The blog Isreality, which previously spotlighted some of my Jerusalem photos, recently showcased “Sexy Tel Aviv” as seen through my eyes for Wikipedia and the Creative Commons.  Click the image to read Rachel Neiman’s post.

This  image of dancers at TLV nightclub is found on Wikipedia articles Pheromone, Erogenous zone and Axilla.

One of the most excellent spectacles to behold in Israel was the amazing high energy of famous Israeli deejay Offer Nissim as several thousand men and women went insane.  The entranced audience must have been what Jonestown looked like before the Kool-Aid, except here the elixir was slamming beats fast and furious.  Special thanks to Ron Shoshani, Itzik Edri, Sean Katz, Itay Cohai and Yossi Kalfon
for acting as my guides.

Below are my portraits of Nissim for Wikipedia, taken March 27 at TLV nightclub for the theme “Tel Aviv Forever”:

(Note: all photos are licensed Creative Commons 3.0)

Sharon Udasin recently wrote in Jewish Week about my upcoming photography expedition of Israel for the creative commons.  Also on the plane will be the baroness of social media, Tamar Weinberg, and her photographer husband.   The itinerary is not set, but I have requested an interview for Wikinews.  Because the focus is on photography, most of my writing will take place on this blog where I hope to document the experience.  Consul David Saranga in the Israeli Foreign Ministry, who has spear-headed his country’s foray into social media, was instrumental in putting the trip together.

My goal here will be to document not just the monuments and public structures that every tourist documents, but also common, every-day features of life and landscape.  Cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are not crying out for free media (although they can always use more professional-quality shots).  Instead, places like the Arava Valley, the kiryats and the kibbutzes need coverage. 

I want to capture life outside the scope of a rifle.  That not every Israeli is armed, living in rubble or dodging missiles is lost in a media narrative that filters everything through conflict.  The hope is to obtain shots of the country not typically obtained by tourists and photojournalists.  Small town and rural Israel holds all the appeal for me.