I received a bulletin from Fotolibra in May of this year asking for a suitable photo of Banksy's Balloon Girl.
We were traveling back from Beit Mreen after taking Jamal and his mother back home when we stopped at Ramallah to meet Steve (CEO of Palestine Children's Relief Fund). He was to drive us back to Jerusalem. En- route we stopped and did a quick interview with Steve. I quickly took a few snaps right after we finished of the boys throwing rocks at the wall and of Banksy's Balloon Girl.
I logged on to me free account at Fotolibra and uploaded the 2 photos I had. A month and a half later I received an email from Gwen at Fotolibra telling me that a publisher wanted my photograph and also to change some elements. I replied asking what book it was and why they wanted to change it. They explained why and told me about the book and so I was over the moon and agreed.
When I came back from Edinburgh I found out that the author launched the book on the 23rd, a few days after I had asked for one at the Waterstones (who didn't have one). So I figure he was there at the book festival. I was in the tent at the book festival 3 days prior and still in Edinburgh on the 23rd.
I wrote an email to the PR rep at Profile Books about getting them signed and she said the author would love to and please send them to- and she gave me- an address in Edinburgh...
Anyway. It's been nearly exactly a year to the day when I took the photograph. And I'm very proud it the cover for this book. Even if it is a photograph that could have been taken by anyone. I've had a few exhibitions in Vancouver but they didn't mean much. I even sold 3 prints. I've taken thousands of photographs for actors. But this cover means the most. Although having the cover published makes one feel floaty like the balloons, the subject matter grounds me. Below is the cover and the latter is the original.
- J
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