Photographers Without Borders

In the next couple of months, I will be travelling to Northern India to work with Photographers Without Borders (PWB) and the NGO, Tibet World. They work with Tibetan refugees and help them build a new foundation for the individual or families fleeing Tibet. Tibet World is currently home to over 200 refugees with a small staff working with the NGO. Their goal is to help exiled refugees from Tibet live in a world few of us could ever imagine surviving in.

With everything happening around the world right now, the struggles of global refugees is such a front and center issue. Tibet World is working with refugees that have, for whatever reason, been living out of the general public eye for way too long. I’d like to help change that. With your support I’m sure we can shed some light on this important social issue.

As this is a volunteer position, PWB has set me up with their crowd-funding page and I am currently raising funds to offset any costs associated with the project. If you are an American citizen, your donation can be tax deductible. Please help this mission reach its full potential and donate whatever you can. You’re generosity is much appreciated.

Please donate here:

grouprev.com/pwbfundraiser-joeypanetta

You can also read an interview that PWB wrote about me here:

http://www.photographerswithoutborders.org/blog/2015/10/2/joey-panetta-before-his-mission-for-tibet-world

The following are a few images from that beautiful part of the world.

Deep Freeze

For the past little while, Niagara Falls has been getting some global attention, more so than usual. The deep freeze over both the Canadian and American Falls (much more dramatic over the American) has made it’s way into news, papers, even Jimmy Fallon took a jab at it the other night on his show…

The following images were taken yesterday afternoon. It’s moments like these that make shooting during a severe cold warning much more bearable.

top chef

Just warmin’ up at a recent shoot with Chef Carl Heinrich (season 2 winner of Top Chef Canada) at his restaurant, Richmond Station.  As is the case with any great restaurant, fresh, local ingredients are used on the regular here. Located just off the corner of Yonge & Richmond, in the heart of downtown Toronto, this is definitely somewhere you will want to eat…trust me.

artist

Andrew Kuntz is a renowned Canadian glass artist. He creates beautiful blown and sculptured pieces out of the shared studio space, Glen Williams Glass, in Georgetown. 

Fort Henry

On a recent shoot to Kingston, Ontario, I took in the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry. The following are images taken within the fort.

 

sail

Ontario is home to over a quarter million fresh water lakes and river systems. Many unnamed, yet still accounted for. This image was taken off the shores of Lake Ontario.

Tobermory

Spring is in the air and summer is just around the corner.  This image was taken in Tobermory, Ontario.

NYE 2013

It’s that kind of night…  🙂

Happy New Years everyone!

pride

While on assignment for work, I had the opportunity to photograph what would be my first wedding.  It was a staged wedding in front of Niagara Falls for the commercial that we were shooting, but these guys were together for almost 8 years and were more in love than most.  I’ve travelled to many countries where this scene would have never taken place, so it’s nice to know that Canada (among many others) encourages people to be proud of the love that they share with someone else, regardless of their sex.

wild flowers

Wild flowers at the edge of Lake Superior.

 

Fort Williams, Thunder Bay

Ontario has a rich history, filled with European entrepreneurship and Aboriginal culture.  Fort Williams in Thunder Bay allows you to step back in time and experience a world long forgotten.

winding down

I’ve recently returned from almost four weeks on the road photographing the beautiful (and expansive) province of Ontario.  I’m now winding down and sifting through the images.  The shoot was for Ontario Tourism and along with the stills, they commissioned a video crew to shoot some beautiful b-roll footage as well.  This image personally represents that quintessential summer feeling.  It’s a cold Toronto morning out, so it’s fitting that this is my first post from what has become a large Ontario series.

morning sky

Had the pleasure of catching this scene unfold before me as our bus sped past on its way from Chefchaouen to Meknes.  Morocco’s landscape changes drastically from one part of the country to the next and this several hour drive, especially made early morning, reveals a soft side that can easily be overlooked.  If you ever get the opportunity to travel Morocco, wake early and enjoy this ride.  It’s one you won’t regret.

 

plant life

It’s been raining outside for the past couple of hours and the natural light filtering in through the windows is too perfect to pass up.  This little succulent is one of three sitting on my coffee table.  A little simplicity in life never hurt anyone…

heat wave

For the past week, Torontonians have been finding ways to deal with an intense heat wave.  Although it’s started to return to seasonal temperatures, most people are still trying to beat the heat and cool down, any way they can.  Yonge-Dundas Square in the core of the city offers some willing people -and their pets- a chance to relive the good ol’ days of care-free sprinkler jumping.