I didn't mean to tell you... But...

Last sprint before the end of my Master's. I should submit my critical report in one week and the finalize version of my book in two. Everything would be fine if I didn't have to take a few last pictures and if I was not completely exhausted. Unfortunately, it is not going to improve, as I also will have to start my check-out. If only I could go to South East Asia right after, to empty my head and fill it with internal silence.27 October 2011: Darfuri women learning about food processing in Abu Shouk Women Center. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Dancing Behind My Eyelids

A close friend asked me today what would be the first thing I would do at my arrival in Switzerland. I didn't really know what to answer. Nothing satisfying came to my mind.Hug my family, take a bath, see my friends and celebrate with them, buy and read books, enjoy early breakfast in a cafe while reading the news, go skiing and then what? Then what?Tonight, exhausted, in my inner world and trying to work on my final report, I suddenly realized that I now consider life in Switzerland as something exotic.20 October 2011: Darfuris waiting for the arrival of a delegation of Special Envoys to Sudan. Mukjar, West Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Life

From a 5 star hotel to a remote village in West Darfur, I spent the last three days following and covering the visit of UNAMID Joint Special Representative and Ambassadors, shooting from dawn to dusk (sometimes later).I'm not exactly sure of how my life will be in a few months, but I'm sure that the excitation of taking photographs in Darfur, speaking with Darfuris, running with all my gear on my back to an APC or flying over majestic places in an helicopter is not going to disappear quickly. Life ...Now, I hope to get the final authorizations and to be able to finish my final project quickly.20 October 2011: UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, reading and correcting documents, while flying from El Geneina to Mukjar, West Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Everything will be fine

Due to some recent incidents, my big project is not progressing as much as I would like to. And although I was supposed to be in Switzerland, celebrating the wedding of a close friend, I'm stuck in Sudan. By chance, after one month in El Fasher, working on different photo assignments, I've been sent to Khartoum for two days. At least, it gives me some time and space for pampering in a nice hotel. Next stop... Switzerland. In 6 weeks... Inch'allah.09 October 2011: A classroom in Abu Shouk IDP camp. Schoolboys and girls seat on the floor, on a thin carpet and can be up to 100 per class. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

iThoughts

Steve Jobs is dead. He was one of the most successful business man in the world, had amazing presentation skills (have a look at his keynotes, if you don't believe me) and influenced the life of many with his computers, iPod, iPhone and iPad.I understand that even people who didn't know him personally can feel affected (like people did when Princess Diana died). But I am not sure to share the massive hysteria, tears, candles and other "iGod is dead". I watched few months ago his speech at Stanford University and like it. It was inspiring but with his death, it took another dimension.We are frequently told to study hard to have a good job. To work hard to have a good career. To find a spouse to have children with. And then what? We can die with the satisfaction of having children and money? Maybe Steve Jobs's message is to focus on the satisfaction and pleasure of building, rather than on the pleasure of admiring what we built. Focusing on the journey rather than on the final destination.Or maybe we want to believe he was a bright wise man, when he was just an amazing seller. Maybe ...September 2011: A cow about to be slaughtered in Abu Shouk IDP camp, North Darfur.[Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Step by Step

After a long long week waiting, I finally got the authorization needed to continue my projet. There is a lot of work ahead, but it's a good step. May the coming days be as productive ...03 October 2011: Mohamed Ishad, 27 years old. He left his village in Jebel Marra and his studies of the Holy Coran to come to Abu Shouk IDP camp. He now has his own shop, where he sells shoes. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

...

A Tight Spot [To the Victor - The Spoils!] by Flashman (with Fred Deakin, member of Lemon Jelly)27 September 2011: Vendor in Abu Shouk IDP camp, North Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Daily life

18 September 2011: Mahedin, 18 years old, butcher. Knowing how to slaughter and dismember goats and cows, he decided to try with camels and is now one of the two only butchers killing and preparing camel's meat in the IDP camp he lives. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Rehab

After almost three months shooting mostly meetings, resulting in a serious lack of inspiration and creativity, I'm back to the field with a very exciting project. It's quite challenging, sometime frustrating when I can not get what I want, but it's a real pleasure to shoot again and to try to present something different. Final result in a few short months.20 September 2011: Ahmedhay Ahmed, 25 years old, farmer in North Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

New website

First of all, I finally spent some time to improve and rearrange my website. I now officially have my domain name olivierchassot.com and it should be a bit easier to follow my work. Moreover, although I like zenfolio, I started to be seriously annoyed to have their banner squatting my website. So hopefully everything should be fine now. If not, please let me know.Then, Perpignan'side effects are still affecting me and I feel more motivated than ever to take photographs, push my limits and to hopefully capture something different to present for my Master's. Once again, I miss a bookstore to spend some time looking for inspiration.13 September 2011: Abu Shouk Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.[Click on the picture to enlarge it].And finally, after a bit more than two weeks with my new Macbook Air 11 inches, I can confirm that it is a great laptop, especially for people frequently traveling and who need a light, small but still powerful and ergonomically usable computer (once you've started working with a Macbook Pro or a Magic mouse, it is impossible to return to a Netbook's touchpad). Of course, a Macbook Pro 15 inches is way more confortable to write documents or process pictures. But you can not have everything and, compare to a MBA, a MBP becomes VERY bulky and heavy. So my MBA will spend some time in my bag while my MBP will enjoy a bit more my desk(s).15 September 2011: Slaughterhouse, Abu Shouk Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

New project

“This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. If you don’t have enough time, stop watching tv. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop, they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often, getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come ones, seize them. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them so go out and start creating. Life is short. Life your dream and share your passion.”by Holstee11 September 2011: Mustafa Osman, 31, from Malam, North Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].11 September 2011: Adam Ahmed Abdallah, 59, from barakallah, North Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].10 years ago, I was in Singapore, trying to find out if the images on TV were real or a bad movie.3 years ago, I was flying to Sudan, trying to find out if Darfur could be a new chapter in my life.Today, I'm starting my last big photo project in Darfur, trying to find out what is coming next.

Visa

I attended, for the second time, Visa pour l'Image in Perpignan (South France). After a few weeks (if not months) very poor in term of images and an up and down mood, my inspiration and creativity were a bit low. Visa 2011 has been a massive electroshock. Great exhibitions, excellent projections in the evening and interesting discussions with other photographers till late at night, I'm flying back to Darfur with a few fresh ideas in mind. Shame I will only have about 3 months to realize them (as I won't extend my contract after December 2011). However, I feel it is time for me to move on, to bear new challenges and to open myself up to new experiences/horizons.Difficult not to mention every photographers I got the chance to see the work of but I particularly like the the work of Alvaro Ybarra Zavala and his excellent book Apocalipsis, Lu Nan in mental hospital in China and Fernando Moleres's exhibition on African Children in Prison.Inspiring and sometime very frustrating, when e.g. discovering the talent of Ed Ou, a young (24) and already (too :-)) talented Canadian photographer.22 August 2011: A Nepalese doctor checks the eyes of a Darfurian boy, during a free medical consultation provided by UNAMID to the population of Shangil Tobaya, North Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Life in Black

Blablabla. I want a room, somewhere in the world, to put all my books and my pictures. A room with a mattress on the floor and bookshelves. Even if I am never there.19 July 2011: Amina Usman, 18 years old, in Zamzam IDP camp, North Darfur. Amina sells charcoal everyday in El Fasher. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Contemplating

10 July 2011: A habitant of Sehjana village, North Darfur, during a meeting with UNAMID, UNHCR and other NGOs, to discuss the possible return of about 800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kabkabya to Kutum. The rainy season has started and the reason and condition of their possible return still raise many questions. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Saturday Morning Thoughts

I have been a bit more geek lately and spent more time playing with my computer at night. I don't know if it worths sharing it but I'll let you judge:The movie industry has put in place restrictions to make sure you can not easily read in Europe a DVD bought in the US (and vice-versa). They mostly want to make sure they don't kill movie theaters by allowing customer to buy abroad movies that haven't been presented yet. Therefore, they introduced the notion of zone. The world is separated in height zones and you can only change zone five times before having your dvd player locked to the last zone used. It makes sense if you live in Europe but if you're traveling a lot or live in a country without movie theater but with people from all other the world, it's a bit problematic. For Macbook Pro users, the solution is quite easy. You just need to check if your DVD drive is zone free (RPC-1). If not, then just update your DVD firmware. Finally, use Region X to reset the zone counter. If you don't want to do it, you can either stop watching DVD, buy one laptop per zone or be a bad guy and only watch pirate movies (divx). But don't hold me responsible for anything.05 July 2011: A Darfurian internally displaced person (IDP) gives water to her cattle at Zamzam water point, North Darfur, Sudan. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].Finally, I have been testing the new google+ social network. Most of my friends and acquaintance are still not registered so it's difficult to have a final opinion but I particularly like the way the privacy settings are defined. The notion of circle is not different with the notion of limited profile on Facebook but is way more intuitive and you don't need a PhD from Facebook University to understand all the options (or simply to find them). Wait and see ...

In a Geek World

Tonight, I'm buying music on iTune using my iPod touch connected to an anonymous network (TOR, a second-generation onion routing) through a protected wifi connection shared by my Macbook Pro and its 3G modem. Yeah... I am a bit geek sometime.05 July 2011: Darfurian workers preparing cole bags in Zamzam internally displaced person (IDP) camp, North Darfur. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].Speaking about geek, I strongly recommend Dropbox and Chrome. If you have or work on more than one computer, Dropox will allow you to share your files automatically . And as they are kept both online and locally, you won't have problems working if you don't have an internet access. Regarding Chrome, it provides the same functionalities than any browser like Safari, Firefox or IE but allow you to automatically synchronized your bookmark, saved passwords and other auto-fill. Again, if you work with more than one computer... it's really neat.

Invasion or The Return of "Le Perv"

Today, the first miniscule blue helmet invaded Sudan. We still do know how many they are and their intentions but it should be fun :-)

03 July 2011: A miniscule blue helmet protects the United Nations - African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) camp in El Fasher, North Darfur.

Meanwhile, it is funny to observe that, although the case is not even closed, half of the French population thinks that Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) should resume his political career. Or that many French politicians consider he will play an important role in the battle of the presidential elections of 2012.

I respect the influent economist he is, but I am not sure I would like to have him representing my country. A socialist paying five million dollars guarantee deposit, 50,000 dollars a month for his house, crucified in the international press and with a strong reputation of womanizer (in addition to an accusation of rape)? Not exactly what I would call a positive image for the country.

In the U.S., a few pictures in underwear cost former congressman Anthony Weiner his seat. In France, even an alleged rape and heavy past do not seem to be not enough to stop a politician's career ...

Call home

Although I would prefer to be in the field, working more in contact with Darfuris, I am a bit stuck in Khartoum, covering a conference. But sometimes, while looking for something different to photograph, nice surprises appear...29 June 2011: Speaker during the Darfur International Conference on Water, in Khartoum, Sudan. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Music in my eyes

Few days ago, in a jazz club in Zurich, I suddenly realized I would love to take picture of a band. I realized how much I miss music and photographing something different than life in Darfur and activities of the Mission. It seems I was heard as I had to cover today a dinner where a live band was playing some great music. 27 June 2011: Concert of Omar Ihsas, famous Sudanese singer, in Khartoum, at the first day of the Darfur International Conference on Water. Seeking $1.5 billion for a six-year series of projects, the Darfur International Conference on Water for Sustainable Peace aims to contribute to peace and reconciliation through the restoration and equitable use of Darfur’s natural resources. [Click on the picture to enlarge it].

Last but very not least ... Simon Green, bass

Few years ago, taking an airplane was, in my mind, associated with the notion of travel and packing was a part of the process, one of the last step before discovering a new place. Something exciting.Today, packing became part of a boring ritual. The content of my bag is always the same and, on the way back, packing only consists in trying to squeeze food and books between my clothes. No excitement, just an automatic process, my mind floating somewhere else.If I'm with some friends, it's ok. But usually, I'm alone, left with space to think. Some time to kill, alone, downloading a last album, watching a movie, eating or drinking for the last time  what I won't be able to touch for weeks or months (and although I am already full). Hours in an hotel room, an airport terminal, train, waiting...Thinking about me having spent a few days in Switzerland is always like thinking about an half empty glass. Or is it an half full one?17 June 2011: A., Zurich, Switzerland. The next two pictures were way better. But my iPhone crashed while processing them and deleted them... grrr!If walking in an airport was a soundtrack, it would be Bonobo, Live at Koko (example). May God bless Bose and its QC 15