Notes on Light

2010 Unseen: Future Leader Portrait Series

2010-12-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

I shot these images for a yearly portrait series that featured some of the brightest students in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Unseen 2010: Coney Island Dance-Off

2010-12-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

Unseen 2010: DC Immigration Rally

2010-12-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

Unseen 2010: The Tearoom, Charlottesville, VA

2010-12-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

Over the next few week I'm going to post images from 2010 that have been buried on my hard drive in between covering high school state championship games and moving to Austin for graduate school.

This image set is from a rock show in Charlottesville, VA at the Tearoom. I cannot remember the name of band but they were awesome.

A Life of Shadow and Light

2010-12-10T14:46:00.001-08:00

This semester, I shot a photo story on Lori Pierce a visually impaired student at the University of Texas at Austin. You can check it out here and here.

Lori Pierce is a fighter. Born premature she lost her sight in the first few days of her life, when her retinas were damaged from receiving too much oxygen in the attempt to save her life. Her condition is called retinopathy of prematurity. While this event left her visually impaired it would not become the defining facet of her future.

Lori has some vision. She can see light and shadows and some color. On a good day she can see the shapes of people walk towards her. The more high contrast the light outside the more she can see. At night, when it is dark outside she cannot see at all.

The sport of Judo caught her attention at the age of 15 after she attended a sports camp for blind and visual impaired children. She had the feeling that judo could take her places. She had no idea that it would take her around the world. Lori has competed in blind judo tournaments in France, Brazil, Canada, and Italy. She won a silver medal in the Paralympics in the 2004 games in Athens, Greece. She was the first woman representing the United States to medal in judo.

Lori is a senior psychology major at the University of Texas at Austin. The university environment can be challenging to average student, who must juggle class work, a social life and other activities that place huge demands on their time. Lori faces extra challenges that the typical university student does not have to consider. Transportation, translating books into an accessible form, and dealing with basic chores like grocery shopping all require more time.

Halloween on 6th Street

2010-11-07T17:41:00.001-08:00

Anti-Death Penalty March in Austin

2010-11-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

NYC: Mermaid Parade

2010-06-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

One for Print, A Video for the Website

2010-06-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

These days I'm spending more and more time attempting to shoot video and stills at the same time. It is definitely a mind trip.

More Cowboys and Cowgirls

2010-05-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

A few outtakes from the Virginia High School Association Rodeo I shot last weekend.

Twelve Tennis Balls, Two Subjects and One Light

2010-05-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

I made this picture earlier this week. My assignment was to photograph a brother and sister duo who are the number one seeds of the Freedom High School tennis team. In the past, I have always had trouble with making creative group portraits. It can be hard to get away from the formulaic people stand side by side approach.

For this picture, I brought my step stool with me. The scene was being lit by the setting sun, which was pouring in light from the right side of the frame. I used a off camera speedlight shot through a umbrella to try in filling the shadows on their faces.

I enjoy these types of assignments because they push me to interact more with my subjects, which helps me become more comfortable directing people in my photographs.

Twisted K Rodeo

2010-05-11T17:03:00.001-07:00

Father-Daughter Dance

2010-05-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Gold Cup 2010

2010-05-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

I did not have much time to shoot stills during this years International Gold Cup. This picture is one of a handful of frames I made that day.

From Chicago to St. Louis

2010-04-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

Concrete Rainbow

Rob Hart

Adam Snow

John L. White
Brian Morowczynski @ Cozy dog outside Springfield

Allison Williams

Smoky Joes BBQ

Self Portrait on the Mississippi

I met some cool people and got to walk along the Mississippi last weekend.

Chau-Nagengast Wedding Pics

2010-04-08T15:13:00.001-07:00

I shot this wedding last summer.

Softball Portrait

2010-04-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to enjoy portraiture more and more these days. I hoping to do more of this kind of work in the future.

Through the Looking Glass

2010-03-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Alexa Rizzo

2010-03-26T14:30:00.001-07:00

Post 101- Lookin' for my Photo Mojo

2010-03-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I have posted images on this blog. I have been in a funk recently. I'm planning a big move in the fall and I will be posting more of the images I have been creating in the last few months soon.

I made this image during a immigration march in DC last weekend. It might be the perfect cover for a photo book about balloons.

Lighting

2010-01-22T13:47:00.001-08:00

Here are two portraits from the last few weeks.

A Dream World

2009-12-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

Backstage in the Park View High School auditorium, Tullia Johnston, 16, stands motionless with her head tilted toward the floor, waiting for her cue to take the stage.

The hot-lights that bathe the stage leak in between the long black curtains, falling on her pink tutu and the crown that sits perfectly balanced on her head.

In the audience, Louisa Ireland, 17 and Allison Perhach, 16, watch patiently as the Loudoun Ballet Company’s dress rehearsal of the 20^th annual Nutcracker moves forward.

Unlike other members of the audience, Ireland and Perhach have a special understanding of the thoughts moving through Johnston’s mind, moments before she dances from corner to corner of the stage as the Sugar Plum Fairy.

When the first few notes of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy began, the dress rehearsal audience, which was made up of parents and other support staff, clapped and then became silent in anticipation of the ballerina’s performance.

The Sugar Plum Fairy is a special role within the ballet. The magnetism of her performance locks everyone’s attention. Eyes are following her from the moment she leaves the dressing room. Not every role in the Nutcracker calls for such scrutiny. “Everyone is really watching, it is a really big deal” Johnston said.

The common bond that unites these young women is their shared role as the Sugar Plum Fairy. The three dancers will rotate in the role throughout the ballet companies’ six performances of the Nutcracker.

With the pressure involved with this role, having other dancers with the same responsibilities helps the ballerinas as they prepare for their parts. Having two other dancers learning the same choreography and sharing some of the same concerns “helps me be a better Sugar Plum” Perhach said.

The dancers say that there is no competition between them and that they are very supportive of each other as they try to perform the role to the best of their ability.

The Sugar Plum Fairy is the “spice of the second act” according to Loudoun Ballet company creative director Maureen Miller. The character is the Queen of the Land of Sweets and she performs a dance for Clara and the Prince, who are the main characters of Nutcracker.

The road to this role as a Sugar Plum Fairy began for the young ladies when they were very young. It is a role that Johnston has been waiting to play since she was 6-years-old. “I remember loving it and looking at the Sugar Plum Fairy and thinking I want to do that one day,” she said.

For years, the young women have been developing the skills to play the advance roles in the Nutcracker. With each character they played the dancers moved a step closer to the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

“Everyone has that dream role” Perhach said, “each year you have to push to complete not only that role, but then prove that you can perform the role that you really want next year.”

Solid technique, stage presence and intelligence are all attributes that Miller believes a dancer needs in order to succeed as the Sugar Plum Fairy. She also points to the importance of the dancers having a deeper connection and understanding of themselves.

Each dancer has a different way of coping with the nervousness associated with performing such an important role. Ireland, a Sugar Plum Fairy veteran, finds comfort in the music.

“I don’t really like talking. If I had to do a speech in front of people that would scare me so much more, but in dancing you are just moving and the music tells you what to do and it calms you down,” she said.

Backstage, smiling faces illuminated by the stray hot-lights peak from out the shadows as Johnston dances. In that moment, she is oblivious to the attention that her role commands. Her mind is focused on the task at hand.

Johnston said, “When I hear the music come on that is really what sets me off. Before, it is all nerves, but when the music comes on you relax and you get in holiday spirit and you just dance.”

Click here for slideshow.

Muddy Shoes and Flashlights

2009-11-16T20:02:00.000-08:00

I got to run around in the dark with a bunch of boy scouts during Relief of Mafeking campout in Fauquier County last weekend.

Click here for the sound slide show.

Election Night

2009-11-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

Marybeth Greason, center, is recognized by her husband Tag Greason for her role in his victory during a speech at the Dock at Lansdowne. Greason defeated democratic incumbent David Poisson for the 32nd Virginia House of Delegates seat.

Halloween Parade

2009-11-01T15:35:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I photographed the Leesburg Halloween Parade. This year was the first time in awhile that I dressed up for Halloween. I was Neo from the Matrix. It was pretty hard to shoot at night with with dark sunglasses on. But, I had a good time.

On the Campaign Trail

2009-10-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

Candidate for governor Creigh Deeds jokes with supporters outside the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College after a campaign stop on Oct 28.

More Fall Color

2009-10-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

A couple of kids hanging in a tree during a cross country meet. . .

Walk in the Park

2009-10-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

I went for a walk near the Appalachian Trail in northern Loudoun County. The trees were really singing.

Arlington Moment

2009-10-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

Sheryl M. McIlvaine touches the headstone of her husband James McIlvaine during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery on October 19, 2009. James McIlvaine was killed in Iraq on April 30, 2009.

I made this photograph while waiting for another burial to begin during an assignment at Arlington National Cemetery. A group of press photographers, including myself, were all standing in a cordoned off area about one hundred feet from the grave site. I'm sure we all made this picture with varying degrees of composition.

This image represents another way in which the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has come home for me in the past couple of weeks. It was very sad to watch.

Fallen Hero: Stephan Mace

2009-10-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, I was assigned to photograph the arrival of the body of Stephan Mace, 21, who was killed on Oct. 3 during combat in Afghanistan. His body was flown into Leesburg Executive Airport and then he received a police escort back to his home town in Purcellville, VA.

The following day, I photographed his funeral at Purcellville Baptist Church. It was a very quiet and sad event. My camera often acts as an shield against the emotions of an event that I'm witnessing. It was not until later when editing my final selection for the paper that I realized the importance and the sadness of the day.

His death seems to coincide with an increase in focus on the war in Afghanistan, which begun 8 years ago. When this war began Mace would have been 13-years-old. That fact deeply resonates with me.

It was a honor to be able to document these events because my images will become a part of the public record that will memorialize Mace's sacrifice and the sacrifices of all the soldiers that have died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tears of Joy

2009-10-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I shot a huge cheerleading meet at Park View High School in Loudoun County, Virginia. Usually at these events there is an over abundance of happy cheerleaders. After all the awards had been handed out and the realization of winning hit one of the happy cheer leaders, she start to cry with joy.

Photographing the Photographer

2009-09-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

a night on the town . . .

2009-09-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Red

2009-09-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

Cole Bros Circus 2007

2009-09-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sportraits

2009-08-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Loudoun County volleyball player Juliane Hanna . . .

Essaouria, Morocco

2009-08-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

Balloon heaven . . .

Marrakech, Morrocco

2009-07-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

Just back from a long vacation in Morocco and the Czech Republic. More photos to come soon . . .

Looking for More

2009-06-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

When I'm on assignment for the paper I usual spend way to much time worrying about filling a certain quota of pictures for an editor. This usually kills any creative inspiration I might have. These pictures are from a not so interesting assignment after I gave up trying to make good pictures for an editor and tried to open myself up to the visual possibilities of the event.

ROTC

2009-05-23T14:09:00.001-07:00

Firemen's Parade

2009-05-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Balloons are so much fun!

Recently, I have been shooting more into direct sunlight. I like the unpredictable effects that happen sometimes.

Oldie

2009-05-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

I trying to finish an update to my website I started last January. Editing my portfolio is painful and I wish I was rich enough to pay someone else to do it.

Virginia Beach

2009-05-14T08:56:00.001-07:00

Hanging out in Virginia Beach with Petra.

Notes on the Virginia Gold Cup

2009-05-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

Photographing this years Virginia Gold Cup was challenging. I spent a lot of time trying to pull interesting pictures out from all of the visual clutter of the day. The photograph above is one of my favorite images form this shoot. It reminds me of a classic painting.

For this picture, I waited with my camera pointed in one direction for people to gather for the start of a race. I was hoping that I could fill my frame with people walk in various directions. I was trying to make a different kind of overall crowd picture.

Most of the fan reaction shots happen right as the horses cross the finish line. Many people gather on the hill near the grandstand to get a glimpse of the winning horse crossing the finish line.

Photographing color is the best thing about shooting the tailgaters at the Virginia Gold Cup.

I had a hard time working with my wide angles lens during the Virginia Gold Cup. People wanted to pose for me when they say my camera pointed in their direction. I often had to take the posed shot wait a few seconds for them to relax and quickly make a better picture.

It was hard to get a frame of this guy were he was not directly posing for me. I had to wait until a friend walk by to make a decent frame. I took his picture because of his cool hat.

Sometimes, I have no clue why I stop to take a picture. There was something about how the woman in the center was standing that attracted me to this moment.

This is the tenth group portrait that I was stop by people in the crowd to take. These pictures usually never make if out of my edit. I use to dislike making these images for people. I have found that is an easy way to break the ice and possibly get access to some more interesting moments.

This girl had an awesome hat. I tried to wait for a moment to photograph her when she was focus on something else. It never happen. Instead she watched me watching her.

In this picture, I was again trying to make an interesting image were each individuals body language was a little different.

Prom Color

2009-04-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

Fauquier High School's 2008 Prom

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-19T18:54:00.001-07:00

Easter Egg Hunt in Haymarket, Virginia.

The Passion

2009-04-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from an assignment a week before Easter.

Petra

2009-04-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

Petra posed for a portrait in front of our home in Stafford, Virginia.

Waiting for Twilight

2009-03-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

Twilight DVD release party at Borders in Warrenton, VA.

Weekend Wedding

2009-03-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of my favorite outtakes from a wedding a shot last weekend.

St. Patty's Day

2009-03-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Instead of drinking, I spent the night on assignment in a local pub in Warrenton.

Superman

2009-03-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

Feature hunting in Fauquier County, VA.

Moon Over Buffalo

2009-03-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

Afternoon at the Tea Shop

2009-02-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

Skating

2009-02-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

High Flying Indoors

2009-02-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Paolo Pellegrin's Great Performers

2009-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty sweet set of photos by Paolo Pellegrin. I like the fact that the NYT used a photojournalist/documentary photographer to shoot a portfolio that would have normally been created by a fashion/fine art shooter. In away this helps me realized that what ever your photographic talent is, you have to stay true to what drives you.

We should not try to shape ourselves in the style of the section of industry we want to work. For example, shooting portraits when you are really good at architecture or shooting video if you a passionate still shooter. The field is wide open and possibilities are many. I maybe naive but, I believe that if you stay true to yourself and the work you believe in, success in various shapes and forms will eventually come to you.

Obama's Inauguration Day

2009-01-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

It's was a crazy and exhausting day of shooting, but it was worth every second.

Fight Night Diptychs

2009-01-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

I had to come up with a portfolio for my grad school application for a MFA photography program. Originally each set of pictures started out as individual projects. I decided to show them in diptych form, because I need to create a body of work that was cohesive. I felt most of my recent work as a photojournalist was to scattered to work well in a application for a fine art photo program.

Artist Statement:
My work explores the line between the real and the imaginary world of violence, in the context of entertainment. Violence as entertainment is an important part of the human experience. In America, violence has become just another commodity that is available for consumption. I used digital photography to document the world of independent professional wrestling and the world of mix-martial arts. Both use violence to entertain their viewers. In one world the actions are very real and in the other the violence is simply mimicked.

We place the actions of the fighters and wrestler outside of our own personal realities, into a dream world, because we watch these events from a safe distance of our television or as an audience member. This allows us to dehumanize what is taking place in front of us. The fighters and wrestlers become actors in our dream world. In reality, outside of this fantasized context, this type of violence would not be condoned.

I am interested in how both mediums surround themselves in worlds of fantasy. In this context, the line between reality and imagination is blurred. In the hyper-reality that encompasses both worlds, under the lights of the stage in full public view, the acts become interchangeable.

The goal of my work was to focus on this indistinct space, where the two worlds overlap. America’s cultural values are reflected in this space. I combined these separate worlds by creating diptychs, made up of one image from mix-martial arts and one image from independent professional wrestling. Because the two worlds mirror each other, I have arranged the diptychs in a way to let the viewer decide with is real and which is imagined.

More Mary's Family Respit

2009-01-15T14:50:00.000-08:00

Mary's Family Respit

2009-01-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

I made this image at an event for special needs children.

Bluegrass Diptych

2009-01-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

The diptych - two photos that fit better together than they did apart. I made these pictures last summer at a bluegrass concert in Orange County, VA. I finally got around to photoshopping these images together. Thanks to Drew for teaching me how to do this.

Vigil

2009-01-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas Caroling

2008-12-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

I had an assignment to photograph a church group that traveled to the homes of parishioners to sing Christmas Carols. Many of the parishioners could not leave their homes because of health reasons.

Bull Run Christmas Light Show

2008-12-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

I spent an hour trying to find the right exposure and fumbling around with a tripod to make this image. I also should mention it was very, very cold outside too. The things I do for the love of community photojournalism.

The Nutcracker

2008-12-14T18:22:00.001-08:00

Gainesville Ballet School Children's Nutcracker

Hotdogs and Marshmallows

2008-12-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

The best float from the Bealton Christmas Parade.

No Photoshop Here

2008-12-14T17:43:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know.

Manassas Christmas Parade

2008-12-08T07:02:00.001-08:00

Election Night Leftover

2008-12-04T14:59:00.001-08:00

High School Gymnastics

2008-12-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

I shoot gymnastics once a year. Last night was my second time ever trying to photograph gymnastics in the poorly lit Stonewall High School High gym. It was a challenge, but I had fun.

Photo Editing with Santa

2008-12-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again.

The John H. White School of Photojounalism: PJ Love

2008-12-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

I found this You Tube video of a short speech by John H. White. John has been a staff photographer of the Chicago Sun-Times for many years and he won the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography in 1982. John was also my introduction to the craft of photojournalism. The three semester I spent in his class listening to his insight inspired me to become a photojournalist. I believe that we can trace the legacy of his teaching through many of photojournalist working today. John's message is one of connection. He always reminds his students that we have a responsibility to the people we photograph and that part of being a good photographer was working from the heart. John's instruction goes beyond f-stops and shutter speeds, he taught us how to see, and he helped us make the connection between life and photography.

Obama's Balloons

2008-11-04T16:20:00.001-08:00

Balloon Nostalgia

2008-11-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

Who says balloons need to be in color. I always get excited when I see balloons on assignment. I spend way too much time photographing them. I get a little nostalgic for my childhood when I see them. I made these pictures in black and white to see if the magic was about the color or the moments.

15 Seconds with a Pro Football player

2008-11-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Redskin Jason Campbell visited a local school this week. A NFL films crew shot him as he tossing footballs and hung out with the children.

2008-10-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

A student holds a section of plastic bags as it stretches around Brumsfield Elementary School. The students collected 5,203 plastic bags in one week. There were enough bags to ring the school at least four times. The exercises was attend to help the students understand the impact of plastic bags on the environment and to learn about the limit of our natural resources.

Gold Cup Color

2008-10-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2008-10-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

A local middle school football team took a moment to recognize survivors of breast cancer before the final game of the season.

Rainy Day

2008-10-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we spent hours and line waiting to see Obama speak at the University of Mary Washington. In the end, we did not get, but I got some fun pics.

Show Color 3.0

2008-10-03T08:37:00.001-07:00

A couple photos from A Funny Thing Happen on the Way to the Forum.

Scottish Games

2008-09-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Selects from my weekend assignment.

9-11-2008

2008-09-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

My favorites from the Pentagon Memorial Dedication.

Baptism: A Reason To Click the Shutter

2008-09-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended my brother's baptism at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Recently, I have been leaving my camera at home on my days off. When, I took photojournalism courses in Chicago, my teacher John H. White would always preach to us to always take our camera everywhere we went.

Recently, I really have not been in the mood to make pictures when I was not at work, which bothers me. When, I look around at many of the young photographers I admire, I see that these talented people seem to be working continuously. They are very prolific when it comes to photographing there lives, the people around them and the place they visit.

Not so long ago, I was like them. Making pictures of everything around me everyday. Now, I feel that I really have to have a reason to click the shutter. Whether it is for work, or is for something that is personally important to me. Even with this reasoning, there is still a little voice in my head that is telling me I have lost some of the drive I had when I began this career six years ago.

I know my approach to photography has change a lot. It is very difficult to make meaningful images that resonate with other people in our visually saturated culture. So now, when I make a photograph a complex set of worries flash across my brain. Will this picture have any effect on people who I photograph? Is this picture interesting enough to draw the readers' attention for a few extra seconds? Does the image meet my own standards of image quality and have I challenged myself by pushing my own photographic barriers a little?

There are so many questions that I ask while I'm shooting and editing my images. I know that I need to go full circle and bring back some of that rookie spirit back into my photographic life. But, I also need to balance it with directing this drive on things that are more important to me.

New Website

2008-08-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

www.raymondthompsonjr.com

Please Check it out!!!!

In Vermont With Jess

2008-08-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days visiting one of my oldest friends in Vermont. Jess and her boyfriend took me for a mini hike to check out a series of waterfalls. The only catch was that we had to walk through a corn field to get there.

Marching Badass

2008-08-27T09:14:00.001-07:00

There is only one word for this guy. Fierce!!!

Photo Essay: Independent Pro Wrestling

2008-06-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

I spent a few Monday and Friday nights shooting an independent pro wrestling group. I don't know about anyone else, but I spent many Saturdays in my youth watching the WWF on TV. So, I enjoyed having the opportunity to see were it all begins for most of the future stars in this business. I have learned that it takes a lot of training, hard work and dedication to make it to the "big time" of pro wrestling. The guys and girls in these photos are paid very little and they travel all over the country because they love what they do. I had a great time working on this little project.

Poltical Theater

2008-06-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

Obama came through Prince William County last week. I have never covered this kind of event before. I was very disappointed with the way Obama's campaign attempted to manage what the media saw. They tried to limit are movements to the riser, which is the camera platform in front of the stage. When I tried to leave they assigned me a escorted, who told me I could not take pictures outside that area. I felt like I was being forced to photograph political theater.

An African Wedding

2008-06-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had an assignment to cover part of an Christian African Wedding ritual. The ceremonies seem are very similar with small differences. For instance, a group of five women serenaded the bride before she left her parent's home. It was very interesting to watch this ceremony. Before the bride could leave her parents home, the groom's parents had to come and ask permission from the bride's parents.

Farm Animals Downtown

2008-05-18T15:04:00.001-07:00

More cows...

2008-05-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

Fighting for One More Game

2008-05-14T11:37:00.001-07:00

The best part of covering sports is the playoffs. One team goes home and the other lives to fight another day. No matter which teams win or losses the emotion that erupts at the conclusion of the game is always intense.

Max's World

2008-05-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Max Smith-Levin, 3, who was born with a rare disorder that left him without eyes. The reporter and I were not sure what to expect from this story. When we got there his parents explained to us that Max loves music. When a song began he would start to smile and swing his body to the rhythm of the music. I could only imagine what it would be like to be blind, with only sounds and sense of touch to help me experience the pleasures of life. He also has a set of prosthetic eyes .Watching him playing music with his keyboard was very inspiring for me. This three-year-old little boy is amazing and I'm sure he will be making beautiful music in the future.

When the music stops he grabs his ears to signal to his parents that he wants more.

Max's father helps him with his toys.
Max smiles when he hears his favorite songs.(Above) Max plays music on a keyboard his grandparents gave him and he has learn every button on the keyboard. (Below)

Multimedia Essay: The Psalm of Daniel

2008-05-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

I finally posted my Daniel Garcia multimedia project.

Please check it out.

Watching and Waiting

2008-05-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

I spent 4 hours in a cold barn photographing 4-H kids as they prepared their animals(cattle, pigs, and sheep) for sale.

I paced back and forth between stales just looking for a photo to emerge in front of me. I'm so grateful for the subjects who don't mind me or my camera gazing at them for long moments.

I'm natural a shy person and photojournalism has allowed me to enter others worlds and just hangout. The camera allows me to just watch and wait. I have learned so much about people and world this way.

Thoroughly Modern Millie

2008-05-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Other night at the theatre. . .

Photo Essay: The Psalm of Daniel

2008-04-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

Daniel Garcia's story started from one assignment with my old newspaper and turn into a one and half year project. This is probably the first really photo story I have ever completed. I don't want to talk to much about the images. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

Background:

Daniel Garcia was born with cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome, a disease so rare that he is one of only 70 known cases in the world. The condition left him with no jaw, a malformed tongue and palate and only two normal ribs, the rest floating, unattached to his backbone. For Daniel, this has meant not being able to eat or talk normally as well as being partially deaf his entire life. His breathing is supported by a trach tube place in his throat. It allows air to flow to his lungs and sound to echo out of his voice box. Due to these serious effects of his disease, doctors said Daniel would not live to see age three. Today, after a number of surgeries to shape his jaw and aide his breathing, Daniel looks to the futire and the next steps in beginning a normal life.

Tennis and other thoughts

2008-04-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

As the end to another semester comes to a close, I want to reflect on my personal ideals that have driven me into photography and that have influenced me to go back to school to complete my BA. These day my life is split between being a part-time student and a full-time photojournalist.

One of the reason I decided to return to school after a 3 year break was to learn about the world and how it works. In the past, I felt that the most important way to learn about photojournalism was to attend a school with a photo program. Unfortunately, school did not teach me everything I needed to know to be a photographer. All I really learned was basic camera operations and compositional techniques.

These skills are not really worth the tuition of a four-year school. What I was not taught was how to find a subject that would motivate me to want to point my camera in that direction. So that is why I decided to attend a liberal arts school and to study American Studies and History.

Howard Chapnick said in his book "Truth Needs No Ally," that the idea is the "life blood of the photojournalist." After two and half years of being a staff photographer I have realized that this statement is the best piece of advice that I have ever heard on how to succeed in photojournalism. This applies to more then being financially successful as a photojournalist, it also unlocks the secret of sustaining the passion that is needed to stay with this profession.

Without passion low pay combined with the difficulty of advancing in this business would eventually turn most people off. My classes at the University of Mary Washington have awaken me to the effects of government policy on the life of the individuals that live within it borders. The knowledge I have gained is starting to point me to a different focus in my photographic life.

I have written this statement in my cover letters for jobs many times. "My career goals is to work as a photojournalist who concentrates on domestic and international social issues ." The difference now is that I mean it. If for some reason due to my lacking photographic skills or the market, I can't be a photojournalist anymore I will most likely quit.

I cannot see myself working in fashion or wedding photography as many of my peers at my level have turn too. I would prefer to work for a non-profit trying to effect change as a lawyer or social worker. My point is that if my photographic work cannot be in the world of social documentary photojournalism, then I will most likely leave it.

Why Photography?

2008-04-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was assigned to photograph a llamas visit at a senior citizens home. I had pretty high expectations for myself, to produce a decent photograph. Yet, I ended up feeling disappointed in my take from this assignment. When I walked into the room, the first thing I saw was twenty or so seniors in wheel chairs or beds watching two llamas. I had a hard time moving in the room because of the positions of the wheel chairs and beds and I did want to block the view of the llamas from any of the seniors.

As my old photojournalism teacher John H. White would say, I made a blunt; a photograph that was just good enough to prove that I made it to my assignment. Often times, I have to remind myself when I out on community assignments why shooting features on kids, animals, or seniors is important.

As photojournalist in communities were most of us don't know our neighbors names we are the glue that helps keep the community together. We serve to help keep people connected to each other. I guess that why I'm so hard on myself. Every picture that I make, I want people to be able to relate to the my subjects on a very personal level.

I hope that an image can stop someone for just an instant, to imagine what the life of another person in their community is like. For me, the ability of the photograph to evoke understanding is one of the most beautiful things bout this craft.