Photographer Kevin German’s decade-long document of Vietnam
via Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2017/05/24/forget-what-you-remember-and-remember-what-you-forgot-a-different-view-of-vietnam/
Photographer Kevin German has started a crowdfunding campaign to publish an unusual book about Vietnam. German spoke to In Sight about the book:
James Estrin believes Luceo Images is a vibrant rebuttal to the notion floated by Neil Burgess that photojournalism died last month.
via Lens Blog: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/if-photojournalism-is-dead-whats-luceo/
I realized that the success of Luceo is a very good rebuttal to those who believe photojournalism is dead. David Walter Banks, Kendrick Brinson, Matt Eich, Kevin German, Daryl Peveto and Matt Slaby are carefully laying plans for careers of 30 to 40 more years. They are all busy with assignments and working on personal projects. They look at the same circumstances Mr. Burgess did and come to an entirely different conclusion.
When I talk about Vietnam these days, I can’t have a single conversation without bringing up the words “urban development”. I guess it’s what every country goes through eventually but I have never been able to witness it first hand. The problem with development is that it often comes with collateral damage. I have no answers on how to minimize this aspect, I can only photograph what I see.
This is the second segment in a four-part series on international photography.
I have always had a fascination with Mt. Everest. There is just something about being on top of the world that is ever appealing. So when I finally decided fly to Nepal with two weeks notice, I knew that this birthday would be one to remember. Operation Everest Base Camp would commence with the intention to reach Base Camp on October 29, 2009. I will preface this by admitting that I have not seen the inside of a gym in more than 6 months and the last mountain I climbed was more than 3 years ago. But I was determined to trek and do so without a guide or porters.
Link: APhotoADay Blog » Blog Archive » Interview: KEVIN GERMAN:
I grew up in newspapers. I learned my photography in newspapers. But with those lessons came rules and boundaries. I had placed myself in this proverbial box dictated by the hierarchy of gatekeepers who think they know what the readership wants to consume. The very same are now watching their newspapers fall apart because change was not on the menu.
But you couldn’t tell me this. It was obvious, especially now when I look at my work. So structured. I hate it. I have to fight against the structure still. The cleanliness of the frame is like an infestation of termites. You don’t always notice it until it is ruined.
I am now working with a translator which helps me understand the specifics of a project more clearly and enables me to find the more personal side to my subjects.
photo by Kevin German
I have begun exploring mental illness in Vietnam. This will hopefully continue next week and into following year. For the time being I will simply leave you with a broad edit of photographs.
Kevin German
Now I want to preface this graph by saying this is not a slam on newspapers or the photojournalists who work for them. I can name one hundred newspaper photographers who excel at their job and more importantly make incredible contributions to communities all over the world. The fact is that newspapers were a comfort for me.
I could go years without ever coming up with my own projects. The assignments kept pouring in like clockwork. Then one day it hit me. I didn’t care any more. Didn’t care about the people I was photographing. Didn’t care about the issues that were important to them. I didn’t care. I had sold my soul to be comfortable and I couldn’t look myself in the eyes any more.
Check it out here.
