The Occasional Odd Thought

Razistan is a newish Tumblr site devoted to telling original stories from Afghanistan. Founded by a host of acclaimed photographers, writers, and editors (Pieter Ten Hoopen, Sandra Calligaro, Javier Manzano, Fardin Waezi, among others) the group aims to keep attention focused on Afghanistan now the the US’s, the world’s, and the media’s eyes have moved on. There’s a kickstarter funding campaign (72% funded as of this writing). It’s always an ambitious project to fight against the prevailing media of the moment, but Razistan is well under way. There’s a great deal of compelling imagery on their Tumblr site already, and the success of their kickstarter campaign will allow them to do more exhibitions, publications, workshops for local journalists, and more.

Now following. Some great photos there.

(via Worth a look: Razistan)

Afghans gather to celebrate Afghan New Year (Nowruz) in Kabul, March 20, 2012. Afghanistan uses the Persian calendar which runs from the vernal equinox. The calendar takes as its start date the time when the Prophet Mohammad moved from Mecca to Medina in 621 AD. The current Persian year is 1391. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

(via Afghanistan: March 2012 - The Big Picture - Boston.com)

Skateboarding in Casablanca.

(via The New Islamists: Photographs by Yuri Kozyrev - LightBox)

In the single most famous image from W. Eugene Smith’s magisterial photo essay, “Spanish Village,” the faces of three members of dictator Francisco Franco’s feared Guardia Civil evince the arrogance often assumed by small men granted great power over others. Originally published in the April 9, 1951, issue of LIFE.

(via LIFE Magazine’s Best Pictures: Iconic Images by the 20th Century’s Greatest Photographers, 1936-1972 - LIFE)

luzfosca:

A workman rests on a girder during the construction of Unilever House in Blackfriars, London, 17th March 1931.

Fox Photos/Getty Images

Saying Goodbye to a Police Horse - Assignment Chicago

Photo by Alex Garcia of the Chicago Tribune

A Chicago police officer touches the horse that had been his companion eight hours a day, five days a week for the past eight years. The officer was riding “Mikey C.” at North Avenue Beach when the horse suddenly reared, collapsed and died.  A reporter for the Tribune who had not started her shift yet was on the beach and witnessed the scene.  She said the horse didn’t seem to be under any kind of distress until the moment it fell over.

nprfreshair:

ABC News appears to have confirmed that war photographer and filmmaker Tim Hetherington (pictured, above right) and Getty photographer Chris Hondros (not pictured) were killed in Libya in a mortar attack.

Hetherington was on All Things Considered last year to discuss his documentary Restrepo. Hetherington also appeared on Talk of the Nation alongside his co-director Sebastian Junger. 

Update: AP also confirms. RT @lexinyt: The AP has confirmed that war photographers @TimHetherington & @ChrisHondros were killed today in #Libya.

Update: New York Times’s CJ Chivers writes: “Tim Hetherington, the Oscar-nominated film director and conflict photographer who produced the film “Restrepo,” was killed in the besieged city of Misurata on Wednesday, and three photographers working beside him were wounded.

 The wounds to two of the photographers — Chris Hondros and Guy Martin — were grave, according to a colleague at the triage center where they were being treated Wednesday night. Their prospects for survival were not immediately clear.” [more] 

World Press Photo Contest winners - In Focus - The Atlantic

Armante Cherisma cries in front of the body of her 15-year-old daughter, Fabienne, killed by a policeman during lootings Jan. 19, 2010. in Port-au-Prince. The photo was part of a series that won the 1st prize General News Stories of the World Press Photo 2011 contest. (photo by Olivier Laban Mattei/AFP/Getty Images)

H/T Photojojo