Photography & Photojournalism In Malaysia By Johannes P. Christo Now On Gaia Photos

A ritual is attended by millions of devotees from around Malaysia and abroad.

Photo © Johannes P. Christo All Rights Reserved - Follow Me On TWITTER

Malaysia: Thaipusam, A Celebration For Lord Murugan is a new photo story now appearing on Gaia Photos. As photojournalist Johannes P. Christo explains,

"Thaipusam is the biggest annual Hindu festival in Malaysia, celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai. Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan, the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman."

"The celebration is held in Batu Caves Temple, Kuala Lumpur. This ritual attended by millions of devotees from around Malaysia and abroad".

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Johannes P. Christo born in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 17th 1987. Christo is a self-taught photographer who developes his own passion and vision in black and white photography as his personal works. Christois based in Bali where he works as a freelance photojournalist covering editorial and in-depth reportage. Currently he is doing documentary personal projects in Jakarta and Bali. In 2009 he was selected as Young Asian Photographer for Angkor Photo Workshop. He is available for assignments in South East Asia.

You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Aftermath Project Photo Award Winner Asim Rafiqui Blogs About Religion In India

Artwork © Ernst Neizvesty All Rights Reserved - Follow Me On Twitter

Do you ever wonder what's going on inside an award winning photographer's head?

In December 2008, The Aftermath Project awarded its annual $25,000 grant to photographer Asim Rafiqui who lives in Sweden and the US who plans to use the grant to fund a project on religious culture in India.

In a statement announcing the award, Aftermath Project judge Darius Himes of Radius Books said, Aisim Rafiqui's work as a photographer aims to recover this lost sense of religious pluralism and tolerance for a 21st century India.” Himes continued, “He [Rafiqui] states that he is "using photography not only as a means of evidence, but also as a vessel for the imagination."

THE SPINNING HEAD

One of the blogs I follow is Mr. Rafiqui's Spinning Head. He blogs about places from Afghanistan to the West Bank and is never shy about offering his thoughts about subjects ranging from Photography and Journalism to War.

Apparently, a short time ago he read an article that appeared in a recent issue of Granta magazine written by Rana Dasgupta regarding New Delhi, India entitled Capital Gains, "A piece on the city of New Delhi, India and its rampaging obsession with things material, brand-obsessed, consumerist, shallow, callow and crass." as Rafiqui describes.

Rafiqui's critique is interesting reading, especially considering the fact that he was awarded $25,000 to tell us about the religious culture in India using his vision. Before we see his forthcoming photos, he's allowed us to peer inside his Spinning Head by offering a review of Rana Dasgupta's article that begins by saying:

"A city of tens of millions of people, with a history and a heritage that goes back over a thousand of years and that contains within it an incredibly diverse, varied, complex community of people of all walks of life, beliefs, class, ethnicities, cultures, values, ideas, fears, doubts and dreams can never be called ‘a Hindu society’ alone."

Rafiqui adds, "This is such a vast idiocy that it can’t even be laughed it. Delhi is one of the world’s great cities and what makes it so is that it is a cradle of the world’s heritage and civilizations and that billions have passed through her, lived there, defined it and more will. It is a world city. Complete with the full complexity and vastness of what that term means."

PLEASE READ ASIM RAFIQUI'S COMPLETE REVIEW entitled,

How Hindus Are Destroying New Delhi Or An Exercise In Absolute Foolishness Masquerading As A Stupid Opinion on his blog.

DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY AT GAIA PHOTOS

If you enjoy documentary photography and you're interested in learning more about India please visit Gaia Photos to view a unique selection of photo reportage. You can also Follow Me On Twitter.

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Documentary Photography From Sudan, The Congo and Central African Republic Now On Gaia Photos: Seeking Shelter From Violence By Jenn Warren

Sungipio Anibiya and her baby Balribia Ungare join 50 others from Gangura, Southern Sudan, on the border of northern Democratic Republic of Congo, on the journey to Makpandu. Sunigipia hopes to reunite with her husband at the refugee site.

Photo © Jenn Warren All Rights Reserved

Sudan, DRC, CAR: Seeking Shelter From Violence is a feature story by Jenn Warren now appearing on Gaia Photos.

As photojournalist Jenn Warren explains, "The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a Ugandan based guerrilla army, has been fighting in northern Uganda since 1986, in a civil war that has claimed an estimated 100,000 lives and caused around 1.6 million refugees to flee. The UN has described the war as the “biggest neglected humanitarian emergency in the world.”

Further, Jenn Warren says, "Over 5,000 Congolese have fled into Southern Sudan seeking refuge, where UNHCR is working with a number of humanitarian organizations in the relief effort. The number of forcibly displaced in the Orientale Province of northeastern DRC has now surpassed 104,000. Many of these internally displaced people are still hiding in the bush, while others have moved to the UNHCR site for the refugees in Makpandu and Ezo, Western Equatoria Province, Southern Sudan."

Jenn Warren visited this region of Africa to document the refugee people affected by these events and her photo essay Sudan, DRC, CAR: Seeking Shelter From Violence is now appearing on Gaia Photos, a new international photography source comprised of 48 photojournalists from around the world whose mission is to promote quality and diversity in documentary photography.

If you would like to learn more, view ‘Seeking Shelter’ on BBC.

Please visit us and see other photo stories on Gaia Photos by Jenn Warren.

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Documentary Photography From Israel On Gaia Photos Black Hebrew’s Village of Peace By Rafael Ben-Ari

Photo © Rafael Ben-Ari All Rights Reserved

Photojournalist Rafael Ben-Ari has discovered a distinctive way a group of people in his native country of Israel live their lives and he shares their story with the rest of the world in his photo essay

Israel: Black Hebrew’s Village of Peace

As Ben-Ari describes, "The Black Hebrews believe that they are descended from the Israelites who were expelled from Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and thereafter migrated for more than 1,000 years before reaching West Africa and later the United States as slaves. But for the 2,000-strong vegetarian and polygamous community of Black Hebrews living in the community is the fulfillment of a scriptural promise to create what they call the “Kingdom of Yah” or God on earth."

To glimpse the daily lives of this unique community that grew weary of ghetto life in the United States, please view Israel: Black Hebrew’s Village of Peace as portrayed by photojournalist Rafael Ben-Ari on Gaia Photos, a new international photography source comprised of 42 photojournalists from around the world whose mission is to promote quality and diversity in documentary photography.

The Village of Peace Article by Rafael and Claire Ben-Ari is available to
accompany any collection of photos from the image gallery on his website. Please contact Ben-Ari at mailto:assignment@chameleonseye,com

Please Visit Us and see other feature stories by Rafael Ben-Ari as well.
You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far and subscribe to our continually updated new features page too!

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Photography Guest Of The Week Artem Zhitenev - Russia

Priest Alexander Chistjakov sanctifies water of the Neva River in Russia.

Photo © Artem Zhitenev All Rights Reserved

Russia: Epiphany Holiday On Neva River

As Artem Zhitenev explains, "Annually on January 19th, Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany, an important Christian holiday. Russians dive into ice holes on Epiphany Day, washing off their sins and feeling younger. The blessed water is known as “Theophany Water”, and the faithful take it home to use with prayer and as a blessing."

Photojournalist Artem Zhitenev visited the Neva River in Russia on Epiphany Day to document this Orthodox Christian event and his subsequent photo reportage Russia: Epiphany Holiday On Neva River, is now appearing on Gaia Photos.

Gaia Photos is a new international photography source comprised of 41 photojournalists from around the world whose mission is to promote quality and diversity in documentary photography.

Born in Moscow, Russia in 1968, Artem Zhitenev was given his first camera by his father when he was just 9 years old.

After serving in the Soviet Army in the Far East for two years, he began a career as a photojournalist in 1996. Since then, Artem Zhitenev's photography has appeared in numerous Russian newspapers and magazines.

Artem Zhitenev is based in Russia where he is available for assignments.

Please Visit Us and view Artem Zhitenev's website.

You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far.

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Buddhist Monk Travel Photography In Cambodia

Two Buddhist monks relax inside a temple in Ban Russei, Cambodia.

Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved

While I know that stock photographs of monks in Cambodia are plentiful, I wanted to capture these two people going about their daily lives at a temple in Ban Russei, Cambodia.

Ban Russei is known for its agriculture, especially tobacco. While some residents of the village grow and harvest tobacco each year, others refuse to partake in this process even though growing the crop is more lucrative than cultivating food. This stems from the Buddhist belief that smoking isn't exactly the best thing for people.

Nevertheless, the elder monk seen in the foreground in the photo above is reaching for a cigarette.

If you have a destination you want to promote in SE Asia, email me and maybe we can work something out.

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Buddhist Monk Travel Photography In Chiang Mai Thailand

Two Buddhist monks pass by a doorway at a temple located within the walls of the old city in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved

While I know that stock photographs of monks in Thailand are plentiful, I wanted to capture these two people going about their daily lives at a temple in Chiang Mai Thailand.

If you have a destination you want to promote in SE Asia, email me and maybe we can work something out.

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Photography Guest Of The Week Bevis Fusha - Albania

Albania’s population is of mixed religious conviction, with Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians living side by side.

Photo © Bevis Fusha All Rights Reserved

Albania: Religious Pilgrimage

"For almost 50 years, religious beliefs were forbidden in Albania. Since citizens were forbidden from observing their faith during the Communist era,. Albania was officially the first atheist country in the world. Albania’s population is of mixed religious conviction, with Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians living side by side."

Those remarks by Bevis Fusha in his photo essay Albania: Religious Pilgrimage now appearing on Gaia Photos, explain the past in order to give meaning to today's Albanian religious pilgrimage of all faiths to the fabled shrine of St. Anthony of Padua in Lac, northern Albania, that takes place each June 12th.

Gaia Photos is a new international photography source comprised of 41 photojournalists from around the world whose mission is to promote quality and diversity in documentary photography.

Born into a family of photographers 1976, Bevis Fusha earned a degree in Philosophy-Sociology from the University of Tirana, Albania.

Dedicated to photography, Bevis has been teaching photojournalism at the University of Tirana while contributing to several photo festivals, exhibitions and book projects, including the 2008 World Press Photo Book, "New Stories".
Bevis Fusha lives in Tirana Albania and is represented by the Anzenberger agency in Vienna, Austria. He is also a member of Metrocollective, a photographic collective in Washington DC, USA and is available for assignments.

Please Visit Us and view more of Bevis Fusha's photography.

You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far.

Please subscribe to our new features page to keep track of new stories too!

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Photography Guest Of The Week Joao Pedro Marnoto - Portugal

A man at a local bar in Portugal enjoys the late afternoon.

Photo © Joao Pedro Marnoto All Rights Reserved

Portugal: Nine Winter Months and Three of Hell

"The national and global economic, political and social changes of the last few decades impacted local communities. While many of the younger generation left these locales in search of better opportunities their homes could no longer provide, most older residents resisted the appeal of the big city. Today, many of these areas have few citizens and elders comprise the majority of the inhabitants along with the occasional sprinkling of younger faces."

Such are the observations of Joao Pedro Marnoto that accompany his photo essay, Portugal: Nine Winter Months and Three of Hell now appearing on Gaia Photos. The photo documentary observes the lives of the people who have remained in the agrarian regions of Douro and Trás-os-Montes in northern Portugal, one of Western Europe’s poorest areas.

Gaia Photos is a new international photography source with 41 photojournalists from around the world involved with promoting quality and diversity in documentary photography.

Born in 1975 in Porto, Portugal, Joao Pedro Marnoto had a passion for photography at an early age, taking his first basic photography course at when he was just 14.

After completing his degree in Photography in the United Kingdom, he returned to Portugal full of ideas and desires. While working on a freelance basis he gradually turned his attention to photo documentary work. In 2007 Joao Pedro Marnoto's first book was released about the Douro region in Portugal.

During that time he also did some teaching, experimented with video and exhibited works throughout Portugal after receiving a grant from the Portuguese Center of Photography.

Presently, he is finishing his first video documentary, working to release a new book and launching a project in collaboration with “Doctors of the World”.

Please Visit Us and view more of Joao Pedro Marnoto's photography.

You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far.

Please subscribe to our new features page to keep track of new stories too!

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Photography Guest Of The Week Massimiliano Clausi - Italy

Fearing being spotted as Christians, none of the tribal people dare to wear crosses outside the refugee camps.

Photo © Massimiliano Clausi All Rights Reserved

India: The Believers

"On the August 23rd 2008, 81-year-old Swami Laksamananda Saraswati, a widely followed religious figure of the Hindu community, was gunned down at night in the district. Despite Maoist guerrillas taking responsibility for the action, Christians were immediately blamed by politicians belonging to the major Hindu parties VHP, RSS and BJP. By August 25th, hordes of Hindu militants were attacking Christian homes and places of worship in Khandamal, mainly at night."

The subsequent strife that took place in one of the poorest districts of India is the focus of Massimiliano Clausi's photo reportage, India: The Believers, now appearing on Gaia Photos, a new international photography source comprised of 39 photojournalists from around the world whose mission is to promote quality and diversity in documentary photography.

Massimiliano Clausi was born in 1979 in Italy. After graduating from school he attended the Photojournalism Semester at the Danish School of Journalism in 2006.

That same year he embarked on a career as a freelance photojournalist and his reportage "Calais: the last dream" was awarded the Canon Young Photographers' Scholarship.

Since then his works have been featured in major Italian and international magazines.

Massimiliano covers human rights and social issues worldwide, believing photography can make a difference.

Massimiliano has been is a member of PK Posse photo agency based in Milan, Italy since January 2009.

Currently he lives and works in Italy as a freelance photojournalist and photographer and is available for assignments.

Please Visit Us

Please view more of Massimiliano Clausi's photography and search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far. Please subscribe to our new features page to keep track of new stories too!

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Buddhist Monk Travel Photography In Chiang Mai Thailand

Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved














Novice Buddhist monks are gathered with their bowls to pay a birthday tribute to King Rama IX of Thailand near Tha Pae Gate in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This religious ceremony takes place annually and is marked by hundreds of monks with clasped hands performing a prayer like gesture.

If you have a destination you want to promote in SE Asia, email me and maybe we can work something out.

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