Photo For the Day: Home From the Harvest

In a previous post titled, "Pool and Trail", I wrote that fisherfolks from the fishing villages located on the coasts of South Korea use a special sled to travel the mudflats during low tide.  "Home From the Harvest" shows a fisherman returning to the home shore after collecting seafood from one of the farms that is exposed during the low tide.

Home From the Harvest
© 2011 Mark Eaton

This photograph was composed one late autumn afternoon in October 2011.  The harvesters easily communicate with one another despite the distances since voices carry well along the flats.  They often sing and joke one with another.  It is not uncommon for harvesters to ham it up for those who are photographing them while at work.

"Home From the Harvest" is a part of an article that was written about my longitudinal study of Suncheon Bay.  The is found at the Groove Magazine website here.

If I were a videographer, I would be able to share the poignant scenes of how the younger sledders far out pace the older sledders whose struggle to reach the shores before night fall is obvious.

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.

Getting Close to the Subject

Only recently I became aware of Veejay Villafranca, who is a noted and respected photographer from the Philippines.  His photography and biography is found here.

Mr. Villafranca has the ability to get close to his subjects of interest.  The youthful gang members, those displaced by global warming and the weather, the religious faithful, migrants, and so many others present an emotional and powerful presence in a photograph that creates a bond with a viewer.  One can imagine and feel the pain, the fear, the determination, and the everyday grind, because of the intimacy that is developed by getting close to the subject.

Even those images that have a larger view, there is a point in the photograph that draws a viewer in to establish sympathy and a relationship with a subject.  The images are strong and emotional.

Photo for the Day - Pool and Trail

I prefer the working side of Suncheon Bay (순천 만) to the orchestrated tourist side of the bay.  In my view, the fishing areas and the fishing villages located on the bay, or in the bay itself, provides the most interesting photographic compositions.

The tidal flow is extreme in South Korea as can be seen in Pool and Trail.  The low tide allows fisherfolks and harvesters to travel the mudflats using a special sled to gather whatever seafood is being cultivated.  The man made pools that generously dot the shoreline serves different purposes, and if one happens to have any sea creatures left behind as the tide recedes, then that is all the better.

Pool and Trail

© 2011 Mark Eaton

...

Yes, limited editions of the photograph above, and many other of my photographs, is available to print.

Opportunities to Focus, to Share, to Expand the Work

It is an irony in this modern age that a photographer or an artist labors in relative obscurity.  The overwhelming number of people who use the internet to promote this, that, and the other is difficult to grasp.

I consider myself very fortunate to have a very nice following from using different social networking systems and from belonging to professional organizations.  Some day in the future I will devote some time to share my experiences using the different platforms to share work.

I will share at this time, however, an opportunity presented by Conscientious for a photographer to participate in its Conscientious Portfolio Competition 2012 event.  Rather than paraphrasing inadequately, I suggest visiting the competition page to read what is needed to submit work for consideration:  CPC 2012.

Conscientious is a site I visit regularly, because of its thoughtful and considered approach to the subject of photography.  The home page can be accessed here.