Thursday’s Picture of the Week: Muli, China

National Geographic BooksBehind the Scenes: The year is 1990 and Jeffrey Aaronson is photographing on assignment for the National Geographic Society in one of the most remote areas in the world: Muli, China. 

The book project, entitled, Beyond the Horizon: Adventures in Faraway Lands, has Jeffrey retracing the footsteps of Austrian-American botanist and explorer, Joseph Rock, who ventured to this region of China and Tibet in the early 1920′s.

Until 1953, Muli was a remote and independent mountainous Gelugpa Buddhist kingdom, located just north of Lake Lugu in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. It was dubbed “The Yellow Lama’s Kingdom” by Rock.

Map of China

Jeffrey and writer, Patrick Booz, travel together on this epic, 30-day assignment for the Geographic. It takes four days to journey by jeep from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, on roads that

Since then only a handful of botanists, mountaineers and adventurers have trickled in to this are

The Answer…

To Monday’s “Where in the World Are You?” Photo Contest is:

MULI, CHINA

You had lots of great guesses. Thanks to all of you who participated in this contest.

Tomorrow for Thursday’s Picture of the Week, I will share a behind-the-scenes story about Jeffrey Aaronson’s National Geographic assignment in Muli, where he created this photograph, along with many others, including the cover photo for the book.

In the News…

Hats off to Dave Mason at Santa Barbara News-Press for his fine review of Steve & i in yesterday’s Sunday Books. It’s fun to share Jeffrey’s story with the Santa Barbara community and hear how others have connected with the book.

Photo of Steve & i review in the Santa Barbara News-Press

And yes, that’s a young Jeffrey Aaronson in the bottom right-hand corner–a photo taken by Steve Jobs at Apple Headquarters when they were both 29-years old. ❤

The Answer to Name That Photographer is…

ERNST HAAS
(1921-1986)

Ernst Haas was an Austrian-American photojournalist who was a pioneer in color photography. During his forty-year career he not only used the camera to tell a story, but to visually express his creativity through bold, abstract and impressionistic images.

Portrait of Ernst Haas

Haas was raised in the grand culture of Vienna before World War II. His parents placed a high value on education and the arts, and encouraged his creative pursuits from an early age.

His father, an avid amateur photographer, tried to inspire his son to pursue photography, but Haas had no interest in cameras until he was nearly twenty, when he started going through old family negatives after his father died. Haas was taken more by painting and drawing and studying things like poetry, philosophy, music, literature and science, which later informed his beliefs about the creative potential for photography.

Haas once said:

“I never really wanted to be a photographer. It slowly grew out of the compromise of a boy who desired to combine two goals—explorer or painter. I wanted to travel, see and experience. What better profession could there be than the one of a photographer, almost a painter in a hurry, overwhelmed by too many constantly changing impressions? But all my inspirational influences came much more from all the arts than from photo magazines.”

World War II complicated Haas’ education. He tried to go to medical school, but was only able to complete one year before laws changed and he was forced out due to his Jewish ancestry.

In 1946, at age 25, he obtained his first camera by trading a 20-pound block of margarine for a Rolleiflex on the Vienna black market. With that, he documented the war’s effects in Vienna, approaching the city as a reporter with a sharp, but empathetic eye. His photographs show the enduring human spirit in the face of a devastated urban environment.

Haas Prisoners Vienna

Haas hunchback Vienna

When Haas was thirty, he moved to the United States, which is where he started experimenting with color film. In 1953 Life published a groundbreaking 24-page color photo essay of his work on New York City, which was the first time such a large color photo feature was ever published in the magazine. Nine years later Haas became the first person to ever have a single-artist exhibition of color photography at the Museum of Modern Art.

Ernst Haas photo Traffic, New York 1963
Ernst Haas Photo New York City

Name That Photographer

See if you can NAME THAT PHOTOGRAPHER from the following five clues:

Name That Photographer Graphic1) He was talented at painting and drawing, but had no interested in photography as a child, even though his father tried to encourage him.

2) He created one of the most successful photography books ever published.

3) He was famous for bridging the gap between photojournalism and the use of photography as a means of expression and creativity.

4) He was considered a pioneer in color photography.

5) He was the first person to have a single-artist exhibition of color photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Leave your guess in the comment box below and check back tomorrow to see if you are correct.

Fear, Loathing and Photography: A Mad Journey into the Heart of Hunter S. Thompson

Portrait of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S. Thompson at his home in Woody Creek, CO ©Jeffrey Aaronson 1990

Behind the Scenes: It’s late January 1990 and Jeffrey Aaronson is photographing on assignment in Aspen, Colorado for Town & Country. The magazine is doing a major feature about the shakers and movers of this tiny mountain resort as well as the many bigwigs and socialites who flock there during the winter.

Editor, Anne Hearst, has flown in from New York to conduct interviews and coordinate several of the photo shoots. Her list includes everyone from billionaire David Koch to socialite Teran Davis to celebrities like Jill St. John and Robert Wagner.

“Gonzo journalist” Hunter S. Thompson is also on Anne’s list, which amuses Jeffrey since Thompson has always prided himself on being a counter culture icon–the complete opposite of everything the magazine represents. He’s skeptical Thompson will even agree to be photographed.

Midway into this grueling weeklong assignment, Jeffrey is beat. He’s been on the go since the crack of dawn once again—this time photographing models on snowmobiles in Aspen’s early morning light, in ten-degree weather, no less. Knowing he has another full day ahead of him, he turns in around 11:00 pm, only to be ripped out of his REM sleep an hour later. It’s Anne.

“Hunter Thompson just called and said we can do the shoot right now.”

Jeffrey groans, “You’re kidding, right? What time is it?”

“A little after midnight. Sorry…he said he’s just waking up.” Continue reading

Inspiration in a Time Capsule

The other day my friend Sarah sent me a fun link about a lost time capsule recently found in Aspen by the crew of National Geographic Channel’s Diggers. The capsule was from the 1983 Aspen International Design Conference and it contained a bit of tech history–Steve Jobs’ mouse from his first LISA computer, along with an eight-track recording of The Moody Blues, a Sears Roebuck catalog, the June 1983 issue of Vogue, a Rubik’s Cube and a six-pack of beer.

Photo of time capsule from the 1983 Aspen International Design Conference

Credit National Geographic Channel

When I read the story, I chuckled out loud and thought, Only in Aspen, as a wave of nostalgia washed over me about the town my husband, Jeffrey Aaronson, and I called home for so many years.

It also reminded me just how much I love time capsules.

In fact, every New Year’s Eve I put my family through the same exercise—creating a written time capsule in which we list all our favorite things and most interesting moments from the year, along with epic world and national events. We often include photos and a few mementos that capture the spirit of our year. Then, so we don’t take ourselves too seriously, we unceremoniously bury it in the junk drawer.

I have to admit, I’ve already unearthed a couple time capsules from five or six years ago, and even in that short time, they already feel historic and full of whimsy. The best part is that I know I never would have remembered some of the things we documented, had we not written them down at the time.

Drawing of the Pearl Chase HouseTime capsules come in all forms—some of the most interesting ones are unintended, arriving out of necessity or happenstance. Being lovers of old houses, Jeffrey and I have bought and sold and renovated several historic Victorians, a Craftsman and even a barn. During those renovations we’ve almost always found interesting items stuffed in the walls—things like newspapers from the 1880s, used as insulation, or historic tools or tidbits buried beneath the foundation. Each time those discoveries  have made us stop and linger, thinking about previous owners and bygone eras.

In some ways being a writer is like creating small time capsules for others to discover, and hopefully enjoy and reflect upon.  Continue reading

For the Love of Art, Help Us Decide!

You may have noticed my blog has been quiet lately. It’s not because I’ve been sipping Mai Tais on a tropical beach, reveling in a lack of Wi-Fi (although I must admit, that sounds divine). It’s because I’ve been working hard getting ready to launch an exciting new website in which we’ll be selling small, affordable fine art photography prints of Jeffrey Aaronson’s work.

Our goal is to share some of Jeffrey’s (aka-hubby’s) favorite moments created over the years while traveling around the world on assignments for many of the world’s greatest magazines. By offering these images on a small scale, first-time collectors as well as those without cavernous pockets or massive wall space, will have an opportunity to enjoy a little beauty in their lives without breaking the bank. We hope this approach not only makes acquiring art easy and fun, but also non-intimidating.

But here’s our problem: Jeffrey and I can’t decide which image we should use to launch the site. That’s where you come in, my fabulous readers! I’ve gotten to know many of you over this past year and a half of blogging and appreciate your thoughtful opinions. Take a peek at the three images below and tell us which photograph you think people would be most interested in owning as a small print (we’re talking 8×10 for about $50).

A) Monks walking past a Richard Gere billboard in Bangkok, Thailand.

Photo of monks in front of a Richard Gere American Gigolo Poster in Bangkok

B) A farmer tending his rice paddies in Sichuan, China.

Rice paddies in Sichuan, China

C) Giant champagne bottle in Champagne, France.

Photo of a giant champagne bottle being carried in Champagne, FranceLeave your vote in the comment box, and hopefully in the next week or so you will see which image ends up kicking off the launch of our new endeavor. And of course, many details will follow…including the name of our site!

Thanks for sharing your two cents with us! Your opinion means a lot.

Caption Contest WINNER

First of all…BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You guys are so damn funny and clever, I love it. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it made it really hard to pick a winner for the caption contest this time.

After much deliberation though, I’m happy to crown TOM MELBERG ”Most Creative,” with his winning caption:

“Is that really John Wayne?”

Photo for Where in the World Contest 2

Congratulations, Tom! Here are the four runner’s up (in no particular order)…

CINDY BROWN: “I know we’re Indians who are really Chinese men, and we’re trying out for the cowboy parts in this movie, so we probably won’t get it, but do you at least think we’ll get a glimpse of Clint Eastwood?”

CARYL: “Think anyone noticed that we’re wearing the same boots? Seriously, call me next time.”

RODGER: ”I think she winked at us as she went by!”

NORM: “Awaiting the election result. The one on the left is a republican.”

Thanks to all of you for participating and sharing your wit. I laughed out loud at many of them!