Search Anaspides Photos
Welcome Everybody

Hello - Welcome. The purpose of this site is to document my experiences photographing wildlife and nature throughout Australia and abroad.  I hope you find the content interesting and educational, and the images  cause you to reflect on how important it is preserve natural places and their inhabitants.

All wildife has been photographed in the wild and animals are NOT captive or living in enclosures.

For me photography of the natural world is more than just pretty settings and cuddly animal photos. It's a concern for the environment and the earth all living creatures must share.

Note that images appearing in journal posts are often not optimally processed due to time constraints.

You are welcome to comment on any post.

 

FlickR
500 Photographic Portfolio

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Conservation Matters.....

Articles Archive (newest first)

Entries in CHIPP Awards (2)

Friday
Nov262010

CHIPP Photographic Awards, People's Republic of China

I was invited at very short notice to Songjiang Province on the outskirts of Shanghai by the China International Press Photographers Association (CHIPP).  In a flurry of activity, last minute preparations were made to obtain my Chinese VISA.  This included filling out several forms, a passport photo and a visit to the embassy in Melbourne – all on the day before I was due to fly out of Australia – this was literally arranging things on the “fly”.  Special permission had to arranged by the embassy staff to secure a business VISA.

 I had absolutely no idea what to expect after reaching Chinese soil as minimal information had been received.  Upon arrival, I wasn't surprised by the official and courteous behaviour of Chinese officials in the airport at Shanghai (in comparison to some western airports); Shanghai is known as a cosmopolitan city with a true blend of eastern and western culture that has developed since the 1800’s when Britain, Holland and the Dutch East India Company reigned supreme. 

Meeting four  Chinese, who spoke little English, I was bundled into a dark coloured van, offered a bottle of drinking water and then driven at high speed (150 km/h) along a four- lane highway to my accommodation an hour or so away.  The whole experience was rather surreal, but as I was to learn, this is standard operating procedure in a semi-communist country.  After being on an aircraft for most of the day and evening, It was well after 1am before I finally found the time to sleep. 

The next morning while dining on a tasty Chinese-style breakfast I learnt that the photographic award ceremony was to encompass the next two days before “my release” (their words) for two days free activity.  After meeting the fellow photographers who had also been nominated for awards we were shuffled by van then a small electric tram to the Songjiang Art Museum where the ceremonies were to take place.  We were provided an Chinese-English translator as we had to each deliver a short speech and partake in an question and answer session on the attributes of the photograph we have taken. 

We met with a charming girl called Lilac who we were to learn was the local Songjiang  Province Government official and Communist Party member.  Lilac was responsible for ensuring that the  Government’s agenda was achieved and for ensuring that we were well looked after – a job she did exceedingly well (thank you Lilac).

If you were looking for term that could be used to describe urban China it would be “bling”.  Everything is BIG with much fan-fair, bright lights, colours and officialdom.  When we each received our awards it was not a humble event.  Instead, after the officials from the Government and CHIPP concluded some speeches and basic introductions we were invited, to the tune of “Rocky” to the stage where we were bathed in the strong light from portable spotlights. 

Chinese girls in traditional costumes then proceeded to march along the edge of the stage to the rear of us carrying our large and heavy crystal awards.  The Chinese then made speeches outlining to the eagerly waiting press the international significance and importance to China of such an event before giving us our awards with much solemn hand shaking and nods of approval.  This was in tune to thousands of clicks from Canon and Nikon cameras, the flurry of overactive Chinese press photographers,  and the steady whirl to two television cameras. 

Following this was banquet-style lunch at a local high class restaurant.  After lunch we were invited to view the award photographs which were framed and mounted for display in the Art Museum.  Press and journalists were present to photograph the event and many of us were asked for personal autographs. 

At the conclusion of this “rubbing shoulders” event we were graciously guided to the stage to sit in an open lounge under the glare of video lights to answer questions about our photography style to interested individuals in the audience.  During this time all I remember is the glare of lights, the “pop” of flashes and the machine-gun rattle of shutters.  All of us learnt very quickly not to play with your fingernails, scratch your nose or slurp the Chinese green tea that was in large supply; an inappropriate move was instantly recorded by a flurry of photographic activity. 

This photographic activity was continued the following day when we were taken an a photographic excursion to several locally important landmarks.  A large bus followed our small vehicle and whenever we went we were accompanied by 50 plus photographic journalists – all committed to photographing each of us from every angle several times.  At one stage I saw something interesting at the Chinese garden we visited.  No sooner had I lifted my camera and focussed that I realized there were some 10 cameras pointing in my direction to record the momentous event! 

The Chinese press were delighted when we performed for the camera or photographed a local person.  We all laughed when at one stage a local lady and her small dog was caught in the limelight!  What must have been 50 cameras were pointed at this cute dog in a mass of photo journalism as the dog’s movement was captured in digital celluloid.  I have no idea what the dog’s owner thought!

A Word About The Images

The above images were shot "on the fly" and very quickly.  As I was an award recipient it wasn't really appropiate that I stopped to take "decent" photographs.  The western person in the fourth  & fifth photograph from the top is Danniel Berehaluk from Getty Images who was the highest award receiver.

In the second image form the top you can just make out the top of the large crystal trophy that each of us was awarded along with a smaller leather bound certifcate.  The trophy was large with a height of 43 cm (17 inches) and quite heavy at 3.3 KG (7.3 lbs).  I'm still smiling at the thought of Danniel, who was awarded 5 tropies, carrying them to the international flight as hand luggage!

A Word of Thanks

I'd like to say "thank you" to Thomson Reuters UK and the CHIPP organisation who made it possible to visit China. 

China Continued, but Indonesia Underwater On-Hold

I will post a few threads regarding my experiences in China over the next couple of weeks.  My recent Indonesian trip, from which I returned immediately before departing for China, will have to wait a short while as I catch up.  This trip was very good and I photographed several species of frogfish, schooling hammerhead sharks and many species of nudibranch.

Saturday
Nov132010

China Bound To Receive Photographic Award (Thomson Reuters) - Gold Prize - Environmental Section - Photo Journalism Awards

I returned two days ago from a three week diving photographic trip to eastern Indonesia to find an urgent e-mail waiting for me from Thomson Reuters United Kingdom and CHIPP (Chinese International Press Photographers).

I had been notified that one of my images of a polar bear had been selected for the gold prize in the environmental section of the photo journalism awards.  The e-mail was an invitation to attend, at their expense, the award ceremony in Shanghai, China. 

Although The People’s Republic of China is not on my list of places to visit, I have decided that I will attend the ceremony which is being held on November 18.

The photograph selected by CHIPP was of a male polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in the act of consuming a polar bear cub that it had killed earlier.  Infanticide and cannibalism occurs throughout the animal world including polar bears.  However, what is noteworthy is that the frequency of infanticide in polar bear populations is increasing. 

A possible reason for the increase in infanticide is a change in the time of the formation of sea ice. Sea ice is paramount to the polar bear’s survival and the sea ice is forming later each year.  Consequently, many polar bears, including mothers with cubs are being corralled into a small geographical area waiting longer for the sea ice to form.  During this time the bears are very hungry and the usually solitary apex predators are been forced into close proximity with each other.  Once the ice is solid enough the bears disperse and roam out onto the ice in search of their favoured food – the hooded seal. 

There is a hypothesis that the increased frequency of infanticide is correlated to the change in global weather patterns and consequently the delay in sea ice formation.

The photograph, which was taken in the Arctic region of Canada last November, has created global interest and in addition to being purchased by several newspapers and used in scientific journals was also purchased by Thomson Reuters for global syndication.   

The photograph was entered in a number of photographic competitions and has received the following recommendations:

  • Gold prize first place in the Environmental  Category – China International Photo Contest (CHIPP)
  • Nature picture of the year – PGB Photographic Award (Europe)
  • Honourable Mention – National Press Photographers Association

To read an early Blog thread on this topic click here.

I intend to spend a week in China.  After I return, I will be in a better position to update this blog regarding my diving in Indonesia.