If you don't know it or not, you are right now witnessing history being made in the world. Something is changing and it is happening this very second, and it is changing at the speed of light. Never before has photojournalism ever been so dramatic, that is brought to you at the speed of light, happening in the flash of an eye.

I have been following closely the protests which are currently happening at this very second, live, now, within Iran. Usually things like this happen, and many of us tend to shrug it off and think "ok it is happening....stuff like this happens a lot", but honestly, I don't think this time is really the case. Watching this, I can only recall once in my life of seeing something like this happen, and it was during the time when the Berlin Wall was about to fall...you knew it was going to happen but you didn't know when...the suspense was incredible.

Social Media is playing a HUGE factor in all this, and essentially YouTube and Twitter are the place to be. One search for "Iran" on twitter [link] brings you up close and personal to the people who are involved in the demonstrations, live journalism from the scene as it happens. Knowing that these people could possibly be arrested, or worse, killed, for spreading the information which they are, it amazes me how determined that they are to have their own personal freedom. Coming from a free country such as the USA, and seeing this happens, makes me put things in to perspective, as I am sure many who watch me on here from former communist countries can attest to.

Photojournalism is dangerous, citizen photojournalism done in a country where it could cost you your life, is beyond dangerous, it is deadly.

This was uploaded just a few hours ago on to YouTube by a photographer risking their life, all so the world could see first hand what is going on [link] (I warn you the last 2 minutes are very dramatic, violent, and VERY graphic, and I emphasize VERY)

Photography has many things and categories, but it is things like above that will remain forever etched in time and in history.

---John

Real fast info, we were going to do a live critique night today (this evening for you Europeans) in the PhotographyAPN chatroom here on deviantART [link] but I am forced to reschedule that until next Sunday at 20:00 GMT due to a family emergency. You all are more than welcome to stop by and hang out in the chatroom anytime you wish to however, there are always people in there eager to discuss photography.

John

I think it's safe to say.... that this has been probably the worst Christmas I have ever had. Everything that could possibly go wrong has, between Christmas Eve and today, I just want it to be over. It honest to God has been awful....I don't know why I am even writing this, maybe just to get a lot of stress off my chest, and maybe just to vent for a second, but sheesh, it has been one big insane nightmare. Way to much over the top for me, and way to much fighting, yelling, screaming, arguing, to last a life time.

I miss Christmas when I was a kid...when everyone seemed so kind, so nice, so happy, so festive. I would do anything to turn the clock back to when I was 9 or 12....and just have Christmas like that again for once.

Vacation.....so I hear New Mexico is mighty nice this time of the year...hmmmm...ya know, I have friends down there....I think the lightbulb just went on in my head.

I hope you all are having a nice Christmas. Make the most of it, and have a nice one for me, because I sure wish I was....

---John

Live Critique will happen on the 27th!

Attention Europeans-Live Critique Night--- I was really hoping to do this today but honestly, I think many of us, myself included, have been far to busy lately to really promote this heavily enough and we want to make this a success like the first one was. Considering the Holiday Rush, and the fact that most this year are running around in a complete mad frenzy, we are going to postpone the live critique night in the #PhotographyAPN Chatroom until the 27th of December, at 20:00 hours GMT. This way it gives us enough time to promote it widely enough and it is after Christmas, as well...(random, as I sit and write this, I have Bacon....I said BACON! !!!) So start planning folks, this is going to be a complete blast!

----John / ^kkart

Before I Write This....

Before I Write This.... I sat here staring at the screen, pondering many things, wondering how I could try to communicate what it is I feel and felt after reading what it is I just had read. So I am going to try my very best.

Today I want to introduce you all to someone many of you probably don't know, however some of you very well may. `GeneratingHype I am not going to say to much on this, as well, I don't have really have the words....but if you can, swing by his journal [link] and drop a few lines....and keep him in his prayers that he may see his dream come by Christmas.

While I sat there, reflecting, letting the most recent entry of his journal sink in, I went to his journal history to a journal which I had previously read in the past... [link] (I encourage you all to read it in FULL) and just sat, as if in a distant gaze & trance, and thought about things.

Life is so fragile, we take so many things for granted at times, the things we have, the people which surround us, the environment we live in, the worldly positions we all want, crave, lust, and desire after. We are quick to denounce, fast to judge, never thinking for one moment that one day, each and every one of us will have our world's rocked.

If I had one thing to say .....I guess it would be to just go tell someone you love, that you love them, before you engage in your next argument, to think, and instead, blow it off, and to go tell those that you admire, that you do, and say it from the heart.

Life is rough, it is even rough from the perspective from someone who is fighting for their life.

---John