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Since his first trip to New Guinea back in '94, Attila has been honoured by several awards for excellence in photography Current Magazines Best Photo Of The Millenium (2000), Picture.coms Photo Of The Month 2000 & Photo Of The Year (2000), Maine Photo Societys - 100 Best Shots (2000), alongside five 1st Place finishes in several other photography contests.

His work has been featured online and in a number of publications. Some of those included are Mountain Travel & Sobek Magazine (1995), The British Magazine Cox & King (1996), Gourmet Magazine (1997), and Reform Magazine (1998), which is published in his native Hungary.

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The Goroka Show is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for visitors to Papua, New Guinea, to see an incredible variety of cultural groups. There were over eighty tribes participating. As many as forty-thousand warriors would gather together in the show arena, chanting a dance that shook the earth. Drums thundered, and dancing bodies were painted with oils and pig grease. Most groups appear in perfect traditional dress which includes face and body paint, valuable exotic feathers, shells, masks, and bows and arrows. Thousands of onlookers and a half-dozen judges take note of their creativity and the skill of their dancing. There is a Miss Goroka Show contest, and the top award is a cash prize.

The most colorful of all tribal celebrations are the singsings of Papua New Guinea. The singsing is a festival that involves dancing, singing, and feasting. The Goroka and Mount Hagen singsings are the largest and best. The Goroka event may also become annual. It is usually held in mid-August and mid-September. They are colorful occasions and a great opportunity to get an overview of all the different tribes. The sing-sing is most definitely a tribal event, not one staged for tourists.

"I was concentrating on body paintings and adornments, and bringing out their individual pride and dignity. Im very greatful to Malcolm Kirk, whose "Man As Art" gave a stunning record of New Guineas tribes. It gave me an artistic direction in photography that helped me make my own discovery."

The image on the right was selected as Photo of the Year by Picture.com.

PHOTO: Attila Fovenyessy 1994

Papua New Guinea

"All my life I have gravitated toward and made urban centers my home, but its documenting the smallest villages and their colorful inhabitants that I have found so rewarding."

PHOTO: Attila Fovenyessy 1994

Inspiration

When asked who or what prompted him to pursue photography as a his primary method of self expression having involved himself in art and music already Attila had this to say.

"Throughout my life I have been influenced by so many different people, places and things that its difficult to pin point the most significant sources. I found inspiration in Malcolm Kirks book Men As Art, in the images of Phil Borges Enduring Spirit and Art Wolfes outstanding Tribe all made a tremendous impact on me, but if I had to pick one person who has influenced me the most I would have to say Steve McCurry . His book entitled simply, Portraits, was far and away the most influential."

I feel the closest to the Steve McCurrys style of photography. Its as though his lens sees the spirit and soul of the person. He has this inate ability to capture the drama of his surroundings with such rich colour, superb use if light and wonderfully executed compositions that when you are looking at his pictures its like you are right there.

'Reflections of Taj Mahal' - India

"When I found out that Steve McCurry would be heading up the 2001 Steve McCurry Group Trip to India I thought what an opportunity! Problem was, I had just come back from Ethiopia a few months before so funds were low and the chances of getting the time off, pretty unlikely. It didnt matter though, this was my chance to meet a man whom I consider to be my ultimate hero in the photographic world. I wasnt about to pass it up.

PHOTO: Attila Fovenyessy 2001

Rajasthan, India

In spite of nearly losing my job for taking more time off I managed to scrape the money together to make the trip, but I can say without a second thought that it was more than worth it."

PHOTOS: Attila Fovenyessy 1996

Don't just sit there, let the pro's 'teach you how' to take great pictures.

"I have learned so much from his brilliantly simplistic use of color and unique style of shooting. I have aspired to create pictures that reflect the forward progress Ive made as a result.

Check out Master Photographer Steve McCurry on Exotic Travel Portraits .

'Dreamer'

PHOTO: Attila Fovenyessy 2001

Do you have any advice for our veiwers?

"Along the way I've picked up a few things that have helped me personally to make both my journey and my picture-taking as fullfilling as possible."

5 Things You Should Remember:

1. Keep it simple. Focus on the composition.

2. Know your equipment inside out. Make certain you know how to use your equipement to its full potential.

3. Pack only what you need.

Less gear. More Know-How. (Steve McCurry is one of most notable documentary photographers of our time and he only packs two SLR cameras equipped with two of his favorite Nikkor lenses.)

4. Research your destination to ensure you arrive with some background information and some personal insight on the place, culture and people you will be visiting. It will make it that much easier to enjoy the experience and get the pictures you want.

5. Engage your subject before you point & shoot. Dont be intrusive, but dont be afraid to ask if its alright to take a few photos.

"You probably wouldn't like it much if someone just stuck a camera in your face and started shooting?"

'Take A Good Look'

PHOTO: Attila Fovenyessy 1996