I Seek the Grail
" You travel and see what the camera saw. The wonder of the human mind, heart, wit, and instinct... You might catch yourself saying, 'I'm not a stranger here.'" John Mahtesian
John Mahtesian's photography offers a visual poetry of the human condition. It is a direct expression of his warmth, depth of spirit, and humanity. A true gentleman, extremely humble and unfailingly polite, he achieves an invisibility that is the success of his art. His patience and commitment to his vision allow him to capture moments others could not. If his subjects are aware of his presence, his gentle nature so enchants them that they are unguarded and their essence is revealed. So compelling are his images that we are truly convinced his insights are our own. They make us rejoice in the world around us, and in the nature of human existence.
Mahtesian's compassionate understanding of the human condition began early as the youngest child of Armenian immigrants who settled in Chicago's south side. Born in 1915, John's life was filled with all things Armenian. His parents spoke little English and their attachment to Armenia - the newspaper they read and the stories they told - spurred in him longings to see their beloved homeland and to venture beyond his Chicago neighborhood. Ever attentive to the caring of his parents, John's desire to experience and capture the wonders of other peoples and places unfolded slowly and gently.
It wasn't until 1974 that fate opened the door for him to go to Armenia - a trip he had been preparing for his entire life. The events leading to this lifelong aspiration are a testament to his hard work, loyalty, and a belief in steadily pursuing his dreams. That first trip to his ancestral homeland began a personal photographic project that included nine visits over a period of fifteen years. The many images he captured of markets, churches, artists, and people attending to their daily lives, gave reality to the stories he heard from his parents and fulfilled an unspoken commitment to his family legacy.
As most people who have lived a long while, John Mahtesian can look with amazement on the events of his life and the twists and turns that have shaped his journey. Although he began his commitment to learning and creating art in his early twenties, he didn't start taking photographs in a serious way until the age of 40.
Humans are addicted to judging others on their first impression. Humans will never read into the book, they just look at the cover. Many people, both fictional and nonfictional can not be judged until you study them. Someone who first appears to be only comic relief, could end up to be a very important character. Sir John Falstaff is but one of these people. Falstaff's righteousness hides under his vocalization. John Falstaff's character is hard to understand without analyzing his words. He loves to play games with his speech. Falstaff tricks his audience with complex words and phrases. Often John would win over his opponent by tricking them into saying things that they did not mean or getting them to think that he is not that bad. Falstaff said this in Part I act II scene IV. "... A question not to be asked. Shall the son of England prove a thief and take purses? A question to be asked. There is a thing, Harry, which thou hast often heard of, and it is known to many in our land by the name of pitch. This pitch, as ancient writers do report, doth defile; so doth the company thou keepest. For, Harry, now I do not speak to thee in drink, but in tears; not in pleasure, but in passion; not in words only, but in woes also; and yet there is a virtuous man whom I have often noted in thy company, but I know not his name." In this passage, the Prince and Fastaff trade places in speech and try to make the other look dumb. Fastaff later goes on to say that this wonderful person that the King is talking about. The way Falstaff does this proves him to be very keen. He proves that even though he may look dumb, he will still put up a good fight. Falstaff is very bold about his thoughts and opinions. He stands out because he is not afraid to think his own way. While most people agree, because of the other people around them, Falstaff chooses to make his own decisions and think for himself. This is proven when Falstaff and the prince switch places in a verbal fight. Every one else in the book thinks of the Prince as a perfect young man because he is the prince, however Falstaff is too smart for this, he points out that the prince is a thief.
Turner’s Syndrome, which is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities, is defined as “a syndrome with a chromosome count of 45 and only one X chromosome.” Turner’s was first described in 1938. Henry Turner, an endocrinologist from Oklahoma City, was the first to discover this syndrome. He was curious about why seven of his female patients, six adolescents and one adult, who he was treating for dwarfism and lack of development, were not responding to the treatments. He described the women as not matured, with short necks and low hairlines in the back, and an increased angle at which the elbow was bent. After many tests, the results showed that all of the women were missing an X chromosome.
Turner’s syndrome is a genetic conditions that affects the female’s sex chromosome. In (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001417/) Turner’s syndrome occurs when cells are missing all or part of an X chromosome. It’s common of the female patient to only have one X chromosome. Although, some individuals may have two X chromosomes but one is defective. It is thought that an estimated 1 out of 2000-2500 females suffer from this genetic condition worldwide but it’s usually females with this condition don’t survive their birth. Due to this abnormality, the genes that is defective “affect the growth and sexual development of the female” (http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/whataregd/turner/). However other disabilities and delays do occur even though these traits can vary case by case.
In The Photographer’s Eyes, John Szarkowski focused on issues that encompass the art of photography. The five issues are: The Thing Itself, The Detail, The Frame, Time, and the Vantage Point. “These issues do not define discrete categories of work; on the contrary they should be regarded as interdependent aspects of a single problem…”
Most photographers have a statement in mind and look for a picture that expresses it. Erwitt observes what life wants to say and then records it so others can hear. For me this is what photography is about. I believe a scene should inspire you not be staged. Like Erwitt’s work I try to take pic...
A disease that results from a change to an individual's DNA is classified as a genetic disorder. The change can be very small such as a single mutation in a particular gene or complex like the addition or removal of a complete chromosome. An instance of a genetic disorder that affects a particular gene is Marfan syndrome. Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder which alters the connective tissue in the body (Frey R, Sims J, 2010). Individuals with this disorder are affected in multiple areas because connective tissue is present all through the body. It is common for affected individuals to show irregularities in their eyes, circulatory system, skin, lungs, and musculoskeletal system (Frey R, Lutwick L, 2009).
Turner syndrome occurs in approximately one in every 2,000 female births (Overview par. 1). Every one in 2,000 girls born may not seem like a great deal, but adds up to be eventually. No matter how many girls have Turner syndrome, they all face challenges because of the chromosomal disease. The syndrome was first discovered in 1938 when Henry Turner published a book about seven girls who shared unique features. The exceptional features included, “short stature, lack of sexual development, cubitus valgus (arms turning out slightly at the elbow), webbing neck, and a low hairline in the back” (Davenport 3). Not all girls with Turner syndrome face the same exact problems, but a majority of them do. Short stature and non-working ovaries are the characteristics Turner’s guarantees. Turner syndrome is now defined as “a chromosomal condition that alters development in females” (Learning About Turner syndrome par. 1). The condition is not inherited, but is indeed genetic. Although girls with Turner syndrome may be more prone to various health issues, with love, support, and some minor accommodations, they can live their life with positivity and happiness.
The text combines fantasy and reality, and shows is an example of Nationalism as well as the supernatural. This piece is also an example of Sturm und Drang, which is an intentional emotionalism intended to shock the audience with its intense emotion. This term comes from Goethe.
The war on drugs and the violence that comes with it has always brought around a hot debate about drug legalization. The amount of violence that is associated with drugs is a result from harsher drug laws and prohibition.
Many feel today we are loosing the war on drugs. People consider legalization unnecessary. They feel that it will increase the amount of drug use throughout the world. They state that in many cases, drug users who have quit quit because of trouble with the law. Legalization would eliminate the legal forces that discourage the users from using or selling drugs. They also say that by making drugs legal, the people who have never tried drugs for fear of getting caught by the law will have no reason to be afraid anymore and will become users (Potter 1998).
Recreational drug use has been controversial for years. Government has deemed the use of certain drugs to be dangerous, addictive, costly, and fatal. Governmental agencies have passed laws to make drugs illegal and then have focused a great deal of attention and money trying to prohibit the use of these drugs, and many people support these sanctions because they view the illegality of drugs to be the main protection against the destruction of our society (Trebach, n.d.). Restricting behavior doesn’t generally stop people from engaging in that behavior; prohibition tends to result in people finding more creative ways to obtain and use drugs. However, just knowing that trying to control people’s behavior by criminalizing drug use does not work still leaves us looking for a solution, so what other options exist? This paper will discuss the pros and cons about one option: decriminalizing drugs.
“Williams Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2008. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. .
When McCandless first embarked on his journey, he believed that he needed to get rid of all his material possessions to get the most out of life. For example, in one of his first journal entries, McCandless wrote that he was better off experiencing the wild without camera because memories and experiences gave life meaning. From a Platonic perspective, cameras can only capture a fraction of reality and pictures are simply representations of a real event. By refusing to bring a camera, McCandless made a powerful and Platonic statement about materialism. Although materialism can often obscure the human perception ...
...omosomes or genetic/chromosomal disorders. The most common type of genetic or chromosomal disorder is Down Syndrome or trisomy 21 (Cherry, n.d.). The condition occurs when a child has three chromosomes at the site of the twenty-first chromosome rather than the normal two. Some of the most common signs of Down Syndrome include round face, thick tongue, slanted eyes, hearing problems, heart defects, and intellectual impairment.
Photojournalism plays a critical role in the way we capture and understand the reality of a particular moment in time. As a way of documenting history, the ability to create meaning through images contributes to a transparent media through exacting the truth of a moment. By capturing the surreal world and presenting it in a narrative that is relatable to its audience, allows the image to create a fair and accurate representation of reality.