+questions. answers

james adolphus.
photojournalist. cinematographer
+ shannon cook
+photography copyright 2006, james adolphus

For James Adolphus, traveling the globe is the only time he feels most at peace with himself. Raised all over Long Island, New York, Adolphus and his family moved a total of twenty times before his 18 th birthday. ” As a result, “ Adolphus explains, “I have to be in perpetual motion. No place on earth feels like home.”

While attending Hunter College, Adolphus viewed the cinematography documentary Visions of Light which changed his life. “This film led me to the realization that life behind the camera suits me best.” Adolphus resides in New York, for now, where he operates his New York based Motion and Still Photography Production Company Season of Light. Season of Light offers a full range production services: documentary shooting to feature narratives, still photography, and photojournalism to editorial layouts.  James explains, “We conceptualize, produce and deliver all the way through production, from pre to post.  We choose projects that are socially responsible, and do our best to adhere to the principal that, ‘Respect for ourselves and human kind’, outweighs the need and desire for monetary fulfillment.”

Shannon Cook: What prompted your excursion to Swaziland?

A few years ago, I worked on a feature film called On the Outs. It was co-directed by Michael Skonic and Lori Silverbush.  Over the next couple years I began to develop my relationship with Michael.  I always had an interest in working with him again, but the opportunity didn't arise for about two years.  Last summer in late July he called to ask if I wanted to shoot a documentary in the Kingdom of Swaziland.  To be honest, I'd never heard of the country.  When he said it was in Africa I was sold.  I've been there three times in last six months.

What was your initial response to the conditions in Africa?

I was never afforded the time to think about my initial response.  I thought there would be down time after the sixteen-hour flight.  My sound recordist and I were only in Africa ten minutes when our director told us that we were headed to a location to shoot.  Forty-five minutes later I was at one of the Royal residences shooting 65,000 girls singing and dancing for their King outside his palace.  It was late August, and the annual weeklong Reed Dance festival was just getting into full swing. The Reed Dance was my first experience in Africa, and it lasts for a full week.  Once a year, all the eligible girls in the kingdom (virgins) ages six thru eighteen come out to cut reeds to give to the Queen mother.  She's actually the King’s mother.  She uses the reeds to rebuild the traditional fence that surrounds her palace. When the reeds are dropped off, the girls meet in a field, where they sing and dance for the King and his family for two days.  Its quite impressive with the colorful and beautiful attire the girls wear.  I should mention that all the girls are topless.  I leave to last, but its usually the first thing people mention.

How would you describe the overall morale amongst the people of Swaziland?

Swaziland ranks no.1 in the world as having the highest per capita infectious rate of HIV/AIDS in the world. Unfortunately with this particular virus, no one can physically see AIDS.  On occasion you come across someone on the street or in a village that is obviously infected with the disease.  On the whole you just can't see it.  I know from the research that has been done and continues to be conducted that some 40% of the population is infected. For the population at large, it almost seems as if the virus goes largely unnoticed.  This I think is the case for the population at large and the government.

Did your interactions with the people in Swaziland, allow you to identify
with their struggles more?

Interacting with people is essential to understanding their struggles, their plight.  As both a cinematographer and photographer, I know in order to do justice to the people I'm photographing, I generally have to get close to them without causing the reaction of them closing themselves off.  I'm acting as a silent witness, the fly on the wall that must be able to see everything, and then faithfully capture it on film.  Its a disservice to the people you're there to serve, if you decide to stay back for fear of becoming part of the story or struggle.  Once you are there, you're part of the story.  You don't have to be in the film, but recognizing that you too are having a sometimes long and lasting effect on the people is important to remember.

Did you have any misconceptions about Swaziland’s conditions, or did they meet your expectations?

I try not to travel with expectations.  The only thing I expect is that the experience will be new and quite different than the American experience.

Poverty is terrible.  70 percent of the population in Swaziland lives on less than a dollar a day.  Americans don't know how to imagine this.  I've been to a few places in the world where a large portion of the population lives on a dollar a day or less.  And I'm surprised in the way poverty shows its face, always differently, everywhere in the world. 

If you were to make a mental picture (a needs assessment) in Swaziland, What
would this list consist of?

Swaziland needs a long list of things.  But since the country is fast approaching the 'tipping point', that point where an entire nation risks real extinction, I think ARV's are most appropriate.  One might want to ask why Swaziland is not included in George Bush's AIDS initiative in Africa. 

What were your living arrangements while you were there?

Contrary to popular belief, I lived in a nice hotel in Mbabane, Swaziland.  I didn't stay in a mud hut.

What type of projects (films/documentaries etc..) are you currently working on?
Currently Season of Light is editing a feature documentary called 'Kung-fu in the South China Seas'.  Its a film that documents what is left of the great traditional Chinese martial arts, searching for tradition in an increasingly untraditional world, while also looking for practical examples of nontraditional means of preserving the glories of Kung-Fu.