rudi dundas

Pictures from an Exhibition – Sebastiao Salgado’s Genesis

Reflections from the Exhibition of the Brazilian Photographer, Sebastiao Salgado’s 8 year exploration of issues relating to climate change and environment on our planet.   This monumental oeuvre  is now showing at the International Center for Photography  in New York City, through January 11.  Over 200 images illuminating indigenous peoples, landscape, flora and fauna endangered by environmental changes in recent years are  displayed with text elucidating seminal issues pertaining to the visual message of the fragility of our changing world.  Curated by Lélia Wanick Salgado.

 

Lucie Awards

So honored to have been nominated for a Lucie Award as International Photographer of the Year.  Ceremony was at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, November 2nd.  Nine of us were chosen out of 27,000 images. Congratulations to the winner, Sandro, from the U.S.,  for his stunning work, “Eyes of Morocco.”  Lucies also went to Carrie Mae Weems, Nick Ut, Nan Goldin and Martin Parr, among others.  A Black Tie night, indeed!

 

 

The Tribes of the Omo River Valley

The Mursi, Hamar, Banna, Kara, Arbore and many other tribes of the Omo River Valley in Southwestern Ethiopia live essentially as they have for the past thousands of years.  However, the new roads that has been put in the past few years to access large new sugar plantations and other projects have brought tourists into this formerly inaccessible region.  The tribes have quickly learned how to  pursue tourist money by selling trinkets and collecting fees for photos.  If one tries to avoid the monetary exchange for photos, one is pummeled with tomatoes, plastic bottles or even stones.  However, once the transactions are clear, most of the tribes are very open to tourists and accept them into their rituals and ceremonies with great enthusiasm.

This life style is going to change soon, however.  In addition to the influx of tourists, a new dam is almost finished that will block the Omo River from flooding in the rainy season.  The traditional practice of alluvial farming in the floodplains will have to be replaced with irrigation and more sophisticated farming methods.

If you have ever wanted to visit this region, it would be advisable to plan a trip soon.  In only a  few years, it will surely be a different place.

Bristlecone Pines

The Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains of California are the oldest known living organisms on the planet.  These photos are from the Methusalah Grove, where the oldest individual at 4,846 years lives.  Its identity is kept secret to prevent vandalism.  These trees are its neighbors, if not the tree itself.  Another tree of the species  in the White Mountains has been identified at 5064 years, but its location is also kept secret.  The trees have attained their age by growing very slowly in the high altitude, cold temperatures, strong winds and poor general growing conditions.  Their rate of regeneration is also very slow and may be insufficient for its survival in the present conditions of climate  and environmental change.

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