Contents The line between life and death................. 2 Not a drop to drink............................................. 3 What lies beneath................................................ 3
A Better Story Through
The pond turned into pit.................................... 3
A Better Click
For sale.................................................................. 4 Blocked still protected........................................ 4 Kochi at a glance on strike..................................5 Life at risk............................................................. 7 Silent killer............................................................ 8 Lighten up............................................................. 9 Organic food fest in kochi.................................. 10
Editor : Deeju Thomas Cover page : Siby Mathew Designing and layout : Akhil Varghese Photographers : Jackson , Ben Antony V.T , Siby & Geoily Correspondents : Jackson , Ben Antony V.T, Siby & Geoily
The entire concept of visual world has recalibrated our optic field and thus photography plays a vital role in information generation. It is true that few photographers have grown beyond the boundaries but still majority is on a constant strive to get the attention in an increasingly visually oriented environment. Therefore the photojournalists must make use of visual storytelling techniques to become better storytellers. Today photography has become an egregious component of communication be it traditional or new media and every journalistic photograph should tell its own story. If a photograph is able to make the viewer surprised, emotional, or just stimulated to think about it then the photographer becomes a successful story teller. The storytelling tools frame the photograph in ways that underpin and strengthen the contents. I am sure a writer may take several hours to convey a complex idea through his words but a photographer can convey it with just a single still image, and can illustrate quickly what a thousand words can do.
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The Meridian
May 2012
Deeju Thomas
The line between life and death
Time: 5.30 .P.M, North Over Bridge Antony V. T Most of our roads are really congested and there are occasions when people do not respond to the siren. Almost all ambulances in the city got siren lights and horns but how many of them has got microphones? Ambulance drivers have the option of using microphones to convey to the obstructing crowds the urgency of the situation but it is not followed as well.
Sometimes individuals become inhuman and patience of ambulance drivers is really put to test when they pass through the city. Ambulance getting stuck in the traffic is a common sight in Ernakulam. If this is the situation with the ambulance then can you think of the patients who come in ordinary vehicle? They neither get the public support nor police help.
Time: 4.45 P.M, N H Bypass , Palarivattom Jackson
May 2012
The Meridian
2
Not a Drop to Drink Water supply pipe in Kadavandhra has been leaking for a long time and thousands of liters of water are overflowing every day. If the there is an overflow water in the river then the dirty water gets into the pipe and that is being supplied to the public. Antony V. T
What Lies Beneath Cochin corporation takes the initiative to clean the canal in perandoor. The corporation authorities have taken the initiative in completing the premonsoon cleaning of canals, drains and culverts across the city. Antony V. T
The Pond Turned Into a Pit A pond in Subhash Park, near Marine Drive becomes the dumping ground of the waste. The unnoticed and badly maintained pond is now used by the visitors to dispose their waste.
Geoily 3
The Meridian
May 2012
For Sale Nowadays the city is affected by water scarcity and the packed drinking water suppliers utilize it in the maximum by increasing the price . Drinking water has also become a black market business in cochin. Siby
Blocked Still Protected It is true that the fallen branch of a tree across the footpath at the Boat Jetty Junction causes obstruction to the pedestrians but a sincere salute to the people who have taken the initiative to protect the tree from destruction. The clothes and coconut shells have been effectively made use of protecting the branch from being hurt by the iron bars.
Geoily
May 2012
The Meridian
4
The strike affected even the
Shops are being closed in palarivattam.
v
Kochi At A Str
Ben Sanches George
A man walking in scourging heat in Ernakulam. Ben Sanches George
A poor man sleepin 5
The Meridian
May 2012 May 2012
e boat service in the city Geoily Crows tearing the garbage bags sitting by the road , the garbage men didn’t pick it due to strike
Glance On rike
Ben Sanches George
People travelling in a truck in the absence of buses. Ben Sanches George
ng in front of a shop. Ben Sanches George
May 2012
The Meridian
6
Life: At-Risk
Jackson
Construction workers always put their life at risk without proper safety measures. There is no official checking on constrvuction sites for safety measures so many a time contractors make use of this opportunity. This picture is taken at pipeline junction where three workers carelessly put their life at risk.
Jackson 7
The Meridian
May 2012
Silent Killer Multinational companies are out with new techniques to pollute the air. They use huge flux boards to cover up the pipes that discharge polluted smoke. Many of the restaurants and fast food joints are also following the same style and these silent killers remain unnoticed to the authorities and even to the public.
Jackson
Who Cares? Unauthorized parking is very common in Kochi. It is against the law virtually everywhere to park a vehicle in the middle of a highway or road; yet parking on one or both sides of a road are commonly seen but parking under the shades of unauthorized parking sign boards are even worse.
Siby
May 2012
The Meridian
8
Glamorized Sign Board This photograph is taken from N.H Bye Pass , Palarivattom. If you travel across Cochin you will see several signboards like this. According to the traffic rule sign board should be “Green” in color and letters should be written in “white”. Where does the blue come from? Even if it is an advertisement still it violates the advertising regulations. Whatever it may stand for let us hope that these glamorized signboards will help the passengers reach their destination safely.
Jackson
Lighten Up! A lustrous street light at noon near Thamanam railway over bridge in Kochi. During this summer the city faces several power cuts due to the insufficiency of power. We spend lack of rupees to create public service announcements to create awareness among public to save electricity. Humble plea to the authorities wake and help us!
Antony V.T
Ready To Fall The life of pedestrians at risk near Ernakulam Medical Center (EMC) due to an electric post .The people who live in the locality says that the post has had this curvature since 2006 and after several complaints even today the authorities have not taken any initiatives to replace it.
Siby
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The Meridian
May 2012 May 2012
Organic Food Fest The organic food feast organized by the Central and the State Agricultural Ministry was a successful event. The Agricultural Minister K.V. Thomas inaugurated the fest. Spices board, Khadhi board and Coir board where main sponsors .
Akhil
Real Protection Big thanks to the Kerala state Forest Department for the creating wonderful platforms for advertisers to place their ads. KFD has got several yearly plans for planting trees across on highways and other places and they do it every year. But it is badly maintained. Broken fences and dried up plants are common sights on our bypass road. But it has become a great platform for the politicians and advertisers to place their ads. Who knows they must be protecting the plants from the heat.
Jackson
Safety at Stake
This is a picture taken from North Railway over bridge in Kochi. The workers engage in replacing the flex board without safety measures. They work on the basis of daily wages by putting their life at risk and neither the advertising agencies nor the authorities take care about their life. Antony V.T
May 2012
The Meridian
10
May 2012