Wes Putt - Play by Play

Real Work

2008-02-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

I was given several warnings about working for Roark. The hours would be ruthless. The breaks short. The job itself is easy, but the sheer amount of work made it seem as though we'd never finish. Regardless, I needed the extra money. Plus, there was no bitter aftertaste from the three days I worked for Roark locally.

So, I piled into my coworker-to-be's car and we took off for Kansas City. I never really considered myself a "small-town" kinda guy, but after seeing Kansas City's downtown, the tall buildings and the convention center where we'd be working... I have to admit, I felt like a yawlin' country bumpkin. The KCCC-- Kansas City Convention Center is no less than two city blocks in size. It's so big that the main entrance are on both sides of 13th street, which cuts straight through the middle. One of the guys on my team wore a pedometer, and since we all did the same work, walking everywhere, etc., I figured his pedometer would tell me how many miles we had walked in the course of a 16 hour day. I was a little shocked to find that we each had walked over 24 miles.

There were a lot of perks about this job. For one, I stayed in a pretty cozy hotel while I was there. It was an extended-stay lodge, a part of Marriott, which was neat. Also, I got to help push a few of the race cars that are going to be in NASCAR, including none other than Dale Earnhart Jr's ride. Not that I even like racing... in fact, I think it's a total waste of time. But seeing that kind of muscle with a steering wheel attached was pretty dang cool.

The other perk was a total lack of distractions. I slept like a baby knowing that it'd be quite some time before I could check e-mails, have a drink, or smoke a leisurely cigarette. Also, I managed to wake up at 5:30 AM without an alarm (I had one, but it was set to go off at 6 AM). That was pretty cool too. It also helped me forget about DC for a little while, which was refreshing after all the brain cramming she'd been responsible for lately.

Anyway, I've gotta head out. Got a game of pool or two to play.

Goodbye, Morning News.

2007-12-06T02:35:00.000-08:00

I can't stay mad forever. Either I sit here and bitch about it all day long or I dry those almost-tears forming in the corner of my eye and start filling out applications. Do I have a choice? So many people expect me to be strong and carry on. Some people even laughed and said "No way". My mother didn't even believe me when I told her. It took my sister's firm confirmation in order to gather her acceptance.

I really wonder, even though I have no way of knowing, if anyone will miss me. I know exactly who won't, but I hope the ones I liked will. I know I'll miss them.

Anywho... tomorrow I'll be heading over to the unemployment office and filling out paperwork most of the day. Then around 4:30, I have a date with Ms. Danielle, who finally agreed to hanging out with me. Part of me thinks it shouldn't be so hard to get a date with someone you might be destined to be with, the other part thinks it definitely shouldn't be easy.

Also, something that's much harder than finding a new job, harder than leaving the best job I ever had behind, and harder than telling everyone I know all at once that I lost it.....

Telling my dad.

The funniest list ever.

2007-11-20T16:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/multimedia/2007/11/gallery_star_trek_monsters?slide=1&slideView=6

Spot News, Lede Shot for A1, Springdale Zone.

2007-11-08T20:56:00.001-08:00

So today was my first spot news opportunity. See if you can guess what happened.

This is what keeps me hangin around the paper biz. The prospect that I sometimes get to be a creative part of the product. (happy sigh)

Even better!

2007-11-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

Stripteased At School

Borat Interview

2007-11-07T13:55:00.001-08:00

Gosh, this is wild, wacky stuff.

I like this quote.

2007-10-31T13:24:00.001-07:00

It's amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.
- Jerry Seinfeld

I hope you're happy, Marc F. Henning.

2007-10-25T05:02:00.002-07:00

Two photos

2007-09-18T12:35:00.001-07:00

So here they are. A couple shots that landed in Sunday's paper... just when I thought the old tank was starting to rust, I had the opportunity to get up at 7:30 in the morning to shoot two events, after staying at the office until 1:00am the previous evening thanks to the myriad of high school football games being played throughout the region. God Bless Football. Without it, the fall sports section would be pretty frail. Without it... God knows, I might have a regular sleep schedule! The very idea! (grin)
"He wants a kiss," Bill Duhaime of the Butterfield Trail Stagecoach tells Lindsay Ho and her friend Emma Bates of Fayetteville. Bates and Ho were too shy to kiss the Belgian porterhorse, instead giving it a pat on the nose at the Fayetteville Square Saturday, September 15. Heritage Trail Partners swaggered throughout Fayetteville for its fourth consecutive year to commemorate the historic Butterfield Stagecoach route.

Bill Duhaime and Ron Oakley turn the corner at the Fayetteville Square during one of Heritage Trail commemorative stops along a historic stagecoach route Saturday, September 15. Duhaime and Oakley, along with a small posse of horsemen, swaggered throughout Fayetteville for residents to observe.

As a note, I almost used the word "cavalcade" since it was really the only word to describe a group of people riding on horseback. I knew better, though, and luckily I was right. I liked the word "posse" better, anyhow. It seems tougher.

Yikes.

2007-09-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Haven't updated in a long time.

Haven't actually shot anything in a long time. Maybe tonight I'll go out and shoot people. (with my camera)

Anyway, here's a slideshow that I really liked.

UPDATE:

I just got the address for the slideshow for the wedding I co-shot at the end of July. If you guys want to take a look, it's about 5-6 minutes long. It goes by pretty fast, so keep your eyes open!

See if you can tell the difference between my stuff and David Yerby's.

Snakes on a Plane

2007-08-14T01:37:00.000-07:00

Snakes on a Plane

Bridge Competition

Homousexual

Domestic Disturbance

No-Spin Spin-off

Where'd everyone go?

2007-08-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

::UPDATE:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

:END UPDATE::

I noticed there's a lack of comments here... I just wanted to say to any readers that you're more than welcome to leave your thoughts. There's no censorship on this blog (as far as comments are concerned) so you're free to leave feedback, critique or suggestions of any kind.

With that, I felt this update also needed a little UMPH... so I give you today's best news story:

Man Vs. Cougar

Enjoy!

Louise and Andy's Wedding

2007-07-30T19:19:00.001-07:00

So last Saturday I had the honor of being second photographer for David Yerby in shooting one of the coolest weddings I've ever attended. Louise married Andy at 6pm Saturday in First Methodist Church, on Dickson Street in Fayetteville.

Here are some shots from that beautiful day in their life.

And to top it off, a tribute to the photographer that got me started in the weddin' biz, Mr. Yerby-- don't let this shot fool you. He seems like a slavedriver but he's one of the most laid back and respectful guys I know.

Round Three

2007-07-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to go visit the distribution room at TMN today, but decided that I should probably talk to a superviser about it first to aviod getting canned for documenting the place I like so much. So, I decided to revisit other areas and see if I couldn't get some different, or at least better shots than the first batches.

This is obviously a knockoff of anyone who has ever taken a photo of a flag in their entire life. Oh well, it's not exactly the composition-- it's the FLAGS that I like. Razorbacks, USA, Arkansas. I like how they're in that order, too. 'Nuff said.

These cans haven't moved since I started working here. Nor, seemingly, has the clock.

I always wondered what this trashcan was there for, anyway. Then, one day as I was leaving for lunch, I saw a co-worker dig some lint out of his pocket and shove it down the chute before hustling through the doors. It's a lint can.

Things can get hectic around here. Good thing we have wall art to soothe our souls.

I find it funny that right next to the water fountain is a fire extinguisher.

Another emo photo. I'm iffy about this. It's delivering the message, yet it's a little drab... then again, my message is kinda drab.

Sports writers are known for thier superior organization skills.

Another iffy shot. It's a pano!
And another! I like, though, in this shot, how the trash can is in the middle of everything.

Part two of The Morning News: After Dark

2007-07-19T20:33:00.001-07:00

So follows the second installment of my little series on life in the pm hours of TMN. I can already hear the gentle critiques of my fellow photographers...I.E. "Are you sure this is what you want to do for a living?" etc., etc.

Runaround

2007-07-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

So, today I decided to embark on a personal project that had been brewing around ever since I started working at TMN. I don't know a lot of people that have the amount of enthusiasm over their job that I do, but basically, it's a gig I've been wanting since I was about 11 years old. I know... a little creepy. Anyway, I'm finally here, and I knew I'd want to make some memories of whatever time I get to spend before Magnum finally calls with their offer. This is the first part in a four segment series. I have no intention of publishing, distributing or even printing this work (well, maybe printing some of them). This is entirely a personal endeavor.

From about 9:10-9:25 PM, I walked around the sprindale building and shot... stuff. Here's some of that stuff.

Two Images

2007-07-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

"Coffee"

I call these kinds of shots "problem photos". There's always going to be people who look at that shot and don't really like it-- whether it's the blurry face in the right of the frame or the blaring lamp behind the subject. To me, though, it fits. Everything fits just fine-- not that it "wows" me. I just remember an editor back in the day at the Traveler going on and on about this shot because of its rich colors and "crispness" I think she said. Just goes to show that a photo can have all kinds of perks, (no pun intended) but if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. What do you guys think?

Also, I read Sherminator's story about the verizon tower being on the library in Rogers. Fayetteville recently had a big ordeal about towers being built and how to keep them from shaking up the landscape. I believe Mayor Coody wanted a tower that could "fit in". So in keeping with the idea that towers should be camoflauged with some kind of feature like trees.. I decided to make one that wouldn't really be noticed in the Rogers area, shown below. All thoughts are welcome.

Oh! And in case you guys haven't heard-- I was recently nominated Man of the Year by Gullible Magazine. I can't wait to get my gold-leafed plaque and engraved pen/pencil set. Awesome!!!

Word of the Day: Versimilitude, plus a bonus review of TransFormers!

2007-07-16T22:47:00.000-07:00

verisimilitude - noun
the appearance of being true or real : the detail gives the novel some verisimilitude.
DERIVATIVES verisimilar |-ˈsimələr| adjective ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin verisimilitudo, from verisimilis ‘probable,’ from veri (genitive of verus ‘true’ ) + similis ‘like.’

Tonight, I had a hot date to go see Transformers. I challenged my date not to poke, prod, or otherwise molest me during to movie so that I could actually watch it. She did pretty well. In fact she rose to the challenge whole-heartedly and sat with someone else four rows in front of me. I was impressed at her resilience. The guy she sat with didn't seem to mind pokes, prods or molestation, however, which I find annoying. What did he pay $6.75 for if she's just going to pester him all night?? Anyway, I'm actually joking about almost all of that.

Transformers was a definite must-see, but because of its length, it would have been nicer to watch on a comfortable couch instead of the back-breaking seats at Razorback theatre. My sister's warning was very accurate-- they recruited a "hott" girl that does more ass-wagging than lip flapping. There were actually two "hott" girls-- the original one having what seemed like a southern cockney accent. I don't know what exactly they were trying to pull. The shallowness of these characters imply that there's not going to be a sequel, and if there is, it will be with a completely redux'd cast.

Sam, played by Shia LaBeouf, was actually pretty funny as a teen who can't be kept down despite his non-status in highschool and a very thin-paned crush on the school's 21-year-old-porn-star-in-11th-grade.

Bottom line, good movie.... as long as you're not expecting any oscar-worthy screenwriting.

Cheers, all.

Word of the day: Spawn

2007-07-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

Spawn

verb -- [ intrans. ] (of a fish, frog, mollusk, crustacean, etc.) release or deposit eggs : the fish spawn among fine-leaved plants |
[ trans. ] a large brood is spawned. • ( be spawned) (of a fish, frog, etc.) be laid as eggs.

[ trans. ] (of a person) produce (offspring, typically offspring regarded as undesirable) : why had she married a man who could spawn a boy like that?

[ trans. ] produce or generate, esp. in large numbers : the decade spawned a bewildering variety of books on the forces. • Computing

[ trans. ] generate (a dependent or subordinate computer process) : from time to time it spawns two copies of the ip-up program, other times only one.

noun -- the eggs of fish, frogs, etc. : the fish covers its spawn with gravel. • the process of producing such eggs. • the product or offspring of a person or place (used to express distaste or disgust) : the spawn of chaos: demons and sorcerers. • the mycelium of a fungus, esp. a cultivated mushroom.

DERIVATIVES spawner noun

Air Hockey and Waffle House

2007-07-15T16:12:00.001-07:00

Last night the young guns of TMN came together to answer the burning question we'd all been asking since that first night at Ryliegh's. Who is the best---of the best-- of the BEST at Air Hockey?

While no official rules applied and no real bracket system was enforced, Sean was the clear winner having at least 8 wins under his belt. I was, however, the only one to defeat him, not once-- but twice. We currently remain tied in our series, at a very risky 2-2. When we finally get a chance to finish out our best of 5, I believe it will be an epic battle-- and possibly dangerous for innocent bystanders. After all, I sent the puck sailing through the air at least four times.

Below is the epic battle between The Sherminator and Face-of-Steel.

The gang, minus me, since I'm taking the photo.

Zamora ordered a plate of steaming, disgusting looking dish called "Hash Browns: All The Way" It has everything.

Brandon. Cheeeeeese!

Melissa's younger brother, Cody-- apparently some sort of musical savaant.

Melissa "The Sherminator" Sherman
Me. Pay no mind to that blotchy looking area between my knuckles and my cheek. I had to photoshop one of my digits out since this is primarily a G-Rated blog.
Sean. A face of cold steel. The winner extraordinaire of Air Hockey.

A new series...

2007-07-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, the word of the day is Recognizance.

recognizance noun
Law a bond by which a person undertakes before a court or magistrate to observe some condition, esp. to appear when summoned : he was released on his own recognizance.

I find this word particularly interesting because the sentence used to illustrate its context in the provided definition is essentially the only time the word is ever used, to my knowledge.

Didn't see that coming!

2007-07-13T20:47:00.001-07:00

Just when I was feeling crabby about not being out, shooting assignments.. like a "real photographer" God cuts me a little break from desk work. It started with a call from the boss.

"Apparently," he said with a pause...
Oh no, I think to myself. What did I do to the website now? "What's up?" I say.
"Well, apparently one of the sports guys forgot to send in a photo assignment, and it's running on the front page of the sports section. Can you-- are you able to get out for a bit?"
"No problem. I was just about to go out on my lunch break." (putting forth my best play-it-cool voice)
"Great. It starts in about 20 minutes so you have some time to get out there."
"I'm on it." I say. I'm on it?? What am I, Robin? To the bat cave!

Anyway, here's some outtakes.

So I guess I am useful, after all. I know I'm probably not ready to jump into full-scale photography work at a newspaper. Now that I work at TMN, I see how difficult and taxing it can be for our guys. I still have a lot to learn, and today the storm in my mind was calm. I realize two things:

1. Photojournalism is absolutely what I want to do with my life.
2. I need to head back to school and finish up so that I can be qualified to shoot full-time.

I might be able to land some job, somewhere without a degree... but I realize now that it's not about having a piece of paper-- it's about being ready.

So, whenever the time is right, which I'm thinking is going to be sometime in September, I'm going to re-enroll at the U of A. I'll take morning classes, which I know is going to be brutal when coupled with working at TMN full time... but I'm sure this is what I want to do... I want to be absolutely ready when I make that leap.

Word of the day.

2007-07-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do a 'word of the day' from now on. I will give you a word that I personally did not know the exact meaning of (despite using it before, probably), and provide its official definition... if it pleases anyone, you can post a comment using the provided word in a sentence.

Today's word is Bourgeois.

bourgeois - adj.
of or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes : a rich, bored, bourgeois family

• (in Marxist contexts) upholding the interests of capitalism; not communist

noun ( pl. same) a bourgeois person : a self-confessed and proud bourgeois.

ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from French bourg . Compare with burgess

Where I heard it: On every episode of Fraiser ever.

A Naturally Stated Weekend

2007-07-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I came home to find Zamora mowing the front lawn. He stopped the mower and alerted me that there's a raccoon in the tree. Lo and behold, this little critter had gotten himself stuck in a tree that was barely a branch in itself. We kept our distance and tried to hassle it away to no avail. Then, a flash of light came over me and I said, "I have an idea."

I rushed to my car and came back with my camera. I think Z might have thought my idea would get rid of the little guy, but I actually just realized what a great blog it would have made and started snapping away. Z even held a branch out of the way for a clearer shot.

At this point, he was extremely calm and just moved deliberately toward the end of the tree-- only to turn around and come right back. No poke or prod would arrest this little dude. He was there to stay. So we decided finally to just leave him be and he'd scurry off on his own.

Except...
Zamora must have had something nice in his room, because as we carried on with our day, little Robber here inched his way to the sill of Z's window. As I approached the front door, he crabwalked backwards and just went to his happy place, as you can see above.

When I came back from dinner at my dad's house, I saw that the raccoon was gone. Zamora simply stated "He's been taken care of." Shocked, I asked him what he meant--- but I'll stop there. The rest is for him to tell.

In other news, I had an awesome canoe trip this weekend with some co-workers. Melissa was kind enough to provide a bit of photo coverage, and Zac got a great group shot of us all.

Below is one of Melissa's Kodak Moments of yours truly. It even looks like I'm saying "Yours Truly." That or... "You gotta be f*#%&$g kiddin' me."

Stay tuned.

Second Article Published

2007-07-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

I had my second cover story published in the Free Weekly, and it went to press today. The story can be found online here. It was a bit more newsy than what I usually write, but I felt like having a comprehensive report was more important than literary glitter.

In other news, I finally got my insurance stuff today. I'm officially covered. Woot.

Also, there was a lovely downpour that flooded the green space behind my building. Kind of fun to watch. Despite the huge amounts of rain we seemed to be getting, we're still well under the average for this time of the year. I think part of it is because it's been raining more during the day than any other time.

Also, this wouldn't be a photo blog unless I posted a photo so... here you go. From back n' th' day.

Definitely goes into the random pile.

2007-07-04T18:58:00.001-07:00

Everyone has a junk drawer. It's a cubby, a cabinet, or just what it says-- a drawer full of very useful, uncategorizable and most certainly unrelated items. For instance, in this drawer, you'll find a pair of scissors as well as a book of matches. It's like a treasure trove for MacGyver.

Anywho, this post is a cleansing of my junk drawer of photos---- with a twist.

They are all photos from my phone. Enjoy.

This is Frong. Frong is actually a toad. He is roughly the size of my fist and puffs up if you touch his back. He resides in the outdoor break area at work. See Frong smile.

This is Gnat, my future Godson or Goddaughter. I'm so proud of this kid that I am already collecting photos of him or her at 6 weeks.

Sometimes I feel just like this dog. By the way, I was in my car when I took this photo.

This is one of my work areas at my job. I don't even get a cubicle. I just get a cornercle. Oh well.

I decided to see if my camera would break if I took a photo of myself.

This is what a solarized chicken sandwich looks like. A little too CSI for me.

This is my OTHER work station. It lies deep in the photographer's dungeon of creativity and darkness. Mt. Dew is my friend.

This is Radley, although certainly not the best photo of him. Zamora's shot is much better. Recently, Radley got out of the yard and was hit by a car-- but he's going to be okay. According to the vet, he may have a fractured pelvis. This is something that takes care of itself, but not without plenty of rest and assistance from Z and I.

This is Frong again--- only he's not in a very good mood.

My best friend Alex, with flower.

Be-- with no facial hair. A rare thing since my goatee grows like crabweed, yet the rest of my face is a barren wasteland of hairlessness.

Death came knocking on my door today--- in the form of a bird. Or, at least, if Death was a bird--- this is what he would look like. PEEP!

This is a 1978 Pontiac GTO. My dad's first car was a '68 GTO, but it was still nice to see one in such good condish.

Stay tuned.

Something from last year.

2007-07-03T19:45:00.001-07:00

So, last November I had a neat photo story going on up in Rogers about Fringe Skate Shop. I can't remember whether I submitted it to TMN or not, but I don't think anything actually came of it. As a matter of fact, I still have all the captions that I wrote for these photos somewhere, so I might come back and place the proper captions at a later date. The funny thing is right after doing this story, the Times came out with their own 'skate' story about some kids in Fayetteville. Needless to say, I felt like the little house I built with this project had just come tumbling down.

Anywho, I haven't seen anyone else post a skater photo-- much less a skater story... so here's mine-- a redux from '06. I'll do my best to remember everything as accurately as possible.

A stands with his board in front of Fringe Skate Park. According to the local skaters, the community raised the money for almost $50 grand in cement so that kids would have a place to skate. Most of the kids acknowledge that the park is just keeping them away from car-filled streets, but feel it was a fair compromise.

That day was actually a big one for Rogers skaters. It was a competition with no entry fee, sponsered entirely by Fringe. The levels ranged from junior to semi-pro (self proclaimed, of course). Organizers mixed the competition rounds so that immediately following a junior's bout, some semi-pro riders or skaters would attempt tricks for entertainment while scores were tallied.
Having little or no grip on a trick-bike's tire is key to ensure that friction does not overwhelm gravity on the steep slopes of a half-pipe or ramp. Too much grip can cause the bike to topple forward when a rider is descending from a jump.

Normal wear and tear, I'm told.
It's an unsaid rule that if you think you're going to collide, you holler "heads up," although by then it's usually too late for these fast-paced riders. Rather than yelling it to avoid accidents, riders have just enough time to brace themselves-- just enough to make a crash less severe.
"Semi-Pro's"

Standing extreme right of the crowd, in the blue helmet, "Crazy John" is rushed by fans after a catastrophic wipeout from a backflip attempt. He was uninjured.

The End.

First Time's A Charm

2007-06-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Presenting, Ms Louise Bride-to-Be

Louise gettin' her hair did at The Head Waiter on Block Street in Fayetteville

Don't ask why, I just found this appropriate for the scene.

Me, gettin' down and dirty. Worm's eye view is one of my favorites.

The result of a worm's eye view shot. By the way, that's how it came out--- no photoshopping at all. *cough* Stay quiet, Marc.

Your run of the mill pretty-flowery-detail shot...only BETTER.

I was at the bottom of the stairs and just instinctively started shooting as she came down. Her mother was actually talking to me the entire time and I didn't think I got anything useful. This, however, seems to be a little gem.

This--- is literally how she appeared when she recieved the flowers. Completely unposed and natural. The very best kind.

This, on the other hand, was set up like a broadway stage. But still very sweet. I told her to close her eyes and say a prayer.

There you have it. That's my most recent work of substance, which should quell all you harbingers from pointing out my lack of photo generating. I still shoot... some.

Actually, that brings me to my next point. I just submitted my second article for the Fayetteville Free Weekly, which will be in print on Thursday. Keep a look out and let me know how you like it (or if you don't). My next story for the weekly is a real drag. Stay tuned.

No photos in this blog

2007-05-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

Since last November, which is apparently the last time I updated, I've done a fair amount of growing-up as a photographer. In the process of taking two steps forward in my career, I've had to take one imaginary step back at the expense of my ego.

Since I've begun to work at the morning news, I've shot two assignments in about two months. One was a story on ping-pong, and one was a story about a band that I'm writing a follow-'round on to be published in a weekly daughter publication. The actual requirements of my job are to take everyone else's creative work, and make it tonally printable by way of lightening, adjusting contrast, or resizing into a specific column width. I also sit at another station and update the website as stories are submitted either from staff writers or when they are pulled by the editors from newswire services. It is not a job that requires much, if any, creativity.

But anyone who knows me knows that I cannot let a sleeping dog lie. In other words, I am compelled to make my mark somehow, even as a lowly web updater or photo tech.

I was disappointed to find out that even if a creative position were to open up, I have to remain at my post for at least 6 months before eligible for a transfer of any kind.

But there are ways around this. I can still work for the FFW, and I've noticed that their website is, well, lacking. HawgsIllustrated.com on the other hand, appears to the viewer like a Wal-Mart Supercenter of sports stories--- narrow isles, crammed stories, thumbnailed action photos. It is sports on a rail system. For the male viewer, it's fine, since typically, males prefer to have as much available as possible, with as little navigational action required.

By contrast, the FreeWeekly.com is a sparse quasi-blog of headlines. It possesses no practical archiving and the layout is like a baby(FFW) wearing his daddy's(TMN) big-time shoes. For a publication that has no more than 20 headlines, a static site is definitely what the FFW should be doing. At the ArkansasTraveler, which boasted as many as 50 headlines throughout individual editions, a static site was still more than enough.

But wait, you say, I thought you were trying to be a photographer. I am! But I can't do anything about it for four more months, and it's doubtful there will even be something for me at that point. So, I'm going to make my mark on the web. (I hope).

Anyway, wish me luck. I'll try to get some photos up soon.

Sports and Politics

2006-11-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

Governor Mike Beebe rode the Arkansas-Missouri rail from Jonesburo, Arkansas to Rogers and back as a part of his campaign for governor. He made stops in Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Springdale to speak with crowds about his agenda to renovate the government of Arkansas. What followed was an old-fashioned train-campaign that drew crowds of young and old to hear his words. I was there to record the event from Fayetteville to Rogers. A soundslides production can be found on my website.

The Beebe Train

Sarah Pfeifer

I shot the first Ladyback basketball game of the season. After covering the L'backs last year, I was anxious to see returning senior Sarah Pfiefer back in action after sitting out the 2005 season from an injury. The ladybacks took Louisana-Monroe to court with a 62-54 win.

And the newest addition to my repertoire is Friday Night Lights, which I've been shooting for the Morning News for the past few weeks. I enjoy it a lot, but there's a learning curve when using direct flash. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, though.

The Diving Team

2006-10-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today, I helped Yerby with team photos for Basketball and the Swimming and Diving Team. I think today's theme should have been "synchronicity". At this point, Yerby and I have a fluid system for setting up strobes, posing athletes, and making adjustments when necessary.
I've become fairly comfortable with communicating the needs of the athletic department officials to Yerby and seeing to it that I help him meet those needs to the best of my ability. Yikes... that's starting to sound like a resume letter... in short, I think today was a success. After the Swimming and Diving team portrait, we drove to the swimming pool and did some action photos of the diving section. This year, we have four divers, all of whom simply burst with personality.

Brie & Madison attempt a synchronized dive.Kellyn placing herself at the same angle of the roofing panels...Intentional? maybe...

I'm not sure what this is called, and I'm sure someone will tell me, but I like the symmetry of it.

Kellyn again, collecting herself before a dive from the 15 meter platform. Tense, isn't it?

The Ladybacks have three home meets with the swimming and diving team this year in Fayetteville. One is coming up in November, which I look forward to. I have little experience shooting water sports, and I can't wait for the opportunity.

Me!!

2006-10-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Well, Yerby finally got around to sending me a few photos that he took of me as I worked. It'll be a while before he captures all my sides ha ha, but here are a few clips.

Taylor asked me what she could do about the dust in her camera. I told her to take the lens off and drew a deep breath...

I think I have my "hardworking" look down to a science. Pretty convincing, huh?

Chimp............................Chimp.......... CLICK!CLICK!CLICK!

Catching up on ladyback business

2006-10-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to shoot the Ladyback Golf team at Blessings Golf Course in Fayetteville. They are a very laid back group of girls, yet focused at the same time. They carried themselves with calm and reserve... that is, until they smacked the heck out of the golf balls! Grief! Those girls can swing!

My mission was mostly to avoid walking in front of the girls as they teed off, or kicking a marker on the green by accident. Taking caution with every step, and paying mind to the etiquette that's seamed into the gameplay, nothing could prepare me for the *thump* I heard just to my left. I turned and saw a ball bouncing happily away. Paused... then heard "FORE!"

I believe it was an accident, but for the rest of the shoot, I found myself looking up every now and then... I also learned that Yerby is a crazy kart driver. Next time, I'm bringing a helmet!

Models

2006-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

AmburLeigh

Ambur

Amanda and Leigh

Last week, I had the opportunity to go back to shooting portraits. These girls in particular are some of the most gorgeous women I know, so they make pretty good subjects! Not to mention, they were very fun to work with. Model Photography is a side endeavor that I take very seriously. I've given thought to expanding business in that area. I love journalism, but I honestly have the most fun working with individuals.

Mickey and the Motorcars

2006-09-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

..nuff said.

Football again

2006-09-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

I promise that next weekend I will have something other than football photos. I just can't resist! Also, have a look at my sportsshooter gallery for non-gameplay photos that I took during the Arkansas vs. USC game.

Almost..

Coach Nutt

Band Director Tim Gunter

A Show of Hands

Big Red and Legs

Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Chancellor's House

That's all for now!

faith, fans, and football

2006-09-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

FansNot every fan made it to witness USC's might against the Arkansas Razorback football team... a football fan must have sobriety, red or white clothing, but most of all... a ticket.

Football

A capital play...USC #7 Reggie Fish's 161-pound frame could not overcome Razorback #43 Dallas Washinton's tackle during the 2nd quarter's punt. Fish, in spite of his full-steam effort, was stopped in mid-air and slammed down by Washington. A quick moan from the crowd confirmed that it was a thing of beauty.

Faith

After winning 3-1 against Liberty, the Ladyback soccer team went arm-in-arm for a post-game prayer.

Sodoku Mania

2006-09-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

University of Arkansas students Alex Burlison (left) and Amber Olvey attempt to solve a Sodoku puzzle at RZ's Coffee Shop on campus. In spite of the mathematical foundation of the game, Sodoku has become the latest fix for puzzle-lovers and boredom fighters.

looney toons

2006-09-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to hang out on campus here at the University of Arkansas is RZ's Coffee Shop. Situated in the northeast corner of the Union, it's the perfect pit stop for day-to-day hustle. Here students, faculty and staff converge to share a common bond... that is, a debilitating addiction to caffiene...

juggling

2006-08-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

Students and teachers throw the word "juggle" around like the word originally meant "multitask"... I thought it was ironic when I found a pair of jugglers in the University of Arkansas bus depot, practicing. Fayetteville jugglers Galen Harp and Ella Winters came here because it had "high ceilings, air conditioning and 24-hour access," Winters said. They can also be found at www.jugglology.com.

wild art / bugs?

2006-08-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

Out in Elkins, Arkansas there's a lot of wildlife. I've seen speckled (or spotted) owls, whitetailed deer, and more snakes that I care for. I spend half my time trying to get rid of most insects since they are either trying to chew away my house or get inside it so they can fly into my lips. "Patooie! Gross!" is heard once every night.

But yesterday, as I was driving to the grocery store, I noticed an odd shape on the emblem of my car. I drive a 1980 Pontiac Bonneville, aptly nicknamed "Yui" (think: U-Turns) because of it's graceful handling. When I arrived to the store, the bug was still clinging firmly onto my car, and I realized it was a praying mantis. The joyride had frazzled it so much that it was swiping at the air with its little retractable arms. So what did I do? Got my camera, of course, and practice a form of macro photography that Y taught me when I used to help him with weddings.

The thing about a Praying Mantis is that it can remain very still and chameleon itself with its environment--a perfect test bug. This was my best shot before the thing swiped at my lens and bolted--leaving me to shriek like a girl, coddling my abused lens.

a few more...

2006-08-23T23:14:00.000-07:00

After a rapid-moving thunderstorm passed through Northwest Arkansas, Fayetteville and several other towns witness the felling of several giants. This house, just off Arkansas Avenue, shows how closely the storm came to the University of Arkansas campus. Luckily, the main campus was unaffected.

This is another photo from last night. At twilight, I saw a lot of couples taking strolls around campus (corny, I know) but I decided to look for a good romantic scene. The peace fountain was abandoned except for this couple relaxing on the encircling stone situpon. This is a rare situation when three different light temperatures converge to make a nice photo-- flourescent from the fountain, tungsten from the sidewalk lamp, and daylight from the evening sky.

An addition photo from last night's pep rally rehearsal. I meant to put this up last night, but I was just too tired! The curves do it best for me. Curves from the stage, that is!

This was a little scene I found today inside the Arkansas Union on campus. I'm not sure why, but several students sitting in the corner decided to inflate their umbrellas while they chilled on the couches. I thought this was a funny way to protest the current weather we've been having-- but it looks like they were having fun!

Also, my first photo from the internship ended up on the www.ladybacks.com website. It is a photo of the volleyball team standing hand-in-hand during the national anthem. That's all for now. Two more days of the first week. Hopefully I'll have more tomorrow.

Mahalo!

When working is its own reward...

2006-08-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

After a long day of walking what seemed like miles from building to building, assignment to assignment, class to class, I came upon this scene just before making one last stop at the Traveler office. The Razorback Pom and Cheer teams were rehearsing their routine for Thursday's Pep Rally at the Chi Omega Greek Theatre. The symmetry, the light, the lines. It just all came together. Unfortunately, production was finished and our files were en route to press. Still worth keeping around, I think.

A weekly update from the trenches (or sidelines)

2006-08-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Ladyback soccer team had their first game Friday night at 7 pm against Oral Roberts university. Our freshmen were put on display to show their moves, and they truly delivered-- but not without a little help from some of the veterans on the field. Below, Senior middle field Christina Burger wrangles the grip of an Oral Roberts defender as she dribbles downfield.

Following Saturday's orientation events, which included mug shots of several women's athletic sports, the volleyball team dressed out and presented an afternoon Alumni match. Outside hitter Denitza "Denny" Koleva furnished a .452 percentage with 16 kills during the match. Koleva was a threat to be reckoned with last year, and if the Ladybacks have much luck, the same will apply for 2006.

In other news, the first edition of the Traveler was released last Thursday, but it is hard to tell what people think of the new design. As usual, I did my fair share of photo assignments to help along with production. I even wrote a column to help fill space in the Opinion section. Fortunately, it was only a temporary gig. I was running low on printable opinions, anyway.

That's all for now. Hopefully I will have more to share on a current project that is in development.

Mohalo!

Summer Photos

2006-08-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

Okay.. I might have gone a little overboard, but I just couldn't help it! First photo post and all... anyhow, these are my favorite images from my summer break.

SEC Outdoor Championship, Pole Vaulting.
I LOVE the sky in this photo. I am usually not a silhouette hunter, but I couldn't resist this chance.

This is an outtake from a project on the Eureka Springs Triathlon. After the race, I found some teenagers jumping into Lake Leatherwood from an old diving platform. I should have shot from an angle that shows the ladder a bit more clearly, but I think the shadow at the bottom is telling enough.

This fella from the ES Triathlon was happy to show off his injuries from battle. Luckily, the medics gave him a bandaid on his elbow.

Just before the race begins, the swimmers get into the zone by taking deep breaths and slowly exhaling. It sounded like a huge breathing apparatus.

A rider from Dallas Athletics goes through inventory at around 8:30 in the morning. Temperatures were already in the mid-90's by that time, so hydration was key.

Here's a couple from a local skate park. This shot was a little scary-- I laid flat at the edge of a ramp and let them jump over me.

As I was sitting down, chatting with some of the skateboarders about horrific injuries, I noticed this little scene in one of the halfpipe banks.

Another silhouette. Man... I guess I AM a silhouette hunter.

My good friend invited me to the Bentonville Hot Air Balloon Festival, or as most people call it, 'Balloon Fest". I had all the flame-lit night shots, so I decided to post something that said "family time".

Another outtake... this one is from the SEC Outdoor Track Championships. When I shot this photo, I already knew I wanted it in monochrome. It's a little cluttered, but I still like it.

Looking back, it's been a really great summer. I'm sure the fall is going to be crazy, but I'll make time to post here and there.

Mohalo

First blog

2006-08-10T00:38:00.000-07:00

I don't have any photos to publish today, since this is the first blog I've ever published, so I will just say a few things about my day and about the first day of my internship (yesterday).

Tuesday, Aug. 08 - 2006

Today, we did mug shots of all 23 players on the soccer team, and a few random athletes from other sports in one of the lobbies at Barnhill Arena. I was impressed by Y's ability to find a clean background in an area that had so much reflective glass. Glass tends to scare me a bit when working with strobes or flash, but the photos turned out well-- Y cropped tight, and kept the poses simple and uniform. Some of the girls requested a second shot, which was a lot like pressing the >< button on an elevator.

After a lunch break, Y and I proceeded to the court to get a volleyball team photo with all the coaches and staff. That was over in less than 5 minutes. Actually, Y counted to 3 about 5 times, so I suppose it was actually 15 seconds. It was a good first day. While I didn't learn much, I did get a chance to see some of the Women's Athletics support staff in their natural habitats. Hopefully it will be a matter of time before I feel like I'm in my own natural habitat.

Today, Aug. 08 - 2006

Elly and I were finally able to get together this morning and go over some of the thoughts brewing in our heads lately. After speaking with her, I feel we're on the same page, and I have full faith in her leadership as Photo Editor. She has decided that my role as Chief Photographer will be to help the staffers with any technical problems, ideas, etc. I'm also somewhat of a coordinator for a photographer developing a package idea. It'll be nice to share some of the things I learned in my documentary courses.

When our Media Director, Steve, called the EiC and I into his office, I was expecting to hear everything Elly and I work on be dashed away by some kind of budgetary or beaurocratic limit-- but Steve was open to our ideas. We are currently working on a way to compensate photographers for photos published only to the website-- something that we have never actually done before (the compensate part, not posting photos). It was thrilling to get so much done today. I can't wait to set aside my writing pad with all the notes I've made in preparing the traveler for the next generation of photographers, policies, and new implimentations. I'm ready to shoot! Last year, I covered the campus resident halls "move-in day". I'll be covering it again this year, so it'll be a nice challenge to actually have a recurring story. It'll give me a chance to find a new angle.

I feel blessed that after only a year of working as a photographer, I've come this far with so much support. I have another goal--well, it's more of an effort-- but I want to give the new photographers the same kind of support and aid that I was given when I first started out.

As Robert Hanashiro would say--- Mohalo!