayn!

India Pushkar Photo Tour: John Rickaby

2009-11-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

This fantstic shot by John Rickaby was made today at Amber Fort in Jaipur. John captured this image using an old Canon digital Rebel...so if you think using an outdated entry level digital SLR will hold you back; think again! It's the photographer rather then the camera that matters most. Great shot John!

India Pushkar Photo Tour: Tom Lehman

2009-11-01T08:04:00.001-08:00

Everyone on the tour is getting such wonderful images I'm posting them for all to see. The first image I am posting is by Thomas (the bull) Lehman of New York. Tom's image reminds me of a Steve McCurry shot....dark, mysterious and utilizing a very shallow depth of field. Tom is know as "the bull" because nothing can stop him. Although he carries the most gear of any of the tour members, he's always the first to hike the extra mile in search of the perfect image and the last one to opt for a ride home. After an extremely long day trudging through deep sand at Pushkar Fair, Tom "the bull" declined the camel cart ride back to camp and continued shooting even after sunset. He returned to camp with full CF cards, looking as though he had just been on a short leisurely stroll to the corner market and back. Tom, where do you get all that energy? Bravo to Tom for this incredible photo!

India Pushkar Fair Photo Tour update

2009-11-01T04:37:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on our tour. We're in Jaipur now having just left the Pushkar fair. Our group of ten is having a great time. While in Jaisalmer we were working on sillouettes during our evening camel safari to the Khuri Dunes. Every one in our group got some great images. Here's an example I shot using my Canon EOS 1D Mark II set at cloudy white balance and minus 1 exposure compensation. Other tour participants have shots just like this one and even better!

A few days ago we ran across Nevada Wier and the National Geographic Photo Tour group during a sunrise shoot at Gadisar Lake. Nevada is a delightful woman and we chatted about photography for a while and realized that we were staying at the same hotel in Jaisalmer! Then at Pushkar we ran into her again. It seems that the NG tour is on a similar itinerary. What a small world. Check Nevada's excellent blog (just google Nevada Wier). Photo above courtesy of Ayn Brown

I'll try to update this blog when we get to Agra tomorrow. We're heading to the back side of the Taj Mahal for some sunset reflection shots. Meanwhile Jim is with his Day of the Dead tour in Oaxaca Mexico. Life is good.

Ciao!