from the bouvet penguin

Sometimes bad things happen, and discovering that your work is used without an agreement made (and payment received) is bad enough – even worse when the picture has been manipulated and damaged to the point you hope nobody will see it…

This happened to one of my pictures recently. I discovered that one of my photographs were used without permission. Worse, it was edited, obviously also without permission… The cropping they did was bad enough, but they also photoshopped out elements in the picture, and very bad work was done. I was horrified, not least because they had given me credits for the picture (as is one requirement I make). Who would buy a picture from me, after seeing this example of my “work”…?

It was obvious to me that a mistake was made – I assume they intended to license the picture and suggest some changes made (why else give me photo credits?). Then something went wrong and the publishing happened. Well, we all make mistakes…

My big problem was the terrible changes made to the picture and the possible damage it could make to me professionally. I contacted the people using the picture and explained the problem to them. They immediately realized their mistake, pulled the web version (nothing to do about printed and distributed materials…) and paid my bill! Best solution anyone could hope for, and my respect goes to these honest people.

However, since somebody might see the damaged picture and visit this web page to see what this is about, I would like to show the original picture, part of a collection from East Timor:

Photo © Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvetfoundation.org)

Dr Daniel Murphy, in Dili (East Timor, Timor-Leste) affectionately known as “Dr Dan”, has received the East Timor Medal for Merit. It was presented to him by President Jose Ramos-Horta during the celebrations of the 7th national day, in front of a cheering crowd.

Dr Dan certainly deserves this recognition. Since 1999, he has seen 400 (or more) patients daily at his Bairo Pite Clinic in Dili. He is focused not only on providing general health care to the poor, the fight against malaria, tuberculosis and hiv/aids being part of that, but also on training of local staff. He envisions opening a new, extended clinic, where training of barefoot-doctor type village health workers for the country side is one of many activities – in our opinion an excellent priority.

I have considered Dr Dan a personal friend since his early days in East Timor. Him returning as one of the first expats late September 1999, previously banished by the (then Indonesian) authorities, was a very positive sign in a disturbed time. Him staying on, enthusiastic as ever, is an inspiration and a promise of a better future.

The Bouvet Foundation extend our sincerest congratulations!

Photos © Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvetfoundation.org)

We quote from the Bairo Pite Clinic website:

Dan Murphy received his MD from the University of Iowa. He spent six years working with Ceasar Chavez at a clinic for farm workers, where he was involved with legislation against pesticide abuse. He also worked three years as the sole doctor in a district of 200,000 people in Mozambique, another former Portuguese colony, and briefly in Laos and Nicaragua.

In addition to the 400 patients who come to the clinic every day for trusted, quality care in their local language, Bairo Pite places an emphasis on training East Timorese paramedical, nursing and support staff (many of whom have been unable to continue their schooling since 1999), and runs an acute care hospital as well as maternity and long-stay tuberculosis wards. In October 2002, Dr Dan Murphy was a recipient of a UN Development Program award aimed at giving special recognition of extraordinary and exemplary contribution to the advancement of sustainable human development, reduction of poverty and capacity building in East Timor. Bairo Pite is by far the busiest clinic in East Timor, and no-one is turned away, but yet it’s not nearly enough…

My favourite restaurant in Kupang is not really a restaurant, but the night market…

When the sun sets, the food stalls fill one of the main streets, and soon the smell of wonderful, Indonesian food covers the area. I love eating there (and that my Nikon D3 can take pics there without those terrible flash units), and use any excuse to go. Happy meal, everyone…

Photos © Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvetfoundation.org)

Basil visited Banda Aceh (Northern tip of Sumatera, Indonesia) as part of an assignment for the Norwegian Red Cross in Indonesia.

This picture of teacher Ainal Mardiah at the Kuala Batee school (in Pidie), teaching students (Yusnidar, with Husna and Rosmariati) cut their nails, was taken 23 January 2009 as part of a documentation of the NRC’s water & sanitation project in the area.

The Bouvet Foundation is helping the NRC/ID with their documentation of projects coming to an end this year.

Photo © Basil Rolandsen