Author: admin

I promise that this is not going to become a forum for re-posting articles from The Online Photographer, but I thought this article and Mike Johnson’s response might interest the historians in my audience, as it is a photographic puzzle that really gets to the heart of the way that pre-conceptions, agendas, and lack of expertise can seriously impair our understanding of a historical source.

For the record, I am not particularly convinced by the ‘ON’ then ‘OFF’ argument, if for no better reason than that the former just ‘looks wrong,’ and I think I hold with those who suspect arrangement. The motivation of a person that stays hours at a place to produce an image less-illustrative of the point they were apparently trying to make is not clear to me either, so I think the psychology of the man does enter into it.

Kenji Nagai

Even if you do not follow photography news, I think you should take a look at this post on The Online Photographer, and follow the link to the story. These are the risks that journalists take to tell us of the policies and acts of some of the world’s most repressive regimes. I can only hope that this story, and Mr. Nagai’s dying photos, can help ramp up the pressure on the Burmese government to end military rule.

Original Post at The Online Photographer

Meskel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 2007

Meskel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 2007

Meskel (transliterations may vary, as Fidel does not map directly to Roman script) is one of the most important Ehtiopian religious holidays, as it celebrates the finding of the true cross, an even which involved placing a fire on the spot it was found (look this up–I have limited and expensive bandwidth). The finding of the cross is commemorated by religious show culminating in the lighting of a huge bonfire out of traditional Meskel flowers, which are also strewn on floors for the day.

These two young priests in front of the fire, with traditional processional cross (actually, a bit more modern than most of the processional crosses in attendance that day) and in church holiday vestments, represent this well. Despite being a ‘Respected Guest’, I had trouble getting past the National Police to the actual fire, as it was across the street from the viewing section. (In the process, I had my pocket cut and phone removed–I am not sure if it was recovered.) This young man was the only one with a traditional cross left at the fire, but luckily he was eager to pose, and this is my favorite shot of the bunch.

I will add their names, should that interest anyone, as soon as I email them the images–I left their email addresses at my hotel.