From what I can see.
Point of view makes all the difference.
This is the back of an elephant.
Moving to a new city can be tough. It has its perks, but its tough. I used to thrive off change, what happened?
Now I only want the familiar.
Documentary Arts Asia
Sometimes things happen, just to tell you to keep moving forward. To keep doing what your doing.
For a while, I have been struggling with finding my place in the photography world. For a while, I have quit trying to "make" it as a photographer professionally and decided to become an enthusiast, since really, thats what I am. I just want to love it, and let it be part of me, and eventually I will find out how I am a part of the photography world.
So, I went to the Foundry Workshop for Documentary Photography in Thailand this last summer. It was incredible, and I got to me many photojournalist who's work I have been following for years. I was nervous the entire time, as most participants are very talented, and working photojournalists. It is not a competitive atmosphere, it is a learning and networking one.
To be honest, I almost didn't even submit my story because I was not feeling confident in my photographs. But, alas, my wonderful teacher Andrea Bruce, encouraged me to.
Documentary Arts Asia, chose 24 photographs from the entire workshop to go in an exhibit. And they chose mine. Wait, what? I couldn't believe it. You can read about and eventually view the exhibit here.
"This exhibition represents Chiang Mai, as seen through the hearts and lenses of some of the most talented young photographers in the world right now." -Documentary Arts Asia. I don't mind to have been numbered among them.
I will post my entire story on Elephant Rehabilitation in Thailand soon.
Thailand Snippet
Going through my Thailand pictures, and I saw this and remembered how I loved this moment. We were walking up on to a see one of the hundreds of temples in Thailand, and there were these dancers, and amongst them this little sweet girl. I picture what it must have been like prior to coming to the temple for her that day. Possibly, she didn't want to go, because I know if I was her age, I probably would have been wanting to do plenty of other things. Or maybe she did want to go, but got really bored after the first 30 min. Either way I love it, she took me out of where I was, and made me think, kids are kids, no matter where they are in the world.
Kham Puem
Meet Kham Puem. Her name means Golden Bell. I met this sweet, gentle Elephant a few days ago while I was shooting at a Elephant Rehabilitation Facility here in Chiang Mai.
Kham Puem is blind. She was rescued from an illegal logging company (which is illegal in Thailand). Often, out of anger, the owners would blind the elephants to make them more dependent and subservient. I am so grateful for the Lek, the owner of this center, and her drive to rescue elephants from these horrible situations. They have Elephants that have been in land mines, stabbed and beat for street shows, and even very, very injured from forced breeding. It is so sad, and I honestly can hardly think of it with out getting choked up, or angry. Tomorrow I get to photograph Lek (the wonderful lady who started it all) and her elephants. Her relationship with them is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. There are few things I love more then an animal and human relationship. Unspoken love and trust.