Two pictures in Current TV’s Vanguard documentary “Tiger Farms”


A tiger skeleton stands in a vat of tiger bone wine at the Siberian Tiger Park in Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. Image used in Tiger Farms episode of Current TV Vanguard.
A tiger skeleton stands in a vat of tiger bone wine at the Siberian Tiger Park in Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. Image used in Tiger Farms episode of Current TV Vanguard.
I couldn't be more excited that the two pictures below from Harbin's Siberian Tiger Park appear in a new documentary for Current TV's Vanguard television series (view the trailer above, or here if you can't see the embedded video). The episode, "Tiger Farms," focuses on the illegal trade of tiger parts and products with footage from China, India, and Burma. It's an issue close to own interests--see my work on China's zoos and an extended take of pictures from the Harbin Siberian Tiger Park--and I'm glad to see it get such an in-depth treatment. How the pictures came to be in the documentary is an interesting story. More than a year ago, I received an email out of the blue from a Vanguard producer asking if I could share any information about tiger zoos. They'd seen my work on my website and wanted to get video of some of the things I'd photographed. I let them know what I knew (which wasn't much...they got much better access than I ever had) and wished them well. But, early this summer I got another email from a producer asking if they could use my pictures. When their crews traveled to the Harbin park, the vat of tiger bone wine, seen in my pictures below, was nowhere to be found. They wanted to show evidence of the wine being displayed in a public place in China, and I had it. A little back and forth negotiation on fees and terms, and voila, my pictures showed up on television. Check your local listings for when the show will be broadcast in your area. They've been playing it on Current TV at least once a week lately.

Image used on cover of Ha Jin’s “Nanjing Requiem” novel


Nanjing Requiem cover, alongside my image taken in Nanjing, China.
I'm very excited to announce my first book cover. An image I shot very early in my time in China (shown above on the right) was licensed to use as the basis for the cover of Ha Jin's forthcoming "Nanjing Requiem" novel. Ha Jin's work has been quite well regarded, though I haven't read any yet. This will give me a reason to do so! In case you have any other books that need cover images (or you want to buy a print), this one is available for licensing and purchase at my archive.

China Everbright to be shown at the 2011 Ballarat International Foto Bienalle


China Everbright (excerpt)
I'm excited to announce that from August 20 to September 18, 2011, my essay China Everbright will be projected at the 2011 Ballarat International Foto Bienalle in Ballarat, Australia. The slideshows will be shown continuously for the duration of the festival at the Art Gallery of Ballarat at 40 Lydiard Street in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. China Everbright has been shown previously at the 2011 New York Photo Festival Slideluck Potshow and the 2010 Jue Art and Music Festival in Shanghai and Beijing. My gratitude goes out to Rebecca and Ginta, curators of Melbourne's wonderful public art organization Strip Billboard, who helped put me in touch with the Ballarat festival. Thanks also to Ross at the festival for getting me into the schedule of projections.

How much do you owe? published in Longshot #2: Debt


Longshot #2, p. 32 – July 2011
I'm happy to announce that I have a full page in the newest issue of Longshot Magazine, a publication produced over 48 hours from 3 p.m. July 29, 2011, through 3 p.m. July 31, 2011. The theme, "Debt," was announced, and all contributors and editors worked for the next 48 hours to produce a full print publication. A small army of editors and designers worked behind the scenes to make the magazine, its web presence, and a radio and podcast component. And all of the magazine’s content was created by another army of writers, graphic artists and photographers. Many of the contributions are available online, but some (including mine) are reserved for the print issue alone. It was an open submissions process during the 24 hours after the theme was announced at noon on Friday, and there are plans to publish online all 672 submissions made to the magazine over the weekend. The magazine has been getting some good press mentions. There’s a huge list of sponsors for this issue, which includes money from a a kickstarter campaign that raised more than double the desired amount of money. Best of all, through these sponsorships, contributors to this issue, which was primarily a labor of love for all involved, will be paid. Here is a selection of my work for the magazine.

2011 Commencement for MIT’s News Office


MIT News Office – coverage of the 145th Commencement
Along with Dominick Reuter, I was hired by MIT's News Office to provide coverage of the 145th Commencement at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A small selection of images were published in a slideshow at MIT's News Office website and as the background for MIT's homepage. Sadly, I don't have any screenshots of the homepage. I've also posted a few favorites from the day at the recent work section of my website. More pictures are available in my archive.

Harvard grad Nick Culbertson for the New Jersey Star-Ledger


New Jersey Star Ledger – 30 May 2011
I was hired in May to photograph the graduation of Nick Culbertson from Harvard University for the New Jersey Star-Ledger. The story was the culmination of years of reporting on Nick and his sister and grandmother, who were homeless and living in a motel in New Jersey. Through the determination of the family and a handful of community supporters, both children graduated from college. Read the story here: On graduation day, grandmother's toil pays off. Thanks to Chris at the Star-Ledger for hiring me for the shoot. Unfortunately, the story didn't get quite as much play as everyone had hoped, so I've also posted a few outtakes in the recent work section of this website.