Above: The Fortalezza in Maputo, Mozambique plays host to the 2010 World Press Photo exhibition.
Last night I was at the launch of the 2010 World Press Photo exhibition at Fortalezza, the old Portuguese fort in Maputo, Mozambique. A crowd of about 100 including photographers, press and embassy staff enjoyed the exhibition and cocktail party coordinated by Merritt Becker of Shanti Shalom and Femke van der Valk from World Press Photo. The last time I was at Fortalezza was in 2002 for the Foto Festa when Cedric Nunn, Peter McKenzie and I spent a wonderful few days imbibing the festive atmosphere of Maputo’s photographic community. Rui Assubuji was chairperson of the Associação Moçambicana de Fotografia at that time and we got to meet the great Ricardo Rangel when we visited the Centro Documentação e Formação Fotográfica (CDFF). Mr Rangel has passed on since then but I got to meet Mrs Rangel earlier today at the CDFF, which was just as much a privilege. She has been carrying on the work her husband started with great determination.
Above: The launch of the 2010 World Press Photo exhibition in Maputo, Mozambique. Here visitors to the launch contemplate Joan Bardeletti’s image of a family at the beach in Maputo. It was the only image in the exhibition that has Mozambique as its subject matter and as such it gained special attention.
On Tuesday I ran a workshop at the Associação Moçambicana de Fotografia hosted by them and funded by Henny Matos, Director of Kulungwana in association with Merritt Becker of Shanti Shalom. It formed part of the events that surround the launch of the exhibition in Mozambique. The workshop went well. We did some portfolio reviews, spoke about markets for photography including mulitmedia and I demonstrated the digital workflow that I use. My presentation on markets can be found here: Understanding Photographic Markets. It was a lot to accomplish in one day especially since I was having to work through a translator. All seemed to thoroughly enjoy it and we only finished up at 7:30 pm. It was great being with the likes of Tomas Cumbana, the chair of the Associação, and Funcho (João Costa). Even Kok Nam made an appearance at the workshop. I look forward to future collaboration with the Associação!
Above: Participants at a workshop hosted by the Associação Moçambicana de Fotografia in Maputo, Mozambique and sponsored by Henny Matos, Director of Kulungwana in association with Merritt Becker of Shanti Shalom.
Above: Tomas Cumbana, chairperson of the Associação Moçambicana de Fotografia at the launch of the 2010 World Press Photo exhibition in Maputo, Mozambique.
By the way, Merritt Becker organised for Femke and I to be put up in the Southern Sun Hotel here in Maputo. What a pleasure between sea views, pool and parma ham and melon for breakfast it could hardly have been better! It was a sponsorship from the hotel so I am grateful.
Above: The Maputo kite surfing championship was being held on in front of the Southern Sun on Sunday.
The Avenida Da Marginal on weekends is extraordinary. Maputo’s young and restless come down to the beach and party late into the night along the Marginal. See what I saw on my Photostream.