Be a giver today, not a taker.

Bear with me a bit, the title will make sense if you read on. I know, I know,
I HATE long blog entries as well... that said read on!


I continue to be humbled at the response to my stop-action video work over this past year.  My Bottled Water Video went viral after a few key blogs picked it up and most recently my Day in the Life video continues to surprise me with the interest it garners. 


Today Google Alerts has alerted me that I am featured on a blog in Dubai,
Gulf Photo Plus, alongside a very worthwhile piece about Haiti (the big picture), the new YouTube channel by photographer Nadav Kander and The Carmignac Gestion Photojournalism Prize 0f 2009. wtf?



by UN photographer Logan Abassi/MINUSTAH 



Photo: Kai Wiedenhofer



video: Nadav Kander in collaboration with the Royal College of Art, London 2009


A Day in the Life, James Worrell


I am actually a bit stunned by this, and I immediately want to say it is some mistake, my impostor syndrome kicks into high gear.  What has happened to the nation of Haiti is almost beyond what my small, western, ego-centric, materialistic, yet Buddha influenced brain can grasp. And it reminds me today to once again ask our photo community to give, to help and to pray (call it what you will... meditate, visualize, chant, etc) They need more than money but money is certainly one thing they need. 


One of my favorite charities that tends to cut through the BS and get things done is MSF/Doctors without Borders.  Haiti doesn't need a finicky still-life photographer mucking about but they do need MSF.







I think all any of us can hope to do is to take care of ourselves, our families, our communities, and do good work... and today, be a giver, not a taker.