A.E.LANDES PHOTOGRAPHY

This is collection of images from a trip I had gone on to visit Rwanda in 2005. Considering the recent violent history of this beautiful country, they are still rebuilding and reestablishing justice in their communities. Taking care of the orphaned children is just one of the many projects that needs to be done, and I feel privileged to have met such bright and wonderful kids in such circumstances. I hope one day to return on a similar visit.

Posting these images in a public domain has long been a project of mine, but now they are finally up and ready for viewing. They are handmade cyanotypes, a type of photographic process that produces large, ethereal images in very saturated blue and brown tones. I am accepting orders for a run of high-quality reproduction prints on watercolor paper at the original size (22×30 inches) for $200 each. Please email me for further details. A portion of the proceeds will go back to the Umuryango Children’s Network, which aims to get these Rwandan kids off the streets and equip them for success in their country.

Here is the full gallery of images from the Never[Forget]: A Reaction to Current Situations in Rwanda (2005).

I had very mixed feelings about getting back on the plane to the States, as the trip went so much better than planned and knowing that I will miss the people I met in Taiwan so much. These images are from the last leg of the trip, with textured images from the night markets, scenics from the Taroko National Park near Hualien, and images from my stay with David’s family (a former exchange student who stayed with my grandparents in the 90’s). One of the trip’s highlights was visiting with David’s family and exploring Hualien’s waterfronts with his kids - there was a lot of reminiscing as his children are about the same age I was when he came to visit.

Without a doubt, I will surely be thinking about Taiwan for a while, and will look for any opportunity to return. As for right now, if you are interested in purchasing prints from this trip, I will be making a selection available in the next week. I will also be publishing a related site explaining some of the experiences as captions to the images. Thanks for all your well wishes and views of the galleries!

Here is the Photographing Across Taiwan: Part 3.

I am convinced that time really does pass faster when you are closer to the equator - I can’t believe there is only one week left here in Taiwan! Since we finished walking with the Matzu idol last week, Sheng-Tung and I have been making day trips to visit friends and families in the northern area. Most of the time we are up very late talking with people and hearing about the variety of life experiences in Taiwan. During the daytime, I usually pick a subway stop in Taipei and explore the local scene of parks and temples and people. So here’s a quick synopsis: Street Food = amazing, Hot Springs = relaxing, and The People = inviting and really love to share.

Here is another gallery of from Photographing Across Taiwan: Part 2.

Greetings from the far (FAR!) east! I just got back into the capital of Taiwan last night, and have been furiously downloading and editing pictures in order to get a few of them posted for you to see. While here with the intention of taking candid images of people/traditions that I know very little about, I feel it is so important to put away the camera and just interact with people than to take every picture possible. That being said, I have already met a lot of people who are very welcoming and kind, and I hope I was able to truly represent the people behind the traditions foreign to myself.

Here is a gallery from Photographing Across Taiwan: Part 1.

I wanted to let all you wonderful people know that I will be traveling to Taiwan from March 23 until April 12, 2009, on a photographic and writing mission. Here is the approximate path through the country that I will be taking over the three weeks I will be there. That being said, I will have very little to no access to internet, so if send an email or call seeking information, realize that it will take a few days to a week for me to respond. Thanks for understanding!

I will be traveling with a friend and mentor from China who I know from here in State College, and he fills many roles: missionary, humanitarian, and activist. I am really excited to photograph him and the vibrant culture of Taiwan, and I look forward to sharing the images and experiences with you when I return. Take care, and I hope the warm weather treats everyone well!