Back to Lebanon?

May 27, 2008

 

By now you’ve all heard (I hope) that Lebanon has elected a new president and all is provisionally going well. There are tales of optimism and celebration, and the protesters have packed up and moved out of the downtown area.

Since the war with Israel in July of 2006 I have struggled with the notion of a return trip, and for a long time it seemed like I’d never get back there. But it is something I have to do.

For a variety of reasons it is something that I am going to have to pursue sooner rather than later if I am to do it at all. When I move to Buffalo in 2010 I will be financially shaky (moving is expensive!) and my new job will likely not be offering the kind of vacation time I have now until I’ve been there for a few years. It’s now or… a really long time from now for me and Lebanon.

One of the major reasons is what I see as unfinished business with the photography that I started there. Not only did my out-of-practice condition render a lot of good images unusable due to foolish mistakes, but I also started to feel a little twinge of ridiculousness when I put up all of my images and realized: I only had images from just two very tourist-y areas.

Don’t get the wrong idea. I have no intention of marching into Palestinian refugee camps and shooting indiscriminately.

But there are other possibilities - especially out in the countryside. I have never been much of a landscape photographer, but would still like to give it a try.

I also feel that I missed a few important images. I avoided the bullet-ridden and foreboding, of which there are less and less and less as they continue to improve and rebuild. This might have been a mistake. It seems the kind of thing that my style would mesh with quite well, if I stopped regarding them as unapproachable. Same goes for mosques - my host had offered to stop and shoot at a few of them, but not being entirely clear on the etiquette of such a shoot I backed away from the possibility.

One of the more interesting conversations that I had at the opening for Photographing Lebanon was with a Lebanese citizen who thought I was white-washing Lebanon, only focusing on the aesthetically interesting, dismissing the people, and ignoring the terrible recent history that they had been through. I did my best to explain that there are dozens of amazing photojournalists who have done some incredible work for a variety of news outlets. They are great at what they do and have documented the country’s difficulties - especially on a personal level - far better than I could. It is also very easy to find these kinds of images. They are all over the news media.

What I ended up with in the show was far different, however. I saw some amazing beauty when I was there and did my best to capture what was in front of me. The Lebanon that I never saw in the newspaper. Admittedly I now cast some doubt on my set of images that only shows progress and ancient history, ignoring the recent past, but perhaps this is something that I will find a solution for on a return trip via the shells of buildings that dot the landscape.

My time there was wonderful. The people were very nice to me and were very curious (in a good way) about what I was up to and why I was there. When I explained (either directly or through my host) that I was photographing everything that struck me as beautiful in their country, they were even more warm to me and wished me well in my travels. Once they realized that I was not there to yet again portray Lebanon the terrible, they were very supportive.

Politics did not come up. Ever.

Am I being shamelessly naïve and We-Are-The-World? Very possibly. But I can only go on what I saw and how people behaved towards me. Even the few raised eyebrows that I received because of the photography worked out in the end with no issues. Interestingly, after explaining my position at the opening reception I later found that my Lebanese detractor had taken the time to leave a comment in my guest book that amounted to: “thank you for showing the beauty of my homeland”. I suspect that many Lebanese are tired of everyone being scared away from their country by endless political issues.

So I’m going back. At the moment I am looking at October. Unfortunately it looks like airfares will be significantly higher than the last time I went, so there is always that end to sort out (and potentially pull the idea off the table, depending on the final cost - ugh).

Anyone know any good grants? Start one of your own! The “Send Jim To Lebanon Fund” has a nice ring to it.

p.s. I will have a post on Buffalo soon… no, really.

Posted in: photo chatter, the world 1 Comment »

New York, New York

April 22, 2008

Last night I got back from Northampton. The trip to New York was amazing.

 

 

Early Saturday morning we got up and packed into a cab to Springfield. Being neurotically early (my fault) left us wandering a little, and I took the above shot near the bus station. Not bad.

 

 

Eventually we made our way up to the train platform and took a seat. I look demented because I typically try to remember to do something to prevent the fat chin in these kinds of pictures. Ah well, not as bad as it could have been.

 

 

I had not taken the train down through Connecticut since before I can remember, so it was interesting to see the path it took. Some familiar, some not so familiar. Above we got to wander around on the platform for a little bit as they swapped out the diesel locomotive for an electric one in New Haven.

 

 

There are some fairly large gaps in here between the images and what we were actually up to, so you’ll have to forgive that. Above is of course the Metropolitan Opera House. The performance of Philip Glass’ Satyagraha was completely amazing. I was in awe the entire time. The tough thing about Glass’ music is that it requires such precision - although they did a tremendous job, it is tough to stay on top of the music as written.

The visuals that went with the performance were remarkable as well. Glass leaves this end more or less up to the director based on the thrust of the scene in question and the libretto, so each new production is a thoroughly new interpretation. This is the only performance I’ve ever been aware of (besides one in Tehran a few years back - wha?), though, so this will likely be the only interpretation I ever see. If that’s the case, then I’m awfully happy it was this performance - it was stunning.

After that we swung by the hotel to get our room and drop our stuff. Sensing that we were going to run into timing issues if we tried to go for a big meal we stopped by the hotel bar and pounded down a few beers and quesadillas. The food was decent, the service not so much so. What can you do.

Then it was off to the Cherry Lane Theater for a double bill of Edward Albee’s The American Dream and The Sandbox. Both were wonderfully executed, directed by Mr. Albee himself. Rachel and I had a few minor quibbles, but overall it was a very handsomely mounted production.

 

 

Sunday morning we got up and tried to figure out what the Pope was up to. Our hotel was right next to ground zero, and we walked through all the preparations the night before on our way back from Greenwich Village.

Of course, there wasn’t much to see out the window. Only a tiny crowd of people on one street corner was at all visible, the rest obscured by our neighbor. I went down to get coffee and received very firm direction from the Secret Service about where I could go, when, how, etc. I am of the belief that Secret Service personnel should be posted at all points where lines are a problem. They were very effective at making sure everyone got through Starbucks promptly.

After a quick text message to Ethan to find an ideal lunch/beer spot, we ended up just blocks from MoMA for a quick bite. Rachel was very good and had a Caesar Salad, I was rather naughty and had the meat loaf paired with first an IPA, then the beer sampler.

 

 

After a stop at MoMA (too many people, though the exhibit was great), it was time to head out to the train. We loaded on and both plugged in to our music immediately. Neither of us had enough rest to chat too much.

Things were progressing nicely until we hit Windsor Locks, CT and were informed that there was a medical emergency on the southbound train that was preventing us from getting past to Springfield. Gee, eliminating the second track on these lines was a real good idea, wasn’t it?

Mercifully Mike was able to rescue us in no time flat.

A great trip and a wonderful time.

Posted in: photo, the world, wonderful things 1 Comment »

Back in NYC

April 17, 2008

I’ve always been suspicious of New York. While there is definitely something exciting about it, more often than not I am weary just being there. Truth be told, I can’t say that I’ve ever really given the city a chance. It’s just… intimidating.

Saturday Rachel and I are taking the train from Springfield, down through scenic Connecticut, and straight into downtown Manhattan. We have an opera and two Albee one-acts to see almost as soon as we arrive, and Sunday will be spent in museums and whatever other trouble we may care to find for ourselves. We are spending the evening down near World Trade Center, as Rachel was able to score a great Priceline deal on the Sheraton Manhattan. Livin’ large.

Want to keep up with our antics? We will likely be posting updates here.

From where I sit right now I am looking forward to the train trip(s) as much as anything else. With the way last week went it will be nice to climb aboard the train to Springfield tomorrow and just stare out the window for a change. It’s gotten to the point where I even fantasize about my morning commute bus never reaching its destination so that I can just sit there, listen to music, and watch the world.

So my mini-vacation will be a combination of great stuff to see and do and lots of train tranquility. This formula seems to be working pretty well for me. It won’t be long before I am back on the train to Buffalo in May. Twelve hours on the train may sound like pure hell to some, but I have a grand old time.

If the ill-fated Lebanon trip stays off the table for this year (when do I just give up? hmm), stay tuned for murmurings of another stab at the train trip. I have a much better idea how I’d do it this time (my tiny digital camera, less overnight stops in cities), and think I could pull it off quite successfully.

We’ll see.

This is not actually my last trip to New York, but the second to last. Me, Melissa, and Baha went down to see Christo’s The Gates, and Melissa bought herself a fancy new digital camera. This plus my usual web headshot both came from this trip. Nice shots of me! If that’s not an accomplishment…

Posted in: the world, wonderful things No Comments »

What’s Up?

March 10, 2008

The photos have been few and far between lately, but there’s two reasons for that: 1) we’ve had a real winter, which makes for poor shooting weather and 2) I didn’t really go anywhere I haven’t been before since Vancouver. It’s been work, work, work. I mean, sure, there’s always a new shot to be found - even on the most mundane travels - but I think I’ve done the path-between-my-jobs thing to death, and though I keep looking I haven’t found any new images. I suppose I could shoot around Chelsea, but I don’t like really revealing that I have a camera too much around there.But soon the travels will begin once again.

First up is a trip that Rachel and I are taking down to New York. It started with a production of Edward Albee’s “The Zoo Story” and “The American Dream”, which we knew immediately we had to go see. Then the trip planning revealed that the best bet (since Rachel doesn’t drive and I don’t own a car) would be to take the train from Springfield to New York. You all know that I love the train, so this detail is certainly a highlight for me.

Then I discovered by chance that there is going to be a production of Philip Glass’ “Satyagraha” that same weekend - easily my favorite work of his (see “10 Albums”) - at the Metropolitan Opera House! I can’t stand it. Melissa and I went to see “Akhnaten” at the Boston Lyric Opera, now I’ll see “Satyagraha”, and the only thing left is for me to see a production of “Einstein on the Beach” - and I’ll have witnessed Glass’ entire portrait trilogy.

The rest of the trip will consists of eating, drinking, and being merry. There should be some good photos from that.

In May I’m heading out to Buffalo. Ethan and I had discussed seeing The Police in Toronto last fall, but the time/money/etc. commitment proved to be too much for me. But Ethan, good friend that he is, bought an extra ticket on spec for another show in Buffalo not knowing if I’d be into it or not - yeah, I’m in! Noting that the show is the weekend before my birthday, I decided that it would be a good time for another week-long vacation there. Is this becoming a tradition?

Then in July Dad, Nancy, and I are going to boat up from Chester (on the Connecticut River in CT) to Boston to witness the 4th of July fireworks! I had been floating this as a near-joke (with an underlying current of seriousness) since my Dad caught the boating bug, and this is the year! I spent a weekend with them on the boat last year and had a lot of fun, though it was hot as hell - shades of the eighties party.

That covers the first half of the year. I went through my image library last week in preparation for the class I taught on Saturday, and dammit 1) the Lebanon stuff is the best work I’ve ever done and 2) is nowhere near finished. I am not crazy enough to leap on a plane and go over now (not while their political situation is iffy at best), but geez, can’t you guys relax for a few months? I’ve got work to do!

So… I’d love to do it. But…

We’ll see.

Posted in: filler, photo chatter, the world 1 Comment »

Giving Up

March 5, 2008

If John McCain becomes president of this country I am announcing my intention to immediately abandon my citizenship and relocate to the first country that offers me any kind of amnesty.

FYI.

Posted in: the world 3 Comments »

No Fun

July 26, 2007

In the wake of four posts flaunting what a great time I had over the weekend, it is time to stop and remember that on the other side of the planet things just plain suck.

Do whatever you think is best and within your capacity to help establish a solution to this unbelievable disaster.Support our troops. Their needs are relatively simple and this digital age has made it easier than ever to do your part to let them know we’re here for them just as much as they’re there for us.

The people of Iraq who just want to get on with their lives need help getting through this too, and here’s a great place to start.

Oh, and one more thing. Please check this out.

Posted in: the world 5 Comments »

Hope For Change

January 25, 2007

… and as I humor myself writing posts about my hair, my good friend over in Beirut is watching things fall apart and stepping carefully in an attempt to just get through the whole thing.

Again.

It sucks to sit here knowing that the calm, inviting place I visited less than a year ago has fallen into turmoil once more. That my friend, who just wants to live his life like everyone else, could potentially be in mortal danger.

Again.

It’s a horrible thing to try to comprehend. I wish there was something I could do, but honestly, what would that be?

All I can think to do at the moment is try to be a good friend. To call every now and then (if I can actually get through) and take his mind off it for a few minutes. I have been able to get through, and he is doing okay, but he sounds just as nervous - perhaps moreso - as he did last summer.

This.

Sucks.

I could quite easily start screaming and simply never stop.

Is it that things have gotten worse?

Or is it that in my younger, completely self-centered years I just never noticed how insane this planet really is?

Is it that I have an interest in the well-being of someone who is planted directly in the middle of a war zone?

Or am I just sick of this ridiculous nonsense as a general principle?

Enough.

Posted in: the world 1 Comment »

Sagan Inspires, Politics Do Not

December 20, 2006

Today is blog-about-Carl Sagan day. If you haven’t read The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, you really, really should. It dissects our world’s delight in believing in the most bizarre junk science imaginable while remaining highly skeptical of cold, hard data.

However, his most lasting inspiration for me, summarized in the film a bit abruptly (though brilliantly, as played by Jodie Foster) from the excellent book Contact, was when Ellie Arroway spat out -

“So what! It’s my life.”

- in response to Dr. Drummond’s cutting of her funding, wholesale dismissal of her research, general arrogance, and complete lack of compassion for Arroway’s work.

It would be great to always live by this, while also being able to understand the difference between determined and deluded.

I look it as such: there is a fine line between boldly pursuing important projects despite discouragement and obstacles, and stubbornly ignoring potentially very real negative outcomes to keep the forward momentum going at any cost.

Unfortunately, as things continue to stay ugly and uncertain in Beirut, I have to admit that I am past the former and moving towards the latter. Therefore, before I set up a situation I can’t back out of, it appears the best decision for me is to abandon the possibility of any trip in the near future and with it abandon the Photographing Lebanon project.

At least in the short term.

Poo.

I’d like to be inspired and strong and press on, thinking that if even more of our unbelievably brave men and women are about to be sent over by Georgie Boy to fight a war that nobody understands any aspect of anymore, then what’s one little guy going over to Lebanon with a camera?

But who the hell do I think I am, anyway?

It’s all just pictures in the long run.

Sorry. I’m extra down today about all this. Just when things get really good, they get squished. Boo-hoo, poor me, bitch gripe, I’ll feel better some other time.

Posted in: the world 1 Comment »

Lebanon Late Night

November 29, 2006

Green Line Pedestrian Underpass, Cambridge

10:45pm

This working ’til 10 at the mall thing is going to be interesting. I already knew that the place would be dead and the entire staff (myself included) would be making hrumph-y speeches about how ridiculous it is that we have to be there that late. In fact, it was totally absurd. The good news is that I sold a Nikon D50/two lens package, which certainly helps keep my mood up.My friend in Beirut gave me a call last night. The above photograph was taken while I was talking to him. Things are a bit tense there at the moment with everyone in Lebanon sick to death of the government for one reason or other. It is a terrible thing to listen to - he’s not particularly worried about civil unrest, but there is always that back-of-the-mind concern. I continually have to monitor the situation and weigh the sanity of my return trip carefully. At the moment, all systems go. But that could change at the drop of a hat (as we saw this past summer).

On the subway I started to think about Plan B in the event of a non-refundable ticket, as I had on my last trip. Direct flights from America are impossible, so there’s always a layover somewhere. I had already planned on asking for a cost comparison of flying through Paris and anywhere but Paris, as I simply can’t stand the thought of changing through de Gaulle airport again.

What if I got that close and determined that the best thing to do was not use the Beirut portion of the ticket? Would it be so terrible to find a last-minute hostel, live on the cheap, and photograph wherever I ended up? Sounds a little crazy, sure, but if I buy a good travel guide on my connection city as soon as I get my ticket - what are the options?

Must review this possibility a bit more.

Hmm.

 

Posted in: photo, photo chatter, the world 2 Comments »