Working the Wire

Photographed at DC’s immigration reform rally today. Here are a few of my favorites.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

After drying myself off from the snowpocalypse I am finally ready to post about my amazing trip to India in January of 2010.

I was documenting non-profits and working on my long term storytelling skills, something I don’t get too much practice with all the daily assignments in my job.

Wonderfully I was able to produce a story that we ran on the wire, and was also asked to write an article, and produce an audio slideshow.

I was thrilled to be able to come back with so much work to show from my short time in India – a country I cannot say enough about where  the people are just so warm and welcoming. The people I met really touched my heart and soul and were a privilege to spend time with.

Most so were the girls in my story from the Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Ashram.

See the audio slideshow  To Stand On Their Own: Indian Girls Ashram

I just fell in love with these 50 girls from all over India who get an education (that otherwise often ends after primary school) at the Ashram thanks to donations. There they are taught to be strong and independent – just what my mother taught me. Girls age 9-18 live at the ashram, in Dehradun, India, where they do everything themselves; clean, cook, serve each other, pray together, study, braid each other’s hair, and care for each other. Polite, friendly, inquisitive, bright, I can’t say enough about these girls.

There’s not a man in sight and it’s just the happiest simplest place that I think I’ve been to.

If you go to India please bring small presents to give. There is a real culture of hospitality and when I left the ashram every appendage available – including my ears – were draped with gifts from the girls. I have two bracelets, two rings, a necklace, earings (put in by the girls on the spot!),  a lovely shawl, and mostly a warm place in my heart for this special place.

Special thanks to all the girls at the Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Ashram, and to Mary Calvert and Jamie Rose with Momenta Workshops, Abhay Gupta, Manoj Sharma, the wonderful Madhvi Mittal, Melanie, Alpana Mukherjee with ADOPT ( a non-profit that provides rural women with private toilets and biogas cooking units, greatly reducing their home work load), and Mrs. and Mrs. Swamy with the Purkal Stree Shakti (where women’s cooperatives make the coolest quilts that you can buy on their website).

I hope the photos I made help the ashram in some way. Here’s a few to share:

All Photos copyright Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press May not be reproduced without permission.

I’m thrilled to see that the story has gotten some really special play:

AP Audio Slideshow

Link to the article and still pictures

Photos in the Washington Times’ site

And some really cool play in Stars and Stripes (just wait for the commercial to stop loading about 5 seconds)

I miss you, India, I hope to be back soon.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Had a blast shooting the Equality Rights March in DC on Sunday. Tens of thousands of people were out with colorful flags, signs, and clothing. There was a lot of energy in the crowd and it was a lot of fun to shoot.  Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Caption: In this long exposure photograph, a volunteer announces the end of the 25th Big Shot, as students and volunteers using flashlights and camera flash units light up the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian for a photography project by the Rochester Institute of Technology, on the National Mall in Washington, on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. The Big Shot, which is made after dark, uses a technique known as painting with light. The landmark is lit by hundreds of volunteers using a long exposure, after which only the lit up building and grounds are seen in the image.  (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Got to relive my college days tonight in shooting RIT’s Big Shot, this time for the AP and not as a student. Despite the rain it was a good time, even saw some of my long lost fellow alumni. Above is my shot from the opposite angle, trying to show the crowd participation as well as the handheld lights dancing on the building.

Happy Memorial Day, thanks to all the veterans for your service.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

My coverage spot at the Inauguration of Barack Obama was a ticketed spot in the standing section on the Capitol grounds, the purple gate was the entry point. Because it was not a special media position I had to stand in the line with everyone else. To our dismay, despite arriving at dawn, thousands of people with purple tickets were unable to enter the gate. Why is still unclear, what is clear is that there was no communication to the massive crowd about the situation. There were no signs or volunteers to help. Worse, there was misdirection that led several thousand people to spend inauguration morning in the 3rd Street tunnel that goes underneath the National Mall. The crowd patiently waited in good humor for their chance to watch history in person. Sadly, they didn’t have the chance – not even to find a different spot. Purple people, these pictures are for you.

All photos are copyright the Associated Press and may not be redistributed. Thanks!

More photos can be seen in this slideshow HERE.

Slideshow I shot and produced for the AP taking a look at the Obama Wall, a series of panels that were put up near the Lincoln Memorial that prompted an outpouring of public writings to president-elect Obama.

Wow. I feel so privileged to have been in this city at this time in history. It was an amazing night with 20 hours of it spent working.
 
This photo is from the instant the students at Howard University, a traditionally black college in DC, realized that Obama had won the presidency.
 
The room exploded into so much noise that it went silent.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

And then there was crying, hugging, shouting, more crying, and lots of calling Mom. It was so touching to be there hearing these students say things like “Now we can do anything” that I cried a little too.
 
So now when people ask me what the “best thing” I’ve photographed in my career is, it will definitely have been this moment on this night.

Just one day until election day…..

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

To avoid missing voting because I’ll be working like a maniac tomorrow, I voted today! It felt rather empowering I must say, especially since this is such an impactful and historic election year.

I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to photograph all the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates in the last couple months (fortunately for me I cover northern Virginia!), in my first presidential election season with the AP. I even covered the outgoing President last week!

The candidates, and the President:

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

And in today’s Virginia news, a decided lack of prophylactics:

Pam Semler, of Fairfax, Va., works the register at DMC Pharmacy in Chantilly, Va. on Monday, Oct. 20, 2008. The pharmacy bills itself as “pro-life” and carries no contraceptive products. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

AND some Obama-rama, (ok, it’s from the day after), where an estimated 30,000 people came out to see the Presidential nominee speak in Leesburg, Va:

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Btw – I’m in NYC for two days to check out the Photo Expo. If you’re around holler at me!