National Geographic Traveler
I'm really pleased to say that a photo of mine has been featured in National Geographic Traveler (September 2010 issue). The image was used to llustrate in an article entitled Public Squares: Soul of the City.
Posted: 19.08.2010 | Comments: 0 | Add a comment
ewa-marine U-BF100 first impressions
A first impressions review of the ewa-marine U-BF100
I'm off to Malaysia on holiday for a couple of weeks, so decided to splurge out on a ewa-marine housing for my camera. I don't have any diving experience, so will just be using for snorkeling in fairly shallow water.
First impressions are good. It's well made and my camera fits (a Canon 5D with a 17-40 f4 lens). Phew! The housing includes an internal mitten that allows you to operate the zoom and focus ring on your lens. With the above combination, you can just about zoom (with one finger) but you'd struggle to use the focus ring really accurately. I was amused that the instructions warn that your hand will get stuck inside the mitten if you go too deep!
So, have I just bought the world's most expensive plastic bag or will it prove a useful tool for underwater photography? I'll post a full review when I get back in early September 2010.
Posted: 13.08.2010 | Comments: 0 | Add a comment
Winner of the STA Travel Exotic Cultures Photographic Competition
I'm really happy to announce that after a nail-biting, X-Factor style count-down, I won the STA Travel Exotic Cultures Photographic Competition 2010.
It was particularly nice to win as there were so many strong entries (they filled two large rooms at the exhibition venue — The Mosaic Rooms in Earl's Court).
I spoke to a couple of the judges after the awards and discovered that over 2,000 images had been entered into the competition. These were then shortlisted down to 50 images for the exhibition. I managed to get three pictures in the top ten, one of which was understandably disqualified as it included a man holding a gun.
Many thanks to STA for organising an excellent event and to Robert Harding (Founder and CEO of Robert Harding World Imagery), Zoe Whishaw (former head of photography for Getty Images in Europe) and Alex Hibbert (wildlife photographer and polar explorer) for judging. The competition was part of the Earl's Court Festival and was generously sponsored by British Airways, Olympus Cameras and The Mosaic Rooms.
Posted: 31.07.2010 | Comments: 2 | Add a comment
Somalia on the brink
I attended this interesting Q&A at the Frontline Club last night. With only months to run on the mandate of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), the event concentrated on whether international policy makers have made the right strategic decisions needed to set the country on the road to recovery after decades of turmoil. Inevitably this led to the question of agenda — what did the outside community hope to gain for its involvement?
Angus Walker of ITN News did an excellent job of chairing the event, impressively distilling down some rambling questions, keeping the discourse relevant and even reminding one gentleman of his manners. The panel consisted of Abdirahman Omar Osman (Minister of Information of the TFG), Babatunde Taiwo (Senior Analyst of the African Union Mission for Somalia or AMISOM), and Simon Haselock (AU/UN Information Support Team Project Director via Albany Associates).
The Frontline runs some outstanding events, a great way to hear about world issues from those with first-hand experience.
Posted: 30.07.2010 | Comments: 0 | Add a comment
Picture featured in The Observer
I just got a call from The Observer to let me know I'll be featured in their 'Your Sunday' feature this weekend. The picture in question is one I took of Sgwd yr Eira (a waterfall) near Pederyn in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. Really good news.
I'd been up to the Brecon Beacons as a teenager on a mountain biking trip. It's funny how they seemed very big then, but not so big now! There are some really great locations for photography and plenty of good transport links from Cardiff and some of the towns on the border with England.
Posted: 28.07.2010 | Comments: 0 | Add a comment
Alex Webb in National Geographic
The New Silk Road, National Geographic 2010
I was very pleased to see this article when I opened my copy of National Geographic this month. One of my favourite photographers in one of my favourite magazines!
The piece, written by Brett Forrest charts the building of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the "Iron Silk Road", that will connect the oil-rich Caspian Sea region to Turkey, and beyond to Europe. The railway starts a new chapter in the history of the Caucasus, bringing an influx of European goods to the east and trade in petroleum to the west.
The geopolitics of the $600 million project are fascinating. The railway could mean a better chance of prosperity and stability for Azerbaijan and Georgia, areas so threatened by Russia in the past. Turkey's involvement is interesting too. With diminishing oil reserves elsewhere could this link speed up their entry to the EU?
Webb captures the people and places affected well. His photographs don't use the type of daring composition he employed to such incredible effect in Istanbul, instead he concentrates on reinforcing the themes and illustrating the complexities of issues related in the text. It's a great collaboration in another great issue of the magazine.
Posted: 25.07.2010 | Comments: 0 | Add a comment