So this is College?

Looking Back: Sports

2012-01-10T12:00:00.000-06:00

A few sports favorites...

Looking Back: NYC

2012-01-09T13:00:00.000-06:00

In May Jordan and I traveled to New York City for a few days; partly for her work, but mostly to see the Big Apple for the first time.
I must say, being born and bred in the Second City, New York had a lot to prove and prove it did.
Both of us really enjoyed the trip despite the constant drizzle, and finally got the chance to see what all the fuss was about.

I went into the trip with no intention of shooting seriously. I wanted to go and just take in the city...do all the stupid touristy garbage that we make fun of people for doing when they come to Chicago.
Much to my surprise however, I am more happy with the photos that came out of those 4 days than any of the work I produced at the paper.
Now, maybe it is just the connection I have to that trip and the memories the photos bring back, but whatever it is I find myself going to that folder on my hard drive more for inspiration than anywhere else.

Here are the photos that stood out the most to me. Enjoy...

Looking Back: 2011

2012-01-08T14:11:00.001-06:00

A few personal favorites from 2011...as always; comments, critiques and criticisms are welcome.

RGB

2012-01-06T13:25:00.001-06:00

Found this while searching through the archives from 2011...

Drag

2011-12-13T19:21:00.002-06:00

Engagements

2011-12-07T22:12:00.001-06:00

A few of my favorite engagement photos from this past season. This was the first year I really did a lot of these sessions and the more I did, the more comfortable I got doing them. Now I have just as much fun shooting these as the actually wedding day.
Enjoy!

I plan on doing a full wedding recap soon, but that is going to take a bit more time as I wade through the almost 30 weddings I shot this year. Stay tuned!

North Avenue Beach

2011-12-01T22:00:00.001-06:00

I've been going through organizing and toning some of this years engagement and wedding work and came across some test shots before a recent engagement session. I'll put up a full post of those over the next day or so.

Shots, Shots, Shots

2011-11-21T14:37:00.001-06:00

Well it finally came, my littler sister Julie turned the big 21 this past weekend. Now, shes probably already spent more time in a bar than will in my life, but I must say that buying her drinks is going to take some getting used too....

City-scursion

2011-11-18T11:27:00.001-06:00

Spent yesterday in the city visiting the downtown office of the Sun-Times just to remind them we exist out in the west burbs. I got there a bit early so I wandered....

SmokeDaddy's BBQ

2011-10-31T10:21:00.000-06:00

Crunchy Leaves

2011-10-30T22:46:00.001-06:00

Sunshine State

2011-10-29T17:35:00.000-06:00

A little film from a recent trip to Florida...

Remember when...

2011-10-26T23:14:00.001-06:00

Seems like not that long ago we were donning the swim trunks and flip-flops on our way to the beach....

Truck Stop in a Storm

2011-10-26T20:03:00.001-06:00

Occupy Naperville

2011-10-24T14:07:00.005-06:00

The Occupy Movement has finally come to Naperville. I'm a little shocked it took this long actually.... Check out more photos over on the VISUALOGUE!

Apple River Canyon

2011-10-13T17:42:00.004-06:00

Lakeside

2011-10-12T16:29:00.000-06:00

Nascar

2011-09-21T22:43:00.000-06:00

I had the chance to shoot Nascar last weekend down in Joliet, Ill. I'd been to a few races with friends, but this was a first to be shooting it and it was unbelievable.
There's more to come, but here is a few for now.

Stay in Line

2011-09-01T19:35:00.002-06:00

I had a few minutes to walk around the city before a shoot the other night. I should really get out more often....

Walls of Jericho: Part two

2011-08-28T00:30:00.001-06:00

I won't go back over the details, but this is the second in a series that a reporter and I are doing on the Jericho Circle housing project in Aurora, Ill. (To see part 1 CLICK HERE)

For the second year in a row, Jericho Circle was supposed to come down this summer and the residents relocated, but due to fights and disagreements between the City and the Housing Authority about half of the residents at Jericho remain living in sub-par conditions.
While community violence has died down in recent years, the summer heat, mixed with high tensions as neighbors all fight for the same section 8 housing, has lead to a few outbreaks this summer.
Not only are the residents affected, but the school district who was not expecting to be responsible for the over 100 students coming from Jericho, now has to bus and provide for these kids on an already stressed budget.

Trees?

2011-08-24T22:29:00.002-06:00

Not sure what my current fascination is with trees but I was just looking through two takes from a few months apart and these two stood out to me

Changes

2011-08-23T23:11:00.002-06:00

On Friday Jordan and I went out to one of our favorite state parks in Shabbona, Ill.

Her she is meandering through the trails, little did she know....

.Loves.

Shabbona

2011-08-23T23:07:00.001-06:00

Fox River

2011-08-23T23:02:00.003-06:00

Chicago

2011-08-23T22:54:00.000-06:00

Galena

2011-08-23T22:48:00.003-06:00

Jordan and I took a trip out to Galena, Ill a week or so ago for some camping and adventures.

Scraps

2011-08-04T13:24:00.000-06:00

Family

2011-08-03T13:20:00.000-06:00

Easter celebrations with the family...

Brownie

2011-08-01T16:02:00.002-06:00

Just got some film back that I had put through the Kodak Brownie after I bought it.

It's been awhile....

NYC: Crowds

2011-07-27T10:02:00.001-06:00

Vanishing Point

2011-07-14T19:01:00.002-06:00

Lighting by Gregory

2011-07-12T18:21:00.000-06:00

NYC: Flim cont.

2011-07-10T14:40:00.003-06:00

Working through more film from the trip. Enjoy!

NYC: Film

2011-07-09T09:26:00.002-06:00

Recently got some film back from the trip Jordan and I took out to New York awhile back...

Tammy in the Window

2011-07-04T10:28:00.002-06:00

Update

2011-06-26T01:06:00.002-06:00

Wow, I really apologize for my apparent absence from posting. I have lots in the tank so sit tight, more to come soon, but for now I just couldn't resist posting this one from tonight's wedding with Nicole and Ricky. Too much fun...

Free Time

2011-06-10T18:17:00.002-06:00

I had a few minutes to kill on my way back from an assignment the other day which finally gave me a chance to stop by this little abandoned farm in Oswego. It was a bit creepier than I expected, but a nice day anyway and definitely one I am going to keep in mind for future portrait use.

Postings

2011-06-09T22:20:00.002-06:00

NYC: Blue

2011-06-01T18:58:00.002-06:00

NYC: Yellow

2011-05-31T21:15:00.002-06:00

NYC: Red

2011-05-30T20:54:00.002-06:00

Still working my way through some photos from the time Jordan and I spent in New York. Looking at them as a contact sheet, I keep seeing little splotches of color, so here is the first of a few posts highlighting that.

One Corner, Two Minutes

2011-05-28T15:09:00.000-06:00

Graduation Night

2011-05-26T10:41:00.002-06:00

Thankfully the weather held out for Naperville Central to have their graduation outside last night.
It's not often that I fill up a memory card on assignment but with deep blue skies, red gowns.... ohhhh boy....

To see more check out the galleries HERE

The big five- ohhhhhh.

2011-05-25T14:45:00.002-06:00

My mother celebrated another calender year this past week and much to her surprise she walked into a house full of people one day to help her celebrate.
So with much love- here's to you mother, Happy birthday and may there be many more.

Umbrellas in the Rain

2011-05-24T14:17:00.002-06:00

It rained, a lot, while we were in New York. The umbrellas were out (except for ours) and the colors were gorgeous and we loved every minute of it.

Foggy Night

2011-05-23T15:49:00.002-06:00

Driving up Lake Shore Drive the other night as a cloud of fog fell over the city. It looked like the entire downtown/loop area was on fire and covered in smoke.

New York in a Blur

2011-05-19T21:54:00.003-06:00

Streets of NYC 2.0

2011-05-16T22:37:00.001-06:00

Streets of NYC

2011-05-15T20:53:00.002-06:00

A few more as we meandered the streets of this gigantic city as we are still trying to decipher the subway system here.

New Yawk

2011-05-15T11:18:00.002-06:00

Jordan and I are spending a few days out in the Big Apple and spent last night meandering the streets around Times Square.
Some times you just have to be a tourist...

The Walls of Jericho

2011-05-13T10:48:00.002-06:00

Jericho Circle, Aurora, Ill

Walls of Jericho

2011-05-11T22:46:00.000-06:00

Located on the far southwest side of Aurora, Jericho Circle is a public housing complex that is home to over 90 families.
Built in the 70's the complex, then known as Westwood, was a nice community to live in according to Somtwin Cooper who has lived there for over 30 years.
"It's not a bad place, just some bad people," she said of Jericho.
Cooper is one of the few residents that is not in a rush to move out.
The Aurora Housing Authority has applied for relocation vouchers to move residents once plans to tear the complex down are finalized. They have received 10 so far and have assigned each family a random number on a list to receive their voucher once the rest arrive.
Carmen Castillo is number 9 on that list.
"It's finally here," she said on moving day. Castillo and her family have lived at Jericho for six years and wasted no time finding a new home on Aurora's east side.

This is the story of the families at Jericho. A record of their lives in a place that some can't wait, and some don't want to forget.

Therese Part Duex

2011-05-06T14:34:00.003-06:00

Last year I spent some time with the Solgos family from Aurora as they welcomed 10 year old Therese into their home.
They knew Therese has a heart condition that would require surgery, but as time passed the condition known as Coarctation of the Aorta, was constricting her aorta at a faster pace than expected and they were forced to move quickly to get her into surgery.

I followed Therese and the rest of the Solgos family as they spent night after night in the hospital until Therese was finally ready to come home.

I can not thank the family enough for letting me follow them through such a stressful point in their life. Casey and Ericka are two amazing people and I wish them the best in the future.

Yearly Sportraits

2011-05-06T13:18:00.000-06:00

Basketball season wrapped up a little while ago and that means the annual, "These kids rocked their sport" portraits.

This year we featured Kat Yelle from Geneva and Ryan Boatright from East Aurora.

I've always wanted to play around with multiple exposures in the camera and used this opportunity to give it a whirl.
Both kids were great as I attempted way to many times to get the lighting and positioning right for what was essentially two different setups but shot on one frame.
Overall I was pretty happy with how they turned out and so where Ryan and Kat which made me even happier to hear.

Peek-A-Boo...

2011-05-04T12:44:00.000-06:00

...I see blue.

Faces of 9/11

2011-05-02T19:23:00.003-06:00

After hearing the news last night, it didn't feel right to just sit at home so Jordan and I headed to Downtown Naperville to see if anybody was at the memorial there, but alas, there was not.
Not being a town of action, Naperville didn't have the hoopin' and hollerin' seen in other parts of the country and honestly, I'm kinda glad.
While I can't say I didn't feel a bit happy Bin Laden was dead, I do think that pouring onto the streets was a bit much.
By no means do I allege to have answer for what should or shouldn't have been done, but at what point are we just perpetuating the cycle of action and reaction.
The man took thousands of innocent lives and probably did deserve to die. Now though, we have more people getting more upset at our country which may result in even more innocent lives being lost.

Just some food for thought...

School Daze

2011-04-28T19:17:00.001-06:00

Ever since I started at the Beacon, I have been drawn to the architecture of the school buildings. They have a beautiful classic look to them that makes you feel like your stepping back in time. I'm sure the current tenants of these buildings resent the fact that they lack some modern conveniences, but from a purely visual standpoint they are superb.
This in mind, I found myself at Bardwell Elementary the other day photographing the installation of a new climbing wall.
I had some time to kill prior to the wall arriving, so I explored the inside of the building a bit...

Easter With the Techies..

2011-04-25T14:41:00.002-06:00

...I mean Powers.

Here in Naperville we have just discovered this thing called Skype. Not sure if you have hear of it yet...
Well, we dialed up the grandparents in Daytona for a little skyping (is that what you kids call it these days?) after Easter dinner.
Technology... bringing the whole family together....

...until someone gets the newer thing.

Midwest Photo Summit

2011-04-24T12:52:00.001-06:00

Awhile back a bunch of photographers from Illinois got together, looked at photos, talked shop and called it a Summit.

We had a blast.

Lakeside

2011-04-24T12:41:00.001-06:00

Beginnings

2011-04-20T20:29:00.003-06:00

The College of Dupage photo blog recently featured some of my work that was part of the portfolio that received an honorable mention in the Illinois POY competition.
I had the opportunity to go back to C.O.D. the other and talk to a class about working on stories. It was an interesting experience to go back and stand at the front of the same classroom where I realized this is what I wanted to do.
To see the write up click HERE

Re-Charged

2011-04-11T23:23:00.003-06:00

After a great weekend of seeing some amazing work, talking to old friends and meeting some new ones while at the Midwest Photo Summit the batteries have been re-charged.
2011... bring it.

Southside extras

2011-04-11T20:02:00.000-06:00

Interesting little piece of sidewalk art on the way to the game....

Fruits

2011-04-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

After a few nerve racking weeks of waiting, the Illinois Press Photographers Association wrapped up its annual conference and contest this past weekend in Evanston.
I put a lot of pressure on myself this year because I really wanted to do well my first year competing in the professional division.
I am pleased, ecstatic, thrilled, (insert other happy words here) to say that among a few other awards including first place feature story, I was awarded honorable mention in the Photographer of the Year competition.
Congratulations to Tribune photographers Scott Strazzante, Alex Garcia and Will Deshazer who won first, second and third respectively.
This post also would not be complete without a big congratulations and Thank you to Jonathan Miano who really helped shape me as a photographer during my first floundering years at the Naperville Sun and also placed third in the Sports Portfolio category.
So if you have a chance, check out all the amazing work on the IPPA website HERE.

Opening Day: SouthSide

2011-04-10T20:31:00.003-06:00

Opening Day: Southside from Brian Powers on Vimeo.

White Sox fans sold out U.S. Cellular Field for their teams home opener on April 7, 2011 when they beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 behind 13 strikeouts from starter Edwin Jackson.
Even though I didn't grow up on Chicago's southside, I did grow up going to Sox Park aka Comiskey Park aka U.S. Cellular Field.
My grandfather and I would go to countless games a year, to be able to shoot opening day for the Sun-Times was and amazing experience.
Again, my assignment was to focus on the fans and the environment surrounding opening day, but I couldn't help but sneak down into the pit to grab a few actions shots of the best team in baseball.

Cubs Opening Day

2011-04-02T15:19:00.004-06:00

I was lucky enough to shoot opening day at Wrigley field yesterday for the Sun-Times.
My assignment: Produce a video showing the feeling and environment of Wrigleyville and Cubs nation.

Lake Reflections

2011-04-02T15:08:00.001-06:00

UnOfficial

2011-03-26T18:43:00.003-06:00

I had the great opportunity to team up with the crew from BOOTH 25 EVENTS for the Unofficial St. Patrick's day in Chicago bar crawl on Saturday. We started at Casey Moran's in Wrigleyville then it was over to Vines down the street just to name a few.
Any day spent toasting the Irish is a good day in my book.

Antiquing

2011-03-22T17:19:00.000-06:00

Unexplainable pictures

2011-03-21T21:34:00.003-06:00

I love old black and white photos. Love them. So when I found THIS WEBSITE I wasted about 30 minutes of my life... and enjoyed every minute of it. Check it out for a good laugh!

Dream Job #2

2011-03-18T16:47:00.001-06:00

Q. "So what do you do?"
A. "I light stuff on fire. Legally."

Green and Yellow

2011-03-16T20:24:00.002-06:00

The seasons they are a'changin, and while the news-makers in the Chicago sports world now play on a wooden floor instead of the lush (ok, mush) green fields of Soldier Field I still wanted to share a few from their loss to the Green Bay Packers on a more than frigid January day.

Swimsuit weather

2011-03-09T21:51:00.002-06:00

I know I said I would limit this blog to photos outside of work, but I had to share this one. Jordan and I went out to Yorkville last weekend to cover a Polar Plunge. While the plunge itself left a lot to be desired visually, the divers in the water were photo gold....

Streetlight

2011-03-06T17:59:00.002-06:00

Southern Scenery

2011-02-27T21:19:00.001-06:00

SoIll

2011-02-24T20:48:00.003-06:00

I spent last weekend down in the southern tip of Illinois on a Rock Climbing trip with my good friend Tim. Before I went to school these trips would happen on nearly monthly basis, but as my workload grew at Western the trips dwindled. It felt really good to get back out on the rock.... and taste Waffle House again. Yum.

The spot we were headed to was pretty much undeveloped which meant we had to pack every type of scrubbing device possible from brooms to toothbrushes to clean off the rock.

It had been awhile since the two of us went climbing, so as the sun set on day one out came the cigars and scotch. Always a good way to end the day.
Our journey the next day took us around Shawnee National Forest. As we drove up one of the cliffs an observation tower met us at the top. Expecting it to be closed, we drove by slowly and much to our surprise and delight it wasn't.

A short hike through Bell Springs State Park yielded a future swimming hole and more climbing possibilities.

Wedding Weekend Wonderland

2011-02-22T19:25:00.001-06:00

A few more from the weekend of our friends wedding bliss outside the ceremony...

Wedding bells

2011-02-15T23:47:00.003-06:00

Jordan and I spent last weekend at Starved Rock Lodge in Utica, Ill. Friends of ours from high school were gettin' hitched and Jordan had the honor of being in the wedding.
It was the first time since I began photographing weddings that I attended a wedding as a guest, not a vendor. I had to be in the pictures instead of taking them....a very strange and uncomfortable experience for any shutterbug.
Much to the dismay of Jordan though, my camera was hanging by its usual spot off my left shoulder for about 90% of the weekend.
Now, having first hand experienced the annoyance/pressure/anger that comes with photographing a wedding/wedding party with another photographer, I limited my snaps to as few frames as possible and instead spent my time enjoying the graces of an open bar.
So here's to you Whitney and Joe, to the many memories and to the many more to come!
Congratulations!

Check back for more from the rest of the weekend!

Visualogue

2011-02-13T00:01:00.005-06:00

After over a year of begging, pleading, planning and shooting I am ecstatic to announce the launch of "Visualogue," a photo blog for the photographers of Sun-Times Media West.

Similarly to this blog, Visualogue will showcase all the photos that are the reasons we love to do this crazy hobby we call work.
As for this blog, I plan on continuing with regular updates, maybe not with as much frequency, but with more personal stuff shot outside of work.

To check out the new blog visit HERE
It will be updated daily so just like Chicago voting, check it out early and often then tell your friends to do the same! While your there leave a comment or two and let us know what you think.

Public Guardian?

2011-02-10T22:40:00.002-06:00

There is a program in Kane County where if the County feels you are no longer able to care for yourself and have no next of kin locally they can make you basically a ward of the state.

Sound fishy?

It is. These two people below had friends and family that were put into the Guardian system only to have their friend thrown into exile and threatened if they had any contact with previous friends and family members.

Mr. Rollins' Aunt was put in this program and half her home and possessions were auctioned off before he even knew what was happening. When he found out he immediately bought the home and save what he could of her belongings.

She was put into a nursing home against her will and Mr. Rollins promised to bring her back home. Sadly, she passed away before he was able to, but as a parting gesture, he took this rose from her casket that was driven by the home on the way to her burial and walked it through the house. "It was my way of finally bringing her home." he said.

A similar story happened to Shirley Girsh, but with a close friend. "We had been friends forever, and then all of a sudden I wasn't allowed to talk to her at all," Shirley said.

Kylie update

2011-02-08T11:59:00.004-06:00

I spent a lot of time over my first few weeks at the Beacon with a little girl named KYLIE. When we met, she was in the midst of battling cancer in her brain and spinal cord, but due to some access issues I was never able to follow her through the battle.
I am happy to report that a few weeks ago I got a call from Kylie's mom saying she has been doing amazing and is back to being your typical three year old troublemaker. I met up with them at their house one night as they were getting ready for dinner and bedtime.
It was great to see such an amazing kid again and to hear that she is doing so well. Her tumors are still there, but have stopped growing and the doctors are just playing a waiting game because she has had all the chemo and radiation that her little body can take.

Ballers

2011-02-07T10:29:00.000-06:00

Football Night

2011-02-06T14:22:00.002-06:00

It's football night in America and seeing as my cities team is already out I don't have any strong rooting interest in who wins, just a lot of hope the game lives up to the hype.
One of the games I shot this year was the first time the Packers came to the Windy city. Aaron Rodgers had a bit of a rough time and the Packers lost, but subsequently turned their season around and became the first 6th seeded team from the NFC to make the Super Bowl.

Coming from a long lineage of great QB's, Rodgers has some mighty shoes to fill tonight, it will be interesting to see how he does.

Whiteout

2011-02-04T21:54:00.002-06:00

As with most of Chicagoland, I woke up Wednesday morning to find the truck half buried in snow and it was not looking like I would be moving any time soon. Luckily I live in a residential area with lots of neighbors so I set out on foot in search of some glorious snowy features.

Once I was finally able to get the truck out of its powdery tomb I booked it to Aurora to see how residents there were fairing. Turns out we had a local freelancer that lived there shooting as I had earlier so there was a plethora of people-waist-deep-in-snow-trying-to-shovel-out photos which allowed me to just wander for a little while.

Live and Learn

2011-02-03T18:04:00.002-06:00

Looks like for once the Forecasters got it pretty much spot on and we all woke up Wednesday morning in white pile of fluff.
Here's a few from the night before, just as the flakes began to fall:

Snowpocalypse

2011-02-01T12:35:00.002-06:00

The forecasters here in Chicagoland believe that by tomorrow night Chicago will be no more than a white mound of fluff. We shall see...

Yes Doctor?

2011-01-29T15:16:00.000-06:00

Hawks Pride

2011-01-26T14:41:00.007-06:00

Growing up, Dad and I would always make it to a few Blackhawks games a year, but as the years passed and tickets got more and more expensive, we went to less and less games. All I can remember from the last game we went to is gorging on Connie's Pizza and nearly losing it all as we were screaming in the closing seconds of the game. Fond memories....

When I came across tickets from a co-worker a few weeks ago I knew it was that time again. They were in the third balcony, seats 7 and 8 but I didn't care we were going to a Blackhawks game.

So there we where, standing on the edge of the balcony watching as players whizzed below us. My childhood heroes, all long gone of course, replaced by players barely as old as I.
We took our seats as the anthem rang through the rafters. The puck hit the ice and I looked over at Dad who was on the edge of his seat clapping and cheering as he so often does in his black leather arm chair.
Many a time has he relayed the story of staying up all night as a kid listening to the Hawks on an AM radio under the safety of a bed sheet. I can't help but imagine that kid sitting right next to me; if he would have guessed this is where he would be so many years later, a successful business owner with his son, a day before his 24th birthday, cheering as if they were the only ones there. Riding high with every goal and shouting what the call "should" have been because we obviously saw it better from the third balcony than the referee who was on the ice.
I never knew that kid under the bed sheet, just the man I grew up calling Dad, but I know tonight, as candle number 24 is blown out, I will come one step closer to understanding the kid under the sheet that was sitting in seat 8.

Go Hawks

Squared

2011-01-24T21:15:00.002-06:00

Less the ryhme or reason

2011-01-21T18:33:00.003-06:00

Still in clean up mode getting all the photos up from last year, so this is just a jumble for your jubilation.
Enjoy!

Connect Two: Hugs.

2011-01-20T11:55:00.001-06:00

Connect Four...

2011-01-19T11:50:00.001-06:00

...Extreme!

A toast...

2011-01-13T15:17:00.003-06:00

...to photos that never made print. May they still be enjoyed by someone.

Grain fed

2011-01-10T17:10:00.000-06:00

Loss

2011-01-08T14:27:00.002-06:00

When Donna Dwyer lost her son in a drunk driving accident she lost a big part of who she was. The day I met Donna was at her work, which is the funeral home where her son had his wake. "Most people don't get it," Donna told me when I asked her how it felt to work there. "They never will. It is just my way of coping with the sadness."

The writings on the wall

2011-01-06T14:35:00.001-06:00

Leftovers

2011-01-05T11:54:00.002-06:00

Since the holiday season is officially over now refrigerators and freezers around the country are bursting with holiday leftovers as is my to be blogged folder. In an effort to start fresh this new year the next few posts will be a smorgasbord of leftover treats and tidbits from 2010. Enjoy the second helpings and please, come back for more when your finished.

Flying high

2011-01-04T15:45:00.002-06:00

I forgot about this one as I went back through my take following the Solgos family.
Carter got sick of waiting for his new sister to get of the elevator, so he made like an airplane and flew through the walkway inside O'hare Airport.

Frost

2011-01-03T15:17:00.002-06:00

We had a fresh layer of ice coating the Fox Valley a few days ago, so I spent some time practicing my fine art and stock photography skills.

Untitled

2011-01-02T22:18:00.001-06:00