March 29, 2007 - Washington, DC - "DC is abuzz these days, and endless requests come for assignments, as well as images, from the Hill and The White House. Washington is pumping and more so than ever, so I am glad to report ZUMA has beefed up its already strong presence in the nation's capital and world center. We have DC covered with ZUMA photographers Mark Murrmann, Louie Palu and Bill Putnam all moving to Washington in the last few months and joining ZUMA's stellar veteran DC shooter Chris Kleponis," states Scott Mc Kiernan, director of ZUMA Press.

Chris Kleponis worked at Newsweek's Washington Bureau, before becoming one of ZUMA’s first members back in early nineties. Kleponis scored his and ZUMA's first TIME Magazine cover with a strong portrait of Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and since then had countless images around the world.

"As a photographer, working in Washington DC is often like watching a play. There is the ever changing cast of characters, each with their faults and virtues. Being in the same room with these people is often eye opening and even frightening due to the power they yield, influenced all too often by their arrogance and hubris. There are many good people struggling to find the truth, too many trying to evade the truth. As photographer, my goal is to understand the motives of the actors within the scene and to try to define the true nature of these characters... one frame at a time. My job, as a photographer in Washington, DC is to help define the true nature of the people that make the city important... one frame at a time. Washington, DC is one of the most competitive places to work in the world. The important events are documented by very talented photographers, each of whom knows that on any given assignment, the photographer next to them might be one step ahead and make the better photo. My goal with every assignment is to compete. I take some measure of pride in seeing my photographs being used. It hurts when I see another photograph in a place where I feel like mine should be."

Mark Murrmann is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism where he won College Photographer of the Year, Bronze Award, Pictorial in 2004. He has recently relocated to DC from Chicago and seems to be making the transition with little effort.

"I'm a news junkie. I love being able to follow big news stories firsthand. Whether it's catching the quiet beginning of a simmering scandal or being in the middle of a media maelstrom, getting to shoot in DC, on Capitol Hill, is a real treat for me," says Murrmann. "I always carry a film camera with me - either an M6 or an Xpan--loaded with black and white film, because that's what I love shooting."

Louie Palu graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1991 and moved to New York City on a scholarship where he interned with photographer Mary Ellen Mark. Palu returned to Toronto and worked as a staff photographer at Canada's National Newspaper, The Globe and Mail before joining up with ZUMA.

"Having worked on assignment around the world, never have I been to a single place where the world pays so much attention to the daily political events coming from one city. Washington DC is the Rome of today."

Bill Putnam spent eight years as a photographer in the Army. His most recent tour of duty has been on the "Hill" for ZUMA. He just finished covering the Senate Armed Services Committee's hearings on Walter Reed on Mar. 6, 2007.

"Obviously, a lot goes on here - politics, demonstrations, the arts - all of it, I guess, feeds off that energy. I've met quite a few of the other photogs in town, and they're good, some of the best, and working with them - whether it's a demonstration, stakeout or congressional hearing - forces me to be on my A game. Needless to say, I feel pretty fortunate to work and live here."

Putnam is going to shift gears this summer and is taking an internship at NPR, but he promises to be back shooting in September.

Get your first edition copy, of the POYi first place winner for "Best Photography Book Award," ZUMA Press Book's "Testify" by Colin Finlay. Signed copies are also availible, so don't miss out. Purchase at ZUMAPressBooks.com at a special price of $39.95... Support the arts, buy one for yourself or a friend.

April 7, 2007 - ONE-MAN-SHOW: Photographer John Gilhooley
John Gilhooley's one-man-show of 20 plus prints at Memphis at the Santora in Santa Ana starting April 7, 2007.

May 6-11th - Connect 07: offers the opportunity to meet top photographers, curators, art directors, educators and industry leaders in the spectacular desert environment of Palm Springs.

May 8, 2007 – 5:00 - 6:30 pm - Palm Springs Photo Festival SYMPOSIUM - THE BACKSTORY: Photojournalism Today - How Stories are Photographed, Edited and Published. Moderated by Scott Mc Kiernan (Director, ZUMA Press), Antonin Kratochvil (Photographer, Founding Member of VII), Colin Crawford (Awarding Winning, Assistant Managing Editor, Photography Los Angels Times) and one his editors and staff photographers, Michael Tweed (Longtime AP & Reuters stringer and a ZUMA Press photographer), Mark Avery (AP, Reuters Stringer, Orange County Register Staffer for over a decade, and a ZUMA Press Photographer).
Evening Projections: ANTONIN KRATOCHVIL & JOCK STURGES - 9:15 pm – 11:30 pm
Poolside Party - 11:30 pm - 1:00am
To register for this entire event CLICK HERE, ZUMA Press Photographers get 15% off!