Creative Image - September/October 2016

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The sixth issue of Creative IMAGE Magazine, a Raghu Rai publication, based on the theme of ‘The World At War With Itself’!
This issue showcases the many aspects of war photography and aims to feature not only the aftermath but the causes and the effects in terms of first hand experiences of various war photographers.
It features photographs from Dimitri Baltermants, his work on World War II.
This issue also includes Altaf Qadri’s work on the Kashmir conflict, Paula Bronstein’s photo essay and book review on Afghanistan, Shannon Jensen’s photo series on Sudan’s refugees among other spectacular work.
Presented also is a feature of the American Civil War covered by Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner, who were first American war photographers to portray the fearful human cost of the war.

Capturing World War II-Dmitri Baltermants

In 1962, Andrei Tarkovsky, the iconic Russian director, made a film called Ivan’s Childhood, a masterpiece that remarkably depicted conflict. The actual act of fighting was realised in its aftermath—by way of visuals of desolate landscapes and grim, darkly lit scenes. When watching the film closely, it is hard not to be reminded of the great photographer Dmitri Baltermants’ work. Though many of us continue to consider him as one of the greatest war photographers of all time, and some would say even better than Robert Capa, but unfortunately, the bias in the Western world, and especially in America, makes it all the more rare to get recognised on the basis of quality of your work and the creative explorations you make.

4 mins

Majid Saeedi Afghanistan The Conflict Within

Afghanistan–The land of the Kabuliwala! A land defined by and defining etiquette, with a rich and powerful culture where poetry and music comes alive–such was my introduction to the mystical land of Afghanistan. The Afghanistan of today, however, is entirely different. The beautiful people, mountains and the poetry still linger, but are marred with blood, dust and war. Majid Saeedi is an Iranian documentary photographer who has been covering conflict areas in the middle-east for more than two decades now.

2 mins

Altaf Qadri Kashmir The Bleeding Paradise

Being an insider, Altaf Qadri’s photographs of the Kashmir conflict are hard hitting, evocative and unapologetic. Yet they are personal, flawed and have an air of intimacy to them. It is this alienated sense of intimacy that makes his photographs transcend the violence depicted in them, into a space where empathy resides. Through his documentation, Altaf seeks to create a channel for an open and fair dialogue that lies beyond accusations and finger pointing. From his photographs, it is clear that violence can only ever beget violence; hate can only ever beget hate. It does not matter which side you are on, his photographs will move you enough to reflect, question the mindless violence at various levels, especially the infiltration from other side of Kashmir and the support of Pakistan’s ISI for the conflict to go on and for inflicting more deaths to isolate the local people who have populated the valley since 1989.

8 mins

Paula Bronstein: The Endless Strife of Afghan Women

Afghanistan is a country where sadness and-sometimes-happiness is a way of life. Paula Bronstein has made some of the most extraordinary photos of her career in this country. “Face after face, I see complex and intriguing gazes, the constant tension between optimism and reality that so many people live with. I keep going back, motivated and inspired by those faces, pushing against the difficulties.” She hopes to find fewer doors slammed shut, and more people with something to smile about. There are many warm-hearted as well harrowing stories which still need to be told, she feels.

3 mins

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Creative Image Magazine Description:

A 100-page bi-monthly art photography publication, filled with a host of features and opinion articles, on the aesthetics of photography.

Photography is one of the youngest forms of creative expression, and has seen quite a few changes in its relatively short maturing period. The purpose of Creative Image is to pick up photographs and bodies of work that are intuitive, well-explored, eloquent and offer a look inwards, as well as outwards.

The bi-monthly magazine, produced by Raghu Rai, one of India's most renowned photographers and the first Indian to become an associated of the celebrated Magnum Photos, will look at contemporary, emerging artists as well
 as legendary names. Each issue will
 be thematic and will largely cover work produced in the Indian subcontinent. There will also be showcases of works
 by one master photographer from Asia, and one master from the West, along with conceptual, nature, landscape, abstract and experimental photographers from around the world.