Post - Stephen Dupont

video by Anna Maria Antoinette D'Addario
music: Clap Hands from Rain Dogs by Tom Waits

It is with great pleasure to showcase some of the student's photographs that are my personal favourites.

The workshop held at the Vajra Hotel in Kathmandu this month was a big success I believe. Aside from being lots of fun I was both surprised and inspired to see each student produce original and moving bodies of work. Over half the class were repeat workshop students that I have been privy to watch as their talents evolved over the years. Congratulations to all of you.

Kevin Cooper, your series was utterly shocking and powerful, you captured the sadness and brutality of your elderly home with great respect to the subjects without holding back your obvious talents as a photographer.

Susie Hagon, who always surprises me with her multi shooting on various formats and cameras, tackled a very sensitive and personal journey into the world of transvestitism & cross gender politics with slick grace and composure.

Kelly Mac covered the ultimate story of humanity by story telling the issues of birth and pregnancy in the third world. Your pictures are so incredibly strong and I look forward to seeing more of your future work as it unfolds.

Kellie Lafranchi showed wonderful moments of Kathmandu street life, capturing the classic essence and mood of street photography at its best.

Matt Dole surprised me immensely with his work inside an Indian displacement camp, photographed in stark B&W you obviously felt the rhythm of the scenes before you and captured them beautifully.

Cim Sears followed the streetlife of children with wonderful movement and a freedom of photographic style. You made some very good pictures and captured what it means to be a child in today's Nepal.

Nadia Janis using the new Leica M9 with 50mm lens went right inside the life of bus drivers and public transport passengers. Shot in gritty B&W you made truly poetic pictures that made me feel like I was riding the wave of crowded mini buses and rain soaked streets of protest.

Kate Walton picking up the camera only recently challenged herself immensely by getting inside the underbelly of cheap labor and shoe manufacturing along Kathmnadu's side streets. You made some really great moments and your vision improved ten fold throughout the week, I look forward to seeing future work of yours and I hope to see the "journey of the shoe"...one day!

Narendra Mainali showed us the life before death along Pashupathinath temple complex and burning ghats. Your pictures of the the sick waiting to die and the emotion of the families gathered before them was truly inspiring, dark and important.

Lastly Bikash, I see a great future for you in the world of photography. You capture moments I would be proud to have in my arhcive. The photo of the prostitutes watching TV is perhaps my favorite picture from the workshop.

Thanks again everybody, including my workshop partner and friend Jack Picone and Ed Giles for your vision, guidance and company. I look forward to seeing you all at the next workshop...Bali, Havana, Cairo!!!

Namaste!