Selected for final consideration in The Aperture Prize

I have been informed that my Maramures series was one of 18 projects selected out of a total of 1,025 for final consideration in the Aperture Prize. They announced a winner and 5 runners-up the other day.

An Honorable Mention in Jen Bekman's Hey, Hot Shot! Contest

There was some fierce competition this time around. Read the announcement.

Burger King invades Maramures

Burger King has made a disrespectful and shocking ad campaign that tracked down groups of people worldwide who had never eaten a Whopper and had them do a taste test between the Burger King version of a super-sized hamburger and a McDonald’s Big Mac. One of the three places they chose to bring fast food to was a village in Maramures where I have photographed extensively. Industrial food from a globalized consumer culture was forced upon unsuspecting peasants whose lives are all about organic farming and traditions. Little did the villagers know that they were being used in an ad for a company whose mission it would seem is to annihilate cultural differences and make the world sick. This was an extreme example of globalization being played out in the far corners of the world. It will be interesting, if scary, to see how Maramures villages are used and abused in the coming years by major corporate entities. The days of Europe’s last folk culture are certainly numbered.

On my way to Bucharest

I'm headed to Bucharest today to do a travel picture for the New York Times. I will be in Romania for about two weeks meeting with investors and NGOs as well.

RapporteursPhoto Blog mention

See it here.

Maramures Archive

Shane Lavalette blog mention

See it here.

New Swedish Saami Reindeer photos added to archive

Check them out here.

Almost on assignment for The International Herald Tribune

The IHT called about an assignment in Bulgaria in a few days, but I'm still in the US until after the election. It's always a bummer to turn down an assignment.

Website updated today

Check out Maramures Color. There are a few additions in the other portfolios as well.

My new PhotoShelter Archive is up and running

It can be accessed in two ways. The first option is the standard PhotoShelter template and the second is their new website feature. Both sites contain exactly the same content. Click on 'galleries' to view the entire archive. I will be continuously uploading new work here:

1. My PhotoShelter Homepage

2. My Customized Homepage

Saatchi Online Gallery Profile and a few other links

I now have a page on the Saatchi Online Gallery. Also, check out these other links on my work: Blueeyes Magazine, Mexican Pictures Blog, Flak Photo and Verve Photo.

Switching to PhotoShelter

I will be switching to PhotoShelter for my US representation archive after Digital RailRoad shut down abruptly today. My new archive will include all the work currently on Anzenberger which represents me outside America. Check back in a few days.

Selected as a Critical Mass 2008 Finalist

I just learned that I have been selected as a finalist in Photo Lucida's Critical Mass Contest. I now advance to a second round of jurying to be decided upon in about a month.

Jen Bekman Hey, Hot Shot! Blog Write-Up

Sara Distin blogged about my b&w Maramures work today as part of Jen Bekman Gallery's biannual Hey, Hot Shot! contest. Read the insightful piece here:

The 37th Frame has a nice highlight on my Maramures work today

Check it out here.

Review Santa Fe

I forgot to mention that I have been to this juried portfolio review event in Santa Fe, New Mexico twice and this year they have each of us highlighted on a web page.

A new print sale

I am happy to report that I have sold this collection print to Colin Hough Trapp of the art book publisher Rizzoli in New York.

David Alan Harvey's Loft Party

Last Friday night I was present for the slideshow and party following David Alan Harvey's second loft workshop which took place in his apartment at the quirky 'kibbutz', a building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn full of artists and photographers with a spectacular view of the water looking over to Manhattan. The beer was in good supply and it was a sight to behold how Harvey has created such a large photography community through his blog that has flowed over into real life.

First day of meetings in NYC went well

The Highlight: meeting David Alan Harvey outside Magnum in midtown and riding in a cab back to his loft in Brooklyn in beautiful weather and chilling out there in front of the spectacular view of the water and Manhattan. What an amazing man Harvey is! New York was in great form today with all sorts of motorcades due to the UN meetings and great light as well. Earlier in the day I was at the NY Times.

Nice tour around Bucharest from the NY Times Frugal Traveler

You can read about it here.

In New York meeting with editors for the next few weeks

I am back in the US to meet editors in NYC as well as to make a book maquette of the Maramures work to show at The Frankfurt Book Fair in mid October.

In London for the next week

After Visa pour L'Image, I am here in London through next friday 19 September meeting with editors. I will then head to New York for more meetings and will return to Bucharest in early October.

I'm on my way to Perpignan via Paris!

It's the end of the summer and that means an end to haymaking but also the time to head to the Visa pour L'Image photo festival in the southern French city of Perpignan. I will be there all of next week. 

A beautiful woman

Ramona, my beautiful friend from Romania who has a great name and is a wonderful person.

Iasi by day

I was in this university city in the northeast of the country to rent a car in order to be able to drive over to Maramures through the Bukovina region--a trip through one of the most pristine areas of Europe--and I came across this street scene of a young couple. Romania can have a beautiful, sharp light at times.

Scenes from Romania

Maramures Color Outtakes (traditional pics)

Bucharest by night

I am based in this Balkan capital which has a kind of hipness I have not found anywhere else. Neoclassical architecture mixed with Communist era blocs provide a backdrop of decadent urban decay and the young people possess a rabid desire to surpass the West's materialism. There is a raw energy to the city that has to be experienced to be believed.

Hanging out in Maramures - personal snapshots

I'm continuing to shoot in black and white on film in addition to the new color digital work however.