I've got a new and improved blog!

Hi everyone,

First of all I would like to say thank you to all who have been following my blog. Since the very first post, I've enjoyed reading your comments and hearing your encouraging words. Even those of you who have not commented.....it's just nice knowing that you're interested in what I have to say. If it weren't for all of you, I wouldn't be doing this....so, again, thanks for coming along for the ride so far....it's nice to have you on board.

This blog is important.to me, because it's my way of sharing my experiences, insights, and opinions. Since it's important, I felt compelled to take it to the next level, so I hired a woman named Suzette Durazo, (a recent graduate of Platt College of design in San Diego), to get it up and running. I think you'll like the new blog; it's a bit more elegant and personalized than my free "blogger" blog.

Anyway, if you don't mind migrating over to my new blog and re-signing up or whatever, I would appreciate it.

This blog will remain up indefinitely but all new posts will appear at

www.karlgrobl.com/blog 
Sorry folks, as of midnight January 1 I am having some difficulties and my new blog  is off-line. I'm working on it and hope to be back on line soon!


If you have comments, suggestions or constructive criticism, I'm all ears...there's a contact page where you can drop me a note.

Well....I guess that's it, I'll see you over at my new blog address..... www.karlgrobl.com/blog

Sorry folks, as of midnight January 1 I am having some difficulties and my new blog is off-line. I'm working on it and hope to be back up soon!

Thanks,

Karl

Back From a Quick Trip to Chicago

Sorry for not having posted for such a long time. I have quite a few things in the hopper at the moment and haven't have time to write. Just yesterday afternoon I returned to San Diego after visiting my folks in Chicago. Now I'm  back to work.......Please hang in there for a few more days as I'll be announcing the launch of my new, improved, blog.

Have a great weekend.

Karl

Hopital Albert Schweitzer, Haiti

While on the topic of Hospitals, I feel compelled to share with you the story of another truly amazing hospital, this one, in Haiti. Back in 2001 I shot a job for Health Volunteers Overseas. One of the locations that I photographed was HAS or Hopital Albert Schweitzer (yes, it’s Hopital not Hospital). HAS was started 50 years ago and the story behind it is one, that I think, you might be interested in.

HAS was started by William Larry (Larimer) Mellon, a member of the wealthy Carnegie Mellon family of Pittsburgh. Larry fell under the spell of Albert Schweitzer, the Nobel laureate, physician and humanitarian who started a hospital in the African country of Gabon. Following in Schweitzer’s footsteps, Larry Mellon, well into his 30’s, enrolled in medical school, became a physician and built a hospital in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Mellon’s story and the story of HAS is told in the book “Song of Haiti”, which should be on Oprah’s must read list.

I’ve had the opportunity to shoot for HAS many times and my visits there are always eye-opening and inspiring. The work being done there by HAS’s crew of dedicated humanitarians is astonishing. Have a look at the HAS website to learn more about this amazing institution. I produced a rudimentary video for HAS, but since I made it quite a while ago, a plug-in required. Sorry.

While in Haiti, I usually make it a point to spend at least one night at the Oloffson hotel in Port au Prince. It’s one of those places where journalists hang out, and  one always meets interesting people there. Here’s a short piece I did about the hotel and it’s colorful proprietor, Richard Morse.

Have a great weekend, and I'll try to post on Monday.
Cheers,
Karl

Angkor Hospital For Children, Cambodia

Yes it's true, just last month posted about Angkor Hospital for Children, but I'm posting again for two reasons. First, because their 2008 Annual Report just came out, full of images that I captured while shooting their story for Town and Country Magazine earlier this year. 

And secondly, because Friends Without a Border is having a Photography related charity event in Los Angeles this month which benefits the Angkor Hospital for Children!  As you may remember from the article in Town and Country or my earlier posts, The Angkor Hospital for Children was started by photographer Kenro Izu

THE FRIENDS WITHOUT A BORDER'S 1ST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES GALA  will take place on Thursday, December 10th, at the historical Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel The evening includes both silent & live auctions with a special "Children" portfolio by famed National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry

There are also musical performances by Robin Thicke, celebrity hosts Paula Patton, Kate Hudson, Josh Jackson, Ali Larter & Hayes MacArthur, Eva Longoria Parker, Molly Sims, Anne Hathaway, Stephen Moyer, Amaury Nolasco, Jennifer Morrison, Rebecca Gayheart & Eric Dane, with special guest emcee Matthew Lillard. 

View the Invite. View the Catalog.  Including the piece I donated here
For inquiries, email mayanna@fwab.org or call 323.843.2870.

If any of you folks are looking for a fun night out in Los Angeles, which benefits a great cause, check it out!