Iraq’s youngest photographer reflects
Qamar Hashim is an 8-year-old Iraqi photographer. He tours famous streets to picture Baghdadis with his single camera and is the youngest Iraqi photographer to win several local awards, according to the Iraqi Society Photographic (ISP).
Below, Qamar responds to a series of questions.
When did you take your first photograph and what did it show?
I do not remember exactly the first picture but I had been mimicking my father since I was 4 or 5 years-old and started to take pictures of the Tigris river, the gulls, birds, old houses and heritage places.
Why do you think photography is important?
Remembering Shaun Best
The following is a note to staff from News Editor, Pictures America, Gary Hershorn following the tragic death of Montreal based Reuters photographer Shaun Best.
“By now you have all woken up Monday morning having dealt with the news on Sunday that our colleague and friend Shaun Best has passed away.
We have all been running through our heads today Shaun’s passing, trying to make some sense of something that has hit so many of us so hard.
First and foremost today we stood together in shock, thinking of Shaun’s partner, Denise and his parents and how they were coping with this tragic event.
Then there were dozens of us who have talked today, sharing stories, moments and thoughts of our time with Shaun, remembering him as the friend and gentleman he was before we even mentioned the impact his passing will have on our world of photojournalism.
I was reminded today no matter how a photographer leaves this world of ours, it is a tragic moment causing another blow to be felt by all of us who work in this business. It’s hard on all of us to lose talent of the kind Shaun possessed.
From a pure work perspective Shaun stood ahead of so many. As I read in a Montreal Gazette story today, he was our go to guy for so many things. He shot every assignment well and never hesitated to lend a hand editing whenever possible. We will miss his hands on approach to the file.
Over several years I worked side by side with Shaun at Augusta and he was always extremely helpful. Some colleagues are always in the way, but not Shaun. He was always extremely helpful and always had a kind word when you were most tired. I will miss him much…
Christer Höglund
Sweden
from Russell Boyce:
Finding a nugget in the murky waters
One of the greatest pleasures in editing photographers work is finding an interesting visual nugget that may have already been missed. In years of looking at raw material a common trait I have spotted is that photographers who are headed to an assignment see something they are attracted to and take a picture of it thinking "that looks interesting". The assignment is shot, the pictures are quickly edited, captioned and transmitted but the picture that was instinctively taken because it was interesting is often condemned to the darkness of the archive folder on the backup hard drive, never to be transmitted because it was not part of the assignment.
I was asked by our Hanoi based photographer Kham to have a second look at his file of the state visit of East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta to Vietnam; a good selection of handshakes, parade inspections and smiling suits. Then a pleasant surprise - at the end of the file were eleven frames of a fully dressed woman, nose and mouth covered with mask, wearing a traditional Vietnamese hat wading chin deep in water.
Immediately questions came into my head, probably the same ones that are in your head now. Why was this person wading chin deep in water? Why are they wearing a face mask? Why are they wearing a hat? All questions I asked Kham. He told me that he had chatted with her and she was looking for mussels to sell, is 60 years old and comes from 150k outside Hanoi. I am sure what President Jose Ramos Horta and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet had to talk about was very interesting but I just want to know more about this woman - unlike the presidential meeting, an everyday sight for Kham.
A 60-year-old woman wades through neck-deep water to collect mussels and shells to sell, at West Lake in Hanoi April 26, 2010. The woman, who came from Thai Binh province, 150 km south of Hanoi, spends about 8 to 10 hours on water to earn about 60,000 dong (about $3). REUTERS/Kham
Hopefully, in the near future, our feature picture pages will be filled with more images of this woman and her lifestyle, all questions answered. As a final thought it crossed my mind just how similar a picture editors job is to this woman daily activity (although considerably more comfortable), searching for nuggets.
The best job
Editor’s Note: Eliana Aponte is a highlighted photographer this month on the Reuters website. See an extensive portfolio of her recent work here.
Being a photographer is one of the best jobs in the world because when you enjoy what you do it is more a hobby than a job. In our case, it is a hobby with considerable responsibility.
As a journalist traveling through different countries, meeting interesting people, or working in inhospitable places, storytelling is a privilege. I have always thought that my eyes are the eyes of many people, and that through them others can see what is happening. When I started as a photographer I always wanted to contribute my bit to make the world a better place. Many of us think that when we are young and full of dreams. As time passes, I realize that the real changes in history are made by the people who are living their own lives. Photographers just document what happens, nothing more.
Reuters photographer Eliana Aponte (2L) is seen while working next to colleagues in the West Bank village of Qabatiya near Jenin, May 15, 2006. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman
When I was in Colombia, I spent almost a month in the wildest part of the country where the sun never shines, the sounds of animals never cease and the darkness is neither gray nor black. Reuters was witness to the freeing of 300 policemen and soldiers who had been kidnapped by FARC guerrillas and held in the jungle.
It was the hardest experience in my life, both as a photographer and as a human being. I learned there is nothing more degrading than being deprived of freedom in the jungle. I slept, ate and lived like any of the real hostages in those camps. It shocked me to see their blank stares, the paleness on their faces and their hope to walk out of there one day alive; this is what I remember the most. Life in the jungle is an arduous test of mental and physical strength, both of which are necessary to survive. When we arrived at the first camp, everyone wanted to know who we were, and why we were there. To a certain extent our presence there was a confirmation of their freedom but the skepticism in their eyes remained. We told them many times that their captivity was almost over, but they didn’t believe it. We were led to three different camps after long hikes and many hours by boat and vehicle through inhospitable terrain, without the faintest idea of what part of the jungle we were in. As the days passed we reached the conclusion that we were being led in circles around the same area just to throw off our sense of direction. For those who don’t know the jungle, everything is the same, green everywhere.
The coolest part of being a female photographer is you exploring in a man-lead world and free to express your own feeling and viewpoint. I feel both strengh and sensitivity in your portfolio, well done Eliana.
from UK News:
Eye-to-eye with Simon de Glanville’s pigeons
Pigeons create controversy among city dwellers whether they are being pilloried as "rats with wings" or celebrated as endlessly feedable feathered friends.
Through photographer Simon de Glanville's pictures, viewers come eye-to-eye with the creatures.
Over the past 10 years, De Glanville has taken pictures of pigeons, squirrels and dogs for a project entitled "London Wildlife". His favourite locations for photographing urban wildlife include London's Peckham, Brixton and Chinatown neighbourhoods.
What is your opinion of pigeons? Do these pictures change your perspective on pigeons?
they seem behaving more independent, purposeful and daring than i ve thought… that is the change, evolved in my mind not because pigeons but the photo…
Finbarr from the field
On Jan. 14 Reuters hosted a live video Q&A with our renowned photographer Finbarr O’Reilly about his experiences in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo. Finbarr addressed what drew him to Africa and the most difficult aspects of being a photographer in a war zone.
Finbarr is still available to answer questions, submit them in the comments section below or send a Twitter message with the hash tag “#finbarr” .
Check out “Death all around,” his multimedia report from a Congolese refugee camp, dispatches from Chad and Afghanistan, selected photos from his portfolio, and an audio slideshow from his most recent Congo assignment.
Finbarr,I’m a photographer with the U.S. Army, and have built up a fairly good portfolio over the course of my work in Iraq and stateside. I would like to continue working as a photojournalist using my experience in conflict zones, but outside the military, but am not sure where to start. What would your recommendation be for a starting point in a photojournalistic career of this kind?
Shooting by accident or standing out from the crowd?
Actress Jessica Biel arrives for the premiere of “Easy Virtue” in Leicester Square, London October 28, 2008. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor (BRITAIN)
London-based Reuters photographer Luke MacGregor shot the picture above by using a slow shutter speed, around 1/50th of a second, and continually shooting frames with no flash in the hope that he would catch the moment a flash from another photographer illuminated Jessica Biel posing on the red carpet.
This reminded me of an earlier red-carpet picture of Jessica Biel where Luke had used the same “catch flash” technique. The picture of her arrival at the BAFTAs, below, caused a mini stir of discontent amongst the desk editors in Singapore. Some editors championed the picture, others wanted to reject it, or ‘spike’ it in journalistic terminology. One editor even said the technique was like “shooting by accident”.
U.S. actress Jessica Biel arrives at the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards ceremony at The Royal Opera House in London February 10, 2008. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor (BRITAIN)
Luke himself says “I guess it is a little like shooting by accident – except that I have planned to shoot by accident and have thought through the situation to try and get what I want using some form of judgement”.
In at least one very important way, caught flash pictures portray the reality of the scene BETTER than ones without the burst of light. To the viewer standing by observing the scene, there is a cacophony of flashes going off. Including the light from another flash in the photo both makes for a more interesting image and a more accurate depiction of the scene itself.
Riding with Obama: Backstage
Reuters Washington staff photographer Jason Reed is traveling with the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama through election day.
It is on extremely rare occasions that individual wire service photographers get exclusive behind the scenes access with the U.S. presidential candidates for even just a few moments during the 2008 campaign. When we do it represents a fleeting chance to grab a few unguarded moments where the candidates are more relaxed and less wary of scrutiny away from the glare of the lights and the constant presence of dozens of intrusive cameras and microphones. When you cover the same man, day in and day out, with most of the time spent jostling with dozens of other photographers to get essentially the same shots from the same positions, any chance to get a few exclusive unguarded moments with just the candidate and yourself is a huge bonus.
This a rare glimpse – to use a phrase Barack Obama used to describe our citizens’ potential – into what I believe is the ‘strength and grace’ of the candidate himself as well. I was privileged to attend the rally
Mon. 10/27 where these photos were taken backstage;
and was impressed with the joyful way
attendees waited patiently in long lines
to get through security etc.
Thank you for sharing these photos.
Editing Under Fire in Afghanistan
I’ve spent the past month embedded with the German armed forces Bundeswehr – operating as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in northern Afghanistan – accompanying troops during missions from their bases in Masar-e-Sharif, Feyzabad and Kunduz. This is the first time the German army have allowed news agency photographers to be embedded with operational units, in the way the U.S. have allowed journalists similar access for many years. To be close to the units operating on the ground is the only way to report on their day-to-day work.
Tuesday, September 30th was a special day. It was the first day after the month’s new moon and Muslims all over the world were celebrating the Eid al-Fitr festival, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is a joyful day for Afghans too. Families prepare delicious food and celebrate together with friends and relatives.
I was attached to a unit of German and Belgian soldiers driving to the town of Taloqan, about 75 kilometres east of Kunduz. There was tension in the air. Some roads were closed to military vehicles because suicide attacks or roadside bombs were expected during the holiday period. Just a week before, a suicide bomber driving a car had got close to a German army convoy, causing damage to armoured vehicles. German military personnel travelling inside had a lucky escape.
Our convoy was forced to use another route with very bad roads – no better than dust tracks – which were only accessible with off-road vehicles. We reached Taloqan after a rough, two-hour long journey and I noticed immediately that something was different from my last visit to Taloqan a few days before. The people were dressed more fashionably and children ran around the streets in brightly coloured clothes, much smarter than their usual dusty attire.
Great thrilling article!
It would be great to see more pictures!!!
North Korea – From the outside looking in
Recently, I went to the Chinese border-town of Dandong on the Yalu River to see what I could photograph to match stories about reports that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was sick. Dandong is one of the closest towns on the border to the secretive country, and was the obvious choice due mainly to the chances of a journalist entering the highly restricted and reclusive country at such short notice being practically impossible. They don’t accept journalists at the best of times, let alone when their ‘dear leader’, as he is officially known, is not well. Kim has led communist North Korea for 14 years and if he was dead, the potentially nuclear-capable country could quickly become a scary and somewhat horrifying scenario.My hope for the assignment was that maybe I could get pictures of North Korean soldiers on border patrols, or perhaps even people working in the fields – something that showed life on the ‘other side’.
A local contact told us of boats for hire about one hours drive north of Dandong. I thought ok, it would be something like a small fishing village where the locals occasionally subsidise their incomes by taking people for rides to see the secretive side of the river, but when we arrived we found a thriving, well organised tourism industry. There was a fleet of six large boats that took 20 people at a time, or a fleet of speedboats that took five at a time. You could go for 20 minutes or for over an hour, cruising along the Chinese side of the river photographing or filming North Koreans washing their clothes or themselves, riding bicycles, tending their crops, or just fishing as they tried to get any extra food to supplement what measly portions they were obviously receiving.
Myself, text journalist Chris Buckley and Reuters cameraman Johnnie boarded a boat and headed towards the small town of Qing Cheng which was once connected to China via a bridge that protrudes from both sides of the river but had it’s middle portion blown-up 60 years ago – a symbolic reminder that this country is separated from the rest of the world.
The first amazing sight was a boat full of North Korean soldiers floating down the river. I thought for sure they would follow us, but most of them just waved and smiled. Mind you, thankfully, there was another boat between us and them, and they didn’t really see us I am pretty sure.
The next thing that surprised me was the sight of maybe a hundred people either walking, riding bikes or on animal-drawn carts travelling along a road that hugged the banks of the river. This was where I managed to get a picture of a military officer riding a motorbike with who I presume was his wife and young child aboard. A rare sight indeed I am sure.
Thanks for your efforts David. This truly depicts the condition and mindset of the North Koreans.
It’s sad that we have come to the extent of comparing the condition of these people with zoo !!
http://vikramsjourney.blogspot.com/
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Resident Photographers Blog Expert
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The Wall
Mashalla Qamar …Rabna yihmeek wa yuhufthek
May God Bless and protect you…
I have been into photography since I was 17 and next to you I feel am a dwarf next to a giant…Keep the greaworkt