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.

Due to almost losing the whole blog thanks to a not so easy upgrade this time (thanks a lot, WordPress), I have to repost December 2007-April 2008. Bear with me while I dig up the photos for each post.

Papal Choir Multimedia
April 3rd, 2008

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Latest multimedia, the Papal Mass Choir Slideshow, and a big thanks to AP’s Lauren McCullough for help with the production.

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Defiance
March 20th, 2008

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Day of protests here in DC on the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. Got my first war wound! Was shoving the camera into my lip, causing it to bleed, really necessary policewoman? Ah well. At least it makes a good story for the grandkids.

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Guns in DC: Three Voices
March 16th, 2008

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

I’m happy to share this slideshow that I’ve been working hard on the last month. The Supreme Court is reviewing a case this week on a ban against handgun ownership in DC. The slideshow has three perspectives on guns in the nation’s capitol.

DC Gun Ban Slideshow Link

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Vigil
March 4th, 2008

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

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Best Of 2007
December 28th, 2007
Slideshow I’ve put together of the Best of 2007 for the AP’s Mid-Atlantic Buro (aka, my best of ‘07 since I’m the only staff shooter!)

Or, if you’d rather a smaller edit, my sportsshooter update is a Best Of as well.

Happy New Year!

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First Cover with the AP
December 20th, 2007

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Landed the first cover with the AP so far. Dec. 10, 2007 edition of New York Magazine. Huge ups to Matt Eich for sending me the only copy available (apparently) on Earth! Thank you!

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I’ve updated my sportsshooter site with some recent work (Spring and Summer ‘07) from the AP. Enjoy!

In other news I have moved into my new apartment, first place on my own in a while, and it is fabulous. It will be more fabulous, of course, once I have a couch. Seriously though, it’s huge for DC and the cats and I think we’ve found a great place for the next phase, the end of a 5 year era. That, and that my new mattress rocks.

I have also passed my 9 month probation period at the AP. High fives all around.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Nightline Caption Contest Link If you can’t see it click on Nightline, then “You Write the Caption!” in the most popular stories menu.

The voting for the caption is over but you can still get the gist.

ps – google news me to see where some of my news pictures for the AP have ran!

Take a gander at my recent AP shots for the curious at heart. I’ve also put an update on mysportsshooter site.

I promise to update the bio on my website soon. Really!

Congratulate me on my successful 3-month review at the AP!

Back from a recent trip to the Visa Pour L’Image Photojournalism Convention in Perpignan, France, followed by a week in Spain that I made partly due to the exorbitant cost of my plane ticket. Finally got my bag back, thank you very much.

Very happy that the images I shot from the Festival of Santa Tecla in Tarragona, Spain are up on WpN’s website as the front of the travel section if that link is outdated you can see the gallery from Tarragona, Spain by going to WpN’s main site and type Human Towers in the image search field at top left.

The image posted also made WpN’s Week In Pictures. I’m very pleased!

As for Visa, it was a very interesting experience and I’m glad I went. Apparently “Multimedia” is a dirty word in the European photo community, and there was a wonderful interest in long term documentary stories and black & white photography. Having never been to a photo workshop outside of the US before I really enjoyed hearing the different points of view, as well as seeing some amazing and inspiring (if a tad depressing!) work.

Also, did you know that the mullet has made a comeback in Barcelona, Spain? Including my favorite, the mullet/dreadlock combo. No lie! I KNEW Alabama was ahead of the curve! Aw yea.

Very interesting. Quibbles are that it was very expensive, and that I knew most of the basic Flash, design, photo editing, and website skills that we were taught already. However, the intro to video was intense and I learned alot. A week like this has to be broad because the students will come in with varying levels of experience. Again, the best part was the greater understanding I have now of the many steps necessary in producing a high functioning interactive multimedia web site for journalism.