Category Archives: charity

Driving in Haiti at Night

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On one of the last trips to Haiti I spent a day photographing villages that were participating in the Community Coalition for Haiti seed programs. At the end of the day, we ended up on the wrong end of the road near Cape Haitian. Our goal was to be off the roads before sunset. We left Cape Haitian and started working our way south and east across the mountains toward the guest house at the Pignon. About a third of the way up the mountains the truck overheated and came to a grinding halt. We waited out the mandatory cooling off period and then refilled the radiator with water as curious Haitians gathered around our beater of a truck. Dusk came quickly soon we were in total darkness. It was a tough and slow ride across the gutted tracks that pass for roads in the central highlands.

For some crazy reason, most likely out of boredom, I started shooting flash pictures of animals and people as we crept through the night. Not the smartest idea in the world but most people laughed and thought it was fun.

Here are a few frames from that journey. I am constantly surprised at how good the Nikons are at figuring out exposure and focus in extreme low light.

Haitians at night
Oxen on a Haitian Road
Kids at night in Haiti
CArrying the load

Honesty in NGO portraits

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Two weeks ago, I spent five days traveling from Jacmel in Southeastern Haiti to Limonade near Cap-Haitian. The purpose of the shoot was to document many of the Community Coalition for Haiti projects. CCH is an NGO based in Northern Virginia and I serve on their board of directors. My primary responsibility to CCH is to photograph the people and communities that we serve in Haiti. We (CCH) run a Rehab and Primary care in Jacmel plus send physicians and nurses into remote areas as mobile medical clinics.

In the northern plateau, CCH has several goat and pig projects plus a strong interest in helping communities develop their own agricultural projects. We also sent medical teams to a small hospital in Pignon.Most of the shoots happen pretty fast. We are traveling by truck on difficult roads and our time in each community is limited to a couple of hours. The goal on this trip was to shoot several projects in the north in two days. Besides shooting the projects, I try to capture moments that convey our work and the spirit of the Haitian people.


(Young girl who attends the school we build near Pignon. The school features a community garden where the children learn to grow vegetables.)

(Elder near Pignon)

(Near Pignon)

Many children ask to have their photograph taken. They tend to grab the camera as soon as you shoot and laugh at their image son the LCD screen. It always throws them for a lop when I shoot with my film Leicas. They are confused and feel cheated. Most of them have only known digital cameras and it is a big surprise when their is no image to see.

My goal when shooting portraits in Haiti is not direct the people but to feel and photograph an honest exchange between myself and the subject.

(Young girl at the Campbell orphanage)

(Woman who is participating in a micro-finance project near Bayi)

(This young man attends a school where CCH intends to place a well that is funded by an American teenager who was part of this trip.)

Sometimes you just can not resist. Great hair!

Young Photographers Alliance

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Last year, I was invited to submit a print for the Young Photographers Alliance silent auction. I did and the sale of the print helped raise money for YPA.

A couple of weeks ago I received an invitation to be a part of this years auction. I decided to submit three images to this years auction. One is of the National Cathedral in Haiti after the earthquake and the other two are aerials of New York City from a shoot in 2009. I saw the group of photographers who have agreed to participate in the print auction and there is some amazing work and talent that will be on display during the event.

www.youngphotographersalliance.org

The aerial of Times Square was shot in March of 2009.

Press Release follows:

www.youngphotographersalliance.org

On Tuesday, October 12th, six of America’s leading photographers will present the 2010 YPA Scholarship awards. You undoubtedly have seen their work, in magazines, galleries, award winning ad campaigns, stunning books, and even on a US postage stamp (a portrait of Yip Harburg). Their names are internationally renowned and their work an inspiration.

Now’s your chance to meet these giants, along with many other leading lights in the photography and stock image business. All you need is a ticket for our annual Award Ceremony and Benefit Auction at the Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, on Tuesday October 12th.
Mary Ellen Mark & Julianne Jamora (2009 award winner)
Mary Ellen Mark & Julianne Jamora
(2009 award winner)

$50* will buy you a unique and memorable night out:

* Meet leading photographers, and photography business owners.
* Be wowed by outstanding photography, by renowned contemporary photographers, our scholarship winners and our mentees.
* Enter your bids for highly collectable signed prints in our silent auction.
* Enjoy quality beer & wine, classy hors d’oeuvres, and smooth live jazz.
* Celebrate and support young talent!

Spread the word and invite your friends: the more, the merrier!

I almost forgot to mention the names of our presenters! Barbara Bordnick, Doug Menuez, Eric Meola, Michel Tcherevkoff, Ron Haviv, and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. How cool is that?

Just a few of the names you’ll find on prints up for auction, which you’ll be able to preview from October 1st: Amy Arbus, Antoine Verglas, Barbara Bordnick, Brad Trent, Cameron Davidson, (emphasis mine) Chris Jordan, Daniel Kramer, Darrell Gulin, Doug Menuez, Hans Neleman, Henry Horenstein, Howard Schatz, Jill Enfield, John Lund, Marcus Gaab, Martyn Thompson, Russ Quackenbush, Sean Justice, Sebastian Smith, Shannon Fagan, Spencer Jones, Stephen Mallon, Toby McFarlan Pond, and Vincent Dixon.

So, go on … before you forget:

1. Buy your ticket now
2. Save the date: Tuesday, October 12th, 7-10pm
3. Note the address: Metropolitan Pavilion,
110 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011 (map)

Sincerely,

The Events Team
Young Photographers Alliance
Cell 214-563-8482
Email lynn@youngphotographersalliance.org
Web www.youngphotographersalliance.org

*Tickets sold at the door will cost $75.

Cheryl Ungar Gives | The Wedding Pink

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http://www.cherylungargives.com/winner-of-the-wedding-pink-2/

My friend Cheryl Ungar is a commercial and wedding photographer who lives in Denver. Congrats to Cheryl for a wonderful idea and for following through on the concept and delivery!
Cheryl and her husband Michael

From her site:

“As a young woman Cheryl Ungar was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, she is an accomplished and successful wedding photographer — and a 19-year breast cancer survivor.

Grateful for where she is today, Cheryl is eager to give back to the community that supported her and helped her thrive. Through Cheryl Ungar Gives, the giving arm of her photography business, Cheryl seeks to provide inspiration and comfort to all people facing breast cancer – and to young women especially.”

Cheryl Ungar Gives has three main components:

Cheryl has teamed up with St. Joseph’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado to volunteer on the oncology floor, visiting cancer patients.
Cheryl will donate a percentage of her income each year to a cancer related organization of her choosing.
Cheryl is organizing The Wedding Pink, an extraordinary wedding giveaway to be awarded to a person whose life has been recently touched by breast cancer.

Cheryl came up with a wonderful concept called The Wedding Pink.

http://www.cherylungargives.com/theweddingpink/

Again, from her site. (her words say it much better than I could)

Cheryl is pleased to announce The Wedding Pink, an exciting wedding giveaway package to be awarded to someone whose life has been recently touched by breast cancer.

In addition to donating her own wedding photography services, Cheryl has put together an extraordinary team of some of Colorado’s top wedding vendors — all of whom have generously agreed to donate their services and products to ensure The Wedding Pink is a spectacular event for one very special couple.

Melissa and Jeff are the winners of this years The Wedding Pink. Cheryl is donating her services and has partnered with several wedding suppliers in her area to provide a complete wedding without cost to Melissa and Jeff.

Melissa wrote the winning essay that was submitted to the Wedding Pink site.

Heart for Haiti Auction – update

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haiti2

The Heart for Haiti auction is live and the bidding has begun.

My aerial of the National Cathedral of Haiti, shot after the earthquake and fire, is part of this auction and show at the Aperture gallery in New York City. The exhibition opens this Wednesday evening at six.
haiti1_

All proceeds from the auction go to Doctors without Borders/MSF. I have worked with MSF/Doctors without Borders in partnership with the Community Coalition for Haiti, an NGO whose members have worked in Haiti since the mid-eighties. I have been a member of their board since 2001.

Most images in the auction started off with an initial bid of $250. As of this morning, my print is currently at $525. The aerial is LOT 33 in the auction.

Please check out the auction site and if in New York, the gallery opening.

http://www.aperture.org/gallery/
Heart for Haiti

heART for Haiti Auction

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131 artists. http://benefitevents.com/auctions/heartforhaiti/ Benefit for MSF/Doctors without Borders

My NGO (CChaiti.org) works with MSF in Jacmel.

A collection of amazing photographs are featured in this auction. A partial listing of the photographers who contributed prints includes Jamey Stillings, Michael Prince, Danny Clinch, Sarah Silver, Vic Huber, Erik Almas and Ross Quackenbush.

My aerial of the burnt out shell of the Haitian National Cathedral, shot after the earthquake is included in the auction. (Image #33)

Please take a look at the site, register and bid on amazing photographs. Maybe you will win and the money will help MSF/Doctors without Borders continue their work in Haiti.

Aerials of Port au Prince destruction

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This evening I uploaded two new galleries to my portfolio site – Port au Prince Aerials and Rural Medical. The aerial images of destruction in Port Au Prince will be available through Corbis within the next few days.
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National Cemetery
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Cité Soleil
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Tent City in the middle of Port au Prince
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The Presidential Palace
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Destroyed Homes in Port au Prince

Hospital Saint Michelle | The Carry

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cch_jacmel_1147

Stretchers everywhere. People just arrived as if almost by stealth mode. Some come in with a rush of emotions. Others, like this young man, found on the ground and no one saw the people who brought him to the hospital.
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The entrance to our makeshift primary care unit was blocked by an abandoned ambulance. This elderly woman was carried by these two men to a emergency room physician who saw her right away.
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This man carried his mother away from the hospital. I don’t know if he was taking her to another facility or why.
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The Haitian Scouts were essential in helping keep order and to provide a sense of security to the people. They were a constant presence at the hospital and often helped carry patients into or from our ward.
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This young woman suffered a significant injury to her right hip. Erin, a doctor from the Delaware group that worked alongside the CCH team, set the splint and arranged for her to be triaged to Cayes Jacmel hospital.