I was on a very interesting photo shoot for India Today on Friday. It is likely to be another cover image but I am not terribly sure till I actually see it. The journalism business is sure fickle and things can change at the drop of a hat. I can't say much more about who or where I was as things are still under wraps. But it was a thrill nonetheless. I'll reveal all in a few days.

On a whim to do something totally out of the ordinary, my wife and I woke up early (I woke up at 3 a.m. for some un-Godly reason) and opened the doors at our local Border's bookstore. While I am not terribly keen on corporate bookstores (prefer smelly second-hand bookstores), the coffee and the array of magazines is always a great draw.

So, thumbing through PICTURE magazine today I came to know about the Lucie Awards for new and emerging photographers. Definitely worth taking a look. If you apply and win, do let me know. I would be happy to feature your work here on this site.

Please support this site. Check out the new Tiffinbox Bazaar.

Ok, UNITY convention is just around the corner. What is it? Find out here. I am heading to DC on Wednesday and will try and blog the convention as best as I can.

Meanwhile, for those of you who are photographers, check the extended post below for more information about the UNITY Photography Competition.

Theme: “Patriotic Diversity”

Are you interested in winning BIG prizes for only 24 hours of shooting?

What is the Unity Photography Competition? A 24-hour live photo competition for those attending the Unity Convention. Anyone registered at the convention can enter. The Design Competition rules will be list separately.

When is it? Shooting starts at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4 EDT and ends at 2 p..m. Thursday, Aug. 5. EDT.

Where can I shoot? Anywhere.

What am I suppose to shoot? The theme is “Patriotic Diversity”

What are Prizes? Thousands of dollars in prizes such as Nikon and Canon digital cameras, CF cards from Sandisk and Lexar, jackets from Coca Cola, Adobe products and more.

What do I need to enter? Each entrant will either need to bring own digital camera gear or get a digital camera loaner.

How do I get a camera loaner? Nikon and Canon digital cameras will be loaned out on a first come basis and will be handed out at the Unity Photography and Design Competition meeting. You will need to fill out a Loaner Form. Forms will only be available at the information meeting on Wednesday.

Where can I get more info? Come to the Unity Photography and Design Competition meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. at the VTF room (140A) in the Convention Center. Will go over all this information at meeting.

Do I need to attend meeting to enter? No.

Everyone entering needs to turn in one Registration Form with your entry. Forms will be available at the Wednesday meeting and in the VTF room at the Convention Center.

What is deadline? Deadline is 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5. Submit photos at the VTF room (140A) in the Convention Center.

How do I turn in photos? You can turn up to five photos maximum that best describes the theme “Patriotic Diversity”. A photo story can be up to 12 photos and counts as one image. We will have computers you can use to submit your photos into a shared folder. Place photo essay into a folder with you last name on it.

What are the technical dimensions of photos submitted? Make photos 72 dpi with a size of 10 inches saved in RGB, saved at maximum, and saved as .jpg. Write captions in the “File Info”. Put your last name and the numbered photo when you save your single photo. (Example: lastname1.jpg lastname2.jpg lastname3.jpg) For Photo Stories: put your last name, the numbered photo in alphabetical order of your photo story and place into a folder with your last name on folder.

(Example: lastname1A.jpg last name 1B.jpg last name1C.jpg) You can enter a single photo in both singles and as part of photo story. Photo story counts as one of your five entries.

Can I use my laptop to work on my photos? Yes, you can work on your photo in PhotoShop. Toning, cropping and captions suggested. Captions should be clear and concise. The better the captions, the more chances of winning.

When will photos be judged? There will be a live open judging on Thursday night at the VTF suite at the Grand Hyatt. (Congressional Suite)

When will the winners be announced? Come to the VTF Awards reception and ceremony between 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 6. at the Convention Center in Room 202B.

Cost? None

RSVP? none

Good Luck.

For more information please contact Paul Sakuma
VTF AAJA or Boyzel Hosey VTF NABJ

PDN's Digital Imaging Contest has a August 8 deadline. Here is where you can find the submission form and other information. I have wanted to enter this image (see below):

Thoughts?

Via Shana Dressler

The Indo-American Arts Council, Inc. is calling for artists to submit work for it's September show – “Passport To Contemporary Indian Art”. The show will be held September 16-30, 2004 at the State Bank of India Gallery, 39 Broadway, 8th Floor, NYC.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Contemporary Indian artists in the diaspora are encouraged to submit their portfolios of painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, installation art.

Requirements:

· artists bio & statement

· slides  and/or prints of work

· description of each work, size, and medium

· self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of material (if requested by artist)

· permission to print accepted work in exhibition catalogue 

Deadline: July 10 , 2004

Criteria:                     

· artist must deliver and pick up artwork to and from the gallery

. artist must have external insurance. ( The gallery is insured but artwork is not insured enroute to and from the gallery)

. artist must try and be present for the exhibition

. artist must have approximately 12 images ready for the show

Information:

. There will be a printed catalogue for this exhibition

. Submissions will be chosen by an Independent curator

. Sundaram Tagore, Sundaram Tagore Gallery  will curate the accepted artwork for exhibition

. Due to space restrictions, there will be a limited number of artworks exhibited 

. Artwork  not chosen for this show will be kept for exhibition at a later date

Please note: all submissions must be received in hard copy.  No email submissions will be considered. 

Please send all  submissions  to:
Aroon Shivdasani, Executive Director,
Indo-American Arts Council Inc
118 East 25th Street, 3rd Floor, New York  10010
Phone: 212 529 2347 Fax: 212 477 4106
Email: iaac@iaac.us  Web: www.iaac.us

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS JULY 10, 2004.  PLEASE SEND IN YOUR PORTFOLIOS ASAP.  ARTISTS WILL BE INFORMED OF THE FINAL DECISION BY AUGUST 10 , 2004.

SAJA, or the South Asian Journalists Association, in which I serve as a board member, has announced its annual awards.

I am particularly proud to let you all know of the photographers who won this year are some of my personal favorites:

William Albert Allard, National Geographic, for “Untouchables.” A photo essay about the lives of India's lowest castes.

John Stanmeyer, Time & VII, for two photo essays about Pakistan, “Live and Die in Karachi” (about the country's biggest city), and “Lost Lives” (about the lives of the mentally ill). This is Stanmeyer's second SAJA Award.

Robb Kendrick, National Geographic for “The Sherpas.” A photo essay that ran as part of the magazine's 50th anniversary of the conquest of Mt. Everest.

According to the press release, “The awards will be presented on Saturday, June 19, at 6:30 p.m. at a gala awards ceremony at the Roone Arledge Auditorium at Columbia's Lerner Hall (115th St & Broadway) as part of the four-day SAJA Convention.”