Rollfilm

The Roma Journeys

Between 2000 and 2006 I together with writer Cia Rinne undertook travels in seven different countries with a view to gaining an insight into the life of the Roma and the conditions they face. We always tried to spend a considerable length of time among the people whom we wanted to learn about and, if possible, to live with them for a while.

It was our own interest that initially took us to the Roma streets in Hevesaranyos in northeast Hungary, where we spent four months at the home of Magda, an elderly Roma. The other journeys to Romania, India and our travels in Finland came about through personal contact, while in Greece and Russia we were initially assisted by human rights organizations and in France by the Centre de recherches tsiganes in Paris.

These Roma journeys were by no means meticulously planned, and instead the product of a number of coincidences that enabled us to come into contact with the Roma. We endeavored to communicate directly with them. In most countries this was possible, and while in Russia and India we were accompanied on our travels, and thus had willing assistance.

We have frequently been asked what had triggered our interest in the Roma, but we were unable to provide a definitive, let alone exhaustive answer. What is certain is that once we hard started we were unable to simply stop continuing with the project. The more we found out about the Roma and got to know them, the more our interest in and liking for them grew.

In keeping with the different countries traveled, the photographic body of work is divided into seven series, the sequence of which roughly corresponds to the chronology of our journeys.

[via official site: Joakim Eskildson]

Hungary

India

Greece

Romania

France

Russia

Finland

See more images at Joakim Eskildson’s website. The project has been published as a book as well.

The guys over at modernmechanix.com have a blog which is filled with interesting stories back from the old days.

Especially check out the photography section where for example you can read a story dateing back to november 1928 about the “penniless inventor” who got millions for the invention of the photomaton:

Being lazy and not having much more to add i am quoting the recent post of Andrew who is pointing out a photo project by Gail Albert Haliban.

© Gail Albert Halaban

following text via Andrews Blog

So those of you on tender hooks today awaiting the results of my ‘A Room with a View’ competition will have to wait. Sorry but the day job has got in the way so no time to put all the entrants in a hat and compile a winners post. Will get to it over the weekend and all will be revealed on Monday morning first thing, I promise.

In the meantime though I would like to share a project on a similar tack by the marvelously talented Gail Albert Haliban. ‘Out my window NYC’ is a documentary photography project Gail is working on in collaboration with the Design Trust for Public Space about people and their views in New York City and beyond. Best of all Gail is in the midst of this epic journey and is looking for volunteers, here’s the skinny in her own words:

DO YOU HAVE A VIEW INTO SOMEONE ELSE’S APARTMENT? CURIOUS TO MEET THEM?

I am a photographer working on a documentary project about New Yorkers and their views with a specific interest in connecting neighbors who would otherwise never meet. If you look into someone else’s apartment, I would like to photograph you looking into their place and them looking back at you.

If you live in any of the 5 boroughs or nearby New Jersey, please contact me at newyorkviews@gmail.com with a jpg of you and your view today.

You will receive 1 FREE 8×10 photograph if your view is photographed for the project.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Gail is writing a blog as she goes here. Be sure to spread the good word.

The headline says it all. There is a new blog around since the beginning of march, revealing (and commenting on) “Photoshop Disasters” which are sometimes plain funny and most of the time professional bungling.

The Urban Legends Reference Pages gives some interesting background information on the “Human Statue of Liberty” which is a photograph by Mole & Thomas dateing back to ca. 1918. Around 18.000 people have been involved in the makeing of this “statue”.

For more”people pictures” go to the website of the Carl Hammer Gallery.