Event Date: September 25th, 2010
Time: 3pm – 5pm

Contact: Denise Robert
303-368-5208

Haitian Awareness Panel
at EventGallery 910Arts
Kicks-Off Haitian Exhibition

Colorado Haiti Project; Lespwa Haiti; Renewal 4 Haiti; The Lambi Fund of Haiti;Trees, Water & People; and Wish 4 Haiti are represented on a panel designed to introduce Colorado organizations working in Haiti, bring awareness to their efforts and invite the public to get involved. This will be the kick-off event for an exhibition of Haitian art and culture scheduled in the EventGallery 910Arts for summer 2011.

A discussion of how earthquake relief work transitions into rebuilding in Haiti and creation of the model for long term sustainability is led by Paul Casey, Executive Director of Colorado Haiti Project; photographers Colby Brown and Ray Tollison from Lespwa Haiti; Jodel Charles, Haitian immigrant and founder of Renewal 4 Haiti; Godson Beaugelin, Community Outreach Coordinator of The Lambi Fund of Haiti; Sebastian Africano, Deputy International Director, and Claudia Menendez, International Program Consultant, from Trees, Water & People; and Leslie Christensen from Wish 4 Haiti. And, the Colorado Committee on Africa and the Caribbean is a co-sponsor of the event.

Committed to demonstrating how art can inspire change, the EventGallery 910Arts is a gallery space that often offers exhibitions with a social or environmental message. Located in the heart of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe, the EventGallery 910Arts and Gallery Gifts are housed within the creative community known as 910Arts. It is a complex of 17 artists’ studios and galleries, 8 live-work lofts and the Studio 6 Coffee House, anchored by a colorful open-air courtyard. The EventGallery 910Arts is a venue for meetings, parties, workshops and retreats and it hosts music, literary and film events. For more information, please visit www.910Arts.com.

Introducing a new series of blog posts called “Passion for Photography“. As the photography industry continues to change, more and more photographers are finding themselves rediscovering their passions for the art of photography. This blog series is my attempt to share those realizations with you.

The question I am asked most often always goes something like this, “I have always dreamed of becoming a professional photographer, what is your secret?”.  As the photography industry itself continues to drastically change, I have noticed a constant flow of new people flooding into the ever shrinking photography job market. Whether it is because of the advancements in technology that has made owning a DSLR more affordable or the fact that people are being forced to think outside of the box to find any work at all, the fact remains that every day, more and more people are taking up the art of photography.

I have noticed that as people enter the market they begin to treat the thought of a camera just like any other device that is in the main stream market. Just like owning an Apple iphone, I see people purchasing the latest Canon or Nikon cameras for no other reason other then the fact that it is the newest camera on the market or they think it will make them a better photographer. I am constantly asked “Will this camera make me a better photographer?” or “What lens will help me take better photos?”. The reality of the situation is that while having a solid camera and set of lenses helps open up the realm of creative possibilities, they are complimentary to your skills as a photographer, not your skills themselves.

So what is it then that separates the professionals from the rest of the crowd? Passion and Creative Vision. Passion for the art of capturing experiences on this planet and having the Creative Vision to see beyond what most people see. Photographers that have the ability to implement those two aspects into their work will always separate them selves from the fold. Have you ever looked at an image and been emotionally attached to it, but you have no idea why? That is that missing piece that most photographers dont fully understand.

Creative Vision is not something that you can be taught. It is’t something that you can learn from a book, a workshop or an online tutorial. It is something you have to develop as a photographer on your own. As you take more and more photos, you will begin to see a pattern developing. With me for example, when I was first starting out 4 years ago, I started noticing that I under expose alot of my images. I was doing this somewhat subconsciously because it turns out that I LOVE dramatic light. By under exposing, I created images with a lot of contrast, such as in the image above. It is what I called “Moody Photography” because it forces the eye to explore the entire image. That of course is not the only way to do it, just the type of photographer I naturally found myself to be.

When in doubt, always follow your passions and try new things. If you are comfortable shooting only one way, try something new…get our of your comfort zone. You never know what you might come across if you give yourself the opportunity to be creative. It is hard to learn from the photos that just turned out amazing on their own. I personally learn more from studying my images that didn’t turn out as I expected. Don’t be detoured from photography if you aren’t always taking amazing photos. Learn from them. Just remember, no matter what any book, dvd or instructor says….there are NO rules to photography. Go out there and have fun.

Ansel Adams once said,

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate I shall be content with silence.”.

Within the next 12 months we are releasing a ton of amazing photography products that will continue to push the industry forward. On the forefront of that push is our brand new adventure photography backpack, THE LOKA. Utilizing ballistic rip stop nylon, high density foam, a waterproof urethane coated mesh and a mixture of heavy gauge and YKK waterproof zippers, the Loka is above and beyond anything else out there in the market. The pack sits at 37L, is airline safe and allows you to switch out how much photography gear you want to bring with you by offering you the choice of multiple ICU (Internal Camera Unit) sizes,  giving you the most customizable pack on the market.

I will have more info to share with you in the near future, but until then you can click on the photo for more information. The Loka will be shipping to those lucky enough to get in line for pre-order at the end of this month.

Yesterday, The Denver Post published an article that showcased the “Lespwa Haiti” project. Written by Kristen Kidd, it did a great job of summarizing the details of the project and it gave us the opportunity to reach millions of Colorado residents. You can click HERE to see a digital copy of the article. Thank you Denver Post.

Cash for Work Program in Carfu, Haiti

Cineas IDP Camp – Port Au Prince, Haiti

Village of Vialet, Haiti

“We Need Help” – Port Au Prince, Haiti – 2010

“We Need Help” was taken on the streets of Port Au Prince, Haiti after the devastating earthquake that level most of the country. It was captured with a Canon 1D Mark IV camera and a 70-200 2.8L IS II Lens while driving through the city. Anytime you are shooting humanitarian photography work, you have to dance the very thin line of effectively documenting the situation and respecting the people and cultures that are involved. This is never an easy task.

Check out the “Lespwa Haiti” Gallery located HERE to see more photography work from Haiti.

July 13th is the launch of a completely redesigned website and that is just the beginning.

More information coming soon!

WEBSITE - TWITTER – FLICKR – FACEBOOK

I leave you with two photos that are meant to inspire you to get outside and start exploring!

“Eden” – Byron Bay, Australia – 2004

“Buddhist Heights” – Annapurna Circuit, Nepal – 2007

“Purple Infusion” – Point Reyes National Seashore, California – 2010

“Purple Infusion” was taken just off the shoreline from the Point Reyes North Beach, north of San Fransisco. It was taken without a tripod with a Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro Lens. When shooting macro photography without using a tripod, you must learn to control your breathing and position your body in a way that doesn’t allow for any natural sway. It takes practice, but with the right equipment and technique you can pull off great macro images without always carrying around your tripod.

It has been over 6 months since the January 12th earthquake decimated the island nation of Haiti and yet there is still so much to be done. IDP camps litter the capital of Port Au Prince, effectively making over 1,000,000 Haitians vulnerable to what appears to be a very bad hurricane season. However the Haitian people still have hope and optimism in their hearts. Haitians are a hard working people and trust me…there is plenty of work that needs to be done. In the coming weeks, I hope you join Ray and I as we redesign the Lespwa Haiti website and bring to light touching stories, compelling photography and a glimpse into the amazing and resilient people of Haiti.