Author Archives: Tom (Admin)

Our Truly Amazing TV Debut: Behind the Scenes

A few months ago, we got word through the Dhaka expat network that someone was looking for “foreigners” to play roles in a Bangladeshi television show. No acting experience or Bengali language experience required. It turns out that this “someone” … Continue reading

Posted in Bangladesh, Video Shooting, Editing and Production | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Holi in Bangladesh Part 2: the Ruined Roll

A bit of clicking around this site will reveal I’m a film photographer. And when I went to photograph the Holi celebration for my previous post, I took with me three rolls of film. Only two turned out as intended. … Continue reading

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Holi in Bangladesh

For those of you familiar with the holiday Holi, it may come as a surprise to see a post about Holi, a Hindu holiday, in Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country. The number of Hindus in Bangladesh has declined significantly since … Continue reading

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Hashing Out Old Dhaka

In my previous post, I shared impressions of Old Dhaka gained from an unscripted walk and a 30-minute ride on one of the small ferries. Recently, however, I had the opportunity to enjoy a completely different kind of tour of … Continue reading

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The Blog is Back: First Impressions of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Taking a break and going back to school for the last two years has been such a wonderful opportunity! But then again, writing, reading, doing photography, simply because I want to, and not because I’ve got an assignment due…well, I’ve … Continue reading

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A Few Words About My Father

At times like this, weird things come into your head. Like how I’ve never heard my Dad sleep for so many hours without snoring. Or how all life is sacred, and with the exception of mosquitoes, any animal in my … Continue reading

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The Sky is NOT Always Blue in California

People in California’s Bay Area awoke this morning thinking, “I must have a few hours left to sleep” because the sky was so dark. A dingy sky carrying smoke and ash from the fires plaguing the state obscured the sun … Continue reading

Posted in Random Thoughts, Observations and Weird Stuff | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“Artisans” documentary series – final (?) episode

Some of you may have seen my “Artisan” series of mini-documentaries. The plan was to highlight different occupations in Madagascar’s informal sector that involve a specialized skill. Jobs that don’t really exist in the West, with detail that may even … Continue reading

Posted in Madagascar | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Every Day is a Surprise. Also, People are A$$h0Le5. (part 2)

And so, my motorcycle was repaired, and I planned for the next day to be completely uneventful – one of those days where you catch up on tasks that have been piling up. But I was wrong. The morning was … Continue reading

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Every Day is a Surprise. Also, People are A$$h0Le5.

Life is funny. Some days you wake up and things are – meh – run of the mill, nothing to write home about. Other days you wake up and experience a day you never imagined. I’ve had three traffic accidents … Continue reading

Posted in Burundi, Random Thoughts, Observations and Weird Stuff | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

When Langtang Vanished

April 25, 2015. I was enjoying an idyllic vacation in Mauritius, swimming with the largest animals in the world. When we returned to the dock, my phone rang: how quickly could I get to Nepal? There had been an awful … Continue reading

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Reunion Island: a Little (Volcanic) Piece of France in the Middle of the Indian Ocean

Living in Madagascar, people would sometimes ask, “Don’t you get island fever?” Of course, this never happened – given that it stretches the distance from New York City to the tip of Florida, it’s more like a small continent than … Continue reading

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Onward to Mahajanga, Madagascar

In my previous post I talked about our meticulously planned trip to see all four islands of the Comoros archipelago, which was so rudely interrupted by political violence…and so we shifted to Mahajanga, on the west coast of Madagascar. I’ve … Continue reading

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Mayotte: From Above and Below

During my time in Madagascar, I had the opportunity to visit nearby Mayotte a few times. Never heard of it? It’s and island in the Indian Ocean – part of the Comoros Archipelago, claimed by the Comoros as its fourth … Continue reading

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Voigtlander Vitoret: Test/Review

The Voigtlander Vitoret is a relatively inexpensive camera manufactured in the 1960s in Braunschweig, then-West Germany. It’s pretty simple compared to its fancier cousin, the Vito, and it came in different versions – with an exposure meter, rangefinder, and other … Continue reading

Posted in Vintage cameras | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Yet Another Sh*tty Camera Challenge

If you spend any time on “film photography twitter” you’ll have heard about the CULT (allegedly) that is the Sh*tty Camera Challenge. The rules are simple: find a camera that costs less than a roll of film and see what … Continue reading

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Found Film from the 1940s: Prudential!

Some of you who have looked at my blog once or twice are aware that I used to develop “found film” that was found undeveloped inside cameras, either that I had bought or that someone else had found inside a … Continue reading

Posted in Found Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Episode 3 of “Artisans” Published!

Eons ago (ok, October last year) I posted the first episode in a series of mini-documentaries about jobs in the informal sector in Madagascar, about the traveling blacksmiths that wander through the city repairing umbrellas, plastic tubs, roofs… A couple … Continue reading

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An Old Camera Gets a New Life

Admittedly, I own too many cameras. So when it was time to leave Madagascar, I invited a couple of friends – who happen to be the only other film photographers in Madagascar, as far as I know – to see … Continue reading

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Memories of Favorite Places: Ile aux Nattes, Madagascar

Off the eastern coast of the island of Madagascar stretches a 57-kilometer long by 5 kilometers wide island, covered mostly in green and dotted with thatched-roof villages. Ile Sainte-Marie (Saint Marie’s Island), or Nosy Boraha, as it is known in … Continue reading

Posted in Aerial photography/videography, Madagascar | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Introducing Kids in Madagascar to Photography: Results (3)

This is the third in series of posts in which I write about introducing kids to photography, using point-and-shoot film cameras from the 1980s and 90s, at the youth center, Le Cameleon, in Antananarivo, Madagascar. You can find previous posts in … Continue reading

Posted in Good Causes, Madagascar, Photography, general | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Introducing Kids in Madagascar to Photography: Results (2)

This is one of a short series of posts in which I write about introducing kids to photography, using point-and-shoot film cameras from the 1980s and 90s, at the youth center, Le Cameleon, in Antananarivo, Madagascar. You can find previous posts … Continue reading

Posted in Good Causes, Madagascar, Photography, general | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Introducing Kids in Madagascar to Photography: Results (1)

I wrote last time about the youth center, Le Cameleon, we crowdfunded and built in Antananarivo, Madagascar, and the project we organized to introduce a half dozen interested kids to photography, using point-and-shoot film cameras from the 1980s and 90s. … Continue reading

Posted in Good Causes, Madagascar, Photography, general | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Sharing our Passion: Kids in Madagascar Get a First Taste of Photography

A few years ago, I joined a couple of other folks with a passion for photography and an interest in doing something for the local community in Antananarivo, Madagascar. We collaborated to successfully crowdfund a small youth center that would … Continue reading

Posted in Good Causes, Madagascar, Photography | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Visit to Isalo National Park, Madagascar

Shortly before leaving Madagascar after having lived there for more than three years, I finally made it to Isalo National Park, which is one of the premier tourist destinations in country, and one I would have regretted missing out on. … Continue reading

Posted in Aerial photography/videography, Madagascar, Wildlife and Nature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment