BURMESE SHOW AT MONTEPULCIANO

During the PASSION & PROFESSION time in Montepulciano my show dedicated to Burmese people will be inaugurated. Here is the presentation.
"A dedication to the BURMESE people, their daily life and culture. Victims and executioners, pacifists and violent, believers and transgressive. A people who fought for freedom, but dominates ethnic minorities that make up the rest of modern Myanmar. People who follow the Buddhist precepts but wear a uniform stained of the worst crimes. Monks who embody the spirit of the country, but are able to rebel only when their privileges are called into question by the regime.
Beyond the clichés the modern Myanmar is a reality poor, violent, complex. With a few innocent and many responsibilities. And many victims.
The democratic freedoms of the Burmese people is in its ability to overcome internal divisions and contrasts. The country risks becoming Yugoslavia in Asia if not balanced find a way out of the military dictatorship. Parties from all the opposition knows well, and they fear civil war more then repression of the regime.
How will Shan, Karen, Rakhine and the many other ethnic groups react to a power vacuum? Somebody will be able to create a federalism that completely erases years of oppression and violence? The monastic power will become an instrument of union?
A country with a culture so old as well preserved must put aside their divisions and grievances and seek new road to stay abreast of the continent. Provided that the two neighboring powers, China in the first place and also India, finally renounce that political and economic control that has condemned Myanmar for its state of passion."

PASSION & PROFESSION: IT'S TIME

In Italian, for once. L'iniziativa del TPW Passion & Profession, da un'idea di Carlo Roberti che io ho caldamente incoraggiato, vuole rispondere alle molte domande dei giovani che vorrebbero intraprendere l'attività di fotografo. Con particolare attenzione a fotogiornalismo, travel e fine art. L'intervento di numerosi esperti professionali assicura una panoramica della situazione analizzata da vari punti di vista, e la possibilità di colloqui mirati molto efficaci. Il tutto a un costo complessivo molto contenuto. Invito allora tutti gli amici che mi pongono domande di carattere professionale a partecipare: è un'occasione unica per chiarirci le idee (tutti noi) e decidere da che parte andare! Ci vediamo a Montepulciano il 27 giugno!

IS ENGLAND DANGEROUS?

In the Lake District shooting a story for Islands magazine on England's Coast to Coast walk. This is supposed to be one of the most safe and peaceful places on Earth. The perfect retreat for pensioners and wealthy Englishmen. Yet yesterday I managed to be chased by a gentleman (well, an hooligan I suppose!) that used nothing less then a baseball bat to convince me that he was not a proper subject for this story! After Kashmir , Burma and Chad it would have been absurd to be injured among the rolling hills of England... Never give up your expectations...

ISTANBUL IS A MODERN CITY.. WELL, KIND OF..

"Modern city life".. oh yes, this is the subject of this story, with a special attention to food. But what is modern? What is traditional? What is new? No women were wearing burka in Turkey until a few years ago. So burka is a new element of modern Turkey? We could discuss longly about it..
In 1976, the first time I was in magic Istanbul, the boats serving grilled fish at Galata Bridge were numerous, small, crowded. Ten years after few were left, and few people -mostly local- were buying food from them. Today only four are left, but much larger and with hints of funny grandeur. Tables are set on the Golden Horn banks: fortunately most of the clients are still Turkish and not groups of tourists. So, is this modernity too?

THANKS FOR THE NAPLES WORKSHOP AT FNAC

Hello from Bergen, Norway! Just out of this lively pub with a great singer and rivers of beer running to the sea... Not for me, but still upbeat! But I really would like to thank the participants to the FNAC workshop in Naples, last Sunday. It was a new, interesting experience: a walk through this lovely city focusing on what and how to see scenes to photograph. Once again I think these occasions are as precious to me as to the other guys because we can really discuss what is outstandingly interesting and what we thought could be but is not!

SUNDAY 11th AT FNAC NAPLES, A TALK, A WALK..

Hello from Hong Kong! Next Sunday I'll be at FNAC in Naples for a one day talk and a short walk through the city. Needless to say, photography will be the subject. Let's try to keep it more on the content side rather then the usual technical talk talk..

TRAGEDY ON THE DELTA

Once again Myanmar is the center of terrible news. This time was nature to strike in the Ayeyarwady Delta. Some of you may remember the story I shoot couple of years ago in this region (this is my boatman there): it was hard to enter the area forbidden to foreigners. Forbidden because the military government didn't want the world to see how basic and poor life is there. And now is not difficult to imagine what kind of damage such a powerful storm must have produced in this unprotected delta, and how many people must have succumbed. For sure many more then the 4000 said. Help is needed...

TOKYO, OH TOKYO....

What is an art scene without some eccentricity? Well, Takeshita Dori has the answer.. actually, many answers! Young people make an art of dressing themselves, like in a Vivian Westwood dream world, and then keep expressing their feelings in all possible ways. Meet Ryo, Myo and Mashiro, their pictures, their face-language, all what is in front of them...

HELLO FROM KYOTO

Working on a travel assignment here in Kyoto, the city often said to be the Japanese equivalent of Florence.. and seeing the flocks of tourists crowding the magnificent temples I can understand why! I'm still searching for the soul of this place, if there is still one to be discovered! The most difficult task, in this modern globalized world, is really this: searching for a reason to travel when at first sight everything seems so familiar.. But there is always a good reason to explore: at least the exploration itself...

PASSION & PROFESSION

On June 27-29 the TPW project Passion & Profession will be held in Montepulciano. It's a great and affordable opportunity to talk in a very realistic way of our profession today. I'll be part of the panel on the 28th, but all of the three days will be equally useful to clarify many ideas to all of us. See the link to have more info..

NAG AT FNAC GENOA

Hello from Norway! Just to remind that on April 22nd the NAG show will be opening at FNAC in Genoa. I can't be there as I'll be going to Japan right afterwards..

BURMA IS GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE..

Just back in Bangkok from Burma. The situation is really difficult to the people: practically no gasoline, electricity.. Still the military regime is building a new capital in the middle of nowhere. It's really a bunker to protect themselves from possible revolts. A government based on terror. I managed to shoot a story on the new city: a risky idea that i hope will be published soon. I'll keep you posted..

GOT THE VISA, GOING TO BURMA..

Just got the visa form Burma and going there again for around 10 days.. Subject will be mostly the Arakan region, but I'll stop in Yangon, visiting the Shwedagon pagoda at full moon, with so many new feeling in mind.. you know what I mean.. No connections there, not even phone: so I'll be in touch after the 24th.

NAG SHOW AT FNAC TURIN

Just to remind that on March 19th the NAG show will open at FNAC Turin. I won't be there, of course, but I hope we can plan with friend at FNAC a meeting during the show that will last until April 17th.

NO BLOG IN CHINA

Just back in Bangkok from 3 weeks in Yunnan, Southern China... Connections were difficult, and accessing the blog, as many other websites, impossible.. But it was a nice experience covering an area that is mostly dedicated to internal travel rather then to foreign visitors. We also shoot a story on Ruili, the border town with Burma where Jade market  seems to be very far from Beijing control. Now I’m heading for Burma to shoot a story on the Arakan region.