parading the day

So, I went to the gay pride parade in downtown Seattle on Sunday. I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of parades. I blame that on my only blog reader---my mom. Sorry, it's true. Anyways, I discovered a lot about my shooting on Sunday. I think that is mostly true because I wasn't shooting for any purpose other than to have fun. I had no agenda. Just wanted to make pictures.

I realized that I liked watching the scene unfold. I noticed I spent too much time focusing on one particular scene and not really investigating other things. I came back and looked at my take and realized all the things I did wrong. And then I wondered--does this new insight now make me a better photographer or a better editor?

has becoming digital destroyed our respect?

Hear me out. It seems that every person I know at various papers throughout the country are having the same problem. Photography is losing respect in the newsroom. Sure, there are other issues going on as well---but I think a big part of the problem starts with respect. Reporters are getting video equipment and camera phones. Camera phones? Generally speaking, reporters do a better job with the writing for the paper and the photographers do a better job with the visuals. When did that change? Papers are becoming so obsessed with timeliness they are sacrificing quality. Do we really think a reporter can take a better picture now with a smaller, less technically and worse quality camera? Or when an executive editor in a budget meeting suggest he can shoot the a1 centerpiece?

A wise photographer once told me that the over reliance on technology was why the real storytellers and good image-makers were disappearing and why there were so many button pushers appearing. The high quality cameras on the market now have made it a lot easier for regular people to become photographers. These new breeds of “photographers” go around offering their work for free because they do it as a hobby. It's not their passion. It is not their livelihood.

I became a photographer at the end of the film era and the beginning of the digital era. I learned how to shoot on slide and negative film. I learned how to print in a darkroom. I mixed chemicals. I made dodging tools with wire, cardboard and tape. Things have changed- now everyone has these tools on their computer. And they use them.

Digital has brought some good changes to our industry and has helped advanced it. We are at a greater level than ever before. But it is hard to appreciate all the good when, in my opinion, we have lost something greater. Respect. Everyone out there is a "photographer" now. And everyone thinks they can do your job better than you. Some photographers will always be at the top, above the rest---no matter what happens. But what happens to the rest of us? What happens when the level of respect goes even lower and the people that truly are passionate about photography merge into the rest of the button pushers?

More importantly, how do we gain the respect back before it completely disappears?

Sour signings

This story is about the Mariners and the worst players they signed, considering all the factors, including how much money they spent to get them. Essentially, the lemons.

The story was suppose to run last month- but for what ever reason it has been holding. Our lead sports designer had talked to us about how they wanted to illustrate it and was part of the photo shoot with the photographer. In situations like this, I think it is good to collaborate with all the parties to make sure the end result is satisfactory with everyone. So, it was all good and the pictures turned out nicely.

I guess this is what lead to some frustrations on my part---when last minute the designer working on the page wanted to try some fancy headline treatment ---sort of weaving the headline into the glove. So, we had an interesting conversation about the whole thing and talked it out---and this was the compromise, and result. I just don't think we need to "dress up" or "spice up" every photo, every illustration. Sometimes - clean, simple to the point is the better approach.

sisters are complicated...

Another segment of the Gloria story ran on Saturday. Again, a great job by the Jerry the columnist and our photographer. It isn't easy getting these packages ready so quickly. Our last piece was 2 weeks ago. It also isn't easy having a photographer and columnist enter your life for an undisclosed amount of time that wants to spend as much time with you as possible. The family has been pretty good so far, considering they have so many things going on at once. But you must wonder, will we exhaust them by running these stories so close together? Will our journalists get burnt out as well? And what about our readers? Sure, some of them are following with intense interest---but you wonder how many of them don't?

The other part of this story that was difficult was the columnist says how close the 3 sisters are even though they have the typical sister issues. However, every time our photographer has been there the sisters haven't all been together. So, we had lots of dicussions about how to play the pictures. At one point we were going to run seperate pictures of all three girls on the cover. But after talking to the photographer in depth about it, we both felt like that would be stereotyping the girls into specific categories. (the oldest teenager, the middle sick child and the younger free sister). It also felt like we were forcing the issue. This is how it ended up running. I feel as though it is a bit more natural pairing. My only wish is that the secondary pictures inside ran a little bigger.

golf

I love this photo. Phil had a rough time at the US Open this year and this picture sorta sums up that he played poorly enough to not make the cut. Yeah, so he has a little wrist injury. :)

Golf was one of my favorite sports to shoot. I am not that good of a player - alright, I stink. But I enjoy it all the same. And I find it shooting it beautiful and challenging. It isn't easy to find something unique to shoot so I always like seeing different pictures from tournaments.

bad geek

So spent last weekend hanging out with a bunch of photographers in Portland. It was a lot of fun, for sure. I was able to meet some great people for the first time and got to know other people much better. Most everyone there was a photographer-and well, my actual photography skills are super rusty. Other than shooting a random window here or there, I don't shoot much as an editor. So, I guess I am using that as an excuse why I didn't photograph very much over the weekend. However, seeing all the great work people produced I was inspired to start shooting again and have re-discovered how much I really miss that part of my life. Don't get me wrong, I had a blast all the same-but next year I think I will be a little more into using my camera. And as soon as I kick the cold I now have--I'll start dusting off the camera equipment.

Anyways-these are pretty much the only pictures I shot all weekend. Alan my coworker shooting some real Authoritarians, my coworker Erika at dinner, and my partner in crime for the weekend, Shawn.

I really need to let go of my insecurities and shoot more for myself--maybe this was the kick I needed.

sunday, sunday

Okay- so I had nothing to do with these pages, but I liked them all the same. Pike's place, the famous public market in downtown seattle--(the one where people throw the fish) - is celebrating its 100th birthday. One of our photographers spent some time getting to know the market and shooting some pictures with a medium format camera. They looked great.

And Edgar as being inducted into the Mariner hall of fame.

A prayer...

I talked about this story last month (see father's day story). This was suppose to be a father's day story and now it has completely changed into something else. But that's okay....

The story is more focusing on the little girl who has cancer, Gloria. The story was very well written and the pictures were just fantastic. We are now planning on updating the story as it progresses...hopefully ending in a miracle.

Because this story started off in sports, I have stayed the photo editor on it. It will now continue to run in the A section. I am very excited about that. Even though I love sports and the deadlines that encompass working at night. I really enjoy working with photographers on longer stories. Stories that have impact and show human life. I like making tight edits with photographers and talking about their experiences shooting them. Letting the readers see the vision of the photographer.

If you are interested you can read the story here:
www.seattletimes.com/gloria

softball and world series

So, we sent our sports photographer to the softball college world series to shoot the University of Washington team compete. Anyways---this is from their second game in Oklahoma. Which of course, was majorly delayed because of crazy wacky mid-west weather.

ferry rides

So, got back from the gorge this morning---and decided to catch a ferry to Bainbridge Island for the afternoon with a friend. Never been on one of the famous ferry rides yet, so this was a new experience. First of all---it is windy. Very chilly wind too. It was fun though. Bainbridge is a cute little place and makes you feel like you are hundreds of miles away from Seattle when in fact it never leaves your sight. This was a picture I shot on the ferry ride back.

understanding

Photographers just understand each other.

gorge

Washington state is quite beautiful. So, after crossing the Cascade Mountains there is this little green valley that quickly turns into a barren desert. Seriously. This was from people jumping off the canyon walls into the Columbia River. I went to a concert at the Gorge Ampitheater. Had I known security was going to be so lax I would have taken a picture of that---but instead I played by the rules. It was a fun weekend. Good friends, camping and good music. Oh yeah, and did I mention the gorge is in George, Washington. he he. Get it?

my mistake

So, I usually place the cover picture before the inside pages when I write my blogs. But today is different. Our photographer shooting the college softball world series had a fantastic first game. There was a great series of pictures of the catcher diving for a bunt. The only downer was that the catcher was from the other team and not from our UW huskies. Although, she did miss the catch which works in our favor.

I am not going to debate which picture in the series was better. There were two strong picures and I feel pretty confident I chose the best one. However, I think I should have pushed harder to get this picture lead on the sports cover. Sure, it would have been difficult. The pitcher had a no-hitter---the first in the CWS in 4 years. But I think I could have pulled it off---and at the very least I should have tried harder. Because the catcher picture was worth it and frankly it was that good.

So, for that, I am sorry. The good thing about my job is that the paper comes out anyway and tomorrow is another day. You learn from your mistakes and move on.

the new coach

The University of Washington has a new women's basketball coach---and guess what? This is her. Tia Jackson---a former assistant coach at Duke.

This is a portrait of her that we had shot about a week or two in advance---but received nice play because, after all, she is the new coach.