Tough practice

I've been trying to make it a point to start back shooting for myself again. What I mean by that is shooting at least a few frames of something solely for me while out on assignment for the paper. I believe that's one of the biggest things photojournalists can do to keep themselves happy (especially at smaller papers, such as the one I work for). I shot this today while at a soccer game. This guy was at track practice and was running sprints up this small hill beside the field. I don't know if it was punishment, but the coach would hardly let him stop for a breather. At any rate, it looked pretty intense. In this particular frame, he is headed back down the hill. I know it doesn't tell the whole story, I just liked the way he was silhouetted against the sky.

Self portrait

Me at Griffin High School tennis courts today while shooting some action for the sports section.

A lonely tree

Just like Barbie Beach, I've been meaning to stop and shoot this one too, which is also on Hwy. 16. There was just something about this tree on the horizon that attracted me.

Barbie Beach

This has to be one of the strangest things around here. I've passed by this "Barbie Beach" on Georgia Highway 16 many times, promising each time that I was going to stop and photograph it. Well today, I finally did. A wish the light would've been better. I'll shoot it again next time I pass by in the morning, when the light's shining on the beach instead of behind it. There's a house a little behind this display, probably where the Barbie fanatics live. The whole time I'm out shooting this, I kept waiting on someone to come out and confront me. But maybe they just want attention, any way they can get it.

Micro goodness

I was on an assignment for the paper on Tuesday when I stumbled upon this lens, an ancient Nikkor 55mm micro lens (other camera manufacturers call these lenses macro, but Nikon insists on micro). Anyways, this particular piece of glass was attached to an old Nikon FM2, which was on the counter at this book store we were doing a story on. I know the owner, Chris Curry (actually, just one of the owners), and she said the lens came with a box of mostly-broken camera gear she purchased that she is using for decoration. I put the lens on my D2H and went to town using it. The good thing about Nikons is that all their lenses fit all their cameras (Nikkor is Nikon's lens company). Chris said I could have it, which was awesome. I've been needing a micro lens, and you can't beat free. This other picture, taken with my new lens, is of my dog Charlie. I need to publish a book of all the photos I have of this dog.

Finally got a tripod

After getting a tripod last week, I finally took it out of the box and played around. This is my house about 3 a.m. with a 13-second exposure. It's so red because I set the camera's white balance to fluorescent.

Kim and me

Kim and I went to High Falls State Park on Saturday. We didn't do much, except for take this picture and eat some really good wings. We take a picture like this almost everywhere we go. Maybe one day I'll put them all together.

Region champs!

Griffin clinched the region tonight when they beat Jonesboro 66-59 at Mt. Zion High School. Here's a few shots from the game.

Another sportrait

Yes, I'm posting another sports portrait. This is Charles Corbin, who's a leading force for the Griffin Bears, who are heading into the playoffs next week. These portraits are pretty good lighting practice for me, considering I haven't lit anything lately. Hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Black History Month

It's been a week since my last post. I hope I won't wait that long again. Anyways, I shot this today while covering a Black History Program at the Griffin Boys & Girls Club. After each girl read their part for this particular skit, they held up the picture and bio of the person they were talking about. I just like this one. Anyways, here's the caption that ran in the paper: Courtney Head, 10, holds up a picture and biography of Oprah Winfrey on Friday at the Salvation Army during the Boys & Girls Club's Black History Month Program. Many children who attend after-school programs sponsored by the club read biographies of prominent African-Americans and performed skits.

B.J. Endsley

It's crazy around here at Photosoup — I'm going to post TWICE in the same day. If you can't handle it, you might want to leave now. Anyways, here's a portrait of B.J. Endsley, a senior for Spalding High School, that I shot for the paper. He is leading the Jaguars in scoring and rebounding, and is just an all-around good athlete.

Day at the Capitol

I went up the Georgia Capitol on Thursday to cover a local preacher giving the invocation. Before the session started, I grabbed this frame of Cleve Shupe, who works for the House of Representatives Post Office. He was passing out paperwork for the representatives.