I love photos from concerts, shows and plays, and I’ve done some concerts (here and here, for example). However, since university I know I have to improve my skills in order to have a bigger variety of great shots in these cases – changing lights and fast movements are still a challenge for me (hopefully, I’ll be working on it soon).

In Buenos Aires, last August, we’ve been at the traditional Cafe Tortoni – a place with a wonderful atmosphere for having a churros con chocolate, or even a simple coffee. They also have tango shows, not so pompous as other venues in Buenos Aires, but we decided to have a go there. It was really nice, but I couldn’t avoid releasing the shutter lots of times (oh, Gosh, what a shame!).

Honestly, I haven’t looked at those photos carefully yet, but I had the most recent film from my Lomo developed some weeks ago!  I hadn’t many hopes that I could get any shot from the tango show with such a simple camera and film… But at least one of them (below) impressed me.

Tango show at the traditional Cafe Tortoni, Buenos Aires (Argentina), August, 2011. Camera: Lomo Action Sampler - Photos: Melissa Becker

Tango show at Cafe Tortoni, Buenos Aires (Argentina), August, 2011. Camera: Lomo Action Sampler

Dancer at the Cafe Tortoni's tango show, Buenos Aires (Argentina), August, 2011. Camera: Lomo Action Sampler

x

* UPDATE: Just uploaded a second photo of After the Dream (2011), by Chiharu Shiota, in order to show better a detail of this impressive work (second photo below).

Related post:

> Lost in Lace (1) – Inverted Crystal Cathedral

After the Dream (2011), by Chiharu Shiota - Photo: Melissa Becker

Detail of After the Dream (2011), by Chiharu Shiota - Photo: Melissa Becker

A thin line between space and matter (2011), by Tamar Frank

'Moucharabieh' and 'Jardin de lit, lit de jardin' (2010), by Annie Bascoul

(It reminded an “inverted Sagrada Familia”, made with chains, I’ve seen at La Pedrera, in Barcelona)

Inverted Crystal Cathedral, by Atelier Manferdini, at the Gas Hall (Birmingham) - Photos: Melissa Becker

1,000 strands were used in the Inverted Crystal Cathedral

Works by 20 international artists are on display at the Gas Hall

The sparkling cables are captivating!

Concrete and fantasy, German Market, Birmingham (December 2011) - Photo: Melissa Becker

I submitted this vertical photo to an interesting new projet called Birmingham {Viewpoint}, launched by Pete Sloan. The first subject was the German Market – one of the main attractions in Birmingham and one of the main Christmas Market in England. I had already seen the event in 2010, but haven’t taken photos (only for fun, with my classmates). I was already planning to take some shots there when I found out about the project by Twitter.

When I got in the Victoria Square, I felt that I should take pictures showing the usual “elements” of it (as the Queen Victoria statue and the Iron Man), showing them a little bit “lost” among all that lovely stalls, sparkling decoration and fun fair attractions (more of this series you can check here, on my Flickr account). Most of these photos don’t show exactly how charming the German Market actually is – because, obviously, I wasn’t my goal -, but that’s one of the nice things on photography, in my opinion: you could look twice and have different views.

> Check the result of the Birmingham {Viewpoint}’s first subject here – nice photos, different views!

Imperial War Museum North, Manchester (UK) - Photo: Melissa Becker

I headed north this week for a visit to the Imperial War Museum North, in Manchester – specially, to see the exhibition War Correspondent – Reporting Under Fire Since 1914 (ends 2nd January!). The unbelievable wind didn’t allow me to take more photos of the impressive building designed by Daniel Libeskind.

More pictures on my Flickr account.

Related post:

> Details of the Imperial War Museum (London)

Getting used to photograph with my camera again (well, we were apart for almost 8 months!), I took some shots today during the public sector march in Birmingham city centre against changes in pensions (more here).

As a beginner in the UK, I am taking a look at codes, guides, tips, stylebooks – topics we learn in the first years at university, but how do they change when you move away from your country? Obviously, good practice of journalism has universal standards in rights and duties – press freedom, accuracy etc. But Brazil might have different laws or approaches on certain issues thanks to previous cases or even cultural differences, for example (use of language is a topic for another post). So I’m keen to find out how it works in the UK.

Here there are some sources I’ve been taking a look:

> Code of Conduct, National Union of Journalists

> Editor’s Code of Practice, Press Complaints Commission

> Freelance Fees Guide (with general advice for all freelances as well)

Do you have any suggestion? Which other resource would you recommend? Please, leave a comment in order to improve this list. Thanks!

Carlos Ramirez Pala no Campeonato Mundial de Ginástica de Trampolim - Photo: Melissa Becker

>Após queda no Pan, brasileiro disputa Mundial de ginástica de trampolim

Matéria para o Terra sobre a volta do ginasta Carlos Ramirez Pala às competições menos de um mês após sua queda no Pan de Guadalajara, no 28º Campeonato Mundial de Ginástica de Trampolim, em Birmingham (UK).

Na quinta-feira, durante o mundial, a segunda apresentação de Ramirez arrancou aplausos – dos integrantes da selecao masculina, foi o melhor colocado.

A seleção brasileira na modalidade tentou sua classificação, pela primeira vez, para as Olimpíadas – update: Giovanna Venetiglio se classificou para o Pré-Olímpico de janeiro, que dará cinco vagas para os jogos de Londres.

Revista Emergência, Novembro de 2011

> Reportagem de capa da edição de novembro de 2011 da Revista Emergência sobre plano de abandono (via Cartola Agência de Conteúdo). Leia parte da matéria aqui.

Especialistas chamam a atenção para a falta de uma legislação federal específica sobre esse plano, dão sugestões de quais normas e orientações devem ser seguidas para a adoção dessa medida de forma eficiente e ressaltam a importância do treinamento para um abandono seguro. Nos Estados Unidos, as crianças aprendem o procedimento ainda na escola.

Além disso, conversei com os responsáveis pelo plano de abandono das empresas Allianz Seguros, em São Paulo, e Central Nuclear Almirante Álvaro Alberto, em Angra dos Reis, sobre como os funcionários se preparam para uma eventual evacuação do local.

A Cartola Conteúdo assina a cada dois meses a reportagem de capa da Revista Emergência – publicação de circulação nacional especializada nas áreas de proteção contra incêndio, emergências químicas, atendimento pré-hospitalar e defesa civil.

[ Feature about escape plan for a national trade publication called Revista Emergência, for the emergency and safety sector ]

Matéria publicada no Terra em 4 de setembro de 2011, dentro do especial do site sobre os Dez Anos do 11/9. Entrevistei a Dra. Basia Spalek por e-mail, desde o Brasil, sobre o estudo que ela desenvolveu na Universidade de Birmingham ao lado de outros pesquisadores sobre o trabalho da polícia contraterrorista nas comunidades, entrevistando diferentes atores – de policiais a líderes comunitários, além de jovens. A pesquisa aponta mais as soluções do que os problemas, sublinhando fortemente que a parceria e a transparência entre a polícia e a comunidade é uma das formas mais indicadas para conter o crescimento do terrorismo “dentro de casa”. Mais sobre o estudo aqui.