VIVIANPHOTO

The People's Protest

2012-01-16T07:44:00.000-06:00

Protests are not uncommon in Bucharest. I've heard and seen many a chanting crowd since moving here (Taxi protest, Teacher's protest, etc). Locals often say, with a heavy tone of disdain, that these are not real protestors --- they are just puppets in a political scheme who are told when and where to assemble. You know, union leaders in league with corrupt politicians kind of thing. This notion was repeated so often that I began to believe it. That is why I was very intrigued by the protests that began in Bucharest on Friday the 13th, 2012. These have been spontaneous, unsanctioned, and in recent days violent gatherings made up of all kinds of Romanians. Young and old, educated and non, employed and unemployed...they're all on the streets together. To me this seems to be the real thing, The People's Protest.

Why the protests? Read in detail (and in English) here.

Foreigner's View

2011-11-27T10:47:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I was asked to offer a foreigner's view of Bucharest for the Romanian magazine, Decat o Revista. This is the photo spread and story that ran plus a few extras below. [Click image to englarge] The project forced me to recall what had been strange or new to me almost one year ago when I first arrived in Romania's capital. Looking back it has been, without question, one of the most dynamic years of my life.

Matache Market, Bucharest.

Security guard, Magheru Bulevard, Bucharest.

Abandoned building, Strada Grivita, Bucharest.

2011-08-15T14:06:00.008-05:00

Transylvanian Beauty

2011-08-15T13:58:00.000-05:00

I spent two weeks traveling through Transylvania, the northern region of Romania, this summer. I was lucky enough to see beautiful things, meet beautiful people and eat delicious [always homemade] food. Below are some faces and places.

Children at Sanmartin orphanage.

Cluj,Romania.

On the road to Rimetea, Romania.

Atop Piatra Secuiului mountain near Remetea,Romania.

Rusica works a 100+ year-old loom at her home near Remetea, Romania.

Entrance to a traditional Hungarian yurt

My best friend's wedding

2011-07-06T15:29:00.000-05:00

Captured using a tiny Canon point-and-shoot, this is one of the few photographs I took at my best friend's wedding. As much as I love photography, it is impossible to be a part of a wedding and "work" it as a photographer simultaneously- so I did not try. It was a beautiful day for everyone and I'm glad I got to witness it minus the dslr.

Window shopping

2011-06-08T14:07:00.000-05:00

Dracula's hometown

2011-05-13T16:24:00.011-05:00

Vlad Dracul's hometown is called Sighisoara. It is a picturesque town situated amongst the rolling hills of Transylvania. I've been in Romania long enough to know that all the hype about "Dracula" is false. No vampires, no mysterious creatures in the night, just one overzealous ruler who killed his enemies in all kinds of terrible ways--none of which involved teeth with fangs.Here are some shots from the day trip:

Medias in spring.

2011-05-13T15:59:00.008-05:00

Cata's house is on a hillside, so we climbed the hill.

Viorica's beautiful carpet.

Bucharest- city living

2011-05-13T15:26:00.011-05:00

Don't stop

2011-05-11T13:12:00.005-05:00

You want to know what's great about being a photographer? YOU CAN'T STOP BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER.

Despite the fact that you work a shitty 9 to 5 "day job", have less than 1/10 of the gear everyone else seems to have, lack the big name internship or photo related job in general, and despite the fact that you harbor fears/doubt/anxiety over finding subjects - You. Can't. Stop.

I was depressed about not 'feeling' like a photographer because of all these things. Screw that. All it takes is a camera and some drive. I'm going out to make pictures.

-peace

The Village

2011-03-16T16:32:00.008-05:00

The Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania is a fascinating place. Throw out the concept of a museum with "old things behind glass cubes"; this place is filled with entire homes that, being centuries old, were transported from villages around Romania to their current location. The museum covers a few acres of land where you can roam from house to house and examine the traditional contents within.

Traveling photographer

2011-02-18T12:05:00.006-06:00

Traffic jam on the drive back to Medias (coming from another village). Honking helped.

Scenic drive to the village of Zlagna, in Sibiu county, Romania. Strange to see the sky match the ground exactly.

Billa is the big grocery store in town. It is about a 8 minute walk from Catalin's mom's house to the store. Saw these boys on the walk over.

Downtown Medias.

As some of you might know, I picked up and moved to Romania about a month ago. That's right, I'm starting 2011 off in a foreign land. There are not many words I can gather to express how different this country is from my own; some things must be experienced. All the same I will attempt to capture my life in photographs. If after these ramblings you are still curious about my year-long stay in Romania, please visit my travel blog [euroviv.blogspot.com] where you'll find pictures and words. I've also added a link to the "Euroviv" blog at the bottom of this page.

Rest assured I will continue to post on this blog as well.

La revedere!

Portraits: Lily Ann

2011-01-21T13:56:00.007-06:00

Engagement: Mireille and Matt Perry

2011-01-03T07:33:00.009-06:00

To me, engagement portraits are part of the fun of being engaged. Usually couples are young and just starting a new chapter in their lives- portraits offer the chance to capture and remember it all. Matt and Mireille just got engaged this past summer 2010. The two met during their service in the United States Air Force. They were up for anything during the shoot, and I think it reflects in the photographs. We had a great time!

Winter Wedding: Celeste and Brian

2010-12-30T18:27:00.006-06:00

Celeste and Brian had a intimate wedding on December 5th 2010. The whole family pitched in to turn their venue, The Vineyards, into a white wonderland-snowflakes and pine trees abound. Their efforts showed that even in Texas, you can have a picture perfect Christmas wedding!

Photos by Vivian Esparza for Philip Thomas Photography

Wedding: Samira and Michel Ellis

2010-12-07T20:14:00.008-06:00

Photos by Vivian Esparza for Philip Thomas Photography

Another weekend, another wedding. Who knew people got married so much?! Photographing Samira and Michel was great fun, especially since I had never seen a wedding at an Orthodox church before. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis wed on November 6th at St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Church with a reception held at the Bushnell. Here are some shots from their day.

Wedding: Jeremy and Britt

2010-10-28T22:02:00.004-05:00

Photos by Vivian Esparza for Philip Thomas Photography

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of working with a local wedding photojournalist, Philip Thomas. Philip has been working in and around San Antonio for years; take a look at his website to see some award winning work . Jeremy and Britt's wedding was a beautiful outdoor event held in Boerne, Texas. It was a great day for pictures, here are a few of my favorite shots from the day.

Two roads

2010-10-25T21:09:00.007-05:00

Exploring O.P. Schnabel Park in San Antonio, Texas was a pleasurable first. There were trails both paved and unpaved winding throughout the park. It reminded me of Frost's "The Road Not Taken". Years ago, in middle school, I had to memorize the piece for a class assignment. As I walked, lines from the poem sifted up from a dusty memory. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood". The lines have new meaning ten years after I first memorized them. I feel the longing to be one traveler on two paths. I wish I could explore the world yet always be close to home and family. Funny how life choices leave imprints on who we are, lead us down our own unique path...and there's no going back. Sometimes I long for the path that is well worn and familiar but something always pulls me towards the one less taken.

Hot Spot

2010-10-13T22:36:00.011-05:00

I found this vintage straw trivet years ago at a community yard sale. At the time I did not even know what it was, I just thought it was beautiful! Since then it has served me well (first on my wall as decor and later in the kitchen). Had some fun with my strobe the other day and snapped the above photo.

Glass Canvas

2010-10-11T21:30:00.001-05:00

Rock-a-bye Baby

2010-10-09T22:11:00.007-05:00

Lilly Ann, 10 months, sleeps peacefully in her grandmothers arms.

Saying goodbye

2010-09-20T22:19:00.002-05:00

At the Pavlovich house in Columbia, Missouri. 2010.

Batch processing (in the oven)

2010-09-02T22:40:00.004-05:00

Post-graduation can be defined in many ways for me. Mostly, I miss photojournalism. I miss hanging out with friends who don't find a DSLR hanging from your shoulder (at a bbq, yoga, the dentist, etc.) as an odd thing. I've been caught up with life and the search for employment these past few weeks-dare I say months. The purchase of new gear helped perk me up and experiment with photography again. A fresh batch of Healthy Banana/Craisin/Chocolate cookies is pictured above. Trust me, this is as pretty as those ugly ass cookies are going to look! They taste good though. Picking up my Nikon felt good too.

-Vivian

Waiting to Wed

2010-08-04T00:37:00.002-05:00

Catherine Szalkowski married Kyle Patneau July 17, 2010 in Edgarton, Kansas. I snapped this as she was waiting to walk out and see Kyle for the first time that day. It felt like one of the few quiet moments in a beautiful (and busy) day.

Peachin'

2010-07-31T21:45:00.004-05:00

My family has been going to Marburger Orchard in Fredricksburg, Texas since I was a kid. They sell a variety of fruits/veggies for the public to pick themselves and purchase. They are best known for their summer peaches. This weekend we went to claim our fruit, or as my niece described it, we went peachin'. *Note: These images are the sole property of the photographer and cannot be used in any form without prior consent.-Thanks

On the road

2010-07-26T10:59:00.004-05:00

Between Kansas and Texas.

San Antonio

2010-07-26T01:01:00.005-05:00

Peel and Eat

2010-06-25T21:16:00.004-05:00

My happy hour snack at McCormick & Schmick's in Norfolk, VA.

Earth Tree

2010-05-22T17:00:00.004-05:00

Earth day in Columbia,Missouri.

MA Project

2010-04-27T19:43:00.004-05:00

A documentary project exploring the life of a Type 2 diabetic teen. Completed as part of Vivian Esparza's Masters Project for the Missouri School of Journalism, Spring 2010.

the start

2010-04-26T15:59:00.003-05:00

Soon I'll be posting my MA project on a young man who has Type 2 diabetes. As a compliment or contrast to that work here is a personal story I did on my sister, Valerie Esparza in December 2009. She too has Type 2 diabetes. This small project helped prepare me for what was to come in my master's work. It served as a reference as I tried to make contacts and gain access into peoples' lives. Often I'd show a few of these photos as examples of the work I was hoping to do with subjects.

What really counts.

2010-04-11T09:53:00.006-05:00

Who knew when I started my 30 day photo posting project that keeping track of the days would be the hardest part! As some of you may have noticed, for a while it seemed I had a couple of days left. Actually a look through my postings revealed to me a few errors in posting dates on my part. For example I accidentally titled a post "Day: 16" when it was actually day 17. I made that mistake a couple of times. Ayye yaai yaai. Bottom line, I started this project on Feb 8 and ended 30 days later on March 9th. Success. Although I wish I had known day 30 was upon me. I would not have ended it with a picture of a picture (blasphemy). It was a great experiment in photography. Ironic that all the great photogs tell us that to improve we must make pictures all the time (hmm, like every day?). It took this 30 day thing to get me to see that they were absolutely right.

Since then I've been making lots of pictures on a larger project - my MA project on adolescent diabetes. It has consumed my days for over a month now. I spent the weekend editing a multimedia piece together. There is still much to be done but I am over the mountain for sure. And that's what really counts.

Marilyn uncovers the venous catheter on her chest so that the nurse can clean and dress the area. The venous catheter connects straight to her main artery and allows her to receive dialysis treatments. Kidney disease is one of the many health complications diabetics face in their lifetime.

Day 30: Treasure

2010-03-09T22:23:00.009-06:00

I found $3 treasure at Ellis Library's used bookstore. Art Treasures of the Louvre by Rene Huyghe ©1951. These beautiful 13"x10" pages of art will serve me well until I venture to the Louvre myself. Its good to have goals, no?

Day 29: Neon

2010-03-08T21:46:00.005-06:00

Day 28: Demarko

2010-03-07T14:48:00.010-06:00

Today I went to visit Demarko and his mother Marilyn. Up until this point I had only heard their story from Dr. Tosh, Demarko's doctor: Adolescent, African American, overweight, trouble managing his diabetes, mother also diabetic. I was nervous because I wanted it to go well. Weeks of research, meetings with doctors/directors, phone calls and e-mails had led up to this point. I have a lot to learn about Demarko and much more to document. I made a few pictures, just the preliminary 'note taking' as Catalin likes to call it. I'll be photographing this young man for the next month or so as part of my MA project.

Day 27: Castles in the sky

2010-03-06T17:04:00.004-06:00

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.
Now put the foundations under them. "
— Henry David Thoreau

Day 26: The Icebox

2010-03-05T21:02:00.006-06:00

Warm weather took me outside to Rock Bridge State Park. Here is a view of the entrance to the devil's icebox plus a few other pics I took along the way.

Day 25: Guess

2010-03-04T20:01:00.003-06:00

Day 24: Sick

2010-03-03T22:52:00.008-06:00

This is all the photography I could muster up on a very sick day. My homemade heat pad consists of a clean handkerchief filled with pinto beans and microwaved for one minute. I hope to look, feel and shoot better tomorrow.

Day 23: T'is the season

2010-03-02T20:53:00.006-06:00

Frozen fish sticks are on sale at Hyvee, McDonald's has brought back their fish fillet sandwich and someone you know has probably given up chocolate, swearing or beer. Lent is upon us. Whether you're Catholic or not, it is fun to try and give something up. A few of my friends are partaking in the tradition. I like the idea of doing something good for yourself or others.

Day 22: Fundamentalists

2010-03-01T21:36:00.004-06:00

Fundamentals of Photojournalism students practice editing down a pile of 20 photos for a three spread layout. The photos were of an adoption photographed by David Rees (the class professor) 23 years ago. It is always amusing to hear students tell David, an accomplished photographer, that they don't particularly like one of his photos. This morning, after such an instance David asked "Don't you recognize my genius?!".

Day 21: Lines

2010-02-28T22:27:00.003-06:00

I've seen this shadow many times on the way to class or work. Now you've seen it too.

Day 20: Waiting

2010-02-27T18:45:00.005-06:00

Waiting for the show to start at the Blue Note.

Day 19: No dice.

2010-02-26T23:31:00.009-06:00

Not my favorite day for picture making. As I watched hundreds of them project across the screen at POYi, I made very little myself. I spent a lot of the afternoon and evening in the POYi room, watching judging of the Photographer of the Year (Freelance/Agency division) and grading a few quizzes in between. A few hours at POYi gave me one heck of a migraine. How do the judges last a week in there? Most days I really like this 30 day/30 pictures project but today, I don't think I did it justice. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. -VE

Day 18: Jackie Lenox

2010-02-25T14:20:00.002-06:00

Day 17: Flat tire.

2010-02-24T21:56:00.004-06:00

I was rushing to make the class I am a graduate teaching assistant for at 8:30 a.m. this morning when I heard an "Excuse Me" coming from the parking lot on my right. Steven Denney explained to me that he had a flat tire on his wheelchair and was trying to air it up a little before class. The trouble was that his wheelchair had rolled away from his truck, where he had his air pump. He had spent the past 15 minutes stuck in his car waiting for someone to come by. I helped him out and then talked a bit.

Caption: Steve Denney, age 30, was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as a teen. The nerve disorder has left him in a wheelchair but not completely confined. "I"m a hybrid" says Denney, who has some use of his legs and frequently works out at the MU recreational center. Denney appreciates questions about his disability stating "I like people asking, I don't like people assuming."

Day 17: David Rees

2010-02-24T21:54:00.003-06:00

Classic.

Day 17: Boone Hospital

2010-02-24T21:38:00.010-06:00

Went to visit a potential subject at the Boone Hospital. We met for dinner (after her diabetes education class) at the hospital cafeteria. Here is a reflection picture, because we photographers just can't resist. I don't think it is a very successful photo, but I gave it a shot.

Day 17: All natural

2010-02-24T21:32:00.003-06:00

I think I'm having a diptyque phase. Also just loved the textures I saw today.

Day 16: TRUE*FALSE

2010-02-23T23:14:00.008-06:00

Above are the two tickets I got to the True False Film Festival which kicks off this weekend. A few days full of watching documentary films sounds like fun. Although I can't afford (in more ways than one) to see all the movies, I will be watching two courtesy of the Missouri School of Journalism:Restrepo and The Red Chapel. Exciting stuff.

Side note: I toned these images with a heavy hand. Lets call it ultra toning (high contrast, sharpen, and vignette). I did it for me, I did it for fun. Ethically I'd never submit a photo this toned for publication. I think blogs are a great place to post though. Cheers to freedom of expression!

Day 15: Macro Night

2010-02-22T23:28:00.011-06:00

Top: A couple of photos taken today, again, after leaving Lee Hills for the night. I've been slacking on my blog posts due to busy days [no excuse]. I liked how the two photos looked side by side and almost melt into each other. They also look how I feel. They're my photo blog mood rings! Don't worry I'm not blue, I just miss someone. Keep an eye out for future photo blog mood rings. Next time I won't label them as such and you can just guess (oooor not).

Bottom: Have you ever reversed your lens to make it a faux macro? I tried it tonight on a variety of things. The picture is of a bracelet I love. Note to you: Hand holding the reversed lens is not ideal. I'm going to splurge and buy the pricey reverse lens ring ($12).

Day 14: Catalin

2010-02-21T23:13:00.008-06:00

Day 13: Lovin

2010-02-21T12:24:00.002-06:00

Day 12: Us

2010-02-19T23:53:00.005-06:00

New shirt.
New shoes.

Today I went put my Nikon D300 down and decided to carry a lighter load, my Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph. It is nice sometimes to pick up a point and shoot. The quality is not superb, the control is not total, but it works. It makes pictures, and it fits in my pocket.

Day 11: Ping Pong Poyi

2010-02-19T01:13:00.006-06:00

Long exposure on the "El Dorado" submission that won 3rd place in the Issue Reporting category. These pictures were beautiful; like candy for the eyes. Beth Suda and Scott Strazzante, POYi judge, prep for a fierce ping pong match against Scott Kiernan, POYi judge, and Calin Illea. Suda-Strazzante went on to victory.

The one and only Lillian Kelly launches a photog attack on her defenseless subject, a wine glass. Red blood was shed.

I did a bad bad thing and posted past midnight on this blog. For this 30 day project I had promised to take and post within each 24 hour period. But what a full day I had! I got access to 7, count them SEVEN, possible diabetes subjects for my MA project. So I'll be talking to those folks all next week. On top of that I went shopping and found awesome sales (whoo hoo). Topped the day off by watching POYi judging and then drinking sangria at Top Ten Wines with the judges. Ahh, you see, this is why I did not make my midnight deadline. Apologies my friends. I hope the pictures are a good consolation prize.

Day 10: Winter berries

2010-02-17T19:53:00.003-06:00

Day 9: Pick your pepper

2010-02-16T23:58:00.004-06:00

Back in fundamentals we all heard it from David, "pick your pepper" he said. The idea is to choose your photo subjects deliberately. The other day, that phrase came back to me in the grocery aisle. I smiled and then spent a few minutes picking my pepper.

Day 8: Mecca

2010-02-15T21:46:00.005-06:00

Photographer of the Year International has begun. Judges took the time to introduce themselves and talk about picture stories. They also expressed their gratitude for being asked to come judge. Words like "mecca" and "birthplace of journalism" were used; reminders of how lucky we all are to be here. I love this place!

This week's POYi judges from left .Scott Strazzante,Chicago Tribune, Pedro Ugarte, Agence France-Presse, and Kathy Anderson,freelance photojournalist.

Day 7: Sacred Heart

2010-02-14T21:02:00.003-06:00

Day 6: "Baa boons"

2010-02-13T12:38:00.005-06:00

"Baaa boon!" Atticus hums while he stares up at his heart shaped joy. His older brother, Sebastian is running through the house, frog balloon in tow, yelling "Wheeeeee...wheee!". I knew they would like the balloons but I didn't anticipate how much fun it would be to watch. Here's to the simple things in life. Like balloons and brunch with great friends.

Day 5: Winter Olympics

2010-02-12T23:39:00.003-06:00

Cassie's anticipation builds as she waits for opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. (my apartment, Feb. 12 2010)

Day 4: Miss Texas

2010-02-11T22:23:00.002-06:00

After a few hours of sitting in the Journalism Library - transcribing an interview- I got up for a stretch. They say you should walk around after an hour of sitting. If that is the case; I was long overdue. As the snow began to fall outside the windows of the j-library I stared at these tiny cacti and thought, I miss Texas.

Day 3: Seamsters

2010-02-10T21:13:00.005-06:00

Alex Rohlfing, left, describes himself as a "seamster" while stitching his own sock monkey at the craft studio Wednesday February 9th in Columbia, Missouri. According to his girlfriend, Cassie Valle, the two are on a "student charged date night".

Craft studio art. Artist unknown.

Day 2: Sticks and stones

2010-02-09T22:39:00.004-06:00

Some days, you take what you can get. After conducting what I hope was a successful printing lab, I found the snow was going to accompany my walk home. At least this is the good kind of snow; it catches light like glitter. That's grade A stuff.

Day 1 of 30

2010-02-08T20:32:00.006-06:00

Industrial staples hold the paper remnants of bygone indie concerts at the Hitt Street parking garage in Columbia, Missouri. Posters advertising local shows are posted and ripped down on a regular basis.

I'm joining the geeky photo bandwagon today. Mr. David Rees and his picture story class have started a 30 day project in which each person takes and posts one photo to their blog each day for the next 30 days. The rules are simple - photo must be taken in that day and posted by midnight. I loved the idea and like any good journalist, I copied it! It is a commitment to photography, to my profession. Through most of this program I have felt as though I was perhaps 'too busy' to do something like this. It is so easy to make excuses in life isn't it? I'm excited what the next few days will bring.

Business man.

2010-01-21T18:11:00.003-06:00

My newphew, Roland, loves to pick up the phone and have a little chat with the dial tone on the other end. (San Antonio, Tx Dec. 2009)

Laredo, Tx

2010-01-21T18:06:00.002-06:00

diabetic

2010-01-21T17:30:00.006-06:00

A few shots from a personal project on my sister, Valerie Esparza.

Job Profile: Kristi Mott

2009-11-04T14:50:00.001-06:00

In progress

2009-10-30T20:58:00.002-05:00

Mazimano from Vivian Esparza Photo on Vimeo.

Here are some stills from a multimedia project I've been working on.

Congolese

2009-10-09T14:15:00.005-05:00

I'm working on a character profile of Jeremie Mazimano. Mazimano came to the U.S. from the Congo as a refugee in 2003. He works two jobs, attends church every Sunday and has eight children. His granddaughter is pictured above at their Congolese style church service held at 1st Baptist Church in Columbia,MO. Lots of picture making happening this weekend, more to come soon.

One Day Picture Story: Greek Baptism

2009-09-25T11:08:00.007-05:00

Candles lit in prayer for the living and the dead rest in a sand urn within the narthex, or entrance, of St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church of Columbia, Missouri Sunday Sept. 20 2009.

In the arms of his "nouna", or godmother, Evan Aslanidis, 4 months, begins his baptism in the narthex of St. Luke's Greek Orthodox Church. This initial preparatory rite is conducted before Aslanidis can enter the Church proper. Facing the East, Fr. Michael Monos conducts an excorcism, renounces Satan and gives Aslanidis a Christian name, Evangelo. The East is where the sun sets and where ancient Greeks believed Hades, or hell, resided.

Having received blessings from God, the baptized child is expected to provide an offering. Fr. Michael Monos cuts four tufts of hair from Evangelo's head and places them in the baptismal font. These tufts, removed at four points in the shape of a cross, represent Evangelo's first offering to Christ.

Greek Orthodox religion calls for Evangelo to be baptized just as he came from his mother's womb;naked. Complete immersion in the baptismal font symbolizes the cleansing of sin and a new birth through Christ. Evangelo is immersed three times in the name of the Father, Son and Holy spirit.

Ava Terzopoulos, Aslanidis' godmother, must carry her godson throughout the hour long ceremony. "After a while he got a little heavy so my arms were hurting...it wasn't too bad I just kind of tried my best" said Terzopoulos. Despite his tears Kalene Aslanidis, Evangelo's mother, was instructed by her priest not to disrupt the ceremony. "It is so hard to watch him crying and not go to comfort him" said Aslanidis. Following the baptism friends and family comforted her saying "Now he is baptized from head to toe".

mud racing at the fair

2009-08-31T20:39:00.003-05:00

rockin the 80's

2009-07-20T18:04:00.004-05:00

Faux vintage- it plays ipods.

Faux beer -it was an empty prop. Awww. Still a great outfit I'd say.

Faux reporting- this event was full of journalists. Some more ambitious than others.

Ultimate Sport

2009-07-20T17:54:00.002-05:00

Show-Me State Games Ultimate Frisbee. Story link

the florist

2009-07-20T17:51:00.002-05:00

Killing time while waiting for my subject, the florist, to show up at church. He was setting up for a wedding.

fur queen

2009-07-02T23:25:00.004-05:00

Lola, left, the homecoming queen, Rocco, center, the homecoming king, and Polly, a member of the royal court, are posed for pictures at the Hound Dog Homecoming fundraiser hosted by the Central Missouri Humane Society on Sunday in Columbia. Patrons had a variety of pet activities to choose from such as painting, bobbing for hot dogs and a doggy kissing booth.
Click here for story/photo link.

big news, old tree

2009-07-02T23:09:00.008-05:00

The 350-plus-year-old big bur oak, which is planted on John Sam Williamson Jr.'s property, has such a strong genetic makeup that it has survived extreme flood and drought. The tree's superior genes make it ideal for grafting.

1. 2.

1.Mr.Williamson holds an acorn fallen from the bur oak tree in his backyard on Sunday. This tree has the exact genetic makeup of the 350-plus-year-old big bur oak it was grafted from, and thus so do the acorns it produces.
2. When John Sam Williamson Jr.'s big bur oak was grafted, a portion of the tree, similar in size to the branch above, was removed and placed on a stump so that a new tree with the same genes as the big bur oak would grow. One such "cloned" tree lies in Williamson's backyard, though it is about 330 years younger than its predecessor.

Click here for story/photo link.

the underdog

2009-06-27T19:36:00.005-05:00

Caleb Rankin (34) of the Columbia Colts carries the ball as Qian Johnson (44) of the St. Louis Prime Time Panthers looms behind him. The teams played in the sixth-grade division of the Show-Me State Games youth football competition June 27, 2009. Rankin, much smaller than most of his opponents, was cheered from the sidelines for his contribution to the Colts, who beat the Panthers 22-6.

rodeo

2009-06-25T13:24:00.006-05:00

How does a girl live her whole life in Texas without going to the rodeo? I don't know either. The Missouri State High School Rodeo was an interesting introduction to the sport. I've never heard the words 'get'em cowgirl' and 'you ride cowboy' so much in my life. With a measly little strobe to light the arena it was a challenging assignment to shoot but I did my best. My greatest disappointment was learning that the concession stand didn't take visa after ordering what I knew was to be a deliciously greasy cheeseburger- dang! Lesson learned; cowboys don't take credit.
Click here for story/photo link.

chop chef

2009-06-18T21:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I went to photograph two local chefs, Zia Matoori (above) and Trey Quinlan. They are both participating in Columbia's Wine and Food Festival. This isn't the photo that ran but I like the chopped head for some reason.
Link to photo and stories: HERE and HERE

shade garden

2009-06-18T21:44:00.010-05:00

Garden hands Ben Reid, left, and Adam Horine help prepare Thomas and Anne Smith's 6.5 acre shade garden for the Tiger Pilot Club's garden tour to be held Saturday. "It's a work in progress" said Anne Smith.

A bicycle plant holder, part of Thomas and Anne Smith's shade garden decor, was chosen by one of the couple's two garden designers.

Link to more photos and the story: HERE

Thai Run

2009-06-05T18:30:00.003-05:00

The photo staff (minus Jarrad) made a Thai food run to Cooper's Landing for dinner yesterday. It was a sweet ride through Missourah with the top off on Lillian's Jeep, "Daisy".

first week on staff

2009-06-03T17:11:00.008-05:00

Puddles of paint collect around a newly decorated stage at the Stephens College Warehouse Theatre on June 6, 2009. The wall and another like it wil be part of the upcoming production titled Jerks and Freaks which shows Friday June 5, 2009.

Katie McKellar, a first year student at Stephens College, helps paint the platform for the upcoming show Jerks and Freaks on June 6, 2009. McKellar will be the "radio" in the portion of the production titled "Video Killed the Radio Star". "I think it's going to be good. It's a really risque show. We're having a blast with it" said McKellar. Jerks and Freaks shows Friday June 5, 2009.

Letter magnets cover the refrigerator of Dorie Clark. Bought as an educational tool, Clark was hoping to teach his ex-wife's son, Dakota Miner, how to spell. Lessons were cut short after Dakota was removed from Clark's care. "Life is a challenge and whatever challenge I see I'll go after it. Right now I need to stay busy 'cause of that little one. You have too much time on your hands, things go through your head" said Clark. Although unemployed, Clark keeps busy with job interviews, excercise and has even enrolled in Metro Business College in Jefferson City, Missouri, with aims to recieve an Associate's degree in Biblical Studies.

On March 8, 2009 Dorie Clark's ex-wife removed her child, Dakota Miner from his care. Clark, who has no legal rights to Dakota is concerned for his safety and hopes to regain custody soon. Clark stares at an empty miniature red recliner in his living room which was given to Dakota for Christmas."He stole my heart the first time I saw him...Hopefully I'll get him back" said Clark.

Dorie Clark awaits his interview for a position at the Eldon Police Department June 1; 2009 in Eldon; Missouri. With only three officer positions available Clark hopes his past experience as an officer in the 1980's and good relationship with the current staff will give him an edge on the competition.

Read full story and see more of my photoshere.

Feathers, glitter and plenty of hair spray were used to create wild hair styles at the All-Night Senior Party held at the Hearnes Center May 30, 2009 in Columbia, Missouri. Students had the option of visting the hair salon, massage spa or nail salon throughout the evening.

back in black

2009-05-26T23:18:00.008-05:00

Here are some photos from one week of pure lazy/indulgent summer vacation. I'm back in school now. Staff photojournalism started today! I'll be working as a photographer for the Columbia Missourian. My first shift starts Friday. wooohoooo

Air Show
Sunrise Palace

Trekking through History

2009-05-13T18:04:00.005-05:00

In the Footsteps of History: The Coalition of Historical Trekkers

Here it is folks, hours worth of photography and editing composed into one three minute multimedia piece. I was lucky enough to work with John Schreiber , Joel Kowsky and Sarah Khan on this project. Group work can be challenging but our common goal was to create a solid storytelling product. This project required me to think critically about storytelling during the event and especially in post production. Thanks to this class (Advanced Techniques) I have a better understanding of photography and light. It's been a tough semester, but the rewards are worth every late night.

Comments are welcome.

Note: Vimeo file provided by teammate John Schreiber

the end is near

2009-04-29T12:45:00.002-05:00

blending assignment

2009-04-23T15:15:00.003-05:00

Justin Tesser, a freshmen business major at the University of Missouri-Columbia, helps assemble a stage on the corner of Broadway and 9th street in preparation for the annual Rock-A-Thon fundraising event Wednesday evening April 22, 2009. The Rock-A-Thon, hosted by Alpha Epsilon Pi, raises money for cancer research by collecting donations as one of the fraternity’s members continuously rocks in a rocking chair for 63 hours. “We’re all working together” says Tesser.

trekkers: a few selects

2009-04-22T09:45:00.003-05:00

trekkers: portraits

2009-04-22T09:19:00.003-05:00

multiple options

2009-04-20T15:38:00.012-05:00

Krista Nicholas works alongside her instructor, Joel Sager,during their weekly Thursday morning painting workshop at Orr Street Studio- April 15, 2009. Nicholas, who has been attending the workshop since December 2008, studied art at the University of Arkansas in the seventies but has not painted for over 30 years. When asked what she enjoys most about painting Nicholas responds "The challenge and the color. I like the color."

Here are my options for multiple flash. I'm pretty much leaning towards the great big one, or perhaps the third thumbnail above. Admittedly they look a little dark (I had art easels blocking to contend with) but I like the moment. I found myself enjoying multiple flash more than I thought I would. It adds an extra layer of interest to the photos that otherwise would look flat. Next time I'll try this in high activity settings, a party perhaps? Hmmm, grad school prom is this weekend...

light diagram (note: flashes were gelled orange)

final project: trekkers

2009-04-19T10:25:00.003-05:00

I just got back from shooting our group's final project for the class. We went to the national gathering of the Coalition of Historical Trekkers in Sibley, MO. Total we spent 22 hours photographing on the grounds-I'm tired but happy. This is just a preview, lots more to come.

gooooaaaaaaaal!

2009-04-13T01:09:00.004-05:00

The J-Team recreational intramural soccer team earned its first victory against some other random team last Wednesday, April 8 2009. Above: Serkan, shocked from our win?
Bottom row from left:1) The hand of God (aka John's hand) directs team members on the field. 2)Hopes rise on the sidelines as Victoria scores a goal. 3)Calin Illea, our all star goalie post victory.

Due to frivolous injuries I could not participate in this game, stay tuned for next weeks battle. Oh and also there are women on this team, more photos of them after the next game!

fill/balance flash

2009-04-09T19:02:00.008-05:00

Sandra VanSickle carefully cuts out the pattern to her new top at the craft studio in Paquin Tower, April 6, 2009. The fabric and pattern, which happened to be her size, were donated to VanSickle from a friend. As a tip to aspiring sewers VanSickle says, “Make sure you have’em pinned down nice and flat- the patterns. Once you have the patterns cut out right you can’t go too wrong.”

Flashing someone multiple times with your Nikon SB900 i s never a good idea but alas this is what us beginners must do to learn the technique. Luckily my subject, Sandra VanSickle, was a patient woman. She's originally from Texas so we had a nice chat whilst I played with light ratios. This was my second attempt at this assignment; having gone to rock climbing, two baseball games and an easter egg hunt as well. Here are some outtakes:

audio slave

2009-04-09T15:52:00.001-05:00

Click above to watch

I saw this slideshow, titled "Andrew's season" at the Photographer of the Year International competition (POY) and really appreciated the storytelling. The images, topic and audio are all well done. Had to post a link to an audio slideshow for class--this is one you should definitely watch.

pics of pics

2009-04-01T21:38:00.004-05:00

Spring break is over. I'm back to the daily grind. Sigh...
At least I got one thing done over break. Here's a shot of my new wall decor.
It's nice to see some of the people I care most about hanging in my room.
Back to work!

7 a.m.

2009-03-24T07:54:00.005-05:00

Goodmorning! I don't know how or why but I awoke at 6:30 a.m. It only makes sense that on my one week off such things would happen. ha Efforts to find the sunrise were stifled by ugly city buildings, wire and concrete (isn't that awful?). This tree/leaf is across the street from my apartment.

2009-03-20T15:32:00.010-05:00

Photo Links:

Scroll to bottom of page for Photo Blog links*
The Decisive Moment
My Portfolio
Missouri Photojournalism
College Photographer of the Year
Pictures of the Year International
Boston Globe-Photo Stories
Photojournalismlinks.com

Non-Photo Links (but still awesome):

Color Correction

2009-03-18T23:19:00.007-05:00

Mercia Catulpos steam presses a pair of men’s pants in the back room of Robinson’s Dry Cleaners Wednesday March 18, 2009. Catulpos, originally from the island of Mindanao in the Phillipines, has worked for Robinson’s since she moved to the U.S. in 2007.

The first image below was my second option for a select, I'm still not sure if I made the right choice. The second image is an industrial button sewing machine at Robinson's; notice the hand crank!

steam and press

2009-03-18T15:58:00.005-05:00

I went to the dry cleaners today, and they let me hangout in the back [yesss]. Tomorrow I'll post my select for this assignment. Meanwhile, I like the look of this industrial iron. Yea, thats me in the frame :)