National Geographic | December 2009 issue, US Edition

At long last I have just received the complimentary copy of National Geographic magazine, December 2009 issue for US Edition that publishes my picture in its special Your Shot section themed People. I only received it after National Geographic mailed me the copy for the second time. The first time has never reached me. I suspect it must have been lost in transit.

Many thanks to National Geographic for publishing my photo and for the complimentary copy.

Unfortunately you won’t find the special Your Shot | People section in Malaysian edition and Asian edition since the demand is not that strong to warrant the advertisement page printed on the back of each of the special Your Shot section.

Please check out this link for context.

National Geographic December 2009 | US Edition

The original picture

My picture made it to National Geographic magazine

Descending the steps

I blogged before that the picture of mine above was selected to be in Daily Dozen in National Geographic website. I was delighted then as any picture made it to Daily Dozen was selected among thousands of pictures submitted daily or so was claimed by National Geographic.

Subsequently I received an email from one of the National Geographic editors confirming that my picture was chosen to be published in Your Shot page in National Geographic magazine December 2009 issue.

I was ecstatic! Having my picture published in National Geographic magazine is a dream come true to me. I believe it is the same for most of the photographers.

The research editor just asked me to confirm all the details and the caption.  She also would like to know how I got that picture and my photography background and experience. After exchanging a couple of emails she confirmed that my picture would appear in December issue in Your Shot section under People theme.

Unfortunately the extended page of Your Shot section which is a special feature for December issue is only available in the US and Europe market. According to National Geographic the demand in Malaysia is not strong enough to warrant printing extra pages for the Your Shot section. How sad.

And more unfortunately up until todate I have yet to receive the complimentary copy of US Version December issue which National Geographic confirmed it mailed to me at the end of November. However rest assured my story is not a sad ending one.

I am glad that National Geographic promised that it will send the copy again and I will show you the copy with my picture in it once I receive it.

In the meantime I found the video shot of each page of the US Version December issue and I was overjoyed again as I found my picture in it – Your Shot section with People theme.

Below is the video grab of the page. You can access the video shot here.

Video grab of pages of National Geographic December 2009 issue

My picture in Daily Dozen, National Geographic’s Your Shot

Descending the step

I feel like sharing with you that my picture above was selected to be in the Daily Dozen in National Geographic website, Your Shot section.

Among the pictures submitted to Your Shot section in National Geographic website, 12 best pictures are chosen every weekday and from the pool of pictures for the whole month and the best two are selected to be printed in National Geographic magazine in the Your Shot section.

Below is the screen shot of my picture in National Geographic website in Your Shot Daily Dozen. It appeared in August – Week 2. Click here to go to Your Shot Daily Dozen and choose August Week 2 to get to the page below.

National Geographic's Your Shot Daily Dozen for August | week 2

Photo Tips by National Geographic

National Geographic Magazine is well known to be one of the magazines that appreciates the quality of photography besides its informative and enlightening articles in promoting and expanding the geographic knowledge. Its staff photographers as well as its assigned contract photographers are considered the best photographers in the world who are always looked up to by other photographers worldwide.

Names like Jodi Cobb, Steve McCurry, William Albert Allard, David Alan Harvey, Michael “Nick” Nichols and Steve Winters just to name a few are modern legends who never cease to come up with awesome images that wow National Geographic readers in its each new issue.  In fact its current Editor-in-Chief, Chris Johns was its staff wildlife photographer, not a writer, before he was promoted to be the Editor-in-Chief.

And to further prove that National Geographic is committed to promoting photography it allocates a large space in its website for activities related to photography and one of the sections that I find interesting is its Photo Tips.

The Photo Tips are divided into categories namely:

• Digital Photography Tips
• Landscape Photography Tips
• Travel Photography Tips
• People & Portrait Photography Tips
• Action & Adventure Photography Tips
• Videos: Photography Tips.

The contents of each article are pretty comprehensive and enlightening but the articles lack photos.

However don’t fret,  there is another section that displays photographs by the renowned National Geographic photographers and each photograph is accompanied by a short note and tip why the photograph was taken and what makes it interesting. The section is categorised into five segment of galleries as follows:

• Gallery: Landscape Photo Tips
• Gallery: Travel Photo Tips
• Gallery: Adventure Photo Tips
• Gallery: Portrait Photo Tips
• Gallery: Digital Photo Tips

Why wait?

The opportunity to learn photography is endless on the Net and what’s more the lesson is provided by National Geographic Magazine, the authoritative party when it comes to photography.

Enjoy your lesson!

Jonas Bendiksen

National Geographic Magazine has awarded its second annual US$50,000 photography grant to Jonas Bendiksen, to support his work on global urbanization. Bendiksen proposed to document the population explosion in Chongqing, a city in western China that is considered the fastest growing metropolis in the world.

Jonas Bendiksen, a very talented photojournalist, is a member of Magnum Photos and a recipient of multiple awards for his outstanding photographic and photojournalism works. Among others are Freedom of Expression Foundation fellowship, second place in the Daily Life Stories category for World Press Photo, the 2003 Infinity Award from the International Center of Photography, and first prize in the Pictures of the Year International competition.

However I believe the ultimate award in recognition of his outstanding works must be this National Geographic grant. It is arguably the biggest grant ever given by any NGO for the photography project.

Congatulations to Jonas Bendiksen.

Take a look at Jonas Bendiksen’s impressive portfolio that won him the grant. Do also enjoy his portfolio at Magnum Photos the photo agency that he represents and read some information about Jonas Bendiksen here.

Last year National Geographic Magazine awarded the grant worth the same amount to Eugene Richards. Take a peek at his winning portfolio here.