This week saw the premier of the newest issue of John Loomis' documentary photography ezine, Blueeyes Magazine. Inside you'll find an amazing portfolio from the Romanian photographer Cosmin Bumbut, whose work draws comparisons from Josef Koudelka and Luc Delahaye, legendary photographers who have painstakingly documented Eastern Europe. This marks the second time we've seen the mag feature work from Romania--the first being in issue #13 (August '06) by Davin Ellicson, an American photographer now based in Bucharest.
Imagery from Romania holds a particular place in my mind as I've had a strong interest in the country since hearing stories from my grandfather about our family roots in the Transylvania region there. Since then I've sought to devour and absorb as many words and pictures about Romania as possible, specifically about current life there and the post-Ceausescu period.
left: industrial area in Medias, Transylvania
right: two kids on a bike in the village of Hoghilag, Transylvania

In September 2004 I had the opportunity to travel briefly through Transylvania w/ a loose sheet of scrawled family names and villages but few leads as to where I might actually find people.left: outside a butcher shop in Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania
right: potatoes at a market in Medias, Transylvania

It was ultimately a fruitless endeavor in that regard but if nothing else a somewhat revealing (though of course somewhat limited as well) first-hand experience of rural and urban life in the modern day.
left: on the streets in Medias, Transylvania
right: Sunday concert in the village of Cristian de Brasov, Transylvania

My photographs from Transylvania are just the beginning of a long-term project (and probably very long...) that I plan to continue work on in the future.
above: a cold beer in the shade on a hot summer day in Hoghilag, Transylvania

Meanwhile, there have been a number of photographers whose work from the region keep these thoughts fresh in my head:

--Clare Richardson and her book "Beyond the Forest", which evolved from a project originally entitled "Sylvan". Recently picked up the book of stunning color photographs from Steidl.

--Balazs Gardi, a Hungarian photographer named to PDN's "30 Under 30" in 2004, has worked extensively throughout Romania and Hungary, among other places.

--David Dare Parker, who has extensively photographed Gypsy life in Romania

--Tamas Dezso, the 2006 Magazine POY winner

--Petrut Calinescu, a freelancer based in Bucharest and working w/ Panos Pictures.

--Anzenberger Agency based in Vienna, many of whose photographers have completed projects in Romania