Four Venues in South Korea During the 2013 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk

Saturday, 5 October 2013, is the date for the 2013 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk.

Last year there were three separate photo walks in South Korea; however, at the time of this posting there are four walks scheduled for this year.  Two new comers to this international event will be hosting walks in Seoul,  while two returning veterans will again host their walks in different cities in the southern part of the country.

There is still plenty of time to join the walks, but a photographer must register to participate and to receive the perks and prizes offered this year.  Here is a list of the walk leaders and their locations:

1)  Zelri Coetzee is new to the Scott Kelby photo walk scene in Korea.  She will be leading her walk in Seoul.  To contact Zelri and to register for her walk, visit the photo walk site here.

2)  Another new comer is Matthew Theron, and he also will be leading a walk in Seoul.  To register for his walk, click on the link here.

3)  As he did in 2012, Joe Wabe will be leading a walk in Gwangju in Jeollanam-do.  Sign up for his event here.

4)  Also returning to lead a walk is Jason Teale.  His event will be held in Ulsan.  Walk with Jason by registering here.

Good luck to the walk leaders and to the participants!

Edit:  Joe Wabe has published the first issue of PIK (Photographers in Korea).  He was kind enough to include the above article about the photo walk on the opening pages of this wonderful magazine.  Take a look at PIK here.

Memorias: A Solo Exhibition by Joe Wabe at PDG Gallery in Gwangju

Joe Wabe is a fixture in the city of Gwangju.  He is a dynamic mover in several different facets of life and living.  I've had the good fortune to know Joe for the past few years here in South Korea, and it is an honor for me to present this bit of news about him here. 

Joe will be hosting his first solo photography exhibition beginning Saturday, August 10, 2013.  The exhibit will be at the increasingly popular PDG Gallery in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.  There will be an opening reception at the gallery from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, and this will be a great opportunity to meet and greet the artist.  The theme of his show is Memorias. 

   

The following is the exhibition statement as posted on the event page over at Facebook:

"Memories are the only real treasure that we can keep forever. I'll like to share with all of you my first solo photo exhibition. A small walk into my past memories, without leaving the present. A nostalgic visual recount of my time here in wonderful Korea. Each photograph will have a story to tell, a story that requires no verbal form. This is just a small expression of gratitude for the land that has giving me so much."

Joe Wabe's photographic style is one that connects well and resonates well with my view and outlook on life.  Here are two photographs that will be on display during the event:

Old Love

© Joe Wabe

By the Sea

© Joe Wabe

Paul Kerry from The Korea Herald has taken note of Joe's photographic work, too.  Read the article written by Paul Kerry about Memorias here.

As I mentioned above, the exhibition begins 2013/8/10, and it will conclude some time in the middle of September.  

For those who are not familiar with Gwangju be assured that it isn't difficult to find PDG Gallery.  In fact, it is just across the street from the U-Square express bus terminal in Gwangju.  It is important to note that the building that has the gallery is on the Shinsegae department store side of the bus terminal.  

Exit from the Shinsegae department store itself directly outside, not in the terminal itself but rather outside of the store, and look across the street for the Mr. Pizza sign.  The gallery is on the 5th floor of that building that displays the Mr. Pizza sign.

Here is the address of the building:

460-33 Nong Sung Dong, 

Dana Medical Arts Building

Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do

How to Photograph the Person

I just didn't feel like doing much at all this beautiful autumn morning.  The 2012 Suncheon Photo Club exhibition concluded a couple of days ago, and I spent quite a bit of time last night working on submissions for an upcoming solo exhibit.  I thought I would spend some time this morning just taking a look at what other photographers were doing.

In addition to being a member of the Suncheon Photo Club, the only foreign member of that august body, I am a member of the Gwangju Photo Club, too.  I was revisiting some of the images posted on the GPC Facebook page from the recent Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk that many club members posted.  Time and again, I kept viewing an image submitted by the Joe Wabe, who also happened to be the walk leader in Gwangju.

I realize not all of my readers will be able to view Joe Wabe's photograph of two Korean women here, because many do not have Facebook accounts.  A wise decision on their part, I know.

The art of photographing the person is much different than taking a photo of people.  Recording the mood, the feeling, the inner being of a person is no simple task.  The subject must have a trust and a belief in the photographer, and the photographer must reciprocate.  A bond between the persons is necessary.

While viewing the mentioned photograph above, I reminded myself of the photographic work by Claudine Doury.  Rather than wax poetic using polysyllabic superlatives, I direct the viewer's attention to Claudine Doury's website here.  

It is an art and a gift that just cannot be packaged and sold on one of those trendy photo sites, nor at some photo conference or workshop.  It is inside a photographer, or it isn't.

Photographs from the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk Event - Gwangju

Yesterday, Joe Wabe led the 2012 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.  It was a well attended event with a diverse group hailing from many different countries.  There even was an artist who sketched and drew as she walked along the event route with the photographers.

Joe did a fantastic job leading this walk, and everything went smoothly with the help of others whose expertise and contributions were essential.  It was a wonderful learning experience.  It was also fun for me personally as I caught up with some dear friends during the after-event social.

The timing of the photo walk happened to coincide with other events occurring simultaneously along the walk route.  As is my custom, I was looking for scenes and compositions that featured my appreciation for the design elements, water, and the often overlooked behind the scenes aspects of life.

 Urban Jungle

© 2012 Mark Eaton

 Abandoned and Forgotten
© Mark Eaton

I usually shoot in black and white mode; however, Hot Peppers Drying begged for the color composition.

Hot Peppers Drying

© Mark Eaton

The pair of gloves in Abandoned and Forgotten provides a poignant symbolism of those who are discarded so readily.  Just moments after I took this shot, a participant kicked the gloves under the seats where the awaiting participants rest before being called to line up for the parade.  Out of sight and out of mind as fast as one can imagine. 

Three Venues in South Korea During the 2012 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk

October 13th, 2012 is when Scott Kelby's 5th annual worldwide photo walk will be held.  Mr. Kelby has put the worldwide web to excellent use by working hard to make this event a truly global event.  

Photographers in South Korea are getting involved in this event, too.  According to the Scott Kelby website, there are expected to be three different photo walks in South Korea on Saturday, October 13th.  All three walks will be led by foreign residents in South Korea.  Though I conducted a search using the Korean language, no results appeared that would indicate any photo walks being led by Korean citizens at this time.  If any of my readers know differently, please contact me so that I can spread the word.

First, Ilze Louw is leading a walk in Seoul.  See some of here photography on her photo blog here.  The information Ilze provides on her photo walk page states that her walk will begin at 9:45 a.m. in 탑골공원.  Those who wish to join Ilze Louw's photo walk, and to learn more details about it, can visit her walk page here.

Second, Jason Teale is leading his photo walk in Ulsan.  This past August 2012, I featured Jason and his amazing work in an article on this blog that can be read here.  Those who wish to participate in Jason's walk can sign-up on his walk page here.

Third, Joe Wabe is leading his first photo walk in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.  He invited me to be a jurist at his event.  Joe Wabe is the founder of Art Elemento, which is an art magazine based in Gwangju.  His photography is very well done.  In fact, just yesterday afternoon I sat with Joe, his delightful and talented daughter, and another friend at his booth at the art auction held on the art walk in Gwangju where he sold 20 of his photographs.  Those who wish to participate in Joe's photo walk can learn more information here.

To learn more about this Scott Kelby project visit Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk.  There is still time to join the walk of your choice.