shutter to think

Seventh day prayer

Early Monday morning hundreds of Buddhist monks prayed at the bridge, the site of last week's stampede that killed nearly 450 people. In a culture that is highly spiritual and superstitious, many believe that those die a violent death will then be violent ghosts. Offerings of food and drink and prayer should calm the spirits.

A Country in Mourning -

Below is an audio slideshow of my work on the aftermath of the Cambodian stampede. For licensing please email me - [email protected] - and visit my gallery or search for more images in my archive.

The military, police and event planners denied responsibility of overcrowding on the bridge, which to me, critically speaking, is clearly a failure in caring and preserving the safety of their people. I rarely cover news events such as these. It was very difficult for me to photograph at the morgue as families came to identify their loved ones. Most of the people I photographed (at the morgue) gave me permission to take their pictures. I felt it was only right to ask. 

Since the tragedy on Monday night, hundreds of people have come to the bridge (and island) to watch while the disco lights flicker. One young man called it, "ghost island." For many in disbelief, this has been a way to face the tragedy. Some take pictures. Others just sit for hours watching not knowing what else to do.

Thursday, Nov. 25 marked the day of national mourning. Hundreds of people came to pay their respects and chanted Buddhist prayers. (I am also working on another slideshow with this chanting audio).

*(also please note the music disclaimer in the credit).

A Country Mourns

The biggest tragedy since the Khmer Rouge devastates the people of Cambodia as they try to understand how nearly 375 people died in a stampede on a pedestrian bridge on the last day of the annual Water Festival. While my friends and family in the U.S celebrate Thanksgiving, I photographed Cambodia's national Day of Mourning, where hundreds of people paid their respects, and for many, to see the site where their loved ones died. Here are a couple pictures from the past 3 days...a slideshow is in the making and will post it soon. (**These images are copyright protected and may not be downloaded or published w/o permission, incl. blogs).

1. Family members look for their deceased.

2. A young woman collapses when she discovers the body of a loved one.

3. Police block the Diamond Gate bridge

4. Mourners line up to pay their respects at the bridge during a prayer ceremony

Destination: Outer Sunset, San Francisco (for the NYT)

My neighborhood!!

I got a call last month for another New York Times "Surfacing" column. Was so surprised to hear that I was to photograph my neighborhood....(disclaimer: there are several places not mention, one being my favorite stomping ground, the Pizza Place on Noriega. This column allows only for 5 different locations. So i know the writer must of had such a hard time choosing).

Outer Sunset is such a small community...many surfers, artists, skaters, and families. We - my boyfriend George, our dog, Reese and I are so fortunate to finally move back to the area and get to know our neighbors. yes we take long walks on the beach and stumble home from the bar around the corner. we can even smell a beached whale from on-shore winds. and the days of bright blue skies and no wind are just magical. There is a reason why it is called the Sunset...Unfortunately, the weekend I shot this assignment, it was dumping rain. all. day. long.

Historically the Outer Sunset was called "Carville" before homes from the 40s were built, during the era of the Cliff House and Sutro Baths. It was a graveyard for street cars (trains). People eventually converted these street cars into homes. And soon after development began and families moved to the beach.

See pictures in the NYT: In San Francisco, a Bleak Neighborhood Is Revived

Below is a slideshow of the images, including outtakes:

Destinaton: Outer Sunset, San Francisco (for NYT) - Images by Lianne Milton

Foto8 picture story of the week

Photojournalism magazine Foto 8 is featuring a collaborative story, produced by writer Fiona MacGregor and myself, on the effects of hydraulic dams in Vietnam have on the lives of ethnic minorities living in Cambodia's Mekong Delta. Please click here to read a synopsis of Fiona's story and my slideshow: downstream

Waiting for the Sky to Fall

Last week I left Cambodia for Yogyakarta, Indonesia to cover a couple days of the effects of Mt. Merapi volcano. I've actually never seen a volcano. Alive. And breathing. Was fascinating. NPR selected several of my images for their volcano coverage, where you can read the story and view slideshow here: waiting for the sky to fall

And you can see much more of volcano images on my archive (2pgs): Mt. Merapi

Burn victims continue to die at least once a day...the city hospital's ICU unit is overwhelmed with the number of patients. Some of which they are not quite sure how to treat because of internal burns from inhaling hot toxic gas and ash. While farmers continue to harvest with the looming volcano behind them billowing black and grey smoke.

 
 

Dying at Home - portrait for the NY Times

I photographed a very touching story several weeks ago. Here's the clip and link to story, about dying in the comfort of your home. The shoot took some time to draw out some emotion for the picture to be compelling. I photographed Laurie by framing her in several different ways in front of the cabin that she and her former husband built when he was sick. After photographing the zen garden that they made together, and inquiring about her husband and what he loved to do, she pulled out a dusty picture frame from the cabin, now used as storage. I stepped back a bit more so that I could give her that moment. He was the love of her life, although she is remarried now. This picture was made at the very end of the shoot.

To read the story: Dying at Home

Inventor Portraits for the Guardian of London Weekend Magazine

Here are my clips from a recent assignment for the Guardian of London Weekend Magazine (the topleft and bottomw cutout are not mine). The story is about how inventions used today are different then their intention when created. Its a fascinating story, and i hope you will have a chance to read it.

I photographed two inventors: a medical pathologist who designed the lethal injection drug, which is basically an overdose of a local anesthesia. At the time, a death sentence was by electric shock or by firing squad. The injection was to be a more humane way and it eventually replaced death by firing squad. However, now there are reports in which some individuals are suffocating as they die by injection due to the offender's tolerance.

The second man is a psychologist/inventor who attended Harvard University under Ken Kesey in the 60s (if you are familiar). He and his brother designed a tracking device for offenders. It was intended to use as positive re-enforcement which monitored and later, rewarded the offender for attending classes, sessions or a job. As technology improved, the purpose of the belt changed to be used as a tool for punishment.

here's the link: Whose bright idea was that?

 

Below is a slideshow of a few outtakes from this assignment:

Heaven on Earth; a view from above - Padang, Indonesia

I came to Padang, Indonesia, with the hopes of doing a story on the Mentawai relief in which hundreds had died from a tsunami triggered by a 7.7 earthquake. I decided not to continue since i had just a day and a half to produce something, clearly not enough time to work on this story...and perhaps i'll return another day with a story about the Mentawai and not about the tsunami. Left feeling a bit defeated in my pursuit, i hopped on a plane back to Jakarta. The view after take-off was one of the most spectacular aerials i have seen (the other was flying over haiti and the domican republic and seeing the stark environmental contrast of the the two islands). And all regret had washed away.

Archive: Cambodia

I'm back in Cambodia finishing up a couple stories, yet trying to maintain my ADD in starting new ones. But in light of my return, I just wanted to share some pictures. I've been a freelance photographer for almost two years now. My income comes from editorial assignments, unpredictable as they may be, although I don't know otherwise, and weddings. This year I was fortunate to afford to continue working on projects outside of my home base.

I've been traveling since I was born. Literally. I was global jet-setter before my first birthday. And I am thankful I grew up in a multicultural home where we celebrated all of our heritages (that means good food). So naturally, my curiousity to see the world grew. But as of now, I'm in my cell-like hotel room with the fastest internet in town, the ethernet, trying to muster up my confidence to head out and finish my stories. At the same moment, trying to figure out how to financially justify why I need to dash off to yet another country, which struggles from two natural disasters.

anyway, lets get back to the pictures (and all images are copyright protected and cannot be used w/o permission):

Location update: SE Asia