| Publisher's Comments
The Irish American Post is pleased to present the winners of the Vodafone
Irish Press Photographers Awards 2002. This display of prizewinning photos
by Ireland's top news photographers is at times heart-warming, other times
shocking. That's the nature of press photography, however, when the image
leaps from the page to shake our sensibilities.
Life always isn't pleasant, as witnessed by riots, scared children,
death, placarded messages. Yet the keen eye of the photographer needs to
be on the scene to record the event of the day for history.
Photos can also tell a gentle side of life...whether showing an elderly
woman with her great-grandchild or a cardinal garbing for a celebration.
Humor also figures into press photography. We need to laugh, as well as
cry.
The camera's lens does not make the choice of subject. It's the photographer's
vision that determines presentation. And ultimately the responsibility
of use rests with publication in which it runs or the portfolio where the
photos are displayed.
These Vodafone awards are richly deserved for their diverse portrayal
of contemporary Ireland, from the North to the far South. Ireland of today
can be gritty, in addition to being lovely and sublime. Its people rage,
smile, weep, shout....with the photographer there to present their tale.
It is up to the viewer then to react to that emotive power. For that is
the stuff of art, with its sometimes political incorrectness or in-your-face
imagery.
At the Native American Music Awards (NAMMYs), Sept. 7 in Milwaukee,
imagery was also important. Joining a broad range of Native talent
from around North America (ranging from Crystal Gale to the Cherokee National
Children's Choir) were drummers and dancers from Ireland, Scotland, Japan,
North Africa and elsewhere around the world to showcase a "Call for
Peace."
The Marcus Amphitheatre Stage on the 85-acre Lake Michigan festival
showgrounds overflowed with music and good vibes from dozens of performers
during this opening ceremony. Outside, the festival grounds were
packed with thousands of attendees at Indian Summer, one of a series of
ethnic festivals in Milwaukee. (Milwaukee Irish Fest, in fact, broke
all attendance records this year during its August showing there, drawing
in more than 132,000 visitors.)
Demonstrating that people can, and do, get along, the initial ceremony
at the music awards event was heart-warming, rich and wonderful.
Hearing the powerful throb of bodhrans mingled with African drums and Indian
percussion was an amazing creative process.
As the Vodafone awards and the NAMMY program demonstrate, we really
only belong to one tribe. And all of us are gathered here on a very small,
very fragile Mother Earth.
Martin Hintz, publisher.
Letters
to the Editor
Irish American Post
Classified Advertisements
Links to Websites
of Interest
|
