Closed Doors & Empty Chairs

"To me, photography is all about feeling, about creating images that tell you something, that make you feel something." --- Miki Alcalde. Quoted from his post, Songs of India. (The Digital Journalist, November 2006). http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0611/alcalde.html

These are selected photos taken over a span of about a month. Our sub-office has completed the execution of its downsizing plan. What once was an office buzzing with activity is now a quiet office. All around I see scenes that would remind me of the offices' glorious past. Some of them makes me feel nostalgic as it makes me recollect the happy times in the past. Some scenes present to me an "in your face" reminder of the present condition of the sub-office (the sad present) and surprisingly there are scenes that somehow encourage me to believe in the inherent capacity of the organization to stand up again. Some scenes somehow moves me to hope for a better future. After office hours and sometimes over the weekend, I would go around the office and guesthouse and try to capture these scenes.

Empty Offices
What used to be busy offices are, for the meantime silent. It will only be a matter of time when these offices will be filled-up again.

Barely Standing
The predicament of the two tables, for me, symbolizes the present condition of the sub-office. We are still standing but barely. Instead of four legs, we are down to two but somehow we still manage to stand through sheer determination and creativity.

Metal Boxes
Boxes like these are common place in Afghanistan. For me these boxes symbolizes the perennial "Hellos & Goodbyes," "Comings and Goings," "Arriving & Leaving." Staff, colleagues, friends come and go and so does projects and programs.



No Cook, No Cleaner
As an effect of the downsizing, we had to let go of our cook and cleaner.

Mighty Land Cruisers
Through snow, dust, mud, mountain trails, rough road or highways, these Land Cruisers have served us well. For me they are symbols of reliability and mobility. The Land Cruisers too remind me of our hardworking and dedicated drivers who unfortunately, we had to let go. They have been to me, not only drivers but companions, interpreters, cook, & friends.

Literacy Books
To supplement the reintegration package provided to former combatants, literacy classes were provided in four provinces in the Western Region. This program has now been turned-over to the Department of Literacy.

Empty Chairs
If these chairs could only speak, it would tell the tale of thousands of Afghan former combatants, persons with disabilities, former underage combatants and Afghan women who, flocked to the office to sit patiently to learn how to read, write and count, learn how to run a small business, or learn a new vocational skill.

Silent Room
Its mighty quiet here now.

Complete set of photos can be found in http://jllanderal.multiply.com

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Unless otherwise specified herein, the copyright in this publication and any trademarks used herein are the property of Jasper L. Llanderal, No photos and images or portions of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically or otherwise, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior consent in writing. Please write to: jllanderal@gmail.com

RAW Shoot with Wireless Flash

For a long time I have been dissuading myself from shooting in RAW mode.

From testimonies of photographer friends and from information I read on the net, magazines and books, I am convinced that shooting in RAW provides more flexibility for making adjustments on the image without sacrificing the image quality of the file.

My problem has always been my hardware. For a time, I did not have the needed hardware to effectively and efficiently process RAW files. Because of this, I procrastinated. Having been able to get myself a more powerful computer, I finally decided to give RAW a try. The experience has been extra exciting for me as I also experimented utilizing the wireless flash capability of my camera.

It is true that shooting RAW provides the photographer with more flexibility in processing the captured image. However, like all things, shooting RAW also has its downside. If one shoots in RAW, one has to have lots of storage space. You too, have to have the luxury of time to do post processing.

If you are not familiar with what a RAW file is, here is a site that provides a simple and concise explanation (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-raw-files.shtml).

All Rights reserved.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the copyright in this publication and any trademarks used herein are the property of Jasper L. Llanderal, No photos and images or portions of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically or otherwise, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior consent in writing. Please write to: jllanderal@gmail.com

An Afternoon Stroll

"The truth about the matter seems to be that if you can't see where you are, right in your own backyard, then you can't see anywhere." --- Michael Wood, Miksang Instructor

I have just spent another afternoon with a slow and deliberate walk-around the office and guesthouse premises and came up with these photos. The past two weeks in Herat have been clouded with an atmosphere of "heightened alert," meaning, among other things, movements are restricted to essential activities (mostly work-related) only. For me and my photography, this meant I could not go out to the bazaars and do street shooting. I could not go to the interesting places in Herat that I haven't been to and photograph them. Deep inside I was cursing myself. Unconsciously I was holding on to the myth that one has to be "out there" for excellent photos to be produced.

Then I came across "Miksang" (http://www.miksang.net). Miksang as defined in this site, is a Tibetan word that means "Good Eye." Miksang is a kind of contemplative photography that has its foundation from the Dharma Art Teachings on the nature of perception. The articles and photo galleries presented were all strong reminders to me about what photography is really all about. Producing photos is not about being "out there" but rather being "in here," being ever mindful and aware of the moment as it presents itself. Photography is about seeing.

Encouraged and motivated by this rediscovery, I ventured out into our "backyard," which happens to be one of the areas were we can freely move without the need for a security clearance. This series of photos is a product of my second attempt at "exercising the eye" in the hope that one day my eye will be come adept at seeing and not just looking.

Jasper L. Llanderal
Herat, Afghanistan

All Rights reserved.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the copyright in this publication and any trademarks used herein are the property of Jasper L. Llanderal, No photos and images or portions of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically or otherwise, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior consent in writing. Please write to: jllanderal@gmail.com

Junk Photos

These are photos I have taken last June 2005.

The DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization & Reintegration) Program used to have its own office compound. As an effect of the downsizing of the office, all program staff and all its assets had to be transfered to the main office compound. Smaller in size compared to the former office, we had to squeeze in whatever we can. However, the main office compound can only accommodate so much.

A heap of unused office fixtures, materials and equipment can be seen in one corner of the main office compound. This afternoon, with a camera in tow, I tried to capture the scene from a different perspective. Can it be possible for a good thing to come out of something seemingly bad (like an unorganized heap of unused things)?

It is my hope that the photos succeeds in presenting a new light to an ordinary, everyday, unorganized heap of "junk".

All Rights reserved.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the copyright in this publication and any trademarks used herein are the property of Jasper L. Llanderal, No photos and images or portions of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically or otherwise, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior consent in writing. Please write to: jllanderal@gmail.com

Bamyan, Afghanistan

I had the opportunity to visit the Province of Bamyan in Central Afghanistan last June. The place is known for the historic Buddhas and beautiful Lakes of Band-e Amir.

In 2001, the Taliban blasted the stone Buddhas carved out of the mountain. This is all that remains of the Buddha shrine. The UNESCO is slowly trying to reconstruct and preserve what is left of this historical site.

All Rights reserved.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the copyright in this publication and any trademarks used herein are the property of Jasper L. Llanderal, No photos and images or portions of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically or otherwise, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior consent in writing. Please write to: jllanderal@gmail.com