MEET ALI SULIMAN

I've got to start learning more about the people I photograph before I photograph them. I took this picture of Ali Suliman in the smokers lounge of the Sheraton Hotel in Amman. I was told by Nox magazine that he was an actor, but little did I know he played architect Omar Sadiki in Ridley Scott's Body of Lies. He was also one of the leads in the terrific movie Paradise Now, which was nominated for an Oscar. I don't think I would have taken a different photo, but I might have had more to chat with him about as I set up my lights. To his highest credit, he never once name dropped or rushed me through the shoot.

HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL

Yes, Julie and I will be on the reality TV show called "House Hunters International". The show flew us back to the US so we could shoot for one day in our old floating house in Portland. The premise of the show is that people from the US or Canada sell their homes and move somewhere else in the world and look for housing. To be perfectly honest, neither of us have any desire to be on TV, we both just really wanted a break from Amman. It was great being back in the US. It was perfectly dreary and cold the whole week we were there. I'll keep everyone posted when I find out the actual air date of the show (probably not until March). I have a few more posts about our time back stateside, but I am exhausted from this world-wind tour. Give me a few days back in Amman to recover.

MY FIRST COVER FOR JO MAGAZINE

A year an a half ago when I arrived in Jordan, the first magazine I came across and was very impressed by was JO. It's the only magazine here that regularly address the tough issues. It's also one of the only magazines here that shoots their own covers. I had tried several times to get work with them, but they never needed anyone. I ended up pitching a couple of ideas a few months back and that's how I finally got published. The cover feature this month is a reworking of a piece I wrote for Nox magazine. Since that article published last March, the city of Amman secured the main landfill and the men who used to go inside and pick out the recycling to make a living are out of work. The article tells their story. Next month I have another feature that was one of the most challenging things I've ever shot.

ONE GOOD REASON TO MOVE TO JORDAN

KAYALI JEWERY CATALOG FINALLY FINISHED

I shot these jewelry images back in January of 2010, and the catalog just came out. The pieces are available at Kayali Jewelry here in Amman. Check it out if you're in town. They just remodeled.

"THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED"

It's probably not a coincidence that a documentary that shows Hugo Chavez in a light reminiscent of early American heros like Abraham Lincoln is impossible to find. The only place I could locate it was on google videos. The film follows the democratically elected President of Venezuela through a ridiculous coup attempt that was clearly orchestrated by the US government. Why would the US attempt to overthrow a hugely popular democratically elected president? Because he nationalized the oil business and restructured profits to make sure people in Venezuela benefited from their abundant natural resource. It is amazing the lengths rich people will go to to maintain their wealth. In this case, which I believe to be getting more and more rare, the rich people lost.

PRICE OF PETRA DOUBLES IN JUST FOUR YEARS

Today the cost of a single day entry ticket into Petra was raised from 33 JOD to 50 JOD (from $46 to $70). When I visited in 2006 the cost was 24 JOD. It's getting kind of expensive to see this wonder of the world. It may in fact be the most expensive wonder in the world! Is it wonderful? Yes. It is a must see. Could they use another kid inside selling postcards? No. These are pictures I took this past weekend right before the price increase.