By Akosua Kathryn Albritton

Peterkin in Focus
Lem Peterkin is the tall, burly photojournalist whose work is seen in many New York City publications.  Peterkin says the New York Times, New York Newsday, New York Post and every African-American newspaper use his photos.  Peterkin was surprised that anyone knew his first name because his photo credit have become consistently photograph by Peterkin.  Rather than fight the name drop, he capitalizes on it.  His business card reads, “Photographs by Peterkin.”
In his forty years in photography, he’s stayed in step with each advance in image technology.  These days his mobile office includes a Canon EOS 30D digital camera, a ZiO CameraMate Card Reader to store his shots from the camera, a Dane Electric zMate Golf Flash drive for his documents and a Sony VAIO laptop computer.  The HP Photosmart C4180 All-in-One printer is in his office at Restoration Plaza.  This printer also scans and copies.
His life in photography began in grammar school.  For the fourth grade science fair, his project was “Photo Micrography.”  Peterkin used a microscope and a manual Kodak Hawkeye camera.  He shot photographs of such life form as amoeba and paramecium.  He’s a proponent of citizen reporting in that he’s championed the reality of everyone owning a camera.  Says Peterkin, “Everyone should have a camera.  You don’t know what you’re going to see.”  While cell phone cameras are making this possible, Peterkin prefers a stand-alone camera.  He says, “Cell phone cameras don’t have sufficient resolution for a quality picture.  Adobe Photoshop or any other image- editing software can’t enhance the sharpness.”
60 Seconds to Save the Earth
Al Gore took the global climate crisis to the people using social media with excellent results.  He’s arranged house parties across the US where local folks invite neighbors and friends to watch An Inconvenient Truth on their PCs.  Afterwards, envelopes and writing paper are distributed to prepare letters for the elected that makes your stance on global warming known.  The same method was used to air the complete Live Earth (http://www.liveearthmusic.com/algore) worldwide concerts.
Gore’s organization has teamed with Current TV, the 24/7 cable and satellite network produced by audience submissions, and the Alliance for Climate Protection to sponsor 60 Seconds to Save the Earth.  This media campaign shares the message creation with the people.  The concerned average person is encouraged to create 15, 30 or 60-second advertisements that shows what you or someone else is doing to alleviate the climate crisis.  The other option is creating a compelling message that informs, engages and enables people to take a stand on global warming.  This contest is limited to the UK, Republic of Ireland  and US.
The video is submitted to Current TV’s Web site, www.current.tv.  A panel of celebrity judges that includes George Clooney, Cameron Diaz and director Sam Mendes will review these videos and choose twenty finalists.  The people, through an online vote on Current TV will judge these twenty finalists.  The top ads will be aired on Current TV, featured in the Alliance for Climate Protection’s national campaign and showcased on MySpace’s Impact Channel, http://impact.myspace.com.  The deadline for submission is September 12, 2007, 3:00 PM EST.
The grand prizewinner gets a Toyota Highlander hybrid car; three finalists will get Sony electronic products and sixteen semi finalists will win T-Mobile Sidekicks.  September 12, 2007 is just around the corner.  Visit www.current.tv/ecospotcontest for details.  Current TV offers much advice on appearance and location releases and legal video and music sampling.  This sounds like Al Gore and partners have pulled strings to make 60 Seconds to Save the Earth a hit.
Akosua@plans4success.com