Spring Training...waiting and wandering

I've been in Glendale, Arizona since Sunday covering Dodgers spring training. The Great Lake Loons, based in Midland, are a single A minor league team affiliated with the Dodgers.

Woot Woot!

So, I usually try not to toot my own horn, but I'm too ecstatic to not post anything on here. While checking out the work over at this year's BOP judging, I stumbled across a story I did for The Washington Times back in January of last year. Pretty damn happy!

BOP Third Place Domestic News

A Ray of Hope

I got called this morning to a fire in a neighboring township. Driving up to the home, it occurred to me that the house belonged to a family who took in a dog just about this exact time last year named, "Buddy," after the owner and neighbor was killed in a house fire just next door. After the fire was put out, the owners went back into the house in the hopes of salvaging some photographs that were under a bed.

For the Wall Street Journal

Since January, I've been picking up some assignments from The Wall Street Journal around Michigan, most of which have dealt specifically with issues about the economy. At the beginning of February, I spent two days in and around Ann Arbor meeting with developers, a bank, and a ladder manufacturing company who are all involved and have a cyclical effect on future lending.

Kids Against Hunger

End of the day waiting for a ride.

Outtakes

Two outtakes from an early morning assignment about a woman who raises minature horses, one of which was named last year's World Grand Champion last year.

Have to laugh

This morning I had an assignment to stop by a high school and check out a presentation local Northwood University students were giving about Melanoma as part of their membership with the Marketing Association student chapter. As the lights went out during a movie, I gravitated towards the large window on one side of the class and hung around a couple of student. One kept messing around and the teacher kicked him out of class. I started photographing this kid and began to notice everytime I lifted my camera he would flex his bicep. I couldn't help but laugh because I probably would have done that when I was his age. I focused on another group of kids, but thought this was funny nonetheless.

Hockey!

Tonight I drove down towards Detroit to cover Midland High School play in the state semifinals. Kenny Babinski, center, had a tremendous game, scoring 5 of the teams six goals (including the game winner in OT) and assisted the other goal. It was a nail biter as Midland ended the first period 3-2, the second period 5-4, third period 5-5 and came away with the victory. They'll be heading to the Division 1 state championship game on Saturday, but I'll be out of town.

Celebrating after scoring the game winning goal.

Great News!

I just got an email from Dr. Dree Stryker, the woman who made the trip to Haiti happen for everyone back in late January- early February. She went to Haiti again and noticed one of her patients in the ortho tent she took control of, Ilfrid Thométus, was up and about and doing much better. She sent along this photo and I've posted the photo of Ilfrid that I made shortly after he arrived to the field hospital.

Hello basketball, so we meet again...and again...and again

I've been covering a lot of high school basketball as Midland teams have been advancing through district and regional tournaments. Aside from the game action, I've been pushing myself more off the court. Here are a few that ran in galleries. My favorite game this season was probably when rivals H.H. Dow clobbered Midland.

B Ball

I've been shooting a lot of basketball as of late, so I've been experimenting with different lighting set ups. In the past, I've blasted the lights on the ceiling to diffuse them and have nice even light on the players, but I've been shooting more direct, cross-light. Tonight was one light mounted up high to the right pointed down as the key light and another light behind the net bouncing off the ceiling for some fill.

More photos from MDN staff coverage of last week's bball games at MDN Visuals

District Championship

A few shots from tonight's district championship game.

Don't Be Too Serious

When you're shooting everyday, sometimes it's just nice to do something fun and creative. Instead of covering this annual Butterflies in Bloom by shooting a butterfly landing on some cute kid, we're going to just do a cool, colorful and graphic page on the butterflies. Just throwing a new twist on a yearly event.

Freedom in the page

A little confusion led me to having to produce a photo page by Thursday morning. It was Monday night and I would be gone most of the day on Tuesday shooting a freelance assignment out of town. We brainstormed a little and talked about continuing something related to Midland Night's Dream. Tuesday night I had basketball to cover and thought I'd use that to double-dip. So, I came up with the theme to look at sports at night. For the time I had, 2 nights, I thought this turned out fairly good. After two all nighters, one shooting and one laying out the page, this is what I came up with. And on the plus side, I got to see the sun set and rise two days in a row! How rare!

Halftime Isn't for Sitting

Windover High School senior, John Ziems, 17, and Meridian High School junior, Nicole Wilkie, 16, hug in the halls at the school during halftime of Tuesday night's game against Freeland. Ziems attends the games to watch his girlfriend, Wilkie, play clarinet in the band and says he tries to attend most games to show his support.

MPPA Awards Weekend

This weekend, the Midland Daily News photo staff, Ryan Wood, Nathan Morgan, and myself were in East Lansing for an interesting and inspiring time at Michigan Press Photographers Association. We came away with a few awards here and there, but the highlight was when our freelancer (pretty much another member of the staff he's around so much) was awarded the college photographer of the year for Michigan. You can see all the results here:

MPPA POY

I usually don't toot my own horn, but am excited that one of my main goals for 2009 was fulfilled!!

Scroll to the bottom of the link for the final standings.MPPA Monthly Clip Contest Results


Not sure who the dude on the right is, but on the left side, from left to right, Daily News photo staff, Nathan Morgan, Ryan Wood, and Neil Blake chatting it up.


...and why not.