NewsDesigner.com – an excellent resource for designers and all those who love visual communication. There is even a recent post on the site about how Indian newspapers have considered packaging their news.

The long list of “Today's Front Pages” is simply awesome and is my favorite feature. It gives you a snapshot of what, and more importantly how, some of the world's leading papers are designing their fronts and delivering their news.

I have bookmarked this site and urge you to visit it often as well.

SAJA‘s mission. President-elect Deepti Hajela explains what SAJA is all about:

“I think it's important for journalists to understand the differences even within South Asia, not just between South Asia and East Asia. If the reporting is going to be truly accurate, then people in media need to be aware that being Indian is NOT the same as being Pakistani, which is NOT the same as being Bangladeshi, which is NOT the same as being Sri Lankan, etc. People from different countries have different cultural backgrounds, different immigrant histories and experiences, are concerned with different aspects of public policy. Are there issues in common? Of course. But Asia is not one big monolith. It's made up of numerous cultures, and crafting the most thorough coverage requires media to recognize that.”

I coughed up enough cash to become a lifetime member. Why? Because it makes sense; SAJA is a hard-working organization interested in the things that I am interested in. Until recently I was on the board and I continue to work with them when it comes to topics directly or remotely connected to photojournalism.

If you work as a journalist, interested in South Asia, join up. Tell 'em Tiffinbox sent ya.

Via John Laxmi

Washington Post honors its own photojournalists. The gallery of their work is posted here.

Via Sree Sreenivasan

Voice Of America reported yesterday that Arko Datta won the 2004 World Press Photo Award.

“An Indian photographer has won the prestigious World Press Photo Award for his picture of an Indian woman mourning the death of a relative killed in the Asian tsunami.

The picture, taken by Reuters photographer Arko Datta, shows a woman lying on sandy ground with her hands turned toward the sky. The hand of a dead relative is visible nearby.

The photo, taken in Cuddalore in India's Tamil Nadu state two days after the December 26 tsunami, was one of nearly 70,000 pictures submitted by professional photographers from 123 countries.

One of the judges, Kathy Ryan from The New York Times called the image graphic, historic and starkly emotional.

Mr. Datta will receive the distinguished award, along with nearly $13,000, in a special ceremony in Amsterdam in April.”

Tiffinbox applauds Arko's dedication to photojournalism and congratulate him on this award. I am trying to contact him to see if his work can be exhibited here and at the SAJA Photoforum.

Yes, this is a shameless plug, but I had to do it. If you know of any couples starting to plan their wedding for 2005, 2006 or beyond, please refer them to me. I offer a $100 referral fee or a gift-card as a way of saying thanks. Obviously, your friends must sign on with my services.

Buzzword aside, what I do is pure wedding photojournalism. If my clients want me to shoot posed portraits, I am more than willing to oblige.

Here is what Bakul and Niru, one of my clients, had to say about my work:

Your behind the scenes approach has worked superbly, in that you've captured scenes and people as they are in their natural poise in whatever circumstance the shot was taken. The essence of the moment is there to be clearly seen in each shot. The pictures are alive, they contain movement, character and they speak to the heart. A slice-of-life captured for eternity. For us this definitely has an edge over the usual, sometimes awkward, posed,'say cheese' photographs with family and friends.

And, Kaity and Ken:

“Seshu did a great job documenting our wedding. Unlike most photographers, he was very flexible and easy to work with. He took pride in his work and it was apparent that he enjoyed doing it. We really like his photo-journalistic style, which aims to tell a story from beginning to end. For example, Seshu made an extra trip to NY just to take pictures of my first dress fitting. He also captured very special private moments that we will continue to cherish for years to come – one of my favorite pictures is the one he took of my neice dozing off inside the limo. She was dressed in a beautiful light pink dress with a small bouquet next to her – I can't remember whether its on the website – but the peacefulness of her expression, the lighting, and the softness of the dress and the flowers was just amazing. Its special moments like that that we remember most about my wedding. We think that most photographers will just do a good job capturing posed shots – which is nice – but the really great ones go beyond that to try to capture feelings and the sentiments. Many of Seshu's pictures did that and we are really thankful for them.”

For more information, please visit Pipal Productions.

Vamsee Tirukkala, a fan of this website writes that Bay Area Unites is unlike any fundraising event. On February 20, 2005, in San Jose, California, about 12,000 people are expected to raise funds for multiple relief organizations such as Red Cross, UNICEF and AIF. Among other luminaries, former President Bill Clinton will make a short video presentation.

Read more about it by clicking the link above. If you are in the vicinity, please attend and or lend a hand. They do welcome volunteers as well. If you are blogging about the relief efforts in South Asia, please feel free to link to this post or blog it yourself.

Via Shahidul Alam

Shanika clung on to her dad Priantha, when she realised we were near to the sea. She had been in her aunt’s house in Hikkaduwa which had survived the waves, but had felt the fury of the sea. It had taken away her mother, her twin sister and her two other sisters and their home. The sea was to be feared. She did not want to go back there, photographs or no photographs. Priantha tried to explain that it would be safe, but Shanika was not convinced.

It was my digital camera which changed things. Most people in the sub-continent love being photographed. The joy of seeing her own image instantly brought a smile to Shanika’s face, and soon we were friends. She took photographs of her dad, her aunt and of me. Soon she was taking photographs of me by the sea, but telling me to be careful!

There are no direct flights from Dhaka to Colombo and I left on the 29th December, the first flight I could get. I didn’t have a very clear idea of what I would do once I got there. Dominic put me in touch with wildlife photographers Rukshan, Vajira and some other friends who had all gotten together to try and get relief goods to the worst affected areas. Margot and others had also helped. Dominic and I had bought some stuff, but it was pale in comparison to the truckloads that Rukshan and his friends had put together. Our convoy of twelve vehicles followed the two lorries though Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, Timbolketiya, Uda Walawe, Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Buttala, Moneragala and Siyambalanduwa until we came to the Lahugala military camp.

It was there that we realised that our planning was less than perfect. The initial outpouring of support had resulted in places being overstocked, while we heard of other places which had received nothing. A military anti-landmine vehicle helped pull one of our lorries from the rainsoaked fields, and except for a small amount of rice, lentils and medicine which we left for families in most need, we put things back on the lorries to be returned to Colombo until we had a better idea of what to do. Soaking in the rain we piled back the tons of rice, milk powder, medicine, soap, clothes and all the other things we had emptied from the vehicle. While the others headed back, Rukshan, Vajira and I went on to the eastern coast of Pottuvil. There was an eerie emptiness. Only the scattered toys and other remnants gave away the fact that there had been a vibrant village. There were no bodies, no sounds, no wailing for the dead.

As a Bangladeshi, I was used to disasters, but the spontaneous collectives that would form when we were kids, singing songs, collecting old clothes from door to door, forming community groups who tried in their own way to stay by the needy, seem to have given way to the more ‘official’ methods of relief. Nowadays NGO efforts and organised disaster management seem to be our standard responses. Our own efforts seem to be restricted to the prime minister’s relief fund. In Sri Lanka, I could still sense the outpouring of sympathy that people felt for their fellow being.

I came across wonderful stories of human compassion and bravery. And while I lamented the lack of early warnings and the bureaucracy that prevented those who knew, from warning those who didn’t, I still came back convinced that it would take much more than tsunamis to tame the human spirit.

In Paris, the city of lights, you are going to have to think twice about photographing the Eiffel Tower. This isn't some half-baked French attempt to ape the New York City MTA. No, this is pure capitalism at work. This is copyright law run amuck. Lights out!

Via APAD

This profession seeks the best. The competition for the best positions is fierce. But it isn't impossible. If you have a sense of mission, passion and some decent skill there is almost no way to “stop” you.

Read the rest of David Leeson‘s poignant conversation.

Crisis Pictures makes “stories about other people” into “stories about other people just like me.”

Is Air America behind Crisis Pictures?