Kohl Threlkeld

Remembrance

2012-01-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked the second anniversary of the earthquake that shook Port-au-Prince and left over 200,000 people dead. For me, it was only a headline in the newspaper, but for many people here in Haiti it was the anniversary of the day that they survived, and many of their loved ones did not. I couldn't imagine living here when it happened. Nor could I imagine living through the 2 years that have passed waiting for the aid money to trickle down to the people and turn things around. Yesterday gave me an intimate view of just how far reaching the destruction was, and just how resilient and faithful the people that lived through it are.

Additionally, I am wholly impressed with my colleagues who found the strength to not only pull through it, but go to work and report about it.

Here are a few photos of people taking to the streets to remember.

Anti-MINUSTAH Protest- Port-au-Prince, Haiti

2011-09-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

It is with a slight hesitation that I make my first post since arriving in Port-au-Prince two months ago with images of a protest. Before coming here I, like the rest of the world, had only seen images of Haiti in the news only in moments of extreme disorder. It would seem that is all this small country has to offer the rest of the world is tragedy. Something sad happening in a distant land, to distant people. Something to discuss at the watercolor, but then quickly forget. If there is one thing I have learned from my short time here so far, it is that the image of Haiti that I knew before is nothing of the intriguing and complex reality that exists here.

In the next two years during my work with local press agency Groupe Medialternatif, I am looking forward to seeing that complex reality unfold. My list of ideas for feature stories grows everyday as I am constantly surprised by how much joy and life this country holds. I hope that the more of the language I learn and the more people I meet, the more I can explore not just the shouting in the streets, but the quite moments that make up the daily lives of Haitians.

This protest, which took place on Friday, September 23rd was in response to the ongoing UN occupation in Haiti. It is one of several protests that have occured in the last few weeks against the UN's mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and I am certain they will continue in the weeks to come. This particular protest was relatively calm, with no rock throwing of tear gas shooting. It began at a UN compound and wound through the city ending at the back entrance to the National Palace. The organization that I work for wrote an article about it, which can be found here.

http://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article11605

UN officers photographing the protest from their guard tower.

The protest, which was lead by a police truck, included several people spray painting anti-UN slogans on the walls of buildings. Interestingly, this is not illegal and therefore was ignored by the police.

UN troops photographing the protest from the top wall of their compound.

Musicians of Market Square

2011-04-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

I spent Sunday working on a story for the Knoxville News Sentinel about the street musicians on Market Square in Knoxville. Some live on the streets by choice, others out of necessity. Some are joyful and some are bitter. Some play for money and others for passion. Whatever their story, all of them were very talented.

Whole lotta kids

2011-04-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

What else better to do while mom signs you up for your first season of Tee ball than goof off in the back of a pick up truck. At least this photographer really appreciates it. On another note, this was the hardest caption I have ever had to write. I will include it under the photo so you can see why.

Trinity Johnson, 9, foreground, waits with her family and friends as her parents sign them up for the "Smart Start" tee ball program at Inskip Ballpark on Tuesday evening. From left, Joshua Howell, 9, shows Jeremiah Johnson, 1, his glasses as Gavin Johnson, 8, plays with his brother Aaron Johnson, 5, while their cousin Isaiah Johnson waits on top of the truck. Teira Johnson, mother of Trinity, Isaiah and Jeremiah watches the children as they play.

Velo Coffee Roasters

2011-04-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

I thought I was picky about my coffee, until I met this guy. Andrew Gage is the owner of Velo Coffee Roasters in Chattanooga, Tn. and when it comes to coffee he makes me look like a 80-year old grandma sippin on 6-month old stale Folgers with my buddies at the senior center (no offense grandma). Working on this project with Andrew definitely added a few notches in my "coffee snob" belt. But, in all seriousness, I had a blast working on this project and I really feel like it helped push me in the direction that I want to be going with my work. My goal with this piece was yes, to make a commercial. (gasp!). Yes, I know this is the most dreaded word in photojournalism, but damn it, it was fun. I have always prided myself in being ethical to a fault while on assignment, and for once the rules didn't apply. And I must admit it felt a little nice. However, all the creative freedom in the world can't make up for honest, genuine emotion so I approached this just like any other story. I simply wanted to get at the soul of what drives Andrew to make really, REALLY, damn good coffee. Hey, who says there can't be truth in advertising?

Hope you enjoy.

Timber Ridge Horse Campground

2011-04-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I spent the better part of a Saturday bouncing around on the back of an ATV with a huge German Shepherd and wading shoeless in a creek while on an assignment at the Timber Ridge Horse Campground in Jamestown, Tn. for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Before I arrived I had never heard of a horse campground, so naturally I was clueless as to what to expect. It was definitely a unique experience for several reasons. First and foremost were the passionate owners, Lee and Dee, and their awesome German Shepherds. Like me, Lee and Dee had never been to a horse campground either before they bought this place as a bank repossession.

When I first got there Lee told me that "horse people is good people," and he was right. Lee had done a great job making my job as absolutely as easy as possible by notifying every last one of his guests that I would be coming, and every single one was excited and receptive to being photographed. That level of acceptance is not something you experience on very many assignments as a photojournalist. Makes me want to get a horse and go back. Here are a few of the images I liked.

Read more about how Lee and Dee brought the campground from a rundown mess, to the highest rated horse campground in the country.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/apr/03/new-owners-renovate-horse-campground-at-a-gallop/

http://www.timberridgehorsecampground.com/

Day in my life

2010-10-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

As part of my Ethnography class, I had to document a day in my life with 20 images. Starting with being woken up by hungry cat Scraggles, teaching a photo class at Warren East Middle School, Skyping with Nora in France, three rounds of much needed coffee and a game of disc golf in beautiful afternoon light, this is just my typical Monday.

The best place in the world to sit and have a beer

2010-08-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

the harbor- Hamburg, Germany

Among The Stars

2010-05-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

Among The Stars from Kohl Threlkeld on Vimeo.

My goal with this whole project was to tell a story about people and their dreams. No matter what age a person is, everyone has at least one dream that they hold on to. Some follow their dreams and lead rich, happy lives. Others put their dreams down to pursue something more practical or responsible. The dreams we have tell so much about who we are as individuals because however simple the dream is, it is unique, belonging only to the person who created it.

This tells the story of two people who are following their dreams at completely different times in their lives. Connie is a singer and traveler from Denmark who only wants to play her songs in the street. She thrives off of the energy of the moment and holds onto no hopes of future fame or fortune. Harry is a songwriter who came to Nashville 20 years ago to try and make it as a songwriter. Tasting a little bit of fame, he left to pursue a career in the restaurant industry. Unfulfilled in his job, he decided to return back to Nashville to rediscover his original dream of writing songs.

One day while Connie is playing on the street, Harry sees her and is taken by her unique voice and spirit. He introduces himself and hands her the lyrics to a song that he has held onto for over 20 years, but never found the right singer for. When he returns she has put music to his words and the two form an unlikely and special friendship through their music.

Note: All of the footage in this video is 100% candid. Other than the lighting on the interviews, nothing was staged, set up or influenced in any way.

Thanks so much for watching and please let me know what you think of the video.

New friends and new opportunities

2009-07-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go with one of my friends Andrea (the Italian guy in the last photo)where he volunteers in a small town outside Cajamarca. he works with an NGO, that is actually run out of the house that we both live in. The families we worked with were wonderful. Once they found out i was from the US, all they did was ask me if i cold some back and teach them english. So, on wednesday, im headed back to give them copies of the pictures, try to teach them English, and take a few more pictures.

Peru

2009-07-07T11:16:00.001-07:00

Well, I just got to Cajamarca, Peru a week ago after leaving Costa Rica. I am staying here for a month, trying to learn spanish and do my best to photograph this incredibly beautiful region located in the Northern Highlands region of Peru. I dont think its a region that receives a lot of attention as it is a 16 hour bus ride from Lima, where you enter the country. And probably 20+ hours from Machu Picchu, the place most people come to visit. There is an interesting mix of people, from the traditional campesiono's that live in the villages and farm but come into the city to sale their goods, to the young, progressive crowd of 20 somethings embracing more of a metropolitian lifestyle. Either way, the city of Cajamarca and its surroundings are full of culture and life.

Here are a few pictures from the last couple of days. They are somewheat surface level, as not speaking the language well, makes it difficult to really immerse yourself in a situation. Its a lot easier to explain why you are there and what your purpose is when you speak the same language as the people you are trying to photograph. Enjoy, and expect more to come.

A New Semester

2009-02-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

Im sure its been so long since my last update that most of you stopped looking at my blog altogether, but im back at posting again now that im actually shooting again. Last semester i spent so much time looking at other peoples photography and devoting most of my time to being photo editor of the Herald that it didnt leave much, if any time to shoot. But one thing it absolutley did was make me wish i had the time to just go shoot. Not for class or anthing else but just for myself. And now that i have that time, and hopefully some more knowledge, im gonna shoot.

This first image is from the recent storms that passed through Ky and left thousands without power. To see more pictures and listen to some great audio go to www.chherald.com and please, PLEASE, check back here for more pictures to come.

Kohl

Tough Decisions

2008-10-27T20:29:00.001-07:00

If you paid attention to the news at the right time last Wednesday, you might have noticed for a brief moment that there was a shooting at WKU. Reports of armed gunmen and shots fired were flying around the national media. This sent our campus into chaos and frenzy as swat teams and media crews converged at Western. For a long while we all believed there were gunmen on campus, thankfully it turned out to be somewhat of a false alarm. It was finally sorted out and believed to be a fight between 20 or so people that happened at 2 locations, and although several people came forward claiming to have seen/ heard gunshots, none were confirmed. Although the national media soon found that it wasnt jucy enough for the, it was still big news for our campus because of some of the events that happened while our school was on lockdown. The most significant being several students were detained at gunpoint in what could be described as overkill. When one girl said to a cop while he arrested her friend "You cant do that" he said, "If you want to be a part of this, ill make you part of this, and threw her on the ground" Thats our front page photo. It was a difficult decision after considering all of the great images, but the above layouts is how it ran in our paper. We chose the photo for the front because it best illustrated that confusion and chaos of the day. It also portrayed an event that hardly anyone on campus witnessed, and we felt was important. Overall our photographers did a great job and got the most story telling images possible. It was great practice for me as well because i found out just how stressful this job can be, but also how rewarding. And no one had to get shot.

Finally got to shoot a picture

2008-09-21T18:52:00.001-07:00

This semester i have taken the job as photo editor for WKU's paper, the College Heights Herald. It all happened last minute, but has so far been an awesome experience. I have already learned stuff that i didn't expect to learn. Just the nature of editing hundreds of images a week is bound to help your photography in the long run, i hope. I will say one thing, spending all of my time watching my staff take great pictures, and not having the time to take any myself, has made me more eager than ever to pick up my camera. I did find some time this past saturday to shoot a feature at the football game Western played against Murray state.

I saw this group of young kids hanging outside of the rest of the crowd as everyone else passed by. They were so preoccupied with texting on their phones, that im not sure they knew there was a game going on. They were nice kids though.

Check out what were doing online at the Herald.

Young Bird, Old Hands

2008-07-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

Where'd I park my horse?

2008-07-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

This image is from a horse jumping competition. The interesting thing was that one of the courses was set up on top of a parking garage. Where else would you put all the horses but on the lower levels. I wonder if anyone forgot where they parked their horse.

First few weeks

2008-06-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some images from my first few weeks at the Knoxville News Sentinel, as well as one from a friends wedding i shot in Nashville. I'm gonna post a bunch of images, so i don't blame you if you only look at the first few and then get bored. I might. Please give me some feedback if you feel like it.

I hope that everyone else out there doing internships is doing awesome. Good luck this summer.

These first two are from a Llama sanctuary that i visited today on an assignment. Of course the assignment was scheduled to go at the same time as the reporter as opposed to by myself when something interesting was happening. I was pretty happy with what i got considering the circumstances, but not satisfied enough. So, i got it approved to go back tomorrow and thursday when they are going to try and catch a wild Llama and bring another to the sanctuary. They were a pretty awesome family and im hoping to get some good images as well as audio from it.

Again with the scheduling. When i read the assignment it said that at 1:30 these kids from this science camp would be presenting the projects they had worked on all week to their parents. It didnt sound to visual so i showed up an hour and a half early to try and photograph them actually working on their projects. I'm glad i did because the presentation i was supposed to photograph consisted of a bunch of people sitting in a gym. Im finally getting the hang of how these assignments work. At my last internship the scheduling was done differently, so it took some figuring out.

Just a simple feature to run with a story about the public library, they never ran the story. Oh well.

Bridal dresses style shoot. Its funny because the location that we shot this at was probably the tackies wedding place i have ever seen. It looked like a glorified funeral home. So four out of the seven shots were done in an abandoned, overgrown lot next to the location.

Jenny putting on makeup getting ready for the big moment. An amazing couple and the wedding was a joy to photograph. I had a blast guys, thanks.

Family

2008-05-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

For the last two years i have missed my Mom's birthday as well as most other holidays and special occasions. So this year instead of taking another internship in new city in a new state, i made the decision to come back to my hometown of Knoxville, Tn and spend the summer with my family. It was a really hard decision, and i wasnt sure it was the right one for quite a while. I think it was so ingrained into my heard that if i didnt get an internship somehow i would be failing. It took some time to realize that doing something different might be what i need. I guess i ll know at the end of the summer. I wont be taking a break completely from photography though. I was offered the newly created summer intern position at the Knoxville News Sentinel after a friend of mine, Joe Howell left to get married and start his freelance career in Nashville. So, i am looking forward to spending a great summer with my family and catching up on some moments that i might have been missing. Like this one. Happy birthday Mom.

Hold em'

2008-04-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

Texas that is...

A group of locals get together at the back of a bar to play a game of poker.

something new to look at

2008-04-06T19:48:00.001-07:00

I really cant stand checking someones blog on a regular basis and seeing the same old photo staring back at me every time. Which is exactly what i'm guilty of. So, here is a an update.

I recently finished the Appalachian Cultural project in Whitesburg, Ky. and so i thought i would post a couple of my favorite portraits from my time there. It took place in Eastern Kentucky and i cant say enough about the people and the culture there. The landscape has a mystique to it that is almost addicting. It is refreshing to be in a town that feels alive, and has a pulse. To meet real people facing real problems everyday. It was truly a sobering experience. I know that one day i want to return there on my own for one reason or another.

Check out the Website to see the rest of the workshop www.acpworkshop.org

Shake Rag Reed

2008-02-20T20:11:00.000-08:00

The first story topic for the picture stories class this semester was community/religious leader. After about four days of non stop searching and calling places to find a story i grew a little anxious and decided to just wander around until i stumbled somewhere. I was driving around and i started to think of the kind of standards that a community encompasses. We tend to think of communities as towns, cities or even large groups of people. But a restaurant is a community, right? Well i thought so too so i wondered into a little diner called "Shake Rag Restaurant" The area of shake rag is a historic district in Bowling Green that is predominately African America that saw its peak during the civil rights movement, but is now mostly quite. I thought that whoever owns the only restaurant in this community must be a leader, so i walked in and met Reed, the owner. I spent a couple of days with him at his restaurant, but the real fun came wheni went to church with him. (Oh, did i mention he's a preacher). As you can probably guess, this white boy from the suburbs had never been to an all black southern Baptist Church before. ( I was raised Presbyterian and there is a reason they call them the "frozen chosen") But it was awesome. They really fill the church with song and spirit like i had never seen before. Being in there, it was hard not to feel the spirit a little too.

Anyways, here is a picture i liked of Reed teaching Sunday school class. He didn't preach this Sunday.

Old soul

2008-02-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

I posted a portrait of James back in November, and i think i like this one more. Give me some feedback.

F3

2008-02-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

Late last week several tornadoes tore through the south and northern Tennessee/ southern Kentucky were hit pretty hard. Being that it was basically in our back yard, myself and a group of students set out to cover the destruction. I have to admit i have never been involved with anything of this magnitude before, or seen anything quite so powerful and i wasn't quite sure what to expect. I wasn't sure if we would be able to get access or if we would be kicked out. And even if we did get access, what would the community think of us showing up with cameras and audio equipment? Were we telling peoples stories, or just shooting for ourselves? I wrestled with this for a long time and decided to go anyway. We went to Lafayette, Tenn since it was said to be hit the hardest, and it looked more like a scene from Iraq than it did a quite rural town. Houses were wiped off their foundations and forests were bent over like hay, i had never seen anything like it and as i saw this i realized that no television broadcast could possible do it justice, it actually looked like Hell. As i got out of the car and walked down the street with my camera i had no idea what the people cleaning up the debris of their destroyed homes would think of me. As i walked past the first house, i waived to a man cleaning up some children's toys, and made the decision to keep walking. But then he yelled up to the road "Looks like it just polished her right off." He was referring to the fact that his home had been completely removed from its foundation as it God took a giant pencil eraser and wiped it clean. I took this as my opportunity to listen to his story and introduce myself. Without asking any questions or explaining anything he told me to take pictures of anything i wanted. I did. And I listened to him tell me about how he and his wife narrowly missed being crushed by the floor of their home. He told my he was waiting on his family to some over and bring some things. Figuring there would be some good moments, i asked if i could wait too, he said i could. The whole time i was there the family asked questions about me and school and photography. They offered me water and when a FEMA truck brought pizza by they practically tried to make us eat some saying that " you boys are working hard and need some food." After all they had been through, they thought WE were the ones working hard. Overall i stayed with his family for a couple of hours until it got dark, and the town was put on curfew. After it all was over i felt as though we were completely right about going down there. And even though i spent more time talking and listening than i did taking pictures i learned that not even a tornado can destroy southern hospitality.

Winter Break

2008-01-25T11:39:00.001-08:00

Alright, I know what your thinking, but I didn't put my camera down over the winter break completely. I shot a few hockey pictures for the Knoxville News Sentinel, but my favorite image came from Christmas morning when i set up some lights and did a few portraits at my grandparents house. I will be updating much more frequently from now on so please keep checking back!

Grandma and Grandpa on Christmas

Fashion

2007-12-06T19:05:00.000-08:00

Things I learned from my first fashion shoot...

Having an idea and vision, experienced models willing to do anything you ask, lots of time, an assistant, hot chocolate for those models, music for models to listen to, someone who actually knows something about womens fashion, knowing people who own a laundry mat, leaving your car running so models can sit in it and stay warm, taping your strobes to flash stands so they don't fall off and hit concrete... twice, something (or someone) to hold your flash stands so they don't blow over in the wind... twice, pocket wizards, and most importantly reflectors are the most useful tool you can have besides your camera.

The first time i shot fashion for my lighting class, my pictures were complete crap, so for my lighting final i gave it one more shot with a lot more passion and determination not to suck, here are the pictures i got. The theme was vintage fashion. Let me know what you think.

Funeral Home 2.0

2007-11-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

This is the second funeral home director portrait that ive posted to my blog, and i think that i like this one better. I was helping a friend with her assignment shooting a portait of this guy and so i decided to take one myself. This guy was really cool. He was only 19 years old and he just got back from running a funeral home in Mobile, Alabama. He told us stories about hurricane victims and how people so accustomed to death react when they see a hearse drive down the street. I kinda liked the light and the exit sign above the door. Heavenly? Maybe its a stretch, but i thought it might work.

Bad day to be on the bottom of the food chain.

2007-11-11T22:18:00.000-08:00

I was driving around today with Briana and as we pulled up to a stop, she pointed out a hawk that was attacking another bird. I just happened to have a 300 2.8 in the back seat from shooting football, so i hopped out of the car and shot a few frames. It was really wild to see this through a lens from only a few feet away.

Wrinkles and a smile

2007-11-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Two things i noticed in the first 30 seconds of meeting Mr. Laurent. His awesome wrinkles, and a smile that reminded me of a teenager's. Although he turns 75 this coming January, his aged face and worn hands show the signs of having seven kids and 16 grandchildren, making him appear a decade older. Its not until he laughs, which he does often, that a feeling of youth springs forward and his weathered features become almost secondary to his genuine, youthful grin. Despite his age, he has surpassed a much deserved retirement along time ago. With at least 6 children and 8 adults crowded into his cozy living room he explained how he spends most of his time now. He still works on cars, washing machines, tractors, and about anything else with a motor or moving parts. Noticing a bit of shock in my face as he gave me a laundry list of daily jobs and tasks, he responded, "Retirement is like letting a house just sit there. Eventually it will just fall apart. The same thing happens to our bodies."

Mountain Workshop 2007: Danville, Ky.

2007-10-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Mountain Workshop is underway and the second day of shooting and critiquing is just getting started. While i am not shooting the workshop this year i can already tell it will be an invaluable week of experience. I am working as a "labbie" on the other side of things, and have spent the last four days setting up things in preparation of the arriving shooters and coaches.

Yesterday, during some down time i went to a local coffee shop with a group of coaches, and while they explored the downtown area, i found this feature picture in the coffee shop. The couple in the picture are ages 16 and 14 and they met on My Space. And they havent told their parents yet. Ill continue posting pictures from the workshop throughout the week, of all of the coaches and shooters. I cant believe i am im the presence of some of the greatest photographers in the country right now.

Why i should always carry my camera with me

2007-10-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

After losing a last minute battle with my car transmission, i ended up stuck in Bowling Green this weekend instead of Knoxville where i was headed. It all worked out though, i ended up going to a wedding with a friend in Muhlenberg County and having an awesome time. Just before the ceremony began, i grabbed this picture. Im going to send it to the bride as a "Thank you for letting me come to your wedding and eat your cake even though you dont know me" present. Hope she likes it.

First in a while

2007-09-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

At the request of Bryan Bosch, who continues to be my photo editor, i am posting a picture for the first time being back from Monroe. I was waiting to post something awesome, but this is what I've got so far from being back. WKU's president made an announcement the other day, and i was sent to photograph it for the College Heights Herald. I was looking for something a little better than a podium shot. This is what i got. I give it one and a half thumbs up.

Hey Mickey

2007-08-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

I just wrapped up shooting portraits of a local boxer named Mickey who's turning pro next year. I hung out for his practice, but i wasn't too thrilled with anything that i got, so i tried a few portraits. Mickey was a really nice guy and was much less threatening than he looks in the pictures. I actually though he was so nice, that its hard to actually see him hitting someone. He even hung around after practice and asked me if i need help carrying my equipment. I get to shoot him boxing on Saturday, so well see how that goes. I think we are going to run the first one in the paper, i like the some what mysterious feel that it has to it.

one final detail

2007-08-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

I was going back through my edit for work of the pageant stuff and i ran across this image i forgot.

Miss Monroe Pageant

2007-08-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it was an interesting night to say the least. I finished up our papers coverage of the Miss Monroe County Pageant with a look at what goes on backstage during the Pageant. Ive got to say that besides really REALLY bad light, and LOTS self concious women who hate having their picture taken, I actually had a blast. It doesnt sound like a killer assignment when you tell someone that youll be covering a pagaeant, but i was actually pretty excited about it for a while. I dont usually get assignments with lots of emotion built into them but i knew this one would. Overall i think im happy with most of my shots, however, I was really looking for that one storytelling image oaf someone practicing their dance in a hallway alone, or maybe someone praying before they went on. I looked for these moments all night, but i never could find one. Fell free to let me know what pictures you like, or dont like, and what works and what doesnt.

Miss Monroe: Backstage

2007-08-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of features from being backstage at the Miss Monroe Pageant dress rehearsal. I will be shooting the actual pageant all day tomorrow. I really enjoyed shooting the dress rehearsal. The girls were cool with me being there and didn't mind too much me taking pictures. After they got over the fact that i wasn't going to let them strike a pose every time i lifted up my camera. I think the most interesting part of the whole deal was when i walked into the room where they were all eating. They freaked out. A couple of them actually covered up their plates and several more refused to eat if i was taking pictures. One girl covered up the chips on her plate and said her mother would kill her if she saw a photo of chips on her plate. I don't think she was kidding.

More Portraits

2007-08-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

I had a freelance assignment with a small farming insurance company to shoot a portrait of a farmer that uses crop insurance. After rescheduling because of bad weather, we finally found a couple of hourse when the weather cleared, to bring out the lights, and shoot some pictures. I started off, as you can tell, doing what i usually do by using one light off to the side. While, it provides decent dramatic light, it gets really old and boring, and i really would like to start adding lights to create that ( and im quoting my friend Dave here) "Super-real" light. Its the kind of lighting that separates the boys form the men. So, i added another light off to the left hand side for 3rd and 4th picture. The last one is natural light, and proof of why it helps to have a way to power your flashes with out plugging them in. It could have been awesome if i could have used the lights in the middle of hs corn field. Oh well.

My lil sis

2007-08-05T19:18:00.001-07:00

Two posts ago i posted about taking senior pictures of my cousin. Well, shortly after i took pictures of my sister as well. ( someone who could probably care less about having her picture taken). But it was more for posterity than anything i suppose. My point is, however, that i didnt post a picture on here because i had not edited them yet, and im just now getting around to it.

So, because it took most of my life (and alot of time spent away from form her) to realize just how amazing and important she is to me, here is a pic i shot of her. She's like a little hippie, without the odor. Love ya Sis.

Its Bulls and Blood, its the dust and mud...

2007-08-01T21:04:00.000-07:00

I stole the title from a Garth Brooks song from back in the day (were talking late 90's here) when i listened to his music. Anyway, the son is called rodeo and thats what i just got back from shooting.

I have found recently that whatever it is i shoot, i wasn to be closer. I want to be so close to the actioin that i can shoot it with a 16mm lens. Last night, it was the Demolition Derby, and tonight it was the Rodeo. I got there about an hour early and hung out with the riders not really shooting but more just hanging out and joking around with them. When the rodeo started i was able to climb right up onto the top of the chute where the bulls and horse were held before they were released bucking and kicking. I was pretty much right in everyones way, but they were coll with it and volunteered to work aound me with no problem. I even came home with crap on my camera bag. (dont worry Bryan, i cleaned it).

These were my favorites, i couldnt decide which one i liked best. Feedback?

A busy vacation

2007-08-01T20:50:00.001-07:00

Its been a while since ive updated and there has been a good reason for that. Ive been on vacation. Not vacation so much as just a 4 day break from working in Monroe and instead shooting senior portraits for my cousin, and the real reason i left in the first place, to shoot Amy and Nathan's wedding in Bowling Green. I think i drove 1,200 miles in about 4 days, but it was definately woth it. I got to spent time with my family who i havent seen all summer, and i got to spent time with friends in Bowling Green, like the good ole days.

The wedding was beautiful . Not just beacuse of the scenery, but because Amy and Nathan are probably the sweetest couple i have ever known. Here are a few of my favorite images from their wedding.

My cousin posing for her senior portrait. I told my aunt that if she made me take a picture of her sitting on a rock or by a tree, i would quit. I think there isnt too much about this that screams typical senior portrait.

Rudy

2007-07-25T13:26:00.001-07:00

Ok, so his name is not really Rudy, but it might as well be. His name is mike and for anyone who has actually seen the movie Rudy (if you haven't, you should) this guys story couldn't be closer to the film. It was always Mikes Dream to be a part of Notre Dame athletics. His father graduatd from Notre Dame, and his son wanted nothing more than to follow in those same footsteps. There were however several problems blocking his path. The obvious, an most paramount of his obstacles was his severe muscular dystrophy which pretty much sealed his fate as far as becoming an athlete. The second was being actually accepted into Notre Dame. This didnt happen immediately, so he attended Holy Cross (which is right across the street from Notre Dame, and the same pre-fighting irish path the Rudy took.) Still striving to overcome these hurdles he found a spot on the Notre Dame rowing team as a coxswain, the person who rides in the boat and calls out commands. He was a perfect candidate for this because of his small, compact, lightweight body structure. And finally to complete his goal, he was accepted at Notre Dame and will now officially become a Notre Dame athlete, just like Rudy.

Solitude

2007-07-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

"You cannot build up character in solitude, you need formed character to stand solitude."

~Austin O'Malley

National Geographic

2007-07-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

On my way to the office i stopped to take advantage of some nice light. I know there arent any people in the pictures, but great light is great light. I think ill be calling national geographic.

A Day on the River

2007-07-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

This was one of the coolest assignments that ive ever had. I spent the whole day kayaking down a river with a group of volunteers from the Huron River Watershed Council. A lady named Liz was swimming the length of the river ( about 120 miles) and yesterday she swam the part that passed through Monroe county. She is swimming the river to show that a once polluted river is now clean and should be utilized for recreation. I had an amazing time both kayaking the river and spending time with a fun, passionate group of people. So to sum things up i got paid to paddle down a river all day. I feel like i should act unhappy about this, because one day someone will figure out that its wrong to have so much fun on assignments, and theyll just stop paying me.

My Kayak (I want one!)

Several other voluteers go alongside liz and watch for underlying debris, depth, and check the current to make sure its safe.

The water she is swimming in is clean, but not that clean.

When the water is too shalow, Liz has to use her floatie. Shot from a bridge.

Liz gets out of the water after swimming almost 5 miles.

Just a fun shot.

Harry Potter

2007-07-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the newest book, downtown Monroe threw a Harry Potter festival. I think its interesting that an entire downtown celebrated something like this, something based not on a holiday or day of rememberance, but rather on something commercialized like a book or a movie. There were spell casting competitions, costume competitions, and themed menu items at area restaurants. After a few hours of feature hunting i came across this rather sad looking Harry. I just like this particular kids disposition in general.

Brian

2007-07-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

I had to stop by a newly built funeral home today and take portriat of its owner. Brian was a pretty cool guy. He built the funeral home to be as warm and cozy as possible, and it even included a "coffee house" and a smoking room. brian has been embalming people for almost a decade and he feels as though its his calling from god. His way of preaching. Here is one of the portriats i shot of him that i liked.

New name

2007-07-10T19:26:00.001-07:00

Everything good needs a catch, right? I mean afterall, its not like George Bush became president because of his staggering ability to lead a nation (I think it was the religion thing). So, I decided to change the name of my blog to "beyond the caption." Simply because, its the best part of my job. The best part of working for a newspaper is the people we meet and the experiences we have. However, because our readers dont want to hear about our experiences we limit our captions to necessary information. But so much more happens on assignments that never get told (see post "Innocent") . I noticed that almost all of my posting so far have a story with them. At first i did this so that people who arent photographers ( hi mom) would know what we experience while on assignments, but i think ill keep it going. After all, its my blog and where else can i share my observations and opinions? Let me know what you think!

David

2007-07-09T18:37:00.000-07:00

The longest assignment ever.

Today i went to David's house to photograph him with his grandson. David babysits his grandson everyday while his mother is at work. This was for a story about local township supervisors and what they do on their time off since they their job doesnt require full time status.

My first encounter with David didnt go so well. After he opened the door, i could tell he wasnt to happy with me coming to his house. So, i figured i would just smile and be nice. My smile was interrupted when he actually asked to see my press pass. he said, "Dont you have some id on you or something, they told me you would have id on you." Now, normally i dont have to show my press pass to come inside someones home, but apparently he was paranoid about something. And he wasnt too happy that i left my press pass in my car. So, after proper identification was established was granted entry into his humble farmhouse. This step was important to make certain i wasnt no radical muslim or nothin. ( he actually used this phrase later on in the day).

This assignment took me almost five hours to complete. Maybe because the first 2.5 were spent in a tiny poorly lit basement watching his grandson play computer games, as i was asked questions as to the nature of the story we were writing about him. However, we did eventually venture upstairs to the kitchen, then to the living room, and then to put his grandson down for a nap. I will say it was an extremely interesting day. David eventually warmed up to me and we got along fine. He talked alot about hunting, fishing, computers, buying american products, christianity, and "Liberals." So, i didnt say alot in return, but instead listned to him and asked question ( and hoped he didnt ask my political views). Even though we couldnt be farther on the social spectum, everything worked out fine.

I will say that in the end, he was a nice guy, and a great grandfather. Even though he did give me hell for driving a toyota. I guess some people just take five hours to warm up to you.

Hippotherapy Finished Product

2007-07-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

This is a small story that i did my first couple of weeks of my internship. I heard about this program through someone at another assignment, and decided to check it out. Originally it was just going to be multimedia, but we decided to run a photo story in the paper. The page ran today, and the first photo below ran 6 columns on the front of the Living section so i has happy about that. Since i was the only one working on the project, i also wrote the story to go along with it. I posted the story, a few of my favorite pictures, and a link to the multimedia. Let me know what you think.

Each week Kyle Krohn rolls his wheel chair into the Stepping Stone riding facility and comes face to face with one of the greatest challenges in his fight against Cerebral Palsy, getting on a horse. Every week for ten weeks he has faced this challenge and met it with perseverance and determination.
Kyle is a participant in the Hippotherapy Program put on by St. Vincent Mercy Children's Hospital out of Toledo, OH. Each week a physical therapist and occupational therapist come up from Toledo and hold sessions at the Stepping Stone riding facility in Frenchtown Township in Monroe. Hippotherapy, which comes from the Greek word "hippos" meaning horse, uses the movement of the horse to help disabled children facilitate their balance and movement challenges. Unlike traditional therapy involving horses, Hippotherapy does not focus on teaching disabled people to ride horses, but rather uses the horse as a therapeutic tool. The horses walking pattern mimics that of a human's walking pattern, and the side to side movement and starting and stopping of the horse works muscles in the pelvis and legs that a child in a wheelchair would normally never be able to experience under their own power.
Hippotherapy works under the recommendation of a medical doctor prescribing physical or occupational therapy for the patient. After the patient has met with the therapist, a treatment plan is formed and goals are set. Children with cerebral palsy, autism, brain injury, cerebral vascular accident, brachial plexus, neuromuscular disorders or sensory processing dysfunction may benefit from hippotherapy.
When Kyle first started the program, even the idea of having to climb up on a horse was enough to frighten him. Now, ten weeks later, getting back on the horse, is like, well, getting back on the horse. Kyle is able to decide how fast he wants the horse to go and when he wants the horse to stop. Not only has Kyle improved in a physical sense, but the improvements in his abilities strengthen him emotionally as well. "His legs are holding up longer under him and he straightens up in his chair more," said LaVonne Krohn, Kyle's grandmother, "it's amazing the confidence he's getting to try other things and new things, and it's helping him a lot."

Link to Multimedia: HIPPOTHERAPY

Clyde Evans

2007-07-06T21:19:00.001-07:00

This gentleman will be turning 77 on 7-7-07. Happy Birthday Clyde!

Ron Drager

2007-07-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

I followed around a guy tonight who owned a race track in Toledo. He wasn't doing too much, just walking around the track checking on things. I have to admit, i kinda expected to meet some big shot business man who wore a cheap suit and was going to try to pose for pictures all night to make it look like he was doing something. Ron however was very quiet, extremely humble, and not at all the businessman i expected to meet. Instead he was just a simple man with a passion for being at a race track who also happened to own one. I will also add that i have never met anyone who did a better job of ignoring my presence than him. From the word go he forgot i was there and never looked back. It was refreshing to actually feel like a fly on the wall for once. Now if everyone could understand that, my job would be a lot better.

Innocent

2007-07-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

Captions only tell so much about a photograph. They give us necessary information such as who, what, when, and where, but often times we are unable as photographers to tell the story of what really happened while we were there. What we saw, felt, and understood as we took the picture. The following picture has a story a little deeper that i could put into the caption. It ran on the front page this morning, but without the following information.

The girl in the picture is Sabrina. The person who isnt in the picture is her father. To paint a picture for you, her father was wearing a cutoff t-shirt, jail tatoos, long greasy hair, acted like he was on coke, and talked like his brain had been damaged by too much LSD, he was trash. He was the standing next to the box that was projecting the light show, that Sabrina and a couple thousand other people gathered to watch last night. However, i could tell there was something different with her that set her apart from the children that she was standing next to. They were jumping and laughing with nothing greater on their minds than trying to catch the little beams of light that shot through the air. However, Sabrina stood perfectly still. I moved in and sat infront of her and snapped a few frames, and she didnt seem to notice or if she did she didnt care. I put my camera down and just watched for a minute. I watched her and the kids around her. Within a second or two, her fathers hand shot out from the corner of my eye and he grabbed her on the arm with far too much force. This immediately got my attention. She tried to brush him off, all the while not making a sound. He grabbed her again. This time he forced her to turn around and look at something behind her. He placed his hand on her neck to do this, hard enough to hurt her. She tried to brush him off. It worked this time, and she stood silent and still and tried her hardest not to cry. He continued to grab, squeeze, and yell at her for no reason over the next 10 minutes or so. No matter where she stood, it was wrong, no matter where she looked, it was wrong. He would grab her and move her. He couldnt keep his hands off of her. At one point she stood in front of a bigger boy, leaning back against him, close enough for him to be her big brother, as if he was guarding his little sister. But he wasn't, he was just another kid watching the show. And her father quickly grabbed her away, and held her infront of her. She continually tried to brush him off. I could tell she was terrified of him. The look on her face was not one of anger, like a child who has been punished. It was instead a look of pure disgust. She was trying to look away from her father so he wouldnt see her cry. She stood so still that i was able to shoot this picture at 1/6 of a second. So when i see this picture, i cant help but get the same feeling that i got when i shot it. I cant help but see this girl as anything but purely innocent, and helpless. I dont know if this story adds to the picture, or not. And my writing doesnt do it justice, but the whole night left me with a sick feeling in my stomach. Feel free to leave comments please.

Candid Portriats

2007-07-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures that i guess would quilify as candid portraits. They are from the Pinks drag race that my last post was about.

The wife of the driver that my multimedia piece was about.

Guy taking bets on the race. Gotta love awesome pockets of light.

Pinks

2007-07-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

Im going to try to type intelligent things this morning, since i now have been up since 6:00 am yesterday, and its noon now so here we go...

Yesterday the SPEED channel brought their whole reality TV show called PINKS to the Milan Dragway here ouside of Monroe. The premise way that 400 cars would compete for 16 final spots to be on the tv show and go head to head with each other. Each round someone would be eliminated and someone would win 1,000 dollars. Each round thay had to bet part of that 1000 (for the sake of tv drama) and continue to the next round. Well, i go tthere at 5:00 and there were 30,000 people packed into the dragway. Which made it hard to shoot and even harder to move around. Im not a big fan of general even coverage, but i need more practice at it, so i set out to find some nice feature. I came across a bunch of black guys from the east AND west side of Detroit, as they informed me,, who were betting on the races. I hung out with them for a while, got some nice images and audio, and set off on my way. (ill post those pics later today) I shot some more random features and i decided i should probably go interview a driver while they werent doing anything so i could have some audio from a driver. Well, heres the kicker. The First guy i walked up on was from Temperance, MI (Thats one of the few counties we cover, so it was great to get audio from a local guy because most guys were from Detroit) named Jay. He was driving a really old plain looking Ford Fairmount to which someone later said, "Hey, My grandma drove one of those!" Basically its the last thing youd expect to see on a drag strip, so that was cool too. Oh, and the guy and his wife were extremely nice, affectionate with his wife, and most important, willing to let me follow them around for a while and get some audio (if you cant tell no, i was working on a multimedia piece) and stills. So a few minutes later, he pulls his car up to the starting line to race against something very loud, very big, and very yellow. The guy drops his arms (old school racing style) and they're off. Well, Jay started just a bit slower and was about a car length behind for most of the race. Oh well, i though he lost but its cool, cause i still have some nice images and audio. Well, the results came back and he actually beat the guy on down the track. Thats when i though, wouldn't it be cool if this randon guy i picked won the whole thing. Well, 4 races later he did. He won it all. 10,000 bucks plus other stuff. So, i ended up with all images an audio from him and his family. I posted the slideshow below.

Looking back at the end of the night driving home, i realized that this is why i love what i do. Its all about people, emotions, and stories. Its not about going to the race track and finding some cool pictures of cars, that just isnt what drives me. Finding a story full of moments and emotion and showing what it was like to be there through someone elses eyes. Its being able to document the most important event in someones life, and most importantly being able to share in their excitement, even if its only on the inside. Thats what its all about.

I will say though that i had a bit of trouble with the audio. People talking and loud muscle cars didn't seem to compliment each other especially with the microphone i was using, so please forgive that

Click HERE for Slideshow

Common Grounds

2007-06-29T18:08:00.001-07:00

Working for a newspaper for any length of time would make it obvious that there are some assignments we want to do, and others that we must do. This assignment was the latter. It was a tour of a new expansion of our local hospital (Of which I'm told I should never go to under any circumstances, because i am certain to not walk out alive) for a bunch of very rich, very important people who donated a few bucks. So your beginning to see why i had to go. About half way through the tour i realized that these people didn't want to be here almost as much as i didn't. They were bored out of their minds. After all, its not like they donated the money because they genuinely care what the hell the hospital actually does with their money. They donated because their name goes a big ass banner permanently displayed in the lobby. But, however rich they are, and however poor i am, we all had something in common that day. We all had to suffer together. That will teach them to donate anonymously next time.

It was like night of the living dead

Marry Me

2007-06-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Damn. Someone stole my idea.

Football and ice cream

2007-06-26T09:30:00.001-07:00

Last night Tim and myself ventured to the home of our boss to pick up a bike so Tim can use it on an assignment. (and to test out the sweet ramp we just built.) Of course this simple trip turned into a game of football, frisbee and a couple of cold ones. As we are all sitting around discussing very sophisticated things, Tim's ears caught the sweet sound of the ice cream truck. Its amazing how fast he'll put down his beer and go chasing after an ice cream truck.

"Which delicious frozen treat will go best with my adult beverage?"

Paintball: in the trenches

2007-06-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

Well, i just finished my first published multimedia piece. I say published because i finished another one that hasn't been published yet. I finished it just now, at eight in the morning, after working on it until 4:00 am and having to come back to the office to fix a couple of glitches this morning. So i though i would post the link to it before i went back home and fell into a coma for the next few hours. I went out yesterday with a group of first time paintballers (yes, thats a word) and thought i would take along the audio equipment. After convincing the manager of the paintball field to let me go out with a group of players wearing relatively nothing in the way of protection except a t-shirt and a cheap pair of sunglasses i was able to collect some audio of what its like to be shot at by three guys with paintball guns. The multimedia is very down and dirty, and i was only able to shoot pictures for 2 rounds of play (one of which i got trapped in a bunker the whole time) but i think it accomplishes the goal of giving the viewer a first hand experience of what its like to play paintball. I guess this is the closest ill have come to being a war correspondent so far. And yes, i got shot.

Click HERE to see the slideshow

High School Boxer

2007-06-22T19:51:00.001-07:00

Meet Jake Duffey. He is 16 years old and one hell of a boxer. When i was standing next to the ring, and this kid landed a punch, it sent chills down my spine. He is boxing this weekend in northern Michigan, so i shot his last practice before his big match.

I got all wet

2007-06-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

I shot a boy scout day camp yesterday. And yes, I got soaking wet for that first image.

Water from 2 firetrucks soaked 200 area boy scouts.

One of the activities was firing wiffle balls from a toy cannon. This kid really got into it.

The Last Boy Scout

2007-06-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

It didn't run in the paper, but i liked it.

Outtakes

2007-06-20T20:34:00.001-07:00

Here are two very different images, from two very different assignments that will probably never see the light of day.

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State Softball Finals

2007-06-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

We had one team make it to the State Softball Finals which were held in Battle Creek, MI. I drove, more like rode with the reporter and slept/ read, there two days in a row and shot St. Mary's Catholic Central high School girls varsity team. The benefit of sending the same photographer to both days of games, is that by the second day i got to know the coach, the girls, and i began to anticipate the action a little better than before. Both games ended with an emotional conclusion. The first game ended in hugs and cries of joy, because they had made it to the finals. The second game however ended with hugs and tears of sadness. I wont say that they played bad the second day, they were simply out played. the opposeing team had 4 over the fence home runs, and the pitcher rarely let the SMCC girls get a hit. Despite the fact that they lost, they went down with class. When It was close to being over, and quite obvious there was no chance of a late come back, the coach turned to the dugout and said, "We may lose this game, but we will lose it with class ladies!" I got chill bumps. These are some of the most mature high schoolers i have ever met, and they fought hard. So here are a few picture of the games.

The First Game:

The Second Game:

So close.

Asian Carp Bow Fishing

2007-06-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, so eventually today ill try to post all of the softball stuff i have shot over the last few days, But until then, check out THIS VIDEO. This is awesome.

2007-06-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

I thought i would throw this image that i shot yesterday up this morning. Im headed off to shoot the Softball state finals in Battle Creek , MI.

The Southern Yankee

2007-06-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

Roger Manning is a country music singer who moved from Tennessee when he was 1. I spent about 3 hours with him today, most of which was spent talking about music, photography and passions in general. He also has a duet that plays in bar around town. They play a lot of Eagles, John Prine, Tom Petty and such. Ill definitely get around to seeing him play at some point. Give me some feedback about which portrait you like best, and why.

Schools out for summer

2007-06-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

Last day of school at Smith Road Elementary School.

Sarah

2007-06-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sarah was recently chosen to represent the state of Michigan in China for 11 days where she will train under Master Wubin in the martial art known as Wushu. Both her and her brother were chosen to go, however her family could only afford to send on child. After many fundraisers they have just about raised enough money. Although it is not part of the newspaper article, Sarah is a story by herself. She is finishing highschool as well as maintaining a 4.0 GPA in the college classes she is taking. She is learing 4 languages, works 2 jobs to take care of her mother who is ill with a disorder that effects her muscles. She lives in a small apartment with her grandmother across a courtyard form her mother and her 3 brothers, who she often takes care of. Sarah also loves to write, read, paint draw, and take photographs. She does alot of other things too, but the list is too long to remember. Her great grandmother also runs a weekly bluegrass music night at the Racoon hunting club in a small town north of here called Romulus. If i can find time, i plan on going tomorrow, so check back for that. This next picture was origionally set up to be a portrait, but it sounded too cool to just shoot a portrait. So i set it up to go over when she would be practicing. I think it paid off.

Chelsea

2007-06-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

Chelsea won an essay contest with an essay about her guidance counselor who helped her overcome her eating disorder. Unfortunately I was only able to spend about 20 minutes with her because of another assignment. Anyways, this is what i got.

Strawberries

2007-06-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

I Photographed a family that is starting a small strawberry farm on their land.

A day on the lake

2007-06-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

By day, i mean the whole thing. We're talking an 18 hour work day. I know, if only i were under 18 that would be child labor, but as an intern its just called working hard. Despite the long hours, i loved every minute of it. Thats what i love about this job, you never know what a new day will bring or where you will end up, but you can be sure that it wont be stuck in an office somewhere or caged up in a board room. In this case i spent the day with a group of middle school students that chartered a boat to take them to a private research island on lake Erie called Gibraltar Island. It is owned by Ohio State University and is used to conduct experiments and teach classes and workshops. The kids spent the day on boats testing water levels and catching fish, bird watching, and pulling the heart out of a live fish as it kept beating. It was a long day, and so i shot a lot of images. And the best part... i got payed to spend the day on the lake.

Tyler Westfall stubbed his toe while kicking around rocks looking for fish.

And, of course, the popular crowd.

Removing a live fish heart.

Summer Days

2007-05-30T19:58:00.001-07:00

Best of last week

2007-05-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

I get the opportunity to work with three other incredible photographers at Monroe News, and we do a slide show each week called "Best of last week" showcasing our work. Ill post the link below, check it out.

http://www.monroepublishing.com/multimedia/test/MEN2.html

Happy Memorial Day

2007-05-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

Memorial day is finally over and since Ive been one of the only photographers working the last few days, i have shot every memorial day assignment that has come through the desk. There is a strong sense of patriotism here, every surrounding town has a ceremony to remember the fallen soldiers, and it is no light matter. Growing up, i always looked forward to memorial day as nothing more than an extra day off school. I never realized what it can mean to some people, perhaps because it never meant to me what it means to some. I attended the ceremonies over the last few days, and hear countless times the phrase, "we remember." And there is no better reminder of how war has affected people than hearing the people behind you begin to cry because they have lost a loved one. Some as recent as only a few months ago. To me it has always been a trip to the lake or a day to sleep in, but to some it is the one day that they can let their emotions go along side others who feel their pain. Here are a few that i shot from the final day. The first picture is from a memorial service, and the rest are form the Memorial Day parade.

Firefighter sheds a tear as names of fallen firefighters are being read aloud.

Planes doing a flyover at the end of the parade.

Two guys try to attach a flag to a store front for about an hour before the parade.

Specators watch as planes fly over the bridge at the end of the parade.

"War on Terror" memorial

2007-05-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

I photographed a memorial service to honor two more soldiers that died in Iraq. Their friends and family were there, and it got pretty emotional. I think the most powerful part was seeing the soldier's daughter, who was too young to understand, laughing and playing as they read out her fathers name as one of the fallen.

The Mother and family friend of one of the two recently fallen soldiers that were honored at the service.

Wife, sister, and mother of one of the two fallen soldiers honored at the service.

Daughter of one of the two fallen soldiers.

The mother and the daughter of one of the fallen soldiers honored at the service.

More members of the soldiers family.

The Abate of Michigan motorcycle club came to show their support. .

Flags for First Graders

2007-05-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

Todays assignment was to photograph a man from the local Voiture 1153 40 and 8 (basically like the Masons, or Shriners) went to first grade classrooms to talk about the American flag and how to salute, fold and respect it. And of course the importance of patriotism. I guess its never too early.

"Only bad men burn the flag."
- Dick Hanes

Hippotherapy

2007-05-23T10:32:00.001-07:00

I started my first multimedia piece yesterday about a program that uses the horses to help kids with physical and mental disabilities. The program is called Hippotherapy. was able to meet with Kyle and follow him through his therapy. He suffers from Cerebral Palsy, and is unable to walk. The movement in the horse is very similar the the movement that Kyle's muscles would follow if he were able to walk. The stopping and starting of the horse and the shifting that Kyle does while he is on the horse allows his pelvis to move in ways it would not normally be able to in his wheelchair. Ultimately strengthening and loosening his muscles and bringing him closer to walking. Here are a couple of pictures from my first time with the Hippotherapy program.

Museum Exhibit

2007-05-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

My assignment today was to photograph the installation of a museum exhibit honoring Monroe" involvement in the Indy 500. At least it wasn't NASCAR.

These are they two guys organizing the exhibit.

2007-05-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

Poor victims of a benefit fishing tournament.

Laura Serpetti recently lobbied congress to pass a bill that would give financial aid to people with mental health conditions, such as eating disorders. Currently Michigan only acknowledges those with physical problems.

Saturday May 19th: High School Regional Track

2007-05-20T17:06:00.001-07:00