Florida Snow

When car lights lit up an otherwise dark beach, I thought the sand looked strangely like snow with all the tire tracks in it.

Lighting 'Em Up

I had a lot of fun photographing our cross country runners of the year last week. I grabbed my mag lite before leaving the house, and figured I could always try painting with light for a little different look. When Katelyn Greenleaf, the top girl in our county, came into the studio with her parents, I tried explaining what I was doing, as I was popping a strobe and then running around their daughter with a flashlight in the dark for 20 seconds at a time. After a few good tries, I could tell her folks were curious what it looked like so I asked them if they wanted to see what I was doing. This is where digital comes in handy. Once they looked at the back of the camera, they got really excited and were commenting how cool that was and how fun it was.

So I held the flashlight up and asked her dad if he wanted to give it a try. He was really into it, running back over to the camera each time the shutter closed to see how he did. After a few more turns, Katelyn's mom wanted her chance at creativity. I wish I had video of the Greenleafs hard at work. They looked like they were having a blast, and it was really fun for me watching them get excited about the shoot. The picture above is actually the last frame I shot, and it was a result of all of our efforts. I ended up using some of the things that worked really well in her parents' attempts in my final try. I kind-of feel like it should have had a triple byline on it though. :)

When Chase Sutton, our top boy's runner, came into the studio a few hours later, I had a print of Katelyn's picture in there to show him and his mom what I was going for. Chase was familiar with long exposures having tried them for a photography project before, and his mom who really loves taking pictures and has been getting more serious about her photography was intrigued by it. So I used it as a chance to let her have some fun as well, explaining how and why it works, and letting her try her hand at painting with light too. After she saw how my "SHS" came out, she really wanted to write Chase's nickname in the air. It kept coming up as funny little scribbles, but it was always followed by lots of laughter and her asking for one more try.

All-in-all, the pictures that ran were a result of some great collaboration. So my thanks goes out to two top notch runners, who were grateful with their time and their ability to stand still as well as some great parents who made the shoot enjoyable thanks to their efforts. Hope they liked the result.

Just to show you how great they did, below are some of the parents' handywork. You can see how Katelyn's mom's style gave me some great things to shoot for. She did this fun bubbly outline of her that I borrowed from, and she also hit the floor with her flashlight's beam at one point, and I noticed how nice that orange glow was (it gave it a little more depth and it made it look like Katelyn wasn't just floating in thin air). And like I said before Chase's mom was trying to write his nickname, after I showed her my "SHS." It makes me laugh... Can't you see where it says "GOOB?"

Bootcamp Braids

With braids flying, Ramona Brayboy of St. Petersburg does squats, crunches and twists with a weight during Saturday's St. Pete Boot Camp led by Damon Reio at North Shore Park. There are boot camps seven days a week, with the schedule and more information available on their website.

Black Friday

Surrounded by reflections of shoppers and mannequins, Willie Newton of St. Petersburg, center, has his arms full of good deals on clothing for his kids. He and his wife Tawana Newton spent about 45 minutes in line to get to the cash register at Old Navy in the Tyrone Square Mall on Black Friday. "But it's worth it," he said. They started their day at 6 a.m., shopping at Radio Shack and Victoria's Secret before stopping at the Old Navy, on their way to Target.

Fishing Feature

Every afternoon Javier Vara of St. Petersburg heads down to the seawall alongside the Gandy Bridge, with the hope of catching some trout for dinner. "It's so much better here than the Skyway, which is elbow-to-elbow with people," said Vara.

Morningwood

I wasn't really familiar with their music, other than that catchy song that XM Radio played to death. You know, the one where they spell their band's name... M-O...M-O-R...M-O-R-N-I-N-G...W-O-O-D... But I had a blast shooting Morningwood at RibFest because they put on a really entertaining, high-energy show and lead singer Chantal Claret was a total ham. Security was really cool (note: I was the only photographer there) and let me practically stand on the stage, even offering to help me on and off of these big speaker boxes to get a better angle. So at one point, Chantal spots me over on the side of the stage, never missing a beat, she walked right up to me, acting like she was shooting pictures of me. Then she started getting really close to my lens and making funny face, blowing kisses and being a goofball. I wasn't sure what else to do, so I just smiled and kept shooting.

Baywalk Protest

I've covered this piece of sidewalk outside of Baywalk, way too much in the last few months over developing stories about the City Council's decision to privatize it. I've shot it from all angles and in all different light, so during the protest I thought I'd work on my layering. Nothing exciting, just that daily desire to make something out of nothing.

Tired, Yet Inspired

After two great photo workshops in less than a month, I'm tired, yet inspired.





I just got home from 10 days in New York for the Eddie Adams Workshop, where it's always great reconnecting with old friends and making new. As the Rust Team producer, it was my job to find 10 great subjects for 10 great students. This process starts months in advance with a theme (this year's: "The Working Family") hundreds of google searches, cold calls and chasing leads. Then the week of the Workshop, I like to touch base with all my subjects, to remind them that a photographer will be hanging out with them soon. And that's when several of my stories fall through -- because subjects have forgotten we're coming and decided they're going out of town instead or they've simply changed their minds. Somehow though, it always works out, and some truly amazing people end up letting us, total strangers, into their lives for a few days.

The one thing that always surprises me though is my students. I try to learn everything I can about them beforehand, by looking at their websites, blogs and tweets. By exchanging emails, and asking about their strengths, weaknesses and what they hope to get out of the workshop. Yet, all I know of them is what I perceive and what they want me to know. So, really, I don't know them at all. Which means pairing them up with stories becomes a tricky and imperfect art. I try my best to match them up with something that's going to challenge them, and ideally push them out of their comfort zone and encourage them to make mistakes and take risks. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Every year, producing leaves me absolutely exhausted -- mentally and physically. And it leaves me wondering it it's worth it. I spend my own time and money to get myself there. I have some students that just don't get it -- that come in with their own agenda, that don't push themselves, that don't take direction, that make no attempt to connect to their subjects, that think their pictures are perfect just the way they are and that get defensive when you tell them otherwise... But then there are those other students that makes it all worth while. That push themselves to make pictures better than they ever have before. That try something new. That get "it." That surprise themselves and me. And that makes it all worthwhile.





Now, I may be biased, but this year's GeekFest was pretty amazing. Here's the abbreviated version: Sam Abell kicked things off with photo night at the Poynter Institute, giving us a glimpse into his mind's eye, then hung around for the rest of the weekend to delight us with his generosity and humanity. Photo guru Bryan Moss reminded us of the power of community journalism and the power in the purity of an image. Bob Croslin lit up a standing-room only studio. Alexis Lambert broke down media law and fed us cocktails. Damon Winter took us on the campaign trail with a beefed up version of his Pulitzer entry and a fun day-in-the-life timelapse, showing thousands of images (every single one, from one particular day) from multiple cities in a matter of minutes -- and the single image from that shoot that the NYTimes published the following day. Dai Sugano showed off some really striking, conceptual, though-provoking multimedia -- and reminded us that it should be fun. David Handschuh shared his personal story of being affected by 9/11 and reminded us that we need to take care of each other because all journalists deal with some level of stress. Photo rock star Allison V. Smith shared portraits and personal work and said life's too short to work for mean people. Nicole Fruge took us on a journey through covering her community and then conflict with the same motivations, ideals and story-telling sensibilities. And last, but not least, Pulitzer-winner Patrick Farrell reminded us that there's a certain courage in compassion, and touched us all with his humility.

Also, thanks to all of those who contributed some truly awesome photographs for the silent print auction we had this year, during a fun night of shuffleboard. Almost everyone who attended brought a print or bought a print. It was such an outpouring of community and support. And as the update on Steve and Marian Coddington’s blog says, we raised $3,500 for a really amazing family.

Other recaps were blogged in words and pictures by: Mitchell Franz, Rob Hart, Julia Robinson, Mike Henninger and Deanna Dent.

Plastic Surgery Gone Awry

A few months ago, I got a call from Getty to photograph an incredibly sad story about two women who have suffered at the hands of a bad plastic surgeon for Marie Claire Magazine.

The subject matter was sensitive and hard to illustrate since everything has happened in the past, and I was most likely going to have to settle for portraits that captured some sort of mood. Luckily, one of the women mentioned to me that she had a doctor's appointment the following day (with a good doctor who's trying to fix up a botched tummy tuck that left her with a gaping hole in her stomach surrounded by dead tissue). The other woman, who spent 3 months in the hospital and was left with a horrible infection, a shriveled, black, deadened nipple and horribly malformed breasts said, coincidentally, that she did as well (same doctor, and as luck would have it, an hour before the other woman's appointment). So after making sure it was OK with them that I photograph them in the doctor's office, I called the doctor and got his approval as well.

I would have settled for the portraits, but was glad to have the chance to add a little reportage and some story-telling images to the shoot. Plus it was nice to surprise the editors by giving them more than what they asked for.

Vigil

Friends gather on St. Pete Beach for a candlelight vigil in memory of Paige Davison, 17, who was killed when the boat she was on crashed into a seawall Friday night. After sharing their favorite memories of Davison, which included her goofy laugh, her eternal optimism and her smile, they joined hands in a circle and said a prayer for her and for the four others who were injured in the same accident.

SCORE

Just a quick portrait of Mats Bengtson, president of SCORE Pinellas, a non-profit agency that helps small businesses succeed.

Motion Capture

This is definitely one of the most challenging shoots I've had in a while. The goal was to capture motion that only a really high tech computer could see, of a person wearing a black suit in a darkened black hole of a warehouse. I was sweating it the whole time, but in the end I got a few that worked.



Inside a converted expo center warehouse in downtown Orlando, UCF students learning to be video gamers share space with the likes of Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods and dancers filming moves for the latest Hannah Montana video game. The motion capture studio at UCF's Center for Emerging Media, the largest of its kind on the East Coast, is a partnership between UCF, the city of Orlando and the studio that made films including "300" and "Beowulf. UCF Admissions and Enrollment Coordinator Shawnna Adamson goes through a range of exercises in the studio while wearing a MOCAP suit with 52 motion-capture markers on it, to show how it tracks her movements which are being digitized and captured by a computer.

Madman

How many surrealists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A fish.

All Hail the Queen

The Queenshead Eurobar opened in June in St. Pete’s Grand Central District. It's quickly become one of my favorite new spots - with incredible food, a great beer list and a laid back, yet sophisticated scene. Queenshead is such a welcome addition to a growing list of great local restaurants, I hope they succeed. But don't just take my word for it, Laura Reiley liked them, too.

The owners Darren Conner and Paul Smith were awesome to work with. Always smiling and super accommodating, they didn't even break stride when I hatched a hair-brained idea to take a plaster deer head off the wall for a cheeky portrait.

GeekFest

It's official. I'm going. Hope to see you there!

Artsy Phartsy

While Mongolian horsehead violinist Sundui Chimidkhorloo waits to play, Dark Ocean Pictures cameraman Gino Norman, right, films the opening segment for the pilot of Artsy Phartsy, a new talk show focusing on artists talking about newsy subjects, like healthcare and the economy. Filming started Saturday at 8 a.m. at Baywalk in the former Being space.

Back to School

"It's like a dream come true," said Terrence Thomas, 21, of Tampa, as he inspects his vehicle, checking the windshield for cracks, the hoses for leaks and the tires for bubbles before taking it off the lot. "I've always wanted to drive a school bus since I was a little boy." Assigned to King High School, Greco Middle School and MOSI Partnership Elementary School, Thomas is excited to start his first year driving one of the county's 1,200 yellow school buses. "I believe this is my calling."

Under the Road to Redemption

The roar of rush hour wakes him: trucks, cars and buses thundering across the causeway above his tent. Behind the shack next to his, someone guns a generator. Spanish music blares from a boom box. Homer Barkley turns on his side, pulls the covers over his head. His mother gave him these sheets when he got out of prison, to use at his brother's house, where he planned to stay. Instead, the sheets cover an air mattress Barkley hauled down here more than a year ago, when he found out he had to live on the edge of Biscayne Bay, with 70 other people convicted of committing sex crimes against kids. Home now is a spit of sand beneath a highway overpass. It's the punishment after the punishment.

Read the rest of Lane's story here.

Dating 101

I typically don't like shooting sign photos. Or using words to carry something visual. But this was too good to pass up.

You&Me.We held a relationship workshop for teenagers called Dating 101 for teens at First Baptist Church on Gandy Blvd. The teens learned about the healthy way to "hook up," what love is and isn't, and how to break up with someone. During one interactive session, they separated into groups by gender and made lists of things that they like and dislike about the opposite sex.

Just so you know, things teenage boys look for in a girl are a nice body, booty, chest, physique, and smile -- oh and not having kids was another quality they find attractive.

There dislikes were captured here. So if you're a stupid, controlling, nappy-headed, gold-digging girl with stank breath and a mustache or beard... you don't stand a chance.

Kids are funny. But at least they have standards.

Little Ballerinas

Well you can't change the world with your photos every day. Sometimes I just like hearing that I made editors in the budget meeting say "Awwwwwwwwww..."

Little ballerinas Aslyn Clark, 3, Kaylea Valdes, 5, Kayla Anderson, 6, and Jamia Gamble, 4, (left to right) throw their arms up in the air before taking a big bow during the Judith Lee Johnson City Dancers Kinderdance at Gladden Park Recreation Center.

Down & Dirty

Mud Wars competitor Cody Walters, 16.

mine

I always hold onto a twinge of hope that picture like this will run. But they never do. Shrinking space. Not a story-telling moment. Not an easy read. But I won't stop making them. If only for me. And my blog.