Faster Than A Speeding Bullet …
Faster Than A Speeding Bullet…
Anyone who reads this blog knows my passion is creating images (aka, photography). But what most readers do not know is VERY FEW people I know in real life, especially at work, know I am a photographer! Most see me as the shy, quiet techo-geek with a teddy bear body. This is great.
I mentioned in my last blog, I decided it was time to reveal to the world my current project. I met with some influential people to present my work. I dragged my 22in LCD HD display (because I hate how images look when presented by projectors) and 17in MacBook Pro to their meeting room, and like Clark Kent, I stripped off my mild-mannered persona, and became Superman. What is most interesting is the people were shocked this was my work. One of them said “it’s like discovering Clark Kent is really Superman!” because when I speak of my projects in detail, I cannot hide my passion of the subject, and I am uber-confident in my vision and goal (confident, not egotistic… there is a difference!).
*~ Now u see why I titled this post “Faster Than A Speeding Bullet…” hahaha ~*
The one hour interview ended up being more than 3 hours. I was so happy, because the individuals understood exactly what my goals and motivations were, and felt they can help the people and the topics of the project (poverty, education for poor children, and environmental issues). I also made it clear, while the government does need to make changes to address certain humanitarian issues, I did not want the government see as the bad guy, which they agreed. *~Hurray!~*
The audience was shocked both by the pictures (1. the high quality of them, 2. i got such deep information about the individuals–ex: I could say during the slideshow “This is Nelly, her father is ….”). They felt my deep sincere interest. And best of all, they saw that this is as much a cultural/anthropological academic study as it was a photographic study. Perfect!
At the end of the 3+hr meeting, I must say things went much better than I expected! I cannot go into specific deals (surprise hehehe) just yet, but I will give you an overview of where this project is going:
- Coverage of this project will be on a major talk show (Indonesians would be shocked, If I said what show: it’s that big) *Side note: I will be doing a documentary study on the talk show host, per that person’s request! wow!*
- Newspaper and magazine articles are being planned
- Internet photo galleries, with audio commentary will be created
- The first of several books will be a reality (and the book cover is ready)!
I am so excited, I’m not sure where to begin to explain it all. Let’s start by showing you the book cover, then I will explain the project, based on what you see. 
The overall project is called “Fighting Desperation” and is a multiple-project project. What is a multiple-project project? Basically, I am working on a project that is made of several small projects. Each small project stands on its own as a solid, independent body of photographic work and research, but they each support my larger umbrella project, “Fighting Desperation.” Think of each small project as a stone block, and the umbrella project is the pyramid the blocks are used to build. If you are a Star Trek geek, think of the umbrella project as the starship Enterprise, and the smaller projects as the shuttle-crafts. :p
I should tell you, each small project is not worked one and completed sequentially (project #1, then #2, etc). This current project is actually project #3, not #1! Small project #1 is still ongoing. Small project #2 is completed (as it was a very small, but independent, project). I will return to small project #1 this weekend, and it will be even better than this current project (as I learned a lot of lessons from this project).
I picked the name, Fighting Desperation, as it has two meanings: 1. my projects are meant to fight various forms of desperation people are sadly enduring: poverty, economic instability, and and anguish suffered by women, children, and their families (these topics happen to coincide with some of the MDGs of Indonesia). 2. They are people who find themselves in desperate situations, which lead them to take desperate measures to fight for their existence, essentially the living, breathing models of fighting desperation.
When I first began this project, I thought of the people as scavengers. Certainly, they do use scavenging as a means to survive, but the longer I studied and spent time with the people, the more I came to appreciate, respect, and admire what they really are: survivors. So, in my book cover, I intentionally used strike-out for the word scavenger, and put survivor in red. I want people, before they even open the book, to know these are survivors!
Anyway, enough for now on this project. After the 3+hr interview, they wanted to see other forms of my work. I showed them slideshows of past projects. There were just speechless. I’m very happy; people will receive help because of my work!
Indonesian Lesson of Today
Yes, I’m trying to use more and more Bahasa Indonesia in my daily life: 1. meetings at work are painful sometimes, as people know very little English. 2. I find I like studying the language 3. I can interact more and more with people I encounter when conducting projects.
Yakin: sure, certain
Merasa: to feel
Tentang: about
Jawaban: answer, response
-nya: indicates possessive, (also specifies specific one to topic. like “the coat”, not “a coat”)
Contoh (example):
Yuli merasa yankin tentang jawabannya.
Yuli feels sure about her answer.
Similar words:
Seyakinnya: absolutely convinced
Meyakinkan: to convince someone
Keyakinan: conviction, belief
Take care!
It’s Coming! + Mail Call :)
It’s Coming!
I knowwwww, I did not post within two days of the last post. I am STILL writing the blog post (yes, this is not the one I wanted to post). The forthcoming post is so deep that I am forced to review and rethink some things (in positive ways). Trust me, it will be worth the wait.
For now, I will tell you what is happening, share some incredible news, and answer some emails (which I still get hundreds of each week: maybe I should create a forum).
I have been exploring some avenues for my current photographic project. I’ve made some amazing breakthroughs! I may be published in not one, but 4 publications, I may be interviewed by a well-known talk show host (I wont say any names, until it is confirmed). I may be able to get some of the impoverished children I’ve encountered some lasting support, and there may be a book!
Actually I have a horrible reporter to thank for all of this, as his actions made me feel I must give a more accurate accounting of some things. My friend, Yensi, told me to check the JakartaGlobe’s features section, as a reporter published a very short article about the very subject and location of my current project. But, he did not get formal permission to be there, and he only spent a few hours there one time. His information was so inaccurate I almost screamed (from laughing and from disgust). This was just another example of what my Ministry of Health acquaintance mentioned before: how foreigners ignore the government rules, and exploit the people for their own gain. Very sad. I took the time to get permission to do this, and to share my data, findings, and images with the government, and this reporter guy comes along and exploits the people! He only made it harder for sincere researchers to do work, as the government has yet another negative experience to cause them mental trauma. 
After I “googled” the reporter’s name, I found he published the same inaccurate article in other newspapers, with the same, singular misleading photo! *~kyaaa~*
All of this let me to take more action and move my timetable “up” a few months. Instead of waiting longer, I decided to proceed with bringing thing project into public view: thus the publications, the talk show appearance, the possible book, etc etc. And yes, gallery showings. I will tell you more next week
Mail Call:
Justin wrote: “Do you have gallery showings? If yes, where?”
I’ve only had one gallery showing since being in Indonesia, but you can count on another coming in the very near future. Actually, I’m planning for 3 showings, one month each, back to back in 3 different locations in Jakarta. I am still working out the details.
Kim wrote: “Your website does not allow purchases of the images. How can I buy one?”
Actually, some images are not for sale, such as the sex worker images. But when you select a photo on my website, it gives you the option to contact me. So far I’ve given away images, rather than sold them, when I see they will be used for the powers of good.
Kim (another Kim) wrote: “How are you and the stalker?”
Hahaha, funny you ask. I tried to work with the stalker on my current project, only to find out she was still telling people a bunch of bull. I made it clear I wanted co-worker relationship only (and others were witness to this) but it did not matter. Every time she and I work, it seems to be a 2.5 month time limit before she converts into craziness; at first, all is well, but as time progresses in that 2.5 months, she converts into a … not nice person. I won’t work with her again, ever.
It’s sad actually. When we “work” together, we are an *extremely* good team: we blend and mesh very well as we have the same goal: to help the people we are encountering. We know what the other is doing at the time we are doing our part; we even worked together to get the poor kids school supplies for their make-shift school. Working together has never been an issue, when we stay on-topic. It is the private-life items that ruins things every time, like where she tells people, in Indonesian language, we are married, then say they are lying when I learn what was said, or how she say my friends hack her email and cell phone to send me those hate emails/sms messages (ex: how all Muslims are going to hell, and they trying to take me with them, and she will kill them before she allows it, and God hates them all, and God told her it is her responsibility to keep me from their evil. God also told her I had a light blue sofa in my house, and a Hispanic babysitter (I’m not shi!tting you!): insane!).
At our last insane blow-up, 3 friends, the car’s driver, and I had to use a system to jump into the car, and lock all the doors, as she was insisting she wanted to go with us on the project (after I declined her because she cannot separate work and personal topics). I won’t go into more details of how we did it (it’s funny actually), but it ended in her breaking the car’s back-window and door with a brick! The driver got out and almost smacked her! People told him “don’t hit her, she’s just a woman.” (omg)
I had the choice of either giving the driver her address and phone number, so his co can sue her for $, or pay for the damages myself. She is a gov worker: committing a violent crime would certainly get her fired, and she would not be able to go to the USA for her PhD (UCLA, watch out!). I paid the damages (she does not even know they wanted her info, or that I paid the damages) so she would not be fired. I also paid the damages, so her chances of going to the far side of the planet Earth, far away from me, would not be ruined. I’m happy to say she is staying away (no calls or messages), and I certainly am too. Life is happy again.
Ivan wrote: “When shooting, how many images do you keep out of the bunch”
Hmmm, I have to say this will be in a future blog, but to give an base answer: maybe 1 out of 500. The future blog will explain why I am so “picky” about what images I keep.
ENOUGH. Take care, I have to work! And, I have to prepare for next week’s presentation :)