Over the next 3 months I will be working in 4 or 5 different cities on 3 continents: Kathmandu in Nepal; New York city in USA; Istanbul in Turkey and Nairobi in Kenya. I’m facilitating workshops for United Nations Development Program aimed at encouraging the people who run elections to do more to ensure that women participate in the elections. Because the trips are for work I won’t have the opportunity to go sight seeing but I do want to record my impressions of each place.
I’ve talked before about some of the approaches I’ve taken to memory keeping on the move to suit different situations. For a family holiday where we took masses of photos – capturing everyone’s visual memory. For a long nomadic journey – a daily journal. For a relaxed holiday – taster tags. I will probably take my tag kit to record the little stories.
I also thought it would be fun to compare the places seeing as I am going to such different cities over a short period of time. So I was thinking I want to establish a few themes and make sure I have photos of each for each city and then I will create some pages that compare cites by theme (my social scientist’s love of categorising is ever present!). Looking back on the photos I took in Dhaka (Bangladesh) when I was working there last year, three themes emerge.
I enjoy eating local food wherever I am and also recording the related rituals of the day like the cup of tea. Although I will be staying in big hotels in each place, all designed for business traveller, I know that there will be differences in the food. Probably sub-themes are breakast; what I drink and dinner.
All of these photos were taken out of the window as I was driven between my hotel and office. I like taking these kind of photos so this will be a good comparison theme too.
Some of these are taken from the window of my hotel or office and others on a walk by the lake.
I also have lots of photos of the workshops and participants which will make another good theme. I’m thinking some details of each hotel would also be good.
What other themes would you suggest? Remember I can’t count on having time to visit places other than my hotel and workshop venue so photos will be what I happen upon rather than being able to seek things out.
I’ll be asking for food and other suggestions for NYC nearer to my departure on that bit of the trip.
4 comments:
Wow! what an amazing and worthwhile trip this is. I'm wishing you all the very best with it.
yes, I think a view down the hotel corridor and of the lobby would be good
Oh, this sounds wonderful ... What about something on what women wear? (since women are the focus of your work on this trip). I'm wondering if there'll be differences between the older and younger generations, for example. And perhaps the dress of the workshop particpants themselves will be varied? I guess you might be able to photograph through car/bus windows if necessary, en route. Even just little details/fabrics/colours/patterns without showing faces will be interesting ... Just a thought!
What an amazing opportunity for you, Helena! I was excited to hear that one of your stops would be NYC. Of course, you'll HAVE to have a pizza while you're there!
I really like your three categories so far...my head is wrapped around New York pizza so I'm unable to think of other categories at this time! LOL
What a wonderful trip Helena. I love Alexa's idea centred on the women that you see. I really love the Street life part of travel. Ooooh have you room in your suitcase for one more?
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