2010/01/30

Car wash

Winter in Chicago brings a strange trend in regards to vehicle colors. Even the most vibrant reds, purples and greens turn a pale gray as they succumb to the salt poured on the roads. Washing it always seems pointless because its guaranteed that the minute you pull out of the car wash you will get stuck behind a plow truck spewing salt all over your freshly washed car.

Oh well. Today I broke and washed the truck. I snapped this little diddy with my camera phone in between the spot-free rinse and the blast the paint of your car power wash.

2010/01/29

Bits and Pieces

I kinda fibbed when I said I was done with posts from India..... I found some more images that I thought I would share. I didn't think anyone would mind.





2010/01/28

Treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

Looking through some photos I realized I shoot trees a lot. I picked out a few, some new and some not so much. Enjoy...





2010/01/27

Life on the road

A few more from Micah. This first one is old, it was after their show on Halloween night at Froggies bar and the last two are from a show on New Years eve.



2010/01/26

Make up and Make over

Some photos from my travels last week exploring our coverage area.

2010/01/25

Peek-a-boo

Lines



2010/01/24

For you

2010/01/22

Some more from week one

This was my very first assignment, I got lost trying to find it. The State Superintendent visited an East Aurora early childhood center.

Mr. Ed Huss. This man is great. After showing me around his property in 25 degree weather, he entertained my requests to shoot his portrait outside and never complained one bit. He raised enough money through his golf outings that he helped 3 injured Veterans get the care the needed last year. Heart-o-gold.

Plus, I firmly believe that everybody should have their name plastered above their garage to help identify their place of residence.

91 year old Business owner in Aurora, Mr. Griswold at his Feed and Seed shop.

No assignment on this one, just fun in Downtown Aurora. It is actually an outtake from the Storyteller stuff.

2010/01/21

"He Ran and ran....."

Yesterday, I got a call from my editor today saying that there was a couple living in this apartment complex in town from Haiti, and they still had one son there. That, and a rough idea of where there apartment was, was all I was given.
Luckily I found the couple and they were kind enough to let me, a total stranger, into their home. It never ceases to amaze me how willing people are to all photographers into their lives, usually at the worst of times, with relative little knowledge of who they are.
Anyway, that is a topic for a different post.
The husband has only been here for four months and it was his 11 year old son, and the rest of his family, that are still in Haiti. He had no idea if they were ok till 5:00 Tuesday morning. When the quake hit, "my son just ran and ran and ran until he found a soccer field to stay in." He said.

2010/01/20

More from Week 1

Some more images from my first week at the Beacon- News. These were for a story about poor attendance at East Aurora High school. East Aurora isn't exactly a nice part of town and the school is trying new ways to get and keep kids coming to school.



2010/01/19

Friends

Last week, a girl from a local high school was killed in a car crash while she was going to visit colleges with her family. These two guys were good friends with her and have created a facebook page and are organizing a fundraiser to help pay for funeral costs.
The school is pretty big, but they said that walking into school, "you could feel it. Something just seemed wrong."


2010/01/18

A new page.

Things have been quite busy since my last post.

A few months back I got a call I had always dreamed of, but never intended on getting... at least not for a long time. It was an old co-worker buddy informing me that there was going to be an opening at the Aurora Beacon-News and they wanted know if I would be interested. I sat speechless in my truck, key half in the ignition as I was about to drive home, when all of a sudden real life was standing in my headlights.

Long story short, I beat my head against a wall for a good week trying to decided what to do. School/work/School/work/School/work..... I didn't know. I conferred with family, teachers and close friends who all helped a lot with their tremendous insight.

In the end I did take the job and this was my introduction assignment, a few words and photos introducing myself to the community. It ran Sunday and I wanted it to be the first post about it here so that was the reason for the delay. Sorry.


The time I spent at Western Kentucky was priceless, and I will miss all the friends I made there. You guys are awesome.

2010/01/06

Clifty Hollow

Friends Tim and Steph stopped by on their way home Saturday and we spent some time at the a local climbing spot, Clifty Hollow.


Go Tim Go

Jordan, deep in thought.....

2010/01/05

Photo-grapher

This is quite a bit delayed but oh well. Fellow PJ Dijana Muminovic had her work up in the gallery here at school and I had to shoot a portrait of her for the paper. Her photos were amazing and it got a great response from the community she said, which is what we are always striving for. Congrats Dijana!