I am planing to take my courses on a 280 day around the world EAST BOUND tour in 2012, hopefully starting off in London in January/February and March, then to Paris, Milan, Vienna, Ibiza, Majorca, Turkey, Crete, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Dallas, Washington DC, Madrid, Moscow, Dubai, Sydney, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi,Tokyo and Beijing. Barcelona, Budapest, Warsaw. Then finishing in various parts Africa.
This tour of the world is to teach those that can not afford to take courses or those that just cant get to where my courses are held because they just can not afford it on a scholarship basis made feasible by paying students and sponsors.
In order to achieve this I need students from all over the world to book courses whilst I am on tour so I can give the people that are not fortunate enough the chance to learn photography.
There will be sponsored places for students that can not afford to take a course. If you know some one worthy please let me know.
This tour will also be sponsoring children’s meals in Africa through various charitable organizations, as well as physically, emotionally and sexually abused children, ( I was one of these children, so I know what I am talking about re the pain abuse causes)Also for very obvious reasons, Sightsavers International, whom every day save the sight of thousands of people in third world countries.
Please also see my facebook wall for the story about a little girl that sparked off this event.
The picture of the little girl that I photographed whilst on a recce for a fashion shoot in Kenya many years ago.
For many years I have been taking fake fantasy pictures, neither of these are fake pictures. See links bellow.
As photographers, with out our eyes we can not take images or see the images that we take. As we all know an image can portray many things to us an important message about suffering or just a fantasy for us to identify with very much like the images that I have been taking all of my career as a fashion photographer. We who have sight are the lucky ones.
If your interested in getting involved either by taking courses or becoming a course administrator or by networking about the project or even if you are in a position to sponsor this project even in the smallest way, get back to me.
This event kicks off in April 2012 and will take me 280 days, visiting 25 countries around the world. If you have any thing to offer that will support this event please email me at b.s@mac.com
I need a lot of help along the way with equipment, studios, stylists, hair and make up artists, models, assistance with travel transport accommodation. As well as sponsors, so if your connected with any one that can help please pass on the information.
If your asking yourself WHY am I doing this:
It all started with a conversation with a friend about some of the issues in our world, it reminded me of the plight of a little girl whom I photographed when I was on a recce for a fashion shoot in Kenya. I dug out the picture of her that I took outside of her family home, !!! It made me cry !! and to think about what was in my mind re helping at the time but like we all do I thought its a big problem and I am too small to be able to help or make a difference.
2 nights ago I watched a program about the top 100 video clips on youtube that get millions of hits, most really stupid and not saying anything about things that are important. I then thought about the many friends and connections that I have on portals like mm and the 4500 friend connections that I have on my facebook and realized I can create a broader insight towards the real problems in life. like children with no food, abused children, those with sight problems easily solved etc etc through the mm and your facebook portal.
So if you have thought the same. !! I am too small to make a difference !! You are wrong because you can.
Please just spread this story.
I am doing my best with what little I have which is my time.. but giving your time is a wonderful gift. So take some time to think about these issues that are our responsibility even though they are a long way from your front door it does not mean they are not happening. Because they are,
I have first hand experiences of some of the issues as a small child that i wont go into right now unless i have to, to make those that are not conscious feel the pain and long term damage that can be done to those that have no fault or that do not deserve to experience suffering and pain.
Because an image is only 2 dimensional it does not mean that the problem is not real... As said, I have been taking fake fantasy images for most of my professional life. The picture of the little girl is not fake, as are the other pictures of peoples lives that we see but choose to ignore of lives effected by world issues. The world belongs to us, so the world issues are ours..
The courses will be a mixture of studio fashion, location fashion and fashion nude courses, with all of the features of my courses laid out on my website. As well as basic photography courses for those that would benefit from what photography can do as a message to the world. Through the eyes of those that have suffered..
There will be course organizers in each of the locations that courses will be held, please scroll down to the location that you are interested, you will find links to the courses information that will be held there as well as contact details for the organizers for if you are wanting more local information regarding hotels travel etc. Some dates and locations to be confirmed..
FURTHER INFORMATION
SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT
If you wish to get involved with this project please email me explaining how you can support. b.s@mac.com I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Many thanks.
~ Bruce Christopher Smith
