April 29 Update

Hi all

You might have heard about the early morning terrorist attack on Colombo. I just got a call from Terry...it is about 2am in Sri Lanka and he is safe and well (hurray for Skype and the internet!). He is boiling to death though as they have cut power to the city so his ceiling fan is not working.

It seems that the biggest drama at the moment is there is no power for people to be watching the world cup Sri Lanka vs Australia as it enters its last overs...arghh!

Here is the latest from the BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6604645.stm

Love
G

(Sunday morning 7:04: Sri Lanka lost the world cup final, power didn't come on until just after 5am which means there was no world cup viewing in Colombo during the last part of the match, and there was gunfire in Bambalapitiya [area where I live]. I don't know the story on that yet, but will find out more...T)

Black and White

Since Geoff is experimenting with black and white images, here are a few of my own... T

Rückenfigur...

"Literally meaning "back figure", the term rückenfigur is usually associated with German romantic painters, such as Caspar David Friedrich, to describe a viewpoint that includes another person seen from behind, viewing a scene spread out before the viewer. (The key element to understand Friedrich's ideas and the relevance of his work is the link between landscape and religion. Most of his best-known paintings are expressions of a religious mysticism. His landscapes seek not just blissful enjoyment of a beautiful view, as in the Classic conception, but an instant of sublimity, a reunion with the spiritual self through the lonely contemplation of the overwhelming nature).

Over the years this particular technique has found its way quite substantially into the heart of both photography and cinema, but strangely receives little acknowledgment in either. While rückenfigur has its own classical definitions, this group is open to examine the mystery that rückenfigur conveys... so, many interpretations of this visual style are welcome"...






G

Beyond Externals...#2

Hey All

Many thanks to my first willing subject for this project...

Love

G

Nicole - Age 43

Beyond Externals...

Hey all

I have always been fascinated by what a portrait can capture of someone beyond the externals. A few years back I saw a series of portraits in B&W that I found incredibly inspiring and decided recently that I would love to be able to capture some of that in my own photography.

In a moment of complete self indulgence (basically it is the only subject matter that I happen to have on hand at the moment!), I have started with 'Self portrait - age 42'. This may end up a series of portraits of friends, family and others over time or maybe just a few sporadic photos...who knows?...

If you are willing to sit for a portrait let me know...and yes you will get veto on whether it is used for the blog or not!

Love

G

Self Portrait - Age 42

Change of Seasons!

On the lighter side of things after my last serious post...

While Geoff is adding spring photos, we're preparing for the monsoons in Sri Lanka. It has started to rain a bit here, which is welcome relief after three months of dry weather and a month of sweltering temperatures. There have even been power cuts due to the lack of rain (and this country relying heavily on hydroelectric power), and people have been feeling completely drained from the heat.

I've been told that the rains also bring a kind of spring to this region as well, with a lot of flowers blooming at the end of April and into May (photo updates to come).

In the meantime, I've been looking through my other photos and I'm posting some artsy ones for your enjoyment.

T

War...What is it Good For?

Sri Lanka is paradise with a problem...war in the north and east!

I'm living in a country filled with death, bombs, fear, anger, propoganda, frustration, loss, warmth, forgiveness, and hope. I've been asked by many of you to write on the "reality" of WHERE I am and WHY I'm here. These are some of my perspectives:

While we live in relative comfort in Colombo, other parts of this beautiful country are paying the price for a 30+ year conflict; fisherman who aren't allowed to fish (because of security and curfews), farmers who can't farm (because of landmines, unsecured land, etc), and people with small businesses who can't work (because they keep getting displaced, and then return to stolen and bombed-out equipment). Families are scared to send their kids to school...because children disappear and end-up as soldiers. While some people are making decent wages in this country, some are getting by on less than 2000 rupees/month ($20)...that's WHERE I am.

When I'm in Canada I often hear that we are "lucky" and that we should be thankful for living in such a peaceful place. My response is yes, we are lucky, but I also do not want to see us take what we have for granted. Sometimes it is difficult to understand the reality taking place in many parts of the world, but at the same time it is important to engage in, and understand that reality, and use the knowledge gained to actively participate in upholding the rights and privileges that we are being afforded in Canada. I am speaking as much about myself as about anyone when I say that we need to become more aware, and overcome the development of complacency; We are sometimes more concerned with the details of "what can make MY life better", than the big picture of "what can make our society a better and more human/e place to live"...that's WHY I'm here.

That's my rant for the day. I've added some newsreels on the side... T

April Fool's Day from Google

Hi all

I was just looking at Google's April Fools Day joke http://www.google.com/tisp/ quite clever really...have a look at the FAQ section.

I have also just added a new weather box on the right hand side [especially for Canadians who love their weather forecasts!]. You can use the drop-down menu for changing between Vancouver and Colombo

G