Kristin Addis, widely known by her Instagram handle @bemytravelmuse, started her post-college career in investment banking, a field she went into right after graduating from University of California Santa Barbara. But after four years she started to get burnt out. She wanted to do something different in her life; she said she always loved writing and being creative, and frankly, investment banking doesn’t fall into that category. So, she quit her job. But now, she has the perfect profession: traveling the globe and writing about it. Source: Kristin Addis “I had some savings and I just decided I was going to travel with it,” Addis said. “I’m making it sound simple, it was not an easy decision.” After making this difficult decision, the first thing Addis did was go out and buy herself a DSLR camera, and shortly after started her blog to share her travels. Since September 2012, she has visited 50 countries and is currently traveling around Europe. She recently stayed in Uganda gorilla trekking, but her favorite country so far has been South Africa because of its diversity in all aspects. Also, it’s inexpensive to travel there at the moment considering their devalued currency issue. “I’m not trying to get the number high,” she said. “I tend to spend a long time in each country because I really want to see it, so I’m not trying to get to every country in the world, if that happens that’s awesome, but it’s not a goal.” During her stay in these countries, where she settles in changes depending on the location. “I love Airbnb, I will also camp sometimes, or sometimes I stay in a really nice boutique hotel, it’s just a mix,” she said. “Like if I have a partnership with the hotel, then I’ll sometimes provide them with a photo on my Instagram or coverage on my blog in exchange for a stay.” She basically goes wherever the wind takes her, in that his destination plans are totally random. She mostly relies on word-of-mouth and suggestions from other people. Sometimes, she’ll see a perfect destination spot on Instagram accounts she follows and want to go there. Source: Kristin Addis “I really like the outdoorsy Instagram accounts, so I follow people who I know are better than me so I learn from them,” Addis said. The travel Instagrammer began using the app professionally about two years ago, and she normally takes photos with her DSLR camera instead of her phone. The reason she began using Instagram was because of Twitter, which at the time she hated how its program messed up her photo uploads. Now posting to Instagram almost daily, Addis has some advice for travelers who either want to use Instagram as a business tool, or are just starting out and want to share their journey with the rest of the world. She said if you have consistently interesting content, there is a better chance you will be reposted by official accounts, like Travel & Leisure and BBC (and of course, the Resource Travel Instagram Account), which is what happened for Addis. She said when she started getting featured, she felt legitimized and gained real followers who truly wanted to visit the places she has been. That started a cycle that inspired her to travel and share her experiences even more. Screengrab from @bemytravelmuse “What worked for me, I followed people who I really admire, who I think are fantastic photographers and I learned how to take good photos. It all starts with having really great and interesting photos,” Addis said. “I’m still learning, I’m not saying I have amazing photos, I’m definitely inspired every day.” Although Addis has over 94,000 followers supporting her on her adventure, she is alone on this journey. She has been solo traveling for around five years now and if she hadn’t made the decision to go alone, she said she would’ve waited forever for friends or someone to come with her, thus possibly missing out on this opportunity. She said at first, she didn’t want to go without companions, and begged people to come with her, but looking back, now she really likes solo traveling and can’t imagine doing anything else. Source: Kristin Addis “You have so much freedom, you make all of the decisions,” she said. “If you wake up in the morning and you want to go, you go, and if you want to stay, you stay. You talk to who you want to talk to, you eat what you want to eat, you do what you want to do, and that is awesome.” This entire experience has shaped her into the person she is today, and she wants to inspire other solo female travelers to take the same path she did. When she was 21 years old, she moved to Taiwan, and this was her first experience traveling by herself. She had a government scholarship to study Mandarin, but as far as living in the country, she didn’t have help figuring that out. “That was really hard for me as a 21-year-old” Addis said. “I really struggled and I wanted to come home, and my mom said ‘you can do anything for three months, just stick it out,’ and then I stayed for eight and I loved it.” Addis wrote a book about her experience called “A Thousand New Beginnings: Tales of Solo Female Travel Through Southeast Asia,” and has a section of her blog dedicated to solo female travel advice. She said the whole purpose of her career is based on getting other solo female travelers out exploring the world. “You become really resilient, you learn what you’re made of, you learn who you are and what you really want, and I really strongly believe that everyone should try solo travel, especially women,” Addis said. “I think it’s really important for every woman to be by herself, to know what that’s like.” via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2o3IzTt
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Color is a key element when it comes to photography. Whether its black and white, or bright, vibrant colors, it’s integral part of expressing emotion. But what about colorblind photographers? Well, Vino Optics has created glasses to help them surpass that, giving colorblind artists and photographers the ability to skin coloring and generally help them see better. According to the National Institute of Health, colorblindness affects mostly males—around eight percent of men to be exact, and only 0.5 percent of women. There is no cure for colorblindness, but with technological advances like this, daily lives of those affected can be greatly improved. Colorblindness affects those in every profession, not just photography. Seeing color from a dimmer perspective can weaken someone’s work abilities. Vino Optic’s color correction glasses enhance the red-green signal in a person’s vision, as red-green is the most common indicator of colorblindness. What this means is that those who are colorblind can not differentiate reds and greens from browns and oranges, they simply have a different perception. The glasses enhance this signal red-green and allows those with this weakness to see better. According to the company, red-green allows primates to see “emotions, health, and other states.” In 2014, PetaPixel published an article, “Confessions of a Colorblind Photographer,” in which the writer, a photojournalist, reflects on his life and profession through a colorblind lens. “All I can do is push on and keep making pictures. In some ways, my color blindness might help me by seeing things differently from everyone else,” he said in the article. “Maybe I’ve been forced to focus more on content, composition and other visual elements that I do have control over.” Additionally, in 2016 these glasses were given to high school art students who struggle with colorblindness. You can read more about their experience here. Maybe these glasses will give photographers a whole new perspective, and possibly better content than they’ve created in the past. [featured image via Barlett Art Department] via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2nJjX1H 7 Photo Startups Destined For Greatness
3/28/2017
One of the most innovative aspects of photography today is the groundbreaking product taking the industry by storm. Here are 7 photo startups destined for greatness, in no particular order. 1. Peak DesignIf you’re anything like me, you probably think style and capacity are the only differences in camera bags. Well, in that case, you will likely change your mind once you check out Peak Design’s amazingly versatile and smart ways to carry and protect your gear. With mounting systems for cameras, GoPros, and even binoculars, Peak Design is redefining the camera carrying and mounting paradigm while catering to consumers and professionals alike. Its “capture” clip can mount to a belt, a backpack strap, or even a shoulder bag, allowing you to carry your camera gear in almost any which way you please. In addition, its camera sling is convertible, allowing you to use it as a traditional cross body sling, neck strap or even a shoulder strap. And if mounting systems aren’t enough to get you interested, they also have shoulder bag and backpack offerings that bring the same level of flexibility, thought and intelligent design. 2. Good GalleryGood gallery has defined itself as a website with incredible features and amazing performance, specifically designed for professional photographers. In fact, it was even designed from the ground up by professional photographer Rob Greer, so speed, image quality, SEO, mobile awareness, and security take precedent. With clients including industry greats such as Jerry Ghionis, Roberto Valenzuela, Parker Pfister, Susan Stripling, Cliff Mautner, and Dina Douglass, to name a few, it’s also capable of hosting WordPress blogging software, pairing flexibility with its impeccable image display quality. Even more, it helps you target your SEO niches and offers a very descriptive instruction guide for setting up and maintaining your website. In addition, Good Gallery is constantly adding new features and impressive client stories, highlighting better quality leads, lower bounce rates, longer view times, and ranking higher for SEO keywords. 3. JPEGminiJPEGmini is out to redefine image compression for websites and photographers. With their patent pending technology, they boast the ability to shrink any jpeg file by up to 600 percent while retaining image quality, color accuracy and, perhaps most impressively, large size print reproduction. Ever watch the show Silicon Valley? Well, just think Pied Piper for photography. From its website: “The technology works in the domain of baseline JPEG, resulting in files that are fully compatible with any browser, photo software or device that support the standard JPEG format. JPEGmini is capable of reducing the file size of standard JPEG photos by up to 80 percent (5X), while the resulting photos are visually identical to the original photos. The JPEGmini algorithm imitates the perceptual qualities of the human visual system, ensuring that each photo is compressed to the maximum extent possible by removing redundancies, without creating any visual artifacts in the process. This enables fully automatic, maximal compression of photos with no human intervention required.” 4. Lume CubeThe Lume Cube is a light that packs all of the features every professional photographer and videographer wants in a small package. Lightweight, powerful, dim-able, remotely controllable (up to 100 at once), and waterproof, it’s certainly rich with features without draining your wallet. As a 1.5-inch cube with a 1500 lumen LED bulb, which provides 150 lux at nine feet (100 lux is a dark, overcast sky), you wont be using it to light up a noon day portrait, yet the dusk and nighttime applications are very impressive. And when coupled with its GoPro Kit, the ability to take it anywhere (even underwater), opens up lighting applications in environments that would otherwise devour traditional photography or videography setups. While the constant light source is super handy, this light packs yet another surprise: it has the ability to strobe (also at 150 lux) between 1/250th to one second when triggered optically. The battery duration is two hours at 50 percent or 30 minutes at 100 percent, but when using it underwater, you can stretch that time up to an hour because of the additional heat dissipation. Currently, Lume Cube has a wide rage of offerings for attaching various surfaces and devices, including smart phones, drones, and GoPros, and is currently working on additional lighting modifiers to further push its functionality and usability. 5. MagModThe idea behind MagMod came from humble beginnings, as photographers yearned to use a gel and grid on the same off-camera speedlight. After losing the gel (because the Velcro attachment system was wonky at best), the product’s creator, Spencer Boerup, started thinking of better ways to accomplish this relatively simple feat. Shortly after, he had an idea: magnets. After a couple of quick sketches, Boerup realized that not only could he accomplish this goal, but could come up with a universal fit for any speedlight. And though he started and stopped the original MagMod (the MagGrid) about six times, he vowed to push ahead, which led to the creation of his prototype. He then shopped it around to a few of his photographer friends, and once they said they’d use it, Boerup had an actual production model made. The rest is, well, history. The original MagMod Kickstarter project was fully funded in less then five hours, reaching 600 percent of its $25,000 goal by the time it was completed. Since then, it’s shot onto the scene without ceasing to develop new products, including MagGrid, MagSnoot, MagBounce and MagSphere. You’d think that was maybe the end, but they just released the MagBeam, which allows gobos to be used on a strobe as well. This Kickstarter project reached 1000 percent of its goal and, after talking with Boerup, they have a lot more products currently in development (teaser: light shaping for softer, more diffused applications). 6. LightLight, as we all know, is what makes photography possible. So I think it’s a very appropriate name for one of the most promising pieces of hardware I’ve seen in recent years. With a total of 16 cameras at multiple focal lengths, the light camera gives DSLR quality photos unparalleled flexibility to edit its images in post-production. While we all love creating magic in Photoshop, Light takes this to an entirely new level. With the ability to alter noise levels, as well as focal plane and depth-of-field, after you’ve taken the photo, it’s a game changer indeed. Each photo taken uses up to 10 of its 16 cameras to capture scenes in multiple formats, then fuses the image to give you a high quality (up to 52MP) photo with a 5x optical zoom (with zero image degradation). These multiple cameras also allow for amazing low light photography, all in a package similar to the size to a smartphone. 7. Fundy SoftwareFundy Software has been around for a while and has always been on the cutting-edge with its album design software. Earlier this year, the company dropped a huge bombshell by adding an “auto-design” button. Yes, that’s right, auto-design for your photo albums. And if that wasn’t enough, they’re currently working on adding more functionality to not only that, but to more tricks in their gallery designer that allows you to show clients what a photo would like in their home using a picture they send in of the space. On a side note, if you haven’t used this software for in-person sales (or even remote sales), you’re going to kick yourself. In two remote sessions, I’ve sold over $1300 in prints to people who weren’t even in my studio. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2o7rCrr Can Instagram DM Be Used for Dating?
3/27/2017
It’s 2017 and I can’t remember the last time I hit on someone in person. With online dating becoming less of a taboo, chances are that cutie you saw IRL already exists as a dating app profile. The allure of these apps is obvious; they take away the risk of rejection away by matching you with people who will like you back—and you can do it all from the comfort of your bed. However, with almost everyone using Tinder nowadays, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of a pile of right swipes made at last call. To stand out from the crowd, many people are turning to Instagram to fulfill their romantic desires. Following in the steps of Facebook and Twitter, this photo sharing app is used for a number of different reasons it wasn’t originally designed for. Since its launch in 2010, people have transitioned from posting photos of friends, food, and travel to shamelessly posting photos of themselves. And it wasn’t until two years ago that Instagram caught up to the rest of social media with Direct Messaging (DM). Twitter, which had the feature first, made it popular when people started using it to send flirtatious messages privately. But for those who failed hilarious, their convos were screenshotted and posted for all of the Twitter-verse to see. Similarly, French actress and musician, Soko, caught the attention of Autre Magazine after she posted coquettish DMs sent from fans to her personal Instagram page. This inspired the publication to collaborate with the star to compile the funny and provocative DMs she received into a zine astutely named, Sextagram. In an interview with the artist, Soko admitted that although most of the DMs were ignored, she responded to some and even went on dates with two of the people who DMed her. So maybe Instagram is an effective way to land a date after all? This begs the question of if dating apps like Tinder, Grindr, and OKCupid are even necessary? Comparatively, Instagram allows you to post as many selfies as you want and balance out the narcism by posting things that interest you, rather than being forced to fill in a bio. You also have access to a larger group of people you can search for with hashtags that suit your wants and needs. Still, the one thing that a separates most dating apps from the rest of social media is that they’ve taken the guess work out of knowing if the attraction is mutual. Until Instagram finds a way to do this too, perhaps dating on the app is best left to celebrities. In the meantime, though, we’ll def enjoy the ego boost we get from anonymously swiping right on our crushes. For the full story, pick up a copy of the spring 2017 “Relationship Issue” of Resource Magazine. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2orEyVc After four months and a few hints throughout the past week, Casey Neistat has announced the return of his daily vlog. On March 27, he posted a video of his birthday weekend in Miami, Florida, where he announced to his six million subscribers that he’s going to start vlogging again. Neistat said in the video when he started the vlog two years ago, on his 34th birthday, the main purpose was to take his viewers behind the scenes of his projects outside of YouTube, specifically with his company, Beme. He wanted to promote his company and get his audience interested in it. Screen grab from “THE VLOG IS BACK” “The frustration that I felt—what I explained when I ended the vlog—was that it had gotten easy,” Neistat said in the video. “What I meant by that is the creative challenge, which is what I love the most, kind of faded.” When Beme began to face some struggles, the vlog became less about the company and more focused on his daily life. For Casey, who is all about pushing creative boundaries and keeping life interesting, felt the vlog was becoming too routine, so he ended it. Now, Neistat is working with CNN to building a video-exclusive news company designed to penetrate viewers’ “bullshit shields.” So Casey’s got a lot of stuff going on this year, one of the reasons why he’s bringing back the vlog. “I love making videos, I love sharing my life, but I also have a really big career and something I’m super passionate about beyond YouTube,” he said. “Having a vlog as a way to share those other interests of mine is a huge source of motivation for me.” [Featured Image: Screen grab from “The Vlog is Back”] via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2mJJKYc Disturbing Cartoon Parodies Are Deceiving Kids on YouTubeThere’s no way to phrase this that doesn’t sound like primetime news hysteria: parents, be on the look out for what your kids are watching on YouTube. According to a BBC report, fake YouTube clips of children’s television shows, like Peppa Pig and Doc McStuffins, are exposing young viewers to dark, sometimes violent, images of their favorite characters doing evil or inappropriate activities. Some of the videos are parodies and are meant for mature audiences, but can be easily mistaken for episodes of their favorite cartoon shows. Screengrab from SMILEKIDSTV/YouTube These parodies often feature favorite cartoon characters participating in crude humor and sometimes violence, both not suitable for young viewers. The titles of the videos are also disturbing, some examples being “Doc Mcstuffins Drink Sex Medicine Full Episodes!!” or “Mickey Mouse Swimming Turtle Biting ASS in the Beach Funny Video!” Screengrab from Spiderman & Toy Superhero IRL. YouTube Kids is a feature of YouTube where children can watch cartoons, television shows and other videos suitable for their age. Parents have the ability to filter what their children can and can not see, and normally, YouTube Kids restricts these kids of videos from being accessible to children. However, not all of them have been detected, so children can still be exposed to these parodies. Screengrab from Toys and Funny Kids Surprise Eggs/YouTube In the BBC article, many parents showed concern for how protected their children are when they go on YouTube. Many of the channels declined to comment on the content of their videos, but YouTube themselves said this in a following statement: “We take feedback very seriously. We appreciate people drawing problematic content to our attention, and make it easy for anyone to flag a video.” YouTube continued by stating flagged content is manually checked every day, 24/7, and videos that do not belong on the app are removed within hours. YouTube recommends parents continue to use YouTube Kids because of the restriction mode. The company also recommends parents turn off the search option in the app to prevent kids coming across an inappropriate video. [via BBC] via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2orKlKD With over 11 million followers, a lot more that goes into the hit @Fuckjerry Instagram than some guy sitting on his smartphone. As a part of Jerry Media, a company that harnesses the millennial mindset to create viral advertising and branding, @Fuckjerry is managed by not only its founder, Elliot Tebele, 26, but a team of dedicated designers, content creators, and well, millennials. We caught up with them to unmask the men and women behind the memes. via Jerry Media Name: Oren Aks (@orenjous) Job title: Graphic designer Hometown: Los Angeles, California Current neighborhood: Chinatown Age: 26 What’s your favorite thing to do in NYC and why? The Chelsea galleries. I can go anytime and get a healthy dose of world class art for free, whether it’s for half an hour or the whole day. If I don’t like a gallery, I just hop next door. And the best part? I don’t tell anybody I’m going. It’s my zen alone time. What’s the top thing people do that bothers you most? When people I care about and love dearly send me memes I’ve already seen. ¯\_(?)_/¯ If you could choose one place in the world to visit tomorrow, where would it be and why? Bangkok. It’s a perfect blend of east meets west. It’s everything I love about living in a metropolitan city with the option to detach and be in a completely different culture. Also… the food. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance to? Get brunch on the moon or take an Uber to mars for happy hour. Meet some friends on the sun for hangsies and then hop over to saturn and go for a run on its rings. Perhaps a quick dip in a black hole to feel refreshed after a long night out. via Jerry Media Name: Kathryn Chadason (@le_chadd) Job title: Graphic designer Home state: Virginia Current neighborhood: Williamsburg Age: 25 Describe how you feel when you’re hungover. I feel… Gatorade (blue flavor only). What’s the top thing people do that bothers you most? When people walk really slow in front of me and tourists that ride Citi Bikes on the sidewalk. What alcoholic beverage can you drink all night? Whiskey shot and Modelo combo. Tell me your favorite place to go out in New York. Duff’s bar in Williamsburg. It’s a divey metal bar that has $1 PBRs, cheetah lined coffins for seats, and a stool with Justin Bieber’s face on it. What does your Seamless history say about you as a person? I like to eat pasta and hot wings in bed, a lot. via Jerry Media Name: Elizabeth Alexander (@rubytwosdae) Job title: Graphic designer Hometown: Prescott, Arizona Current Neighborhood: Washington Heights Age: 22 What alcoholic beverage can you drink all night? Margaritas. Alllll day, every day. Tell me about your favorite place to go out in New York. Amsterdam Billiards, where you can get drunk and play pool until 5 a.m. What more could you want? What’s the last show you binged on Netflix? Black Mirror. That show really made me question my existence. Tell me two absurdly random things about yourself. I had purple hair once, and that’s definitely when I peaked. It’s been all downhill from there. I was also pretty intoxicated once and let a friend put his cigarette out on my wrist. #noregrets via Jerry Media Name: Chris “Bean” Thompson (@bean) Job title: Meme consultant Hometown: Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania Current neighborhood: Bushwick, Brooklyn Age: 31 What’s your favorite thing to do in NYC and why? Consume alcohol at trendy dive bars because no one gives a shit who you are or what you do. People are there to get lit and crush life with their friends. Describe how you feel when you’re hungover: Like someone ran me over with a bus. What is the number one thing that gets you out of bed in the morning? Coffee. What’s the top thing people do that bothers you most? Slow walkers. What is your favorite food and favorite New York food spot? Pizza and spaghetti. Prince Street Pizza. What alcoholic beverage can you drink all night? Modelo’s. Tell me your favorite place to go out in New York: Randolph’s. What does you Seamless history say about you as a person? That I love pizza and spaghetti. Tell me two absurdly random things about yourself. I was born without a sense of smell, and when I eat out, I never get my food on time. It’s just a part of my life now… If you could choose one place in the world to visit tomorrow, where would it be and why? Australia because they get out to live it up. I’m a beach guy that enjoys being active and loves to party. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance to? Drive up the Pacific Coast Highway in an RV. For the full story, pick up a copy of the spring 2017 “Relationship Issue” of Resource Magazine. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2nFcr7Q Photojournalist Ron Haviv was only 23 years old when he first saw combat. He had no training, apart from the guidance of experienced photographers working alongside him. Since then, he’s photographed some of the world’s most violent war zones over three decades, been arrested more times than he can recall, and held prisoner on three separate occasions. His images have been distributed widely by numerous publications and showcased in museums and galleries, from the Louvre to the United Nations. He’s also a two-time winner of the World Press Photo Award, and among other achievements, cofounded photo agency VII. The last time I spoke with Haviv was on a panel discussion at the 2015 EyeEm Awards & Festival, so I caught up with him to learn more about his life and career as a conflict photographer. Supporters of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega attack elected Vice President Guillermo (Billy) Ford in Panama City, May 10, 1989. President George H.W. Bush used the photographs as one of the justifications for the US invasion of Panama when he addressed the nation. © Ron Haviv Hey Ron, it’s great to speak with you again. You mentioned that you’re currently in India? Yes, I’m in India. I have an exhibition and giving a lecture about my project The Lost Rolls. Are you familiar with it? I’d love if you could tell me more about it. It’s a project and book that came out late last year. Over the past 25 years, I collected over 200 rolls of film that weren’t processed. So I processed them and created this project, The Lost Rolls, which is a sort of major exhibition that intertwines memory and photography, made up of scattered bits and pieces from 25 years of work. The project has been very successful. We’re moving into another project, Lost Rolls America, where we’re asking members of the public to find a roll film they never developed. Fuji will then process and scan the film, and then [the photographer] will able to write about it—we’re creating a visual story, a national archive of people’s memories they once thought were lost, just because they never bothered to develop the film. What kind of subject matter have you come across in what you’ve developed so far? People are only starting to send them in now, so I haven’t explored the public’s film, but for me, it ranges from war zones or historical moments to personal work or personal relationships: girlfriends, family members, etcetera. There are a number of pieces where I actually don’t know where I am or who I’m photographing. That’s kind of the whole idea: discovering what I do remember, what I don’t remember, and what I do and don’t recognize. U.S. Marines Scouts from the 1st Tank Battalion open fire on an Iraqi tank after being amongst the first to cross the border to Iraq. © Ron Haviv Speaking of war zones, how did you first start shooting conflict? How old were you on your first assignment? The first major conflict or civil strike I photographed was Panama in 1989, where I was covering an election held by the dictator of the country. He was trying to prove to the world he wasn’t dictator, but actually led by his people. That was the first time I was around gunfire, people being killed, people being beaten, and so on. I was 23 years old at the time. What level of experience did you have leading up to that? Did you ever go through any formal training? I had absolutely no training, but I was lucky enough to go with more experienced photographers and tried to follow their lead. I had only been working as a photographer for a very short period of time. Really, I actually should not have been there. And I would not recommend anyone, especially today, to follow that process without any actual training. So what would you recommend for a young person interested in covering conflict? Almost every week, someone tells me, ‘I want to be a conflict photographer, I want to go to Syria, Ukraine, here, and there,’ which is all fine. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t go, but of course there are limitations and precautions. The first most basic thing, which pretty much applies to anywhere a photographer goes outside of their home, is to take a hostile environment course and get first-aid medical training. That’s now a basic requirement, given the world we live in. Even if you’re covering a feature story in a place like Cairo, you could wind up having something happen to you. By taking these courses—specifically the hostile environment one—it teaches you to think in a very different way. And sure, the hostile environment course has medical first-aid trauma built into it, but there are also separate medical courses being taught. Unfortunately, we’ve seen the deaths of a number of journalists, where they were unable to save themselves because they didn’t know how to. We’ve also seen a number of times where people that had taken these course have been able to save themselves, their colleagues, or even civilians around them. Arkan’s Tigers kill and kick Bosnian Muslim civilians during the first battle for Bosnia in Bijeljina, Bosnia, March 31, 1992. The Serbian paramilitary unit was responsible for killing thousands of people during the Bosnian war, and Arkan was later indicted for war crimes. © Ron Haviv How do you emotionally prepare yourself for shooting conflict? Well, there’s the before you go and the when you return. Until you’ve completely gone through it, I think it’s difficult to understand how you would react in a place under intense pressure, intense moments, and on top of it you have to work as a photographer or journalist. These courses try to mimic some of that, so they give you a little bit of understanding—they do mock arrests, they take you prisoner. Even though you know it’s coming, it can be quite helpful just to understand what your physical reaction might be, what it feels like to be locked in a room, and things like that, which are unfortunately becoming commonplace. Then, of course, the most important thing is understanding what to do when you come back. How do you deal with the possibility of your post traumatic stress syndrome? Do you know who to talk to? Do you have friends? Colleagues? Is there a plan in place for when you return? Are you able to re-acclimate to your normal life? These are very important things, especially for people who are thinking about doing this continuously. Have you ever been taken prisoner while on assignment? I’ve been arrested more times than I can count and taken prisoner three times. Twice, governments had to be involved to negotiate my release, and once I was beaten and interrogated pretty heavily. Can you tell me what you were covering when this happened? Sure. The first time was the the First Liberian Civil War and the second time was with the Iraqi military at the end of the Gulf War in 1990. The final time I was taken by Serbian forces during the war in Yugoslavia. A U.S. Marine covers the face of a statue of Saddam Hussein with a U.S. flag before the statue was toppled in Baghdad, April 9, 2003. © Ron Haviv So what’s your relationship like with the soldiers when you’re photographing conflict? That depends, obviously on the soldiers themselves; whether they’re professional, US military, paramilitaries, or just “soldiers” because they happen to be standing with a gun in front of you. The relationships have a pretty dramatic range. One of the things I’m always concerned about as a photographer is making sure that nobody is taking any action based on me being there—that nobody is going to try to show off for the camera. This can happen. There have been times where I’ve seen soldiers trying—or attempting to try—things because they see that I’m there. Then I very quickly put my camera down and say, “I’m not here to take Rambo-style photos of you,” and so on. Most of the time, that’s enough. It’s a very important responsibility as photographers in these dramatic, dangerous, and often life-threatening situations to not encourage any kind of activity. But at the same time, your life is in the hands of these soldiers, and they could be protecting you when you go to battle. Obviously, you’re on their side, and there are times when they’ll give you cover fire from across the street and things like that. It’s very important, especially when you’re on a side that you don’t agree with, that you grace yourself to a point where you’re you don’t cross an ethical line. However, you also can’t sit there and argue politics with people with guns in the middle of battle. I’m glad you brought up ethics. I’m wondering if there’s a personal set of guidelines that you always follow? The first one, as I said, is to never influence a situation or make anybody do anything for the camera. The second is that if I’m in a situation where war crime is about to happen, and I have the ability to stop it without getting myself or the other people involved killed, I do so. If I’m unable to do that, which often happens, then I try to make sure there’s at least documentation of what happened, so people will know about it. A Northern Alliance commander lays dying after being shot by a Taliban soldier in a battle outside of Kabul during fighting in 2001. © Ron Haviv What is your main goal with your work? What message are you trying to send by covering conflict? As cliche as it might seem, the idea of giving a voice to the voiceless is still a main component in the work I do. While it’s interesting at times to be with a soldier, what I’m more interested in is the impact their actions have on civilians. Civilians are often the ones who carry the brunt of what happens and the ones the world needs to know about. So for me it’s about telling the story of the civilians, trying to get that information out there, and making sure that the work is a part of the conversation when politicians and the public are deciding on anything from aid to political pressure, or even sending in more troops to stop the fighting. I think journalism and specifically photography, because of it’s power and universality, can play a very powerful role in that. ________ This story was originally published in the Fall 2016 “Humanity Issue” of Resource Magazine. Visit the Resource Shop to pick up a copy. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2mIXt1p To those outside of the photography world, it may seem like a somewhat easy profession. Just get a good camera and click the button, right? Wrong. Aside from the talent and creativity it requires to be successful, it’s far more than just a camera and some lenses. There are tripods, diffusers, reflectors, lighting, batteries, memory cards, filters, software, the list goes on. And yet, despite the innovation we’ve seen in photo gear over the past decade, there’s still some simple tech that hasn’t been invented—the kind of thing that would make your life 10 times easier, yet no one has the balls to address. Unless, of course, you’re on Reddit. Here are eight photo gadgets every photographer wishes was real. 1. L-Brackets that can be taken on and off without any tools.Source: Codelocks Ltd/Flickr via Creative Commons. 2. A tripod where the legs don’t sink into the ground.Source: John Robinson/Flickr via Creative Commons. 3. Cost-effective lens hoods that work with 4×4 or 4×6 filters.4. Ultra lightweight bungee cords to keep tripods from tipping over or standing unevenly.Source: Chapendra/Flickr via Creative Commons. 5. Spot focusing that isn’t total shit.Source: Andy Rennie/Flickr via Creative Commons. 6. A self-leveling tripod.Source: Teresa Trimm/Flickr via Creative Commons. 7. A hot shoe attachment with blinking lights, smiley faces or cute sounds that keep children attentive and prevent them crying while photographing them.Source: Ellie Nakazawa/Flickr via Creative Commons. 8. Lighter EVERYTHING. Before your back gives out.Source: Louish Pixel/Flickr via Creative Commons. [Featured Image: Rodney Campbell/Flickr via Creative Commons.] via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2mI8CQg The dating scene can be intimidating for those who aren’t used to the playing field, and with a myriad of dating websites and apps out there, it can be difficult to figure out which one is right for your lifestyle. Sure, you can try to avoid online dating and dating apps altogether, which will likely lead to being set up by friends or family, or meeting people through work, at a bar or through other activities—and this isn’t always easy, especially you’re caught up in the hustle of life of big city life. This is why the convenience of online dating is now more normal than ever, as people are actually finding long-term partners through these once stigmatized rituals. “We like to think of Bumble almost like an online restaurant,” said Alex Williamson, VP of brand content at Bumble, who’s known as the voice of the brand and IG for this dating app. “You wouldn’t go into a restaurant and expect to see the online epidemic of ‘dick pics.’ On Bumble we hold people accountable to present themselves like they would if they were meeting someone in real life.” Well said. But as with any dating service, taking the convo from text to IRL can be daunting, so we asked Williamson for some simple, essential tips for your first Bumble date. VP of Brand Content Alex Williamson Do’sIt’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere The happy hour drink is a good option because you’re meeting midday. There’s less pressure to feel like you need to stay longer than it takes to have one drink. “Man’s Best Friend,” You Say? Going for a walk with your dog gives you a good “out” if you’re not feeling the date or allows you to continue the date with or without your dog. If you’re not into it you can say, “I’ve got to take the dog home,” but if you’re feeling it you can take your pet, or pets, if he or she has one too, to a patio or park together. Face the Music This setting for a date is great because you can both enjoy some entertainment while getting to know each other, but the live music allows for breaks in conversation, which welcomes the occasional, long awkward pause that might otherwise occur. The Ba(e)gel Meeting for brunch is a good first date if you’re looking to have a meal together and know you want to spend a longer amount of time with your date. It doesn’t put any pressure on either of you to feel like you have to go back to someone’s place for a nightcap since it’s during the day. Plus, morning or midday dates always feel less threatening for both parties. VP of Brand Content Alex Williamson Don’tsNothing Good Happens After… Getting a late night cocktail or drink is highly advised against since many people may feel pressured to go back to your date’s place afterward, even though you may not feel ready for that yet. Also, late night drinking may cloud your judgment in general, leading you to do things you don’t actually want to do. Dinner and… Going to get dinner together on the first date isn’t a good idea because you’re obligated to stay for the whole dinner. Since it’s at night, you may also feel pressured to go for a drink afterward which can lead to unwanted advances. A Movie. Seeing a movie together on the first date is a bad idea. During the movie, you’re not getting to know your date since you’re not talking and paying attention to the movie. Meet the Fam Going with someone to a wedding or family party on the first date can be kind of intimidating and puts too much pressure on both of you. Meeting close family and friends isn’t something that should happen right away, especially if you’re not sure you want to continue seeing the person after your first date. Proof Your Profile1. Your first photo should represent what you currently look like, not one from five years ago. 2. Look approachable by smiling in your photo and avoid group photos so it’s clear who you are, exactly. 3. Avoid modeling photos, as it’s an inaccurate representation of you and they’re likely retouched. 4. Keep your bio simple and either tell a little about yourself, or include a saying that represents your personality or a conversation starter to help break the ice. ______ This article originally appeared in the spring 2017 “Relationship Issue” of Resource Magazine. To pick up a copy, visit the Resource Shop or enter our giveaway to win a free copy, subscription and more awesome photography prizes! via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230553 http://ift.tt/2nvxKJc |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
October 2021
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