Discover the remarkable discovery of Jain sculptures from the 11th century AD during drainage work in Mysuru district. Learn about the conservation efforts and the need for archaeological excavations in other Jain centres.
Images can be indispensable to conveying the news. Many times they tell stories words cannot.
During the past year, photos by John Donegan, Eliza Green, and Rod Thornburg graced the pages of The Californian, bearing witness to moments of great import and deep emotion.
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Wyoming is a natural nirvana as a canvas for world-class photography, and nobody has a vision through his viewfinder quite like Pinedale’s Dave Bell. His stunning Cowboy State landscapes, views and vistas are works of art.
His work will be featured in a public exhibition at the Sublette County Library in January.
“Visual Phenomenon” will feature 36 photos taken by Bell throughout Wyoming on a theme that’s personal for him.
“I wanted to create a show that highlights images that I’ve taken of ‘astro-events’ — clouds, lightning, the moon and rainbows,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “I think there’s got to be something for everybody,”
The Ones In The Million
Bell has been a prolific photographer for decades, with more than 1 million photos on his hard drives. “Visual Phenomena” will showcase a couple dozen of his best and personal favorites.
“We’ve got some wonderful shots of the Milky Way in Sublette County, bright and beautiful over trees and landscapes,” he said. “We’ve got some gorgeous cloud images. I’ve said for many years that we get the best clouds in Sublette County — lightning, of course. Last year was a banner year for lightning. It was just incredible.”
The show will include Bell’s “most famous image” of light pillars towering over Pinedale. Each photo is printed on a 16-by-24-inch metal print, which will be available to buy.
“They’re pretty cool,” he said. “I think that people will enjoy them.”
His Own Agent
Bell has done several similar shows at the Sublette County Library and other locations over the years. How does he manage to get so many chances to showcase his work?
The simple answer is he creates his own opportunities. While Bell’s work is revered by many through previous shows and social media, the public art exhibitions are entirely on his volution.
“It’s my own idea,” he said. “For photographers to get out there, you’ve got to do things like this to highlight and showcase your work. Because of my work in Sublette County and involvement with Pinedale Online and Cowboy State Daily, people know who I am. They’ll want to show up out of curiosity and what’s new.”
Since it’s Bell’s idea, it’s also at his expense. Selling the metal prints of his photos will help recoup some costs, but he admits putting together a show can cost a lot of time and money.
“It’s a lot of work, and it’s a lot of expense. When you print 24 metal prints, you’ve got a pretty good amount of money in it,” he said.
In Bell’s experience, the key to a successful show is to go above and beyond. This show also includes an artist’s reception on Jan. 10 and a signing of his book, “23: The Place We Call Home.” It’s a perfect opportunity for anyone who received the book as a Christmas gift to meet and chat with the author.
Hello There
Bell said the social aspect of an art show should never be underestimated.
“You can’t underscore the fact that people like to see each other to visit and catch up, especially after the holidays,” he said. “In the past, we’ve had a nice crowd there. We all have to visit and talk about how life’s treating us.”
If the time and expense of putting together a show weren’t worth it, Bell wouldn’t keep putting them on. After years of photography and increasing his reputation, he sees the shows as an invaluable tool to get eyes on his work.
“I recommend it to any photographer if they can figure out how to do it in a cost-effective manner that really showcases their talent,” he said.
“Visual Phenomena” opens Jan. 8 at the Sublette County Library in Pinedale, where it will hang through Jan. 27.
Israeli tanks and troops have penetrated deep into Gaza, encircling towns and cities, severing main roads and engaging in intense urban combat with Hamas and other militants from the north to the south.
Israel’s government has vowed to fight the war until Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is destroyed.
But according to satellite imagery, airstrike data and U.N. damage assessments, Israel has prosecuted its war in Gaza at a pace and level of destruction that probably exceeds any recent conflict, possibly including one of the highest civilian casualty rates in the 21st century.
Fotoclassic: A Farewell to Paceville’s Cherished Photography Shop After 25 Years
After 25 years of capturing the essence of life through lenses and creating enduring memories, Fotoclassic, the treasured photography shop nestled in the vibrant heart of Paceville, Malta, is preparing to say farewell. The Camilleri brothers – Robert, Stephen, and Peter Paul – who have managed this cherished establishment since the mid-1990s, have decided to close the shop, not due to dwindling business, but due to a shift in their family priorities.
A Journey Through Changing Times
Opening its doors in an era when digital technology was yet to invade the photography landscape, Fotoclassic became a go-to destination for photography enthusiasts. As the world around them evolved, the Camilleri brothers adapted and embraced the digital revolution. From the time when film cameras were the norm to the advent of digital cameras and smartphones, they navigated the changing currents, ensuring Fotoclassic remained relevant and irreplaceable.
More Than Just A Photography Shop
Despite the technological changes, the demand for professional photography for special occasions remained a constant. Recognizing this need, Fotoclassic expanded its services to include large format printing, catering to weddings, corporate events, and more. The brothers also witnessed a resurgence in film photography among younger generations, a trend reflective of the return of vinyl among music enthusiasts.
Signing Off With Gratitude
The decision to close Fotoclassic is bittersweet. The Camilleri brothers are grateful for the journey, the myriad of characters they encountered, and the experiences they cherished during their time at the shop. As word of the closure spread, the community responded with an outpouring of nostalgia and appreciation. Among the voices was that of prominent horticulturist and author Peter Calamatta, expressing his admiration for the shop’s commitment to quality and service over the years. As Fotoclassic prepares to close its doors, it leaves behind a legacy of captured moments, preserved memories, and a community that will fondly remember its contribution to Paceville’s rich tapestry.
There is always the risk of getting the photographer’s equivalent of writer’s block. You might discover that your photos are the same as what you shot before and you need a change. Here are some ways to inspire and motivate you including a photography challenge to get your creativity flowing.
Most of the time we get excited by photography. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be photographers, would we? I’ve certainly taken my camera for a walk and ended up with too many photos to process.
However, there have been times when I have been stuck in a rut and not inspired at all. I’ve even headed out before dawn – my favorite time of day – composed the shot I had planned and then not bothered pressing the shutter. At other times, I’ve got home and just deleted everything.
So, how can we get around waking up with the photography blues? The secret is to do photography that is out of the ordinary. For me, this means planning ahead and then setting off with a plan. But for that planning, I must have a purpose and that requires sources of inspiration.
Always Take the Weather With You
One such source of inspiration for me is the weather. Glorious sunrises, thunderstorms and torrential downpours, thick fog, cloud inversions, snow, sandstorms, and strong winds can all help to make photos more interesting.
There is a plethora of weather apps online, but for accuracy, I particularly like the UK’s Met Office app as it’s accurate. It also gives sunrise and sunset times and it’s great for planning a shoot.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Different
I also try something different to spark enthusiasm. Here are a few things I do.
Every year, through my work, I get to handle dozens of different cameras. Some intrigue me because of novel features or clever design, while others I find bland and uninspiring as they are so similar to many other models on the market. Nevertheless, handling any equipment that’s different or new to me usually gets me wanting to use it. It’s one of the reasons I like writing gear reviews.
I’m not suggesting you must sell and change everything for a different make, although I see lots of people doing that. Top-of-the-range cameras that are just a few years old are a fraction of the price of when they were released. So, adding to your gear list doesn’t have to be unaffordable. Furthermore, lower-end cameras, even old ones, can produce fabulous results.
Currently, I’m in the process of moving home, and the place we are hoping to buy has space for a darkroom. I’m going to be dabbling with film. It’s something I’ve neglected for a long time because setting up a darkroom where I currently live is a hassle. Even if you don’t have a darkroom, it’s still possible to send reels of film off to be developed but that didn’t appeal to me. I have a collection of old film cameras crying out to be used.
Talking of old cameras, adaptors to fit analog lenses onto new cameras are widely available and affordable, as are some of the old lenses. The results can be intriguing.
I also play with different genres. I have recently started to take wildlife photography more seriously and it’s fascinating. I’ve also recently bought a macro lens, although it’s barely been out of the box, so that will be on the agenda for next year.
Getting Better All the Time
One really popular way of keeping inspired is to do a photography challenge. That is taking one photo a day, or once a week to a prescribed list. I’ve done a few in the past and they helped me hone my skills. I’ve also put a few together.
You may have noticed that the subtitles of this article are either song titles or lyrics. Below are two lists of song titles that can inspire you to take photos. I put this together ten years ago for a photography forum that has long since disappeared and have swapped some of the songs for others. The idea is to take a weekly or daily photo that is inspired by the title or lyrics of the song.
The photo can either be a literal or metaphorical interpretation, and some are harder to achieve than others. Starting January 1st, 2024, why not give it a go?
You don’t necessarily have to do them in the same order as shown below. If Winter Wonderland is better suited to June than December where you live, then it’s okay to shuffle them around. Also, If you live somewhere arid and “Gone Fishing” is impossible to shoot, slot an alternative song in there.
Feel free to post your challenge photos in the Fstoppers Gallery, or put your images in the comments here so I will get a notification. Alternatively, post them on Instagram, and please tag me (@ivortog); it will be great to see them.
Weekly Photography Challenge 2024
Help Me Make it Through the Night
Sentimental Journey
My Ding-a-ling
Got my Mind Set on You
Bless your Beautiful Hide
Oh, Pretty Woman
Superstition
Wooden Heart
Upside Down
Think Too Much
Rave On
High Noon
Let Me Roll It
Steam Heat
Monster Mash
If I Had a Hammer
Purple Haze
Hard to Handle
Little Boxes
Everybody’s Talking
Reach Out (I’ll be there)
So Far Away
Somebody to love
Half as Much
Dreamer
Hurt
Brown Sugar
Pictures of Matchstick Men
Light My Fire
When the Sun Goes Down
Wish You Were Here
What is Life?
Still Crazy After all These Years
High Hopes
In My Life
Non je ne Regrette Rien
Once in a While
Mad World
Country Road
Smooth Operator
My Generation
Up, Up and Away
Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes.
The Wanderer
Us and Them
Born to be Wild
Games People Play
Handyman
Respect
All Things Must Pass
You’re so Square
What’s Up?
Daily Photography Challenge 2024
Release Me
Morningtown Ride
Love Me Tender
The Air That I Breathe
Elusive Butterfly
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
As Time Goes By
You Send Me
All Those Years Ago
Changes
Mind Your Own Business
Mr. Blue Sky
Suddenly I See
You’ll Never Know
Seven Wonders
No Values
Gone, Gone, Gone
I Saw Her Again
Strange Brew
I’m Not Like Everybody Else
The Entertainer
Don’t Stop
Forever Autumn
The Beep Beep Song
Like a Rolling Stone
Black is Black
The Marvelous Toy
Old Man
Day-O (banana Boat Song)
Smoke on the Water
Me and You and a Dog Named Blue
Knock Three Times
Those Were the Days
Not Fade Away
Both Sides Now
Crazy
Cars
Your Smiling Face
The Streak
Handle With Care
Amazing Things
Time to Ring Some Changes
Lazy Bones
Don’t it Make my Brown Eyes Blue
Ashes to Ashes
Beautiful Day
Let the River Run
Brand New Key
End of the Line
Fire and Rain
Which Side Are You On?
Alone Again, Naturally
Singing In The Rain
Misty
Golden Brown
Good Vibrations
5D (Fifth Dimension)
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Figure of Eight
Stuck in the Middle With You
Rainy Days and Mondays
Reason to Believe
My Favourite Things
Inside Out
Steamy Windows
Run So Far
What a Wonderful World
It’s Too Late
Changes
We Didn’t Start the Fire
Ol’ Man River
Perfect Day
O’ Sole Mio
Ruby Tuesday
I Can’t Forget
Telephone Line
Shakin’ all over
Blues run the game
In the still of the night
Happy Birthday
Crossroads
Wasn’t That a Party
Sound and Vision
Ticket to Ride
Love Me Love My Dog
Daydream
Afternoon Delight
You Got It
Windy
Tapestry
Everybody Knows
Summertime
A Little Less Conversation
Colors
Unforgettable
I Get a Kick out of You
I Can See For Miles
Can’t Get it Out of My Head
All By Myself
Sunshine of Your Love
Needle and the Damage Done
Jet
Another Day
Deep Purple
The Last Farewell
I Feel the Earth Move
Slip Sliding Away
“E Lucevan le Stelle” (“When the stars were brightly shining”)
Muffy and Junior may only be Maltese Shi Tzus but the two dogs are now playing a starring role helping their owner to navigate the digital world.
When 71-year-old Pete Richards was given the opportunity to receive a portrait with his two ‘mitzus’ through the Capturing Smiles project, he jumped at the opportunity.
“They knew I had a couple of puppies and asked me if I’d wanted to come along and get some photos,” Mr Richards said.
“I thought … ‘that’d be nice, because I don’t really have any’, and I’m no good with phones.”
Showcasing a special bond
Linking pet love, community and photography to build digital knowledge, the Capturing Smiles project is open to all pet owners aged over 50.
The project is run by neighbourhood houses in Launceston’s northern suburbs, and concludes with a photography exhibition celebrating the special bond between the participants and their pets.
It uses digital photography as a way of explaining how to carry out everyday tasks on mobile phones; from texting photos and discovering new apps, to finding new ways to communicate and improve language skills — each tailored to the individual.
The Capturing Smiles project combines tailored digital training with a photo shoot to improve the digital skills of Launceston senior residents.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
In Pete’s case, Muffy and Junior’s role in supporting the Ravenswood gardener through periods of poor mental health will be on full display.
“They’re everything. They go everywhere with me, go to the gardens, they’re my stability,” he said.
“By the time I’ve sat down, and they’ve come over and licked my legs or jumped up on me knee, I’m usually feeling a hell of a lot better.”
After participating in the photo shoot, participants were encouraged to take photos of their pet that will also feature in the exhibition.
For those needing extra support to develop their digital photography skills and navigate their mobile, a tailored lesson is provided after the shoot.
After suffering two strokes, Pete has embraced digital learning to keep his mind agile.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
The training has reunited Pete with his passion for photography.
“Before I had two strokes, I used to have a lot of photos … [from] when I used to go fishing and walking in the far western lakes, pictures of the dogs and my mates and all that sort of thing,” he said.
“I’d like to probably get out a bit and take a few photos, especially the places where I’ve been, and see what the changes are like.”
Muffy and Junior’s role in supporting Pete during periods of poor mental health will be showcased at the Capturing Smiles exhibition.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
‘She loves coming over as much as I do’
Anthony Palmer is a frequent visitor at Starting Point Neighbourhood House in Ravenswood, a suburb of Launceston.
After being homeless for the past four years, he and his Jack Russell cross Chihuahua, Terror, have found nearby accommodation.
“Terror and I have become a pretty big part of this community in the last seven months since I’ve moved in here,” Mr Palmer said.
“She absolutely loves coming over here, and I thought they help us and I’m quite happy to help them do the shoot.”
Anthony Palmer credits Terror as being his biggest support during four years of homlessness.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
The 55 year-old, who has lived in Tasmania all his life, credits his seven-year-old dog as being his “main support”.
He said Terror was almost as delighted as he was to appear in the photo shoot.
“We talk about it, and then she sort of gets up and starts jumping around a lot,” he said.
“She just runs around and just poses all the time. She loves it.”
Anthony, who is dyslexic, has had his life transformed through Capturing Smiles digital training by learning his phone’s voice to text function.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
Terror’s enthusiasm has now brought an unexpected new skill for Mr Palmer, who discovered the voice to text function at his training session.
“I have dyslexia … talking to texts today has taught me that I no longer have to take 15 minutes to write out a text,” he said.
“I can now do it in all under 30 seconds, check it and send it. Absolutely brilliant.”
Crucial support in one of Australia’s most disadvantaged areas
With a weekly household income of $858 per week, less than half the Australian average, Ravenswood is one of Tasmania’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Taylor Bouvy, the Capturing Smiles project coordinator and a Starting Point employee, has seen community members further disadvantaged through poor digital knowledge.
She is particularly concerned with the barriers this creates in accessing healthcare and government services.
“It actually puts them at a major disadvantage,” Ms Bouvy said.
Taylor Bouvy is concerned by how Australia’s digital divide is preventing senior residents from accessing government support.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
“It means they aren’t getting the right information as quickly or as accurately as other people, it means that they might not be able to access the news, what they might be eligible for with government benefits.”
Ms Bouvy sees participation in the Capturing Smiles Project as a “small step” in connecting with digital literacy programs such as the neighbourhood house’s computer club which she runs.
“When I’m able to give them the skills to not only fix the problem, but fix the problem themselves, you see them leave with this new-found confidence,” she said.
“That’s what keeps me going.”
Taylor Bouvy wants to support participants learn how to troubleshoot technology challenges for themself. ( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
Addressing digital divide vital for community wellbeing
Pete and Anthony are among the thousands of Tasmanians requiring assistance to navigate the digital world.
According to the 2023 Australian Digital Inclusion Index, Tasmania scores the worst in digital ability with older residents facing the greatest barriers.
Nationally, residents aged over 65 record digital inclusion scores 12.1 points below the national average and those aged over 75 are registering scores 24.6 points lower.
Junior waits patiently at Pete Richard’s feet while his owner learns how to take photos on his phone.( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
For the Index’s lead author Professor Julian Thomas, age shapes a “consistent pattern” in determining digital inclusion.
Professor Thomas says the divide is also heavily influenced by economic and social factors—with 65 per cent of Australians aged over 75 paying more than 5 per cent of their household income to “maintain quality, reliable, connectivity”.
Muffy joins her owner during the Capturing Smiles photo shoot. ( ABC News: Evan Wallace
)
“People who are over 55 have consistently lower levels of digital ability than that younger group. That is a key feature of the distribution of digital inclusion in Australia,” Professor Thomas said.
“The income factor, especially when that’s combined with age … really does mean that people are a long way behind.”
