AP Exhibit, Workshop, Brings Photojournalism To Cubans

 

HAVANA, CUBA (June 13, 2008) – An exhibit of more than 100 historic photographs from the Associated Press archives is on display on the walls of the San Francisco Convent in Old Havana and it will be open to the Cuban public for more than three months, one of the first exhibits of compelling news photographs from around the world to be shown in the Communist country.

When the exhibit opened in May it was accompanied by a three-day workshop for Cuban photojournalists, who were taught the concepts of ethical, quality news photography by AP photo staffers.

"We look forward to showing some of the AP's best photojournalism to the Cuban public and professionals, as well as working with Cuban photographers to demonstrate and explain best practices and techniques for effective visual communication," said Santiago Lyon, the AP's director of photography.

For the first time many Cubans have a chance to see Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of the flag raising over Iwo Jima, and pictures of war from Iraq, Vietnam, and the Middle East. Also on display are Nick Ut's "napalm girl" photo icon from 1972, and Oded Balilty's 2006 Pulitzer-winning photograph of a Jewish settler on the West Bank struggling to resist Israeli security troops.

The exhibit was edited by Enric Marti, AP's regional photo editor for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Dario Lopez, AP's chief photographer for Mexico and Central America.

The three-day workshop was organized by Ricardo Mazalan, AP's chief photographer in Bogota, and was conducted by Mazalan, Marti and Lopez. It combined theoretical and practical teaching of photojournalism; an approach to the use of new technologies; and a focus on the ethics of photojournalism. Many of the workshop participants work for the Cuban news media or are photojournalism students.

The exhibit is only steps away from AP's Havana bureau, which re-opened in 1998 after it was closed in 1969.

NPPA Marketplace

Join the NPPA

NPPA members receive a wide range of benefits, from educational opportunities to mentoring, exclusive discounts, insurance options, business tips, and much more.