The 27th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, anger on the streets of Bangladesh after building collapse, U.S.-South Korea military exercise and more in today’s daily brief.
Baltimore photographer Lisa Dierolf Shires recently visited Cuba’s capital Havana on a photography trip in February. Shires and a fellow photographer friend did the research, practiced their Spanish and came up with a logistical plan. The duo made it to Cuba by way of Cancun – barely making their flight after they ran into complications in purchasing their tickets in Mexico. After converting Canadian dollars to Mexican pesos for flights at a terrible exchange rate and adapting to changes in original plans and funds, they focused their stay in the capital city. “The people were very patient with our Spanish and were very kind,” Shires said. “There was a separation between old and young on the contentment of the condition of the country.” The difference being that the younger generation was ready for change and access to information, she explained.
The Darkroom caught up with Shires who talked about Old Havana, its people, culture and daily life in a post-Fidel Castro Cuba.
The collapse of a garment factory building in Bangladesh has killed nearly 100 and injured many more, signaling continued safety standard problems for the industry in the country. In November, 112 workers were killed in a blaze at the Tazreen fashions factory in a nearby industrial suburb, reported Reuters. | WARNING: Visual coverage may depict death and/or injury.
Police say as many as 15 people are dead and a 160 more injured after a explosion tore through a fertilizer plant in the small town of West, Texas, just 20 miles north of Waco, according to Reuters.
H7N9 bird flu virus in China, 101st anniversary of Titanic sinking, SCOTUS hears human gene patent case and more in today’s daily brief.
Look through photos of Tiger Woods at the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Adam Scott made a 12-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole Sunday to beat Angel Cabrera, becoming the first Australian to win the Masters. Woods shot a 2-under 70 on Sunday to finish tied for fourth for the tournament at 5 under, four strokes out of the Scott-Cabrera playoff. Click to see full leaderboard
Florida fights giant land snails, Venezuelan citizens heads to the polls to vote in presidential election, Miss World South Sudan and more in today’s daily brief.
White House releases proposed FY2014 federal budget, aftermath of a 6.1 magnitude quake in Iran, a salt water crocodile named Too Long and more in today’s daily brief. | Warning: Visual content may depict death and/or injury.
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“Cliche sounding I’m sure, but life is one big assignment. All I ask for is to be healthy and have a new photographic challenge every day.” — Patrick Smith
Patrick Smith is a freelance photojournalist based in Baltimore, Md. whose work has been distributed and published by Getty Images, Reuters, New York Times, and The Baltimore Sun, to just name a few of the publications where you might have seen his name. Recognized as the Still Photographer of the Year by the White House News Photographers Association (WHNPA) in their 2013 Eyes of History competition, The Darkroom caught up with the Baltimore native, who dished on photographing the Penn State scandal, gear setup on shoots and his Pickles Pup photo series.
As tensions continue to brew with North Korea at the forefront threatening war as well as a possible missile launch, the U.S. and South Korea are taking measures to step up precautions, according to reports. A look at North and South Korea in recent days.
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