Burma/Myanmar Cyclone.

Thank You James, important work.

great work, james. well done getting down there.

Wow! I’ve been following the story on the BBC. I can only imagine the stench. Important work. Well done. Thank you for being there. How is your heart?

James,
Thank you for bringing forth work that really gives voice to the graveness of the situation there.

.

It was a similar experience to the tsunami with
none of the help.

It was not easy to see the loss of live and
then know that there would be no facility
families could go to seek out lost loved ones.

This is just so difficult to fathom. Has humanity really become so callous? Impervious to suffering. Nature caused the calamity but humanity is perpetuating genocide. The BBC was reporting this morning that the death toll will take another leap impacting children. Who or what is benefiting? Who or what is profiting?

Nice work James. There are many many people sitting green with envy looking at your photos….all were denied visas on my end. Anyway….the results are stunning impressions which take us beyond the sort of images which only give information. Yours are full of feeling and palpable atmosphere.

the pictures here in this thread are sensationalist and disrespectful.

now we just need to build a sideshow, with some fancy music. it will be easier to digest…

I’d thought that disrespectful would be the so-called champions of democracy and peace, doing sweet f**k all to help those who obviously need it. The generals would rather none of these images be seen, so that they can continue with their real life version of The Sims and building little armies like they were 10 again.

I guess the images would be better if we saw them with smiling, happy faces huh?

I had expected a bit of this back biting. I cannot
speak for the images posted on this thread. They seem to
be from the Asian Tsunami and posted to be sensational.
So, on that I agree. They are not from Myanmar/ Burma. The Irrawaddy Delta is a muddy estuary and has no
white sand or turquoise water like the posted photos.

I photographed some troubling events in Burma/ Myanmar.
Why? There is no better way to describe a blood sucking
government that does not give a rat’s arse about its
OWN people. Muchacho, que es la problem? Necesitamos
ver la situacion brutal para comprender. Si or no?

The junta is heartless and brutal. I agree that a
series of morgue photos is tasteless. Sanitized
disaster doesn’t work either. We are adults here.
The truth is the truth. It is what it is, and what
it is is needless suffering. You would have to be
some sort of sick #!*x%x to gain pleasure from witnessing
and recording such a thing.

Apparently the international pressure, which would
not be there at all without visual, photographic EVIDENCE,
is having some effect even with this horrid junta.
Still, this very minute, there are relief supplies
sitting in Thailand that cannot get to the mouths
of people down there who desperately need them.
Without MORE pressure, do you honestly think the
junta will allow aid in?

I have posted nothing on this thread but I do not
back away a step from what I photographed or why
I did it.

If it is not within your comfort zone, then that
is your decision. I respect that.

I am signing off this thread.

...to be expected, I knew. I did my part to help the Burmese people.

---

Larry Towell:

http://www.cbc.ca/beyondwords/towell.html
””””Photographers today have to compete. If a picture is six hours old, it’s too old to use. If you look at the coverage of the tsunami you can go on to any of the websites and there’s a catalogue there of 400 photographs all taken in the past 30 minutes for you to look through. And none of them will stay with you. They’re just news pictures. They’re not even good news pictures.

They’re nothing—they don’t have any meaning. There’s no time put in them, no thinking that’s put into them and when there’s no time and no thinking put into still photography or into photojournalism what does that say?

I think that’s damaging, and I think it also it destroys the notion that photography is reflective, that it’s about history, that it’s about self-contemplation. And it’s all being replaced by a sort of philosophy of speed which is only of fleeting significance. I think the news is killing journalism.”””“

””Muchacho, que es la problem? Necesitamos
ver la situacion brutal para comprender. Si or no?”“

James, like you said:

””They seem to
be from the Asian Tsunami and posted to be sensational.
So, on that I agree. ””

so you agree with that, then I am asking myself where you see “la problema”?
I was talking about the pictures showed here in this thread. it is clearly written above.
we have to see these brutal situation, yes, but there are different ways how to do it…

regards S.

Thanks Daniel. I think you are right.

May I make a request. If we want to discuss,
and the operative word is discuss, this issue,
let it not descend into a food fight.

I know a lot of people who have lost faith in
Lightstalkers because it so often seems to
disintegrate into a shouting match.

The line drawn between moving, meaningful
reportage and disaster porn is a difficult
one to define, but if a person has crossed
your threshold before they have crossed
their own, that does not make them bad people
or disaster profiteers.

And now I am truly out of here.

””I know a lot of people who have lost faith in
Lightstalkers because it so often seems to
disintegrate into a shouting match.”“

Shouting match? where? I read your opinion, I respect your opinion. but do I have to change my one to please you? I dont think so.
the pictures above leave an impression here, the impression is described above, it is nothing else then my personal impression.
if I show my work in public, I have to live with the reactions it creates.

First of all, my posting these photos was not done for “sensationalism” or in the name of “disaster porn.”

These photos were sent to me by a Burmese friend who I have known for years and whom I had trying to contact because I was wondering how he fared. While one or two of these photos may be from the Tsunami, the others are indeed from Burma. I’ve made approximately 20 trips to the country in the last 10 years and could care less about the sensational aspect of a photo or photos. I’ve got a few very good friends in Burma and frankly I’m disgusted by what’s happened in the country – especially in the last year – without any international repercussions. If people seeing these photos or any others helps achieve some sense of normalcy in the country, that’s all that matters. If you don’t want to view the photos – then go to another thread.

Scott, I don’t understand how tsunami pix ended up getting posted as from Myanamar…....that is problematic. This is about news or history…..or should be. Its also about human rights, but unless we can sort out all the rest whats the point?

I took the photos off – now SHUT UP. And if you don’t mean to flaunt your credentials – then don’t.

FYI, the man in the red reflective vest in the third picture from the bottom has Thai text on his vest, not Burmese text on his vest. This, for as far as I’m aware no Thai aid agencies have been allowed in to the Irrawaddy delta region, casts a doubt about the veracity of the entire set of images Scott has posted on this thread. So, I suggest that we drop the argument here as we’re arguing over pictures that are likely not even from the disaster in question.

James’ work from Burma is, however, excellent in two respects – it is aesthetically challenging photojournalism that, as Anne mentioned above, takes the viewer past a space of simple information and into a space of feeling and ‘atmosphere’. Further, James has managed to get into an area where we know it is extremely difficult to get to for both logistical AND political reasons and come back with great work.

Ten points, James…

Ed – if you had looked at some of the other photos, you would see the longyi worn by the Burmese men. At least some of those photos were definitely from Burma.

James’ work is indeed excellent and is worthy of high praise.

Looks like I have missed out on a lot here, including the color photos that were posted and caused an uproar. Regardless, that’s a pretty stupid f#&%ing point to get side-tracked on. James’ work is excellent, as so many other people have pointed out. Especially given the working conditions in Burma right now. Until yesterday I was there covering the same story and the situation is still really bad. The junta appears to be far more concerned with harrassing journalists and maintaining a semblance of control than it is with delivering aid to its people. It’s been two weeks and there are still bodies floating in water sources and well over a million people still haven’t received any aid. The government is even doing its best to hamper grassroots aid efforts by its own citizens. If you want to discuss something, discuss that.

Thank you Will…

Seager – get off your high horse pal and stop whining. The next time you’re in Bangkok you can tell me to my face what a disgrace you are so I can slap you like the little bitch that you are.

As far as the photos being false – if you like I’ll send you the email from my Burmese friend in which he sent them to me. If he sent “false photos” I really doubt he did it intentionally and if you took a close look at some of the photos, you would see they were indeed from Burma. I immediately put them online without looking at them closely because I trusted my friend. Get off my back ya wanker.

I know the one shot had Thais in it but there were several that were from Burma.

Perhaps posting the photos was in bad taste but shut up already – or stick your words up your arse.

And why on earth would I have gone go out of my way to help you? Idiot…just because you’re too friggin cheap to pay for anything doesn’t mean I should help you.

Yeah Whatever!

Time for a beer in separate bars to let it rest a while?

REALLY FOLKS….

Again, totally off topic. Ridiculous.

Big picture, guys…. big picture.

ed,

that is exactly what i was thinking.

personally i know very little about the burmese situation.i know their ‘government’ is anti-western,and has a piss poor recird regarding human rights.

like larry towell,as quoted by stefan,says,the ‘news’ does not really tell the stories anymore,in-depth coverage has almost disappeared,or appears long after the fact.

james,
any chance you can fill us in on the real background to this situation.at the moment i see very little in the press,except a lot of anti-burmese talk.obviously our aid could help,but would it help that much? one million diseaesed and homeless people in a country with poor infra-structure is a hell of a problem.
after all,its been years since since ‘katrina’,and the richest country in the world is still nor even close to clearing up the mess.

and scott,two things.
firstly,is it ethical for you to post somebody elses photographs on a public forum?
secondly,unless you are english don’t use the word ‘wanker’,it sounds ridiculous in an american accent and won’t achieve the desired effect,you will just be laughed at.

Lol…

please, dont stop now mr melon – not when you’re so close to winning that fabulous prize.

give me strength… or even better, a moderator.

interesting to see how crazy people get when it is about their pictures.
I know very few photographers who are able to respect and stand other people’s opinions, when it is about their work.

Mellon,

thank you for your eloquent reply to my piece of advice and the fascinating insight into your views on women. perhaps you would like to answer my first question?

In the end is it really about victims in Myanmar? As Ed says “big picture”, find another forum for your Jerry Springer fights please

No place for personal attacks—this board needs moderation, and badly.

James is a respected photographer and his work is remarkable. A few of you have turned his thread into a venue for some agenda that I find offensive and objectionable.

While we are fooling on the internet, people are dying.

Maybe Teru will have a few things to say about the foul language and offensive personal attacks.

I can understand Mark’s frustration, he was there a week before the storm. It would drive anyone mad.

Well you would be wrong Andy. I was away for a whole month and was looking forward to getting home actually, burnt out after completing 2 commissions, my job done.

I’m hardly ever frustrated. Now if you asked me if I am satisfied I would probably say NO.

Hi James
really good work powerful !!!

James:

Just today, Marina and I had the chance to look at the remarkable and profoundly heart-scalloping images. In truth, as each of us knows, there is the rare gesture that can be done to fully attenuate and articulate the scale of death, be it the loss of a single life, or the catastrophic near-apocalypse of nature’s fury against the impoverished. While i believe in the necessity of the document of death and disaster (both words and images), more often than not am I even more disheartened for we tend to scour the world for loss only losing within that archeology the loss of the deeper story: that those people and animals, rivers and torn limbs, skeletal bones and dry-wrung ankles are not effigies but lives, generations of lives that pours itself into each of us and that was wrested usunder….

the work that James has offered is simple: the howl and testament of a person who is trying to speak upon that which remains, for most of us, inexpressible: to show the world that beyond the moment of a piece of news, a bloated and torn child’s body is something that too many of us have turn from in order to escape that which we believe (real or not) we cannot condition or help to begin with it. The act of this is itself the necessity to speak and to show as honestly as articulately as expressively as possible that which befell.

I feel a profound sadness reading this thread for it still points to me how clearly bereft we still are as a species and, yes let me say this out loud, a profession. Those photographs are not effigies, the world’s eyes who’ve now turned to another tragedy (equally as enormous and important, though as written above much better politicized and mediated) should still be arrested, for though there is little we can do to stem the origin and creation of loss, what we must never loose sight of us our reaction to the loss and our efforts to help ameliorate and assuage those who have suffered…

James, the photographs are your voice and I wish, I ask you personally, not to be runout by the vitriol and language that cascaded down above. I personally ask you to stay and provide me more information on the conditions and background so that I can continue to talk to people and help in the tiny way (off of LS) I can to get information and aide about this event to and for people who need it…

Thank you James for the work. Let us hope that all the banal lunacy and spawned ill words above will eventually evaporate beneath the luminous scorch of time’s light…

deeply appreciative of the work you and your partner accomplished. I say this not as a photographer or as your friend, but as a person still alive. We need this work. We need not to give up, even in the face of such dismal circumstances and behavior.

yours,
bob

please forward this . rick is a good friend and will get the donations to the people that need it.

Thanks, Geoffrey

Geoffrey Hiller
www.hillerphoto.com
www.vervephoto.wordpress.com

Begin forwarded message:

From: rick heizman
> Date: May 13, 2008 6:44:40 AM EDT
> Subject: Fwd: BURMA DISASTER – AND WHAT WE CAN DO
>
>>
>> Dear all
>> Most of you know of my deep involvement with Burma (aka Myanmar) for 25 years.
>> My work as an ethnomusicologist: recording and documenting the traditional music of Burma.
>> As a musician and music teacher: helping to open and supporting a unique private music school,
>> doing concerts and workshops.
>> Doing work to assist the democracy movement in Burma.
>> And, doing an ever-larger number of education and aid projects: bringing funds for innovative
>> school projects, orphanages, a remote leper colony, and village needs (ie: water supply, school
>> supplies, etc) in several parts of Burma.
>> Here, in San Francisco, I’m a top board member of BADA (Burmese American Democratic Alliance)
>> and one who meets and talks with congresspeople and senators.
>> I’ve been in Burma 17 times, including two months ago.
>>
>> Please see the attached PDF about my recent, very productive, trip in March ‘08.
>> And, I have great photos and video and more at:
>> gallery.mac.com/rick1357
>> web.mac.com/rick1357
>> and check:burmarelief.blogspot.com/
>> (I’m ‘Nick Harmony’)
>>
>> BURMA IS SUFFERING TERRIBLY FROM THE CYCLONE, AND NEEDS OUR HELP!
>> AND, HERE’S WHAT WE CAN DO:
>>
>> Some of the people that are receiving the many reports, info, and updates from me are emailing
>> me back and saying that they are forwarding them to their circle of friends, family, and
>> coworkers, and generating a lot of interest.
>> A lot of people aren’t sure exactly where, or to what organization they want to donate.
>> And, they like seeing the photos, video, and reports, of where their contributions go.
>>
>> I AM LEAVING JUNE 1 FOR BURMA, AND WILL BE BRINGING IN MONEY AND SUPPLIES TO VARIOUS
>> EXISTING PROJECTS, NEW PROJECTS, AND UNEXPECTED PROJECTS.
>> I am in contact daily with ‘my guys’ in Burma who are already helping in many ways, and sending
>> me info and photos.
>>
>> IF YOU WANT TO HELP – HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO: (in the next two weeks)
>> 1) pass this information around to your coworkers and executives, family, friends, and circles.
>> You can have me speak and do a short presentation, if you’d like, to a group of any sort.
>> 2) Have your own dinner or party fundraiser, and if I can come , I will, or I can provide some video.
>> 3) Collect funds from the actions above, and I will transport them to immediate needs in Burma.
>> --—-—-—-—-—-——-
>> Two ways to contribute:
>> 1) Write a check to:
>> BADA
>> (which is Burmese American Democratic Alliance, a 501c3, and I’m a board member)
>> (or contribute on the website: badasf.org)
>> A donation to BADA is tax deductible
>>
>> 2) write a check to my fund:
>> ‘Rick Heizman Helping Burma Fund’
>> I am not a 501c3 yet, so it’s not tax deductible.
>>
>> The slight advantage to #2, for me, is:
>>
>> Since ALL aid money for Burma has to be carried in by people like me,
>> it gives me more time to convert it all, rather than go through some time consuming
>> bureaucracy to process and issue funds – and time is critical.
>> Money brought into Burma must be latest edition $100 bills, no rips or tears,
>> no writing at all on the bills, no excessive creases, and no serial numbers that
>> begin with AB or CB (because a lot of $100 bills in 3rd world Asia are North Korean
>> counterfeits that begin with AB and CB)
>> So – it takes many trips to banks to get these ‘proper’ bills, I usually reject two thirds of them!
>> And, I’ll have to convert ten’s of thousands.
>> Thanks, so much,
>> and all will be documented, as usual, with photos, video, and reports.
>>
>> Hoping for Hope in Burma
>> Rick Heizman
>> 415-806-7425
>> 1555 21st Ave
>> San Francisco, CA 94122