The Aftermath Project

While attending the Lucie Awards on Monday evening supporting my friend Jeff Liao's nomination in the publishing category, I first learned of The Aftermath Project. Sara Terry, the project's founder, was presented with an honorary Lucie Award for humanitarian work. The foundation's mission is:

"The Aftermath Project is a non-profit organization committed to telling the
other half of the story of conflict — the story of what it takes for individuals to
learn to live again, to rebuild destroyed lives and homes, to restore civil societies,
to address the lingering wounds of war while struggling to create new avenues for peace.

The Aftermath Project holds a yearly grant competition open to working
photographers worldwide covering the aftermath of conflict. In addition,
through partnerships with universities, photography institutions and non-profit
organizations, the Project seeks to help broaden the public’s understanding of the
true cost of war— and the real price of peace — through international traveling
exhibitions and educational outreach in communities and schools. An annual
publication co-published with Aperture and Mets & Schilt is distributed world wide."

Her mission really moved me and I really believe there is a need to document post-conflict struggles that often don't make it to mainstream media.

Other highlights of the evening include the presentation of an honorary portraiture achievement award to Herman Leonard by none other that Tony Bennett!

Nik Wallenda's Record-Setting Bicycle Highwire Event

The Big Leagues...

Recently, while in DC, I was hired to shoot the presentation of a report to Congress and the press by the US-Muslim Engagement Project. Search for Common Ground was the NGO that hired me and I had the opportunity to brush up my Betacam skills while leaving my back in agony for 2 days.

Some of the footage aired on Good Morning America this morning. I only shot the footage at the podium towards the beginning, so it's a fairly minimal inclusion, by hey, it was national television! The segment is available on their website.