Sing Sing in Tep Tep

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Saturday, October 16, 2010 | 5 photos

First of all, I believe in fate. When I saw “Bhutan” as the destination for the scholarship recipient, I felt as if that elusive, exotic location might really be within my grasp. Stranger things have happened.

My goal is to travel to offbeat locations, with backpack, camera, sketchbook and curiosity in hand. I often leave the camera alone, while I absorb the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of a new destination. When thoroughly primed, I am ready to document and create thoughtful visual memories.

My knowledge of photography dates from the pre-digital age, when the cost of film and processing kept one from going trigger happy with the camera. Using a few manual controls, I concentrated on composition, emphasis, mood, and other art concepts to make images appealing. I do appreciate digital technology now, but try not to rely on seeing the world through an LCD screen, or recreating a reality through the enhancements of Photoshop.

That said, I have a lot to learn about digital photography, and would be thrilled to learn on location, in pursuit of exotic wildlife. I have stamina, patience, curiosity, a sense of humor…. and I can stomach just about anything for the sake of cultural diplomacy!

My photo story shows students from the highlands of Papua New Guinea celebrating “Traditional Clothing Day”. Students in this remote village were ecstatic to have the opportunity to receive a Western style education. However, once a month, students were allowed to discard their T -shirts and jeans, and don organic garments to remember their pre-Christian culture. These photos try to capture student dignity and pride, from the beginning of the school day to the finale of a "Sing Sing", when students emerge from the woods in plant-like costumes and drum, dance, and sing for hours.