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I love photography
I love the sound of the shutter on a digital SLR.
I love the portability of a digital Compact.
I love [mostly] the spontaneousness of a disposable camera.
I love lamp.
Recently, I came back from a [my first] 9 day pilgrimage to Haifa where I decided not to take a SLR. This was to be my journey of the spirit and thus I felt photography wasn’t high on the agenda, especially since i’d previously already taken my SLR to Haifa the year before.
I did, however, pack a my smaller and more compact digital camera, consqeuently taking more meaninful pictures than my last trip to Israel; a sharp reminder that it’s what you do with it, that counts.
Nonetheless, whilst the choice of camera changes over years, the joy of photography remains quite steady.
Each camera is a different vehicle for a different journey. Some the equivalent of a Mini Cooper, others, an SUV…. as long as they get us from A-Z in comfort and are fun to drive, its all good…(n.b. I don’t condone SUV usage)
ICE is not important. Unless your lens’ collection is your ice.
Our creativity is limited only by our mind, eye and trigger finger.
Now before I digress further……..I returned home 9 days later and embarked on a mandatory Photoshop post-production misson… eventually coming to a common dilemna (for me anyway)…whether or not a portrait looked better desaturated to B&W or in its original colour.
Call me a geek, but i enjoyed this. In fact, this dilemna has surely affected many a photographer at some point…. ever since the choice of both colour and b&w film existed, for at least the last 50 years right?
Actually, its closer to 148 years.
The first permanent colour photograph was taken in 1861 by a Scotsman called James Clerk Maxwell.
To put this into context, 1861 was 2 years before Baha’u'llah made His Declaration in the Garden of Ridvan. It was the first year of the American Civil War and it was 10 years before the first incandescent light bulb was invented.
So what did the first colour photograph look like?
Mr.Maxwell took a photo of a ‘tartan ribbon’, and the photo (1861) is on the right:
Now, whilst this extremely early attempt of colour photo looks it was colourised by a hippie tripping on LSD, this photo was not altered after it was taken.
Later on, new methods were tried whilst old methods were improved;
The photo above was taken in 1877 by Duhauron in France.
However, about a 100 years ago, a Russian gentleman named Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky, truly made colour photography come alive.
Between 1909 to 1915 he decided to document the Russian Empire. The Russia then was a land of much ethnic diversity and home to more than 150 million people–of which only about half were ethnic Russians. Here is a selection of some of his photos….. .they are all original colour photographs. No colour added, no ye olde photoshoppe.
The Emir of Bukhara-taken in 1911
Prisoners in a zindan- taken in 1910
Russian peasant girls- taken in 1909
Jewish Children and teacher-1911
Portrait of Dagestani couple- c.1910
After seeing his photos, we can really appreciate how colour not only makes the photograph more real but rather more relevant and interesting. The people featured become breathing human beings that aren’t so different from us today (apart from silly fancy dress costumes). In fact it becomes surreal because our sight and mind are used to associating 50 year old photos with sepia and black and white but now we have to tell ourselves that these colour images are almost a 100 years old….
Viewing Sergey’s photos is like going for a ride in the DeLorian and arriving back in Russia in 1909……its as vivid as photography today….thats partly down to technology… but more so down to Sergey’s talent as a photographer.
You can view many more of his photos here.
Thus next time you have the choice of permanently removing colour from a photograph, think twice about a time when the choice wasn’t taken for granted and colour photographs were more precious than the fossil record.
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don’t take my Kodachrome away‘Kodachrome’ sung by Paul Simon
The ‘Third’ way in the God vs Science debate.
Baha’i cosmologist and researcher at the Baha’i World Centre is interviewed for the U.K. Guardian Newspaper’s online weekly podcast on the subject of God versus Religion.
The following is a blurb of The Guardian’s Science Weekly show below with link to download podcast for free:
Science Weekly for January 07: Changes
God, philosophy and science - we discuss the Edge question for 2008: ‘What have you changed your mind about and why?’ Plus, at home with HECToR, Britain’s newest supercomputer. And, we investigate a trip right into the heart of the Northern Lights
January 7, 2008 9:52 AM
There are big themes and grand ideas this week as Alok Jha and the Science Weekly team address the Edge question for 2008: What have you changed your mind about and why?
We discuss the answers given by Steven Pinker, Richard Dawkins, Helena Cronin, and many of the world’s other leading intellectuals - all of which you can read here.
Also in the show, we continue our quest to get to the bottom of the evolution/creationism debate. Our studio guest this week is the cosmologist Stephen Phelps, who thinks he has what politicians would describe as the third way. A member of the Baha’i faith, he argues for a third way in the science vs religion spat where god and science are not in competition - indeed, he believes evolution is the founding premise of religion, and its purpose is ultimately to push humanity to the next level of consciousness. Do you agree? Have a listen and tell us what you think.
To lighten the mood, we pay a visit to the Esrange space centre in northen Sweden, which, if all goes well, will serve as the European outpost for Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space tourism operation. If you start saving up, you too could get a ticket to fly into the Northern Lights. James Randerson investigates. Plus, we meet HECToR, Britain’s fastest and newest supercomputer, and discover he’s a very charming teraflopper - as the chaps on the Tech Weekly podcast would tell you.
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Listen or download the show
• Subscribe for free via iTunes
• Or use the web feed
To hear Steven Phelps forward to 18:19 into the podcast…….
Here is a rough transcript of the first question.
Interviewer: “Your thesis is that this New Atheism if you like, needent be in competition with religion, how do you see that happening?”
Stephen Phelps: Ultimately we believe it shouldnt be in competition with religion because the very terms of the debate have been mis-defined .
Both parties in this debate seem to agree bascially on the definition of God and the definition of Religion. They see God as some sort of a Cosmic Agent more or less like you and me but bigger and more powerful and they see Religion as this purely human construction, arbitrary and manmade. and actually they are true by the definitions they are given
Its true majority of people see God and religion in these terms but from a Baha’i point of view, these are the wrong ways to go about defining them
Baha’is see God, as far as God can be spoken about at all, as the Absolute Unknowable Essence, beyond being an existence, beyond unity and pluarity, beyond any kind of attribute that can be given. and because of that there is no thus no logical path to proving God’s existence.
So we would agree fully with the refutations that are given by Dawkin’s and others of the proofs of God’s Existence. because ultimately this is a reality that cannot be touched by intellect.
Steven continues….it is well worth a listen to hear a knowledgeable Baha’i giving his own personal opinion based on his understanding of the Baha’i Writings.
You can read more of Steven Phelps’ review of Dawkin’s ‘The God Delusion’ here
Pic by Anne Ruthmann
So I was given Kite Runner for my 25th birthday a couple of years back.
The minute I received it, I had doubts about my reading it.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t the content of the book which instilled doubts into me, it was the combination of
a) Hype surrounding the book at the time….
In London especially, around Jan’06, nearly every 20 something was reading it on the tube/train/bus……
Last time I witnesses this was my last foray into popular fiction-White Teeth by Zadie Smith, a total anti-climax…..
b) I don’t do fiction on paper
Unless its poetry or the odd Sci Fi graphic Novel or Phillip K Dick Novel Sci Fi novel….
My steady source of fiction is from feature length films.
So when Kite Runner was released onto celluloid, it was time for me to access it in my favourite fiction medium.
I won’t review the film here, or give any plot spoilers, but lets just say a half a large popcorn and coke later, I was very much moved.
The film had its flaws, but I wasn’t there to critique it. Maybe it wasnt the best adaptation of a book, maybe it was…. but whereever it lay on that sliding scale it achieved its purpose.
50 minutes later, upon arriving at home, I was wiki-pedia-ing ‘Hazara People’, and Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada
Fiction then became non-fiction.
gave me reassurance that feature length motion pictures backed by a good screenplay/script/story……. are indispensable ways of telling a story and that i shouldn’t feel guilty about not reading the book first 
“Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series taking place on7/7/07 that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis.
Live Earth will reach this worldwide audience through an unprecedented global media architecture covering all media platforms - TV, radio, Internet and wireless channels.
Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group and other international organizations to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve global warming. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is the Chair of the Alliance and Partner of Live Earth.
Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, the Worldwide Executive Producer of Live 8, an event that brought together one of the largest audiences in history to combat poverty. Wall formed a partnership with Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection to ensure that Live Earth inspires behavioral changes long after 7/7/07.
Live Earth will stage official concerts at Giants Stadium in New York; Wembley Stadium in London; Aussie Stadium in Sydney; Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro; Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg; Makuhari Messe in Tokyo; the Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai; and HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg.
Performers at the London concert include Madonna, Beastie Boys, Keane, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Razorlight, Duran Duran, Black Eyed Peas, Genesis, Bloc Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, David Gray, Foo Fighters, James Blunt, John Legend, Paolo Nutini, Pussycat Dolls and Metallica.
Its not everyday that 2 billion people rally around a single cause for the betterment of the whole of mankind.
I, myself will attend Live Earth, in London, not only to see some of the Earth’s best musical talent (as well as some not so talented), but also to view this ‘Unity in the World’s Undertakings,’ first hand.
Having some of biggest names in the music industry , as well as former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, behind an initiative fighting for a noble cause is a great example co-operation and unity of thought in the world undertakings. The question is, how sustainable is this endeavor? What is the real solution behind climate change?
This question was asked at a conference on Climate Change, at Oxford University,England in October 2006.
The event was was organised by the Baha’i Agency for Social and Economic Development (BASED-UK) and the International Environment Forum (IEF), a Baha’i-inspired organization.
One of the conclusions of the conference was that the challenges posed by global warming will require a far higher level of collective action and international cooperation than is currently practiced.
Below is an excerpt from a Baha’i World News Story reporting on the conference:
Climate change is “testing mankind’s ability to deal with a collective challenge,” said Halldor Thorgeirsson, deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). “The solution itself will fundamentally change how governments cooperate.”
In an address titled “The international community’s response to climate change,” Dr. Thorgeirsson said the role of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in global warming is now well established scientifically and “sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action.”
“When it comes to climate change it will not be solved by any one actor on its own,” said Dr. Thorgeirsson.
IEF President Arthur Dahl said the purpose of the conference was “to unify these perspectives, relate them to each other” and to “engage the Baha’i community in the process of applying spiritual principles to the practical problems of the world.”
Dr. Dahl, a former deputy assistant executive director of the United Nation Environment Program, delivered the keynote presentation on “scientific and faith perspectives” on climate change, saying that most scientists have now concluded that there will be significant warming in the coming years.
“Climate change is going to force humanity to recognize its oneness,” said Dr. Dahl. “Whole ecosystems will shift over long distances, if they can move fast enough.”
“We are looking at a scale of change this planet has not seen before,” said Dr. Dahl. “Sea level has been going up and the scenarios show the trend to continue. It will bring other impacts: food insecurity, water shortages.”
Such changes, said Dr. Dahl, will require more than technical solutions. Rather, he said, they will require the application of ethical and spiritual principles so as to create “new value-based economic models” that seek to create a “dynamic, just and thriving social order.”
Religion, said Dr. Dahl, can play a key role in strengthening the ethical framework for action on climate change by educating people “about values and global responsibility,” creating “motivation for change,” and encouraging the sacrifices that will be needed to create sustainable development.
Source: SOS | Live Earth | 7.7.07
This announcement is surely a glimmer of ‘Unity of thought in world undertakings’. Amidst earlier protesting and disunity amongst some of the world’s G8 leaders, they have all reached a compromise.
“According to an extract from the agreed text published on the G8 website, the leaders agreed to take “strong and early” action.
“Taking into account the scientific knowledge as represented in the recent IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] reports, global greenhouse gas emissions must stop rising, followed by substantial global emission reductions,” the text says. “
What is especially interesting is that America, notorious for being one of the early resisters’ to multilateral climate change agreements (Kyoto), dispelled doubts and got on board:
“Ahead of the meeting US President George W Bush proposed the establishment of his own process of climate control negotiations.
The compromise appears to bring Mr Bush’s plan into the wider UN-brokered process - something the US had previously resisted. “
One may say that this is nothing special, but America is the worlds only superpower and also the world’s biggest polluter. After previously refusing to sign the Kyoto treaty, this is a big step forward for America and indeed the whole world.
What is also interesting is that China, the biggest ‘tipped’ next superpower, also joined in. Tony Blair, UK’s Prime Minister stating:
“I’m both surprised and very pleased at how far we have come forward in the couple of years since [the 2005 G8 summit at] Gleneagles,” he told reporters.
“Now we have an agreement that there will be a climate change deal, it will involve everyone, including the US and China, and it will involve substantial cuts.”
The precise definition of ’substantial cuts’ will be the focus of critics, however, the focus of this blog is the agreement of all G8 leaders, especially America on the subject of climate change.
Link to BBC NEWS | World | Europe | G8 leaders agree to climate deal
This blog is inspired by a letter written by`Abdu’l-Bahá, to Jane Elizabeth Whyte, wife of the former Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, an ardent sympathizer of the Bahá’í teachings.
`Abdu’l-Bahá was the son of Bahá’u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith.
The letter or ‘tablet’ refers to Seven ‘Candles of Unity’, which would signalise the beginning of the transformation of mankind into a single, united, homeland. `Abdu’l-Bahá says this process began in the 20th century, which he named the ‘Century of Light.’
An excerpt of the tablet is below:
“….Hence the unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved. Verily this is none other but one of the wonders of this wondrous age, this glorious century. Of this past ages have been deprived, for this century — the century of light — hath been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage of man.
Behold how its light is now dawning upon the world’s darkened horizon.
The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned.
The second candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will erelong be witnessed.
The third candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass.
The fourth candle is unity in religion which is the corner-stone of the foundation itself, and which, by the power of God, will be revealed in all its splendour.”
The fifth candle is the unity of nations — a unity which in this century will be securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland.
The sixth candle is unity of races, making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race.
The seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal tongue in which all peoples will be instructed and converse.
Each and every one of these will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom of God will aid and assist in their realization.”
(Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 32)
The purpose of this blog is to observe and comment on world events, however insignificant (and significant) and relate these to the candles of unity listed above. The purpose of which is to attempt to demonstrate, from my own humble viewpoint, the lights of unity, to a cynical world, burning ever so brightly, as we advance through the 21st century.
On the other hand, just to keep this blog going, I’ve decided to put in my personal thoughts about things in my life generally…..
the personal touch is oh so valuable in a blog.
