Nikon: New Website & Blog

Image © Dave Black-All Rights ReservedAlthough I'm a Canon kind of guy, I am pleased to see that Nikon has re-entered the competition with new cameras and now an updated website. Perhaps this will awaken Canon out of its website torpor by providing its users an exciting experience instead of its current ho-hum effort.Nikon USA websiteNikon's Your Shot b...

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Posted in: Hard Gear

NY Times: Salvador da Bahia

Image © Lalo de Almeida for NY Times-All Rights ReservedThe New York Times recently featured the work of photographer Lalo de Almeida in a slideshow accompanying a travel article on Salvador da Bahia, the legendary Brazilian city described by the writer Jorge Amado as “the most mysterious and beautiful of the world’s cities” and “the most languid of women.”The informative article by Larry Rohter tells us that Salvador da Bahia is reputed to have 365 churches, one for every day of the year, however it is also home for Candomblé, the African-derived religion and Brazil’s equivalent to voodoo. The Candomblé worship ceremonies are held in open-air sanctuaries known as terreiros in the poor neighborhoods of the city. I expect these would be fascinating...

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Posted in: Brazil,Photographers: Travel

NGM: Bhutan's Enlightened Experiment

Image © Lynsey Addario -All Rights ReservedThe National Geographic Magazine brings us a photo essay by Lynsey Addario on Bhutan in its efforts to join the modern world without losing its Buddhist soul. Reading the accompanying article, I was saddened by the inexorable march of the so-called progress fueled by globalism which is now threatening this delightful Himalayan enclave. You will see that the article mentions youngsters who are enamored with hip-hop and American wrestling...a photograph by Lynsey showing a trio of Bhutanese girls (near one of the top Thimpu hotels) dressed in jeans and colorful tops...but the most disturbing of the photographs was the one of 12-year-old Jigme Lhendup and his sister Sonam, 9, showing off their hip-hop...

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Posted in: Bhutan,Photographers: Travel

VII In DUMBO (NYC)

VII is announcing the grand opening of its new location in New York on Friday February 29th (3-6:30pm) .Photographers Lauren Greenfield, Marcus Bleasdale, Ron Haviv, Christopher Morris and Jessica Dimmock will attend the opening, and will be available to sign their books.From VII's press release:"What is VII DUMBO? First of all, it is the new location of VII’s NY office. In addition, we will operate a street level gallery space and a bookstore for photojournalism. Visitors will be able to see printed works by the VII photographers hanging on the walls (selected by Hasted Hunt), as well as buy books by VII photographers and other noted photojournalists. We plan to use the space for events such as panel discussions, book signings, lectures and...

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Posted in: Events,Photojournalism

Back From Oaxaca!

Image © Tewfic El-Sawy -All Rights ReservedI've enjoyed the wonderful city of Oaxaca during the past week, and although I haven't devoted much time to personal photo projects, I did manage to fill a couple of flash cards during that time.Not only is Oaxaca a wonderful city with excellent weather and food, but its people are charming, courteous and generous, with a fascinating culture and history. I will expand on all of this when I have time to review my photographs and my notes.In the meantime, here's a photograph I took of Guelaguetza dancers. This is a Zapotec term for a collection of dances from the state of Oaxaca, and signifies "offering". Guelaguetza was the term used to describe the Oaxacan ceremony and celebration held each year to...

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Posted in: Mexico

VII Seminar In DUMBO (NY)

VII Photo Agency has announced its seminar in Dumbo for May 16, 17 and 18th 2008 coinciding with its 7th anniversary of its founding. The tickets are for $50 each, and the 3-day event will include panel discussions, keynote presentations and book signings.I'm currently in Oaxaca, so this post is somehwat rushed but the VII event promises to be an extraordinary opportunity to meet and rub shoulders with (and learn from) VII photographers. All details are found at VII Dumbo Ev...

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Posted in: Events

Updated Websites For TTP

I've announced this through my monthly newsletter, but I've finally updated my websites, including 16 photo galleries. I used an overall design that is simpler and easier to navigate. The short cut for the photo galleries is Tewfic El-Sawy, The Travel PhotographerThe main portal page is The Travel Photographer, and leads to my 2008 photo expeditions, previous itineraries, the 16 photo galleries, the slideshows and the TTP blog.I will be in Oaxaca, Mexico for about 10 days...and will intermittently post from the...

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Posted in: Photographers: Travel

TTP Recap

For your convenience, here's the past week's (February 10-17, 2008) most read posts on TTP: NY Times: A Genocide In Slow MotionWP: Tokyo PanoramasAiry Mac Book ...

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Posted in: TTP Recap

Bas Uterwijk: Burma

Image © Bas Uterwijk -All Rights ReservedBas Uterwijk lives in Amsterdam, and has just returned from Burma with wonderful photographs made during his travels. Although he recently got interested in photography, he's been telling stories with images for most of his career as a computer graphics artist for a video game company.His Burma portfolio contains lovely photographs of Burmese novices, monks as well as depictions of everyday Burmese life. The photograph I chose for this post and the rest of his gallery are proof that we'll hear more of Bas. Video games and photography...what else could anyone want in life?Bas Uterwijk's Bu...

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Posted in: Burma,Photographers: Travel

Vanity Fair: Junger & Hetherington

Image ©Tim Hetherington -All Rights ReservedVanity Fair recently featured a video interview with author and journalist Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington, discussing the former's article "In the Valley of Death". The article recounts the men's experiences when joining a US platoon while its soldiers make painfully slow advance in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley; a strategic passage but among the deadliest pieces of terrain in the world for U.S. forces.Tim Hetherington was awarded the World Press Photo of the Year 2007 for one of his photographs which appeared in the accompanying article.Video InterviewArti...

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Posted in: Afghanistan,Photographers: Photojournalists,Photojournalism

WP: Tokyo Panoramas

The Washington Post brings us a many faceted mutimedia feature titled Tokyo Stories. It includes videos and panoramic photographs of various Tokyo's cultural and religious sites, including of the Sensō-ji, the ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, and the adjacent Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Jinja.It's an extremely well done feature, and although perhaps a bit jerky for those who don't have a super-fast internet connection, it's well worth one's time. I haven't been to Japan yet, but this is really a good place to start.The Washington Post's Tokyo's Panoram...

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Posted in: Asia,Multimedia

MSF: Spencer Platt

Image © Spencer Platt/Getty Images -All Rights ReservedMedecins Sans Frontieres brings us an audio slideshow of photographs by Spencer Platt, a staff photographer with Getty Images, who spent two weeks in December 2007 with MSF in the Central African Republic. Spencer Platt won last year's World Press Photo of the Year prize for his excellent photograph of a group of five cavalier Beirut residents cruising in a red Mini convertible through a neighborhood that has been reduced to rubble by Israeli bombs.This MSF slideshow is very well narrated by Spencer. I chose the above photograph because it made me wonder whether this sign prohibiting an automatic rifle makes a difference.MSF's Through The Lens: Central African Repub...

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Posted in: Africa,Multimedia,Photographers: Photojournalists,Photojournalism

NY Times: "A Genocide In Slow Motion"

Image ©Jan Grarup for NY Times-All Rights ReservedJan Grarup is an award-winning Danish photographer who traveled the world documenting many historical events. From the fall of the communist regime in Romania to the current occupation of Iraq, he has covered numerous wars and conflicts, including the genocide in Rwanda. He's a member of the Noor agency-collective.Here's his latest work out of Africa, which The New York Times chose to title as "A Genocide In Slow Motion". The feature is in slideshow motion, with Jan Grarup narrating.A Genocide In Slow Mot...

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Posted in: Africa,Darfur,Photographers: Photojournalists,Photojournalism

1 on 1: Justin Mott

Image © Justin Mott -All Rights ReservedThe Travel Photographer blog will occasionally post interviews with both travel and editorial working photographers. This interview is with Justin Mott, a photojournalist working in South East Asia, currently living in Hanoi. His work is seen in the New York Times and Time magazine, among others, and he recently published photo essays on mysticism in Indonesia and Vietnamese orphanages. He's represented by World Picture News. 1) TTP: When did you decide to become a photographer? Who or what influenced your decision? A: I used to be a bartender in the financial district of San Francisco for 7 years. I was taking some journalism classes at SF State and I just kind of fell into a photography class when...

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Posted in: Photo Interviews

Sarah Caron: Alliance Française-NYC

Image © Sarah Caron-All Rights ReservedThe French Institute in New York City is hosting a couple of events for Sarah Caron's work. An exhibition of her photographs, a documentary film on her by Patrick Chauvel and a panel discussion.Sarah Caron is a French photographer, who travels the world, working both in journalism and on projects. Her assignments have taken her to Thailand, Cuba, Burma, and Mexico. In 2006, she received a Getty Images Grant for Editorial Photography to complete The Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades– The Balata Sentinels, a series exploring the martyrdom culture in Palestine. Her work has been published in international publications, including Le Monde, Le Figaro, The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, and Elle.Sarah Caron has also...

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Posted in: India,Middle East,Photographers: Photojournalists

Joakim Eskildsen: The Roma People

Image © Joakim Eskildsen -All Rights ReservedJoakim Eskildsen is a Danish photographer who trained with the Royal Court photographer Rigmor Mydtskov. Moving to Finland, he learnt the craft of photographic book making and graduated with an MA degree in photography in 1998.To complete "The Roma Journeys", a book which he and writer Cia Rinne recently published, they traveled in seven different countries to photograph and document the life of the Roma and their living conditions. According to Joakim, "these Roma journeys were by no means meticulously planned, and instead the product of a number of coincidences that enabled us to come into contact with the Roma." Joakim's photographs are wonderful...and give us an insight into the lives of the...

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Posted in: India,Photographers: Travel,Photojournalism

Like Hope, But Different

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WP: Pakistan On The Brink

Here's an interesting video compilation by The Washington Post's Travis Fox on the current situation; political, religious and military in Pakistan...a country that is critical and vital to the national interests of the United States.The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the upcoming elections, and our media's recent reports on the "Talibanization" of the country, make it a timely feature to watch. Particularly interesting is the chapter on the Pakistani military, and how it controls much of the country's industrial and financial infrastructure. The Washington Post's Pakistan on the Br...

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Posted in: Multimedia,Pakistan,Photojournalism

Music & Slideshows!!!

David Schonauer, Editor of American Photo magazine, hit the jackpot with his recent post of the State of the Art blog. His post "When Music Ruins the Picture Show" is a timely diatribe of how he's had enough of slide shows accompanied by music. He writes: "Here’s my advice to anyone who wants their photo presentations to stand out: Leave out the music and simply show your images. Let silence work for you: In the absence of Irish harps, digereedoos, and atonal chants, audiences will really gaze at your work. (Especially if you show them one image at a time and offer interesting background information.).The funniest line (but it's true!) in the post is this: "With photojournalists it’s invariably world music—a sure sign of the international and...

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Posted in: Multimedia

Airy Mac Book Air

Just to confirm what everyone knows or heard...the Macbook Air is spectacularly light. I dropped by Apple's West Village store yesterday, and they had Airs all over the place, The first thing everyone does is lift it...it's really a machine of unbelievable (unbearable?) lightness. There was a crowd surrounding the table where the Airs were displayed....however I saw a couple of these people then move over to another table to order MacBook Pros. Does this observation mean anything? No.Apart from its anorexic features, the Air seemed to me (a user of an older PowerBook) to be flimsy and delicate...but with an enormous sex appeal. I'm certain that the flimsiness is a mistaken perception and that the Air is as sturdy as any other of its siblings,...

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Posted in: Hard Gear

Outdoor Photography Interview

I was pleased to see that Outdoor Photography published its interview of me in its February 2008 issue. The interview was conducted by Nick Smith, and features three of my photographs. The large photograph of Buddhist novices in Sikkim is amongst my favorites.I just returned from London, where I was interviewed again for a much lengthier feature...hopefully to be published in summ...

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Posted in: Interviews,Photo Interviews,Photographers: Travel

51st World Press Photo Awards

The international jury of the 51st annual World Press Photo Contest selected a color image by UK photographer Tim Hetherington as World Press Photo of the Year 2007. The image shows a American soldier resting at a bunker near Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.The annual World Press Photo contest is at the core of the organization's activities. It offers an overview of how press photographers tackle their work worldwide and how the press gives us the news, bringing together pictures from all parts of the globe to reflect trends and developments in photojournalism. The contest is open to all professional press photographers. There is no entry fee.World Press Photo Contest Resu...

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Posted in: Contests,Photographers: Photojournalists,Photojournalism

PDN's World In Focus 2008

PDN's World In Focus is described as "The Ultimate Travel Photography Contest:, and was contest was judged in six categories: Human Condition, Extreme Exploration, Urban Landscapes, Snapshots, Wilderness and Open Series. PDN has announced the winners in each of the categories, along with additional photographs that received Merit awards. I'm somewhat puzzled by the Snapshots category and what differentiates its entries over the rest, but it works. Although most of the photographs submitted were well chosen and showcased travel photography at its best, I preferred Charles Meacham's work on the Sikh Nihang warriors which won in the Open Series.I've already featured Meacham's work earlier on TTP, and I'm glad that his series was awarded this deserved...

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Posted in: Contests,Photographers: Travel

NY Times: Offering of Cleanliness

Image ©Nicole Bengiveno/NY Times-All Rights ReservedThe New York Times features a multimedia slideshow of photographs by Nicole Bengiveno of the cleansing ceremonies at the American Society of Buddhist Studies on Center Street in Chinatown, on occasion of Chinese New Year...the Year of the Rat.The accompanying article by Ann Farmer has an interesting paragraph:"One of the nuns, Sing Yeh See, 45, was born in Vietnam and worked as a nurse in California before deciding to move to New York. As a nurse, Ms. Yeh See said that encountering sickness and death made her more aware of how temporary life can be.Two years ago, following Buddhist tradition, she had incense burned into the top of her scalp to create nine permanent bald spots. “It hurt,” she...

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Posted in: China,Festivals,Multimedia

Evelyn Hockstein: Ethiopia

Image © Evelyn Hockstein-All Rights ReservedI'm in the "fermenting" phase for my upcoming 2009 photo expeditions (yes, it's starts that early with me), and one of the destinations I'm interested in is Ethiopia. I've been in 2004, and provided that its political situation remains stable, it'll be shortlisted.In such a frame of mind, I thought that featuring Evelyn Hockstein's work on Ethiopia would be appropriate, and may fuel my enthusiasm for the possibility. Evelyn Hockstein is a photojournalist based in Nairobi, from where she covers the continent as well as other international assignments. Her award winning photography work has been published in various international publications including The New York Times, TIME, Newsweek, Stern, L'Express,...

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Posted in: Ethiopia,Photographers: Travel

Nick Cobbing: Tibet

Image © Nick Cobbing-All Rights ReservedNick Cobbing is a photojournalist based in the UK, whose work focuses on the landscape, people’s relationship to it and to each other. His continuing association with Greenpeace International has had him sailing the seas and oceans, as part of a team that has become the keen eye of this global organization.Cobbing’s work has been exhibited widely over the years. Amongst regular editorial users of his work are Time Magazine, Newsweek, Fortune, Figaro, all the UK press and several European daily Newspapers. He has also worked with many NGOs including WWF Worldwide, Actionaid, Christian Aid and UK Government agencies. For TTP, I chose Cobbing's work in Tibet. His story "The Tibetans" show how China's policies...

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Posted in: Photographers: Travel,Tibet

Yes We Can

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Posted in: Events

Sunday Times Magazine: Mirella Ricciardi

Image © Mirella Ricciardi-All Rights ReservedThis week, The Sunday Times Magazine warmed this travel photographer's heart by featuring 10 magnificent black & white photographs of Africa by Mirella Ricciardi. The feature, Untouched Africa, showcases these photographs which are part of an exhibit of Ms Ricciardi's platinum prints at the Michael Hoppen gallery in London (February 22 to April 5, 2008).It appears that the photographs had lain in a box in a family cellar for 40 years, and have now surfaced showing tribal life uncorrupted by the 20th century. Photographs of women of the Turkana tribe in Kenya, of Masai warriors, and women of the Rendille and Boran tribes will be shown at what promises to be a spectacular exhibit.Having no idea...

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Posted in: Africa,Ethiopia,Photographers: Travel

TTP Recap

For your convenience, here's the past week's (January 28-February 3, 2008) most read posts on TTP: Leica M8 Forever?Kash & Shabana1 on 1: Jenny Jozw...

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Posted in: TTP Recap

NY Times: Samba In Brazil

Image © Lalo de Almeida/NY Times-All Rights ReservedThe New York Times brings us a slideshow of photographs by Lalo de Almeida of the preparations that go into the forthcoming carnival in Rio de Janeiro. It's a shame that there's no accompanying audio...really a shame.The article is by Alexie Barrionuevo, and this sentence in it caught my eye: “They say Brazilians all have some samba in their feet,” Ms. Guimarães, a 23-year-old native of Minas Gerais, said. “I didn’t have much in mine. I know it has to improve, and I’m practicing hard.”. The speaker? Miss Brazil 2007 in the above photograph.I guess I don't need to add anything to this post. NY Times' Training for Carnival slidesh...

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Posted in: Brazil,Festivals,Photographers: Travel

Yamaha POCKETRAK 2G Audio-Recorder

Yamaha has recently announced the Yamaha POCKETRAK 2G Pocket Recorder. It claims that despite its diminutive size, this audio recorder contains a large 2-gigabyte memory plus advanced digital audio technology that "lets you record and playback with outstanding quality." The audio recorder weighs only 1.7 ounces including battery, and is only a half-inch thick. In addition to a linear PCM recording mode that allows the recording of up to 3 hours of music, there are a number of MP3 modes that Yamaha claims provide significantly longer recording times. The supplied rechargeable battery can keep the POCKETRAK 2G running for up to 9 hours continuously when recording in MP3 mode. It also has a built-in USB connector that allows a direct connection...

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Posted in: Audio,Hard Gear

Sunday Rant VII

It's difficult to rant in London, while the sky is so blue and the sun is shining (albeit feebly) and where everyone is outwardly stoic, civilized and "stiff-upper-lipped", but here's a short one.When I plan my photo expeditions, I thoroughly research my itineraries and discuss them with the local agents to ensure they are feasible, interesting and exciting. The feedback from these agents is invaluable, and I insist that they give me their honest feedback and their own ideas (the more off the wall the better), since cookie-cutter itineraries are not what I get excited about.After circulating the itinerary to people on my mailing list, and filling most -if not all- of the spaces in the expedition, I then post the photo expedition's details on...

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Posted in: Rants

The Independent: Travel Photography

Image Copyright © Kal Khogali -All Rights ReservedI usually read The Independent while in London, and it published today the results of a competition for the best travel photographs of 2007, as chosen jointly by Wanderlust magazine and The Independent. The photographs appear in the Independent's Traveller supplement, printed on a newspaperish non-glossy paper, which doesn't help to enhance the quality of the winning submissions. Nevertheless, these are fine examples of travel photography which include Zoltan Balogh's powerful image of the Sziget Festival in Budapest, Helen Pugh-Cook's picture from the Yushu Horse Festival in eastern Tibet, Don Jacklin's photograph at the town of Shigatse, Howard Angus' monochrome photograph of Makarora, but...

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Posted in: China,Contests

A Leica M8 forever?

Gizmodo reports that Leica is offering substantial upgrades to the M8's mechanical and digital components, ensuring a gradual and progressive evolution which would allow it to adopt technological innovations as they occur. This approach is instead of introducing subsequent new models every few years.It's not cheap by any means...with the first package consisting of a non-scratch sapphire LCD screen and an improved shutter, at a cost of around $1,800.This can be a brilliant move or a bad one, depending on a lot of factors. The price of the upgrades and the length of time to install the upgrades are two of the more obvious downsides, and having a fountain-of-youth Leica is the upside. It'll be a matter of debate amongst Leica aficionados for...

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Posted in: Hard Gear

New York Times: Cairo

Image Copyright © Shawn Baldwin/NY Times -All Rights ReservedI haven't visited Cairo for more than 4-5 days since 1988, so I'm always interested to see recent photographs of its neighborhoods. Cultural, political, societal and economic upheavals have reshaped the character of this ancient city from a hub of Mediterranean influences to an amalgam of Islamic traditions and Arab culture mixed in with a hefty dose of Americanisms. Neighborhoods with Greek, Italian, French and British characteristics have now been "Egyptianized", with new gated communities springing up looking more like those of Scottsdale, Arizona than anything else.As recently as 1988, few women in the posh neighborhoods of Cairo wore veils but now, it's the norm rather than the...

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Posted in: Egypt,Photographers: Travel,Photojournalism

1 on 1: Jenny Jozwiak

(Images Copyright © Jenny Jozwiak-All Rights Reserved)The Travel Photographer blog will occasionally post interviews with both travel and editorial working photographers. This interview is with Jenny Jozwiak, a freelance award-winning travel and culture photographer, whose work in photojournalism and spontaneous portraiture has taken her to 37 countries, where she has shown a unique gift for capturing the intimate lives of people and their environment. She is also the organizer and curator for the photo documentary contest and exhibition "Diversity of Devotion: Celebrating New York's Spiritual Harmony".1) TTP: When did you decide to become a photographer? Who or what influenced your decision? When I was 18 years old I came to New York to pursue...

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Posted in: Photo Interviews