The leaves have started to change. They drop – yellow, red, brown and some green – as the wind kicks up once in a while, or the rain yanks them off branches. But no, despite the weather cooling off considerably in the last few weeks, I am not talking about the climate as we know it. I am referring to the current sorry state of the photography industry. It's abysmal with no positive change in sight.

Through the National Press Photographers Association's list serv I received this in my in-box. It made my blood boil. When a photographer has to resort to washing dishes and placing himself on an auction block, I have to wonder why we even bother pursuing stories and documenting the lives of people around the world. Is it some sort of crime to try and make a living at what we love to do? For those who are freelancing, my heart really goes out to you. Making a fair wage should be our Right. And I do mean that with a capital R.

If there is thin lining to this cloud, it's the valiant work of people at Editorial Photographers. If you are in New York City on October 30 check out a brutally frank discussion about the state of affairs of the editorial photo industry. I trust that you will learn something new, be inspired or come to a decision that is far from ideal. For more information, please click on the link below. The war against photographers can be fought, not individually, but together!

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Much like my former post post, there is another photo exhibit that's making the rounds in the US. Scroll down below for dates and times.

Associated with the exhibit is a symposium that promises to discuss the political weight images carry (in the context of the British Raj, of course). Hot topic, in my opinion. How are South Asians perceived now has much to do with how we were photographed in the past. I am sure Vijay Prashad of The Karma of Brown Folk fame has something to say about this.

Via India New England News

19th-century Photos Show Indian Monuments Location: Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven, Conn.

Thu., Oct. 16 through Sun., Jan. 11, 2004 at the Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven, Conn.

Free and open to the public.

The Yale Center for British Art presents “Traces of India: Photography, Architecture and the Politics of Representation” – a new exhibition of more than 200 19th-century photographs of India’s monuments. Organized by the Canadian Center for Architecture, the exhibition will show major sites on Indian history and demonstrate the interpretive nature of photography of British India. On display: photographs, engravings, prints, maps, books, postcards, posters and other artifacts. A related symposium, “Representing the Raj,” on Oct. 17 and 18 will look at the photos’ political and cultural messages.

The art center is open Tue. – Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sun., Noon to 5 p.m.. It is closed Mondays and major holidays.

For more info., call (203) 432-2853 or visit www.yale.edu/ycba.