Eyes of Tanzania

Hi everyone, sorry for not posting much and telling more of the stories of the trip.
I have been really busy after getting back from Japan. I will post more stories soon.

I have found a new process that I will be printing the book, I was very unhappy with the quality of the print and size of the page for the first printing process. Like everything there are trade off’s but I think this will be the best. I have to to do some work, resizing the pages (larger) and reworking some of the images. Hopefully, after that everything will speed up in the next week.

I received the book proof two nights ago.
When from a huge high to a huge low.
The cover image was distorted, blobby and the colour was off. The same image is used on the first page and it looks great. Then inside many of the photos are dark and flat. The depth and colour seems to be sucked out of them.

Next week I hope to find a new action plan for printing these books.

One of the hardest things about helping out in Tanzania is getting what is needed to the location. My case and point is in my backseat on my car (bound for my trunk by tomorrow) is a box of kids books that I collected. It is not a huge box, but a box of 40 or so kids book for the new school that BCB has set up for there kids. My issue is that it would take $80 dollars to send the books. $80! the books are not even worth that much,  there must be a cheeper way, but yet I have not found it and till then I fear the box will sit in my car.

This is frustration trying to help, and  sometimes it feel like I am being blocked at every corner.

The book is almost here. I have been working on the writing of the last chapter, the last couple of days. It is one of the harder parts of the book for me, finding the right words is so hard some times. I also have started reviewing the past chapters and found some places I need to clean up but it is getting really close. I am very thankful to my editor.

As part of the project, I am also issuing some limited edition prints from the book and trip. The photos are in editions of 150, signed and numbered with 50% of the sale is going directly to the schools, orphanages and hospital that I visited.

Take a look at the photo’s from Tanzania >>

I have started or should I say continued thinking about the stories that I will be photographing and filming in Tanzania. I really have no script for this trip, other than I know that I will be photographing a lot of orphanages. I often fear that it all might become to fragmented, but then again fragmentation can become a rhythm of miniature master pieces.

Years ago Andrew suggested me reading this book “On Directing Film” at the time I had put together a short film that missed target badly and I was in search of repair. I pick the book up today for the first time in a few years and started flipping threw it realizing that it was time to revisit this book and ideas and that the theory of directing film is similar to that of still photo’s.

To simplify, It all comes down to the story line, the feeling and editing.

I will be the first to tell you that I don’t know the complete story of the histories of the countries that make up Africa. Though there is nothing better than going to Tanzania and forcing yourself to learn something.
I feel lucky that Lisa picked up the book “Unbowed” the memoir of Wangari Maathai. What a great read, to learn about the changes of Kenya in the last 60 years (there have been many). She has a great story telling ability that makes want to reach out and learn more. Also, as a historian makes me want to cry at what we have-lost.

Well, today was the day to go to the Travel Clinic and get my shots. I went to the clinic in Danvers and meet with Kathleen Tremblay R.N., F.N.P.-C. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is going on this type of trip, the whole crew there was fantastic and went over all possible issues and options that I have for medications and shots.

After five shots my arms feels like lead weights, but it is one more thing to check off the list.

Lisa also came back from Barn & Noble with this great book from Lonely Plane “Healthy Travel Africa”. So, It but be the be safe day on the road to TZA.