amanda rivkin, photographer

Newsletter went out yesterday:

“BTC Pipeline” by Amanda Rivkin on Emphas.Is

Thirty days have passed since I began my efforts to raise $4,250 through the photojournalistic crowdfunding platform Emphas.Is to return to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline route this winter.  I am happy to announce that the goal is very much within reach and I have less than $500 to go until I meet my goal!

With crowdfunding, it is all or nothing – you meet or exceed your goal and get the money, or you fall short and you do not.  Therefore, it is imperative to keep the goal reasonable and even on the low side or risk not achieving anything.  For this reason, any additional funds beyond the stated goal will be used to expand the project and hopefully include some of the conflict zones that have helped to define the pipeline’s geography from Nagorno-Karabakh to South Ossetia and Abkhazia to Turkey’s internal conflict with its Kurdish other in the east.

Once called the most significant post-Cold War victory, BTC is the first pipeline to deliver oil and natural gas from a former Soviet Republic to the West whilst bypassing Russia and Iran.  Rewards for contributors include limited edition books and prints, so please know you will be rewarded as well!

Here is the project page:  “BTC Pipeline by Amanda Rivkin” on Emphas.Is

Direct Link: http://www.emphas.is/web/guest/discoverprojects?projectID=342

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The Economist: Eastern Approaches blog “Caspian Dreamin’”

Rounding out the past few weeks is a small feature I wrote for The Economist’s Eastern Approaches blog entitled, “Caspian Dreamin’” about two American Peace Corps volunteers and their viral hit song, “Baku State of Mind,” a parody version of the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys hit, “Empire State of Mind”. The duo was invited to try out to represent Azerbaijan next May at the Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Baku, and in a small update to The Economist blog, both ended up doing so together in the end, performing a rendition of Justin Bieber’s “Baby” for the four member judges panel at Ictimai Television Studios in Baku last week.

Here is The Economist story: “Caspian Dreamin’”

Here is the YouTube video: “Baku State of Mind”

Thank you as always for your support for my work! Look forward to updating you about my travels this coming winter along the BTC pipeline route!

Very warm regards from the Baku,

Amanda Rivkin

“BTC Pipeline” by Amanda Rivkin on Emphas.Is

Over one week has passed since I began my efforts to fundraise $4,250 to return to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline route this winter, once called the most significant post-Cold War victory as it is the first pipeline to deliver oil and natural gas from a former Soviet Republic to the West whilst bypassing Russia and Iran. At $1,750, I am nearing the halfway point of fundraising but have yet to raise $2,500, which means the goal is very well within reach but still in need of contributions. Rewards for contributors include limited edition books and prints, so please know you will be rewarded as well!

Here is the project page: “BTC Pipeline by Amanda Rivkin” on Emphas.Is
Direct Link: http://www.emphas.is/web/guest/discoverprojects?projectID=342

To make a contribution, even as little as $10 helps a profound amount, although more is certainly appreciated (and there is a menu of rewards on the top right to inshallah help guide your choices), scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Fund this project!” Then, if you are not already a member of the site, sign up and you will be directed to make a contribution through PayPal.

I cannot thank you enough now for your support! Please help contribute, share, and repost and all of the above if you can, as this is a project that has been close to my heart since I was a teenager and it is really a dream to be able to complete it with the support of friends, family, colleagues, and strangers.

Hope you find this project worthy of your support. Thank you, as always, for your interest in my work.

Warm regards from the Baku,

Amanda Rivkin

This is a pretty special newsletter for me concerning announcements. First, I have graduated from the Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service, which ends a two-year chapter of my life first in Washington, DC and then commuting between there and New York over the past year. While it was a fascinating educational experience, I am ready to move on to new projects and pastures.

As a photographer, my work grew as well over those two years, for me most notably last summer when I was a recipient of a National Geographic Young Explorers Grant which facilitated travel photographing the social and economic life along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline which delivers Caspian crude to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan by way of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

Recently, this work was published on the National Geographic website in a photo gallery entitled, “At Five Years, BTC Pipeline Moves Oil, Culture,” with accompanying text by Marianne Lavelle.

Lastly, the biggest bit of news. As a consequence of this work and my interest in the people, culture and history of Azerbaijan, I will be returning to Baku next year and call the city as a base as a Fulbright grant recipient in photography.

I should note I have also updated my website, www.amandarivkin.com, to reflect recent and recently published work such as the “Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline” and coverage of Rahm Emanuel’s recent mayoral run in a new gallery of “Chicago Politics“.

Until July 20, I will be in Chicago and available for assignments across the city. As always, thank you for your interest and attention to my work.

Warm regards,

Amanda Rivkin

Newsletter just went out:

Greetings!,

A round-up of recents publications and news from Amanda Rivkin, photographer to kick off the springtime – because what says rebirth like a look back in time:

AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 26

The American Photography 26 photo annual arrived recently, featuring photographic highlights from 2009 in photojournalism, fine art and commercial photography. Included is this image I took (at left) from January 29, 2009 of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in the Illinois State Capitol his final day in office for The New York Times:

More on American Photography 26 both on the AI-AP website and the amanda rivkin, photographer blog.

RAHM EMANUEL IS OUR NEW DALEY

On February 22, 2011, Chicago got a new mayor – a rare, once-in-a-generation event if someone named Daley was in power at the time of your birth, growth or development. For the first time in more than 21 years and after nearly half a century of Daley family-rule at the helm of Chicago politics, a new mayor was anointed: Rahm Emanuel. Receiving 55% of the vote, not quite the 120% figure that was floated on late night television talk shows roughly in line with only-in-the-third-world results, Emanuel avoided a run off and became the city’s first Jewish mayor with sweeping citywide margins (including 59% of the black vote).

View images from election day from Rahm Emanuel’s victory party at the plumbers’ union hall (also available in B+W) and former mayoral candidate/former (and the first and only black female) U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun vote on election day at PhotoShelter.

FORTNIGHT JOURNAL: THE CHICAGO WAY

Valentine’s Day 2011 – my valentine to the world: a 2,000 word literary essay on Chicago politics, appears in Brooklyn-based Fortnight Journal chronicling 21 years of life under Little Richie M. Daley in Chicago. Neatly presented in five sections are the five pillars of the Fifth Floor (the mayor’s executive suite) under the younger Daley: efficiency, cohesion, racial reconciliation, and the promulgation of both dynastic and tribal traditions.

Read it at Fortnight Journal.

NEW PHOTO JOURNAL BLOG

In an effort to get hip to the things the kids are up to and reach both people my own age with my images and commercial clients interested in the increasingly verité style of advertising, I have launched a new photo journal blog using the popular Tumblr format.

Visit the new photo journal Tumblr blog.

ADDITIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA NOTES

I am fond of saying I do not have to like the modern world, I just have to live in it. That said, this translates into social media relevancy (or irrelevancy). In any event, I am maintaining pages on both Facebook and Twitter these days for the Facebook-erati and the Twitterati. To my amazement, some of the literati have actually followed suite. Go figure. I can only promise you will never know what I ate for dinner.

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As always, thank you for your interest and attention to my work.

Warm regards,

Amanda Rivkin

Newsletter went out today, sadly, sigh, with a mistaken subject line that ought have read “Verve Photo / Holiday Print Sale / CHICAGO!” Hopefully the fact that it accidentally went out with the last newsletter subject line will not deter folks because this has some new images from Azerbaijan and Rahm Emanuel on the campaign trail for Chicago mayor that have not been seen before:

First off, happy holidays to one and all! Some recent news, updates and events…

VERVE PHOTO

Today on Verve Photo, Geoffrey Hiller’s popular photo industry blog, one of my images from my work following the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline route last summer is featured:

From the story behind the image:

“The group of people who took me to this beach were Bakuvian urban elites, a banker, a PhD student in Germany, among others who had professional jobs that ensured that when they went to the beach it was more private, less polluted and in turn more expensive. It was a strange site, the two groups representing the two Azerbaijans. The fact that many on this particular beach swam in clothing or underclothing was something that surprised the group I had traveled there with, reminding me of something one very affluent and sharp consultant to several local oligarchs, the sort of person who can survive under any regime, told me privately: ‘We have no idea how the rest of the country lives.’”

HOLIDAY PRINT SALE

The holiday print sale I began last month continues through the holiday season. For the awesomely low price of $75 each (or $50 for student), I am offering up 17 different prints to choose from as part of this sale. Of course, if you see something you like more on either my website or archive site, drop me a note at amanda.rivkin@gmail.com.

The extraordinarily low price is a one-time holiday season offering in an effort to see my work disseminated as widely as possible and find new audiences. I’ve been overwhelmed by the reception, with the prints being given as wedding gifts, housewarming presents and of course purchased by individuals interested in displaying the work in their own homes.

To order, please send an e-mail request to amanda.rivkin@gmail.com stating which print you are interested in and where to send it to. As I am a registered PayPal merchant, you can now pay by credit card as you would with any other electronic invoice. Ordering now means it should arrive in time for Christmas. And as always, thank you for your interest and support.

TRAVEL NOTES: CHICAGO – HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW (OR FARCE) ON EARTH

I am currently in Chicago through the new year and will be here as much as I can be until February 22, day of the Chicago mayoral election. As it is the first mayoral election in my hometown of any worth or significance since I was approximately five years old when the current mayor, Richard M. Daley, was elected “forever and ever,” I am learning much about multi-candidate elections in a one-party system. It’s quite the education in theatrics, chess, and bloodsports all in one.

Rahm Emanuel greets his supporters and poses for pictures at the opening of his first field office for his campaign for Chicago mayor on the South Side of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood on December 11, 2010.

Having expected the current mayor to be mayor for life, much like his father who ruled the city for 27 years, Daley’s decision not to seek reelection for mayor after 21 years in office prompted the floodgates of Chicago politics to open. Rahm Emanuel resigned from his post as White House Chief of Staff to come home, only to find his residency is being challenged – presenting a barrier to what was supposed to be a stage-managed entrance. Others have come out of the woodwork of Chicago politics as well, including former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to New Zealand Carol Moseley Braun, Congressman Danny Davis, and others with less national name recognition. It promises to be quite the show.

If you need a shooter on this or other stories in the Chicago area and Midwest vicinity (the car/ruckus mobile travels with me), don’t hesitate. My contact information is below.

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As always, thank you very much for your ongoing interest in my work.

Sincerely,

Amanda Rivkin

Another newsletter went out yesterday afternoon:

Greetings!

A short, personal note before I begin with the usual business. Thank you as always for your continued support of my work. It means a great amount to me these days as I have been struggling a lot to get my feet off the ground since moving to New York a few short months ago. The small gestures of support, kind words regarding my work, and print purchases have meant a great amount to me. Thank you.

I am holding an unprecedented holiday print sale in an effort to raise money for my upcoming trip to Hungary to cover the aftermath of the alumina industrial accident in the village of Ajka, which sent a flood of toxic red sludge pouring into the surrounding towns and countryside, marking the country’s worst ecological disaster.

For the awesomely low price of $75 each (or $50 for student), I am offering up 17 different prints to choose from as part of this sale. Of course, if you see something you like more, drop me a note at amanda.rivkin@gmail.com.

To order, please send an e-mail request to amanda.rivkin@gmail.com stating which print and where to send it to. As I am a registered PayPal merchant, you can now pay by credit card as you would with any other electronic invoice! The big advantage to ordering now is that your print will ship immediately after the Thanksgiving break, so please do not wait!

VIEW THE 17 PRINTS FOR $75 EACH

And thank you for your support!

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As I also noted in my last e-mail, two fellow Sarah Lawrence alums, Samantha Hinds and Adam Whitney Nichols, have combined forces (we do that) to produce the awesome Fortnight Journal. For my second bi-weekly contribution I wrote about “The Moment” I photographed as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan threw a book from a campaign bus that landed squarely on my head.

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Lastly, some brief upcoming travel notes.

I will be in Hungary from November 18-29 covering the aftermath of the industrial accident in Ajka.

After I return, I will be traveling to Chicago for much of the month (Dec. 10-30) in an effort to cover as much as I can of the Chicago special mayoral election. For editors familiar with my work covering Obama and Blagojevich, I hope this is an opportunity not just for me but for you to share work with your readers that reflects a scope of understanding of not just the story but the political environment. With the election date set for February 22, my goal is to be available for Chicago assignments in this time frame as well.

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As always, thank you very much for your ongoing interest in my work.

Sincerely,

Amanda Rivkin

Newsletter went out yesterday afternoon:

Greetings!

I would like to announce a holiday print sale of a select series of 17 prints for $75 each. Every print is from a 6 x 10 inch file and is printed on 8 x 10 inch paper and students who order from a .edu e-mail account receive a discounted price of $50.

The holiday print sale is to fundraise for my upcoming trip to Hungary to cover the aftermath of the alumina industrial accident in Ajka that sent toxic red sludge pouring into neighboring villages when an industrial reservoir ruptured.

VIEW THE 17 PRINTS FOR $75
to order: send a request that specifies which print and includes your name and mailing address to amanda.rivkin@gmail.com.

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Two of my fellow Sarah Lawrence alums, Samantha Hinds and Adam Whitney Nichols, launched Fortnight Journal an online literary journal of art, prose and contemporary culture.

VIEW SLOVENSKO FOR FORTNIGHT JOURNAL
to see my first of six contributions.

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The New York Times Lens Blog “Turning Point” series concluded last week after showcasing interviews, original work and photographs both classical and obscure that have served as a source of inspiration for 13 young emerging photojournalists. In alphabetical order, I thank them and Lens blog editor Jim Estrin and contributor Kerri MacDonald for their efforts on this 13-week collaboration that began last spring. They are:

Mustafah Abdulaziz
Robert Caplin
Matt Eich
Maja Hitij
Kirsten Luce
Aga Luczakowska
Justin Maxon
Ayman Oghanna
Ed Ou
Yana Paskova
Amanda Rivkin
Newsha Tavakolian
Peter van Agtmael

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Last but not least, the Georgetown Student Exhibit at FotoWeek DC opens this Saturday from 5-7pm. The exhibit is on view at Walsh Building 2F, 36th & Prospect NW in Georgetown, Washington DC from November 6-13. I will have work from Azerbaijan included in the exhibit.

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Thank you very much for your ongoing interest in my work.

Sincerely,

Amanda Rivkin
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amanda rivkin, photographer
www.amandarivkin.com

currently in new york city.

Newsletter went out Friday:

Greetings!

Recently, Chicago Mayor Daley for life announced his resignation and said he would not be running for reelection next year. What happens when a “Mayor for Life” retires? A short retrospective of images from the last few years of his tenure in office looks at Mayor Richard M. Daley’s legacy on the city of Chicago, and more broadly national politics and the Obama administration.
- Gallery available on the Amanda Rivkin PhotoShelter archive.

I have also launched a blog as many people have recommended that they prefer to see news and updates easiest in blog format. Without further ado, you can sign up for alerts, peruse past stories and articles, see new tearsheets, find out about ongoing projects and receive releases about work as it is published, among other cool things.
- Blog available at amandarivkin.wordpress.com.

The New York Times Lens Blog “Turning Point” series continues in its sixth week with Iranian photographer Newsha Tavakolian on her own work and work by Shah Naser al-Din (1848-1896) that inspired her. Previous Lens blog “Turning Point” series have been devoted to fellow young photographers Amanda Rivkin, Aga Luczakowska, Robert Caplin, Yana Paskova and Ayman Oghanna.

Recently the photo essay “Cuba: Semper Fidel” received an Honorable Mention in the photo essay category at the Lucie Foundation International Photography Awards.

Finally, The Slovak Spectator is preparing to launch the 2010 Spectacular Slovakia Guide with original images and text by Amanda Rivkin on Tuesday September 13, 2010.
- To order online after September 13, 2010: travel.spectator.sk
- Or e-mail Dasa Rehakova (in charge of circulation and distribution) at dasa.rehakova@spectator.sk

Thank you very much for your ongoing interest in my work.

Sincerely,

Amanda Rivkin
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amanda rivkin, photographer
www.amandarivkin.com

currently in new york city.