It's been a few days now so my initial frustration has subsided but I was laid off at my paper this week. I don't hold any ill will or whatever to anyone at the paper, but I have been watching newspapers circle the drain and I want to vent about it in broad terms.
Anyone even remotely close to newspapers is familiar with the looming beast of layoffs.
I've been through layoffs at papers before, seen people that work hard get cut for no other reason than to get the budget in line. Others stay for reasons that no one else in the newsroom can figure out.
Others have said for years now that newspapers are dying. It doesn't take a genius to see that. I got into newspapers at a bad time; I almost typed "the worst time," but honestly that is every day. Every day accountants that make decisions to keep the ridiculous profit margins that newspapers held in their prime, but what they are really doing is just squeezing the life out of them. That reduces the quality which reduces the readership which reduces the advertisers.
It's like the number crunchers and people in charge are standing there watching the water boil over on the stove, notice all the paint peeling on the wall and see their curtains are missing; they try to deal with the individual problems instead of realizing that their fucking house is on fire. But they are just letting it burn and handing the still smoking vestiges to their employees expecting them to carry on like the roof isn't coming down sooner or later.
The death of newspapers is an inside job.
Of course journalists will make due; people shift responsibilities and take on far more duties to keep the paper going. Partly, yes, because they survived and are glad to still have a job...but more aptly because they love the work. Journalism isn't something you do for money, it's a passion, it's a calling. All these hedge fund guys and accountants know they can just ring the living hell out of the staff because journalists can and will take it.
Oh, they will complain, sure. The three things most journalists do best is their jobs, drink and complain. But they will usually take any and all injustice handed down from the corporate level and still do their jobs.
I don't know if there has been a journalist strike in America in recent history and I can't really see it happening.
It is the same principle as police, firefighters and doctors/nurses; the public would suffer. Obviously not in the same way. If your paper doesn't show up your day won't be ruined like if your house burnt to the ground, but over time an uninformed populace will suffer.
It might seem like that is pretty lofty ideal of the role of a newspaper, but that is the beating heart of dedicated journalism. You crank out your work day after day until something amazing comes in front of you and then you hopefully get to tell a story that changes something.
Well, despite this recent soul crushing experience I still want journalism in my life. I have been working on a plan to make something of my own in the realm of journalism for the last year or so. I'm was hoping to push it out into the world near the end of the year to see if there was any interest and hopefully start to find backers and partners.
I don't want to launch it too early out of panic because I'm unemployed, so I'm going to keep working on it and hopefully I'll have something to share in the near future.
About Evon
- Ryan Evon
- I am a photographer, a sometimes writer, a gamer, a driver and more. I graduated from Central Michigan University with a double major in Journalism(Photo) and English(Creative Writing). Any Photos are copyright Ryan Evon, The Facts or the Morning Sun 2010/2011/2012. All words by, representing and claimed by Ryan Evon & only him, unless in quotation marks & specified otherwise.
Showing posts with label newspapers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newspapers. Show all posts
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
A Swinging good time
Had a nice change of pace from my recent mood of edging on being burnt out with my job that still has my journalistic juices flowing after a fun weekend.
At the end of last week an a capella group, the Swingle Singers, visited the local college for a performance while they tour Texas. The group did a workshop for local schools and singers the day before their performance. It took forever to start because schools that were supposed to show up didn't, which was a shame for them, because everyone else had a blast.
They made the audience warm up by jumping around and being crazy, played fun singing games and then listened to local groups sing and gave them critiques, then performed themselves.
I was shooting video through the whole thing, trying to balance video and still photo. Sadly they both suffered a little, but it all turned out decent. It was really fun to shoot, I had the songs stuck in my head and when I went home at the end of the day and I started throwing the video pieces together.
Quickly I realized I should have done an interview with the singers. There wasn't really time to do it at the event though. So I vented my disappointment on various venues of the www. One of the singers from the group saw it and said they would be up for an interview.
So the next day after I finished work and hurried over to the venue they were performing at, not sure when they were supposed to be done or if they were even still around.
But the god of journalism, I call him Journalisto, was smiling down on me, because I got there just as they were walking out of the building to load their gear.
I got some interview stuff with two of the singers, the sound level was a little low but it was way better than the nothing I had previously.
So I left there on a journalistic high and it has been carrying me until now. I spent a large chunk of my day off on Sunday putting the video together. I have most of my recent "highlight" videos boiled down to an hour or so production time.
But because I cared about this video (and am using a crappy free video editor) I spent hours nitpicking the placement and overlaps and transitions. Now I feel like I know these people, I've developed crushes on the girls and fascinations with all of their talents. I've watched a few of their videos online, one where they do a flash mob style singing on a subway in London was awesome.
So I present to you, my Swingle Singers video. Enjoy, I did. :D
At the end of last week an a capella group, the Swingle Singers, visited the local college for a performance while they tour Texas. The group did a workshop for local schools and singers the day before their performance. It took forever to start because schools that were supposed to show up didn't, which was a shame for them, because everyone else had a blast.
They made the audience warm up by jumping around and being crazy, played fun singing games and then listened to local groups sing and gave them critiques, then performed themselves.
I was shooting video through the whole thing, trying to balance video and still photo. Sadly they both suffered a little, but it all turned out decent. It was really fun to shoot, I had the songs stuck in my head and when I went home at the end of the day and I started throwing the video pieces together.
Quickly I realized I should have done an interview with the singers. There wasn't really time to do it at the event though. So I vented my disappointment on various venues of the www. One of the singers from the group saw it and said they would be up for an interview.
So the next day after I finished work and hurried over to the venue they were performing at, not sure when they were supposed to be done or if they were even still around.
But the god of journalism, I call him Journalisto, was smiling down on me, because I got there just as they were walking out of the building to load their gear.
I got some interview stuff with two of the singers, the sound level was a little low but it was way better than the nothing I had previously.
So I left there on a journalistic high and it has been carrying me until now. I spent a large chunk of my day off on Sunday putting the video together. I have most of my recent "highlight" videos boiled down to an hour or so production time.
But because I cared about this video (and am using a crappy free video editor) I spent hours nitpicking the placement and overlaps and transitions. Now I feel like I know these people, I've developed crushes on the girls and fascinations with all of their talents. I've watched a few of their videos online, one where they do a flash mob style singing on a subway in London was awesome.
So I present to you, my Swingle Singers video. Enjoy, I did. :D
Thursday, March 22, 2012
...And now for something completely different
In the last week I have created six videos for the newspaper.
I was doing videos fairly regularly during football season but, due to both my work computer and my home computer being slow, making the videos became very annoying. My home computer was slightly faster, so I did most of them here...until it blew up.
Some stuff fried inside my computer, luckily I didn't lose any stuff on my hard drives, but I'm trying to be a bit more focused on archiving.
But I had to fix my computer. Luckily there was a credit deal at newegg.com, so now my computer fasterific! That's right, I'm making up words.
What I really want to do is make a true journalistic video about something that matters. I was hoping to get some help as far as subject matter, but it's looking like I'm just going to have to go it alone.
Anyway, instead of a pile of photos I thought I'd change it up and post some videos. Enjoy.
Since I started posting videos I was looking at The Facts Video channel on youtube. I realized they aren't really credited except for at the end, not saying you shouldn't watch Holly's, but you are reading my blog...so just in case you are partial to my work, here are a few of my better ones.
This was the one I had the most fun shooting so far with actual voice interview describing the event to go along with the video and photos. And there is...ya know, ZOMBIES!
I was doing videos fairly regularly during football season but, due to both my work computer and my home computer being slow, making the videos became very annoying. My home computer was slightly faster, so I did most of them here...until it blew up.
Some stuff fried inside my computer, luckily I didn't lose any stuff on my hard drives, but I'm trying to be a bit more focused on archiving.
But I had to fix my computer. Luckily there was a credit deal at newegg.com, so now my computer fasterific! That's right, I'm making up words.
What I really want to do is make a true journalistic video about something that matters. I was hoping to get some help as far as subject matter, but it's looking like I'm just going to have to go it alone.
Anyway, instead of a pile of photos I thought I'd change it up and post some videos. Enjoy.
Since I started posting videos I was looking at The Facts Video channel on youtube. I realized they aren't really credited except for at the end, not saying you shouldn't watch Holly's, but you are reading my blog...so just in case you are partial to my work, here are a few of my better ones.
This was the one I had the most fun shooting so far with actual voice interview describing the event to go along with the video and photos. And there is...ya know, ZOMBIES!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Running
I've been floating day-to-day here. I'm feeling uninspired. I need a photo story to work on, like my Digmann or Jacob projects. I told my editor I would like them to post a call for idea submissions on the facebook for me to do a story on, but it has yet to be posted.
I need this. I need something to occupy myself - to drive my work forward. In Michigan at this time I would have just had my photojournalistic batteries recharged by attending the Michigan Press Photographers Association annual banquet. Watching professional visual people judge the works of the best photographers in the state is unmatched in experiences...even if you don't win anything.
I didn't enter anything to MPPA for 2010, which was stupid, because I had some decent stuff. But really it was the experience of watching as your photo comes on screen, hearing maybe a few rumbles of comments from the crowd and then having your hopes dashed when the "out. out. out" sounds out from the judges. Having one win, or even be held to the second round of judging, is dizzying.
But mostly it is just seeing what all these great visual artists can do in a year will really kick you right in the face when you have settled into a kind of rut at your paper.
I always try, despite the toll it takes on me sometimes, to keep a fresh log of photographers that are better than me. These days CMU is cranking out classes that I would have a tough time of breaking into the middle of. It's cool, from my time there and at the Sun, seeing some of these kids after me become amazing photographers. It makes me feel like a piece of crap, but it's amazing to watch.
That said...here are some photos.
On a non photo front, I've been trying to run in the mornings.
My bike was broken for a little while and I was starting to get out of the habit, so I just went down to the track near my house and tried to run.
It's been slow going, because I'm out of shape. Riding a bike is pretty easy, so I've been diluting myself. Riding almost 20 miles seems like a lot, but I need to ride that many to really work up a sweat.
The big hindrance to running is my knees suck, but I've been trying to fight through it. I got a brace thing and after a few days some actual running shoes.
Ran a few tour de stades or whatever the hell you call them, when you run up and down all the steps in a stadium. Had to drive a short ways to the big football field to get some real steps, but it fits my running style better, I think.
I've always liked running up steps, I feel like if I stop I'm going to regret it. Running on flat ground is too easy to give up on.
I'm weird.
I need this. I need something to occupy myself - to drive my work forward. In Michigan at this time I would have just had my photojournalistic batteries recharged by attending the Michigan Press Photographers Association annual banquet. Watching professional visual people judge the works of the best photographers in the state is unmatched in experiences...even if you don't win anything.
I didn't enter anything to MPPA for 2010, which was stupid, because I had some decent stuff. But really it was the experience of watching as your photo comes on screen, hearing maybe a few rumbles of comments from the crowd and then having your hopes dashed when the "out. out. out" sounds out from the judges. Having one win, or even be held to the second round of judging, is dizzying.
But mostly it is just seeing what all these great visual artists can do in a year will really kick you right in the face when you have settled into a kind of rut at your paper.
I always try, despite the toll it takes on me sometimes, to keep a fresh log of photographers that are better than me. These days CMU is cranking out classes that I would have a tough time of breaking into the middle of. It's cool, from my time there and at the Sun, seeing some of these kids after me become amazing photographers. It makes me feel like a piece of crap, but it's amazing to watch.
That said...here are some photos.
On a non photo front, I've been trying to run in the mornings.
My bike was broken for a little while and I was starting to get out of the habit, so I just went down to the track near my house and tried to run.
It's been slow going, because I'm out of shape. Riding a bike is pretty easy, so I've been diluting myself. Riding almost 20 miles seems like a lot, but I need to ride that many to really work up a sweat.
The big hindrance to running is my knees suck, but I've been trying to fight through it. I got a brace thing and after a few days some actual running shoes.
Ran a few tour de stades or whatever the hell you call them, when you run up and down all the steps in a stadium. Had to drive a short ways to the big football field to get some real steps, but it fits my running style better, I think.
I've always liked running up steps, I feel like if I stop I'm going to regret it. Running on flat ground is too easy to give up on.
I'm weird.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Rumors of my death have been exaggerated
Yes, I am in fact still alive.
I've been a swirling mix of busy, bored to death not busy, completely engulfed by some video games and tired. Most of these situations have also had a nice coating of pain from a re-occurring back pain that makes me so angry that I attach the hate to what I am currently doing.
It has some complicated thoughts and evaluations of my lot in life. But in moments of pain or the sweet joy of...not pain I still take photos.
I have quite the backlog to post, but luckily I have just put together my end-of-year contest submissions. I have total control over my National Press Photographers submission, but the ones through the paper were chosen from my initial selection by people I will admit I don't entirely trust as far as photo critiquing goes.
I love having eyes other than my own to look at my stuff, so I can get a unattached opinion, but if it is someone that has told me to stop doing my job creatively...well, come on.
Anyway, things are progressing.
I will admit in the months since my last post my passion for journalism is waning, which breaks my fucking heart. But I'm not sure how much validity to give to my thoughts right now, because I seem to have lapsed into one of my angry Ryan phases. It's been a long time since I've been in one and I have to say I used to kind of enjoy the distance it provided me from real self evaluation. But this one is different and I don't like it. So I've turned back to one of my old favorite venting techniques (besides video games), writing. Which is partially why I am clicking the keys right now.
Even if I hold back some of what I want to say, the process of just writing what is currently running through my head is like opening a gate to release the flood waters. Because at any moment something stark and truthful might just appear on the screen. Usually I will backspace over it, because this is a public forum and I don't want the entire world (Hi, world!) to know everything I think. But it works like those letters you write and then never send. Venting.
Okay, so here are some of what I think are my best work from the year that I haven't already posted. As I'm loading the photos on I may describe what I did or the story behind the image, if it is interesting.
I'll start with what I think is my favorite shot from the year.
Shot an event for a bunch of Marines returning from Afghanistan, but got there an hour and a half before they actually showed up. So I had some time to wander around and find interesting photos. I like almost everything about this photo.
Firefighter training. I felt brave standing right under this mock roof that they were swinging an axe into.
This is was a freaking awesome event. This local taekwondo studio hosted a squad from Korea that did some straight-up Matrix kung-fu shit. Jumping off a couple dudes to kick a board held on the top dude on a pyramid of STANDING people! I got some sweet stuff I was out loud saying "holy shit" about every other setup that they did. Then I got back to the office and my memory card corrupted and I lost every picture except this one and another. It was LAME!
He was trying to choke the chicken...too easy
He turned 11 on 11/11/11
Ending with my favorite sports shot of the year. Trying to do this same effect with a different runningback but the shot never worked with that kid.
Well, that's it for now.
I've had some decent stuff in January, including driving to Houston just to shoot tailgating at the Texans playoff game. It was kind of tease, but then I almost got run over by a car...so there was that.
I'll get to that stuff soon...hopefully. Or maybe in six months. :D
I've been a swirling mix of busy, bored to death not busy, completely engulfed by some video games and tired. Most of these situations have also had a nice coating of pain from a re-occurring back pain that makes me so angry that I attach the hate to what I am currently doing.
It has some complicated thoughts and evaluations of my lot in life. But in moments of pain or the sweet joy of...not pain I still take photos.
I have quite the backlog to post, but luckily I have just put together my end-of-year contest submissions. I have total control over my National Press Photographers submission, but the ones through the paper were chosen from my initial selection by people I will admit I don't entirely trust as far as photo critiquing goes.
I love having eyes other than my own to look at my stuff, so I can get a unattached opinion, but if it is someone that has told me to stop doing my job creatively...well, come on.
Anyway, things are progressing.
I will admit in the months since my last post my passion for journalism is waning, which breaks my fucking heart. But I'm not sure how much validity to give to my thoughts right now, because I seem to have lapsed into one of my angry Ryan phases. It's been a long time since I've been in one and I have to say I used to kind of enjoy the distance it provided me from real self evaluation. But this one is different and I don't like it. So I've turned back to one of my old favorite venting techniques (besides video games), writing. Which is partially why I am clicking the keys right now.
Even if I hold back some of what I want to say, the process of just writing what is currently running through my head is like opening a gate to release the flood waters. Because at any moment something stark and truthful might just appear on the screen. Usually I will backspace over it, because this is a public forum and I don't want the entire world (Hi, world!) to know everything I think. But it works like those letters you write and then never send. Venting.
Okay, so here are some of what I think are my best work from the year that I haven't already posted. As I'm loading the photos on I may describe what I did or the story behind the image, if it is interesting.
I'll start with what I think is my favorite shot from the year.
Shot an event for a bunch of Marines returning from Afghanistan, but got there an hour and a half before they actually showed up. So I had some time to wander around and find interesting photos. I like almost everything about this photo.
Firefighter training. I felt brave standing right under this mock roof that they were swinging an axe into.
This is was a freaking awesome event. This local taekwondo studio hosted a squad from Korea that did some straight-up Matrix kung-fu shit. Jumping off a couple dudes to kick a board held on the top dude on a pyramid of STANDING people! I got some sweet stuff I was out loud saying "holy shit" about every other setup that they did. Then I got back to the office and my memory card corrupted and I lost every picture except this one and another. It was LAME!
He was trying to choke the chicken...too easy
He turned 11 on 11/11/11
Ending with my favorite sports shot of the year. Trying to do this same effect with a different runningback but the shot never worked with that kid.
Well, that's it for now.
I've had some decent stuff in January, including driving to Houston just to shoot tailgating at the Texans playoff game. It was kind of tease, but then I almost got run over by a car...so there was that.
I'll get to that stuff soon...hopefully. Or maybe in six months. :D
Sunday, May 15, 2011
"Just as soon as I belong, then it's time I Disappear"
Yeah! My first blog post from my apartment.
Yesterday was a crazy long day, as most Saturdays are turning out to be. At least I didn't have to wake up at 7a.m. to shoot some crazy bastards running.
My first assignment was a fund raiser by the Lake Jackson FD for muscular dystrophy. But it wasn't some lame banquet or anything, they were at an intersection walking between the cars at red lights.
It was pretty cool. They had a big ladder truck with a flag on it.
So I asked "can I go up in the bucket?" Of course they let me, had to walk up the ladder, which wasn't a big deal.
When I have a photo in mind I like to think I'll do just about anything to get it, and I usually do. Like this time. I walked up the big ladder to the shaky bucket and took my photos.
It's after I get the job done that I realized, "oh yeah, I hate heights." So I had to walk backwards down the big ladder with no real handrails and my camera bag swinging around. Not a lot of fun, but whatever.
Next I had softball out of town. It was a two game playoff deal, but I only had time for the first game. That is a rough, because they lost the first game, so that is the kind of shots I had. But if they won the second game (and the series) I only had a few celebration shots. Luckily (for me, not them) they lost both games.
She was the final out of the first game. They were on a rally too, it was a real bummer...so I think the photo sums it up decently.
Another softball shot from last week, it's okay. I just like the three layers of action.
Had two graduations to shoot yesterday. The area homeschool kids and the local college. Dow bought all the college grads Amazon Kindles, lucky jerks.
One of the homeschool kids did a sign language version of some song I've never heard of.
Thumbs up!
This guy was the only one that did something fun with his cap, he took it off and pointed it at the crowd so his wife (right) could read it. Neat.
Well...that's it. I'm probably going to be incommunicado for a bit...new video game tomorrow. :D
I can't even explain how excited I am about LA Noire. It's a 40s era detective game set in Los Angeles. Supposed to be incredibly detailed, realistic and challenging. :D
So...tomorrow at midnight I will disappear from the known world for awhile. :D
My Xbox tried to die on me again today though. I also can't explain the frustration that I felt. :D But I cooked it again, appears to be working for now.
I had originally got Tuesday off, because I know me and I'll be playing for quite awhile and will be exhausted on Tuesday. But unfortunately something came up and now I have to work. :(
But not til later on Tuesday...so I'll manage to keep the digital streets of LA safe for a little while.
Personally, I feel good lately. I've been riding my bike everyday, except for an incident with a nail on Thursday, and usually doing some exercise at home after that.
Down to 190 for the first time since high school. I don't know where it is going, because I think I look the same...still a little pudgy in the middle. Oh well.
Oh, I've been crappy about responding to comments on here and by email. I apologize.
I'm going to try to make more of an effort, because I really, really appreciate the correspondence and feedback.
-R
Yesterday was a crazy long day, as most Saturdays are turning out to be. At least I didn't have to wake up at 7a.m. to shoot some crazy bastards running.
My first assignment was a fund raiser by the Lake Jackson FD for muscular dystrophy. But it wasn't some lame banquet or anything, they were at an intersection walking between the cars at red lights.
It was pretty cool. They had a big ladder truck with a flag on it.
So I asked "can I go up in the bucket?" Of course they let me, had to walk up the ladder, which wasn't a big deal.
When I have a photo in mind I like to think I'll do just about anything to get it, and I usually do. Like this time. I walked up the big ladder to the shaky bucket and took my photos.
It's after I get the job done that I realized, "oh yeah, I hate heights." So I had to walk backwards down the big ladder with no real handrails and my camera bag swinging around. Not a lot of fun, but whatever.
Next I had softball out of town. It was a two game playoff deal, but I only had time for the first game. That is a rough, because they lost the first game, so that is the kind of shots I had. But if they won the second game (and the series) I only had a few celebration shots. Luckily (for me, not them) they lost both games.
She was the final out of the first game. They were on a rally too, it was a real bummer...so I think the photo sums it up decently.
Another softball shot from last week, it's okay. I just like the three layers of action.
Had two graduations to shoot yesterday. The area homeschool kids and the local college. Dow bought all the college grads Amazon Kindles, lucky jerks.
One of the homeschool kids did a sign language version of some song I've never heard of.
Thumbs up!
This guy was the only one that did something fun with his cap, he took it off and pointed it at the crowd so his wife (right) could read it. Neat.
Well...that's it. I'm probably going to be incommunicado for a bit...new video game tomorrow. :D
I can't even explain how excited I am about LA Noire. It's a 40s era detective game set in Los Angeles. Supposed to be incredibly detailed, realistic and challenging. :D
So...tomorrow at midnight I will disappear from the known world for awhile. :D
My Xbox tried to die on me again today though. I also can't explain the frustration that I felt. :D But I cooked it again, appears to be working for now.
I had originally got Tuesday off, because I know me and I'll be playing for quite awhile and will be exhausted on Tuesday. But unfortunately something came up and now I have to work. :(
But not til later on Tuesday...so I'll manage to keep the digital streets of LA safe for a little while.
Personally, I feel good lately. I've been riding my bike everyday, except for an incident with a nail on Thursday, and usually doing some exercise at home after that.
Down to 190 for the first time since high school. I don't know where it is going, because I think I look the same...still a little pudgy in the middle. Oh well.
Oh, I've been crappy about responding to comments on here and by email. I apologize.
I'm going to try to make more of an effort, because I really, really appreciate the correspondence and feedback.
-R
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Back on the Grid
I'm back among the electric zombies of the world wide web. Do you notice no one ever calls it that anymore?
Anyway, got the net this morning. But didn't have any of the pictures I wanted to put up in this post, so I'm at work now.
I need to get better at bringing my work home with me. The images, I mean. I'm plenty good at the other part, I think about work all the time. My system for archiving my photos has always been just burn everything to a DVD, but because we upload things for sale, I make a tight edit and save that for work. That is what I should bring home. But I don't. Going to start doing that.
Prepare to be flooded with images now. I feel like I've had a pretty good string the last week or so.
I'm going to go in no order at all.
Shot this workout thing for the business section. It was in a terribly dark room so I got to play with my lights. It always makes me think and plan, which is good, but I also have to react quick, because sometimes the lights get blocked or the time window for the shot is very narrow.
I like the color and insane contrast in this. I really hope they use it, but because it's kind of artsy I'm scared they won't.
This is probably my favorite baseball shot since I've been down here.
Most of the time the sports layout guy trusts my choices, but he wasn't laying this one out and I had to basically argue to get this photo in the paper. I do not understand people sometimes.
Just looks kind of cool. The colors and her posture
I really wanted to turn this in, but I couldn't figure out what to say in the caption. They are growling at each other. I really like it, because the color went a little wonky.
My favorite shot from a festival sort of thing. And they used it! Probably because I wrote (((BEST PHOTO))) in the cutline. I'm going to start doing that all the time now. :D
Hopefully the blog posts will come a bit more regularly now, but I'm promising nothing.
In six months I may not have the internet again, because the price jumps up and I probably won't want to pay it.
But for now I feel like an old friend is staying at my apartment and I hope he never leaves.
Despite the distraction it will cause I think having the internet will actually help me keep writing my story. I am missing some things and trying to look them up on my phone can be a huge pain in the ass, so I hope to keep moving along.
Until LA Noire comes out next week. Because I am insanely excited about this game. So...no probably no blog post at all next week. :D
Anyway, got the net this morning. But didn't have any of the pictures I wanted to put up in this post, so I'm at work now.
I need to get better at bringing my work home with me. The images, I mean. I'm plenty good at the other part, I think about work all the time. My system for archiving my photos has always been just burn everything to a DVD, but because we upload things for sale, I make a tight edit and save that for work. That is what I should bring home. But I don't. Going to start doing that.
Prepare to be flooded with images now. I feel like I've had a pretty good string the last week or so.
I'm going to go in no order at all.
Shot this workout thing for the business section. It was in a terribly dark room so I got to play with my lights. It always makes me think and plan, which is good, but I also have to react quick, because sometimes the lights get blocked or the time window for the shot is very narrow.
I like the color and insane contrast in this. I really hope they use it, but because it's kind of artsy I'm scared they won't.
This is probably my favorite baseball shot since I've been down here.
Most of the time the sports layout guy trusts my choices, but he wasn't laying this one out and I had to basically argue to get this photo in the paper. I do not understand people sometimes.
Just looks kind of cool. The colors and her posture
I really wanted to turn this in, but I couldn't figure out what to say in the caption. They are growling at each other. I really like it, because the color went a little wonky.
My favorite shot from a festival sort of thing. And they used it! Probably because I wrote (((BEST PHOTO))) in the cutline. I'm going to start doing that all the time now. :D
Hopefully the blog posts will come a bit more regularly now, but I'm promising nothing.
In six months I may not have the internet again, because the price jumps up and I probably won't want to pay it.
But for now I feel like an old friend is staying at my apartment and I hope he never leaves.
Despite the distraction it will cause I think having the internet will actually help me keep writing my story. I am missing some things and trying to look them up on my phone can be a huge pain in the ass, so I hope to keep moving along.
Until LA Noire comes out next week. Because I am insanely excited about this game. So...no probably no blog post at all next week. :D
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tears of the Innocent
Like the soul sucking vampire bastard I am, the tears of innocent people cleanse my pasty skin like clean, cool spring water.
Well, not exactly. I'm never super comfortable when people are crying, but it does make for powerful photos.
A person is in front of your lens at their most truthful and exposed moment. It's a bit of weight to make sure you capture the moment in the most thoughtful way possible.
Texas A&M have a muster every year, where grads from the school get together and be merry. At the end they remember any alums that have died in a candle lighting ceremony.
It was nice, very dark, but nice.
On the flip side of that event, crying can be fun.
I kind of felt like a Nazi, laughing and taking pictures as some of these kids bawling their eyes out...but it was pretty funny.
Just a quick one this time. But on a creative related update, I've been writing almost every night. I have the urge every so often and I have a folder full of started stories. Some a page long, some twenty.
This one is up to 40 now, and I haven't gotten to the part I'm really thinking about. So it's working pretty well.
It's sort of a weird fiction/autobiography that I'm having a lot of fun writing.
I was thinking about posting some of it, but I'm always weird about letting people read stuff before it's finished...unless it's Jada, because she's been reading my stuff since high school. Normally I feel like I have to stand there to justify and explain things, in case there is some confusion.
Anyway, we'll see where it goes.
Well, not exactly. I'm never super comfortable when people are crying, but it does make for powerful photos.
A person is in front of your lens at their most truthful and exposed moment. It's a bit of weight to make sure you capture the moment in the most thoughtful way possible.
Texas A&M have a muster every year, where grads from the school get together and be merry. At the end they remember any alums that have died in a candle lighting ceremony.
It was nice, very dark, but nice.
On the flip side of that event, crying can be fun.
I kind of felt like a Nazi, laughing and taking pictures as some of these kids bawling their eyes out...but it was pretty funny.
Just a quick one this time. But on a creative related update, I've been writing almost every night. I have the urge every so often and I have a folder full of started stories. Some a page long, some twenty.
This one is up to 40 now, and I haven't gotten to the part I'm really thinking about. So it's working pretty well.
It's sort of a weird fiction/autobiography that I'm having a lot of fun writing.
I was thinking about posting some of it, but I'm always weird about letting people read stuff before it's finished...unless it's Jada, because she's been reading my stuff since high school. Normally I feel like I have to stand there to justify and explain things, in case there is some confusion.
Anyway, we'll see where it goes.
Monday, April 4, 2011
To Live or to merely Exist
I try not to lie.
Weird words from a journalist.
That isn't exactly the slogan you'd expect under the masthead.
The Evon Chronicle
"We try not to lie"
Nowadays even that much might make some readers feel a little better. But for my own
part, my own life...I try not to lie.
I figured starting out that if I'm in the business of truth, I might as well live the life. That
way my path is flat and the course would be correct. Keep me away from those slippery
slopes, because they are out there, waiting for unprepared feet.
So in the spirit of honesty I will admit, I've been lying to you. Friends, family, Latvian
Photo lovers (that one really pains me), I have wronged you and I'm sorry.
Just simple lies, lies of omission.
But I did it mostly out of self preservation and a bit of courtesy and cowardice.SEE the slippery slope and beware!
People have secrets and that's okay, you shouldn't tell everyone everything. That would
be ridiculous and then MTV would come to your house and want to make a stupid show
about how you are a freaking moron whore.
But I haven't been saying what I wanted to say.
Writing started off as my catharsis in high school. I couldn't talk about anything real, my
throat just kind of closed up and only my hands would still work. So out the words
poured.
But for awhile I've only been letting little bits go in different spots. It felt like enough at
the time, but I think the water has just been continually rising behind the dam and if I
don't let more than a few bits out at a time I might wet my pants. Wait, that analogy
lost all its power. I'm a little tired...and have to pee.
I'm back and drained a little. So, writing omissions.
The sentence would be right there, with the cursor blinking impatiently behind it. As if to
say, "Did you really just write that? BLINK What if _______ reads it? BLINK
Delete it now. BLINK BLINK"
Well, in one of my random readings of Hunter S. Thompson I just kind of realized that he
didn't have any kind of filter on his brain. Lucky for him, he worked in a time where that
was okay, unique and actually a little bit necessary.
The world isn't the same. Now people share their every thought with the world, even the ones no one could possibly give a crap about. And I haven't even been writing about genuine issues.
So be warned, I'm saying what I want and what I feel from here on out.
Like or leave it, it'll be true.
"So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: Who is the happier man, he
who has braved the storm of life and lived, or he who has stayed securely on shore and
merely existed?" - Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Sometimes I don't feel like I'm actually living, just existing. It is awful, and I don't entirely know what I need to do.
Moving to Texas was the first real thing I've done in a long time. But I kind of already feel like I'm back in a routine.
After starting the driving one I have grown a taste for serial writing I guess.
Another HST quote to end this gibberish.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." - Hunter S. Thompson
Weird words from a journalist.
That isn't exactly the slogan you'd expect under the masthead.
The Evon Chronicle
"We try not to lie"
Nowadays even that much might make some readers feel a little better. But for my own
part, my own life...I try not to lie.
I figured starting out that if I'm in the business of truth, I might as well live the life. That
way my path is flat and the course would be correct. Keep me away from those slippery
slopes, because they are out there, waiting for unprepared feet.
So in the spirit of honesty I will admit, I've been lying to you. Friends, family, Latvian
Photo lovers (that one really pains me), I have wronged you and I'm sorry.
Just simple lies, lies of omission.
But I did it mostly out of self preservation and a bit of courtesy and cowardice.SEE the slippery slope and beware!
People have secrets and that's okay, you shouldn't tell everyone everything. That would
be ridiculous and then MTV would come to your house and want to make a stupid show
about how you are a freaking moron whore.
But I haven't been saying what I wanted to say.
Writing started off as my catharsis in high school. I couldn't talk about anything real, my
throat just kind of closed up and only my hands would still work. So out the words
poured.
But for awhile I've only been letting little bits go in different spots. It felt like enough at
the time, but I think the water has just been continually rising behind the dam and if I
don't let more than a few bits out at a time I might wet my pants. Wait, that analogy
lost all its power. I'm a little tired...and have to pee.
I'm back and drained a little. So, writing omissions.
The sentence would be right there, with the cursor blinking impatiently behind it. As if to
say, "Did you really just write that? BLINK What if _______ reads it? BLINK
Delete it now. BLINK BLINK"
Well, in one of my random readings of Hunter S. Thompson I just kind of realized that he
didn't have any kind of filter on his brain. Lucky for him, he worked in a time where that
was okay, unique and actually a little bit necessary.
The world isn't the same. Now people share their every thought with the world, even the ones no one could possibly give a crap about. And I haven't even been writing about genuine issues.
So be warned, I'm saying what I want and what I feel from here on out.
Like or leave it, it'll be true.
"So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: Who is the happier man, he
who has braved the storm of life and lived, or he who has stayed securely on shore and
merely existed?" - Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Sometimes I don't feel like I'm actually living, just existing. It is awful, and I don't entirely know what I need to do.
Moving to Texas was the first real thing I've done in a long time. But I kind of already feel like I'm back in a routine.
After starting the driving one I have grown a taste for serial writing I guess.
Another HST quote to end this gibberish.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." - Hunter S. Thompson
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Cycles of Obsession
Been putting up a lot of words, already started Part 2 of my Driving Texas piece, but decided to throw some pictures on to break up the text-fest.
Since that is what I actually do.
This ran black and white in the paper, but still looked cool
I expressed my fondness for the newsroom previously and those feelings are the same for the Journalism vein of photography. I love it. But I love plain ol' photography at its most base level. I started in Art photo classes and that is where my eye grew and matured into the always searching, narrowed-by-the-sun Clint Eastwood-style blue hawk that it has become.
On a recent assignment I photographed some local artists who got together for a sidewalk demonstration/sale. It made me think about something I imagine every so often, having a show/sale of my work.
Obviously can't sell my newspaper work, but I could have it on display with work that I can sell. It would be fun. But expensive and that is usually where I stop thinking about it. But now that I'm near a huge city, I'm wondering if I could find a gallery or something that would sell/show my stuff at little cost to me.
Starting to look into it, but then I start to really go over what I have and doubt if anyone would actually want to buy stuff I've shot. At the paper people buy my photos but they never buy the cool ones, just stupid shots of their dumb kids. Haha
Intense
Some of the best ones I've shot people don't buy. It baffles my mind. If this were my kid I'd buy a freaking poster of this...and then find the photographer and give him a thousand dollars just out of gratitude. *fingers crossed*
But I've been thinking of making more of an effort to expand my artistic portfolio on my off time. Do a dual-time bike ride/art hunt around town or maybe in Houston every so often. But then I also try to look for actual work to do on the side, so there is a time issue.
The Texas AP awards came back and I got nothing. Which sucks. I was only working in Texas a few months of 2010, but still. Award time is always stressful and then fulfilling for me. But if I don't win anything it just leaves the first stressful part that sucks.
I don't know about Michigan contests yet. I was dumb and didn't enter anything in the Michigan Press Photographers contest, for some stupid reason I can't figure out. So I've got to rely on the hope that other people submitted my stuff in the two other MI newspaper contests. Which is tough for me. Relying on others, that is. I have done okay in the past and my two photo stories should do well, based on the quality of stories I've entered in the past. If everything got done right...again *fingers crossed*
Been working, thinking, working, thinking. It really keeps me from getting other stuff done. Like my taxes. Barely moved a bit on those and I really should, because I moved and all that. So I'm sure I've got a lot more to do. I HATE them. Even though I get money back. Filling out all these little boxes on the stupid forms makes my fucking head pound. But I'm stubborn and don't want to pay someone to do them. Then two weeks away I freak out. I'm done talking about it because it's stressing me out right now. Stupid little boxes!
This was fun. A quilt show...seriously. Lots of pretty colors, but it was to run in black & white, so I found a B&W quilt to focus on.
That's all I have for now. Actually, it's not. But I am going to stop here anyway.
I probably have another few driving related blogs in me, because it's something I've been fixated on lately.
I've been going in weird cycles of obsession. Cars, games, writing, exercise, games, writing, fish, beer, cars (not one right after the other though), and so on.
Since that is what I actually do.
This ran black and white in the paper, but still looked cool
I expressed my fondness for the newsroom previously and those feelings are the same for the Journalism vein of photography. I love it. But I love plain ol' photography at its most base level. I started in Art photo classes and that is where my eye grew and matured into the always searching, narrowed-by-the-sun Clint Eastwood-style blue hawk that it has become.
On a recent assignment I photographed some local artists who got together for a sidewalk demonstration/sale. It made me think about something I imagine every so often, having a show/sale of my work.
Obviously can't sell my newspaper work, but I could have it on display with work that I can sell. It would be fun. But expensive and that is usually where I stop thinking about it. But now that I'm near a huge city, I'm wondering if I could find a gallery or something that would sell/show my stuff at little cost to me.
Starting to look into it, but then I start to really go over what I have and doubt if anyone would actually want to buy stuff I've shot. At the paper people buy my photos but they never buy the cool ones, just stupid shots of their dumb kids. Haha
Intense
Some of the best ones I've shot people don't buy. It baffles my mind. If this were my kid I'd buy a freaking poster of this...and then find the photographer and give him a thousand dollars just out of gratitude. *fingers crossed*
But I've been thinking of making more of an effort to expand my artistic portfolio on my off time. Do a dual-time bike ride/art hunt around town or maybe in Houston every so often. But then I also try to look for actual work to do on the side, so there is a time issue.
The Texas AP awards came back and I got nothing. Which sucks. I was only working in Texas a few months of 2010, but still. Award time is always stressful and then fulfilling for me. But if I don't win anything it just leaves the first stressful part that sucks.
I don't know about Michigan contests yet. I was dumb and didn't enter anything in the Michigan Press Photographers contest, for some stupid reason I can't figure out. So I've got to rely on the hope that other people submitted my stuff in the two other MI newspaper contests. Which is tough for me. Relying on others, that is. I have done okay in the past and my two photo stories should do well, based on the quality of stories I've entered in the past. If everything got done right...again *fingers crossed*
Been working, thinking, working, thinking. It really keeps me from getting other stuff done. Like my taxes. Barely moved a bit on those and I really should, because I moved and all that. So I'm sure I've got a lot more to do. I HATE them. Even though I get money back. Filling out all these little boxes on the stupid forms makes my fucking head pound. But I'm stubborn and don't want to pay someone to do them. Then two weeks away I freak out. I'm done talking about it because it's stressing me out right now. Stupid little boxes!
This was fun. A quilt show...seriously. Lots of pretty colors, but it was to run in black & white, so I found a B&W quilt to focus on.
That's all I have for now. Actually, it's not. But I am going to stop here anyway.
I probably have another few driving related blogs in me, because it's something I've been fixated on lately.
I've been going in weird cycles of obsession. Cars, games, writing, exercise, games, writing, fish, beer, cars (not one right after the other though), and so on.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Today is a slow day
Today is a slow day.
I usually come into work at 2pm, shoot 2 to 4 assignments on average and get out around 11. Some days are more jam packed.
Like my two day adventure in Austin. I didn't post a lot, because honestly the work wasn't super exciting, but being there was. But I racked up over 12 hours each day, just in the grind of covering different things.
Today is a slow day. Didn't come in until 3, because I worked over a bit yesterday and there is nothing for me to shoot until 6pm.
I could go home and clean a little. But I just feel like hanging out in the newsroom.
The Facts newsroom is cool. Little islands of desks with people working and interacting (sporadically sometimes, on both counts).
Our reporters desks are lined up, one behind the other, facing the front door of the building. Like torpedoes waiting to be fired out the tube at the first hint of news on the wind.
Our editor's office is across the room with a large window looking out over the crew. Kristina's desk is outside of it, I wouldn't call her a secretary (because she's kind of tough) but she helps keep things going.
There are a couple empty desks in between, of course, because this is a newspaper in the 21st century.
Sports guys are on the opposite side of the room as the reporters, with their desks facing the wall in a line, like they have done something wrong. But I think it might be a tact to keep them from watching sports on TV, like they are doing right now. MARCH MADNESS!!!
Then there is a cluster of six desks in the center of the room with four stations for layout and the two spots for photo.
The two photo desks face the front door, so we get to observe everyone in the newsroom. Which is probably a sharp idea, because we visually observe people for a living, so a little in-house training is a good idea.
Behind us is an open space that was where the darkroom was until just before I started. Now it is a space for a photo studio. There isn't a lot of room, or light control, so it can be a challenge, but it's not too bad.
All the desks in the building are just desks pushed together, no cubicles. Stand anywhere and you can look around and see anyone, besides the higher-ups that have offices.
To my right there is a large glass wall that parts the large, open room in two. Ads, classifieds and the rest of the departments that make up the company are over there. Most of their desks are full with several people who seem like they have been here for awhile. Family photos and the like, sprinkled on their desks to make them a little home.
I don't have a ton of interaction with people on that side. Every so often I need to ask something or one of them comes across the divide to get some info. I know some of their names, but not a lot. I'll get there.
Michael, our assistant editor, sits right in front of "my" desk (we share, because we only have one "good" mac). He has a automated egg candy dispenser thing that shoots candy into your hand when you wave under a partially hidden spout. But right now it would just make the whiney noise and maybe throw a few shattered M&M shells onto your palm because it is pathetic and empty.
There is a little bowl of emergency candy next to it, for such occasions. A Jolly Ranger orange smoothie flavored delight kept me going for a little while today.
Somedays I barely eat during the day because I have stuff to do and my memory is terrible. Wolfing down some cheap fast food in my car on the way from something to something else. Which is fun, trying to eat in a smallish car with a manual transmission. :D
Other days I go to the glorious candy egg for prayer several times before eventually I leave the building in a happy little sugar drunk.
I think this is why journalists of old usually had a bottle of some brown liquor in their desks. Because sometimes you have to do something and if there is no news happening and you are in the newsroom you either talk to people, eat or drink. Sometimes all three.
Today is a slow day. We don't even have any obit photos. That's how slow it is, no one is even planning a funeral.
One of the bad things about the last newsroom I worked in, on a fairly lengthy list to be sure, was it was so closed off. All of the desks were cubicles that people could hide in or sneak away from. I'm not saying cubicles are the cause of the laziness that plagued the paper, but if you are working and you know your boss can't see you...come on. Some people would work and some people wouldn't.
It was also very depressing there, because they were all prefab cubicle constructions. So when a position was down-sized, liquidated or whatever other fancy lingo is used to say "you're ass is outta here!" there was still the ghostly remnants of their job haunting up the joint. A sad, broken chair in front of a horrendously outdated monitor in a cubicle with stuff still tacked to the fuzzy walls.
Here at least they re-arranged some of the desks to and try to give some feng shui to the current decline of the American newspaper office. And it works. We see the empty desks, sure, but there isn't a row of unused space giving off the vibe of a ghetto in the middle of the room. Newsroom Redevelopment!
Little less than an hour before my only assignment today. That's just enough time for a plane to crash into a bus full of blind nuns at the same time a fire erupts in an orphanage on the opposite side of the county.
The one county we cover is just as large as the three covered by the Sun. But we've dialed back a bit, leaving some of the more northern area for the Houston Chronicle to cover I guess.
Makes sense.
It's after five, so most of the other side of the building is gone or working on it. FRIDAY! Wooo!
It's a cool job. I've heard myself say that to people several times over the last couple weeks. I say it without even thinking about it, because it's part of my small talk sometimes. People ask about the camera, how long I've been doing it, or how I like it.
I do. It is what I want to do. I could make more money in a studio or some other photo job. And I'm actually trying to find some stuff to do on the side, occasionally, so I can make a little extra money.
But I want to do this.
I want to be in the newsroom.
I usually come into work at 2pm, shoot 2 to 4 assignments on average and get out around 11. Some days are more jam packed.
Like my two day adventure in Austin. I didn't post a lot, because honestly the work wasn't super exciting, but being there was. But I racked up over 12 hours each day, just in the grind of covering different things.
Today is a slow day. Didn't come in until 3, because I worked over a bit yesterday and there is nothing for me to shoot until 6pm.
I could go home and clean a little. But I just feel like hanging out in the newsroom.
The Facts newsroom is cool. Little islands of desks with people working and interacting (sporadically sometimes, on both counts).
Our reporters desks are lined up, one behind the other, facing the front door of the building. Like torpedoes waiting to be fired out the tube at the first hint of news on the wind.
Our editor's office is across the room with a large window looking out over the crew. Kristina's desk is outside of it, I wouldn't call her a secretary (because she's kind of tough) but she helps keep things going.
There are a couple empty desks in between, of course, because this is a newspaper in the 21st century.
Sports guys are on the opposite side of the room as the reporters, with their desks facing the wall in a line, like they have done something wrong. But I think it might be a tact to keep them from watching sports on TV, like they are doing right now. MARCH MADNESS!!!
Then there is a cluster of six desks in the center of the room with four stations for layout and the two spots for photo.
The two photo desks face the front door, so we get to observe everyone in the newsroom. Which is probably a sharp idea, because we visually observe people for a living, so a little in-house training is a good idea.
Behind us is an open space that was where the darkroom was until just before I started. Now it is a space for a photo studio. There isn't a lot of room, or light control, so it can be a challenge, but it's not too bad.
All the desks in the building are just desks pushed together, no cubicles. Stand anywhere and you can look around and see anyone, besides the higher-ups that have offices.
To my right there is a large glass wall that parts the large, open room in two. Ads, classifieds and the rest of the departments that make up the company are over there. Most of their desks are full with several people who seem like they have been here for awhile. Family photos and the like, sprinkled on their desks to make them a little home.
I don't have a ton of interaction with people on that side. Every so often I need to ask something or one of them comes across the divide to get some info. I know some of their names, but not a lot. I'll get there.
Michael, our assistant editor, sits right in front of "my" desk (we share, because we only have one "good" mac). He has a automated egg candy dispenser thing that shoots candy into your hand when you wave under a partially hidden spout. But right now it would just make the whiney noise and maybe throw a few shattered M&M shells onto your palm because it is pathetic and empty.
There is a little bowl of emergency candy next to it, for such occasions. A Jolly Ranger orange smoothie flavored delight kept me going for a little while today.
Somedays I barely eat during the day because I have stuff to do and my memory is terrible. Wolfing down some cheap fast food in my car on the way from something to something else. Which is fun, trying to eat in a smallish car with a manual transmission. :D
Other days I go to the glorious candy egg for prayer several times before eventually I leave the building in a happy little sugar drunk.
I think this is why journalists of old usually had a bottle of some brown liquor in their desks. Because sometimes you have to do something and if there is no news happening and you are in the newsroom you either talk to people, eat or drink. Sometimes all three.
Today is a slow day. We don't even have any obit photos. That's how slow it is, no one is even planning a funeral.
One of the bad things about the last newsroom I worked in, on a fairly lengthy list to be sure, was it was so closed off. All of the desks were cubicles that people could hide in or sneak away from. I'm not saying cubicles are the cause of the laziness that plagued the paper, but if you are working and you know your boss can't see you...come on. Some people would work and some people wouldn't.
It was also very depressing there, because they were all prefab cubicle constructions. So when a position was down-sized, liquidated or whatever other fancy lingo is used to say "you're ass is outta here!" there was still the ghostly remnants of their job haunting up the joint. A sad, broken chair in front of a horrendously outdated monitor in a cubicle with stuff still tacked to the fuzzy walls.
Here at least they re-arranged some of the desks to and try to give some feng shui to the current decline of the American newspaper office. And it works. We see the empty desks, sure, but there isn't a row of unused space giving off the vibe of a ghetto in the middle of the room. Newsroom Redevelopment!
Little less than an hour before my only assignment today. That's just enough time for a plane to crash into a bus full of blind nuns at the same time a fire erupts in an orphanage on the opposite side of the county.
The one county we cover is just as large as the three covered by the Sun. But we've dialed back a bit, leaving some of the more northern area for the Houston Chronicle to cover I guess.
Makes sense.
It's after five, so most of the other side of the building is gone or working on it. FRIDAY! Wooo!
It's a cool job. I've heard myself say that to people several times over the last couple weeks. I say it without even thinking about it, because it's part of my small talk sometimes. People ask about the camera, how long I've been doing it, or how I like it.
I do. It is what I want to do. I could make more money in a studio or some other photo job. And I'm actually trying to find some stuff to do on the side, occasionally, so I can make a little extra money.
But I want to do this.
I want to be in the newsroom.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Feeling just Capitol
I fell behind. Sorry.
Had a few weeks of only one day off and that one day I really wanted to spend playing video games and sleeping. I even managed to combine the two activities at one point. Woke up dead, don't try that at home.
I've dropped my WorkinTheFacts qualifier. If I post pictures and am talking about work...assume it's for The Facts.
Last week on Monday, usually a day off, I got to wake up SUPER early, pick up a reporter at his house and head off to Austin for a two day event. It was our county's day to do some minor lobbying and handshaking stuff at the capitol. Mostly seemed like a press event, but it was still kind of fun.
I like traveling for work. I like traveling in general, but I've never really get to travel much for fun. Part of the draw for newspapers when I started was the chance to get to go places. But it turns out if you want to travel really far, you have to have all kinds of experience and work at a huge paper or an agency. Come on! They should do it like Army, send the newbies. No such luck.
Austin is a cool town though and we had a few hours to look around between assignments, especially after we got kicked out of a meeting. I didn't do it, I swear.
Austin is kind of like a big Ann Arbor. A cool town that is washed in hordes of flannel hats, white guys with dreadlocks and unwashed pretentiousness.
My favorite image from the two days:
One of those cool moments you think might happen, and get the pay off for thinking on your feet.
I had an instinctual bell ring in my head, so I rushed through a bunch of people to go back up a floor and shoot down into the rotund. Saw her step out of the group and BAM. Not overly amazing, but just kind of neat.
She said on that spot if you say something straight up no one can hear it, because of the acoustics of the building. If I were a gov'ment man I'd put a mic at the top, in case someone felt like confessing something sinister.
Her view from there:
I did it, I shot the sheriff, the deputy and his wee-doggie too!
The capitol building was quite impressive. I've been in Michigan's and it's nice, but this one just seems grander.
I had to buy a suit to be let down on to the floor of the House and Senate...best $4 I've ever spent
Yep, $4. I have suit coats, but for some reason they didn't make the trip down here. So I went to a thrift store, found a suit that fit me perfectly. Fantastic.
There was some other stuff that happened, but at the end everyone filed out of the building and wanted to get a picture. I guess they usually do it on the steps, but there were protesters. So I suggested moving to a slope of the lawn, so they could get the building in the background.
Opening my mouth on the subject volunteered me to take the picture. Joy. Wanna know what I hate more than posed portraits? Posed portraits of a huge group of people.
My rule of thumb is the more people you add to a photo, the less and less creative it becomes. Just out of the sheer nature of people, their attitudes and quality of light/shadows.
But mathematically, I thought if even a fraction of the people in this picture buy it, well worth the ridiculous amount of time it took to set everyone up and for me to climb up in a tree.
Amount of reprints of this shot purchased = 0
No one has actually bought any from either of the days. Hundreds of pictures, hundreds of miles of travel, horribly hideous hotel room and no damned reprint money! BAH! Might come later, you can never judge the fickle photo ffffff....damn. I was trying for some clever alliteration there, but failed.
Our motel room was ridiculous. Apparently all the rooms were themed. Ours was the "Polka Dot Surprise" room. It looked like a fat hippie ate the 70s and threw it up all over the place.
Have some other stuff to catch up on, but I'll stop here.
Inside Joke for Alex Ybarra Did you find it?
Had a few weeks of only one day off and that one day I really wanted to spend playing video games and sleeping. I even managed to combine the two activities at one point. Woke up dead, don't try that at home.
I've dropped my WorkinTheFacts qualifier. If I post pictures and am talking about work...assume it's for The Facts.
Last week on Monday, usually a day off, I got to wake up SUPER early, pick up a reporter at his house and head off to Austin for a two day event. It was our county's day to do some minor lobbying and handshaking stuff at the capitol. Mostly seemed like a press event, but it was still kind of fun.
I like traveling for work. I like traveling in general, but I've never really get to travel much for fun. Part of the draw for newspapers when I started was the chance to get to go places. But it turns out if you want to travel really far, you have to have all kinds of experience and work at a huge paper or an agency. Come on! They should do it like Army, send the newbies. No such luck.
Austin is a cool town though and we had a few hours to look around between assignments, especially after we got kicked out of a meeting. I didn't do it, I swear.
Austin is kind of like a big Ann Arbor. A cool town that is washed in hordes of flannel hats, white guys with dreadlocks and unwashed pretentiousness.
My favorite image from the two days:
One of those cool moments you think might happen, and get the pay off for thinking on your feet.
I had an instinctual bell ring in my head, so I rushed through a bunch of people to go back up a floor and shoot down into the rotund. Saw her step out of the group and BAM. Not overly amazing, but just kind of neat.
She said on that spot if you say something straight up no one can hear it, because of the acoustics of the building. If I were a gov'ment man I'd put a mic at the top, in case someone felt like confessing something sinister.
Her view from there:
I did it, I shot the sheriff, the deputy and his wee-doggie too!
The capitol building was quite impressive. I've been in Michigan's and it's nice, but this one just seems grander.
I had to buy a suit to be let down on to the floor of the House and Senate...best $4 I've ever spent
Yep, $4. I have suit coats, but for some reason they didn't make the trip down here. So I went to a thrift store, found a suit that fit me perfectly. Fantastic.
There was some other stuff that happened, but at the end everyone filed out of the building and wanted to get a picture. I guess they usually do it on the steps, but there were protesters. So I suggested moving to a slope of the lawn, so they could get the building in the background.
Opening my mouth on the subject volunteered me to take the picture. Joy. Wanna know what I hate more than posed portraits? Posed portraits of a huge group of people.
My rule of thumb is the more people you add to a photo, the less and less creative it becomes. Just out of the sheer nature of people, their attitudes and quality of light/shadows.
But mathematically, I thought if even a fraction of the people in this picture buy it, well worth the ridiculous amount of time it took to set everyone up and for me to climb up in a tree.
Amount of reprints of this shot purchased = 0
No one has actually bought any from either of the days. Hundreds of pictures, hundreds of miles of travel, horribly hideous hotel room and no damned reprint money! BAH! Might come later, you can never judge the fickle photo ffffff....damn. I was trying for some clever alliteration there, but failed.
Our motel room was ridiculous. Apparently all the rooms were themed. Ours was the "Polka Dot Surprise" room. It looked like a fat hippie ate the 70s and threw it up all over the place.
Have some other stuff to catch up on, but I'll stop here.
Inside Joke for Alex Ybarra Did you find it?
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