Obituarios by Jose Luis Gea Arques

Once I visited Croatia in the Balkans, in particular, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Before going there I read a lot about the country. Wars that took place there in the ‘90s were always in my mind but I did as always, I took pictures of Life as I usually did. In Dubrovnik, while I was waiting for the bus with my Leica M6 in my hands I watched an elderly couple, I don’t know if they met each other or if they didn’t, but I noticed that they were looking at around noticeboard with special attention.

On it there were obituaries of people who have just died. Their expression while looking at it shocked me; instinctively I shot my camera.

I continued my trip. First I visited the beautiful and nostalgic Sarajevo city, isolated by its mountains and its sad XX century history. Later he hit the city of Mostar where the marks caused by mortars talk about wounds still painful and where its bridge, rebuilt by Blue Berets, is unsuccessfully trying to join together two worlds which previously were united. I couldn’t forget the image I watched in Croatia and without noticing I found myself again shooting similar scenes. On this occasion they were different people with different religions but their expressions while looking at the obituaries were identical. Curiosity, sorrow, surprise, incredulity. Obituaries with the Crescent moon instead of the Cross, that was the only difference. Human beings are the same everywhere. We behave in the same way when we face the absolute and transcendental reality and meaning of Death.

I came back home, to Christian Spain, and I decided to go on with this open series. Wherever I found one of these “Information points” I documented, by means of my Leica or my Rolleiflex, an identical situation to the ones I have watched before, although each picture is different and unique.

This series caused me to open my mind and be aware that taking pictures of death mirrored in people’s eyes is part of life. A life that all of us cling to and that still catches us by surprise when it suddenly leaves.

Jose Luis Gea

Street and documentary photographer based in Orihuela, Spain.

Cofounder of collective Street Soul photography and collaborator in Photo DNG Photomagazine writing about Street photography. Cofounder of Fotomaton Festival since 2016.

Since 1999, combines analog photography with digital photography in black and white and color, but today he focus only on her origins, making only film.

Obsessed with street life he practices street portrait as documentary photography as well as candid street photo.

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Jose Luis Gea Arques

"A year on the street of the World"

Cover by Karlo Flores

A photo gallery chosen by some members of the Gang among some Progressive Street Galleries on FB

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year “on the streets”!

Download your pdf

Images chosen by Frans Kemper:

Kaushik Sarkhel

Anat Shushan

Fran Balseiro

Dov Oron

Zohar Ferro

Low Jeffery Low

Sk Saito

Neville Fan

Harrie Miller

Mikael Carlsson

Images chosen by Alphan Yilmazmaden:

Andrea Ratto

Anat Shushan

Anibal Cacares Vidal

Binit Tanna

Chan Chun Ming

Gabi Ben Avraham

Iftekhar Alam Himel

Andreas Mamoukas

Steve Scott

Mark Guider

Images chosen by Niklas Lindskog

Dean Nixon

Elizabeth Char

Eduardo A. Ponce

Yoshitaka Kashima

Uri Zilberman

Shlomy Evron

Ilan Ben Yehuda

Stefan Hartleif

Michael Kennedy

Pedro Abreu

Images chosen by Neville Fan:

Chan Chun Ming

Gabi Ben Avraham

Takashi Tachi

Mario Mencacci Bandini

Tio Busan

ماءيا اسن

Arvin Samson Mamhot

Bayéré Zouzoua

Don Scott

Lloyd Libuna

Images chosen by Andrea Ratto:

Shimi Choen

Batsceba Hardy

Ilan Ben Yehuda

Sarasij Dasgupta

Martin Sanders

Eko Yulianto

Michele Bertalini

Nai Ta Nin

Rene Stuardo

Rolly B Mercado

Images chosen by Stefania Lazzari:

Keef Charles

Massimiliano Faralli

Soumick Saha

Rainer Neumann

Anibal Caceres Vidal

Aung Thiha

Takashi Tachi

Sarasij Dasgupta

Óscar París

Zvi Feller

Images chosen by Fabio Balestra:

Veska Saeva

Derra Ng

Mario Scattoloni

Bruce Hogg

Kevin Lim

Daniel Bauer

Takashi Tachi

Jannie Liong

Roberto Di Patrizi

Rolly B Mercado

Images chosen by Keef Charles:

Gerri McLaughlin

Neville Fan

Óscar París

Fabio Balestra

Batsceba Hardy

Binit Tanna

Lola Minister

Angel Rodriguez

Fabio Furlotti

Michael Kennedy

Images chosen by Frans Kemper:

Patrick Merino

Binit Tanna

Trevor Gwin

Umberto Lucarelli

Tony Jackson

William Henry Reodica

Eduardo A. Ponce

Abrar Asad

Merv Fitzhenry

Greg Scott

Images chosen by Edita Sabalionyte

Amedeo Pignataro

Miki Schauder

Bruno Lavi

Kev Ryan

Michael Kennedy

Sanjib Ghosh

Thian Heng Tan

Jim Darke

Don Scott

Batsceba Hardy

Every city in the world always has a gang, a street gang, or the so-called outcasts. - Jimi Hendrix

The language of the street is always strong. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The streets were dark with something more than night. - Raymond Chandler

The streets are full of admirable craftsmen, but so few practical dreamers. - Man Ray

Interludes chosen by Batsceba Hardy

Remastered Cocoon by Pacho Coulchinsky

My lovely mother-in-law has just turned 80 years old. She is adorable, and thankfully she thinks the same about me! (I must confess that I have been fortunate with my potential mothers-in-law because I have enjoyed their approval ... But hey, this is not an essay about the nonsense that some women usually commit in order to see their married daughters, so let's go to the bottom line)

As I was telling you, my mother-in-law has turned 80 and she decided to celebrate such a milestone in her life inviting me and her sons and daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law and grandchildren to spend a weekend in a Thermal Hotel and Spar so far from our town. Of course, I couldn’t refuse. And we decided to travel there. After all, I’d do everything for my dear mother-in-law.

To reach our destination we had to travel a few kilometers and cross a tunnel under the Paraná River. It was there that I thought: “Well … this is like traveling to Shangri-La, the mythical lost city in the Himalayas where everyone is happy and nobody gets old”.

I started immediately to envision what it would be like, imagining a series of pictures and elaborating a good story. The weather was beautiful, and surely the site would be very crowded, with pilgrims searching for the elixir for eternal youth.

But nothing turned out as I had expected: the weather changed markedly, it rained throughout the night, the temperature dropped noticeably for this time of the year, and the groups of pilgrims missed the appointment.

I still was able to make some shots, yes, but not as many as I would have liked, sorry. At some point I felt like Nemo in a fishbowl full of sharks: a fool in a bathing suit, holding a camera, in a place like that does not inspire much confidence. One of the security guards approached me and kindly asked me to put away my camera as some fish was starting to show their teeth. Obediently, I became another one of them, diving into the hot miraculous waters.

After traveling 850 km to return home, my bones are still waiting for the miraculous effects of those waters… Should I go back? I don’t think so, unless my dear mother-in-law asks me to!

Biking Amsterdam by Frans Kemper

If there is one thing that defines the “Amsterdammers” then it is the bike. We (bikers) own the city.

Everything we do goes by bike, take the kids, do the groceries, going out with or without the family, go to work, take the animals, take your love (Exciting!) and so forth.

63% of the city population gets on the bike every day. Amsterdam is home to approx. 881,000 bikes. That’s a little over one bike for every resident. We make collectively 38% of all our trips by bike.

We read on the bike, we text on the bike, eat and drink on the bike, laugh and cry on the bike and yes that to…. (Couldn’t find an image though) :-)

For the outsider the bike traffic in Amsterdam might look like a madhouse, but it is actually well organized and running smoothly. (No pun intended)

The perfect example is a crossing behind the Central Station where bikers and pedestrians meet coming from four directions. No traffic lights. Nothing. It is amazing to see this confusion, but it always goes well. Not one single accident happened. (Knock on wood)

Being born and raised in Amsterdam, I grew up on the bike. With just three years old, my dad put me on the bike and taught me to ride and taught me about traffic.

A few years later I ventured out on my own, as did most kids of my age.

Once you learn to bike, you never forget. Age doesn’t count on the bike, as long as you can you go.

And when you bike, you take your family, groceries and pets at the same time. Helmets? What’s that?

I couldn’t image my city without bicycles…

Impression from Tallinn Tallinn

- the capital of Estonia with a sea weather by Edita Sabalionyte

Older generation remember soviet occupation very well.

For the youth it is history already.

Tallinn combines different styles of architecture - ancient, art deco, soviet inheritance and contemporary.

We had wonderful dinner in one of the old town café. Delicious pumpkin soup with ginger and wonderful risotto with wild mushrooms. The evening was warm and soft good for taking some pictures.

Human behavior by Michele Bartalini

This series is a summary of my research on human behavior.

They are photographs taken over the last 3 years in "Piazza dei Miracoli", a place of worship where people are led to experience the square as if it were a personal stage.

Our brother… the Paraná River

It has a length of 4,880 km.

It is the second longest river in South America, after the Amazon.

Among the longest rivers in the world, is located in the fourteenth place.

Mobilizes 16,000 m3 per second.

When it flows into the sea, it forms the largest freshwater delta in the world.

It is the road that Spanish navigators traced 400 years ago to reach the heart of South America.

I'm talking about my legendary Paraná River. Scare this data a bit, but being born on the banks of such a brown snake, decreases the magnitude of the giant that seems asleep, but when it wakes up it becomes as fearsome as Vesuvius.

Beyond the statistic, it is above all, a great provider of life: freshwater, an indescribable flora and fauna for its variety and beauty as well as aquatic and terrestrial vegetation; a source ... (inexhaustible?) of resources that it is urgent to preserve.

My city was installed about 10 km from its coasts, the frequent and uncontrollable floods so determined. But just by traveling about 8,000 meters, we reach its shores and meet the people who make the river their lifestyle.

We, who live in the village, go there as one who goes to the courtyard of the house ... or rather, as the pilgrim who seeks peace and rest in a sanctuary. And there we remain silent watching the slow and heavy passage of its brown waters looking for the sea, hoping perhaps that it will also take us away as surely sooner or later it will?

Cox's Bazar -

longest natural unbroken sea beach in the world. by Abrar Asad

The liveliness of the salty air and the murmur of the waves of the sea shake our mind and body with absolute joy.

Every year millions of people visit here to enjoy this beauty from afar.

This beach is a place of entertainment for many people as well as earning.

I have tried to highlight some of these moments.

My words are not enough to describe It's beauty.

I would like to say with Van Morison " Smell the sea and feel the sky, Let your soul and spirit fly "

Season of Discontent by Richard Keshen

More and more as I go out on the street to shoot some photos I end up running into a protest of some sort. We seem to be going through a season of discontent as new hot spots pop up around the world almost on a weekly basis. Add to these the climate protests, animal activist protests, women's marches, regional and local political protests, etc.

I just came back from traveling through Prague and Vienna. Not expecting the protests to be any less in Europe than in North America, I ran into a new protest almost every week during the five weeks of journeying through these cities.

These photos were taken at a protest in Vienna. Protests like these have been popping up all throughout Europe with the Syrian Kurds protesting against Turkey and it’s strong man leader Erdogan.

Bob Dylan in 1963 wrote his song The Times They Are a Changin as an anthem for change at that time. Interesting that things change and nothing remains the same yet these lines still apply to the times we're experiencing today:

The line it is drawn

The curse it is cast

The slow one now

Will later be fast

As the present now

Will later be past

The order is rapidly fadin'

And the first one now

Will later be last

For the times they are a-changin'

Mea-Shearim tells its story by Ori Levi

My first photography trip to Mea-Shearim was in 2012. And since then, it is my favourite place for street photography. Mea-Shearim is a “Haredi” jewish (orthodox) neighbourhood at Jerusalem. This neighborhood had kept its character since a long time ago. Walking through its streets makes you feel like it is the early 20th century.

The notices on the walls and message boards of Mea-Shearim tells its story. Since no internet or television is allowed (not kosher), the walls are full of all sorts of notices. Death notices, rabbai decisions, items for sale, public announcements and political opinions. This makes a great background for street photography, and an interesting reading when passing by.

The most interesting thing in Mea-Shearim is its people. Their clothes are always black and white, which makes it so easy to choose to picture in black and white. I have noticed that even if I choose colour, people think that it is a black and white image.

The children of Mea-Shearim grow a little differently. They usually have a large family of 5-8 brothers and sisters, living in a relative small apartments. The big brothers help rising the small ones. When they walk the streets it looks like a group of children with 1 year age difference between them. And occasionally they wear similar clothes.

Another great thing about Mea-Shearim is its narrow streets, which make the sun glimpse into them for a short time of the day and makes very interesting shadows. The shadows combined with black and white clothes makes it a great scene to photograph. You could come back after one hour to the same street, and see something completely different.

Mea-Shearim people have kept their religious ceremonies and rituals as it was 100 or 200 years ago. The “caparot” ritual is used to pass the human sins to a chicken. Some people could see it as wrong, but I think that it is not for the photographer to judge them.

September and the “Estudiantinas”

(a mix of high school kids’ fun competition)
A prelude to the imminent coming of spring in Reconquista (Argentina)

The month of August is dreadful for us in this northern corner of the southern hemisphere also known as Latin America. Strong winds from the South bring along cold fronts, as if Old Man Winter would enjoy punishing us for wishing so much that spring would arrive, already.

Winter, in fact, slowly retreats like a defeated God who pounds furiously everywhere he reaches, or perhaps, it simply wants to sweep clean the streets, freeing the trees’ branches of their already dead old leaves, in order for Spring to explode of color, smell and sounds.

Suddenly, the wind calms down, the landscape dresses in vibrant tones of green and the first blooms capture our imagination, as if it was the work of a crafty illusionist, who suddenly lifted his magical robes, persuading the still slumbering landscape to appear once again and so renewing the world and its inhabitants’ souls, filled with the enchantment of Spring.

Now, of course, the youngsters’ souls are the ones that seem to be caressed the most by Spring. During the month of September, the take over our city transforming it into a show-ground for competitions in many different disciplines, such as sports, art, music, projects, social work, etc. The city comes very much alive, with all of us willingly participating in their contagious enjoyment and their impetuous youthful force that seems to carry us all into its irresistible thrust.

It is a truly inclusive party, since young people with different physical and mental abilities and the schools to which they belong are some more of the party.
It is a city-wide party with all of us diving into this breathtaking, irresistible call that wakes us up from winter’s stupor, enkindling this renewed hope of birth to a new life. It helps us reminisce of the time when we ourselves were children filled with the excitement and yearnings of young people.

Stoned by Batsceba Hardy

PA090130@0.jpg — **Stoned**

**by Batsceba Hardy**

Berlin! ...Prenzlberg...

In Berlin I changed several apartments, still in the same neighborhood.

In the first I looked out on an avenue and the houses in front were very far away, but I always had the sky available. Inside, I could see life in the opposite apartments: the man without a television, the young couple. Smells … colors …

The last apartment gave me beautiful sunsets. And a lot of life. People passing by, people stopping. And inside the windows of solitude.

But what I will always remember as 'my home' was the one in which the house opposite gave me interesting stories, like this one I'm telling you about.

The two boys were certainly 'smoked' and they listened to Dire Straits...

The strangest thing is that when I came down they were always there and they greeted me, but I never met them again and they never appeared again in those windows.

Inside the courtyard, one night I saw a man cleaning the kitchen, it was four o'clock and I called Martha. We imagined that he had killed his wife and cut her to pieces ...

The house has been uninhabited since that night on ...

The Beach Cleaner: “Life is a “Beach”

In many Asian countries, the islands are the typical tourist spot. Whether it’s relaxing by the beach, surfing against the wave, or seeking for a wild adventure, nature has got you covered. But with millions of visitors from around the world each year, most tourists can’t just help but leave their traces behind.

I came across these Beach Cleaners by the shoreline during my morning run. I was in awe when I saw them gracefully cleaning up after the trash that the tourists left the night before and still managed to greet me as I was running pass by them; not minding working under the scorching heat.

Before the day ended, I decided to go back and wander around. But unfortunately, they weren’t cleaning that time so I just waited the next morning to come back. I was casually observing them and taking a few shots before I started asking them questions and they were friendly enough to share their stories.

The Beach Cleaners usually work early in the morning and break their backs to maintain the cleanliness of the shoreline and to prepare the beach for the guests before they wake up. These modern heroes play a big role in maintaining the beauty of nature but are still paid by the minimum. Listening to their stories made me realize the things that we sometimes take for granted. We have the luxury to go on expensive vacations but still manage to leave our trash everywhere, knowing that someone else is paid to clean up after us. It’s not really that difficult to clean up after our mess. The little efforts we do make a huge difference not just to them, but also to the environment.

So the next time you decide to go on a vacation, do not leave any trace. Leave smiles instead.

Angel L. Rodriguez (Master Panner)

Modesty is a word I Will not be used for this béte noir character Of the Streets.

Words such as self-glorification and swagger do come to mind more readily. But indeed why not? If you have it. flaunt it. With peepers perfect for the surveillance of usually the pretty kind produces some remarkable panning images. Angel likes to back up his images as the rip reader spieler for everyone to enjoy life in the street. Producing his own gif language and encouraging all to interact indeed is an arnbæssador for the spirit Of Our street. But not just a genial panner, Often gives us a glimpse through a deft eye Of the world he sees. Colour and mono of the highest quality.

I give you the creator Of the panning war, the braggadocio, the street photography artist that is Angel Rodriguez

Angel took the replicant test from Progressive Street. Please find a little more about the man, inspired and enjoy

Robert Bannister

Yes, I am a professional photographer. cinematographer and comedian ( :-P). I actually shot my first pro wedding video at the age of 15! I have also worked at some of the largest television media and advertising agencies in the U.S.A. (E! EntertainmentlSpeedvision/OLN/ G4 Tech TV/Golf Channel etc. etc…) I am currently involved in a variety of Global Investment and Technology Projects as well.

Street Photography for me began once I started working at IBM and then Y&R in New York City. At the time I was using a Canon ELPH Jr. APS Film Camera due to its utterly diminutive size and its ability to fool IBM security into thinking it was a pager! I was amazed at the energy and fleeting moments I was witnessing all around me. I not only wanted to be an integral part Of it, but I wanted to capture these fleeting glorious moments as they ebbed and flowed around me. wanted to capture the essence of ‘The City' and I continue to do that to this day.

I have two approaches to the creation and ideation of an image. On some days I Will head out the door obsessed with a vision in my mind of what I want to express in terms of an image or My vision for photography can sometimes be attributed to musical or cinematic influences. I look for the elements that are needed to realize my vision and allow the non-synchronicity of life to play out until I can see the visual elements come together in one frame. My second approach is to integrate myself into a situation/city/street/place and use all of the photographic tools at my disposal to capture the essence of the moment as I see it. On more than a few occasions I heard my opportunity to capture a moment before I could see the subjects and compositional elements coming together. In the end, I try to find lighting, motion, subject and scene. I tend towards images With cinematic motion qualities and technical attributes.

It's not so much about where in the world I would like to photograph for me as it is in finding a World where I happen to be at any given moment to photograph. I like to find a world within a world. I am constantly scanning my surroundings in my never-ending quest to discover an unnoticed opportunity to obtain more "Street Loot".

I thoroughly enjoy the process of photography so I will approach anyone and everyone I am interested in if given the chance. FYI - I have had a lifelong weakness for women. It may have a lot to do with growing up in an environment of fashion and beauty thanks to my mother being in the business of owning Hair and Beauty Salons. As a child, I was routinely in the company of a dozen or so fashion-conscious women/men at any given moment. This familiarity with women and groups of strangers, in general, help me to cast aside any fear of social situations in regards to Street photography (l once asked in Atlantic City to cuff a crazed but willing party-goer, and yes I did make a film based photo).

This might sound cliche, but I look forward to the next image I create being my favourite. I have an endless appetite for creating and capturing moments in motion. That said, I do have a photo that I am partial to at the moment. It is a photo that I took while holding a coffee with my left hand and taking the image with my free hand. It was a beautiful morning and I noticed a cyclist with sunglasses approaching and lifted the camera to take the shot, drank my coffee and the rest as they say - was history.

My favourite piece of equipment at any given moment is whatever device I have With me that can allow me the ability to record a moment in time and be able to output it for later viewing. I have several cameras, both film and digital. That said, if I had to choose one single device for all my image capturing needs as of this writing it would have to be the Fujifilm X- pro2 with 35MM F2 lens attached. The ability to use an OVF that can change range view on command and also allow the use Of its internal EVF is priceless to me. To date, it is the only camera in the world that does this. I should also note that this camera has a sub-second startup time which is critically important for me I usually have less than I .75 seconds Irr photo opportunity. For the film-o-files out there, I also shoot with a Rollei 35t and Contax GI with its 35MM F2 Zeiss lens.

Photography is certainly an art in the hands of a person with a vision and the ability to realize that vision through talent, skill and absolute patience. I say this with confidence due to the body of work I have created not being something you would be able to easily capture with the naked eye or via a typical snapshot. The images I create are deliberate and align with my vision to convey the motion I see all around me.

More than 95% of the time I am capturing an image it is in the psychology behind this for me is that it forces me to focus on the elements of subject, composition. motion, emotion, ratio, proportions and luminescence. I create additional separation with movement and beams of reflected light where they can be found and applied. In general, monochrome images to me are much more timeless as they can be used to transcend time.

In regards to my photography, I use practical effects to Create motion blur and never resort to using Photoshop. I do not even have Adobe anywhere in my workflow(l use FastStone and Fuji's RAW suite to tweak my images). I need to be able to mirror the workflow, look and feel of my images across both the film and digital realms. As such I typically and make global exposure/colour tweaks as they are called for. I will also crop images to amplify tension or maintain balance when I feel it aligns with my vision or memory Of the moment I captured.

I initially came to know Progressive Street due to a recommendation by Robert Bannister. I was also taken by the image of the Mascot Dog, though it was quite funny. I was also drawn to share with the group due to its conscientious curation and emphasis on the image vs. the gear used. In the group, I discovered a bevy of lighthearted photographers of varying talents and eyes on the world. It was great to see that multiple contributions and varying styles were embraced and discussed. I also like that the group as a whole does not take the essence of capturing an image to be something devoid of humour. Taking anything seriously, especially in regards to photography, is something I am not too keen on. I love to make people laugh and smile. I hope I do that through my images and commentary. progressive Street allows me to me without taking life seriously. We are all here for such a short period of time and I want to embrace every moment that comes my way with a smile and a click of my shutter.

P.S. I can't stand to sit still and write about myself!!!

P.P.S. Get out there and get your "Street Loot"!

Ohh and a few lx)inters regarding Panning Photography:

A. Choose a shutter SIRed and lower

B. Use an OVF whenever possible to avoid any screen lag

C. Be steady and use a body position that is most stable for you to track a subject reliably

D. Shoot hundreds to thousands of times in fully manual mode to get a feel for conditions and motion blur effect

My introduction to Songkran by John Linton

unnamed (3).jpg — **My introduction to Songkran**

by **John Linton**

In mid-April of 2011 we decided to take a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. While researching things to do in Bangkok I noticed that in mid-April Thailand celebrates Songkran, the Thai New Year. I thought that might be cool and then thought nothing more about it.

On our fifth day in Bangkok we were out walking the streets when suddenly I felt my back getting wet. I turned around to see this woman with a water gun and a big smile looking back at me from behind an open door.

You see, part of the Thai New Year Festival has to do with water, lots and lots of water. This line the streets with buckets of water and water guns and begin to soak each other and anyone else out in the streets. This soaking signifies the washing away of the bad luck of the past year and starting the New Year with a fresh, clean slate.

Along with the water Thais also apply a white pasty powder substance to each other often on the face or neck. It is a sign of protection and promises to ward off bad luck.

After getting drenched we found a taxi and headed for the hotel. These are a few of the photos I took before we made it back to dry land.

My introduction to Songkran…

Rosenmontag in Mainz by Rainer Neumann

Mainz für Progressive 6.jpg — **Rosenmontag in Mainz**

**by Rainer Neumann**

I hate carnival. Ever did.

Except being a child of course.

While working in Mainz as a sound engineer, I had also to broadcast the events of carnival and that kind of work was one of the reasons I left the city later.

2016 Street Photography came into my life and made me change my opinion about several things. Perhaps carnival could be an opportunity to catch some good pics? More like a story than the single shots I usually do?

In 2018 I decided to travel back to Mainz to the famous „Rosenmontagszug“.

That's the event on Monday before „Shrove Tuesday“ where about 8800 participants join the parade and about 500.000 people come to visit the city, watch the parade and have a party in the streets.

The parade exists since 1838.

It starts traditionally at 11:11 o’clock and will end around 5 pm.

You will see musicians, standard-bearer, horses, cars with several political themes, and, and, and…..

And of course, all the people joining the parade on a length of 7 km in the historic center of the city of Mainz.

As I guessed It turned out to be a perfect location to see and watch people and document german life on carnival.

L.A.’s Día de los Muertos Celebration by Jeremiah Gilbert

Los Angeles’ Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration proclaims to be the largest outside of Mexico and is held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a 119-year-old site. The annual event attracts over 40,000 attendees visiting between noon and midnight.

Altars are the heart of Día de los Muertos, and there are approximately 100 community altars on display throughout the cemetery. These personal shrines celebrate the lives of those who have passed and can range from simple displays, with a picture of a deceased family member, to more elaborate, conceptual altars. Many include flowers, perforated paper banners, skulls, and even alcoholic beverages for the deceased.

Día de los Muertos helps the living celebrate loved ones who have died. Many people choose to become part of the celebration by dressing up as walking skeletons and painting their faces as skulls. In the past, participants and dancers used careteas, or masks, to scare the dead away at the end of the festivities. In modern-day celebrations, people paint their faces to look like skulls, decorating them to represent a deceased loved one or using them as an expression of themselves.

The Annual Fair by Joanne van Dalen

Each year in October I visit the Annual Fair in Leiden, the place where I live.
I don't go for the fair itself, I don't care much about the fairground attractions. The families who visit, these are the interesting subjects.

The whole year round they save up for this event and spend their money in less than an hour.

The Ferris Wheel... the Carousel... and the Haunted House...

Adults don't care for these attractions anymore, they mostly think of their empty wallet at the end of the day.

But the children, the look on the faces of the children with their balloons is priceless. So that for me is the most important thing in street photography, catching the emotions, that one moment that makes it all worthwhile.

I tried to catch the mood of the day, the atmosphere, the anticipation, the patience of the grandparents, and most of all the fun the children have.

And the mood of the day after, when everything disappears again…

This special occasion is wonderful for me because it gives me a chance to shoot and be around the people of my city.

The graffiti of Venice by Keef Charles

The allure of its’ watery streets, the appeal of its’ architecture.

This is a beautiful, seemingly timeless city.

Little has changed, or so it appears, for centuries.

Certainly, people who visited it decades ago will tell you…

It still looks the same…

The same as the paintings.

But something is different.

Criticised in reviews on the internet; some appalled…

So many comments about how the graffiti ruins the look of the place.

But you know what?

This is an old city with expressions of culture.

This helps keep that going, contemporises it.

If people want to criticise it for damaging the city, I hope they also rally against the huge passenger liners that steal the horizon and damage the very fabric of this living waterway with their wash

Anyway, for me, much of it was:

Neat

Organic

Characterful

Acceptable protest

I had thought to do a mini post on umbrellas in Venice, after repeatedly towelling dry my camera..one particular Wednesday. However, as I looked through these shots I noticed so much graffiti.

OMG...so many of my shots include this wall expression…

Sometimes deliberately focused upon…

Other times just there, in the background….

Some subtle, some garish.

Got me a few shots of gondolas and stuff

But this was an interesting aside.

At the time I didn’t think to spray on the walls:

“I like graffiti “

So here’s a short article instead.

We want a real article!

Our Challenge from October to December 2019: if you’ve got a story you can tell in just a few shots, send it to us at Progressive: (progressivestreetphotography@gmail.com) This is a great chance to express yourself in a special way. You must have had sessions or days where you’ve got a real good feeling about how a story has played out. Could be people you tracked for a while or a day at an event. Your call. Let your pictures tell the story. Share it with us, no less than 5, no more than 10. We’ll share the best on our Website! But remember that words are also important for communicating sensations and your thoughts.

We want a real article!

FAITH RELIGION AND HOLY WATER

Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that people’s actions and thoughts directly determine their current life and future lives.

The Hindu act of worship is termed pooja. In their worship, Hindus can personally choose which god they would like to worship and what they would like this worship to look like. In other words, pooja is usually very, very personal.

Water in Hinduism has a special place because it is believed to have spiritually cleansing powers. To Hindus all water is sacred, especially rivers, and there are seven sacred rivers, namely the Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. Although Hinduism encompasses so many different beliefs among those that most Hindus do share is the importance of striving to attain purity and avoiding pollution. This relates to both physical cleanliness and spiritual well-being.

The worship or MAHA-AARTI of the holy river GANGA in early morning hours is the daily ritual of the priests who synchronies the act of worship with full devotion. It’s a 2 hour worship till the rise of the sun.

The holy dip is faith for some and fun for others. It is believed that the dip in Holy River purifies all the sins done.

Festivals in India have very close affinity with the nature and Chhath Puja is one of those festivals. The festival is dedicated to Sun and Chhathi Maiya (Mother Shashti or Usha) . The devotee offer their gratitude to the Sun God Surya along with the Goddesses- Usha (first rays of the morning ) and Pratyusha (last rays of the evening) because it is believed that the Sun is a prime source of energy that sustains all lives on the Earth.

The other festival related to the holy water is the Kanwariya Yatra to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva by the people (largely men) of northern states of India. The journey is named after the Sanskrit word ‘Kanwar’ which is a single pole (usually bamboo) with two roughly equal loads dangling from both ends. This ‘yatra’ or journey takes place during the month of July-August or the ‘Shravan Maas’ of the Hindu calendar, which is an auspicious time. During this time of the year, one can see Kanwariya pilgrims in saffron grab carrying the holy water that they have collected from either Gaumukh or Gangotri (Uttaranchal) or from the Ganges in Haridwar, returning back to their respective hometown in order to consecrate the Shiva lingams.

The Holy water and cremation of the body.

Hindu cremations take place on the Ganges River in India. The family builds a pyre and places the body on the pyre. The karta will circle the body three times, walking counter-clockwise so that the body stays on his left, and sprinkling holy water on the pyre. Then the karta will set the pyre on fire and those gathered will stay until the body is entirely burned. Upon returning home, all family members will bathe and change into fresh clothes.