sundot-diwa/imahe

tagal ko na pala di nakakapag-blog, hane? dami lang kasing ginagawa sa life-life...

hay. what a month. first off, natanggap na kasi ako to teach sa UP Film Institute, formerly the UP Masscomm film department yan, my alma mater. so i guess i'll be going back to school, so to speak... ayan, puwede na i-announce sa madlang pipol. hehe. bakit kaya lahat ng kwentuhan ko nito, ang laging sagot ay "sit-in ako sa class mo!" hehe. hm, kakatuwa naman. i guess that means some kinda words of support or somethang. :)

i resigned from my fulltime job na because of this. trading in big bucks for not-so-big bucks. am i crazy? i think i am. but anyway, one good thing that came out of this month was this announcement from the UK-based World Association for Christian Communication development NGO ek:

Images of Communication Photographic Competition 2005 Winners announced

This year's Images of Communication Photographic Competition received more than 400 submissions from all over the world and was recently judged by a panel at WACC. Communication was illustrated in many moving ways and the quality of the submissions was high. After much deliberation, the prizes were awarded as follows:

1st Prize: $500:
Photographer: Frederick Omondi, Kenya
Image: Mass Media

Caption: "Journalists struggle to interview a former minister, media in Kenya has been perceived as vibrant area of growth with the introduction of community radio stations - enabling an environment of press freedom in Kenya, bringing development and showing the diverse cultural values of the tribes in Kenya

Jury's comment: Overflowing with human drama and energy, this strongly-composed and dynamic image captures journalists holding politicians to account and is testament to the value and meaning of modern media.


Commendation: $200
Photographer: Arvind Jain, India
Image: Communication by Gesture.

Caption: "In this era of extremely sophisticated means of communications, there are many people who mainly use their hands, fingers and facial expressions to express their thoughts and feelings. Most modern means of communications between people are useless for the non-hearing school children in this picture. Their joyful expressions clearly reveal how capable they are in communicating with gestures."

The jury's comment: This animated composition reflects human communication and relationships in the everyday life of disabled children, it is an appealing image that speaks for itself. The image urges the viewer to value disabled people and their right to communicate.

Commendation: $200
Photographer: Dan Seltzer, Israel
Image: Anti-Fence Demonstration

Caption: “The coverege of ‘dramatic’ actions is part of everyday reality for people in the area of the ‘fence’. Soldiers are nearby ready to shoot at the demonstrators and the press. The man with the tyre is a part of a movement of non-violent resistance to the wall, which started in the village of Budrus and has since spread to its neighbours. Burning tyres is generally a sign on mourning. The demonstrations have gained much: many fields have been saved; the awareness to the problem has grown; non-violent actions like this have shown much strength and value”

The jury's comment: This image was selected for documenting dramatic action on a vital and controversial issue of social justice in the Middle East, and for bringing up a series of questions about the role of the media and the relationship between media and social struggles. Dan Seltzer's website, showing how he mixes photography with social activism, can be visited at http://www.subfocus.com/


Commendation: $200
Photographer: Libay Linsangan Cantor, Philippines
Image: Fisherwoman

Caption: "A fisherwoman and farmer, wearing her usual work clothes, participates in a rally to communicate her opposition to government restrictions. Her protest signs reads in Filipino: ‘The right to our ancestral domains’ and ‘the right to fish in municipal waters’. Taken during the Women's March Against Poverty and Globalization in the Philippines April 2005."

The jury's comment: This image shows how poor people recur to communicating their needs on issues decided by politicians. The fisherwoman’s resolute face shows her determination and the importance she attaches to her message.


Commendation: $200
Photographer: Sajana Jayaraj, India
Image: Ring-Side View

Caption: "Activists of Sashakt Mahila Sangh (literally ‘Empowered Women’s group’) perform a street theatre on the issue of child domestic work in a slum community in Thane. The photograph is not just a documentation of a performance. It records the confidence of actor-activist women who belong to the largely voiceless and marginalized urban slum communities of Mumbai. The fact that women came forward, evolved the play and performed it in a similar community is also a testimony to the power of theatre as a medium of communication - accessible, interactive and empowering."

The jury's comment: This vibrant street scene showing popular theatre is full of information about the daily life of the people who are clearly feeling involved in the process. It is an artistic composition and carries a strong message about participatory, active sharing in communication.


Commendation: $200
Photographer: Shahidul Alam, DRIK, Bangladesh
Image: Salma

Caption: "Salma, lives in a small village outside of Norshingdi, and has just received a phone call from her husband, a migrant worker in Singapore."

The jury's comment: this undeniably beautiful composition, artistically reminiscent of a Vermeer painting, immerses the viewer in its depth, rural colour and texture. The picture itself shows the importance of the phonecall taking place as well as addressing social and economic issues of telecommunication development in rural areas in developing countries.


The panel of judges were sad not to be able to award prizes to many other excellent photographs, however a gallery of a selection of shortlisted entries, including the winners can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/8s6hd

Taking the side of justice and human dignity in media, and promoting diverse media ownership, WACC works for the right to communicate especially in situations of censorship and oppression.

World Association for Christian Communication
http://www.wacc.org.uk
Global Media Monitoring Project
http://www.globalmediamonitoring.org


wow, winner literal ang lola nyo ever! hehe. to view my winning photo, go here. to see the other finalists and winners, punta ka dito.

kewl. :)

wanted the first prize sana pero well, 200 diollars is 200 dollars pa rin naman. pambayad din ng rent yun hehe :P

later.