Our reader Ivar (Thanks!) sent me this:
Magnum Photographer Thomas Dworzak Shoot’s the DMZ in South Korea with the Panasonic GX-7 and GH-3 great to watch a pro making great photo’s and see how he works. There also one where he is exploring the gaming industry and technology of South Korea:
13 Responses
Hard to take the first video seriously if the author merely views the situation – two Koreas, DMZ, etc. – from only one side and one perspective. Visiting the DMZ from both sides offers very different experiences with, I believe, visiting from the North being more relaxed and informative, whether or not one agrees with the politics of the government. A proper visit would include the renovated War (“Victory”) Museum in nearby Pyongyang. If the author, who seems to have good credentials, had really been thinking about this sort of tour/project for a long time, experiencing both sides would seem to have been a necessary no-brainer.
meh. is this the Foreign Affairs magazine blog ? no … it’s mft scuttlebutt. relax.
Western media struggles to not to promote anything but bad news from the countries of opposition. “Bad guys” such as North Koreans and Russians are set, to give the public a target to throw creampies to, to distract the attentions drawn to domestic problems. Photography-wise, the shots shown in the videos are just so-so-la-la.
You know so much, then why don’t you show us how to do it then?
everybody has to be an armchair critic. He covered one side, that’s not enough? Like it’s just SO easy to get in to the north AND film and shoot too.
Please….
“Please…” Sure; happy to oblige. I’ve been to the North five times filming all kinds of things, including the Pyongyang Marathon last month, the big military parade with new missiles, etc., closeup in July 2013. As of five minutes ago, that video has 33,851 hits on YouTube. I’ve filmed in schools, pig farms, student performances, countryside, including the DMZ and Panmunjum referenced in the video. I’ve been on the US Pueblo three times and have spent a lot of time outside of PY, such as in Nampo, Sariwon, Wonsan, Hueju, Kumgang, Pyongsang, etc. Anyone can go to North Korea except South Koreans. Known journalists go through higher level restrictions. All that’s needed is a photo of the title page of your passport. Travel to the DMZ is much less restrictive from the north and I wasn’t restricted to what photos I could take like I was on the southern side.
Hearing the perspectives from both sides of that conflict is important. That was my point. I would also agree with a couple of others about the video itself.
Edit: That should be USS Pueblo.
Note: I wouldn’t have written my initial post if I hadn’t already done it myself.
the pics in the video … he should use a handy for that stuff. its awful. magnum … laughing my ass off.
Same thoughts from here, the shots are just not that good.
Started seeing the first video and the pictures taken with the M43 gear seem muted and lifeless…
This is pretty old news. (Not that it’s uninteresting, but…) Dworzak and fellow Magnum photographer Ian Berry were signed on by Panasonic two years ago, which is when these videos were shot. I saw a similar Panasonic-filled video – also shot in Korea in 2013 – with Magnum photog David Alan Harvey. Harvey shoots Leica and Nikon much of the time, though he also has and uses (used?) a GF1 with 20mm lens.
You can see Dworzak gently shilling for the GX7 in this September 2013 video, which contains snippets from the Korea video:
https://youtu.be/kf5zLak2Tjo?list=PLKgPL3gRr6SUBI7xm3JsgnWQId3vwCWLC
Thomas Dworzak is there to promote South Korea as he and all the other Magnum photographers who feature in Arirang video’s are being paid by Arirang to promote South Korea. Dworzak is not paid to promote north Korea so why bother going there.
Why I referred to this video is to show how a photographer works with panasonic camera’s in a professional manner. (Getting paid to take photograph’s) As he is being paid to promote Panasonic camera’s no doubt!
From a journalistic perspective he should offcourse also document the DMZ from the north.
From Arirang website:
“Arirang TV/Radio is dedicated to the development of broadcasting, media,
and the advertising industry, along with the advancement of culture and
art. Arirang’s core business is to deliver programs worldwide via
satellite 24 hours a day in order to improve the image of Korea”.
I hope that makes it clear why he was in the south and not in the north.
So please just enjoy the video for what it is.
“So please just enjoy the video for what it is.” A promo with ZERO journalistic value. Apple’s logo blurred and Lumix brand perfectly seen here and there. GX7 always hanging on the neck. Mirrorless hype “I can reach any angle”, “the smaller the better”, etc sorry if this are not the same words, I saw the video long time ago. IMHO this is pure garbage. I have 3 panasonic cameras and 9 m43 lenses, I love the system I just hate Magnum, Leica, Bresson and all that hype based on people’s pain. I don’t like any of business around war and misery.
he is robin wong panasonic version. it’s commercial..
And you can see his guide use an X100 which is a great camera.