Travel & Humanitarian Photos
Firstly, many thanks for all the kind wishes and “get well” messages that you’ve sent over the last week. It’s been immensely cheering and I’m in no doubt that the cumulative effect of so many positive thoughts must have been restorative. So much so that I have been able to tunnel out of Bangkok’s Bumrungrad hospital and have finally found my way back home. Sweet home.
Now for a quick catch-up:
Matt Kloskowski picked up on the Lightroom Greyscale Gradient that I posted recently and mentioned it on Lightroom Killer Tips. Version 2.0 has now been downloaded almost 8,000 times. You can download the graphic and view installation instructions HERE.
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Although hospitals aren’t generally known for inspiring and motivating their victims patients, I did manage to put some of last week’s downtime to good use. I don’t know what I’d have done without the welcome distraction of my favourite podcasts and am now up to date with BBC Radio’s long-running soap opera, The Archers.
BBC Radio 4 still produces some of the highest quality, most entertaining programming that I know of. I’d recommend the arts programme Front Row or the lively Midweek conversation programme, which this week featured photographer Terry O’Neill.
For making you want to break free of your hospital shackles to go in search of your camera, I found nothing more inspiring than Bruce Percy’s series of podcasts. From Iceland to Patagonia, Bruce manages to distil the essence of his art into a few expertly-chosen phrases that enhance the viewer’s enjoyment of his beautiful photographs. I especially recommend the Cambodia and Nepal podcasts.
The series of Magnum In Motion podcasts are never less than stirring and cover an eclectic range of subjects. For any aspiring photojournalist they’re essential viewing. In fact, photographers of any persuasion can probably learn much from Magnum’s multimedia slideshows.
On a lighter note, Anna Kuperberg’s blog continues to bring a smile to my face every time I see it. I don’t know Anna although she and I were both featured on Smashing Magazine’s recent list of 35 Beautiful Photography Websites. I don’t know any better example of breaking compositional “rules” and if it’s true that a photographer’s personality shines through their work (and it is) then Anna must surely be joyful, fun-loving and unconventional.
Finally, I must pass on my heartfelt sympathies to our Australian cousins after their national cricket team fell so dramatically and conclusively during the final Ashes Test at The Oval earlier in the week. The humiliation and despair that all Australian sports fans (that’ll be 100% of the Aussie population) must be feeling will surely linger long after the sound of the jubilant English crowd has faded away. 
Cheeky bugger
Glad to hear you’re feeling better.
Good to see you back m8 and with an impressive and sincere return!
The only good thing I can say about the Ashes is that it wasn’t shown on TV here in Taiwan, so I didn’t have to suffer the pain of losing to you guys.
Our household has been a VERY tetchy one since Sunday afternoon
Thanks for the link to Percy’s podcasts. I’ve watched almost all of them and am very inspired! Good stuff.
I was enjoying this blog entry right up until the totally unnecessary reference to Australia losing the Ashes, damn it. (grin) Glad you’re up and about again.
Sorry I missed all the excitement, but I’ve been away.
Glad to read that you’re on the mend, matey.