Thursday 23 December 2010

Jimmy Jitsu Album recording

Sometimes as photographer you get a chance to overlap industries and hang out with other artists from other fields. Yesterday was an example of this. Anyone that knows me knows I love my hip hop and I love British talent.
There was a time when I was more into American hip hop but over recent years there's been a major change in the industry with more and more new contentious rappers emerging onto the British scene.
So when I was invited to come down to the studio to hear some British hip hop talent coupled with one of my favorite spoken words artists I jumped at the chance. It also helped that a very talented member of my photography collective was also there. Check her out Sai photography (you will find her site on the right of the page under sites I like)

So I headed out with my camera to take some behind the scene shots..two trains and a rail replacement bus later I arrived in Hackney. Unfortunately due to Britain's lack of ability to deal with public transport in bad weather I missed out on Global Fractions filming of the Video but made it in time to hear the recording of the new album.
Jimmy Jitsu is an 18 year old artist from Croyden..from talking to him he has a wise and mature head on his shoulders and a clear direction for where his music is heading. Jimmy's been around for a couple of years creating music appreciated in Britain's underground scene. But with his new Album Growing Pains I see the man in him has now emerged and this evolution has taken his music to another level. From what I heard in the studio there was an air of raw truthful energy and an opening of his soul for the world to hear.

Working on Jimmy's Album is a very talented producer called Morphius..those of you on the scene would have already heard of him and 'THE LAB"  know what to expect from this album. Those of you that haven't especially artists I suggest you get googling or ask around.

Also featuring on Jimmy's album on the track growing pain is Truebess as mentioned previously a favorite spoken word artist of mine. His raw passion and emotion sets him apart from other poets for me. His is not the poetry of flouncy words and stanzas but rather of life experiences and electrifying energy.

There was a really good vibe in the studio so I felt comfortable in taking out my camera and getting a few candid shots of the guys between sessions in the booth. Looking back on the shots I have to admit I love them...part of being a good photographer is to get some depth and some truth to your picture. Without that depth and rapport between subject and photographer, you end up with those 1 dimensional shallow looking pictures. That's not me..I love to keep whatever I do real to the subject matter and as honest to the truth of the story as possible. I feel that in the few minutes I snapped I caught a brief glimpse into the moment and the emotions. Have a look for yourself

Jimmy Jitsu
Truebess
Morphius - The lab

JIMMY 'S TATOO

MORPHIUS

MORPHIUS @WORK

TRUEBESS

THINKING

GRRRR


HAVING A BREAK

CONTEMPLATING


THE MAGIC MIKE

TRUEBESS @WORK

RAW

FEELING EMOTIONS

Monday 20 December 2010

SNOW












Left the comfort and warmth of my flat today to get some snow pictures in the local park. Don't really like the cold so I had to muster up my enthusiasm to get out of the door. But it was worth it. Have a look for yourself x

Thursday 16 December 2010

ONLINE SHOP

Evening everyone,

Just a quick blog. I have just added to my website and I thought I would share it all with you all. Well I have actually just added an online gallery where you can purchase original A4 size prints of some of my work. The cost of these original prints is £25 including postage and packaging.

It's just the first draft of available prints and I may add or change at a later date. So if you are a fan of my photography or want to give someone an unusual gift. Or you want to decorate your office or home have a flick through my gallery and see if there is anything that you like

http://www.duniyaphotos.com/

SHAKER AAMER

Hi Guys,

I'm pretty aware I have been missing in action for the last few days but I have a good excuse. I've been busy assisting on shoots and sticking my head in cold tanks of water (I'll explain in the next post) And to be honest I really am not that well. So bare in mind this is being typed from my sickbed x

On Saturday I attended a talk at Battersea Arts Centre. There was a march through South London before that but unfortunately I had to miss that. However as I said I did attend the talk.

This talk was for a man called Shaker Aamer. Most of you will not recognise the name. Don't be ashamed of that..the media blanket and lack of information means that many people are not aware of this poor mans situation. What you should be ashamed of is after reading his story you do nothing to promote or support his cause.
So let me give you a brief overview if I can of his story to bring you up to speed.

Shaker Aamer was Born in Saudi Arabia but came to the UK in the early 90's. He worked as a translator in a respectable law firm, found a wife and settled into British life. Shaker not being satisfied with his own comfort chose to seek an opportunity to help those less fortunate then himself.

Shaker decided to work in Afghanistan so in 2001 he set out to do so with his wife and children. Whilst there he lived and worked with Moazzam Begg. (former Guantanamo detainee) They worked on several projects together including Girls Schools and building wells. They were assisting to help a country ravaged by decades of war after war.

Unfortunately for Shaker and others like him he was taken in by the American forces after possibly being sold for the huge bounties offered for foreign Muslims. It is believed many of those detained in Afghanistan and Guantanamo were sold for rewards or revenge. The Americans never checked..eager for numbers to fill their torture camps.
Shaker was then transported from Kabul to Cuba. However whilst there he was given the name of "The Professor" due to his wisdom and knowledge.
He even negotiated with the Americans during the hunger strike of 2005 to ensure that they followed the Geneva convection in regards to human rights. A promise they later backed down on and took further by putting Aamer back in solitary confinement.

Shaker is the last British detainee in Guantanamo bay..it is said he is still held there in isolation due to his strong voice in prisoner's rights.
Below is a quote from Shaker in a letter from 2006...after which no correspondence was allowed.
“I am dying here every day, mentally and physically. This is happening to all of us. We have been ignored, locked up in the middle of the ocean for many years…I have problems many problems from the filthy yellow water…I have lung problems from the chemicals they spread all over the floor…I am already arthritic at 40 because I sleep on a steel bed, and they use freezing air conditioning as part of the interrogation process. I have ruined eyes from the permanent, 24-hourfluorescent lights. I have tinnitus in my ears from the perpetual noise…I have ulcers and almost permanent constipation from the food. I have been made paranoid, so I can trust nobody, not even my lawyer. I was over 250 lbs. I dropped to 130lbs in the hunger strike. I want to make it easy on everyone, I want no feeding, no forced tubes, no ‘help’, no ‘intensive assisted feeding.’”
 Obama talks of closing Guantanamo but there is no guarantee of Shaker's return. There has never been any proof of terrorists links or affiliations. This is a man who has been separated from his family. Who has not even seen his youngest child. And for what crime is he being punished for? For being Muslim. Below is an extract from his youngest child..I dare you not to feel moved.
“My name is Johina Aamer. I am 11 years old.I haven’t seen my dad for more than seven years. My dad is a British resident who hasn’t come out of Guantanamo yet. My little brother, Faris Amer, is seven and he’s never seen his own father. We have also had lots of Eid festivals without our dad which is not the same as him being here. We would not like to miss any more Eids. We want our Dad to pick us up from school and take us to the park like all other Dads. I am happy for Binyam Mohamed to be coming home but please don’t forget my dad.”
For further information on how you can get involved with Shaker's case and others like him please refer to this site.
http://www.cageprisoners.com/our-work

Taking the photographs at these events has really affected me and I am glad in my small little way I can do something to fight injustice. But we all need to Unite and fight to bring him home. Please log onto cage prisoners for details on how to go about doing this.

















Monday 13 December 2010

True Bess - The End (Spoken Word)


Just about to go to bed and was sent this so had to come back online to share.
This is from a young brother called True Bless. Listening to this sent a shiver down my spine. True and simple words straight into my soul.

When I hear stuff like this it really does fill me with hope. The youth of today are coming in eyes open and they are not afraid to say what is on their minds. They know that they are fighting in a society full of negativity, depravity and pain. They are fighting against a nihilist culture, a world where money and class is worshipped. Yet voices like this oppose the path that they are sent down...they show us that the youth are much more aware then we ever gave them credit for.
They know what is important and they know what battles to fight. So please dear readers take a moment out to hear some real and raw emotion...let the truth shine its light into your world.

Friday 10 December 2010

STUDENT FEES PROTESTS www.duniyaphotos.com


MY U TUBE CLIP FROM THE DEMO..DOWN LOADED A GREAT TRACK FROM SAYED KABIR ENJOY THE TRUTH...THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED

STUDENT FEE PROTESTS 9/12/10 MY EXPERIENCE

Yesterday as I sat on the train heading towards Russell Square for the student protests I found myself singing along to Whitney's -"The children are our future' In my head...somewhat cheesy but very apt I thought.

These children fighting for their right to a free and fair education system are our future, they are our Doctors, Scientists, Teachers, Architects and Engineers of tomorrow. Amongst these kids could be our future leader, but not if the coalition Government has it's own way. If it was up to them, the door of the old boys club would remain firmly shut tight. 

Knowing that this much Unity and hunger for equality would have caused untold fear amongst the elite I was expecting a little trouble so I wrapped up warm and packed a sandwich for the kettle. But really I had no idea of what I was about to witness. I had no idea of the brute force that was just about to be unleashed onto these youngsters.

As I approached the back of the procession the mood was almost carnivalesque with steel bands and sound systems. Kids danced and cheered as they marched towards Parliament. I laughed and joked with strangers as we walked...the comradrie kept us in high spirits.
When we reached Parliament square I have to admit the scene in front of me was almost surreal...it was like something that I had seen on the TV or in a film. No I'm not talking about violence or anarchy just the fact that it felt so immense. Imagine walking into parliament square to see thousands of young people fighting for the same cause....groups of young people laughing and even singing, snippets of conversation mature in their wisdom reaching my ears. I admit I had to smile...the lions had finally woken up. Eyes open these kids were beginning to realise the truth of the system that chose to destroy them and any dreams and aspirations that they may have had.
I couldn't help but to feel proud and in awe of these young people...fighting for justice and their civil rights.

However one thing I certainly couldn't miss from the moment I entered Parliament square was the hostility emanating from the police. As I stood in front of parliament, in the front line, ,I stood eye to eye with  BRITAIN'S FINEST...beneath the masks I hate to imagine the grimaces, but the hate and agitation shone out of their eyes as clear as day. In fact without sounding too cliche I'm sure some of them were actually enjoying the thought of the physical attack. Their hands and their weapons twitched if there even a slight movement in the crowd...they were like wild dogs just waiting for the signal to attack.
And attack they did. 

After a couple of hours in parliament square the atmosphere began to change for the worse..the look in the policemen's eyes got a little crazier and mounted police seem to be appearing from all angles. I was right at the front taking pictures of the police and I have to admit the worst I saw at this point from the students  was water guns..it was at this point, just childish rebellion. But unfortunately the police did not seem to understand that these were children in front of them and in a brief second everything changed. One minute I was clicking down on the camera button the next I saw the police surge toward us batons raised..indiscriminately lashing out into the crowd. The noise in my ears was a mixture of screams and panicked voices but also those who refused to back down and stood their ground insults spitting like venom out of their mouths...sickened by what they were witnessing. The crowd was surging in all directions trying to avoid being hit. At this moment I had no choice but to put my camera down and just try to get out of there. I couldn't breath, I was being knocked around and it really was a game of dodge the kosh with the police. 

All I can say is a big thank you to the group of young Pakistani and bengali boys that I had been talking to earlier. They managed to get me to the side and then disappeared into the surge of bodies. 
For a moment I caught my breath, heart pounding. Now I've been caught up in some madness in the past at the Palestinian demos outside the Israeli embassy but this attack was a lot fiercer then anything I had seen before.
 After a brief moment I started to walk back towards the front line thinking things had calmed down a little only to be met with the sight of gigantic horse mounted by baton wielding maniacs racing towards where I stood. For a moment I froze...was I really seeing what I thought I was seeing. My mind couldn't comprehend the fact that these horses were about to bare down on us with all their might...then the ad-reline kicked in and I ran all thoughts of photo opportunities forgotten at the feet of the horses. An inner instinct has always told me to run to the side and I did climbing on a railing and holding on for dear life. All around me kids scrambled over railings, some screaming in fear others running in blind panic...around me kids were having panic and asthma attacks, young teenage girls cried in fear while boys who had barely reached man hood risked themselves to help them over walls and into safety. I can't forget the look on the faces around me, there was a look of shell shock. NOBODY in their wildest dreams had expected this . While mounted police rode into the crowd, foot police surged in with their batons hitting out at already frightened protesters. As I clung to the railing with one hand the other managed to get some shaky shots of the horses. Luckily for me and those around me they headed away from us towards a bigger group of protesters and it was all I could do to watch as the fear and adrenaline kicked in and these kids hurled anything that they could at the advancing police. Sticks, stone, fences went flying in the air.
I know that the media will portray this as violence on the protesters part but it was pure and simple self defence. It is a base human instinct to fight back when we are scared and being attacked. Around me children and teenagers sustained injuries, blows to the head and body. I have learnt since that Alfie a 20 year old protester from Middlesex Uni has had to have an brain operation. All I can say is thank God that he was not another Ian Tomlinson. In fact I am shocked after they way the police reacted that we didn't have a repeat of that horrendous act. But I thank God that this wasn't the case but it so easily could have been. How would the police have justified a teenage death..but then agin they always find a way. 
I also learnt that my dear friend Jody McIntyre, Activist and all round super hero was dragged out of his wheel chair and beaten twice by police. What kind of Animal is capable of such actions, another friend of mine ended up in hospital with a head wound. Another bruises to his arms...the list is endless.

As night fell, the students battered and bruised, sat around small fires trying to keep warm. Some were still jovial despite the violence, others looked shocked and confused. Myself and a group of friends decided that now was the best time to leave. Past experience has shown me the demons really come out to play when the sun goes down. It was time to go.
Unfortunately that decision was also taken out of our hands. As we headed for Trafalgar square, laughing and joking trying to shrug off the negativity of the day I happened to look up and see that beyond the group in front of us were more mounted police. As I looked at them they suddenly surged towards us. They rained down on us as we tried to leave..we were heading away and they drove us back in. In blind panic the crowd dispersed in all direction. Then for a few moments it was calm, people looked around for loved ones and friends lost in the panic, and just as we caught our breath they surged forward again. So what choice did we have but to run back into the kettle.?

If the following wasn't a police tactic then i'll give up photography. They had left around 4/5 police vans in the middle of the road. The horses behind us herded us between a wall and the vans. We kept moving forward only to realise that there was nowhere to go as their were baton wielding officers in front. So there we were stuck between the horses and the foot soldiers, hemmed in between a wall and van. Yet they kept pushing forward. Panic rippled through the group all around me, there must have been over a hundred of us squashed into the space of an average hallway. The more they pushed the more we screamed that that we could breath. The more we screamed the more they pushed us. We were begging them that there were people with asthma and kids but instead they pushed us more. Out of frustration a few people started to push the van but the rest of the group stopped them. From what I can see any aggression or vandalism from the students was only in response to illegal police tactics. To make matters worse they penned us into this tiny spot and then rushed in. All to the left of me were baton and shield wearing officers who suddenly randomly hit out into the crowd. There were a couple of boys between me and the police and they were being hit but no one could help as we were hemmed in so tight we couldn't move our arms. 
The only point shame kicked in was when in response to beating us our only retaliation was to scream peaceful protest over and over again. Imagine being hemmed into a tight spot, in front of you you can see police battering other protesters but you cant move, you cant run you cant fight, you cant even take pictures as you cant move. Are these the tactic you use on children and teenagers. But I have to say we held strong. The group I was in all held onto each other and slowly moved forward. As we literally crawled past I remember a police woman raising her baton and for no reason about to reign it down full force...somehow our eyes connected and I shouted,"they are scared, they are kids, please please don't hurt them" for a moment a look of humanity crossed her eyes and she let us pass...but when I looked back that humanity was gone as I saw her weapon smack into someone's shoulder. I don't know how we got out of there but somehow we did. 

When the police then told us we could leave via the way we had just been chased we did wonder if it was a trick...but the thought of freedom way too good and we went along with it.
As we walked toward trafalgar square we wanted to laugh to feel relieved but we just couldn't. The fear of the unknown was too much. It took three sets of kettles till we were finally free.

But even then it was short lived as the police decided to chase all of those who had just left the kettle. 
This is the point where they all ran through trafalgar square towards Oxford Street, you can blame the police for Charles and Camila car getting trashed. They chased these kids like animals and wondered why they ended up chanting such revolutionary lines as "off with their heads" at our monarchy. These kids have had enough...the revolution has started and theres nothing that the elite can do. It's too late. We have had enough of being pushed around and we are pushing back..these are our streets and we want them back.
I have a strong feeling that this is only the beginning, a generation brainwashed by mind numbing computer games and hollywood movies has just brushed away the oppressors tools and the truth is beginning to unfurl. They can beat us, try to destroy us but we will come back stronger each time.

Viva la revolution

Wednesday 8 December 2010

AFGHANISTAN PROTESTS

FREE PALESTINE PHOTOS - www.duniyaphotos.com


Hey,


Exciting news!!!! I have just created and uploaded my first UTube link. Granted it took me all day but at least now I have an idea how to edit.

It's based around some of the photography that I have taken at the Palestine demos and features the remix to Lowkeys Free Free Palestine.

So sit back and enjoy and hopefully (Inshallah) there will be more to follow.


THE MONEY SHOT LOL

Hey I know I have really been a bit rubbish with my blogging of late but I have good reasons. Yesterday I went to visit a very talented friend.
Henna is also a self taught photographer with the most amazing photoshop skills...check out her website http://www.hennam.com/
I wanted Henna to help me create a shot of myself for my hijab project.
As I do not wear a Hijab myself I didn't want to put one on just for a shot so I decided to go for the Pakistani Chardor look.
The Chardor is worn in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. It is a traditional shawl wrapped around the head and upper torso to promote modesty.
As you can see Henna completely captured the look that I wanted....

The Picture represents HEAR NO EVIL from the tail of the 3 Evil Monkeys. See no Evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. I really love the idea of that and am toying with the idea of using that theme in my project with my photos hmmmmmmm what to do.

I am just finishing off something that I have been working on today but I shall be back in a bit with another blog of some photos I tool in Henna's studio. I am trying out some new beauty edit techniques so let me know what you think xx

Saturday 4 December 2010

MY WEBSITE

Evening everyone,

Going to keep it short and sweet tonight, as I am so tired and have decided it is an evening of Takeaway and crappy TV for me. Not the most exciting of Saturday nights but it's cold outside and I feel brain dead.
The last few days have been pretty busy for me....wanted to go through all my photos and make sure everything was saved and filed correctly. Probably the most boring part of being a photographer...but a necessary evil none the less.
once this mundane task was completed I started the next item on my tick list...updating my website. It's meant still being awake at 4am and a total sacrifice of my time and energy but it was worth it and it's finally done. here check for yourself and see what you think eh?

http://www.duniyaphotos.com/

so I will leave you guys browsing my new little creation whilst I hunt down those take away menus...and who said it wasn't exciting being a photographer xx

Friday 3 December 2010

GRAFFITi

Graffiti is something I have always loved, maybe it's the rebel in me, but something about graffiti always makes me smile if it's done well. It's that up you to the system, art of the disenfranchised youth.
But the thing I love about graffiti is the way it crosses boundaries, cultures and countries. Step into any country in this world and you will find some graff artist has left his mark. It's universal and needs no language to understand.
Below is a selection of some of the art I have found in London, New york, Spain and France.










Enjoy