Sure We Can: Canning in NYC

February 12, 2013 in Black & White, Homeless, New York, Photography

In New York State and particularly New York City, some who are homeless manage to scrape together a meager living by collecting and redeeming others’ discarded cans and bottles. This work has come to be known as “canning.”

Canning can be so demanding physically, demeaning emotionally, and even logistically complicated that many of New York’s homeless are effectively barred from taking advantage of the opportunity. Sure We Can was founded by a small group of concerned New York City residents, including Eugene Gadsden and Ana Martinez de Luco. The organization not only provides opportunities for the City’s destitute but also encourages their self-dependence and responsibility. Based in Brooklyn, this homeless-friendly redemption center has created a welcoming community. At its very core, Sure We Can is not just for canners. It is the canner community.

For more information on Sure we can, please visit their website or you can watch a short video with information about the organization. These photographs document a community of people on the streets of New York City with a ‘can do’ attitude, who work with pride and determination, against the odds:

King Of Cans

©AnnaFawcus

Recycling Depot

©AnnaFawcus

In The Shadows

©AnnaFawcus

Counting Cans

©AnnaFawcus

Into The Night

©AnnaFawcus

City Streets

©AnnaFawcus

Oxfam America Magazine: Winter 2013

February 05, 2013 in Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, Ghana, Haiti, Humanitarian, Mining, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography

The latest Oxfam America Magazine is out, and features many photos from my recent assignments in Ghana and Haiti, including the cover shot, which is one of the photographs I took when we were documenting the rice farming in Artibonite, Haiti.

Here's the link to view it online:

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/publications/oxfamcloseup-winter-2013

The Mississippi Delta Exhibition by Magdalena Solé at The Leica Gallery

February 01, 2013 in Exhibition, Leica, Photography

This week I visited the Leica Gallery to see the current exhibition The Mississippi Delta by Magdalena Solé. In the Oskar Barnack Room is: Going to the Dog Show by Lynn Butler These exhibitions are running from January 11th - February 23rd 2013 and are well worth seeing if you're around New York while they are up. Both shows are selling books of the works also if you don't have a chance to make it to the gallery you can check out the books.

The Mississippi Delta by Magdalena Solé at the Leica Gallery in New York

The Dog Show Exhibition by Lynn Butler, at the Leica Gallery in New York

The Dog Show Exhibition by Lynn Butler, at the Leica Gallery in New York, 3D glasses are used to view the two 3D photographs on the left

Leica Gallery in New York is located at:

670 Broadway / Suite 500 New York, NY 10012 Tel.: +1 (212) 777-3051 Fax: +1 (212) 777-6960 E-Mail: leicaphoto@aol.com

Opening hours: Tuesday - Friday 12.00 pm - 6.00 pm Saturday 12.00 pm - 5.00 pm

Oxfam Ireland Article: Haiti: three earthquake commemorations, three steps in reconstruction

January 22, 2013 in Haiti, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

A recent article on the Oxfam Ireland website features some of the photos that I took recently on assignment in Haiti, for the 3 year commemoration of the earthquake:

Oxfam America: Photo of the Week from Ghana

January 20, 2013 in Environmental Conservation, Ghana, Humanitarian, Mining, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography

Oxfam America's photo of the week is a blog post by Chris Hufstader: Mining money funds new market in Ghana. Citizens are watching where oil and mining revenues go in Ghana — will the money fight poverty? This is one of the photographs from my recent trip to Ghana with Chris and the Oxfam America team.

http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/2013/01/18/photo-of-the-week-mining-money-funds-new-market-in-ghana/

Oxfam America Article: With grease and wrenches, Haitian women upend stereotypes

January 19, 2013 in Haiti, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

The website One shared an Oxfam America blog post by Elizabeth Stevens, with photographs from my recent trip to Haiti:

Here's the link to the original blog post on the Oxfam America First Person Blog:

Oxfam America Photo of the week: Artibonite Valley, Haiti

January 13, 2013 in Environmental Conservation, Haiti, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography

The Oxfam America Photo of the Week is one of the photos that I took recently in Haiti. It is accompanied with a blog post by Coco McCabe: In Haiti, a valley of hope. Today, more than 80 percent of the rice Haitians eat is imported. But through the efforts of 5,000 farmers in the lower valley, that could begin to change.

http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/2013/01/11/photo-of-the-week-in-haiti-a-valley-of-hope/

The Brooke News Winter 2012/13

January 11, 2013 in Animal Welfare, NGO Photography, Photography, The Brooke

Some of my photographs from India and Nepal are featured in the Brooke News Magazine Winter 2012/13:

Oxfam America Article: Haiti's women farmers: "We will rise again"

January 09, 2013 in Haiti, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

There is a new article on the Oxfam America First Person Blog, by Elizabeth Stevens, from our recent trip to Haiti: Haiti's women farmers: "We will rise again" - Small loans on fair terms alter the landscape of women’s lives

Oxfam America Article: For Haiti's rice farmers, much depends on the free flow of water

January 04, 2013 in Haiti, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

There is a new article by Elizabeth Stevens with photos and stories from our recent trip to Haiti. For Haiti's rice farmers, much depends on the free flow of water: In the rice-growing Artibonite Valley, Oxfam and partners are helping restore a lifeline: irrigation.

See the article on Oxfam America's First Person Blog:

Or you can view the re-post of it on the HaitianTruth.org website:

Or you can read the same article on the Before It's News Website:

http://beforeitsnews.com/international/2012/12/for-haitis-rice-farmers-much-depends-on-the-free-flow-of-water-2449808.html

Oxfam America Article: Elections and Oil: Ghana’s Choice

December 11, 2012 in Africa, Environmental Conservation, Ghana, Humanitarian, Mining, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

A new blog post from Oxfam America (with photography from my recent trip to Ghana) talks about the need for Ghana’s next government to focus on completing the job of constructing a transparent and accountable system for managing the oil and gas sector.

Livelihood program and WASH campaign; working with Oxfam in Haiti

December 08, 2012 in Haiti, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

On my recent trip to Haiti, working with Oxfam America, I spent time working on two assignments. The first assignment in Artibonite is detailed in my previous blog post. The second assignment was with Coco McCabe documenting communities a couple of hours out of Port-Au-Prince. We visited beneficiaries of livelihood programs put in place to assist the local community with establishing themselves in small business. We also visited sites which are a part of the WASH campaign, which has been working to improve the quality of water and decrease the spread of cholera. Here are a few photographs of the programs that we visited:

Livelihood Program in Haiti - Cash Grant Project to enable small business

Livelihood Program in Haiti - Cash Grant Project to assist dairy farmers

WASH Program in Haiti

All photographs ©AnnaFawcus/Oxfam 2012

Rice Farmers in Haiti: working with Oxfam America

December 02, 2012 in Agriculture, Haiti, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography

I recently spent a couple of weeks in November 2012 working on two photographic assignments with Oxfam America in Haiti. The first assignment was with Elizabeth Stevens in Artibonite, documenting rice farmers and many water based programs implemented by Oxfam America to enable the 'flow of water' and thus the success of farmers in the region. Here are a few photos of the rice harvest:

Rice Farming in Artibonite, Haiti - Close up of rice plant

Rice Farming in Artibonite, Haiti - Experimental Rice Plots

Rice Farming in Artibonite, Haiti - Rice harvest

Rice Farming in Artibonite, Haiti - Close up of rice laid out to dry

All photographs ©AnnaFawcus/Oxfam 2012

Here are a some links to more photos from this trip to Haiti in blog posts by Oxfam America journalist, Elizabeth Stevens:

http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/2013/01/02/haitis-women-farmers-we-will-rise-again/

http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/2012/12/28/easing-poverty-in-haiti-with-the-free-flow-of-water/

http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/2013/01/07/with-grease-and-wrenches-haitian-women-upend-stereotypes/

Oxfam America Article: Ghana riding transparency roller-coaster

November 24, 2012 in Africa, Environmental Conservation, Ghana, Humanitarian, Mining, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography, Photojournalism

This recently published article by Chris Hufstader of Oxfam America tells one of the stories that I photographed earlier this year whilst I was in Ghana. The article talks about transparency of resource revenues in Ghana, so that citizens can see where their national wealth goes.

Informality Matters; A book on informality by GFI

November 11, 2012 in Agriculture, GFI, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Photography, Photojournalism

Many of my photographs are featured in a recently published book on informality by Global Fairness Initiative (GFI):

Informality Matters, by Global Fairness Initiative

Kolkata, India, 2009

Uzi Island, Zanzibar, 2011

West Bengal, India, 2009

Working in Ghana with Oxfam America: Following the Mining Money

November 11, 2012 in Environmental Conservation, Ghana, Humanitarian, Mining, NGO Photography, Oxfam, Oxfam America, Photography

Hurricane Sandy hit New York as I was about to fly to Ghana, delaying me in Manhattan for a few days before I managed to get out on a standby flight once the airports re-opened. Once I arrived in Accra, I met with the Oxfam America team, and we set off to the Western Region of Ghana. I was working with Chris Hufstader, documenting the flow of the money generated through mining and oil in the country and where it goes. The people of Ghana are asking their government to use the revenue from these natural resources to benefit all people in the country. Here are some photographs of the trip:

The money trail of natural resource revenue in Ghana: Market Stall Construction in Western Region

Fishing Village in Shama Region of Ghana

The money trail of natural resource revenue in Ghana: Junior School in Western Region

For the stories behind these photos, visit the Oxfam America blog, where you will find posts by journalist, Chris Hufstader:

http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/2012/11/15/ghana-riding-transparency-roller-coaster/

Editors' favorite submissions for the National Geographic Photo Contest 2012

November 10, 2012 in Barefoot Initiative, Ethiopia, Exhibition, NGO Photography, Photography

When browsing the National Geographic Website today, I noticed that one of my photos (which I had submitted a couple of weeks ago) had been selected as one of the editors' favorite submissions to the National Geographic Photo Contest 2012. The photograph is called 'Abraham' and is part of the Barefoot in Ethiopia exhibition series of work, which was recently exhibited at the Hill Smith Gallery in Australia, where limited edition prints of the work were sold.

The 'Barefoot in Ethiopia' work documents the lifestyle of a village in the Afar region of Ethiopia, where I have spent several months with the Adelaide based NGO, Barefoot Initiative, who have been visiting the community and assisting them for the past 10 years.

'Abraham'

©Anna Fawcus

Leica S Launch Party at MILK penthouse in NYC

October 25, 2012 in Exhibition, Photography

Last night was the launch party of the Leica S-System featuring Morgan Miller at the penthouse of Milk Studios. It was a great event, with the opportunity to have a look at the new Leica S system camera, up close. It was fantastic to have a look at the new S system, and see it's awesome capabilities. For more info on the new Leica S:

http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/s_system

For more info on Morgan Miller and his Leica S photography, check out the Leica blog:

http://blog.leica-camera.com/photographers/interviews/morgan-miller-homage-to-the-masters-of-fashion-photography-part-1

For the facebook page and photos of the event:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151057582057735.426063.75684997734&type=3

Opening night of Marilyn Reinvented by Bert Stern at Milk Gallery in NYC

October 24, 2012 in Exhibition, Photography

Last night I went to the Milk Gallery opening of Marilyn Reinvented by Bert Stern. The opening night was busy, with hundreds of New Yorkers waiting in a long line to enter the bustling gallery. The collection of classic Marilyn Monroe photographs are beautifully 'reinvented' with some really striking and creative work, featuring glitter, paint and colorful stones. If you are in New York over the coming weeks, it is an exhibition that should not be missed.

Marilyn Reinvented by Bert Stern can be viewed in Milk Gallery starting October 23rd through November 6th.

http://milkmade.com/articles/1650-Marilyn-Reinvented-by-Bert-Stern

Magnum Photography Workshop in NYC

October 22, 2012 in Photography

Last week I spent the week at the Magnum Photos office in New York City, in a photography workshop by Chien-Chi Chang. Needless to say, it was an incredible week. The opportunity to learn from such an amazing photographer as Chien-Chi was fantastic. It was also brilliant to meet and network with the other photographers participating in the workshop - each with their own unique style and personality. The week was long, with early starts and late finishes and days spent shooting photographs in the streets of New York, to evaluate back with the group and edit down at the office.

We had the chance to view some of the Magnum in Motion works by Chien-Chi Chang, along with some of his other photographs, and then ask questions as he talked about the details of various projects.

The workshop was brilliantly executed by Chien-Chi and the other Magnum staff involved in putting it all together.