Images of a life in the Southwest

Verbose 11 year old? Quotable kid

2011-12-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

On page 2 of Monday Dec. 12 edition of The Gallup Independent there is a story about an 11 year old student who decided to help with the Gallup Police Department's "comfort bear" program. Nice story and a positive thing for the community.

BUT. . .

I have to wonder about the writing and editing process. The last paragraph of the first column reads as follows:

"We conducted the drive for three weeks in late November," she said. "Students, teachers and members of the community participated."

Really? That is a direct quote? An 11-year-old actually said "we conducted the drive..." And then continued with "members of the community participated". What 11-year-old talks like that? I believe the quote was either "cleaned up" by an editor - or more likely, fabricated to get the information into the story. And how can you have three weeks at the end of November?

In the high school journalism class I teach we do a whole unit on the differences between a direct and an indirect quote (also called paraphrasing). You never alter the contents of a direct quote. It is one of the rules of journalism - accuracy matters.

One other writing question from page one. The story is about another election in Zuni. In the lede the author writes "...the Pueblo of Zuni will go back to the polls Tuesday...." What's wrong with that? How does a Pueblo do anything? Wouldn't it be correct to say that the PEOPLE of the Pueblo of Zuni?

Words have meaning.

Self Censorship in the classroom and out

2011-12-08T15:03:00.001-07:00

One of the things I have been telling all of my students is to be wary of publishing things to the Internet. Think before clicking the mouse button. I realized today just how much I feel I have to self censor these days, as opposed to when I was working for the newspaper. First, nobody at my school or at my district has said a word to me about what I do or don't include on my blog - but perhaps that is because I have been self censoring and not posting often. As I said, this is SELF censorship.

What can teachers freely say these days and not end up in some degree of trouble for? I think some of the things that makes teachers so valuable, our individual life experiences and outlooks on life, are often not being shared in the classroom because of this fear. Right now the teachers in the U.S. are a favorite scape goat and villain. It used to be lawyers who were the villains of our society; not it is our turn I guess.

In the past when things happened that I was aware of it was my job to get as much information as I could and share it. Now each time something happens - even a few serious things - I find myself deciding to keep quiet and not share. It does not help matters much that the local weekly tabloid has taken a keen interest in writing negative (in my opinion) stories about our school and our principal. What am I supposed to say when I routinely see one of the freelance photographers from the paper? The economy is tough, and I have to operate under the rules of the principal, the school district and the State of New Mexico to keep my teaching license. This certainly has a chilling effect on my willingness to speak out about things and express my own opinions.

Some people in our district have even had to sign agreements as part of their contracts saying they cannot speak to the press (period!). This makes me wonder if it is not a violation of those employees constitutional rights - as schools are government agencies, so therefore a clause saying you cannot speak to the media violates the First Amendment which says "Congress shall make NO LAW...". The agreement/contract restriction is in essence a law passed by the government.

If that rule extends to me I am not aware of it. It would make things a bit more difficult when I want to invite professional journalists into my journalism classroom to discuss the career. And it would also mean that I would have to sever contact with the many photojournalists I have met and befriended throughout my career.

Education is facing a lot of issues right now - and having those of us in the classroom working in the fray feel like we should probably stay quiet, because "after all, at least I still have a job" is not promoting positive changes in the classroom.

My Review of Nikon D7000 Digital SLR Camera Body - Refurbished by Nikon U.S.A.

2011-11-28T17:48:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at Adorama

Nikon D7000 Digital SLR Camera Body - Refurbished by Nikon U.S.A.

Glad I upgraded - Nice camera

By jjpixels from Gallup, NM on 11/28/2011

Which of the following features do you use on your digital camera?: High-speed shooting, Low-light shooting, Interchangeable lenses, Fast Auto focus, Continuous shooting

What do you do with your digital images?: Save to disk, Sell – professional photographer, Print using an in-store photo service via online upload, Print using a home printer, Use in professional publications, Upload to online photo sharing sites, Use in personal blogs, web sites, and social media sites

Picture Quality (e.g. clarity, sharpness, color): 9

Ease of Operation: 9

Shutter Speed/Lag Time: 9

Variety of features (e.g. zoom, image stabilization, low light): 8

Durability/reliability (e.g. damage resistance, battery life and sturdiness): 9

Overall Experience: 10

How likely are you to recommend your digital camera to your friends, family, co-workers, etc.: Definitely will

Pros: Quiet, Easy To Use, High ISO Performance, Fast / Accurate Auto-Focus, Good Image Quality

Best Uses: Landscape/Scenery, Indoors/Low Light, Travel, Wildlife photos, Sports/Action, Weddings/Events

Describe Yourself: Pro Photographer

Was this a gift?: No

When my trusty Nikon D200 stopped being so trusty, and my D80 was not really cutting it for night sports I debated between simply repairing the D200, going for the cheaper upgrade to a D90 and buying the D7000. I opted to get the refurbished D7000 (the D3100 and D5100 are not options as I have several AF-D lenses which are not supported by those cameras). Shipping was fast and the camera is in really nice condition.

It feels a lot like my D80 body as far as size and shape, but it is more solid feeling and is extremely quiet (especially compared to my D200, D80 and D2h bodies).

The autofocus is pretty responsive, though not perfect, and the 16MP raw files will certainly tax an older computer when image editing.

I do have a minor complaint with Nikon about charging so much for their Nikon Capture software, but the Nikon View NX 2 software can handle the raw file processing fairly well - just takes a bit to learn where things are.

I ordered an extra battery, but decided to use some Ni-MH AA batteries while the En-EL15 was charging. So far I have over 700 frames, included more than 100 10+ second long exposures and the AA batteries are still going.

The only real issue I have with the camera is that the sensor needed cleaning - it had several spots that would not clean off with the camera's automatic cleaning function so I had to use the old swabs and eclipse cleaner to get the sensor cleaned.

The last comment is about noise at high ISO. Yes, you can zoom in and see it at 3200 or 6400 ISO, but who is really going to look at your prints that closely and that size? I don't even think I need to find a profile for noise ninja with this camera.

(legalese)

The Trouble with Teachers

2011-05-04T16:03:00.000-06:00

I found an interesting read in The New York Times. The article is titled "The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries" What a novel idea - treat teachers like professionals and give them better support rather than blame and disparage them.

Although the article makes an example of soldiers fighting a war, I think about a different example I have heard, which is police and crime: If crime is high and a neighborhood has poverty and other issues, you don't fire the police officers or cut the staffing - you increase it.

Free Press - and restraint

2011-05-04T09:21:00.000-06:00

Tuesday was World Press Freedom Day. In my journalism and yearbook classes we talked about the First Amendment and why it is important to have a free press. A lot of my students did not see the free press as necessary to be a watchdog of the government, but instead many said that it was important to have a free press so that people could share new ideas. They are right - the sharing of ideas is important, and I hope that today's material also got through to them about the responsibility for journalists to document the events of the world.

Now, having just said that a free press is important, I find myself undecided about the issue of Osama bin Laden's death. The White House has photos of his body, but is hesitating to release them to the public because they are disturbingly graphic. The Washington Post has an article up right now about the issue, and I am torn. The mainstream media should have access to the photos, and the professional journalists should be allowed to decide for themselves. However, the mainstream media has a poor track record when it comes to restraint. I can see where the White House or military would be hesitant to trust the professional journalists with making the appropriate call.

The government is not any better for their decision making in terms of media. The idea that the government is trying to keep people in the United States from seeing the reality of the war bothers me. I keep coming back to Tami Solicio losing her job because she photographed and shared the flag-draped coffins being prepared for transport back to the United States. The images are not horrific, but honorable. They show that even in death the fallen soldiers are treated with dignity and respect. I do not know 2what is objectionable about the photos. The first fact of war is that men die. To ignore it is insulting to the soldiers who served and sacrificed.

More recently a reporter from The San Francisco Chronicle got into trouble with the White House for taking video of protesters at a fund raiser that President Obama was at. The reporter was not the only one who shot video, and it is online - but because she was identifiable and they know that The Chronicle will want to cover other news in the future the White house made threats. The world is not a perfect place, and for the government to ask us to pretend that it is insults us.

I know that in the end the Osama bin Laden photos will get out somehow. There is already one on the internet now that is purportedly real.The question is who gets to, and who should, decide what we publish. If the government gets to choose on this, then what else can the government say they have the right to decide for us?

Respect: A message to my students

2010-12-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

You don't have to respect me - even though in the classroom I know what I am talking about)
You don't have to respect yourself - though you act like others owe it to you
But, by not doing your work to the best of your ability you are saying to every other student in the school that you don't respect them enough to do a good job telling their story, and everything they do is beneath your attention and effort. In essence you are proclaiming yourself superior to your fellow classmates.

____________________

You may not respect me, but I do respect you enough to give you the grade that you have earned. Giving a student an A, B or C when you have not done the work to earn it would be saying that I don't care enough about you or this school to bother looking at what you have done. It would say that I don't care what you do or don't do - that your achievements and efforts are meaningless.

I do care. I want our publications to be something that you can be proud of, saying "look what I did! I created this." Even more, I want you to leave my class knowing more and understanding more than when you walked in.

Tick-tock

2010-08-05T14:48:00.000-06:00

Is it a bad omen that teachers here in McKinley County, New Mexico have to report for work on Friday the 13th?!? Or was this a deliberate plan to let us know what is ahead for the school year?

I drove past the new school building and it is hard to tell how much more work they have to do. There were some construction vehicles in the newly paved parking lot, but there is no way to know what has been accomplished inside. I do know that the students for the rest of the district start school on Aug. 18, and at Miyamura they are pushing the student start day to August 23. Presumably that is to give us extra time to move our materials from storage and into the new classrooms and then set things up.

The old building - where my classroom was last year (B-wing) has no doors on it, has chain link fencing and I suspect demolition is going to begin in just a few days.

In some ways I am ready to have summer over with - but in many other ways I am not in the right mindset to be going back to work.

Remembering the Film

2010-06-26T15:01:00.000-06:00

Now that summer is here and I am caught up on my graduate school class I have been working with digitizing some archive items. I started with my old journals, and then while looking through an box in the garage I came across my old Nikon LS-2000 and LS-1000 film scanners. Not having a SCSI connector and proper drivers for my Windows XP computer they have been sitting in there for a couple of years or more. I also found a strange item - a USB to SCSI cable. With some searching I found a driver that allows the cable to work with Windows XP.

Next I tried repeatedly to get the Nikon software to work. It still doesn't - it does not like the TWAIN drivers or something. So a bit of searching on the net reminded me of Hamrick Software's program "VueScan" - which I purchased in 2001. I reloaded the program (my license is still valid, and includes the upgrades) and after an install and restart I now have a working film scanner for my computer.

So, I found some film and slides and started scanning. Here are a few of the images:

Neil Diamond performs at the Fargodome in Fargo, ND (July 1996)

Nicole stops for a quick photo while hiking at Red Rock State Park - (1997)

BURN - David Alan Harvey

2010-05-19T14:18:00.000-06:00

Even though things are insane in terms of trying to get it all done before classes let out next Thursday, I still need to occasionally take some time and explore the work of other photographers. It is sort of my version of meditation (but different).

I have just discovered an online magazine currated by David Alan Harvey (from Magnum). Stop in and look around. Lots of photo essays and links. It is called "burn."

No, I am not going into any in-depth analysis of the work. Enjoy it for yourself. I need to get back to grading and writing my final exams.

Odds - NBA or Photojournalist?

2010-05-17T21:34:00.003-06:00

Kenneth Jarecke makes an interesting case about reasons NOT to be in the photography industry - yet he has hopes for the industry to rebound.

By his accounting, there are more players in the NBA today than there are successful freelance photographers.

Basically: Stop undervaluing (or worse, giving away) photos.

Mixed up priorities

2010-05-11T23:47:00.004-06:00

I got an Email a few minutes ago from a teacher that participated in the Reynolds High School Journalism program with me last summer. She was laid off today. In her words about the state of affairs at her district:

My school lost 29 teachers today from a teaching staff of 150. At my son's school, he lost his world history teacher, English teacher, and drama teacher. His high school has no drama or horticulture departments anymore. One school lost their football, basketball, baseball and soccer coaches. All taught AP but were in their early years of service. The county, in total, laid off about 600 full time teachers (of 7000) and all its part time teachers. Once the dust settles, they will transfer around all the under ten year service teachers to fill the few open positions and hire back a few. Class size is scheduled to go up to 40 for regular classes.

How can the people in power really expect for the youth of our country to become better educated and perform higher on these damned standardized tests when the people that are trying to enter the profession and want to teach are having their jobs taken away?

The Obama administration blueprint speaks at length of recruiting professional and effective teachers - but how? School districts are being targeted across the country as a simple way to save money and cut spending. If we value the future of our country then we should sacrifice almost everything before we eliminate a chance for students to have the BEST POSSIBLE education. We have schools in New Mexico and Arizona that should have been condemned a decade ago. In my classroom I need to class time waiting for students to complete the assigned readings because there are not enough textbooks for them to take the books home and read and study after school.

But . . .

The government has money to pay to get our citizens killed in wars over seas. Our government has money to spend to fly into outer space. Our state has money for politicians to fly jets across the state so they can attend parades. States across the country spend taxpayer dollars to construct sports arenas for professional sports who make millions of dollars and could fund the arenas themselves.

The truth is that the people in the government don't care one bit about education. They care about the data. They want numbers to flash and show that the money they spent was useful. The truth is that if these people had to send their students to the typical public school they would scream foul at the first mention of cuts to something that affects them. But in the rarefied atmosphere of politicians they have options of private schools or at the very least have the funds to pay to send their children across town to the best school.

Schools are not getting results - literacy rates and test scores are dropping - so the wonderful people in charge decide that we need to remove anything that could be a diversion from the school curriculum. The only things that matter are reading, math and science. What does that do to the students that have no interest in those three areas? What about the art or band students that suddenly have nothing to enjoy at school?

Students learn in a variety of ways, and have a variety of interests. They can learn to be critical thinkers by doing work that does not involved learning to fill in bubble sheets. By having other classes and other activities the students have something to look forward to in their day and they might actually make an effort in the other parts of the day. But turn school into a place where they have nothing at all to look forward and those students are going to be resistant to every minute of their class time - and instead of learning more because of the extra instruction time in those key classes they are actually learning less.

So here's the current idea - cut all the teacher's salaries, lay off a bunch, increase class sizes to 40 students so there is no way for a teacher to have any type of individual relationship where they can address specific learning needs of each student - kill the morale of the staffs in every school in the country because they are worried about their jobs and how to pay for their student loans and keep relying on these stupid high stakes tests to decide that if students can't pass them (because they do not learn in that single style then) they must be total failures and not fit for any place in society.

There is a simple definition of insanity -- Continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting to get different results.

As long as the "priority" on education is simply babble for election speeches students will continue to get the shaft and teachers will continue to get blamed.

Want to complain? Maybe you can find your congress person at the sports stadium in the VIP box. You certainly won't find them at the local school board meeting or checking on their child's grades at during parent conferences at the public school.

My loss of Faith - How Toyota Has Fallen

2010-05-04T16:50:00.002-06:00

For a long time I have had a preference for Ford vehicles. It goes back to my first car - a 1976 Mercury Montego (yes, the four-door version of the classic Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino), and continued with my LTD II and my accident prone 1986 Thunderbird (it had a bulls-eye painted on it I guess). My wife is not so fond of Fords, as she is a lot shorter than I am. Over recent years she has persuaded me that Toyotas were the vehicles to consider. Heck, they are onto something big with the Prius hybrid.

So, when reports started to come in about stuck accelerators (ALL car companies have reports of this issue - just Toyota is much higher than any other, and Hyundai is lowest on the list I saw) and things don't look so rosy for Toyota. The latest recall - about the tire latches rusting in winter weather zones - not too bothered by it , because hey, you try putting a piece of metal in that salt/sulfuric acid they spread on the roads in Minnesota and not have it rust... pretty hard to prevent.

But . . . And this is huge. This is worse than Subaru having their Outback recategorized from a car to a truck so they could decrease gas mileage on it. Toyota has decided that on top of things happening that they cannot control, they have decided that US Copyright laws are merely suggestions that big companies don't have to follow. They hired an advertising firm that took some copyrighted (and even watermarked) photos from Flickr and used them for advertising one of their vehicles. Then, when the photographer complained they did not even really apologize - and they did not say they would not do it again, or would stop doing business with the ad agency. They only regret getting caught I guess.

For the details and samples of the photos, visit here: Software Cinema Blog

And I am off. Lensbaby is having a Webinar in about an hour and I want to see if I can learn any new tricks that would be useful with my Lensbaby 3G.

Breathing room. . . .

2010-04-22T18:04:00.004-06:00

I look around and realize something. I do not have to panic about getting anything done (until next week). My Educational psychology class is over, my application for practice teaching is filled out and ready to turn in. I even had a few minutes this evening to catch up on some of the work that former colleagues of mine have been doing in the photography world.

One photographer that I want to point out is Albuquerque Journal photographer Roberto Rosales. He has some nice stuff HERE from the 2010 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow.

Rosales, along with Steven St. John, have started Tortuga Travel Photography workshops. (They have a couple openings left in their workshop this weekend in Albuquerque).

Take a peek, leave a comment. Enjoy their work.

Unpaid Internships (the OTHER U.P.I.)

2010-04-09T14:35:00.004-06:00

When I was looking for my first internship some 14 years ago I knew I needed to have a paid position. I could not afford to work for free. As it was I was using student loans to cover a lot of expenses while in school - so not being paid would have meant not being able to take the spot.

Today I found an article at the Poynter Institute website that talks about the practice, and how in some states there have been crackdowns on the practice due to labor laws. Others argue that it is unfair as only people who already have the money to support themselves can afford to have the experience. This is somewhat like only allowing rich people to go to school from one viewpoint. From the opposing view, rich people almost always enjoy the benefits of living in more affluent neighborhoods and attending better funded public schools - sometimes having the option of private schools - and are more able to handle the costs of going to college. We are a capitalistic society after all - so why can't those who have "earned" more get the rewards? (I ask playing devil's advocate)

It may all end as a moot point - newspaper's are soon going to be unpaid jobs for everybody if new profit models cannot be worked out. Then only the rich who can afford to do journalism as a hobby will be reporting on our society. How balanced will that take on the world be?

In my introduction to Journalism class I do not tell students of the bright future careers ahead of them in newspapers. I tell them this is the process of reporting the news, understand it so you can decode it and get the information you need.

Unpaid internships? The publisher and the EIC and the shareholders get paid. I would not volunteer to work at McDonald's in an unpaid capacity - they want a person's time and effort they need to compensate them with more than just by-lines. A by-line and a buck will buy you a cup of coffee at McD's. The only person that the by-line without the cash will matter to is your mother who will say she is proud of you (as she loans you the money you should have gotten paid for by the news organization).

The Shrinking Path - NY Times

2010-03-30T07:54:00.004-06:00

A fellow photographer on sportsshooter.com posted a link to an article in the New York Times that I read this morning. It details a lot of the issues most photographers, especially freelance shooters, have been aware of for a while now, and explains what is behind them.

Why can't photographers make a living doing what they are good at these days? Technology is the main culprit. As the internet and digital cameras make it easier to take photos and share them the value has dropped.

Supply and demand - economics 101. Too many people are willing to give away their photos. Too many people don't see the photos as costing anything to produce and have no idea what a Cost of Doing Business analysis is.

To read the full story, click here.

A few days ago I was going through my archives of photos, looking for some examples to use for teaching in my digital darkroom class, and it really hit me how much I miss being able to go out and make pictures every day. I loved the job when I was making images, but I am not the hardcore self-promoter and business person that I would need to be to even have half a chance of making a living as a freelance photographer.

There are a lot of good photographers out there looking for work. A lot more are like me who have decided the risk is too great - too many responsibilities and commitments - and have moved in to other fields.

Student Newspaper story ideas

2010-03-08T15:54:00.004-07:00

This is my second semester of teaching journalism, and I am already seeing the same story ideas come up again and again. Dress code is not fair, students should be allowed to listen to their MP3s/iPods etc. With no history of a student newspaper at our school (it is a new high school after all), there are no benchmarks established yet. We don't have a tradition of doing strong journalism and the students don't really know what hard hitting reporting looks like. Yet.

Today I was browsing through what other teachers are having their students do, and I stumbled upon this site that has dozens and dozens of news story ideas for high school journalism students. The best part, the ideas are from students, so they might be a bit more palatable than something I might assign them.

So now I am going to direct all of my students to the High School Journalism Institute site when they complain they don't have any story ideas.

National Geographic photography links

2010-03-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

There are so many thousands of photo sites out there, and nowhere near enough time to look at all of them. Some of them are even so filled with mediocre (and even poor) photos that they just don't pass muster.

So, some of the best shooters can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. I know I often overlook National Geographic when I am looking for things on the web. I look through the magazine in print, but I have a tendency to forget about things like their photo of the day and their on-line photo tips.

Plus, they have a lot of their images available as free downloads to use as computer wallpaper. Very cool.

So head on over and take a browse when you have some spare time.

Washed out week

2010-01-22T15:36:00.003-07:00

Not a lot of teaching going on this week. We started with the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday.

Tuesday we had parent conferences (moved up from when they were originally scheduled).

Wednesday we had some snow and had a two hour delay. I had classes with my 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th period students.

Then Thursday we had a snow day (when I got out of bed to go to work there was not even a delayed start, and when I finished my shower school was cancelled.

That brings us to today. We had rain most of the evening, and before the 10 pm news last night they announced cancellations for today. By midnight the rain had changed to snow, and this morning awoke to nearly six inches of snow.

I wandered out into the front yard today and took a few frames, but the purist in me thinks that snow and nature photos don't look right with houses, cars and power lines, so I didn't put a lot of effort into them.

I think that this is the largest accumulation of snow I have seen in one storm since moving here to Gallup.

This afternoon the sun came out, but now clouds are rolling back in and another storm cell is supposed to hit us tonight.

Winter Can be Useful

2010-01-02T12:50:00.002-07:00

Having a little bit of down time as Christmas vacation comes to a close I stopped by David Hobby's blog to see what is happening with him. . . I always find fascinating quick and CHEAP ways of lighting images on his blog. Anyway, he is out east and got hammered with 23" of snow last week. And, in true creative fashion he has come up with a great use for the snow. If it's there, might as well make use of it, eh?

I thought I was a Diet Mt. Dew fan, but he is truly hard-core.

Oh yeah, Happy New Year.

Resolutions

2010-01-01T12:55:00.003-07:00

I could make some flip comment about resolving not to make any resolutions, or have some sage or life altering ideas. Truth is, that I have been on a mental vacation for the majority of this two week vacation and have not really taken time to come up with anything.

We return to school next week and have only that one week together before the semester ends. (I personally think it was pretty poor planning to have vacation and then have students return from break for finals week). The second semester will (hopefully) be more productive - especially for my digital darkroom students - as I actually have the computers and Photoshop Elements 8 (instead of using old PC machines with only 125 to 256 MB of RAM and the GIMP software). Having a computer for every student should help get rid of a lot of the issues from this past semester - students waiting their turn to use the computers get bored and start distracting each other.

I picked up a copy of Scott Kelby's The photoshop elements 8 book for digital photographers to give me some insight into things that Elements 8 has that are not in CS3 and to think about some tricks that I never used when working for a newspaper.

I guess my resolution for 2010 is to be as effective at teaching as possible, and to not let all of my teaching and grad school responsibilities prevent me from making images for myself.

Las Vegas for Thanksgiving

2009-12-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

For our vacation during Thanksgiving week we went with one of Nicole's friends to Sin City. They graciously allowed us to use one of their time-share units and I made a bunch of photographs along the way. These are from the Bellagio and the Eiffel Tower.

Poem - "Flight"

2009-11-13T23:03:00.003-07:00

I wrote this in class last night as part of the final "exam" in my graduate class - "Introduction to the exceptional child."

They all soar above and move

splendidly, magically

My wings are made

differently (they say I'm special)

I want to spread my wings

They all fly as if supported with string

Smooth. Graceful

and secure

I falter and wobble and

struggle. Unsure.

Flight is a right. Perhaps, a gift?

Yet nobody has bestowed

Or, the secret remains untold.

My way is different

My wings less beautiful

Yet I want to soar

I want to experience

Freedom. (Icarus, you brilliant fool)

What is the secret?

Where did I go wrong?

Homecoming - Class Games

2009-10-06T23:12:00.003-06:00

Homecoming week at Miyamura High School continues. This evening students from the Junior, sophomore and freshmen classes battled for class supremacy.

To start things off, students began the tricycle relay race.

I am still trying to figure out the exact purpose of the gas mask - but it made for an interesting photo....

Brandon and Michael - Passing a Life-saver candy on a toothpick as part of a relay race.

The Miyamura Chronicle

2009-10-06T22:40:00.003-06:00

After some issues with internet access and many students not meeting multiple deadlines (more than two weeks of class time and some students have yet to turn in a single word) but the first edition of the Miyamura Chronicle is now on-line.

For every student in the journalism class, news writing is a new challenge, and making the transition from writing "school" style to news style is not easy for many of them.

Still, I wanted to get the stories from the students that did write and get their work in on time posted so that they could have something to show for their efforts.

Light: Ambient and flash mixed

2009-09-30T18:16:00.005-06:00

I often struggle to explain the relationship between flash, shutter speed, aperture and ambient light. Especially with 14-year old students who know nothing of cameras except what is inside their cell phone. SO this evening I was browsing the web for a few minutes before getting back to work on my studies for grad school and I came across a blog that shows it very plainly.

The blog and web site are very nicely done - but be aware that some of the galleries include nudity - and he has a good mastery of light. The photographer is Ciaran Whyte. I recommend checking out the following pages:

Examples of changing Ambient light with flash

and an even more comprehensive explanation of light and exposure is here.

He is also a Strobist Fan, so when you are done looking at his stuff, head on over to visit David Hobby's site for even more tips on lighting photos for cheap.

Not wanting business?

2009-09-26T09:03:00.003-06:00

After months of waiting, the grant money for computers and other equipment has finally come in and orders are going out. The laptops and software (Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop Elements 8 -yes, version 8 is out already) have been easy to order. But what is not as easy is ordering cameras.

I have been trying to contact vendors that would work with a public school purchase orders - and I can now see why the economy is so bad and businesses are failing. I have money to spend and yet the vendors won't bother to return telephone calls or respond to Emails.

The one person - Jeff Snyder at Adorama cameras in New York, has refused to do business with me on several occasions. He was with a different camera company for several years - and I tried to place orders with that company when he was the newspaper sales contact, and he would not respond to calls, and when I did contact him he would promise to get back to me and not follow through. Now that he has moved to Adorama and is one of the sponsors for Sportsshooter.com I was also wanting to order from him to give back. When Tokina came out with a new ultra-wide angle lens I wanted to pre-order one and he told me he would contact me when they were in stock. I never heard from him.

No big deal - it was probably just an oversight - even though he did say he would contact me. But this week I called to order 9 cameras, some accompanying memory cards, batteries, flash units and more... and not a peep either by telephone or Email.

So, Friday afternoon (I Snyder's called his office Tuesday morning) I placed a call to his competitors across town - B&H Photo. The public school sales rep that handles New Mexico was very helpful, explained a few things, apologized that he would not have the completed quote until Tuesday (it was near closing time and because of the Jewish holidays this weekend they will not be open until Tuesday) and left me feeling comfortable about doing business with B&H (again - I have used them for many of my personal purchases in the past.)

Now, before you leave thinking this rant is entirely against Mr. Snyder, it is not. Other vendors I tried to contact also did not respond. It is simply that this has been a recurring thing with this one. So, Sportsshooter.com sponsor or not, my business dollars - and those of my school district - are going to a different supplier.

Zuma and DoubleTruck-check 'em out

2009-09-26T08:48:00.005-06:00

When I was working at The Gallup Independent we somehow managed to get onto a mailing list for DoubleTruck magazine (I never contacted them to subscribe). Each issue would come filled with amazing two-page images filling page after page. (Thus the magazine's name). They are affiliated with Zuma Press, which boasts a collection of some of the best photojournalists in the industry on their staff and represented by them. The subscription rate might seem high - four issues for $33, but bear in mind that they are basically publishing soft-cover books with giant photos for every page. I just sent out a check for a subscription to have in my classroom for my journalism and yearbook students.

Zuma Press has a "Pictures of the Day" feature on their web site and it is definitely worth taking a look at. You can also follow Zuma Press on Facebook.

Soccer is brutal

2009-09-04T23:51:00.000-06:00

(**NOTE: First of all, the two images here are NOT related. One happened on the sidelines, the other during the game. The first did not cause the second.)

So, for the first time in quite a while I dug out the "big guns" and went to shoot a sports event. Lack of practice, lack of sleep (I have been averaging only 5-6 hours a night at best) or just plain lack of thinking - whatever - led to some damaged equipment. I was swapping my camera body and putting my Nikon D2h onto my 300mm lens, and I had just connected my 1.4x teleconverter to the lens when the soccer ball came out of bounds, right to me. The lens was resting partly on my camera bag and partly on the lens hood. I took my hand off the lens to deflect the ball away from me and the camera body. The result is that somehow the lens tipped off the camera bag and the mount smashed against the ground. Now, it is bad, but at least the damage is to the teleconverter and not to the lens. I have a second teleconverter, and even if I didn't at least I still had the lens, intact, to shoot with.

Photo #2 - is a quick grab shot after two players both used their heads to try to win the ball. One of the Miyamura players ended up head-butting the Grants Pirate and opened a nasty gash over his eye that ended up needing stitches.

I was greatly disappointed that the student from the yearbook class who asked to use a camera to photograph the games this evening never showed up. The STUDENTS are supposed to be creating the yearbook, but I guess there is a lot of attention to what I will get the final product to look like. It does not ease the pressure much to learn that my school's principal and one of hte vice principals were on the radio recently and talking about how great things are that I am at the school to help create the yearbook and newspaper...

Blank looks and lots of tech

2009-09-02T20:14:00.003-06:00

I stood in front of my students today and talked about composition and diagonal lines; the effect of color and when it is okay to ignore the "rule of thirds". I showed photos and talked about them. During the day I went over the same topics and only a small number of students seemed to have any interest.

Next came the technical stuff. The last portion of my class focused on file formats and image resolution. I talked about JPG files, the limitations of only having 8 bits per color channel, the loss of data for each time the photo is re-saved... I talked about the RAW file format, how it gives the full range of data from the camera but the raw files are not universal and they take up a lot of space. I explained TIF files and ended with the PSD file formats.

Then I asked, "any questions?"

The only sound was the roar of the three box fans in my room trying to keep the temperature from broiling the students.

Not a single question. I know they didn't all get it. I know that they were confused. I also had no idea where to start expanding the explanation without them asking some kind of question. I have been working with digital photography files and Photoshop since the mid-1990s. So much of what I know about this stuff has been gained in little bits and pieces as I have wanted to get more understanding. We are three weeks into the semester and still do not have computers or cameras(with exceptions) for the students, so that means that not only is the material all complicated and new, it is also very abstract. They need to DO, not just have me explain and show them.

The biggest thing is they need to get over their unwritten "code of coolness" that says they are not supposed to ask questions or engage in conversations with the teacher. If they are not going to ask, and I don't know what the point is they have lost me, then I might as well sit and play solitaire. The results will be the same.

Nostalgic?

2009-08-29T17:13:00.009-06:00

Every once in a while I hear somebody ask, "Do you miss the newspaper?" This makes me pause. For the most part I have been far too busy with my new life to dwell on what I left behind. Between lesson planning for three different subjects (each one a brand new program), teaching six class periods a day (with somewhere around 160 students to try and learn their names and preferences and personalities), spending some time with my family, recuperating from my leg infection, and now taking more classes for my Master's degree there is not a lot of down time (of which that IS something I miss).

On Thursday a photographer from California sent me (my students) a Canon 10D and 50mm lens. I am very grateful for the generous gift. But, I shoot Nikon and the only lens we have for the Canon is the 50mm. While the 50mm will be great for volleyball, basketball and portraits, it is not so good for football or soccer, so I was browsing around at the KEH used cameras web site just to get an idea of what was even available.

I am not even sure what made me think of it, but I ended up visiting their Nikon film camera section. They have Nikon F4s bodies for under $200 and they have/had a N6006 for $17. Yep - for the cost of a pizza you can buy one of these cameras which was one of my main cameras when I first started at the newspaper..... Anyway, the F4s listings made me reminisce about the F4e (top - with the bigger battery grip) and F4s (bottom photo) bodies I had and what incredible pieces of equipment they were. I had a passing thought that maybe I should buy one - but then I came to my senses. What would I do with a film camera? It would take money every time I wanted to use it - film, processing and printing... nah. Not just for a sentimental toy. Still, they do LOOK COOL.

I know, I should have some kind of connection with my F5 - it was the ultimate in high tech film gear, but... for one thing, the shutter failed on it in the middle of my trip to Moab. The other, only a few weeks after getting it our publisher made the announcement that I was to convert our newspaper to digital and I never got to really use the camera to the point of it being a part of me on a daily basis.

Desperately needing some kindness!

2009-08-21T23:10:00.005-06:00

It is always interesting how in life things don't work out as nice and neat as planned. My courses, which were originally intended to be mostly newspaper writing, have changed into only one newspaper class and one yearbook class (34 students) and four more digital darkroom classes. That puts me at more than 150 students and only three little point and shoot digital cameras to let the students use. Now, the cameras (Nikon Coolpix 3200 models) are plenty in terms of resolution and will be sufficient for basic skills with shooting and then editing - but I need MORE. I simply cannot rotate three cameras to 150 students to do assignments with.

If you have ANY type of working digital camera - even something as small as one of these 3-megapixel units - and could see your way clear to donate them to the yearbook and journalism program at my high school I and my students would be immensely indebted to you.

Contact me through this blog - or you can send the camera(s) to the school at:

Miyamura High School

680 S. Boardman Avenue

Journalism department - Room B29

Gallup, NM 87301

Attn: Jeff Jones

Again, I cannot tell you how much you would be helping my program through your donation...

My Review of Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DG Macro Auto Focus Wide Angle Telephoto Macro Zoom Lens for Nikon AF-D.

2009-08-09T11:01:00.001-06:00

Adorama

Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DG Macro Auto Focus Wide Angle Telephoto Macro Zoom Lens for Nikon AF-D.

Lightweight and overall okay

jjpixels Gallup, NM 8/9/2009

Pros: Macro, Zoom Range, Easily Interchangeable, Lightweight

Cons: Lens Creep

Best Uses: Wildlife, Macro, General Use

Describe Yourself: Professional

I bought this lens for a throw in the bag and go alternative to my Nikkor f/2.8 lenses. It has a good range, acceptable focus and I love the macro focus of this. It is very compact and lightweight. The downside is that at 300mm the lens is f/6.3 - making it dark to see and the lightness of the lens make stability a bit of a problem at 300mm. I suggest a mono-pod when at the long focal lengths.

()

Photoshop BANNED!

2009-08-08T17:54:00.003-06:00

How is that for a sensationalistic headline? See, I can write, not just take purty pictures.

Interesting read about British Parliament supposedly wanting to ban all Photoshop use in ads for children under 16, and disclosures/disclaimers in ads for adults.

I am not a fan of this over-idealized world of perfect people and things we have shoved in our faces on a daily basis, but this is a slippery slope to walk on. First of all, who determines how much is too much? Photos straight out of the camera often need color correction, brightness and contrast tweaking and conversion from RGB to CMYK color space. Actually, even the photo coming out of the camera has already been "Photoshopped" - if you shoot RAW format then you use Adobe RAW or some other raw file conversion software to optimize the photo. If you shoot JPEG format then the camera is doing it before putting the info on the memory card.

New cameras have all types of atuo features built in. Things like mid-tone contrast (Nikon calls it D-lighting); facial recognition, smile detection and so amny other things that people would have to work hard to keep their cameras from doing something to the file.

Photos have always been staged/adjusted. The early portraits had the subjects sit with bolts in vises holding their heads still. Portraits were worked on by retouching artists - airbrushers and people with paint brushes and black inks that they used to paint onto the negatives before the prints were made... and the news photographer in a hurry was often known to rub the tip of his finger on the edge of his nose, then smear the oil from his skin onto a scratched negative to hide some of the defects. Old B&W sports photos were easily "improved" by the photographer placing a cotton ball on the paper where it would block the light for a while, then the photographer would give a light puff of breath and blow the cotton away - resulting in a whit blurry spot that resembled the blur of a ball.

Now cameras and computers and software are in the hands of almost everybody. Those with training and some incentive to be trustworthy - while others just want to be noticed. So people go after the tools that make it possible, rather than look at the problem of the people who are so unscrupulous as to alter reality and claim it as truth.

Look back over my images in this blog. Many are simply adequate. Getting adequate images day in and day out takes work and dedication. How easy my job would be if I had the personal moral ambiguities that allowed me to change the photos . . .

The answer is not to regulate Photoshop, but to teach people to learn to filter the information and know if the source is trusted or not.

"Citizen Journalists" are so often an unknown quantity - and yet more and more news organizations want to take their "reports" as facts because it was free, and the cost of having paid professionals was too great. You get what you pay for.

Stop the deliveries - or a Bumble Ball?

2009-08-08T17:36:00.004-06:00

Being in the vast expanses of the New Mexico high desert I seldom think about the traffic and congestion that are a way of life for so many people. When I left Minneapolis so many years ago it was not so much for the traffic and the noise as it was for the weather.

Nevertheless, browsing on various sites and linking to other sites led me to some articles about getting rid of all the delivery vehicles on the streets in the cities. The idea is to re-purpose the existing sewer and other underground infrastructures for some cargo delivery system.

That led me to a link about a device called UnitX which has a prototype developed and it seems like a great idea. Small robots that carry cargo boxes through the tunnel systems to the assigned address, some can be set up for delivering hot or cold items (pizza delivery?). The system might be something special - and at the same time simple. The robots are the moving parts - the tunnels only provide the path and electricity. Now, I wonder how long it would take to get an order of Kung Pao Chicken from Albuquerque to me out here. . . ?

Is it just me, or does the first image on the site remind anybody else of the classic "Bumble ball" toy?

Ironic irony

2009-08-04T09:26:00.006-06:00

Welcome to the Hall of Freedom. In here you can see the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and other important documents that founded our country. We are the land of the free. Oh, and by the way, you are not allowed to . . .

Pretty much, that what is going on over at the National Archives. They are proposing a rule prohibiting any type of recording (filming/photographing) of the famous documents. The rule says that it is to reduce damage to the documents from people using flash (although video does not use flash....)

Now this post is NOT a rant that they shouldn't regulate the things that people do there. The documents are reportedly in BAD condition. They are parchment, not paper, so they are not holding the ink pigments as well. A photographer on Sportsshooter stated that at first look the Declaration of Independence loos like a blank sheet since it has faded so much. He also said that despite signs - and guards - telling people not to, the visitors are firing flashes non-stop.

Also, from my understanding there is a long line all the time just to get in for a quick glimpse, and people with video cameras and still cameras slow things down by taking time to focus, check lighting/exposure and so on.... so if it is truly a case of allowing more people access to the documents when they have made the trip to go to the archives then by all means. Rather than having the headache of checking every person that stands in the long lines and ensuring that they have the right type of camera and that they know how to make sure the flash will not fire, they are feeling the need to put a blanket statement about no cameras in place.

Instead, this post is merely finding the discord between calling someplace the Hall of Freedom and filling it with documents saying we can live free, then having to restrict what you can do. To me, that is irony.

To see the documents you can order exact duplicates to keep, or simply view them on-line.

A different type of scam?

2009-08-03T09:03:00.002-06:00

I checked my Email this morning and had a curious note from a former co-worker from my days at the newspaper. It reads as follows:

Hello,
How are you doing?hope all is well, I"m sorry that i didn't inform you about my traveling to England for a Seminar.I need a favour from you as soon as you receive this e-mail because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money is and other valuable things were kept, i will like you to assist me with a loan urgently. I will be needing the sum of $2,500 to sort-out my hotel bills and get myself back home.I will appreciate whatever you can afford to help me with, i'll pay you back as soon as i return. Kindly let me know if you can be of help? so that i can send you the details.

Your reply will be greatly appreciated

The note is not signed, but it does show that it came from his account. I sent out a couple of quick text messages to confirm and no, he is NOT out of the country, or even out of the city here. I am not sure how this scm plays out, but I can only imagine it ends up costing you some serious money if you follow through with it to the end.

Have a great Monday, okay?

Time magazine cover pays big coin

2009-07-28T21:52:00.003-06:00

The decline in newspapers has been on-going. Photographers also continue to struggle. For a long time the freelance shooters whined about those of us that had staff jobs taking assignments on the cheap because it was supplemental income. Now that staff jobs are vanishing the hobbyist is to blame. Or something.

How about the corporate bastards over at Time magazine as a place to point the fingers? Get this: A photographer got paid a staggering $30.00 for his image that was the FRONT COVER of the magazine. Now, they go even further and offer to sell reprints of their cover for $15.95. So all they have to do is sell TWO reprints and they have made money.

I am sure that people will tell me to get over it, the people at time are simply running a business and maximizing profits. I am so damned sick of hearing about how profits are the ONLY thing that matters. No wonder so many high school kids thrive on gang-banger music, hardcore violence in movies and are not asserting themselves. Why bother? Being a good citizen is for chumps. Why would anybody bother to go and have ethics and morals and treat people with fairness?

I think that $30 for a magazine cover photo is like buying a copy of Fantastic Four #1 for $1.25 because the seller didn't know the real value.

People at Getty and Time and everywhere else think about this: what is going to happen when you are 80 years old and you want somebody to help take care of you, but instead you get kicked to the street or even put down like a dog because the people that tried to have principals and treat people fairly were long ago done away with, and the society that is left won't have any interest in your dignity, but in your bank account and your fixed income checks that stopped years earlier because Social Security was not really something that we needed to be doing to help people be dignified.

I'd love to see one of those **Extensive list of Expletives deleted** from Time be handled so fairly. Never mind what the going rate is for your job Mr. Employee, we are going to give you $15.00 this week because that's all we want to.

Not everyone is abandoning newspapers....

2009-07-13T23:14:00.003-06:00

For a long time newspaper owners on the high end of the spectrum have been gutting newsroom staff and demanding unrealistic profits. Across the country newspapers are apparently on life support. Lay-offs and salary cuts are the norm.

So, how about this: a former Wall Street type has bailed on the corporate life and purchased several newspapers in Iowa (including the Charles City Press).... and in a posting shared with members of Sportsshooter.com, the buyer - Gene Hall - shares his reasons (follow the link in bold, below) and why he believes he is NOT taking a huge risk.

THIS POST with his reasons makes me think that maybe there actually are a few people out there that are thinking about newspapers in the right way.

Good luck. Hopefully he can start a trend...

Glued to my screen

2009-07-08T17:40:00.001-06:00

I cannot believe how much time I am putting in at my computer. So you are wondering if you can see the results – maybe I have been writing, or editing a major photo project. . . ? No, I have been sorting through thousands of images that I can delete. For 2008 I have over 45k images still on my one drive. A lot of that number consists of junk. Basketball games where I hit the motor drive for an action sequence. I got the shot, and then a bunch of extra stuff too. All of those can be dumped. All of the images I just dumped into the drive that were things like ads for used cars and furniture. Lots of things need to be eliminated. The rest needed to be keyworded and flagged so I can find them later on.

Right now my photo hard-drive is like the old shoe box full of negatives. In addition to the stuff from The Independent, I also have my own personal work and my family images to organize. It is amazing how quickly it packs up and gets away from somebody when shooting five or six days a week for more than 14 years. I don’t even want to begin trying to figure out what to do with my negatives and slides.

Photo Software: cheap=free=cool

2009-07-06T17:06:00.002-06:00

I met with my school's principal today and was told that I should not count on having Photoshop or even Photoshop Elements on the computers for my students. This left me in a panic - what am I going to do with 3 classes full of 25+ students each for an entire semester in the digital darkroom class?

I know I certainly cannot afford to purchase any software for my students - and not 24-28 copies of it! So I did some looking on Google and I ran across somebody mentioning a piece of software called "GIMP".

Now, the name made me hesitate for a moment, as all I could think of was the guy all dressed in leather and chained in a box in Pulp Fiction. Thankfully, that has NOTHING to do with this software.

GIMP is open source software - for FREE (I love that word) and the name is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. So I just downloaded and installed the newest release and it totally knocked my socks off. I figured it would be something along the lines of Picasa - a basic adjust the brightness and you're done type of thing. Not hardly!

This program has layers, cloning brushes, color adjustments, handles image color profiles, text tools and even unsharp mask. Now, as I said, I just downloaded this and have only played with it for about 20 minutes, but for anybody that needs some serious editing power - on a budget - this is the way to go.

Yes, the tools/icons and menus are very different looking from Photoshop CS3, but once you find where things are (like brightness/contrast tool is in the color section) it is easy enough to use.

I am soooooo glad I found this, and I actually have time to learn it before schooll starts.

Now to explore the wavelet plug-ins, including one that is supposed to handle RAW files (and possibly .DNG???)

Maybe I should get into a photo program

2009-07-05T19:32:00.002-06:00

Hey there! Did you know that there are great opportunities for photographers out there to earn real money (as opposed to the kind you make yourself, I guess).

All you have to do is take an On-line photography course. Like THIS ONE.

Or, you can do like the lady at the New York Times said, don't bother taking any photos - just go to Flickr and appropriate whatever catches your interest.

Onto other photo related things. I have a 1TB hard drive, and it only has 34 GB left on it. The only thing on the drive are photographs that I have taken. So now I have spent a good portion of this past week letting my desktop computer import and catalog the images (by year) into Adobe Lightroom. In the current ingest for 2008 (which I have had to do in segments to keep the computer from locking up) I have 50,641 images. Now I know that some of those photos are in multiple folders, but even if they are not, 50k images for one year is not really all that excessive. Think about it and you get less than 1,000 photos a week. Say I shoot 5 days per, and that comes in at about 200 images per day.

So, I shot a LOT of images. What does that mean? I have no idea really. Perhaps it means that it is possible to shoot 43,000 images with your lens cap on and not know it....

Image manipulation is a global problem

2009-07-01T11:37:00.004-06:00

Mark Hancock is a photojournalist who spends an incredible amount of time on his blog - with research, trends and explanations of his work.

I have heard about various cases of image manipulation in news outlets over the years, and always wondered what these people were thinking. In the post linked to below, Hancock has detailed the specifics of multiple cases - going all the way back to Mathew Brady in the 1860s.

I encourage you to read through it - it is long, but very thorough and definately worth the time. I will be sharing this entry with my journalism students this fall.

PhotoJournalism: Image manipulation is a global problem

Phoenix was REALLY hot...!

2009-06-29T20:27:00.003-06:00

The temperatures in Phoenix topped 100 F for the second half of our time at the Cronkite School. Wandering around in a sweat-soaked shirt and wondering why people lived in this crazy place I decided to take a photo that said "hot."

To me, plam trees imply warm weather, but California and Florida have pleasant places with palm trees, so I went into Photoshop and using the basic Hue/Saturation tool shifted the sky from blue to red. Now to me it says blazing heat.

It is so nice to be able to editorialize and not worry about every photo from my camera being real.

Multi-Media learning

2009-06-23T22:11:00.003-06:00

Part of my experience this week has been dabbling with video and sound, and learning to use the powerful piece of editing software: Final Cut Pro. We divided into groups to shoot a short package on dealing with the heat in Phoenix, and hit the streets. We shot some video, I shot still photos (also part of the assignment) and we wrapped it up.

Our adviser had the computer lab open on Saturday and Sunday, so I decided to take Saturday to run some errands (like doing laundry) and then Sunday I went to the lab. Group member Mark Salvatore was in working on the video when I got there. Turns out he also spent a good deal of time in the lab Saturday and he had pretty much wrapped up the editing issues for the clip. I feel bad because I did not contribute more to the back-end of things... but he said he wanted to really learn the software and he was fine with doing the bulk of the work.

Anyway, we are not going to win any awards for our video package, but if you care to view it, this is the link to the ASNE/Reynold's Institute blog where it is posted.

Racism: Intentional or ignorance?

2009-06-22T23:15:00.003-06:00

The topic of the day was diversity. During the discussion of being aware of race representations in the media Sharon Bramlett-Solomon (at left) spoke her ideas and opinions about the issue.

One of the initial comments she made was that she examined the representation of blacks in The Arizona Republic and found that in eight out of 10 photographs they were shown in an unfavorable way - being in need, or underprivileged. What Bramlett-Solomon did not share during the conversation was how often the white people in the paper were also shown as being in need. I say this not to try to discredit her statement (as her statement is factual and the issue does need addressing) - but to give some comparison. After all, newspapers are full of stories about the problems in our world.

Conflict sells. But I ask if the majority of the photos of white people are favorable? Or, is there a bias in the paper to show ALL people in an unfavorable light? Bramlett-Solomon said she had a discussion with the photography higher-ups at the paper and things improved. Certainly showing the majority of the photos of black people in unfavorable ways is not a good thing. But is it really an issue of a certain race being singled out, or is it the nature of the news industry to show the majority of all people in bad light? Does the newspaper simply have an issue of reporting unfavorably about many people and topics?

I do not have answers. I did not talk at length with her about the entire study she did. Maybe the conclusions need to be beyond "look how they are portraying black people" and instead need to be "look how they are portraying all people."
_______________

A second item I want to mention briefly is that perhaps I am far more ignorant of how mean and petty other people can be, but I do not think that the majority of news photographers consciously lighten the skin color of successful people of color to make them more palatable to the general white audiences. I personally have been taught many times that when color correcting photographs for printing, and when learning lighting techniques for photographing people, adjustments need to be made to allow for the darker skin tones to be reproduced with some detail when the ink hits the news print. (And for light skinned people - Scandinavians for example - skin tones need to be darkened).

The human eye can discern from more than 11 levels of lightness and darkness in a scene. A good camera can handle about seven increments (called 'stops'). Then we get to newspaper printing. The paper that many newspapers print on these days are at least partially recycled and are very porous. When black drops of ink are splattered across the paper as the drums and plates roll at high speed the result is the dots of black ink spread (This is called dot gain - the size of the dot of ink spreads - it gains area). Shadows and dark colors lose detail and become murky. Newspaper presses are not run (at least as far as I know) with a concern about super high quality images that will look good framed on a wall. The images are printed to give information. So to keep the details of a person's face recognizable and within the reproducible range their skin tones get tweaked.

Color correction is very subjective to begin with, and then to add in variables such as mixed colors of light sources, the potential for the computer monitor not to be profiled and calibrated properly, and variants in the printing process itself and color is a tough thing to produce accurately.

Just to make things even more interesting, many newspapers now do not use people to tone their images. Instead they have autmoated software that is supposedy smart and corrects the colors and scenes for the presses tp "optimal levels." I'll leave optimal up to your own imagination to define.

Now, having explained a bit about why it happens - my standpoint is that I never considered it as being a problem (this is where I show my own insensitivity/ignorance). Getting photos to be clear in a newspaper can be tough. If the presses are all in registration and the color is halfway close I was generally pretty happy (colors shift during the press run, depending on how much of each color of ink is going onto the plate... the process is so much an art rather than en exact science it is amazing at times the papers look decent at all -- a good press operator is vital!)

If lightening or darkening skin tones is truly a problem that is being overlooked by people at the newspaper, then it does not matter that it is happening because it makes things easier for the printers. If there is really a problem then the results need to be changed.

I think so many times people give members of the press, and us middle-class white people too much credit. We do things not because we are trying to cause harm (or at least I don't) but rather we do things out of ignorance of the things being an issue.

There are absolutely issues of race and and culture inequality in this country. They absolutely need to be addressed. Sometimes they are not meant to happen. Sometimes people blunder along blindly believing that things are fine, and it takes people speaking up to tell us there is an issue.

Light Rail blur

2009-06-19T23:18:00.000-06:00

After our session of the High School Journalism Institute concluded we all hopped onto the lightrail train in Phoenix and went to have dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory two rail stops away.

After the meal we all made our way back to the Cronkite school building, also via rail, to watch "All the President's Men". So the train was coming, the sun was setting, and my camera was ready.

Missing it - finally

2009-06-15T22:23:00.003-06:00

The first day of the ASNE (American Society of News Editors) Reynolds High School Journalism Institute has started and the first day is done. This is an amazing event, not only that the event is running so well, but also the care they are taking of us. Meals, hotel, and great people!!!

I tried to put away the role of photojournalist and just be a participant, but when things like this happen, and knowing that the blog needs input I turned to my stronger suit and out came the camera.

Now, today's events are simply talking heads giving speeches - you know, the old reliable podium shots. Still, it made me miss the challenges of newspaper work. In almost a year since I left the newspaper I have never really missed it. I needed a break, a way to recharge? Regardless, it is time to move on from what I used to do and focus on what I am doing. I don't want to end up like the people in the Bruce Sprinstein song, singing about "glory days."

So, back to the events - multiple students already posted their impressions from the events of today. I simply posted a few images and extended captions rather than make things too repetitive.

To read what they wrote, and see the photos:

Reynolds High School Journalism Institute blog

What Influences the Teenager's Thoughts?

2009-05-11T23:17:00.000-06:00

On Friday I confiscated an Mp3 player from one of my students. For some reason they seem to think that the district rules which ban all cell phones and other electronic devices from use do not apply to them. I wonder why they feel that they need a personal soundtrack for every second of the day. Research shows that “multi-tasking” is a myth. The people who are supposedly proficient at it are actually switching their attention from task to task at a faster rate. So listening to music is NOT something they can do without distracting them from their assignments.

Whether students should be allowed to use Mp3 and cell phones during class is not the point of this though. Instead, I decided that for my own personal curiosity I wanted to know just what it was that was on this music player… so I plugged it into my laptop and downloaded a list of the sing titles. Now, these are simply the titles, and not even the lyrics. Regardless of how you feel about the students having the “right” to listen to their own music, certainly there is a real problem with the material they are choosing to engulf their brains in. It is no wonder that the youth of today have no respect for themselves or any hopes for the future – instead they consume and allow themselves to be constantly bombarded with brainwashing that endorses violence and hatred.

am I exaggerating? Here are some of the titles on this list (and these are only the titles-the lyrics go much beyond this):

“Shorty wanna be a thug” – 2 pac-Tupac

“The big bad ass” – Ant Banks

“F****n’ with banks” – Ant Banks

“Suicidal Thoughts” – Biggie smalls

“Mo Murda” (more murder) – Bone Thugs N Harmony

“Shoot Em Up (screwed and chopped)” – Bone Thugs N Harmony

“Smoke da weed” – Clika One

“Hits from the Bong” – Cypress Hill

“I wanna get high” – Cypress Hill

“Smoke Weed” – Cypress Hill

“Doobie Ashtray” – Devin the Dude

“Assassination Day” – Ghostface Killah (killer)

“Waiting to die” – Hed PE

“F*** Dying” – Ice Cube & Korn

“Smoking on a J” – Koopsta Knicca – Da Devil’s Playground

“Stash Pot” - Koopsta Knicca

“Smoking Buddah” – Krazie Bone

“Thug Mentality” – Krazie Bone

“Live Ni**a rap”

“So F*****g What” – Metallica

“Ain’t my b*tch” – Metallica

“Drop a gem on ‘em” – Mobb Deep

“Silent Murder” – Nas

“Watch Dem Ni**as” – Nas

“Take it in blood” – Nas

“Party and B*llsh*t” – Notorious B.I.G.

“Give me the loot” - Notorious B.I.G.

“Me & My B*tch” - Notorious B.I.G.

“Ready to die” - Notorious B.I.G.

“F***ing Hostile” – Pantera

“Suicide Note Pt. 1″ – Pantera

“Murderers and Robbers” – Project Pat

“Guillotine [Swordz]” – Raekwon

“Angel of Death” – Slayer

“Fight till Death” – Slayer

“Mandatory Suicide” – Slayer

“People=Sh*t” – Slipknot

“Psychosocial” Slipknot

“Move mutha F***a” – The Kaze

“Porno Movie” – Three Six Mafia

“Break da law” – Three Six Mafia

“Ain’t no B*tches (like the ones I got)” – Too Short

“Blow Job Betty” – Too Short

“Dope Fiend Beat” – Too short

“I’d rather be your NI**A” – Tupac Shakur

“Shame on a Ni**a” – Wu Tang Clan

This particular student has a parent who is a school teacher and plays on the soccer team. The models of character and citizenship . . . where are the heroes?

ASNE Reynolds Institute in Arizona

2009-05-06T21:11:00.002-06:00

My departure from journalism has proven to be only a sabbatical. After a year of teaching English my school's principal has asked me to create a journalism program for the school starting this fall. Despite working in a newsroom for a dozen years, the fact is that there are a lot of things I do not know about how other aspects of a newspaper work - especially a student newspaper.

Shortly after I was presented with the opportunity to start a school newspaper, take over as the yearbook advisor and teach a broadcasting/multi-media class I received an invitation from the ASNE (American Society of News Editors) to apply for one of the spots in their Reynolds Institute. Over 600 people applied to the program and 35 were accepted. I was one of the candidates that was selected.

So, to find out the details about the program (at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in Arizona) you can visit our blog: Reynolds Institute.

Not helping matters

2009-03-24T20:10:00.005-06:00

There are two newspapers in Gallup. My former employer, The Gallup Independent, and The Gallup Herald. The Herald is a Sunday tabloid that is run by former Independent staff member Joe Kolb. With no love lost between Kolb and Independent publisher Bob Zollinger they seem to enjoy yellow-journalism. No, I should not be so harsh. I suspect both men think that they are doing the right thing, and maybe they are both right in their own ways. Not my place to judge them. So let me just leave it at saying that they will not be exchanging Christmas cards this year.

So, who cares? Why am I starting down this path? After all, I no longer work there (with the exception of a few side jobs covering high school sports). Well it is because I keep hearing about some exchanges between Zollinger and a city of Gallup employee (golf course director), Bob Weekes. Rumors actually. Then today I spotted a copy of The Herald and it features a blurry blob of a photo of Zollinger at his desk and the main story is that he could be facing criminal charges.

Time to do a bit of checking on what is available on the web and I stumbled across some things on You-Tube, presented by Kevin Killough - who was (still is? Not likely) a reporter for the Independent. He has some surveillance footage from the confrontation and a running, sarcastic commentary to go along with it. To me, it is inconclusive, except that the two men did face each other, Weekes landed on the ground on top of Zollinger, and surveillance cameras work a lot better when Gil Grisam and his CSI team look at them.

(If you want to view just the surveillance footage fast-forward to 8:29 in the clip)

Freelancing - Feb 28, 09 - Hoops

2009-02-28T23:09:00.000-07:00

I have been picking up a few games as side jobs for The Independent, including the district championship game between the Rehoboth Lynx and the Navajo Pine Warriors. The Warriors really tried, but the three tall students on the Rehoboth team made the challenge insurmountable, and the Lynx won 74-47.

Rehoboth Lynx Russell Kamps (11) leaps past Navajo Pine Warriors Orien Tsosie (31) during Saturday night's district championship game at Rehoboth Christian High School.

Rehoboth Lynx Russell Kamps (11) keeps the ball away from Navajo Pine Warrior Jermaine Chee (14) as he tries to knock the ball away.

Rehoboth Lynx Christopher Smith (10) leaps in the air and shoots while Navajo Pine Warriors Keithan Sandoval (12) tries to knock the ball away during Saturday night's district championship game.

Rehoboth Lynx Aaron Pinto (24) maneuvers past Navajo Pine Warrior Tristan Dawes (32).

Rehoboth Lynx Joshua Holwerda (25) leaps in the air and shoots the ball over the head of Navajo Pine Warriors Tristan Dawes (32) and Theron Nez (15).

Rehoboth Lynx Jacob Jones (32) leaps in the air and shoots the ball over the head of Navajo Pine Warrior Jermaine Chee (14).

Moving over

2009-01-02T13:42:00.001-07:00

Since I am not working as a photojournalist in the Southwest, this particular blog is now dead. My daily hits have dropped from the 50+ range to single digits. However, some people want to know what it is I am up to (okay, maybe only one other person?) so I have a brand new blog for general stuff.

Here is the link: http://gallupjones.wordpress.com

I am still, on occassion, doing work for the newspaper, and I might add an image or two here and there on this blog, so it is not completely forgotten.

Later.

...and so it goes.

2008-09-12T11:04:00.003-06:00

I have been quite busy these days with my new job as a high school English teacher. Between all of the standardized testing, creating lesson plans, pre-reading books to select one for instruction and all at the same time attending classes to work towards obtaining a Masters degree in education.

Even now I should be utilizing my prep period to grade papers, but instead I will be taking them home to grade over the weekend.

One of the reasons I felt like I had to give an update today is because I got bad news from a former employee in my department when I was still with The Independent. My friend, Matt Hinshaw, contacted me that he was laid off by his newspaper in Prescott Valley, Arizona. I feel doubly sad about this because he is not only my friend, but also because I encouraged him to move on from The Independent. I am not sure what his plans are, if he even has any. All I can say is that it must be a horrible position to be in, especially since that paper, like the one here, barely paid enough to cover monthly living expenses, and certainly did not leave room for him to set aside much money for emergencies.

Whatever happens, I am hoping that he comes out in a better place and my prayers are with him.

Freedom? Try One Final Mistake...

2008-07-25T23:13:00.000-06:00

My last day on the job at the Gallup Independent should have been all easy and relaxed.I gave myself a morning assignment to drive 25 miles north to Tohatchi and get some photos of a volleyball camp. Pretty low stress event. Hang around for a while to get two or three types of drills and pack it up. I arrived at the school shortly after 10 am. Grab my Nikon D2h, a couple of light stands, strobes and pocket wizards, then proceed to the gym and set things up.

Now, in the entire history of my working for newspaper I have never, ever, not a single time, found myself in the spot I was today. I set up my camera, reached into my pocket for a memory card, and it wasn't there. This was not a big deal, I just dropped it into one of the pockets of my camera bag. I dig around for a while and still can't find it. Still not much of a concern, as I know I have a couple of cards with my extra gear and camera in the trunk of my car.

For 45 minutes I tore apart my car, my camera bags, anyplace that I might have a memory card. I found three. All of them SD cards for my little Nikon D80. The problem with using them? The D80 is on the shelf in my closet at home. There was no way around it - I had to leave Tohatchi, drive the 30 minutes back to the office, grab a memory card from the desk - then drive back to the gym.

Doing the math - I spent 45 minutes digging for the card, which put me leaving the gym at 10:45. Drive to the office and back took an hour. So I walk in to the gym at 11:45. I grab a few frames of the instructor demonstrating some serving skills, when she announces, completely on-time, lunch. For an hour. And she is not coming back after lunch, and the other coach will take over.

Yes, I made a couple of photos for the sports section, but I was disappointed that I did this to end my newspaper career.

So Long, and Thanks for all the Pix. . .

2008-07-13T15:12:00.003-06:00

Yes, the title of the post is a deliberate play on the Douglas Adams book title. The dolphins left the planet right before it was to be destroyed. The Earth's time was limited. Now, so is mine.

Friday afternoon I turned in my two week notice and am resigning as the senior photographer for the Gallup Independent.

Why? Eleven plus years is a very long time to spend at a small, daily newspaper like this. My original plan was to work here for 18-24 months. Next, I would do the traditional thing and move up the chain to a medium size newspaper. Things kept coming up that kept me here in Gallup; like my wife's acceptance to a graduate program, or getting custody of my daughter. Each time I thought, "NOW it has to be time to leave." Obviously God had other plans for me, as I am still here.

The newspaper world is being sucked toward an event horizon. There is a black hole that no matter can escape. I have grown so tired of the way things were managed at the newspaper here, and staying at the GI was not an option for me. Moving on to another newspaper is not very promising either. So,with a lot of encouragement from my wife and others here in my life, I made the decision to leave journalism altogether.

Does this really sound like the type of employment that you would like to be working in?

L.A. Times to Cut 250 Jobs, 150 in Newsroom

Tampa Tribune Lays off 11 newsroom employees, 10 more may be cut

And also from Tampa: Photographers told to REAPPLY for their jobs!!!

Hartford Courant to Cut 60 Newsroom Jobs

The Baltimore Sun to Cut 100 Jobs via buyouts, Layoffs

Fort Worth Star-Telegram to eliminate 15 positions

McClatchy to cut 1,400 jobs (includes 130 at Star Telegram)
Second Story about McClatchy

The Daily News (Galveston County) reduces staff by 12, and 3 contract

The New York Post braces for "bloodbath" - 70 accept buy-outs; 30 cuts expected

Palm Beach Post to cut 300 jobs - including 130 newsroom
Additonal article on the Palm Beach Post
(From the article)"

The Post is just the latest newspaper to shrink its staff as readers and advertisers shift their time and money to the Internet. The Miami Herald said last week that it would cut 17 percent of its staff. The St. Petersburg Times last month announced buyouts and said layoffs are possible later this year, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Tribune and Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville also have cut jobs.

"We are the last major Florida newspaper to implement staff reductions," Franklin said.

San Jose Mercury News cut staff by 50

Chicago Tribune cuts 80 newsroom jobs (fourth round of cuts since late 2005)

Columbian (Washington state) cuts 20 jobs
Additional story about Columbian

Washington Post (Seattle) eliminates 200 jobs

Salt Lake, Utah - Deseret News sells property to fund 35 layoffs

New London, CT - The Day freezes wages, lays off 21 full-time, 17 part time

Albuquerque Tribune CLOSES completely - no buyers found

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I guess that's enough... you get the idea. I remember several years ago when I lived in Minneapolis a radio station was changing format (ownership too?) and for 24 hours straight the station played one song over and over - R.E.M.s' It's the end of the World as We know It.

Indeed.

PRCA - Pro Rodeo on the Rez

2008-07-04T09:09:00.000-06:00

While there is still controversy over the Junior High School rodeo finals that Wrangler is hosting in Gallup, that does not mean a shortage of rodeo action here in the Southwest. In the neighborhing town of Grants, NM they are havin their 83rd Annual event. My assignment for the evening is coverage of the PRCA rodeo performance in Window Rock, Arizona.

Glen Clark quickly turns his assigned steer to the ground, pinning it in 3.9 seconds Thursday evening during the PRCA Professional Rodeo at the Dean C. Jackson Arena in Window Rock, Ariz.

Jerad Schlegel keeps his left arm extended while riding a horse named Spitfire to score 72 points during the PRCA Professional Rodeo Thursday evening at the Dean C. Jackson Arena in Window Rock, Ariz.

Dean McIntyre, of Wickenberg, Ariz., digs in his heels and wrestles his steer to the ground in 6.4 seconds Thursday evening during the PRCA Professional Rodeo at the Dean C. Jackson Arena in Window Rock, Ariz.

Cody Glover grabs hold of his assigned steer's horns and wrestles it to the ground in 4.9 seconds.

Pay to Play? No Way

2008-07-02T15:09:00.004-06:00

The following story appeared on our sports page July 1st, 2008. As of yet the web site for the GI does not have the story listed (we do not publish the whole paper on-line, only a few selected stories).

After several years of providing free coverage and free publicity for the Wrangler Jr. High School Finals Rodeo, this year the organizers decided that news media are not allowed into the arena for "safety reasons", and for not wanting to have too many photographers on the arena floor. Yeah. Last year aside from our paper and the weekly paper in town, the only photographers in the arena were the ones that Wrangler contracted. We shared images with the Associated Press and gave national coverage to this event as a result.

The thing that gets me, is if we were pay them and be sponsors this would not be an issue and we would have arena access. My guess is the real reason behind this policy is the contract photographers felt we were costing them sales of prints.

Anyway, here is what the sports editor wrote:

Photographer ban means no coverage
By Alan Arthur
Sports Editor
Sports coverage in the summer for many newspapers includes the basics like baseball, summer camps and all the outdoor activities that come with warm weather. At the Independent, one of our main sports is rodeo — lots and lots of rodeo.

With that coverage comes some of the best rodeo photos you can find in any newspaper. Be it the Lions Club Rodeo, the Navajo Nation PRCA Rodeo, the Ceremonial Rodeo or any of the other rodeos around the area, you can depend on excellent photography.

But not this week.

I am sorry to say that the Independent is unable to provide its usually strong coverage of the Wrangler Junior High School Finals Rodeo that will take place at Red Rock Park through the week. It was a difficult decision to make but the Independent feels that this is the only course that can be taken. This is unfortunate for all the rodeo fans in town for this event, but it is even sadder for the young competitors who have fought so hard to reach this event that they would not be able to read their names or see their photos in the Independent.

And the reason is simple — censorship.

The National High School Rodeo Association has decided that only their official NHSRA contractors and sponsors will be issued photo passes for the Wrangler and the National High School Rodeo Finals in Farmington. The 2008 WJHFR Media Personnel Rules and Regulations states in bold capital letters that ‘NO UNAUTHORIZED PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE ARENA WILL BE ALLOWED.’

It further states that “All media wishing to obtain photographs of the rodeo performances may do so in the ‘Media Office.’”

This is censorship, pure and simple. The Independent has been restricted to only using the photos that the WJHFR provides to the media. While the association may find this acceptable, the Independent and other respectable media outlets do not.

Reporters and photographers are allowed access to the rodeo where the association permits them to be. But our photographers would be severely hampered in being able to provide the excellent photography rodeo fans in this area have come to expect by trying to take photos from the grandstand. And it must be emphasized that this is a city-owned park that we are talking about.

The NHSRA’s media coordinator Mike Hausman said that the restrictions are for safety reasons. Yet, in all the time our photographers have covered rodeos, including this past week at the Lions Club Rodeo, there has yet to be an injury to a competitor, rodeo official or our own photographer due to their negligence. Independent photographers know how to cover rodeo safely.

It’s true that we would still be able to run stories on the rodeo without the photos, but complete coverage of this event requires good writing and good photography. Restricting one area of the journalism process attacks the entire process. What comes next? Will the association feel that it has to read all stories regarding the rodeo before they can run in the newspaper?

Last year, the Independent ran numerous photos and stories on the rodeo, not only on local athletes but on out-of-town athletes as well. That also included running the schedule and complete results every day.

That won’t happen this year, unless the WJHFR changes its censorship policies.

Job Hunting? I'm Hiring!

2008-06-09T12:21:00.002-06:00

Okay all, happy Monday. (yeah, right...)

Today I have officially posted an announcement for an opening in our photo staff. One of our shooters is departing Aug. 5th to go back to school, and so I am taking applications for the spot he will be vacating.

I am also accepting applications for an intern to start ASAP to help cover some summer vacations. There is the possibility that the intern could be asked to stay on as the full time staff member.

Anyway, the details for the job are located here and here.

Driving to Distraction

2008-06-05T22:43:00.004-06:00

The Gallup city council is looking into a possibe ban of using cellular telephones while driving, much the way that Santa Fe and Albuquerque have done. What seemed like a simple assignment took some creative problem solving to shoot. The assignment sheet said simply: "People talking on cell phones while driving."

Shouldbe easy. I'll just head out and find a busy intersection, stand around and watch for a driver on the phone. Easier said than done. I was amazed at the number of vehicles with windows tinted so dark that there is vistually no way to see inside the vehicle, let alone make a photo of a driver on the phone. A few cars drove by with their windows down and drivers on the phone, but by this point I had another issue keeping me from taking the photos.

I am going to speculate that this gentleman was inebriated, as I could only comprehend about 1/3 of what he said, and after telling me he was a Vietnam vet, doing two tours of duty in the special forces he grabbed my arm and shoulder to steady himself from keeling over. He righted himself, but continued to hang on to my arm for balance. Not really a huge issue, he wasn't trying to be a problem, and he certainly wasn't hurting me, but wouldn't you know it - just then I saw three cars, one behind the next, with windows down and drivers on the phone.

Soon it was time for me to head off to my softball game, and the light was failing fast by the time I was done. Fortunately I had been thinking about an alternative way to illustrate the cellular phone story, and with the help of fellow staff photographer Brian Leddy, I made the following images:

I prefer the top image overall, as it has some nice reds in it, but the fingers have a hot spot from the flash which bothers me. The lower image has better exposure on the hands, but none of the nice color in the windshield.

The actualy execution of the images was pretty simple. I sat in the back seat while Brian drove. I put on my 12-24mm Tokina lens on a ikon D80 camera with an SC-17 off-camera flash cord connected to an SB-800 flash. To keep the flash focused on just the telephone and hand I placed a gridspot on the front of the flash. Then I experimented to get an ambient exposure on the windshield that I liked and started shooting.

Photo, Illustration, or Simply Art?

2008-05-29T19:32:00.006-06:00

I know, I am way behind in posting my work from the newspaper, and I should do some serious catching up (see the bottom of this post for info on that). But I came up with this image today and just wanted to share it.

Northwest of town there is an old warehouse/industrial complex building that used to be part of a coal mining operation. My assignment was to simply go to the site and get a "building mug" to show our readers what the place looks like now.

I got my shots, and went 360-degrees around the building to see if the structure would be more interesting from another angle. That's when I saw that not only were the small doors around the building wide open, but one of the big overhead garage doors was opened about 8 feet high. A quick peak inside revealed a pretty cool scene, though it was dark with some real hot spot of light shining in. I set up my tripod and started shooting.

So what is it? It is a HDR image. That's a High Dynamic Range image, taken from a compilation of seven different exposures, each one stop different, for three stops under and three stops over exposure. Now comes the interesting part. Photoshop CS3 has an HDR processing image built into it, but it is pretty straight forward and does not create a grunge look that seems more illustration than photo.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was taking on-line classes from Xtrain.com; and this technique is the subject of an entire class taught by Ben Willmore. Basically the photo is processed taking the details from each exposure, and then the micro-contrast setting is turned all the way up. This creates detail and contrast between pixels and the edges glow and the color gets saturated.

So in answer to the question is it a photograph or an illustration - yes. And no. It is not strictly a single photograph, and it is also not an illustration. It is HDR.

* * * *

I did get a few of the old posts updated, so if you are interested, the dates of those posts are:

April 23, 2008 - James and the Giant Peach

April 24, 2008 - Smoke Screens and Quilting

April 24, 2008 - Softball - Thoreau Hawks vs. Sandia Prep

April 25, 2008 - Hot Rod Pizza Delivery

April 28, 2008 - Portrait Time

April 29, 2008 - Birds and Houses

April 30, 2008 - Working with Wild Animals

April 30, 2008 - 31 Flavors for 31-Cents

May 1, 2008 - Husband and Wife - God's Work

May 12, 2008 - Disney's High School Musical

May 13, 2008 - National Nursing Home Week

Dying in Agony: Newspapers looking Grim

2008-05-27T15:58:00.003-06:00

There are some people in this world that simply love the newspaper industry. Love the challenges, the exciteent of being part of things, witnessing history as it happens, especially in photogrpahy where things are always different.

Unfortunately it appears that READERS are not among the group. Circulations keep dropping, and to stay afloat a lot of newspaper execs look for short term profits for their shareholders - so they cut costs. Employees seeming to be the biggest cost, nevermind that a smaller staff means less depth and quality, which in turn leads to less interest in the paper and so less customers buy - causing more job cuts and... you get the idea.

To illustrate just how severely the industry is being hit with job cuts THIS Link is to an interactive map of the United states showing where the job cuts have happened.

So here's a number - the site says as of today that 3,071+ newspaper jobs have been cut in 2008; and more than 2000 jobs cut in the last seven months of 2007. So in the past 12-months the industry has cut more than 5,000 jobs.

Memorial Day & the Return of the Knights

2008-05-26T22:22:00.001-06:00

Small U.S. Flags adorn the graves of military personnel buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Gallup, placed there as part of Monday's Memorial day celebration for the City of Gallup.

The Gallup chapter of the Knights of Columbus salute the flag during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner at the McKinley County Courthouse Square as part of the Memorial day celebration for the City of Gallup.

The Knights of Columbus stand at attention as clergymen walk past them for the start of Memorial day mass at Hillcrest Cemetery in Gallup. The Knights have been absent from events involving the Gallup Catholic church for many years.

Posing as the Statue of Liberty, Aurelia Hooper stands on the trailer for Earl's Restaurant during the Memorial Day Parade through downtown Gallup.

Gallup's last Bataan Death March survivor, Tim Smith, sits at center-stage during the Memorial day celebration for the City of Gallup at the Courthouse Square. In addition to recognizing Smith, Air Force Sr. Airman Jason Cunningham and Army chief warrant officer Christopher Johnson, both of who died while serving, were recognized through proclomations read by Harry Mendoza, mayor of Gallup.

New Mexico state representative Patty Lundstrom struggles to regain her composure Monday while reading a plaque in recognition of Tim Smith, Gallup's last survivor of the Bataan Death March.

Karl Katenay Jr holds a flag and stands with his mother, Juanita Sherman, while watching a military vehicle pass during the Memorial day parade through downtown Gallup.

Sgt. 1st class Silver Delao, a VFW member, plays Taps during a graveside ceremony honoring fallen soldiers Monday at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Gallup.

Park It Right

2008-05-21T23:38:00.000-06:00

The first three images are generic shots to go with a story about the problems, real and perceived, with parking downtown and how it affects business owners. Supposedly Gallup police have an officer or two that patrol downtown and write parking tickets, but there was no sign of such a thing when I was shooting today.

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And of course, we couldn't let an afternoon go to waste, so a softball game was in order. Now that school is out and with no major sports to cover, the sports section and the photo staff turn our attention to the Boys and Girls Club of Gallup league.

Fort Defiance Wildcats runner Heather Biakeddy (4) steps onto first base as the ball passes between her and Gallup Mets infielder Patricia Lasiloo (15) as the two Boys and Girls Club of Gallup softball teams played each other Wednesday at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Fort Defiance Wildcats first baseman Alexis Arnold (11) stretches to catch the ball while Gallup Mets runner Tyra West (4) safely steps on the bag Wednesday at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Fort Defiance Wildcats runner Armani Anthony (5) lands on home plate Wednesday to score a run while Gallup Mets pitcher Patricia Lasiloo (15) waits for the catcher to throw her the ball at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Second Chances, Second Career

2008-05-19T12:54:00.003-06:00

The warning signs have been there for all to see, and growing larger every day. It has now reached the point where I feel like I am sitting in a room trying to ignore the elephant sitting in the middle of the floor.

Newspapers are in a lot of trouble. It is no secret - even the popular television show The Simpson's made fun of newspapers ("ha-ha, the industry is dying" - followed by principal Skinner scolding, "Just because something is true doesn't mean you have to say it.")

I have tried to write, re-write and edit this post many times now. It always ends up being a long, rambling and meandering thing in which I keep trying to justify my thoughts on leaving the industry, and at the same time trying to talk myself into staying put.

So rather than try to get things written out, when it is so much planning and speculation - trying to explore my best options - I'll merely leave this post as follows:

The news industry is changing, and there are a lot of people leaving it, voluntarily or not. I am at a point in my life where because of family and other reasons I am considering what my other career choice will be. I don't want to blindly sit around and then be caught unprepared when the axe falls for me in this industry. Even if I don't leave the paper for another 10 years, I need to have a plan in place.

In summary, two words: Exit Strategy.

National Nursing Home Week

2008-05-13T22:40:00.000-06:00

Sometimes things happen that go way beyond your plans for not getting what you thought. I drove out to Chinle today for a series of event at the Chinle Nursing Home. The facility scheduled events all week, but the reporter suggested picking today, since it had the most things scheduled. Fair enough.

After a scary incident on the two-lane highway between Ganado and Chinle that involved my old car not having the acceleration it once did;and my misjudging how much time I had to get around a slow moving vehicle, I arrived at the home to find that Miss Navajo Nation wouldn't be attending this morning as planned. She got sick. It happens. Instead the children scheduled to perform at 10:30 started early and I had little time to set up and get images like I wanted to. (see the bottom two images below) It will be alright though, I told myself. After all, the reading buddies will be here at 11:00 and I can get some photos that are more personal - the buddies being one-on-one with the residents.

The top two photos here are from the time I spent waiting for hte reading buddies to come. They never did make it. Apparently the group of them had to attend a staff meeting and couldn't make it.

Chinle Nursing Home resident Annie Tsosie sits in a hallway and looks out the window Tuesday in Chinle, Ariz. May 12 through 16 is National Nursing Home Week.

Chinle Nursing Home residents Pauline Begaye, left, of Rock Point, and Ruth Addakai, from Shonto, Ariz., sit together and talk while looking out the window at the facility in Chinle, Ariz. This week is National Nursing Home Week, and the staff in Chinle scheduled multiple events throughout the week to celebrate.

Children from the Chuska School Indian Club perform for residents at the Chinle Nursing Home in Chinle, Ariz.

Children from Chuska School Indian Club gather around a small drum and sing Tuesday while other club members dance in the background while performing for residents at the Chinle Nursing Home

Diseny's High School Musical - rehearsing

2008-05-12T17:24:00.000-06:00

Gallup Catholic high school students Elena Maldanado and Dylan Chavez strike poses together at the end of a musical piece during rehearsal for their upcoming performance of Disney High School Musical. The performance is Friday through Sunday at the Ken Halloway Auditorium at Gallup High School.

Gallup Catholic high school students Carolina Silveira and Robert Hallock dance together during a rehearsal for their upcoming performance.

Nikki Ranin points a finger and displays a bit of attitude while performing a scene depicting play auditions during rehearsal for their upcoming performance of Disney's High School Musical.

Students at Gallup Catholic high school practice the choreography of a song during rehearsal for their upcoming performance of Disney's High School Musical. The performance features 21 musical numbers,

Golfing to the State Tournament

2008-05-09T23:28:00.000-06:00

When I got the assignment for a golf portrait I only had a few hours notice on it. I also had no details other than to meet her at the clubhouse of the newly re-named Fox Run golf course.

The sky was less than ideal - hazy high clouds and patches of blue that gave me either extremely dark subjects or blown out skies with no details. Getting the shot the way I wanted required a two-part process. To start with, I under-exposed the scene on-camera by 2/3 to 1 stop of exposure. Then I applied an SB-800 speedlight flash set to over-expose by 1-1/3 stops. This gave the darker background and made the golfer have some illumination.

For a second step, I looked at a technique that is either very simple or very complex in Photoshop. I have been using RAW (NEF) file formats for my photos for some time, and have been interested in HDR imaging (High Dynamic Range) - so this was my chance. I merely opened the file up twice, using Adobe Camera Raw 4.4. One copy was set for the sky details, and the second copy set to give her good exposure. I simply dragged the background layer from the one image and dropped it into the other. Then I created a layer mask for the added layer and painted out the areas of the top layer that were not right. The end was an image that has detail in the darker areas and detail in the clouds above.

Is this ethical? In my opinion it is. The image is the exact same frame, and all I have done is manipulate the shadows to be bright enough to see into, and darkened the brighter areas so that they did not simply turn into white highlights. In my opinion this process is nothing more than a controlled way of dodging and burning the image. It is making the image fit within the limitations of highlights and shadows inherent inour photography equipment and our printing processes. I merely brought the range of tone to a level where the newsprint will deliver detail in all areas for the reader to view.

Gallup Catholic Panther golfer Marqui Armstrong is taking her game on the
road, traveling to compete in the New Mexico state golf tournament.

DJ Abel Rock

2008-05-08T23:18:00.000-06:00

As part of our efforts to appeal to a wider audience and give younger readers something of interest, we have started a weekly band profile for the local music scene. Tonight was my turn to shoot the portraits for the story, and I got to spend some time working with a local DJ who runs the sounds at Club Zen on Friday and Saturday evenings.

He was enthusiastic about the images when I showed him the display screen on the back of my camera - something I don't do often but I wanted him to understand the shots I was getting and the adjustments I was making. This is my favorite shot from the session, but DJ was less than excited about the red shirt. He soon changed to a black shift and we cotinued with the session.

This final shot too a bit of work - even though it probably looks simple. He wanted his name to be visible on his laptop cover in one of the images. Problem is that I set up my two SB-800 units with umbrellas for lighting him. I really didn't want to move my lights around and change the feel of hiw he was lit.

My solution was to take a third flash and wrap a flexible/nylon padded filter carrying case (with a velcro-style strip on it) around the flash and fashiona small snoot. Then I shot with the camera in my right hand and the snooted flash in my left, aimed at the top portion of the laptop.

Native HOP*E

2008-05-06T22:46:00.001-06:00

Dr. Clayton Small talks to participants in the Native H.O.P.E. youth suicide prevention advocate training program Tuesday at Shiprock High School, as they discuss their opinions on the proper age to begin being sexually active.

Dr. Clayton Small, center left, talks with participants in the Native H.O.P.E. youth suicide prevention advocate training program Tuesday at Shiprock High School as they prepare to perform a skit about violence in the home.

Tessa Medina-Lucero and Dr. Jeff Powell play the roles of high school students while performing a skit about alternative sexual orientation Tuesday during the Native H.O.P.E. youth suicide prevention advocate training program at Shiprock High School. The three day program is led by Dr. Clayton Small and designed to offer a culturally appropriate peer-to-peer suicide prevention model.

Norm Joe portrays an intoxicated father passed out while his teenage children try to sneak back into the house after staying out late as part of a skit during the Native H.O.P.E. youth suicide prevention advocate training program Tuesday at Shiprock High School.

A hand-written poster with ideas to stay out of trouble and away from drugs adorns the wall of the gymnasium Tuesday at the Native H.O.P.E. youth suicide prevention advocate training program at Shiprock High School.

Baseball: Panthers vs Bengals

2008-05-01T23:08:00.000-06:00

Gallup Bengal P.J. Gutierez (12) slides past Gallup Catholic Panthers catcher Gary Archuleta (7) to score a run as the ball bounces over his head Thursday at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup. The Bengal JV team trailed 7-2 until the seventh inning, when they rallied to tie it, and then won the game 9-7 in the ninth inning.

Gallup Bengal third baseman P.J. Gutierez (12) tags out Gallup Catholic Panther runner Gary Archuleta (7) as he slides to the bag.

Gallup Catholic Panther runner Brice Blanco (11) races to get to first while the ball gets past the glove of Gallup Bengal first baseman Chris Trujillo (24) at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Gallup Bengal Matt Tafoya (7) ducks to avoid an unpleasant encounter with the ball Thursday while taking the first at bat against the Gallup Catholic Panthers at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Caught between third base and home, Gallup Bengal Gabe Lopez (5) tries to turn back but Gallup Catholic Panther catcher Gary Archuleta (7) catches up and tags him out.

Husband and Wife - Working together with God

2008-05-01T21:41:00.000-06:00

Husband and wife pastors Roger and Lynn Perkins provide spiritual guidance for the congregants of The Church of the Holy Spirit located at 1334 Country Club Drive in Gallup. Although the couple have been working for the church since last November, they will officially be installed in a special service on May 31.

Inside the church, from the choir loft.

Getting the stained glass to match the light inside required to develop the same photo twice, once set for the room, once for the windows, then using a layer mask to merge the details from the two.

After a jewel encrusted cross was stolen from the Church of the Holy Spirit several years ago, Gallup resident Sally Noe donated this new cross to the church in memory of her late husband.
Outside of the church building.

This final detail shot was mostly for myself. I was surprised to see such a wide range of versions of the Bible inside the church. The Presbyterian church I attend uses the NRSV as the standard translation, and other churches I have visited in the past seem to have their favorite versions on hand as well.

31 Flavors for 31-cents each

2008-04-30T23:33:00.001-06:00

I know. This was nothing more than a publicity stunt on a national level. Very cheap ice cream. Yet it was still somewhat news worthy as the event drew hundreds (thousands?) of people to get their ice cream, and best of all the money from the event is for charity - helping fire fighters and their families.

The place was crowded, and the employees nearly stepped on each other's toes with each movement. I got permission from the manager to make my way behind the counter, then made use of a ladder that was already in the corner.

Gallup fire fighter Jeremy Padilla dishes up a serving of ice cream for himself at the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Parlor on Historic Route 66 in Gallup. The national ice cream chain had its second annual 31-cent Scoop Night, and is donating $100,000 to the National Fallen Fire
fighters Foundation.

Adrian Escamilla, 4, prepares to take a lick of his ice cream cone while sitting with his sister, Alyssa Benally, 9, outside of the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream store on Historic Route 66 in Gallup.

Working with a Bunch of Wild Animals

2008-04-30T22:55:00.001-06:00

Days like today are simply fun. Yes, the wind was blowing like mad and I ended up with sand in my teeth and in my cameras and in my hair and... Still, what other job lets you spend your day hanging out at the zoo and talking with the new curator. Plus, since I was from "the paper" I had free access to things. Although I declined, the curator even offered to take me inside the bear's enclosure. (All of these images were shot from outside of the fence. I don't understand the science behind it, but basically a long lens wide open can focus past the links of a fence)

A sandhill crane displays its long and flexible neck Wednesday at the Window Rock Zoo. The zoo is the site of Zoofest 2008 on Saturday, May 3, which will feature games, refreshments, photos with some of the animals an much more. Admission to the zoo is always free.

A red fox rest on top of the small hut in its enclosure at the Zoo and botanical gardens in Window Rock, Arizona.

Navajo Nation zoo curator Matthew Holdgate has been in charge of the zoo in Window Rock for the past seven months, and is working to bring more visitors and some big changes to the facility.

A bobcat sits by itself in its enclosure at the Navajo Nation Zoo in Window Rock, Ariz. The cat has been at the zoo for about a month, after it was struck by a car and blinded as a result of the accident.

A black bear nestles into a out cropping of rocks to find shelter from the strong winds (note the ruffled fur on the neck and back of the head) at the Window Rock Zoo and botanical gardens.

Birds and Houses

2008-04-29T21:23:00.000-06:00

A common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) calls out while sitting in a tree Tuesday morning on the West edge of Gallup.

The rest of the photos for today involve bird houses, decorated for charity. The basic birdhouses were purchased for cheap at a craft store, then given to various people in town to decorate them however they wished. Now they are gearing up to auction the houses off and the money will benefit the American Cancer Society.

A birdhouse depicts a scene from the classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, where the wicked witch is crushed by Dorothy's house falling back to the ground after being picked up by a twister. This is just one of more than 80 bird houses for sale to raise money for the Relay for Life program to benefit the American Cancer Society.

While loading up more than 85 hand-decorated birdhouses, Relay for Life chair person Linda Shelton and Paul Graves pause Tuesday to examine one of the houses that is a replica of the Octavia Felin Library in Gallup. The birdhouses are up on display at various businesses around town, as well as on the internet at www.gallupbirdhouses.com.

This lion is actually a hand-decorated birdhouse and is part of the Relay for Life birdhouse auction to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Linda Shelton, the 2008 Relay for Life chairperson, left, and Jeanneen Underwood, share a laugh together Tuesday while preparing to distribute more than 80 custom decorated birdhouses to place on display at Gallup area businesses.

A variety of designs and colors adorn the roofs of hand-designed birdhouses that are part of the auction for Relay for Life

Portrait Time

2008-04-28T21:14:00.000-06:00

This image of Gallup mayor Harry Mendoza is a virtual copy of the one I made of him the last time we were at his office. I didn't want to repeat myself, but it was what he requested that I do. Below is my other option so that if the editor decides he needs a vertical for the page he is set.

Former Gallupian Bill Lee has returned to town and is the new director of Adventure Gallup. Lee has wasted little time getting back into the thick of things and is working to organize a balloon rally in May.

Bill is a pretty easy going guy. He was the coach of the Gallup Bengals girls soccer team, and he also was heavily involved in the annual Red Rock Balloon Rally (first weekend in December every year). He had business to attend to downtown, and was not available to go out to one of the trails that Adventure Gallup is in charge of, so instead I suggested we just make an outside portrait in open shade, giving nice and even lighting on his face, with some side light to model it into a 3D shape.

Hot Rod Pizza Delivery

2008-04-25T23:03:00.000-06:00

Featured on The Learning Channel (TLC) show "Rides" this 1929 roadster pick-up came to town to promote the welding equipment that was used in building it.

For information on the custom truck visit here.

After looking at the truck, my editor sent me to cover a pizza party that a bus driver was giving to his riders for their behavior. Not all that much visually interesting, but I think I made out okay with what I came up with.

Lukachukai Community School students Angelica Davis, left, and Tyrone
Yazzie offer pizza to Demetria Gloniiziinii as Demartrius Gloniiziinii watches
the fun Friday afternoon at the Gallup Pizza Hut on US 491. Demetria received
recognition from school bus driver Dave Tsosie for following bus rules and
reading 10 books during the hour and a half commute each direction on his bus.

Lukachukai Community Schools bus driver Dave Tsosie dishes up some pizza for
students that ride his bus during a reward trip Friday to Pizza Hut in Gallup on
US 491. Tsosie says that students who ride his bus travel for 90 minutes each
direction, and if they follow the bus rules and work on reading during the
commutes they get to travel to Gallup to watch a movie and have pizza for
lunch.

Smoke Screen // Sew What

2008-04-24T23:57:00.000-06:00

Quilters Guild members Anita Geike, left to right, Anne Wooden, Carol Patterson and Veronica Bayang work on a quilt together Thursday morning at the Larry Brian Mitchell Recreation Center. The guild will host a show and sale on May 3rd at the center.

McKinley County Quilters Guild members Anita Geike, left, and Anne Wooden socialize Thursday while working on a quilt at the Larry Brian Mitchell Recreation Center in Gallup.

Nimble fingers and attention to detail added on top of a measure of patience are all requirements for quilting.

Gallup fire fighter Carey McDonald drags a hose to the edge of a ditch he prepares to extinguish a brush fire near the Ed Corley Auto Complex on US 491 in Gallup.

Softball - Thoreau Hawks vs. Sandia Prep Sun Devils

2008-04-24T22:08:00.001-06:00

Thoreau Lady Hawk infielder Yolanda Henio (24) puts the glove on Sandia Prep Sundevil base runner Madison Ries (3) but ends up dropping the ball, allowing Ries to safely reach second base at the Ford Canyon Park softball field.

Thoreau Hawks third base player Serina Yazzie (10) tags out Sandi Prep Sundevils runner Carmen McClelland (9) as she tries to steal third base at the Ford Canyon Park softball field. It took the Sundevils less than 40 minutes to end the game, winning 15-0.

Thoreau Hawks catcher Philean Yazzie (17) loses control of the ball Thursday while Sandi Prep Sundevils runner slides into home plate to score a run at the Ford Canyon Park softball field.

School Drama: James and the Giant Peach

2008-04-23T23:10:00.001-06:00

The cast and crew of the Miyamura High School drama society production of "James and the Giant Peach" gather for a group photo Wednesday before rehearsal at JFK middle school auditorium. The Play performances are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 each evening.

Cast members of the Miyamura High School drama society production of James and the Giant Peach Anna DeLong, Ellie Langston, Sara Maynerich, Isaiah Gjeltema, LaZandra Tabatha and Emily Moore, rehearse a scene Wednesday at JFK middle school auditorium.

Both of these images were made using three SB-800 flash units and PocketWizard radios to trigger them. I placed two units on light stands with white umbrellas in front of the cast, one on each side of the camera. A third flash behind the actors gave a little bit of separation f't blend into oblivion.rom the dark background so the kids in back wouldn't blend into oblivion.

Fore! Grants Invitational

2008-04-21T23:20:00.001-06:00

After teeing off on the second hole, Laguna Acoma's Corey Douma watches the flight of his golf ball Monday at the Coyote del Malpais golf course in Grants, NM. Grants Pirate Jeffrey Trujillo is in the background, also watching the ball's trajectory.

A clump of grass flies up as Grants Pirate Jeffrey Trujillo hits the ball from the middle of the fairway Monday on the second hole at the Coyote del Malpais golf course in Grants, NM.
These final two images are also of Jeffrey Trujillo, as he tees off and as he reacts to sinking a putt. The tee shot (above) was carefully planned. I knew that the sun was going to reflect off his club in that exact way... well, umm, maybe I knew that the club was shiny metal...?

Horse Relic

2008-04-19T16:00:00.000-06:00

After my assignment in San Fidel a few days ago I stopped on the school road to make some personal images. A car lot had dozens of old relics (those are for another time and post) and there was also a very interesting old horseshoe fastened to a fence post with barbed wire. This soon turned into a little photo package when a few hundred feet down the roadI encountered this horse standing in the way, not caring about the cars around it.

Kit Carson - an Author's Views

2008-04-18T23:59:00.000-06:00

Author Hampton Sides visited Gallup tonight to read from his book and talk about the process of writing it. Titled Blood and Thunder, the book is an historical account of Kit Carson. The title itself comes from the genre of original westerns written while Carson was alive. They were sensationalistic works of fiction, more pulp than anything else. These books were referred to as "blood and thunders".

After his presentation, Sides took a number of questions from the audience, and then ended the evening signing copies of his books.

Unpaid People

2008-04-18T21:26:00.000-06:00

An unhappy employee of the home health care business based in Thoreau, NM called our office and said there were dozens of people angrily waiting for their paychecks and the company was refusing to release them. People of all ages were standing and sitting in the parking lot and in their vehicles, waiting for their paychecks and wondering what to do. Some had driven long distances to get paid, and needed the checks to have gas money to drive home. While talking to the employees and some of the clients I heard speculation about embezzlement, reports of the managers playing "games" by sending them from one place to another, and a general dislike for the new directors.

When I returned to the office I submitted the following images, and was chastised by the managing editor for making him need to redesign the front page because of the news photos (he was, of course, joking).

Martha Bennett, of Mariano Lake, sits inside a car Friday as she waits with dozens of care providers and clients for information on when they will receive their checks from Compassion Personal Health in Thoreau. When workers went to
the office for their checks they were instead met with a sign informing them that checks will be mailed to them.

Michael Vandever holds his son, Kaylem, as he and dozens of other care providers working for Compassion Personal Care gather outside of the business' office Friday in Thoreau.

A sign in the window stating that checks will be mailed contradicts other information that employees had that said checks would be issued at 3 pm.

More than 50 vehicles fill the parking lot and surrounding areas Friday of Compassion Personal Care's office in Thoreau, NM as care providers and clients wait for information on their checks from the company.

Newly appointed director Willie Antone secures the front door to Compassion Personal Care in Thoreau on Friday while dozens of employees and clients sit in their vehicles and stand nearby, waiting for their paychecks. Some of the people travelled from considerable distances to get their checks, and were stranded with insufficient money to buy gas to drive home.

Baseball - Window Rock vs. Ganado

2008-04-17T23:49:00.000-06:00

Window Rock Scout batter Terrance Thompson (17) hits the ball for a single and gets an RBI Thursday while playing against the Ganado Hornets in Fort Defiance, Ariz. The Scouts won the double-header 12-2 and 22-6.

Ganado Hornet first baseman Ty Torivio (15) catches the ball for a forced out while Window Rock Scout Aaron John (7) approaches the base.

Ganado Hornet Landon Beverly (9) brushes off his shirt after sliding into home plate to score a run.

Window Rock Scout Jason Yazzie (3) tags out Ganado Hornets runner Dalvin Gorman (20) as he slides into second base Thursday during the second game of a double-header in Fort Defiance, Ariz.

Window Rock Scout Daniel Billy (18) pitches the ball as a Ganado Hornet batter stands at the plate during game two of a double-header.

San Fidel: After School Program

2008-04-16T23:14:00.000-06:00

My assignment for this story started out "The children in the after-school program have made a 3D mural..." The assignment basically said "the children have finished their project, come take a posed group photo of them standing around in front of the thing." Not exactly the type of assignment I was looking forward to, especially not with the drive from the office to San Fidel clocking in at about 175 miles and gas costing more than $3.35 per gallon.

When I got to the school I found out that there are other activities, and the mural is still a work in progress. So suddenly I found myself having a couple of images to get.

After spending time completing their homework on Wednesday, students enrolled in the Save the Children after-school literacy program play a game of knocking over and standing colored cones upright again in San Fidel, NM.

Fourth grade students Miya Boss, April Garcia and Andrea Hepting get some guidance on their home work Wednesday from Amanda Oney, a literacy assistant with the Save the Children after school program.
Kindergarten students Savanna Felipe concentrates on creating a jellyfish while working next to Miranda Chino, an eighth grader, who is making the head of an orca in the Save the Children at St. Joseph's School in San Fidel, NM. Once the sea creatures are completed they will be affixed to the 3-D ocean scene mural on the wall behind them.

Miranda Chino, left, colors a portion of the orce head she is building while across from her Elyssa Chino trims some excess material from a seahorse.

My Very Busy Day

2008-04-15T23:31:00.000-06:00

Seven different shooting situations in one day... and I missed another fun one in the process (animal control and the fire department cutting down a tree to rescue a stuck cat.).

City of Gallup employees Randy Pinto, left, and Asa Moore are back on the job after serving in the war in Iraq. Even though both men are city employees, they did not meet each other until they were serving in Iraq.

The view from the rodeo announcer's booth in the Roping Arena at Red Rock State Park is marred by shattered glass Tuesday after vandals broke in to the area and shattered every window in the booth. Park officials said that a recent previous break in also had vandalism and theft of tools from the park.

A rock lays next to pieces of broken glass Tuesday after vandals threw it through one of the windows of the rodeo announcer's booth at Red Rock State Park.
While I was at the park to get photos of the vandalism I passed this scene: Ros of New Mexico State Police cars lined up for inspection. With winds topping 50 MPH today the officers were indoors finishing their inspection and meeting, but this many patrol units was a rarity to see, so I grabbed a few images.

Rows of New Mexico State Police units sparkle in the sun, ready for inspection at Red Rock State Park.

On my way back to the office from Red Rock Park I passed these students trying to clean up trash in the strong winds:

Hope Swearingen watches while Kendall Lipert hangs on tightly as strong winds threaten to blow a trash bag from her hands Tuesday morning along Hwy 118 near the State Police office on the East end of Gallup. The two girls are a part of a group of eighth grade students from Denver Christian School that are spending the week in Gallup doing volunteer activities.

Claire Mueller uses a grabber tool to pick up litter on Tuesday as she and other eighth grade students from Denver Christian School clean up trash.

Then it was time to drive to Ganado, Arizona for a baseball game, and more winds. This next image shows some of the sand being blown around. The winds hurtled sand and small rocks, pelting my back, neck and even the back of my ears. I am going to be hours cleaning my cameras and lenses after this.

Chinle Wildcat pitcher Levi Tsinijnnie (4) hurls the ball toward home plate and into strong headwinds that blow his hat right off his head Tuesday while playing against the Ganado Hornets at Ganado High School.

Ganado Hornets third baseman Brennen Begay (14) runs down Chinle Wildcat Levi Tsinijnnie (4) after he got caught between bases at Ganado High School in Arizona.

Chinle Wildcat Lin Tsinbinnie (16) dives back to first base Tuesday while Ganado infielder Ty Torivio (15) catches the throw from the mound while trying to pick him off.

And finally, another image showing the wind at work. This is the Yah-Ta-Hey Ride A Kart and Swap Meet next to the Plummer interchange at US 491 and Hwy 264.

Baseball - Wingate vs. Navajo Prep

2008-04-14T23:24:00.000-06:00

Navajo Prep Eagles catcher Kevin Jackson runs a stream of water over his head between innings Monday while playing a double header against the Wingate Bears varsity baseball team at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.
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Navajo Prep Eagle second baseman Gerald Johnson (10) reaches down to try and tag out Wingate Bears base runner Vernon Yazzie (23) during the first game of a double header Monday at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup. Yazzie was safe, but the Eagles' bats were relentless, as they won 12-0.

Navajo Prep Eagles base runner Anthony Nelson (4) is tagged out at home plate Monday by Wingate Bears catcher Tey Skeets (2) but the out barely slowed down the Eagles, who won 12-0 in the first game of a double header at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Navajo Prep Eagles runner Colten Bryant (25) hustles back to second base as Wingate Bear Vernon Yazzie (23) waits for the throw from the catcher.

Spring Blooms - Personal Work

2008-04-14T22:11:00.000-06:00

After helping my wife get our son into the car to go to daycare I looked at the nice morning light hitting the trees and flowers in my front yard. Even more amazing was the absence of wind. Not having any assignments on tap for the day I had plenty of time to get ready for work and head to the office. I also had plenty of time to make some images for myself.

These first three images are the blossoms on a fruitless pear tree. When fully opened the flowers are about as wide as my thumbnail. To get the details and fill the frame I pulled out my 60mm Micro Nikkor lens and went to work.

While tree has thousands of blossoms on it, I soon discovered that the tree also has a large quantity of tiny bugs, and a lot of the flowers were showing sign of being attacked by them. Finding blooms I liked with lighting that was right and were also undamaged was a challenge.

These last two images are from the tulips growing directly underneath the trees. I really prefer the first image, but when I got to the office today I mentioned that I was making flower images this morning and my M.E. asked to see them. He really liked the sweeping lines of the vertical, and told me to submit the photos as a front page centerpiece. He said he wanted to do something that was just eye-candy for the front page, and the flower photos would work well.

Teachers vs Students - for Fun

2008-04-11T23:05:00.000-06:00

With bragging rights and a brand new trophy on the line, Cubero Elementary special Education teacher Jon Driskell attepts to make a basket as the school's faculty and sixth grade students play basketball during an assembly in the school's gymnasium.

Cubero Elementary school reading coach Liz Elkins tries to keep Domonique Lowden from gaining control of the ball Friday as the faculty challenged the sixth grade students to a basketball game. The faculty won 22-16.

Franklin Martinez jumps while Linda Platero, right, and Devyn Kazhe turn the rope during a physical fitness assembly and jump-rope demonstration at Cubero Elementary School.

Baseball - Window Rock vs. Tuba City

2008-04-10T22:58:00.000-06:00

Tuba City Warrior Lyghton Butler (9) throws the ball to first base after Window Rock Scout base runner Lacey Hickson (11) beat the throw to second base, breaking up a potential double play, and looks over his shoulder to watch for the result of the play Thursday in Fort Defiance.

Window Rock Scouts batter Ty Miller (15) is hit by an errant pitch while hosting the Tuba City Warriors in a double header in Fort Defiance, Ariz.

Window Rock Scout Terrance Thompson (17) slides safely into third base while Tuba City Warrior Chris Martinez (25) waits for the throw from home plate in Fort Defiance, Ariz.

Tuba City Warrior in-fielder Jacob Justice (4) catches the ball for a forced out as Window Rock Scout Josh Billison (12) begins to slide into second base in Fort Defiance, Ariz.

Train Crossing Blues

2008-04-09T22:53:00.000-06:00

I don't even know what story these photos are for. We have published multiple stories about the issues of having the railroad crossings and switchyards right downtown. Everybody in the area has experience with waiting extended amounts of time for the trains - sometimes more than 30 minutes with no way to back-up or find a different route.

When I walked into the office this afternoon I found an assignment request that said simply to get photos of the Second and Third Street crossings. So here is what I came up with:

Xtrain - Online classes for imaging

2008-04-08T23:44:00.003-06:00

Even though I have been using Adobe Photoshop since version 4.0 (way back while working at The Minnesota Daily), I have never actually learned how to use the program. Sure, I learned a lot of ways to do certain basic things as passed on by other photographers, including a few people that gave me the Associated Press way of doing it. I never really explored what else the program could do besides color corrections, lightness/shadow enhancement and removing dust spots from an image. After all, I am a journalist, and dammit, we don't do that type of thing (*read that with a over projected voice and a lot of self-righteous indignation- grin).

Anyway - after more than 11 years at this newspaper, and the almost weekly announcements of other newspapers cutting staffs or shuttering their doors (Seattle just announced 200 jobs are on the block; the Albuquerque Tribune ceased publishing and so on) - I have been looking long and hard at what my career options are. Now, because of the issues with technology, heck - even getting electricity - for our readers on the Navajo Nation, I believe that we will be one of the last daily newspapers still publishing in the traditional way. I could certainly choose to sit tight and wait for the collapse. Or, I could look around and see what my options are for diversifying or changing fields entirely.

Whether I decide to leave this newspaper or not, I still have grown a bit stale on my creativity. So I began looking around at what things I am interested in learning. Perhaps a MFA is in my future? In the midst of it all I realized that I have not really explored the potential of this program - CS3 - which is the backbone of my work flow on a daily basis. I found a couple of places that offer online video classes on Photoshop. One was Kelbytraining.com (of Scott Kelby fame - the guy who writes books like Photoshop CS3 for Digital Photographers). I decided to instead sign up for courses from a company/website called Xtrain.

The way the company used to do things was to sell books and DVDs. These are still offered, but their new option is to be an online student. For a monthly fee of $20 or an Annual fee of $179 you can "attend" whichever classes you like. I also got an additional 20% of the annual fee for taking a short survey when I enrolled.

So now for the last few days I have been spending all of my spare time staring at my laptop screen and studying the lessons/videos on Adobe Photoshop CS3. I even went through the basic courses on CS3 and figured out a lot of little details and items that I had never known about or not fully understood.

I recommend taking a trip over to xtrain.com and watching a few of their previews - and they have some free classes/videos as well. Good stuff.

Baseball - Gallup vs Cibola

2008-04-08T23:29:00.002-06:00

Gallup Bengals first baseman Seneca House (23) touches the hand of Cibola Cougars runner Will Corey (5) to make an out Tuesday at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Gallup Bengals pitcher John Tafoya (19) releases the ball from the mound while pitching against the Cibola Cougars at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Gallup Bengal Ryan Gutierrez (26) hits the ball for a single during Tuesday's game against the Cibola Cougars at Ford Canyon Park in Gallup.

Physical Grafitti

2008-04-08T22:23:00.001-06:00

(My apologies to Page and Plant for the Led Zeppelin reference in this context)

Carlos Garcia stares at the freshly painted graffiti on the back of his restaurant Tuesday morning in Gallup. Garcia said that his business, Garcia's Sunset Grill, has been tagged two nights in a row.

The problem of graffiti is growing in Gallup, prompting law enforcement officials to set up a hotline for citizens to report the illegal activity.

Graffiti mars the back side of a building at the Ambassador Motel on Historic Route 66 in Gallup.

Taggers vandalized the back of the Desert Skies Motel on Sunday night, climbing through a chain link fence to get access to the building.

Brush Fire on a Small Scale

2008-04-07T23:09:00.001-06:00

Gallup fire fighter James Gleason douses the smoldering coals that ignited a small brush fire near the corner of Vandenbosch Parkway and Red Rock Drive in Gallup. Fire fighters on the scene believe that the blaze was caused by somebody dumping ashes into the vacant lot, which were then stirred up by the winds, allowing the fire to flare up.

Sobriety Seizures & Sale Signs

2008-04-05T16:31:00.000-06:00

An assortment of confiscated alcoholic beverages sit on the side of Hwy 264 on Friday while Navajo Nation police conduct a sobriety check-point just east of Window Rock, Ariz. The alcohol in the foreground was all seized in a matter of only a few hours during their lunch-time operation.

This last image is for a story on how to keep from losing your home to foreclosure - the editor sent me out with specific instructions to get a photo of for sale signs. I was not real thrilled with the locaitons the reporter supplied to me - as none of the homes for sale were in foreclosure as far as I could determine. So I did not mind when the Managing Editor told me that Daniel Zollinger had also shot the assignment and he was choosing to use Daniel's image instead.

Baseball - Chinle vs. Monument Valley

2008-04-04T21:44:00.000-06:00

Monument Valley Mustang runner Tyler Stanley (17) slides into third base and touches the bag to beat the tag by Chinle Wildcat B. Jones (11) during Friday's double-header at Chinle High School.

Dust billows out from the glove of Chinle catcher A Silversmith (2) as he catches a pitch Friday while playing against the Monument Valley Mustangs.

Monument Valley Mustang Drew Delmar (2) keeps his eye on the ball Friday as he swings for a base hit while playing in a double-header against the Chinle Wildcats at Chinle High School.

Monument Valley Mustang southpaw pitcher Robert Ohlman (10) hurls the ball from the mound Friday during the first game of a double-header against the Wildcats in Chinle, Ariz.

Colon Cancer: Round Two

2008-04-02T23:55:00.000-06:00

I am not positive what it is that Timothy Billy is afraid of. Our contact person with the cancer treatment center explained that we (the reporter and myself) were interested in a personal story, how cancer was affecting him. She told him that we were coming to interview him and take some photographs. When we arrived at his home we introduced ourselves and with my two Nikon dslr cameras and Domke bag over my shoulder it was obvious to anybody that I was there to make some photographs.

I deferred to Elizabeth, letting her conduct her interview and listening for something that would make a unique image. Near the end of the interview he said it - he had been writing in journals for years. At first the journals were about daily events, but since his first bout with colon cancer, and now that it was back for a second time, the journals shifted to be a record of his health, his medical and physical ordeals. "Now there is something unique that will make a telling portrait," I thought. Surround him with his journals. Make a portrait of him in his usual writing space.

That's when Elizabeth wrapped up the interview and he suddenly announced that he did not want his name, and especially not his photo, in the newspaper. So now what?

To her credit, Elizabeth did some talking and after a few minutes he agreed to let us use his name. She also suggested a photo of him that didn't really show him. Since his cancer is, in his opinion, linked to the uranium accident in nearby Churchrock in 1979, and how the water was contaminated, he agreed to have a portrait taken of himself looking out over the river. In profile, with a wide angle lens.

His is an interesting story. I only wish that he had not changed his mind about access, and kept me from making what would have been a stronger and more intimate image to tell of his ordeal.

Timothy Billy looks out over the Rio Puerco on Wednesday near his father's house in Manuelito, NM. Billy is battling colon cancer for the second time in two years, and speculates that his exposure to uranium tainted water in the 1970's could be an explanation for his cancer, and his brother and sister also having cancer.

Searcing for the Answers

2008-04-01T01:43:00.000-06:00

Of the three staff photographers at The Independent, I was the only one not on the scene when a man's body was discovered in the Rio Puerco, after apparently being struck in a hit and run accident and thrown from the Miyamura overpass bridge above. At one point the police were speculating that the death may even be have been a suicide. Things don't add up that way though - the man had missed the Amtrak train and so he left his luggage at the counter while going to the greyhound station across the bridge to check their schedules. He never made it back. (read the stories here and here)

Now his family has grown tired of waiting for the police to resolve the case, and they are retracing his last days and hours, trying to come to grips with his death. When I met them this evening they were putting up flyers asking for information and help.

Mona Free puts up reward posters Monday evening in Gallup with the help of her husband Nathan free, and father, Frank Laghaie near the Multi-Cultural Center in downtown Gallup. The family is looking for information about the death of Mona's brother in January 2008.

Cars: Compacted and Cubed

2008-03-31T23:38:00.000-06:00

Ron Bourdage operates the new car crusher/bailer machine and lifts a junk vehicle into the air Monday at Gallup Recycling on Hwy 118, near Red Rock State Park. The $400,000 machine generates 2700 pounds of pressure per square inch and can crush as many as 25 vehicles per hour. Bourdage said that the crusher is mobile and he can go to other locations if people have enough vehicles for him to crush. He can be reached at 505-870-8770.