Current Location: Cambodia

On assignment in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I can be reached on my US number: +1.360.450.5810 or by email: kevin@kevingerman.com

Bali leftovers

Sid and Lisa

Current Location: Bali, Indonesia

On assignment in Bali. I can be reached on my US number or my local number: +6287860821548

Gina

I had a wonderful visit with a good friend in Sacramento last week. She is always missed while I am abroad. Thank you for everything!

Recap

I'm not even certain what day it is. My trip back to the States came and went within a 9-day span that included two trips to San Francisco and Sacramento and one trip to Virginia. Eleven airports and 45 hours of flying. But it was all worth it. And more importantly I got the chance to meet up with the members of Luceo Images for our biannual meeting.

The gathering came at the tail end of an inspirational LOOK3 festival in Charlottesville, VA. Two 14-hour days excitement and frustration. What direction should we take this cooperative? I've often wondered what went through the minds of the founding members of Magnum Photos. The four photographers - Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David "Chim" Seymour. I know what they wrote but it would have been wonderful to have been able to listen in on their discussions.

Bresson wrote a politically correct mission statement of Magnum, "Magnum is a community of thought, a shared human quality, a curiosity about what is going on in the world, a respect for what is going on and a desire to transcribe it visually." But the unspoken, unwritten, is what I am in search of.

So on day two when we were all tired-stricken from hours of planning, I asked why everyone agreed to meet in Atlanta a year and a half ago when David Banks called each of us.

Watching as Matt Slaby searched for his words and listening as David Banks spoke about being a part of something bigger than himself. We jumbled down words and incomplete sentences as fast as they were blurted out.

Community of photogs that fosters growth, pool resources, support each other's work, project, standards, fosters growth, strength in numbers, being part of something bigger than myself, community, set the bar for each other, actively involved in your own destination, passion, outcome less important, breathe easier/dream bigger, nontraditional, evolve, sustainable, authenticity, authorship, see beauty in everything, complete control.

Maybe it's something that words really can not describe. But for the first time I do feel a part of some thing important. Some thing that will put photography and story telling first. Untainted by politics and money ... only by our own souls. The decline of a medium is leaving so many wandering aimlessly. Photographers that once changed thoughts, lives. The profession, the world has changed and we as story tellers must change with the movement. Lead it.

Bike in a box and John Trotter

On my connection flight from Charlotte, NC to Charlottesville, VA I was pleased to run into my friend John Trotter. He looked about as bad as I felt after traveling for the past 27 hours straight. He is doing back to back seminars, just having taken a redeye from Las Vegas attending the NPPA multimedia workshop.

When we landed, I asked if he wanted to share a taxi. He grinned and pulled this hard shell suitcase off of the conveyor. I watched for the next 30 minutes as he put together his bicycle and then rode off. How cool is that?

Current Location: USA

Actually San Francisco Airport awaiting a connection to Charlottesville, VA for LOOK3. I can be reached at: +1.360.450.5810.

Overnight FedEx to send my camera and lens to CPS: $89.54

Shower and a shave: $15

One checked bag with US Airways: $15

Bottle of water: $1.99

Being back in the States: Priceless ... heck no! Haven't even left the airport yet and I've already spent more than $100!

Back blogging I

The members of Luceo Images met six months ago for our biannual membership meeting. We hit the streets of NYC and met with editor after editor. Now six months later we are about to meet once again. So much has been learned about this business since then. Each one of us has grown in our own ways.

We will be debuting a multimedia project at LOOK3 which got top billing next to The New York Times, The Washington Post and MediaStorm, among others. Later this month we will be launching a complete Luceo Images web site redesign. As I ended my posting six months ago: I am excited. Here are some of the photos from our last meeting together.

Return

That word always has a nice connotation to me. Return. Maybe it's because I think of coming home to friends and family. Or maybe just to something I am more familiar with in general. Today it means two things. I am about to board a plane back to the States. And the second is that I am returning to blogging.

I have missed this forum deeply. And I have finally gotten my head back into the right mindset.

The States visit is purely business. I am meeting up with Luceo Images, my collective at the LOOK3 photography festival in Charlottesville, VA. If anyone else is going, please stop by and say hi. We will then meet for the Luceo biannual meeting to discuss new business.

And lastly I will be in San Francisco on Thursday, June 18 to speak at the closing of my exhibition on Vietnam. Please stop by if you have time!

Details:

Where: San Francisco Exposure Gallery
Address: 801 Howard (near the corner of 4th Street across from the Moscone Center)
When: Thursday, June 18
Time: 7 p.m.
Parking: 4th and Mission streets
Cost: free
RSVP: none

SFBAPPA PhotoNight is a very casual get together. It's a pot luck - so please bring something to share to eat. SFBAPPA will supply drinks. No alcohol for any students under 21.

More info,
Jessica Lifland
SFBAPPA PhotoNight Director
jess@jessicalifland.com

Karna Kurata, Gallery Manager
kkurata@yahoo.com
Ariel Zambelich , Gallery Manager
ariel@arielzambelich.com
San Francisco Exposure Gallery
www.exposuregallery.org