MediaStorm Multimedia: India's Undesired Women

MediaStorm's latest multimedia project focuses on India, where the preferential treatment of men results in "a near constant disregard for the lives of women and girls."

From birth until old age, women face a constant threat of violence and too frequently, death. The numbers are staggering. Since 1980, an estimated 40 million women are 'missing,' by way of abortion, neglect or murder. 7,000 female fetuses are aborted every day according to the U.N., aborted solely because they are girls. One dowry death is reported every 77 minutes....

Today, eighty percent of Indian states are now facing a shortage of women. To compensate for this differential, young, unknowing women are bought from surrounding countries like Bangladesh and sold to young bachelors. Not knowing a word of the language, these trafficked women now face the same kinds of violence as other Indian women.

Walter Astrada's video is titled "Undesired."

Want to learn how to create MediaStorm-quality videojournalism? Consider enrolling in one of the Brooklyn-based production company's workshops. There's one on Multimedia Methodology coming up January 10-15, 2011 (apply by November 1, 2010). Info here.

Take Momenta Workshops in Myanmar, India, Vietnam, New Orleans, South Africa

Momenta Workshops takes documentary photographers all over the world to teach them how to create powerful visual stories.

"We see photography as a communicator of ideas and emotions across a wide human audience. We seek to promulgate visual journalism and the arts as a mechanism of social change and a profitable venture into the future."

Momenta's upcoming slate of workshops includes trips to Myanmar (Burma), India, New Orleans, Vietnam and South Africa:

MYANMAR 2010: THE ART OF THE PHOTO STORY

This year, we'll be traveling to Myanmar during the period of October 17 - October 30, 2010. This period coincides with two major Buddhist holidays. First it is the close of Buddhist Lent. After three months of reflection and low-movement, the country "wakes-up" and takes on a air of celebration, both local and national. This is immediately followed by the Buddhist Festival of Lights.

This festive period marks a time when everyone celebrates after having restrained themselves for months. It's truly a unique time in which to travel the country and something we've literally been waiting over two years to schedule at this particular time.

Level One / Two
Dates: Oct. 17th - Oct. 30th, 2010
Cost: $4895

# One-on-one narrative instruction by our professionally trained award-winning instructors
# Daily mentoring and story development editing
# Regular slideshows and group critiques
# Portfolio reviews with instructors and Momenta staff
# Lectures on narrative storytelling, elements of photography, and history of documentary photography
# Instruction on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving and printing
# Final night slideshow & party hosted by Momenta for attendees

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 INDIA 2011: WORKING WITH NONPROFITS

This trip takes us again back to Dehradun to photograph the work of nonprofits in Northern India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the bustling town of Dehradun offers us a unique location to find Tibetan refugee services, medical and health related nonprofits as well as children and women's programs and so much more.

The workshop will begin January 30 in Dehli with our group orientation and celebration dinner and then we will travel by train through the countryside up North to the Dehradun to start photographing. Daily editing and mentoring with instructors while working hand in hand with your nonprofits will combine with a weekend excursions to a resort town on the River Ganges. Students will work on photo stories relating to their nonprofit partner and have the opportunity to work with more than one nonprofit if they choose. The student photo stories are presented during a group slideshow party hosted by Momenta for the nonprofit staff, volunteers, students and the public.

Level Three
Dates: January 30 - February 12, 2011
Cost: $4550

# Momenta provides all the pre-workshop logistics for nonprofit assignments based each student's interest and goals
# Student work benefits nonprofits in their need to publicize and project their activities to new audiences
# Instruction on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving
# Hotels, in-country transportation, guides and meals included with tuition
# Personal portfolio reviews with lead instructor and Momenta staff
# Regular slideshows, lectures and group critiques
# Daily mentoring and story development editing
# Voluntary multimedia instruction for interested attendees
# Lectures on narrative storytelling, elements of a photography and history of documentary photography
# Final slideshow and party hosted by Momenta for all students, NGO staff, general public and members of the photographic community

Other 2011 Momenta trips include "Vietnam 2011: Exploring the Travel Essay," "New Orleans 2011: Working with Nonprofits" and "Project South Africa."

We Have a Winner!

When we reached 1,234 members* of the KobreGuide Facebook Group, we had a drawing for a free Prof. Kobre Lightscoop (retail value $35), which dramatically improves SLR flash photography.

And our winner is.... Amanda Koster (right), whose SalaamGarage leads groups of visual journalists to Third World countries, where they work with NGOs to help raise funds and awareness for worthy projects.

Congratulations, Amanda! We hope you'll take your new Lightscoop on your upcoming excursions to India, Guatemala, and Vietnam, and let us know how you like it. (Better yet, show us!)

Thanks to all who've signed up for our KobreGuide Facebook Group. It's the best way to stay abreast of KobreGuide.com stories and developments. (And you can follow us on Twitter, too!)

And please keep an eye on all the great work Amanda is doing over at SalaamGarage.com.

* Our Facebook Group is now up to 1,252 members. If you haven't joined yet, please do -- and invite your friends.

Momenta Workshops for Documentary Photography

Momenta director Jamie Rose shares their lineup of upcoming workshops for "quality documentary photography within a practical, real world learning environment."

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David Alan Harvey: The American Family Workshops Series

http://www.momentaworkshops.com/sanfran09.php
http://www.momentaworkshops.com/miami10.php

San Francisco, California from September 25-28, 2009
Miami, Florida from January 8 - 11, 2010

Join David Alan Harvey & Momenta Workshops for aspiring and professional photographers alike. Photographers will work with David Alan Harvey to develop their narrative storytelling during this workshop while photographing on the theme the American family. The tuition for this workshop will include editing sessions with instructors on a daily basis, lectures, workshop materials, slideshows, lectures and a public transportation pass. A final night celebration party and slideshow will be hosted by David Alan Harvey and Momenta Workshops for photographers, subjects and local photographers. An online digital portfolio review by David Alan Harvey is a requirement for acceptance into this workshop. Tuition for each American Family series workshops is $1150.

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Festival! Peru with Ami Vitale

http://www.momentaworkshops.com/peru09.php

Lima, Chinca and Cuzco, Peru from October 18 - November 1, 2009

National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale will takephotographers to experience and document the start of bullfighting and cockfighting season as well as the Senor de los Milagros procession in beautiful Peru. The workshop culminates as Peru celebrates Halloween also known as the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) and All Saints Day, the celebration of loved ones lost over the years.The price includes most meals, in-country transportation and housing as well as one-on-one access to instructors on a daily basis, personal portfolio reviews, in-the-field mentoring, all handouts and workshop materials, plus slide shows and lectures. The price of the workshop before September 1, 2009 is $5394 (US dollars). After September 1, 2009, the cost of tuition will be $5694 (US dollars).

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Myanmar (Burma) 2009: The Art of the Photostory

http://www.momentaworkshops.com/myanmar09.php

Various locations, Myanmar from November 8 - 21, 2010

Explore one of the most mysterious and unspoiled destinations in the world with our internationally renowned photographers and instructors. Beginning in the old colonial city of Yangon, discover a country filled with visually rich city streets, vibrant rural markets, awe-inspiring temples, and peaceful countryside monasteries. Under the guidance of our experienced instructors, you will explore shrines, temples, and captivating cultural scenery bathed in monsoon light will serve as a colorful canvas on which to construct a visual and audio narrative of travel through the region alongside its inhabitants. The workshop fees include all workshop related costs including accommodations, travel and meals (excluding soft drinks, beverages & alcohol) where indicated on the itinerary, daily one-on-one access to an instructor, personalized portfolio reviews, all handouts and workshop materials, daily slideshows and lectures, software and equipment training. The price of the workshop is $4459.

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Project India 2010 : Working With Nonprofits

http://www.momentaworkshops.com/india10-2.php

Various locations, India from January 17-30, 2010

Inarguably one of the most important and influential countries of the next century, and home to one of the worlds most changing social environments; India is the location of our first Project workshop in 2010. Come with us to work with a selection of the varied NGOs and nonprofits that have helped shape India's development projects over the last 50 years. Learn the skills necessary to work successfully and profitably with these organizations in one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth.The workshop fees include all workshop related costs including accommodations, travel and meals (excluding alcohol), daily one-on-one access to an instructor, personalized portfolio reviews, all handouts and workshop materials, daily slideshows and lectures, software and equipment training. Tuition costs for this workshop is $4320 (US dollars) before December 1, 2009 and after December 1, 2009, tuition is $4620 (US dollars).

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Project Uganda 2010 with Jeff Hutchens & Jamie Rose

http://www.momentaworkshops.com/uganda10.php

Gulu & Lira, Uganda from February 28 - March 13

Our most popular workshop every year proves to be Project Uganda and rightfully so. Working with local nonprofits and local leaders in Northern Uganda to help create a documentary archive of images around their work is a once in a lifetime experience. Each photographer is assigned to a different nonprofit to work with for the two weeks to create a photo story with the guidance of award winning instructors Jeff Hutchens and Jamie Rose. Jeff was nationally recognized for his work during the civil war and Jamie Rose won the White House News Photographers Association's Project Grant for her work with Doctors Without Borders in Northern Uganda. The workshop fees include all workshop related costs including accommodations, travel and meals (excluding alcohol), daily one-on-one access to an instructor, personalized portfolio reviews, all handouts and workshop materials, daily slideshows and lectures, software and equipment training. Tuition for this workshop is $4056 (US Dollars).

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More info at MomentaWorkshops.com. Also: Momenta Facebook Group / Twitter .

SalaamGarage Has a Slot for You

Amanda Koster's Salaam Garage has one more slot open for her upcoming 12-day journey to India, Sept. 18 - Oct. 1.

Photojournalists and videojournalists are paired with a non-government organization (NGO) to help document and tell their stories on the Web. Itinerary and application details here.

Foreign Fare -- Plus Fun

Our top picks on KobreGuide this week have an international flavor, and represent big changes taking place abroad:

• India's Fast Lane to the Future: A new superhighway linking its four major cities is bringing old and new India into jarring proximity... for better and worse. (National Geographic)
• Empowering Women in Afghanistan: A quiet revolution is gaining pace far from the Taliban insurgency. Women are uprooting traditional gender roles by taking the wheel in leadership positions. (New York Times)
• Catherine's Secret: During the civil war in Uganda, Catherine Ojok spent several years as a sex slave of a senior rebel commander. (Washington Post)

Also new: A remarkable video slideshow that presents the causes, emotions and real life experiences of a tragedy of unspeakable pain and extraordinary cost:

• The Fire Within: A border wildfire killed 7 illegal immigrants and critically burned 16 more. One year later, we experience the aftermath of that tragedy. (Los Angeles Times)

However, not all videojournalism is doom and gloom, as these freshly posted upbeat stories demonstrate, both from the Spokesman Review:

• Flying Trikes: Take to the skies in a new sport called aerotrekking with pilot Denny Reed.

• Playing Army Guy: Paintball enthusiasts say their sport is about adrenaline rushes and having fun -- and only hurts for a little while.