Free Sami

CAIR's Government Relation Coordinator Jamila Baraka, left, captures the moment on her digital camera during a press conference at the Federal Courthouse in Tampa in conjunction with a protest in New york City in support of former U.S.F. professor Sami al-Arian.

Foreboding Skies

The storm it is a'comin'. I can feel it in my bones. The skies have gotten dark and foreboding. Eventually after the thunder and lightning dies down, the wind turns from gust to breeze, and the rain comes and washes everything away.

Exxxotica Overload

With my buddy Sol Neelman in town for my birthday, we hopped in the car Friday afternoon to head south to Miami for the Exxxotica experience. All weekend long, at the Miami convention center, you could get famous pornstars's autographs, shop at the trade show and watch the exhibitionists on stage in the live shows. It was quite an interesting subculture, both those who are into it and those there to watch it. I met a ton of nice people though, including a girl from Philly who does the voice over for a 1-900 movie service and a woman who lives here in Tampa that just started doing silent, b&w films. All of the girls who were "modeling" were very sweet and strangely empowering, but the guys ogling them gave me the creeps -- after watching the guys in action I felt like I needed a bottle of hand sanitizer and a bottle of bleach for my eyes.

These images are Not Safe For Work. Consider yourself warned.

Birthday Snapshots

I'm over 30. Done with it. No use for it anymore. It was a year that was unkind in so many ways. I'm looking forward to moving on with my pal 31. My birthday was perfect. Good food, good times, good fun and great friends to help celebrate it with me.


Amber, Sol and Flynn


Flowers and Croslin by the light of his iPhone


Weimar on a smoke break


Lane and Ry


Me and Tucker, one of my most-favoritest kids ever


Them are fighting words -- Zach


Erin -- no pictures please


Emma guarding my birthday tulips

Gray Team XX

It's that time of year again. May 2nd is the deadline to apply for the Eddie Adams Workshop. If you haven't been before... are a student or military photographer... or have less than three years professional experience... APPLY!

I was a student there in 2001, spent a couple of great years as a black team member, and for the last couple of years I've felt truly lucky to have the chance to work as a producer with some of the finest editors and leaders out there. The best part though, is always the students. The most inspirational thing that's said every year, is a good reminder: There are 100 reasons why we do this, and they're about to arrive.

I really enjoy playing the role of photo coach. I really enjoy my time spent one-on-one with the students, which is never enough time for my liking. What I've learned from the last few years is that I like pushing people outside their comfort zones. I like watching the light bulb come on. I like watching them grow right before my eyes.

Mostly, though, I like being inspired by them!

Meet the Barnstorm XX Gray Team:



(left to right: Markel Redondo, Miki Meek, Yoav Galai, Maisie Crow, Parker Eshelman, Noah Rabinowitz, Grant Morris, Chris Hanewinkel, THE FABULOUSLY INSPIRATIONAL John H. White (seated), Calla Evans, Ashley Wilkerson, Nancy Andrews (hidden by my big head), me, Justin Mott, and Stefan Jora)

Study their cute little faces, I'll be talking about some of them in greater detail soon.

Slamtastic

This was the most fun I've had on an assignment in a long time. Florida Championship Wrestling is the proving grounds for future WWE Superstars. They provide the only developmental school and training facility for up and coming wrestlers in the United States. Say what you will about wrestling, but theatrics aside, this is an incredibly physical, incredibly demanding sport. The hits they take are real. The slams, the falls, the pain cannot be faked.

I have to admit, i was a little intimidated at first...walking into a room with all these big, bad asses. While in character, there are some I wouldn't want to cross, but outside the ring, almost without exception, these wrestlers were some of the nicest, sweetest people I've met. I'm sure that's not good for their image -- but it's true.

Fan Fare at the Final Four

Man... this week I learned just how old I am (older than the years may elude to) because my body gave out on me. Bruised and battered, aches and pains, and knees that stopped working at one point, to where I almost needed help getting up. Last week Tampa hosted the NCCA Women's Final Four and it kicked my ass.

I was called in to shoot features for the championship game between the University of Tennessee and Stanford. I had a great time meeting all the fans, listening to the awesome UT Pep Band play Rocky Top over-and-over again, and you can't beat feeling the energy on the sidelines of a big sporting event.

However, the game itself was pretty boring. That coupled with the NCAA folks being incredibly dickish on the floor, grabbing me by the collar at one point, telling me I couldn't roam... placing restrictions on even the smallest movements. I was in shock at how rude they were. and it really left a sour taste in my mouth about the whole thing.

I'll take high school sports any day of the week over stuff like this.

We Heart Ken

One of the nicest guys on our photo staff had a stroke recently. 4 stints and 6 weeks later, he is back in action. We were all so worried because the office certainly wouldn't be the same without Ken around. He's that one guy who's like a ray of sunshine in a dark cave. He's always got the most positive attitude and playful spirit. I miss the days when my desk was right next to him. With 5 people in between us now after the office makeover, it's a little harder to hurl stuff at each other, and I'm not so good with the long half-court shot in Nerf Basketball.

While Ken was recovering, we wanted to do something special for him. So we gathered the entire Tampa office in our tiny studio and made a poster sized print to let him know that he is missed. It was bureau bonding at its finest.

The Sleeping Giant Awakes

dormant

Main Entry: dor·mant
Pronunciation: \ˈdȯr-mənt\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, fixed, stationary, from Anglo-French, from present participle of dormir to sleep, from Latin dormire; akin to Sanskrit drāti he sleeps
Date: circa 1500

1. : represented on a coat of arms in a lying position with the head on the forepaws
   
2. : marked by a suspension of activity
   
3. : temporarily devoid of external activity (a dormant volcano) b: temporarily in abeyance yet capable of being activated 3 a: asleep, inactive b: having the faculties suspended : sluggish c: having biological activity suspended: as (1): being in a state of suspended animation (2): not actively growing but protected (as by bud scales) from the environment —used of plant parts
   
4. : associated with, carried out, or applied during a period of dormancy

i've been shooting a lot of snapshots. doing some visual yoga. stepping away from the camera and back to it, trying to find my place with it. it was once so comfortable and second nature. then life got in the way.

some days the last thing i want to do is shoot - specifically shoot for myself. but even my daily assignments, even my long term projects all feel like a mirror image. i've been doing this long enough that i can tell what kind of day i was having based on the image. i can read my mood by the color palette used, by the composition, by how intimate i was with my subjects, or how standoffish. there are times when i pray for the easy shoots - the ones where i don't have to talk to anyone. building mugs, lots of land and flowers in pretty gardens... bring 'em on.

photography is not only a record of the moment and of the event in front of you -- for me it's also a record of myself. and there are times, when i want no paper trail, no indicator of my mood, no recollection of the destination... no memory of me.