Social Documentary Photography and Film
Posted in Production Notes on Jul 1st, 2010
One of the things that amazed me as I traveled through what was formally Kham and Amdo on the Tibetan Plateau was the amount of new construction at many of the Tibetan Monasteries. It was not only the amount of new construction but the size and quality of the new monasteries and prayer halls that [...]
Posted in Production Notes on Jun 17th, 2010
During the month of May an obscure fungus becomes the major focus of people living on the Tibetan Plateau. The Cordyceps sinensis fungus is known locally as Yartsa Gunbu or Caterpillar Fungus. The fungus devours and eventually mummifies its host, the ghost moth caterpillar, from inside out during the caterpillar’s hibernation on the mountain grasslands between [...]
Posted in Production Notes on Jun 2nd, 2010
Pilgrims about to cross the 15,000 foot Chola Pass on their 2500 kilometer pilgrimage to Lhasa, prostrating the entire way. The devotion of the Tibetan people is unbelievable. As I travel through the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, one thing has become very apparent. Tibetan Buddhism is enjoying a strong resurgence. Almost every Monastery I visit is [...]
Posted in Production Notes on May 19th, 2010
We met Choqhua, a monk from the small and remote Trakkar Monastery near Labrang in Gansu Province. We spent 3 days staying with him in his little cottage. He took us to the tiny remote village where he grew up and to a nearby cave where the 9th Panchen Lama was said to have meditated. [...]
Posted in Production Notes on May 13th, 2010
News sent from Phil while working on a second book in Tibet: I’m in Gansu Province on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau adding to my collection of stories of people who live on the plateau. I’m traveling with Stevan from North Carolina and Inigo who is currently living in Singapore — Both are photographers that I [...]
Posted in Production Notes, Stirring The Fire, Take Action on Mar 31st, 2010
Sometimes it is necessary to create your own opportunities for involvement in the issues that you are passionate about. Nonprofit organizations are looking for ways to get qualified intern and volunteer help. My last blog highlighted two students (Alisun Chopel and Suzy Messer) who worked toward their masters degrees while following their passion to do [...]
Posted in Production Notes on Feb 11th, 2010
As I have mentioned the digital revolution in photography has made my work easier in many ways. One of the greatest benefits is being able to capture images in low light. With the release of the new cameras like the Nikon D3s and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV this is just getting better. However, the [...]
Posted in Production Notes on Feb 5th, 2010
In my last blog I talked about the equipment I am using for multimedia. Sound is such a critical part of multimedia production that I would like to elaborate on the sound equipment I use. In multimedia you can get away with mediocre images much easier than poor sound. To get good sound you need [...]
Posted in Production Notes on Jan 21st, 2010
Now that the web is nudging all of us photographers to create more than just stills to deliver our message we who work on location in remote areas are faced with the prospect of adding more equipment to the heavy packs we have been carrying for years! Last year I traveled to Malawi, Zambia, Sri [...]
Posted in Production Notes on Sep 30th, 2009
Because most of my work is now done in very remote areas without the help of a trained assistant, I have learned how to simplify my on-location lighting substantially. Now I choose lighting equipment based on its reliability, simplicity and weight. When I first started making portraits of indigenous and tribal people in the field, I [...]