Raghu Rai and Martin Parr exhibitions at Foto Freo

In a word these exhibitions are stunning, although both extremely different. Raghu Rai's black and white portraits of India are nothing short of incredible and this photographer's integrity, commitment and humility is clearly evident in the selection "My India". Martin Parr's "No Worries" captures the Aussie of the outback and is a fine example of his style.

If you are in Fremantle, check out these exhibitions at the Western Australian Maritime Museum (WAMM).

From "My India" (copyright: Raghu Rai)

Foto Freo - 10 x 100 Exhibition Opening

Last night the 10x100 exhibition opened featuring works by Brad Rimmer, Max Pam, Louise Whelan, John Ogden, Lee Grant, Jack Picone, Tim Page, Heide Smith, Marian Drew and Narelle Autio. All photographs were shot on the Fujifilm Finepix X100 of which the editor of Pro Photo, Paul Burrows has said, "cameras this good simply don't come along all that often". The works speak for themselves, an eclectic collection of images from a diverse group of photographers.

If you are in Freo check it out at the Prison. If not, you can buy the book published by T&G Publishing.

Cover photo: Louise Whelan

Foto Freo is on - Now!

Last night Foto Freo turned on a star spangled evening for its opening and it wasn't just the heavens that sparkled. On the ground were photography luminaries from around the globe. Opened by Martin Parr (Magnum Photos), the crowd gathered in the gardens of the Fremantle Arts Centre included noted social documentary photographers and photojournalists, here to celebrate a festival that has grown from an idea tossed about by three local photographers a decade ago - Max Pam, Brad Rimmer and Graham Miller - to become one of the most important on the international photography calendar.

In a scene that could be likened to the heady days of Paris at the turn of the last century when artists - visual and written word - came together to share ideas, spark off each other and enjoy a sense of community - Foto Freo's opening proved that in the Digital Age of the 21st Century we still gain more from face to face contact than we ever will via cyberspace.

Look out for my feature on Foto Freo Ten Years on coming up in a future edition of Pro Photo.

To find out more about Foto Freo please visit Foto Freo 2012 Programme

This is the image on the cover of Martin Parr's book - No Worries published by T&G Publishing. The exhibition of the same name and the book launch tomorrow, Sunday 18th March 6.30pm at WAMM Victoria Quay, Fremantle.

Photo: Martin Parr 

The Big Picture - Japan a year after the tsunami

The Big Picture (Boston Globe) - photo essay on Japan a year after the tsunami. Photographs really do say more than words - view here

Photo: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images March 10, 2012

Martin Parr No Worries - Foto Freo Opens tomorrow

My profile story on Martin Parr and the Foto Freo project, No Worries, is the cover story for the March issue of Pro Photo magazine. Foto Freo opens tomorrow in Fremantle and Martin will officiate. Check out the Foto Freo Program. Another fantastic amalgam of photography from around the world. Hats off to Bob Hewitt and his team, for without their passion and hard work this important photographic festival would not happen.

Dominic Nahr's powerful photo essay on the mass protests in Cairo

"On January 27th, 2011, Dominic Nahr began documenting mass protests in Cairo that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak and ignited similar struggles throughout the middle east. This multimedia photo essay combines many unpublished images by Nahr woven with audio he recorded from Tahrir Square. Dominic Nahr was commisioned by TIME to do this reportage." (Magnum Photos). Please take the 3 minutes and 37 seconds to view this powerful photo essay at Dominic Nahr Photo Essay Cairo 2011

To go or not to go? The dilemma facing conflict journalists in 2012

Today's New York Times article "Conflict Reporting in the Post-Embed Era" by Stephen Farrell is a sobering reminder of the perils of covering conflict zones such as Syria where the media is clearly a target and journalists and photographers put their lives on the line to give voice to those suppressed and marginalized. Having interviewed numerous conflict photojournalists over the years I have heard many stories about close calls and injuries, both emotional and physical, and the toll this profession takes on the lives of these dedicated reporters. Please take the time to read this article in its entirety At War

Foto Freo 2012: Divergence: Photographs from Elsewhere

Foto Freo is now only three weeks away opening 16th March. A definite highlight is Divergence: Photographs from Elsewhere featuring works by “many of the world’s most innovative photographers and photojournalists from Argentina, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, UK and the USA." On at the Midland Atelier, Divergence comprises exhibitions, site specific installations, projections, workshops and artist floor talks. If you haven’t checked out the programme yet please visit Foto Freo.

The Future of Photojournalism - the debate continues

Dan Chung, who made his name primarily shooting for The Guardian newspaper in the UK says he doesn't see a future for photojournalism in its current form. Check out his interview with Digital Photography Review .

What do you think of his comments?

Foto Freo 2012 - Photography Workshops

 

Documentary photographer Claire Martin and Sam Harris will run a five day workshop for up to 12 people as part of the Foto Freo Fringe Program. Claire's exhibition, Slab City, featured in my 2010 profile on the Festival - her work is extraordinary. This is a great opportunity. Check it out at Harris Martin Workshops

Foto Freo 2012 Core Programme

Foto Freo is on again. This international biennial photography festival held in the port city of Fremantle in Perth, Western Australia is definitely worth making the trip for. This year's core programme features a diverse range of photographers from around the world including Magnum Photos Martin Parr, and Australians Tim Page, Brad Rimmer, Max Pam and Jack Picone.

Check out the website for details Foto Freo Core Exhibitions 2012