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Foundry Photojournalism Workshop: It Starts!


Well, it started this afternoon...the 5th Foundry Photojournalism Workshop held in Chiang Mai was launched by its co-founder Eric Beecroft , and with a lovely keynote address by Maggie Steber.

The classes will be held at the impressive facilities provided by Chiang Mai University's Faculty of Fine Arts....computer rooms, overhead projectors, amphitheater, you name it...it has.

My first class Multimedia In Storytelling starts Monday morning, and I am to teach how to produce audio slideshows that rival in quality and content more elaborate multimedia productions, using their own images and audio generated in the field, and to produce cogent photo stories under the simulation of publishing deadlines. Some of them have already discussed their project ideas with me, and are quite interesting.

Monday evening, I'm on tap to show my audio slideshow "The Cult of Durga".


Cinnamon Island Alidhoo Resort In Maldives


Property Overview:

A secluded hideaway washed by the waters of a crystal clear turquoise lagoon and bungalows in-built harmony with its beautiful natural setting, Alidhoo could be a fresh resort island within the reclusive Haa Alif atoll, a perfect vacation for those keen to urge aloof from it all and to fancy very good facilities. 

Accommodation, variety of rooms ninety nine, Main Restaurant set within the heart of the island below the shade of coconut trees. International Seafood Restaurant located directly at the sting of the lagoon. One bar, one Swimming Pool, Mandara Spa & Wellness Center providing a large vary of massages, scrubs and herbal therapies.

Location:

Take a 50-minute picturesque flight from Malé, due north, to the airfield of Hanimadoo … the treasure is inside your grasp. solid away the map … for it's not needed. the key unfolds within the course of a fifteen minute speedboat ride through the widely undiscovered northern atoll of Haa Alifu ... it's a wonderfully ‘rounded’ island, spanning over thirty five acres, with nature’s breathtaking ‘aquarium’ all around and a fine looking coral garden beneath..

 Airport Transfer:

The transfer to the domestic airport of Hanimaadhoo airport at the north finish of the Maldives takes concerning fifty minutes. A speed boat are going to be prepared on your arrival that takes around quarter-hour to the island. Resort provides night transfer with none extra charge. Transfer to Hanimaadhoo airport is by Island Aviation Domestic flight.

Flight details ought to be suggested a minimum of a pair of weeks before arrival so as to rearrange transfers in time.

Due to the very fact that the native flights are pre-scheduled, there is also things where immediate association isn't attainable. If a association isn't on the market inside a minimum of a pair of hours it's advisable either to book day-use hotel or an over night hotel reckoning on your arrival flight.
Accommodation Overview

At Alidhoo the stress is on comfort, service and elegance with a alternative of accommodation in Beach Bungalows and Villas located literally at the waters edge, every with their own bathtub tub on the veranda or in Over Water Villas engineered over the Ocean with a non-public over water terrace with beautiful views of the lagoon. The clever use of native materials together with ancient ways of construction, together with coconut thatched roofs enhance the general rustic feel of the property, while the tastefully adorned interiors use the utilization of sturdy vibrant colours, fine materials and noble timber to produce a level of comfort commensurate with a 5 star property. no matter your alternative, rest assured you may relax in complete comfort and privacy once you aren't pursuing your favorite pastime - be it taking part in within the heat waters of the Indian Ocean or cooling off within the magnificent swimming pool, re-energizing your body at the Spa or enjoying a number of the best cuisine on the market within the Maldives.

Beach Villa - (46 rooms / units)
All Beach Villas are designed overlooking the panoramic views of the ocean with tasteful interior styles, sturdy colors, noble timber floors and ancient Maldivian thatched roofs. They additionally feature a connecting lounge space and an open veranda.

Facilities And Amenities Of Beach Villa:

Air-Conditioned totally Detached , Mini bar, Beach Front, Hair Dryer, Open-air bathtub space, Butler service, Hot & Cold recent water, Plasma TV, CD + DVD Player, IDD phonephone, Safe   Cable / Satellite TV net LAN (laptop), Separate living space, Complementary toiletries, Jacuzzi, Tea / low

Duplex Ocean Villa - (46 rooms / units)

The feel of an ‘Ocean Villa’ is analogous to that of a yacht, comfortably engineered and fully over ocean water. Gaze into the deep blue ocean or spot the magnificent aquarium right beneath you. Breathtaking views of the ocean and of the adjoining islands, makes staying in an ocean villa an unforgettable expertise. In-villa spa treatments are on the market subject to previous reservation.

Facilities And Amenities Of  Duplex Ocean Villa:

Air-Conditioned, Complementary toiletries, Mini bar bathtub tub totally Detached, Open-air bathtub space   Butler service, Hair Dryer, Plasma TV, CD + DVD Player, Housekeeping, Safe   Cable / Satellite TV net LAN (laptop), Separate living space kids allowed to share, Jacuzzi, Tea / low

Madoogali Tourist Resort Maldives



 Madoogali Tourist Resort Maldives may be described by one single word – idyllic hotel within the Maldives. The natural formation of this island is beyond compare. No fault may be found within the perfection of the island's circular form, or within the sandy softness of the beach that surrounds it, or within the aquamarine blue lagoon that holds such a large amount of wealthy marine secrets inside its depths. better of all, no building on the island detracts from this beauty - each single building has been designed to enrich nature and with protection of the delicate surroundings in mind. this can be an island where you may still marvel at the wonder of nature and also the light hand of mankind. There are fifty individual bungalows on the island and every one are enticing and spacious. Attention to detail with very little touches here and there adds to the "natural feel", creating you are feeling a lot of tranquil and comfortable than ever before.

There is a primary category dive centre on the island, that organizes sensible dives throughout the day to nice dive sites within the vicinity. That the snorkelling round the island is nice goes while not saying. There are many excursions, do you have to be persuaded to go away this precious gem of an island for even a moment. The service here is superb, and also the atmosphere is welcoming. If you wish a vacation that's as filled with natural beauty as you've got ever imagined, and if you wish glorious service in a very trendy setting, you can't get it wrong staying in Madoogali hotel Maldives. this can be a truth proven time and {again|once a lot of} by the big range of guests who come to the island for more of identical year when year.

Accommodation

Madoogali Resort offers fifty six exclusive palm thatched chalets. All the chalets are solidly made of coral and handsomely embellished within and out. massive and well laid out, they embrace a phonephone, a/c, h/c water and minibar. Luxurious interiors are eye catching.

Beach Bungalows  - (56 rooms / units)

 every chalet incorporates a veranda facing the sea; shaded by richly perfumed bougainvillaeas with naturally shield the island from water erosion. Luxuriously appointed, light, tairy, every chalet is furnished and embellished with refined style. air-con, colonial-style ceiling fans, a fridgebar, phonephone and running hot and cold water build each chalet a snug and relaxing home from home.

A sandy path winds in front of the bungalows, shaded by mature palms, bowers of bougainvilla and native trees. 2 ways cut across the island and within the middle where they meet could be a garden. Here it's swept clean, otherwise leaves are left beneath the foliage to create compost. the entire impact is of a really well kept inhabited island. With the addition of pleasant "found" objects, like driftwood, places as sculptures.

Available facilities and amenities:

Air-Conditioned,  Hot & Cold contemporary water,  Mini Fridge Cable / Satellite TV,  IDD phonephone,  Mini bar Ceiling fan.

 The Spa

This new conception, the Ayurvedic centre, offers all guests the chance to expertise what in India is named “the massage of beauty”. The Ayurvedic massage could be a explicit holistic therapy that uses essential oils of the foremost exquisite herbs and plants, and is that the fruit of an ancient science dedicated to making an ideal equilibrium between mind and body, leading to a way of tranquillity and serenity rarely found in of late.
This relaxing massage eliminates stress and tiredness, rejuvenates the life force inside, restoring energy and vigour to body and soul.

 Sports, Entertainment & Excursions

Aerobics , Fish watch, ocean facet Games Babysitting or kid care,  Fishing journeys,  Sightseeing Badminton,  In-house Doctor,  Snorkeling Bar,  Laundry,  Spa Services Beach Volley,  Night Diving,  Table Tennis Canoeing,  Night Fishing,  Volley Ball Catamaran Sailing,  Restaurants,  Water Skiing Discotheque, space Service,  Windsurfing Excursions,  Scuba Diving

POV: Finally! A Minimalist Gear....


I'll be in Chiang Mai in a few days for the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop which formally starts in a week from today. I wasn't keen to haul my usual gear with me, especially with my stops in London and Bangkok, so I have just what you see in the picture.

Depending on whether I have the time or not, I intend to shoot a couple of personal projects in Chiang Mai so I chose to take a Leica M9 with an Elmarit f2.4 28mm and a Voigtlander f1.4 40mm, a Fujifilm X Pro-1 with a Fujinon 18mm and the Tascam DR-40 to record audio. All of this fit in my small Domke F-3X (with room to spare); a small and tough shoulder bag I've been using almost incessantly for a couple of years. I shouldn't forget to mention my iPhone4S, which will be useful for ah hoc photography.

Heck...the Tascam audio recorder is larger than either of these two cameras!!!

I will post sporadically during the coming two weeks...with most of the posts from Chiang Mai and the Foundry Workshop.

The Travel Photographer's First 2013 Photo Expedition-Workshop


Details soon to be announced via my newsletter!

Unique...Unusual...Hard Core...Limited to 8 experienced photographers only.

Waldorf Astoria Resort In Maldives


Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives


The Maldives is one in all the foremost exotic and distinctive vacation destinations within the world, with beautiful coral islands, endless turquoise waters and white powdery beaches.
Situated within the northernmost atoll is that the Waldorf Astoria Maldives, a part of the celebrated Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. Travel across the ocean on our scenic seaplane and arrive at this luxury resort, that offers true Maldivian experiences, complemented by an expensive heritage of service and excellence.

King Water Villa

Perched over pristine turquoise waters, there's no alternative place to be than on the personal deck within the infinity pool, taking within the breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean.

Glass paneled floors permit observation of the exotic marine life, whereas steps lead directly onto the soft sandy lagoon for a refreshing dip. The loos are partially open-air and have i-Spa bathtubs.

Features

110m - Indoor: seventy / Outdoor: forty, thirty villas – All king size beds, Even numbers have sunset read. No connecting villas, most occupancy: three adults or a pair of adults and a pair of youngsters (children = below twelve years old), youngsters don't seem to be counseled within the over-water villas.

King Beach Villa

Dotted throughout the island's lush vegetation, these generously appointed villas are elegant and discreet. The interiors open up to ask the invigorating ocean breeze, as do the open-air loos, the plunge pool and a sun deck with cosy loungers. a personal cabana directly on the beach is ideal for enjoying the views below the sun.

Features

150m - Indoor: forty five / Outdoor: one zero five, twenty two villas - All king size beds, All on the sunrise facet of the island. No connecting villas, most occupancy: three adults or a pair of adults and a pair of youngsters (children = below twelve years old).

King Ocean Villa

This villa reflects the tradition and cultural heritage of the Maldives. Carvings galvanized by the 100-year-old Mosque on the nearby Utheem island, in addition as alternative ancient Maldivian crafts enhance the interiors. Continuing the country theme are the beds, manufactured from teak in its original kind. The expansive terrace options an infinity plunge pool, a conventional Maldivian swing - un'dhoali - and an over-water hammock. There are separate areas for lounging, dining and sleeping, in addition as air conditioned loos with i-Spa bathtubs and rain showers.

Complementing the villas interior is state-of-the-art technology, as well as electrical blinds, a blu-ray home entertainment system with a sensible remote management and web, in addition as Ploh bedlinen, moveable Neoz lightweight, lighted shaving and make-up mirrors and Artemide lights.

Features

110m - Indoor: seventy / Outdoor: forty, seventeen villas – All king size beds, Even numbers have sunset read. No connecting villas, most occupancy: three adults or a pair of adults and a pair of youngsters (children = below twelve years old), youngsters don't seem to be counseled within the over-water villas.

King Beach Suite

With more room to fancy the tropical surroundings, these luxurious retreats feature separate areas for lounging or entertaining, dining and sleeping. Guests may fancy the lavish i-Spa bathtub and rain shower within the loos and relax in their personal beach cabana or plunge pool.

Features

225sqm - Indoor: eighty / Outdoor: a hundred forty five, twelve villas – All king size beds, All on the sunset facet of the island. No connecting villas, most occupancy: three adults or a pair of adults and a pair of youngsters (children = below twelve years old).

Grand water pavilion

Set on top of the pristine turquoise waters with a sublime thatched roof, the solid timber structure and breezy open areas build this spectacular villa an ideal haven. The villa options a pair of bedrooms, a personal swimming pool, a pair of lavish i-Spa bathtubs, personal dining space, a spacious lounge with a state-of-the-art home entertainment system and an oversized sun deck where the sweeping panoramic views of the Indian Ocean may be enjoyed.

Features

350m - Indoor: a hundred sixty five / Outdoor: 185, 1 villa, a pair of bedrooms (king size bed in both), most occupancy: six guests (adults and children) (children = below twelve years old), youngsters don't seem to be counseled within the over-water villas.

Grand Beach Pavilion

The ideal retreat for a family or cluster. The refreshing ocean air and beautiful views may be enjoyed from the personal deck or within the swimming pool, whereas pampering may be organized within the massage hospice. The villa consists of 2 bedrooms, a dining space, 2 open-air loos, a sauna, steam room, i-Spa, and state-of-the-art entertainment. the sport lounge on the primary floor may be changed into a 3rd bedroom to accommodate a pair of further adults or youngsters (with rest room however not en-suite bathroom).

Features

600m - Indoor: 440 / Outdoor: one hundred sixty, 1 villa, a pair of bedrooms (king size bed in both), most occupancy: six guests (adults or children) (children = below twelve years old).

Activities

At Waldorf Astoria Maldives, PLAY encompasses a good vary of water and land activities. whether or not at the resort's water sports faculty, the Recreation Centre, Kids' Club, gym or tennis court, there's invariably one thing fun for everybody of all ages. The resort’s service team is reachable to form certain that your Waldorf Astoria Maldives expertise is stuffed with fun and wonderful recollections.

Spa

Shrouded in luxuriant vegetation, embrace nature within the Spa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives, a haven of comfort and rest, and a healing sanctuary for the soul.

Monica Denevan: Burma

Photo © Monica Denevan-All Rights Reserved

I'm glad to have found Monica Denevan's website with its gorgeous photographs of Burma and China. Trust me...you will find that her some 120 photographs are indeed luminous and gorgeous.

Monica travels with her medium format Bronica, one lens, and a bunch of plastic bags filled with Ilford Delta 400 film. She tells us that her photographs are printed from negatives in her traditional darkroom and selenium toned.

Classic photography in the full meaning of the word, and the farthest thing from the Instagram and Hipstamatic fad.

Born in San Francisco, Monica studied photography at San Francisco State University. She started visiting parts of Burma and China for many years, and always had her Bronica along. Her work was published in ZYZZYVA, Communication Arts Photo Annual, SHOTS, Black and White Magazine, The Photo Review, The Sun, and Artvas-The Photo (Korea) among others.

She is represented by Scott Nichols Gallery in San Francisco, Duncan Miller Gallery in Santa Monica, Capital Culture Gallery in London, and Tao Evolution Gallery in Hong Kong which produced a small catalogue of her work. Monica’s photographs are in the permanent collection of UCSF Medical Center.

Multimedia For Photographers: Foundry Photojournalism Workshop


I am soon to travel to Chiang Mai for the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop which is to be held from July 29 to August 4, 2012 and where I am to teach photojournalists how to produce audio slideshows that rival in quality and content more elaborate multimedia productions, using their own images and audio generated in the field, and to produce cogent photo stories under the simulation of publishing deadlines.

In reality, it's a little more than that, since through class discussions, I also share my views on typography, aesthetics, titling, marketing, blogging, web design and branding...with a little business savvy thrown into the mix.

This my fifth year with the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop, and I'm glad that my Multimedia For Photographers has been on the curriculum since the Workshop's inception in 2008. I'm also glad my class in Chiang Mai is full. Since it involves practical hands-on instruction, as well as abstract guidance, it's capped at 8 students.

While this class is somewhat more advanced than the one included my own ongoing Photo Expeditions-Workshops (which are also capped at 8 participants), the objective of both is essentially the same.

You Like Red?



I've added a couple of galleries to my recently published website: www.telsawy.comOne of the galleries groups photographs of The Sufis, while the other has a grouping of Theyyam performers.

Red is the color of fire and blood, and associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, courage, desire, and love. And it's used in many religious rituals and festivals in India, and worn by religious practitioners such as the Theyyam of Northern Malabar and the Vellichapads (or Oracles) of Kodunggallur.

Theyyam is a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs, it includes many of the castes and classes of the Hindu religion in the Malabar region. The word Theyyam is a corrupt form of Devam or God. People of the region consider Theyyam itself as a god and seek blessings from them.

Another of my Theyyam photo essays is Theyyam: Incarnate Deities.

As for the Oracles of Kodungallur, they celebrate both Kali and Shiva at an intense festival that lasts about a week.In their thousands, these red-clad devotees perform self mortification acts by banging on their heads with ceremonial swords repeatedly until blood trickle down their foreheads, and daub the wounds with turmeric. A photo essay titled Agony & Ecstasy documents the Oracles religious event.

And yes, I do like the color red.

Black Rapid: Lens Bling




I use BlackRapid Camera straps, and just noticed that the company announced the launch of LensBling, a series of rear lens caps that allow users to quickly and easily differentiate between lenses they own. The rear lens caps carry bold graphics and labeling so it's very easy to identify and quickly find the right lens in a camera bag.

Alternatively, one can do what I do...and that is to print labels with the focal length of the lens, and stick these to the lens' front and rear caps (and sometimes the hood as well).

Notwithstanding, the LensBling is much more elegant and only cost $8.50 each. Not bad.


Note: I am not sponsored by BlackRapid, nor associated with it in any fashion. As I said, I just like and use its straps, and I thought that this product may be of interest to my readers in the travel and documentary photography industry.

Devansh Jhaveri: Ahmedabad


Photo © Devansh Jhaveri: All Rights Reserved
Devansh Jhaveri is a travel photographer, and describes himself -quite rightly- as being passionate in capturing ancient cultures and the human condition in unique, challenging situations. I wager you will agree with me that he is extremely talented

He reminded me that he had a portfolio review with me the Delhi Photo Festival last November, and I recall telling him that he was gifted, and his photographs were amongst the best I've seen in this genre.

You will see that his imagery is varied, ranging from travel photography (in India and elsewhere such as Egypt and Thailand), classical Indian dance, portraiture, fashion (exceptional!), fine arts, interiors and also videography.

Before I share with you my preferred gallery out of Devansh's travel work, I want to highlight his fashion work because it's well worth your time to have a look at them.

As for his very broad travel work, I particularly liked his Ahmedabad gallery perhaps because of those made in the Jami Masjid...one of the most impressive mosques in India. Two photos stand out...the one above, and the one following it on the gallery which depicts an elderly Muslim checking his bag while a couple is 'canoodling' in a corner.

You will also find a quartet of Devansh's self-published books on Blurb: Varanasi, Ladakh, Colleena Shakti and Lost & Found.

Finally, Devansh's biography page is the first I see of a photographer with a QR("Quick Response")  Code, which is a mobile phone readable barcode I wrote about here.

Budi N.D. Dharmawan: Ketoprak (Javanese Theatre)

Photo © Budi N.D. Dharmawan-All Rights Reserved

Ketoprak is a theatrical genre of Java in Indonesia which features actors and performers who sing to the accompaniment of the gamelan. It draws its stories from Javanese history and romances, and in that respect is different from the wayang kulit (shadow puppets) which are based on stories from the Hindu epics.

Ketoprak was created by a Surakarta court official in 1914, evolved into a spoken drama of Javanese and Islamic history but with the modernisation brought along with television and videos, it has lost much of its popularity, and the younger generation has lost interest in traditional folk/cultural arts.

Budi N.D. Dharmawan is is an Indonesian documentary photographer, with interest in social, humanitarian, and cultural issues. His Staged Life gallery documents a ketroprak troupe which he followed.

He describes this experience very eloquently: 

"It is a story of poverty, which is widespread across Indonesia, a country that has been celebrating economic growth in the past decade. It is unimaginable that these people can live on less than USD 10 a month, but yet it is very real. It is a story of people practicing a form of art that younger generation no longer cares about, not necessarily in order to preserve it, but because it is their way to make ends meet. It is a story of life, both on-stage and also off-stage, which somehow feels like it is just another stage to perform."

I haven't attended a ketoprak performance, but i did photograph an Arja performance in Bali. Arja enacts old stories mainly based on the Panji Romances (11-14th centuries) and uses dialogue understood only by Balinese-speaking audiences. Many of the stories derived from Balinese tales, Chinese and Arabic, and from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Dan Kitwood: Benin Voodoo

Photo Dan Kitwood/Getty Images-Courtesy The Guardian
Can anything dispel the auguries of a Friday 13th better than a Benin Voodoo festival?

Being fascinated by such religious festivals and rituals (the more obscure the better), I was glad to have seen Dan Kitwood's gallery of a Benin Voodoo festival in The Guardian, which also led me to his website/blog on which he lays out further captivating photographs (with better resolution) of Voodoo which also has a slideshow at the bottom of the post.

As seen in the above photograph, the costumes are incredibly colorful...perhaps rivaling the Bhutanese dancers at tsechus in their elaborateness and intricacy of their embroidered designs .

In the tiny West African nation of Benin, Voodoo is and remains the state religion. Incredibly, voodoo has officially been a national religion of Benin since 1996, where more than 60% of the people are said to follow its traditions. Slaves from this corner of Africa brought the religion to the New World, most notably to Haiti.

And while Christianity and Islam in Benin are also practiced, voodoo still influences them. In the voodoo tradition, there's a supreme god, Mahu, and a number of smaller gods or spirits, with whom humans can interact.

Dan Kitwood is a UK photojournalist who, after completing a degree in Fine Art, traveled around South East Asia, Australasia and South America, which triggered a passion for photography. After two years working for the South West News he joined Getty Images in London.

Oded Balilty: The Stone Throwers of Palestine

Photo © Oded Balilty-Courtesy TIME Lightbox
“On the weekend, they are in those protests, but other than that, they are totally normal people..."
"But other than that...? Is the implication in this qualifiying sentence that these Palestinians are not normal because they protest against the Israeli illegal occupation? I hope not.

But let's stray from politics for a while, and just focus on Oded Balilty's excellent photographs of seven Palestinian protestors as featured by TIME Lightbox a couple of weeks ago.

I featured Balilty's work on other occasions on this blog, and admire his work, especially his photographs of Jewish ultra orthodox communities, traditional Hasidic Jewish weddings, and preparations for Passover.  He is based in Tel Aviv as an Associated Press photographer and frequently photographs the ongoing "friction" between Israelis and Palestinians.
For these posed portraits, Balilty enlisted the help of his colleague, Nasser Shiyoukhi, the AP’s Palestinian photographer from the West Bank.

Perhaps it would've been even better had both Balilty and Shiyoukhi collaborated on this project...we may have seen a difference perspective in the setting up of the photographs.

The Nifty Mini-Drive



The Nifty Mini-Drive for the Mac Book Air (and the Nifty MiniDrive Pro for the Macbook Pro) is a new hardware project which raised almost $200,000 (at the time of writing) on Kickstarter, much exceeding its original goal of $11,000.

From its introductory videos and write up, it's an easy to use device that will allow a quick and simple add-on to the available memory in MacBook Pros and Airs, and  as well as back-up solution.
All it does is to provide an intelligent 'adapter' that will take a MicroSd Card, which will then be inserted flush in the SD Card slot of the MacBooks, and used as an additional hard drive.


It appears that the price of the Nifty Mini-Drives will be in the vicinity of $30 each, and as the current price of a 64GB microSDXC SanDisk (as an example) is about $60, the total cost to increase one's memory by that amount is about $100 (inclusive of sales taxes or shipping, etc).


As a guidance price, the price of an 11 inch 64GB MacBook Air is $999 versus $1099 for an 11 inch 128GB MacBook Air. However, if one already owns a MacBook Air (or Pro) and wants a quick and simple increase in memory, this might be a smart alternative than to send it for an upgrade. 

Kevin WY Lee: The Return of Hundred Daughters

Photo © Kevin Wy Lee-All Rights Reserved
"...a fortune teller told my grandparents that demon gods wished harm upon their first-born son. So when my father, the only son in the family, was born, they named him Pak Noi – Hundred Daughters – to fool the demon gods."

Kevin WY Lee is a photographer based in Singapore, whose creative work was honed in Australia and Singapore for more than 15 years. He's the founder of Invisible Photographer Asia (IPA); a well known multi-faceted platform for Street Photography & Visual Journalism in Asia. He also participated as a judge for various creative and photography awards including Singapore Creative Circle Awards, Angkor Photo Workshop, and KLPhotoawards.

Kevin's just recently featured a fascinating photo essay which chronicles the return of his father to his  ancestral home in Zhaolong Li (mainland China) after a prolonged absence of almost 56 years. He was accompanied by his wife, his sisters and families as well as his only son, Kevin...who documented this incredibly touching and intimate experience, and recorded it for posterity.

Because of a fortune teller's tale, Kevin's father was named Pak Noi (Hundred Daughters), and it's utterly appropriate it's also the title of this very well done photo essay.

As I'm fond of stressing in my multimedia classes, a photo essay of that type is always successful if it has two main ingredients: access and intimacy. The Return of Hundred Daughters certainly has both.

I only wish it had an accompanying audio track to it...but perhaps not having one was a conscious decision by the photographer.

Kandooma Island Resort - Maldives



This is an island, blessed with white sands, azure skies, lush tropical greenery and clear turquoise waters virtually goes while not saying. to enrich this, Kandooma, The Resort, has created services meant to satisfy, engage, entertain, inform, educate and..... luxuriate.

For some this suggests discovering the globe of marine biodiversity or being challenged by a replacement ocean sport ability. For others it'll be concerning obtaining back in contact with the family, the atmosphere and (dare we are saying it?) themselves. folks are relieved to ascertain their youngsters as happy captives of the kids’ club. Dining choices are developed to supply real decisions for today’s versed palates.

Location:

Kandooma Island lies simply thirty five km south of the Male International Airport, via a forty minute speedboat ride to the South Male Atoll. thirteen hectares in space, it's named when the Kandoo tree that is found in abundance on the island. For guests arriving late in the dead of night, the resort additionally offers the convenience of night transfers to the island.

This tropical isle is favoured attributable to its shut proximity to several glorious dive sites. The Kandooma Channel and Kandooma Caves and Kandooma “thila” (an undersea mount) all contribute to creating this space one among the republics’s most asked for destinations for divers. For list of nearby dive sites, click here.

For the non-divers, the encompassing clear water offers areas to swim and snorkel. Enthusiastic surfers are delighted with the reef breaks on the north - east facet of the island from the swell that comes in off the ocean.

Airport Transfer:

Transfer time between the airport and therefore the resort is concerning forty five minutes by SpeedBoat.
Airport transfer modes out there:    Night Transfer available .  Speed Boat transfer.

Accomodation Overview

The resort has one hundred sixty villas in four main classes of beach and garden villas, Duplex villas, family villas and water villas. With the exception of the garden villas, all the accommodation has been engineered round the fringe of or on the water. every villa kind has been designed with cool clean lines with white washed timber providing heat texture to the unshod foot. massive image windows mean that you just are solely a look far from the good blue outdoors.

Garden Villa - (16 rooms / units)

Garden Villas are engineered principally within the centre of the island. The rooms have gotten the read of the garden infront of them.

Beach Bungalow With Pool  - (44 rooms / units)

Like all Kandooma’s accommodation, the semi-detached beach villas escort massive image windows that absolutely invite the outside within. Whitewashed floor boards evoke a way of contemporary coolness, however feel heat and textured to reveal feet. Luxury comes from lightweight summer duvets and generously proportioned bathtub towels. Flat screen televisions, an area to plug in your mp3/iPod, indoor out-door showers and wifi broadband are our normal, additionally to any or all the opposite usual amenities you'd expect of a world category lifestyle resort. The beach villas are thirty six sq. metres in size.

Duplex Villa  - (74 rooms / units)

The sea-facing duplex villas supply the luxurious of area. Located at the water’s edge, the villas gift a putting mixture of natural parts and trendy style. Bedrooms located at the primary floor level and thus fancy views of the ocean. The living space beneath the bedroom is furnished with designer seating laid out on a carpet of fine white sand. The duplex villas are seventy two sq. metres in size, with thirty six sq. metres on every level.

Family Villa - (06 rooms / units)

Family villas, because the name suggests, are ideal for families or alittle cluster of divers, and are the scale of 2 duplex villas along. they provide sleeping area upstairs furthermore as living and dining below. 

Water Villa - (19 rooms / units)

Hovering on top of coral and marine life within the shallow clear waters, guests can fancy their time on their personal sundeck, dangling their feet within the water, or at high tide, relaxing during a partially submerged hammock. Expansive living area is complemented by an outsized open toilet that offers an outside shower and bathtub and views of the water. The water villas are sixty five sq. meters in size.

Facilities and Amenities:

Air-Conditioned , Cable / Satellite TV,  Safe bathtub tub,  Hot & Cold contemporary water,  Twin beds out there Beach Front,  King size bed out there,  Work desk / lamp CD Player,  Mini bar.

COMO Shambhala Spa

Serenity and rejuvenation await you at the COMO Shambhala Spa at Kandooma...

The idyllic setting sets the scene of serenity and calm because it gets you within the mood for relaxation and indulgence.

The perfect getaway from all pressures and demand of today's trendy world, the spa expertise at Kandooma is all concerning energising during a natural atmosphere with its offerings of a good vary of therapeutic massages and spa treatments.

With 5 treatment rooms set during a natural and serene atmosphere, expertise the true which means of rejuvenation as you ease your well-being into a relaxed state of body whereas taking within the breathtaking oceanic views.

Sports &  Activities

Being spirited and engaged is central to our reason for existing thus when it involves dedicating a department for activity we have a tendency to were invariably planning to do some things a bit differently. whereas diving largely takes centre stage, being virtually a dog-paddle to a number of the country’s best dive sites, we've got developed experiences to tickle most tastes. it would be pursuing an adrenaline surge on a surfboard, a mind enriching aqua safari or a reflective moment at a moonlit campfire drinking tea with a Maldivian story teller.

Available Facilities 

Babysitting or kid care, Hi-speed web,  PADI Dive college Bar, In-house Doctor, Restaurants Bar in-house web WiFi area Service Beach Volley web desk with computer, Safe Deposit Catamaran Sailing, Kayaks,  Snorkeling low search, Laundry, Spa Services Cruising, Library, Speciality Restaurants Curency Exchange,  Lounge space appropriate for kids Excursions, Massage Parlor, Swimming Pool Fishing journeys, Night Fishing,  Windsurfing Fitness Facility