Hawaiian holidays are different.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Dallas Morning News
I got a December Dallas Morning News cover!
As a young budding photographer in San Antonio/Austin, there could be no better newspaper gig other than working at the Dallas Morning News. Dallas, with its pro sports teams, urban crime, big city lights, and its money, afforded a big world of photo opportunities. Dallas was up there with LA, Chicago, New York and Boston. At the time, I felt these were the papers that made all the difference. Before the crunch of the digital world and shrinking budgets, staff photographers at the big newspapers would jet around the world to big sporting events, shoot Presidents and Prime Ministers, and cover conflicts at home and abroad. I saw these photographers, many who won major prizes, as the ambassadors to the visual world. Nothing could top being staff at a major newspaper and the Dallas Morning News was it for me.
Life changes and I followed different paths and hoped around the world only to end up in Hawaii--a far cry from Dallas.
So...a few weeks ago, I get booked to shoot a gig for Dallas. Sallie Stratton's husband, Chuck, was shot down over Laos in 1971 and the POW/MIA group based in Hickham AFB found his crash site and remains. Sallie, who lives in Dallas, spent a good portion of her life wishing and hoping one day that phone would ring and her husband would return. After photographing her in the short time that I had with her here, you can just never understand what loss that woman had in her heart. Its unbelievable to think she held on that long but what else would you do?
S0...the MIA team found the crash site, dug through the wreckage and found the tiniest of bones.
Mrs. Stratton flew to Hawaii for the repatriation ceremony in which her husband finally came home.
It would not have been human for me not to shake as I shot some of those images. But as hard as it was for Mrs. Stratton, she survived as did all the memories of her lost hero killed in action.
Hard work and being in the zone helped me capture some of these unique images. I assume the eds in Dallas liked what I did as they gave me the cover on the first of three special issues of the paper. It was even the Sunday issue which most likely is the biggest issue of the week, not to mention the lead of the story.
My other issues ran on the third day of the series on the inside. I felt my photos and the David Tarrant's story did a great deal of justice shining a light on an individual who lost the most important person in her life.
As a young budding photographer in San Antonio/Austin, there could be no better newspaper gig other than working at the Dallas Morning News. Dallas, with its pro sports teams, urban crime, big city lights, and its money, afforded a big world of photo opportunities. Dallas was up there with LA, Chicago, New York and Boston. At the time, I felt these were the papers that made all the difference. Before the crunch of the digital world and shrinking budgets, staff photographers at the big newspapers would jet around the world to big sporting events, shoot Presidents and Prime Ministers, and cover conflicts at home and abroad. I saw these photographers, many who won major prizes, as the ambassadors to the visual world. Nothing could top being staff at a major newspaper and the Dallas Morning News was it for me.
Life changes and I followed different paths and hoped around the world only to end up in Hawaii--a far cry from Dallas.
So...a few weeks ago, I get booked to shoot a gig for Dallas. Sallie Stratton's husband, Chuck, was shot down over Laos in 1971 and the POW/MIA group based in Hickham AFB found his crash site and remains. Sallie, who lives in Dallas, spent a good portion of her life wishing and hoping one day that phone would ring and her husband would return. After photographing her in the short time that I had with her here, you can just never understand what loss that woman had in her heart. Its unbelievable to think she held on that long but what else would you do?
S0...the MIA team found the crash site, dug through the wreckage and found the tiniest of bones.
Mrs. Stratton flew to Hawaii for the repatriation ceremony in which her husband finally came home.
It would not have been human for me not to shake as I shot some of those images. But as hard as it was for Mrs. Stratton, she survived as did all the memories of her lost hero killed in action.
Hard work and being in the zone helped me capture some of these unique images. I assume the eds in Dallas liked what I did as they gave me the cover on the first of three special issues of the paper. It was even the Sunday issue which most likely is the biggest issue of the week, not to mention the lead of the story.
My other issues ran on the third day of the series on the inside. I felt my photos and the David Tarrant's story did a great deal of justice shining a light on an individual who lost the most important person in her life.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Recent publishing.
Today's post concerns publishing! I sometimes forget to see where my photos end up. It can be a mystery at times as images are sent to editors on the mainland never to be seen again. The wireless age creates apathy as images are ftped to a far away place never to be seen again. I had two sports images end up in Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News this week. My hard won photos although not peak telling of the story action are stock images and clients and magazines do care for what I describe as "stock" images.
Peak sports images are most essential to any sporting event but since I live in a different market, Hawaii sporting events are usually off the radar of most people. Mainland writers will focus on stock images of sport stars and athletes and to me, many could clearly care less of any important impact plays. Clean sharp images are what counts.
I've showcased this images in a past blog but this image was used to illustrate UH's 12-0 season for SI. It ran on a page with two other images at about 2x3, hardly worth me paying for the mag at Borders.
The University of Hawaii football team performs a Maori "haka" or war dance before their football games at home and away. The controversial performance does make some upset (namely Maoris as Hawaiians are a different "tribe"---and a good portion of the players are not even Polynesians) but the dance does make for interesting photos. My image showcased on the back page of The Sporting News.
I borrowed Jamm Aquino's Canon 15mm lens for the shot and lined up the image just right. The 15mm is a tricky not an every day use lens which gives a fisheye effect. On a cropped Canon Mark II body, the fisheye is limited but there is very high distortion. The lens is a bit too distorted but it worked well for the shot.
The layouts below come from Modern Luxury's summer issue. I did a story on hip Chinatown spots in HNL. Margie the ed assigned me the job just days before I was to leave the country. I was my first story for the magazine and I had to work to impress. I worked tirelessly for two days straight going to different spots around Chinatown/downtown to get the right images. It was tough but I managed to pull it off. Margie liked the images and called me for more work.
It was tough but I made it happen. Its always fun to challenge myself visually...meaning when you see something day in and day out (I live just outside of Chinatown) you forget to "see." You get so used to looking at everyday life that it just becomes routine. Photographers get so excited thinking of making images far away from home but always forget their backyard has some of the best places to make pictures. We just have to open our eyes a bit wider!
Life is never routine.
Enjoy.
Peak sports images are most essential to any sporting event but since I live in a different market, Hawaii sporting events are usually off the radar of most people. Mainland writers will focus on stock images of sport stars and athletes and to me, many could clearly care less of any important impact plays. Clean sharp images are what counts.
I've showcased this images in a past blog but this image was used to illustrate UH's 12-0 season for SI. It ran on a page with two other images at about 2x3, hardly worth me paying for the mag at Borders.
The University of Hawaii football team performs a Maori "haka" or war dance before their football games at home and away. The controversial performance does make some upset (namely Maoris as Hawaiians are a different "tribe"---and a good portion of the players are not even Polynesians) but the dance does make for interesting photos. My image showcased on the back page of The Sporting News.
I borrowed Jamm Aquino's Canon 15mm lens for the shot and lined up the image just right. The 15mm is a tricky not an every day use lens which gives a fisheye effect. On a cropped Canon Mark II body, the fisheye is limited but there is very high distortion. The lens is a bit too distorted but it worked well for the shot.
The layouts below come from Modern Luxury's summer issue. I did a story on hip Chinatown spots in HNL. Margie the ed assigned me the job just days before I was to leave the country. I was my first story for the magazine and I had to work to impress. I worked tirelessly for two days straight going to different spots around Chinatown/downtown to get the right images. It was tough but I managed to pull it off. Margie liked the images and called me for more work.
It was tough but I made it happen. Its always fun to challenge myself visually...meaning when you see something day in and day out (I live just outside of Chinatown) you forget to "see." You get so used to looking at everyday life that it just becomes routine. Photographers get so excited thinking of making images far away from home but always forget their backyard has some of the best places to make pictures. We just have to open our eyes a bit wider!
Life is never routine.
Enjoy.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Pearl Harbor
Its been a year since I started my blog. I wrote last year about the faces I shot during the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I should list a picture I have of Zenji Abe. He was the only surviving Japanese pilot who bombed Pearl in 1941. I photographed him last year.
In April, Mr. Abe passed away. His daughter and I corresponded and I sent her this picture. It is now part of their shrine in Japan.
I am honored.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Beach shooting
Garry Winogrand had New York. Cartier Bresson had Paris. I have Waikiki Beach.
I ran down to Waikiki even though it was raining. I figured I would see something interesting. Sure enough, I stumbled upon a view.
I am not sure what captivates me with this image. Is it the disconnection? The emptiness between these two. Her rain poncho? His attention to the waves? They didn't seem related nor were they too happy. Rain has covered Hawaii for several days.
My psyche shot this picture. Not me. I don't remember it. It just happens sometimes. A reaction...I pull the camera to my eye and fire a burst or two. I can't explain it. I guess its like being someone else.
Its probably nothing. Just lighting.
I ran down to Waikiki even though it was raining. I figured I would see something interesting. Sure enough, I stumbled upon a view.
I am not sure what captivates me with this image. Is it the disconnection? The emptiness between these two. Her rain poncho? His attention to the waves? They didn't seem related nor were they too happy. Rain has covered Hawaii for several days.
My psyche shot this picture. Not me. I don't remember it. It just happens sometimes. A reaction...I pull the camera to my eye and fire a burst or two. I can't explain it. I guess its like being someone else.
Its probably nothing. Just lighting.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Stormy Weather
A massive storm hit the Hawaiian Islands a few days ago causing chaos across the islands. Trees uprooted, roofs torn off, telephone poles toppled. Power outages, flooded roads, and slamming surf slapped the coastlines. Frightening indeed!
A went out the next day with camera on hand to capture the devastation. Lots took place on the other side of the island but I knew I could find something close by. Sure enough, a massive kiawe tree (mesquite) was uprooted in Kapiolani Park. Quite sad to see such a Herculean tree toppled by Zeus like winds...measuring close to 60 mph on some parts of Hawaii.
UPDATE--December 6: I got noted for APTOPIX. Top photo of the day for AP.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Menorah Lighting
The Chabbad House of Hawaii invited me to photograph their menorah lighting in Honolulu last night. I had never attended this type of ceremony and was curious to see how things would visually turn out...
Well it turned out well.
Tech...
Canon 1D Mark II
70-200mm 2.8
1/400 at 2.8
160 iso
shot raw
Monday, December 03, 2007
12-0!
The University of Hawaii football finished their regular season 12-0! A remarkable feat to say the least and many of those players will hopefully go on to play pro NFL football. Colt Brennan, a Heisman candidate, played a wondeful game. Its nice to see Hawaii get recognition but the hard part for anybody who lives in Hawaii is the distance teams have to travel to get to and from Hawaii. Many teams refused to travel to Hawaii to play for many reasons blaming the distance as a major factor although others have said some teams were afraid to play UH and be humiliated. I doubt Hawaii is that good but the Sugar Bowl matchup against Georgia will prove somebody right.
Hopefully better caliber teams will play UH and hand them some sobering reality to playing football on a grander scale.
Good job UH!
Hopefully better caliber teams will play UH and hand them some sobering reality to playing football on a grander scale.
Good job UH!
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