March 20, 2004 - Personal Web Site: RPCV Susana Raab was dispatched to a lone outpost in Outer Mongolia to "teach English."

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Mongolia: Peace Corps Mongolia : The Peace Corps in Mongolia: March 20, 2004 - Personal Web Site: RPCV Susana Raab was dispatched to a lone outpost in Outer Mongolia to "teach English."

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-19-229.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.19.229) on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 4:40 pm: Edit Post

RPCV Susana Raab was dispatched to a lone outpost in Outer Mongolia to "teach English."

RPCV Susana Raab was dispatched to a lone outpost in Outer Mongolia to teach English.

RPCV Susana Raab was dispatched to a lone outpost in Outer Mongolia to "teach English."

Born in Lima, Peru, Susana Raab has lived in 3 countries on 3 continents and in five states in the U.S. Her peripatetic upbringing is equally reflected in her career choices. While pursuing a Masters in English Literature, she decided to change gears mid-course by combining her passion for language and discourse with the power and aesthetic nature of photography. While taking photography courses she enlisted in the Peace Corps and was dispatched to a lone outpost in Outer Mongolia to "teach English."

Returning stateside Susana settled in Washington, DC. where she covers national politics and news for The New York Times, Newsweek, and Time Magazine, among other clients. She has received honors from the White House News Photographer Association and in 1998 was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize by The New YorkTimes for her coverage of the shooting of two Capitol Hill police officers in the U.S. Capitol building.

Susana's work is available as fine art prints in editions of 50, or stock. Please contact info@susanaraab.com for information on pricing and usage or contact her directly at 202.255.3745.


I first started photographing weddings at the request of a friend. She had visited several wedding photographers and was unimpressed with albums filled with garter-belt pictures, the bride and groom stiffly staring into each other's eyes, the endless variations of group shots (jane and joe w/mom, jane and joe w/dad, jane and joe w/mom and dad!) that took so long grandma fainted. What she wanted was simple but elegant photos that documented the magic and spontaneity of her wedding.

I approached the event like any other photo story capturing the overall tenor, the unusual moments, interaction, reaction, details, and a few portraits. My friend was delighted with the results, and I found that I enjoyed the pursuit. Finding it no different from a Quince- Anos party in Cuba, or a hair-cutting ceremony in Mongolia, in that weddings are culturally defining moments, filled with the stuff of great pictures, if you know how to stand back, let it happen, and capture them.

When she got her pictures, said friend was amazed that she didn't even remember me being in the room when many of them were taken, that I had not imposed myself upon the group. This is what couples want when they look at their pictures: to be reminded of the event, not the person photographing the event ("hey lift that leg higher, can't see the garter belt!"). The priest was happy that I could work in available light in the dark church. People could concentrate on the sanctity of the moment without it being lit up like a disco at regular intervals. And the parents were happy that they owned the negatives and didn't have to keep calling the photographer when they forgot that print for Aunt Mary in their last order.

Now, many weddings later, I'm still photographing them, enjoying the opportunity to be the fly on the wall during an important rite of passage, and creating beautiful images that will become part of a family's history.

Please feel free to call me at 202.255.3745 or e-mail me at sr@susanaraab.com to set up an interview.

Cheers,

Susana




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Story Source: Personal Web Site

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Mongolia; Photography - Mongolia

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