I felt I needed to write this post today however, as last night I finally had the opportunity to watch two pieces of work by Tim Hetherington that I felt compelled to share here. The first, is the movie Restrepo, made by Hetherington and his co-director, Sebastian Junger. Set in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan, the movie focuses on the lives of one platoon whom the filmamkers followed for a year, documenting their engagements and experiences dealing with war. To say it’s a powerful film is an complete understatement. It’s one of the most powerful movies about war I have ever seen.

The second piece of work that I felt compelled to share was ‘Sleeping Soldiers’, a conceptual piece by Hetherington focusing on images he has taken, literally of sleeping soldiers, overlayed with video footage of combat situations in Afghanistan. The resulting piece of work is what I believe is a pardigm-shift in storytelling from a photojournalism perspective. It’s hard not to be engaged and at the same time disturbed when watching this short piece. I felt like I was being thrust into the traumatic and turbulent dreams that men who suffer war must endure. I have never seen work like this before presented in such a way.

So, as a small dedication to these men I can only offer links to their work and spread the messages that they were trying to communicate to the world. This is what we as photographers and storytellers all try to do. Spread the word. Tell untold stories. Illuminate darker places. Work for some kind of change for the good. These two men were at the forefront of our industry trying to do that.

Link to Chris Hondros’s Website | Parting Glance: Colleagues and Friends Remember Chris Hondros – New York Times

For a complete list of links to dedications and tributes to Hetherington, Hondros and their work, please visit Photojournalism Links and DVA Foto

Viewing the Terracotta Warriors

Last week, I had the opportunity for the first time to visit the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, in central China. I was excited to have this opportunity althougha little wary that I would be visiting a location that has been photographed from nearly every angle over the years, since their discovery in 1974. This is often the case when visiting popular sites and it is sometimes a real challenge to find something unique and different when you feel like you know a place well, even before you have visited.

As I wandered around the vast pits containing the warriors I, like everyone else, was stunned by the sight in front of me. The only problem was that there was quite a large distance between the visiting areas and the warriors themselves. This sense of wonderment in the visitors was therefore difficult to capture.

Upon further exploration of the site, I happened upon a room which containing a number of individual soldiers, encased in glass displays. This was the closest that visitors could get to a warrior. As a result, the hoardes of tourists squeezed around the case, all trying to get a good look.

My attention became focused on the visitors and I began to photograph them and their reactions to the warrior in front of them. It was their reactions which fascinated me the most and offered me the best opportunity at capturing the reaction of the people to seeing the warriors. I hope that the image above reflects (excuse the pun) their feelings and hints at the importance of this site to the Chinese people.

Camera Info: Canon 7D | 16-35mm f2.8 lens | ISO 1600 | f2.8 | 1/30th

Collecting Firewood in Inner Mongolia

This week, I returned again to the deserts of Inner Mongolia, whilst on assignment. I have been to this region a number of times over the past few years and really enjoy my time there. For those who don’t know, Inner Mongolia is one of China’s most northerly provinces, stretching across most of northern China. The landscape is dominated by grasslands however much of it is under serious threat from desertification.

In this photo, locals were collecting firewood, moving it from their truck to the side of the road. Deforestation is one of the main drivers are desertification in these regions. As trees are uprooted and roots removed, the soil loses its stability, drying quickly  as the desert moves in.

For those living in very rural areas, firewood is essential for their daily lives, however unregulated collecting can have disastrous consequences, especially when combined with other activities that fuel desertification. It is difficult though to implement a workable balance between local people’s needs and their impact on the environment.

Camera Info: Canon 7D | 16-35mm f2.8 lens | ISO 100 | f8 | 1/500th

Tibetan Monk - Gansu Province

It has been some time since I have posted a ‘Photo of the Week’, so I thought it was about time that I revived this popular feature which I hope gives you a small insight into some of my thought processes when making images.

This week’s image comes from western China, from the Tibetan regions where I have been recently travelling.  The Tibetan areas of China not only comprise of the Tibetan Autonomous region but also spreads into neighbouring province Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan. Most of my travelling the past week was in Qinghai, a visually stunning part of the country, rich in spectacular landscapes and a diverse mix of people. This image however was taken just across the border of Qinghai province, in Gansu province.

As is quite clear, the image is a portrait of a Tibetan monk. He is standing in a cave that we were visiting, deep in the mountains in the west of the province. Inside the cave are a collection of Buddhist artworks and special areas which house shrines that people often make pilgrimages to.

I chose this image as it is maybe my favourite portrait of a monk that I was able to capture during my short travels. As many visitors to this blog will know, I primarily use natural light and am always looking for how I can capture images without having to rely on artificial light. For this image, the only light that was used was the light shining from the entrance to the cave. We had just completed our trip into the cave, a somewhat difficult and arduous journey into the depths of the mountain. Preparing to leave, I was stood near to this monk and saw him gazing out of the cave entrance. Even though I was very tired from the climb inside the cave, I tried to steady myself enough so that I could compose the shot. I was wide open at 2.8 and knew that would have to be incredibly steady and accurate to capture a sharp image in the limited light. I captured a few frames and this was the one I was most happy with.

Camera Info: Canon 7D | 16-35mm f2.8 lens | ISO 400 | f2.8 | 1/10th

<<Return to the Learning Zone Last weekend, I was invited by Beijing based eco-group Greening the Beige to give a workshop at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. We had a great turnout, with many students and photography enthusiasts all keen to see images from my environmental work in China over the past few years and learn about some of the thought processes that go into tackling these realtively large issues. We had such a great discussion, so I thought I would post my presentation here on my blog and highlight/elaborate on a couple of the key talking points. I hope this might prove useful for anyone who wasn’t able to make the event.

The aim of the workshop was to help people understand how I approach taking on large scale subjects, aiming this message at many of the students, from both the fields of photography and journalism, who were in attendance. The first question we tackled was: How do you find story ideas?

Take a look at slide 6 and then come back. It says it all really. I remember asking the question above to one of the senior members of staff when I was interning at Magnum Photos during 2004-2005, and the word on that slide was the answer they gave to me. I follow it religiously now.

Courtesy of (c) Lap Li

I like being informed. I think most photographers/journalists do. They are naturally inquisitve people. An important note though, which I emphasised to the workshop participants, was that it is so important to read not just a diverse mix of western press but also be familiar what the press is saying in the country you are reporting on, in our case China. It’s no secret that the media stance between the west and from within China can be very different sometimes. Whichever side you lean towards, you still have to very aware what the other side is saying. Only then can you take a step back from everything and start to try and filter what is truth, what is not, what is skewed, what isn’t etc. etc.

For those who were thinking of taking on environmental issues, I also emphasized the importance of being familiar with the scientific literature on the subject. I am lucky in that I come from a science background, so am comfortable reading scientific papers which can be daunting to those not familiar with them. Magazines such as Nature and Science are aimed at the educated layman and are very accessible. It’s absolutely key to get to grips with what the scientists are saying about your issue.

Simplify the Issue (Slide 7)

When I take on large-scale subjects such as desertification or wetland disappearance, simplifying the issue is crucial. I can’t visit every single desert or wetland in China. I could, but it would be pointless when instead I can try to isolate key areas that represent the core issues. I normally break the issue down into its most important isuues and then try to find the best places to go to to (visually) illustrate those points.

Put a face to the issue. Tell stories through the individuals, families and communities being affected. (Slide 8/9)

This is one of the key points, especially with environmental issues. Sometimes, these issues can be complex, diverse and hard to visualise. By finding people who are being affected by the issue, you can put a human face to the issue and as a result help your audience/viewers better connect with the subject matter at hand. Your audience will have a much better connection towards your subject if you are able to show the way in which other human beings are being affected.

What would be the aims of your project? Why are you really interested in it? Do you REALLY care? (Slide 20)

By presenting these questions to the participants, I wanted to emphasise the importance of finding an issue that you are genuinely passionate about and determined to cover. I warned of the dangers of choosing a subject, motivated by the reasoning that others in (and maybe outside of) your profession would take you seriously as a photographer/reporter just because you chose that particular subject matter. That’s a dangerous path to follow. Finding a subject that you have a connection to, a subject you are passionate about, a subject that only you would spent long periods of time on when others may give up, is key.

Courtesy of (c) Lap Li

How do you fund your story? (Slide 21)

The two major options I gave were either getting a grant or my pairing up with an NGO. There are of course other ways, from personal savings, private investments and commissions from news outlets however for me personally, grants and partnerships with NGOs have been my most successful. They have also allowed be to spent long periods of time on these issues. If it’s a complex issue, you will need time to work on it and do it justice. Grants and working with NGOs allow you to do this.

How do you distribute your story? (Slide 29)

I believe we are in a really exciting time at the moment in terms of the new ways in which we can distribute our work. Yes, old outlets have shrunk drastically but there are many new ways to get our stories out to new audiences. There are more opportunities now than ever before.

Embracing social media is one way of reaching new audiences, as is producing work that is deliverable in a variety of mediums i.e. having the ability to produce still images, video, multimedia, audio and writing. Each has its place and possible outlets. Most can be combined. If you have the ability to do a number of these, then to possibilities for distribution are wide. You can still try traditional distribution such as magazine publication, print exhibitions, maybe a book but you can also embrace online videos and multimedia, viral marketing of those pieces through a unique website and blog, online photo galleries, multimedia installations. A combination of some, or all of the above!

At the end of the workshop, we had an open Q&A session. One of the questions was; “Why do you do what you do i.e. covering these issues? What are you aims and how do you hope your images affect people?” It’s a question I have been asked by others, and asked of myself, a number of times. I thought would be useful to try to answer it here too.

I am a photographer and videographer. My skill (and that of other visual professionals) lies in my ability to visualise the world in a way most people do not normally do. My educational background focused on the sciences, especially in the biological sciences, so I have a natural interest in these issues. Many of these issues, I know, are difficult for many people to understand and visualise. I really hope that my photographic and video work can act as a bridge between some of the complex issues surrounding the environment and global climate change to help people understand them better. I hope the images can inspire contemplation, deeper understanding and maybe action depending on the social group and age of the people that sees them. I am just one photographer trying to raise visual awareness of these issues. Change will not just come from me. It will come from the worlds of science, government, business, media and everyday people acting together. If my images can help people visualise the seriousness of the environmental issues we currently face and I am able to help them contextualize them too, through various visual media and educational speaking engagements, then I am playing my small part in trying to effect positive change in society.

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That’s a quick summary of the major talking points of the presentation. I really hope that it was useful to the participants who were able to make it on the day. I also hope that it has been useful to you as you read this now, wherever in the world you may be. As ever, if you have any thoughts or feedback on the above points please feel free to post them below.

<<Return to the Learning Zone

Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China

As many followers of my blog, Facebook and/or Twitter will know, I had a very unique assignment last week, photographing the British Prime Minister David Cameron on his recent visit to Beijing. It was one of the most interesting assignments I have ever had, mainly because of the access that I was able to get to the PM and the people that he was meeting thoughout his trip.

When I was approached to undertake this job, I assumed that that the PM would be meeting some high-ranking Chinese officials and I hoped that he would be meeting with those at the top. When I found out he would indeed be meeting the main leader in China, President Hu Jintao, my levels of anticipation were raised significantly.

Hu Jintao, is rarely seen outside of formal surroundings and images of him are much harder to come by. His security is tighter than for any other person in the country and he was recently voted by Forbes magazine as ‘the most powerful person in the world’, ahead of American President, Barack Obama. Whether you agree with that statement or not, the opportunity to photograph this man was one I did not want to pass up.

David Cameron and staff walk down the red carpet inside the Great Hall of the People

So, on the morning of Wednesday 10th November, I found myself following David Cameron and his entourage into the Great Hall of the People, as the only photographer with the group. After entering, we spent a few minutes in a holding room waiting for the signal to begin the meeting. The few minutes passed very quickly and once the signal was given, I found myself walking down the red carpet with the group (see image above), striding towards the meeting. As I shot, I had my back to the direction we were headed, walking backwards taking images of the PM. I managed to shoot about 7/8 frames before turning around and moving to the side of the group. No sooner had I done this, a giant curtain was opened before us and on the other side stood the Chinese President, Hu Jintao.

'Abstract' portrait of Hu Jintao

Having been photographing Cameron on a wide-lense (16-35mm), I quickly switch to my second body which had a 70-200mm as I found myself a little further away than I would of liked as I was moved to one side by a Chinese secret service agent. As I started shooting, something appeared to be wrong. My exposure was all wrong and was exposing at nearly a second (see above). Far too long. Mild panic started to set in, as this was the big moment. It would be over in 30secs and knew I couldn’t miss it. I glanced down at the body looking for the problem. I noticed the settings wheel had been nudged off of its normal aperture-priority setting and onto manual, probably whilst I was shooting just before. I quickly flicked it back to where it was meant to be and was back to normal. Thankfully, I have come to know my equipment so well, I could change most settings blindfolded. All that practice on other shoots prepared me well to not panic and identify the problem and solve it quickly. This is a big part of what being a professional is about.

Hu Jintao, during meeting with British PM, David Cameron.

No sooner had I fired off a few frames, Cameron and Hu moved into the main meeting room and myself and the press pack, who I was now part of, followed. We had a few minutes stood behind a rope a few metres away from the meeting to get what we could. After that, we were all ushered out by security.

Standing outside of the meeting room, the adrenaline was still pumping from what was one of the most surreal shoots I have ever had. I put a lot of pressure on myself  to make sure I deliver for my clients. Combined with who these people were and the restrictions that were upon me, it made for quite an intense experience. At the end of the day, I was able to deliver the images I needed to my client and had the freedom to be a little creative with the pictures.

I certainly won’t forget the day I got to photograph (arguably, at the time of writing!) the most powerful person in the world.

<<Return to the Learning Zone

BBC Viewfinder

Last week, I had an assignment from the British Embassy in Beijing to photograph the visit of British Prime Minister, David Cameron on his first visit as PM to China. This was a very exciting and interesting assignment and I plan to feature some of my behind-the-scenes photos here on my blog in the coming weeks.

Photographing someone like the PM is a very unique experience and I thought it would be interesting to share some of my experiences with you. Please stay tuned in the coming weeks and I look out for these special posts. In the meantime, scroll down to read my interview with BBC Photo Editor Phil Coomes on my experiences.

________

“Earlier this week photographer Sean Gallagher spent two days in the company of the British Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit to China. Here Sean talks about the project.

“Since moving to China in 2006, I have been documenting environmental issues in China such as desertification and wetland disappearance. I travel extensively presenting this work to various groups and organisations and I was invited by the British Embassy in Beijing to present some of this work to their staff last month, as part of their 10/10/10 Climate Change events.

“Following this, they asked if I would be interested in documenting the prime minster’s visit to Beijing. I believe it was my editorial approach which they were looking for, in order to create a unique perspective of this trip.”

How was it working with the rest of the press pack, or did you have special access?

“Working with the press pack was a unique experience in itself, as I tend not to work with them normally. They have an incredible energy and knack for knowing exactly what shot they want, when they want it and how they will get it. Normally, there is quite a bit of jostling involved but in the end, it seems everyone gets the shot they need.”

What sort of shots were you looking for – something different to the wire photographers?

“Luckily, as I was working for the embassy, I was able to get access to a few more unique moments where I was the only photographer present with the prime minister and his staff.

“Coming from an editorial background my instinct is to always try to find more natural moments in a situation, compared to many of the more typical and expected shots that normally come from these types of shoots.

“For this kind of situation, I normally work quickly to get ‘the expected shot’. A typical image from the event. This is part of being a professional photographer and delivering for my client. Once I know I have that, I then have the freedom to get more creative and experiment to create images a little more unique.”

What were the main challenges? Logistically and photographically?

“Logistically, there weren’t too many. The schedule for the prime minister is laid out with military precision, so you are informed exactly where you need to be and when. On the whole, it’s just a case of following the plan.

“Photographically, the biggest challenge was to create something unique from situations that were very fleeting. The prime minister had many engagements throughout the two days, so there was a lot of moving around from location to location.

“Many of the situations were also meetings, in very formal situations, so the challenge was to try to find an interesting angle and moment.”

Were you on a deadline to turn around each photo opportunity or were you looking for a more considered set from the tour as a whole?

“I shot entirely on digital, as I have done for all of my work for the past few years. I filed twice each day, one after the morning events and then in the late evening, after the afternoon and early evening events. This was a relatively new experience for me; however, a lot of preparation before I began the shoot enabled me to plan accordingly and deliver the images quickly, so that they could be used almost immediately after the events occurred.

“As I was shooting, I always had in the back of my mind the idea of creating more of a feature package for the prime minister’s two-day trip. Over the coming days and weeks, I will spend more time with the images and shape the edit to reflect this.”

What was the hardest photograph to get?

“I think the hardest shot was a natural portrait of the prime minister. He was so busy throughout the trip that getting something natural was a real challenge, as he was always with somebody, or doing something.

“I got one portrait of him when he was in the old hutongs of Beijing, which I quite like. It’s one of the only images that I took where he is actually looking right at me. It was the briefest of glances but I think it makes the picture.”

What’s your favourite shot from the tour?

“There is one image of the prime minister walking down the red carpet inside the Great Hall of the People, accompanied by his staff. This was taken a fraction of a moment before he met Chinese President Hu Jintao. I was the only photographer with them at that point, so it was very pleasing to get this unique shot at such an important moment in the trip.

“There is another image from the hutongs which I like. It is from a moment just before the Prime Minister is about to get into his car. I like how all the elements within the frame all work well together and the surroundings give you a hint of old Beijing.

“As well as having the opportunity to photograph the Prime Minister, I also had the opportunity to photograph Chinese leaders, Wen Jiabao and Hu Jintao. Hu was recently voted the most powerful man in the world by Forbes magazine, so to photograph his meeting with the prime minister really was a great opportunity.

“As a result of the access I was able to get, I feel the two days really were a once-in-a-lifetime shoot.”

I was surprised to learn the other day that a friend of mine and fellow photographer, Lance Rosenfield, had made it onto CNN. I wasn’t surprised that he was in the limelight because he is an excellent photographer…see proof here and here.I was surprised  because he was on CNN since he had just been detained and harassed whilst on assignment photographing a BP oil refinery in Texas.

The above video is an interview with Lance from the Anderson Cooper show on CNN a couple of days ago. Lance outlines his experiences of being followed by the police, detained and quizzed after having taken pictures of the refinery.

It’s understandable that sights such as this will be sensitive to people randomly turning up and taking photographs. It’s equally understandable that they may stop people and ask what they are doing. What isn’t understandable is the way that those people can then be treated by the authorities as was outlined by Lance in his interview. The fact that Lance’s personal information was given to BP security by the police, despite his protests, is worrying. The fact that he was also intimidated by the threat and subsequent arrival of a Homelands Security Officer sounds excessive and uncalled for. Was this really needed when I am sure Lance outlined he was a professional photojournalist working for a reputable publication?

It’s seems this is another in a long line of conflicts between photographers and the authorities with the photographers normally ending up on the wrong side, being treated unfairly and with an excessive amount of suspicion. To be honest, I am not sure of the extent that this happens to photographers in the US on a daily basis. In the UK however it has been a contentious issue for some time now with a series of reported cases of photographers being harrassed and detained for photographing in public places mainly under the auspices of the ‘Terrorism Act’. Have a look at the video below from the Guardian News website from December last year showing the terrible treatment a student photographer received whilst out photographing in central London.

[youtube width="580" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-6DijNE3Z0[/youtube]

Active campaigning by large portions of the photography community in the UK against this kind of police behavior led to the excellent “I’m a Photographer Not a Terrorist” Campaign which culminated in January with a mass rally in Trafalgar Square in London. Constant pressure by photographers about the increased occurrence of this behavior towards them by the police, coupled with further campaigning, led to the determining that a certain section within the Terrorism Act that was mainly being used against photographers was deemed in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. It was an impressive victory but cases are still popping up from time to time about the excessive treatment issued against photographers by the authorities.

Wherever we are in the world, it’s an important issue to stay aware of and we must continue to defend our right to photograph in public places without the fear of harassment, detention or worse. Hats off to Lance for doing exactly that.

CHINA. Beijing. Muslim men worshiping at Niu Jie Mosque during Eid ul-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan. 2005

<<Return to the Learning Zone During our workshops over the past few months, I have often been asked the question “Where is the best place in Beijing to photograph….?” Now, you can insert pretty much anything you like into the last part of that question, as queries have come in to me about a myriad of different things. So, I thought it would be interesting to start a new series of posts that answers some of these questions about where I think are the best places to photograph in Beijing.

I have chosen Beijing for this focus, purely because I have lived in this city for nearly 4 years and like to think I have a good idea where things are and where are the best places for taking pictures. I would like to expand this concept to other cities in China, but I’ll start with my ‘home’ city first.

So, for the first part of these new posts, I answer the question “Where is the best place in Beijing to photograph…religion?”

CHINA. Beijing. A woman selling Muslim clothing in the area 'Niu Jie' during Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. 2005

I decided on this question as the first for this series because it immediately struck me as the one with the most obvious answer… Niu Jie (牛街), or in its literal translation, cow street, is the center of Beijing Muslim community and is one of the most interesting and eclectic areas of the city.

I first discovered this area in the autumn of 2005, on my very first trip to Beijing. I was staying in a hostel in the central hutongs south of Tiananmen Square at the time and found out about this area through a member of staff at the hostel who I had befriended (on a completely different note, always make friends with local hotel staff as they will invariably provide you with interesting tips about places off the beaten tourist path…I digress). My new friend from the hotel told me of this very unique area within walking distance that I should try to visit, if I wanted a different Beijing experience.

With map in hand, I headed out to find this area. Located directly south of ChangChun Jie (长椿街) subway station, ‘cow street’ was very easy to find. As soon as I turned a corner into the street, I was welcomed by an array of vendors selling snacks and treats from the back of their 3-wheeled bicycles slash mobile mini-stores. What struck me first was their appearance in that they were all wearing pleated hats, typical of Muslim men.

CHINA. Beijing. Muslim men at Niu Jie Mosque during Eid ul Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan. 2005

As I walked through the area, I peered into local shops with Arabic writing daubed above the doorways and started to tentatively take pictures. I say tentatively because photographing in areas where religion is very evident, demands a respectful and sensitive approach. You must gauge quickly whether people are happy to have their photograph taken and observe carefully when it is not welcomed. Saying this, I found most people to be more than happy to be photographed as long as I smiled, made eye-contact and approached people in an unthreatening manner.

Luckily when I was there, it was during the festival of Eid ul-Fitr, a festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. At this time, hundreds of Muslims celebrating the end of fasting for the month, throng the streets. It made for a wonderful spectacle and experience for me walking and photographing amongst the people in attendance.

CHINA. Beijing. Muslim women at Niu Jie Mosque. 2005

As an added bonus for myself, I was welcomed into Niu Jie Mosque, maybe the most famous of all mosques throughout China, to photograph on that day. How did I manage this? Just by befriending a local who saw my camera and gestured to me  to enter the mosque, an action I would not have taken had I not been invited. Once inside the mosque, I wandered amongst the worshipers as they went about their prayers and celebrations. In this situation you have to keep your presence down to a minimum, as much as possible. You make small movements, you move slowly, all in a way not to disturb at all the people and events that are taking place.

In this post you can see many of the pictures that I took at Niu Jie. It really is a fascinating area in Beijing, which isn’t visited as much as many other spots. If you have time and are looking for a somewhat different side to Beijing, Niu Jie is well worth an afternoon of exploration.

Have you visited Niu Jie? What were your experiences? Are there other areas of interest like this in Beijing?

<<Return to the Learning Zone

Chinese New Year Workshop | White Cloud Temple

February welcomed a very unique time of the Chinese calendar; Chinese New Year. To mark the most important holiday of the year, we decided to run a special workshop to coincide with the celebrations in Beijing.

Claire | White Cloud Temple Fair

On 16th February we headed to the White Cloud Temple in XiCheng District. This spectacular Taoist temple is over 1000 years old and is one of the city’s hidden cultural gems. It served as the perfect backdrop for us to explore and photograph traditional celebrations in the capital.

Marina | White Cloud Temple Fair

This post features a selection of photos taken on the day. Thanks to Marina and Claire for making it a fun afternoon!

Marina (left), Sean (center) and Claire (right) | White Cloud Temple

Claire photographing a temple visitor | White Cloud Temple