Best of 2014: Pictures

As promised, here's the start of my Best of posts from 2014! These are my favorite photos that I've taken this year. It's a pretty good mixture of nature, still life and portraits. I was surprised at how many bird photos I loved this year! Descriptions are below, left to right, top to bottom:

1. Aria: This was my first good portrait with the Petzval lens where you can really see the swirl bokeh. Aria had a flower crown on and it just fit that lens effect perfectly.

2. James with camera: He built his own camera out of blocks including an eye piece and a rotating lens!

3. Mom with Hannah: They were reading together and Hannah just made this ridiculous face in the middle of it. She's at that age where she loves the camera and I can't get enough of her.

4. Hannah Christmas Portrait: I said last year that there were a lot of photos in her future; I wasn't kidding. Hannah has this adorable smile that she turns on when you take a picture of her.

5. Tristan: This shot is part of an upcoming post of a family portrait shoot I did. I made sure to give Tristan plenty of goofing around time to let his personality shine.

6. Aria at the Maritime Aquarium: There is a great moon jellies display at the aquarium and it didn't take long for Aria to go up to the case to check them out.

7. Grace: She's gotten a little harder to photograph the older she becomes, but every now and then she'll agree to it.

8. Black Crowned Night Heron: There were a few mornings where I was up with the sun to get Answerbook cover shots and I happened across this bird in downtown Milford.

9. Shelton Land Trust: Another one of my favorite foliage shots from this year. The leaves had fallen on the rock just as they appear. I had my Panasonic Lumix with me that day, which just goes to show that it doesn't matter what camera you have with you, as long as you have something.

10. Green Tree Frog at the Maritime Aquarium: You know me, I love my greens! This little guy was stuck to the glass of his cage, sleeping.

11. Monk Parakeets in the snow: Every now and then, the flock of monk parakeets come to our bird feeder.

12. Shelton Answerbook cover shot: This was another early morning shoot. I didn't have a destination in mind and was just driving around town when I found this little red shed on the side of a lake. The water looked like glass and it starting raining five minutes after I got this shot.

13. Fairfield Answerbook cover shot: This was the earliest morning shoot I had all year, but totally worth it. I got up around 5AM and walked out at low tide to get as close to the lighthouse as I could; tripping on the slimy rocks in the dark! I brought along my tripod, 35-350mm lens and several neutral density filters to get a long exposure of the sunrise.

14. Portrait of a Goose: The ducks and geese in Milford let you get pretty close. This goose got me back into my frEYEday series.

15. Goat frEYEday: Finally! I wanted to take a picture of a goat eye since the start of that photo series! Did you know that a goat's horizontal pupils allow them to almost see behind them?

16. Addy: My little glam kitty. She was lying in a patch of sun and I had my camera right next to me. There's such a huge difference with an animal that has gotten used to a camera and doesn't run in fear from it.

17. Potter in Space: I looked in on Addy's old cat friend Potter this year and caught a shot of him meowing at me. It lead to a silly photo series called Potter in Places, where I photoshopped him into various backgrounds.

18. Shooting Calendar Film Canister: Part of my 365 photo challenge, this was the moment that I absolutely, hands down fell in love with my 35-350mm lens. I used a close up filter with it, making the bokeh as smooth as butter. I ended up using this lens for a lot of important shoots as a result of this photo challenge and getting to know its strengths.

19. Kite Selfie: Just a fun perspective from a trip down to Walnut Beach.

20. Gathering of the Vibes family: I loved this moment between a father and daughter playing at the Vibes.

21. Drew and Rita Christmas Portrait: The best Christmas card of 2014!

22. Quinn & Uncle Richie: I caught this smile from my uncle who almost never smiles for photos. He was warming up Quinn's hands on a cold day and Quinn looked up at him with his silly smile which caused my uncle to smile.

23. James' birthday cake: James is so mature, it's rare that I capture him as the little boy he is. I love the honesty behind that smile.

24. Daisy dew drops: You can't see the detail so much in this tiny version, but there is a great reflection of the daisy in the droplets of water. Early morning beauty strikes again!

25. OSCAR MAYER WIENERMOBILE! I took this so long ago, I actually forgot it happened this year! The Wienermobile was parked at the Stop n Shop next to my office in February, so I brought along my SX-70 camera to get this diptych on Impossible Project film.

Best of 2013: Pictures

In the past, I've kept this Best Of post at 12 pictures, but this year I couldn't seem to narrow it down. I shot a lot; my current count is well over 19,000 pictures for the year. My Best Of Pictures is an attempt to put together the highlights of my year. Is it just me, or did this year seem like it went on and on forever? There was a big increase on what I shot for the newspapers and I really shot a lot more nature stuff than I normally do. I did my best to refrain from concert photography in this post; those pictures get their own collage later in the week. 2013 had its share of adventures and I can't wait for what 2014 has in store.

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom:

1. Ben Thornwell of Jukebox the Ghost: This was a big moment for me as far as my concert photography goes. I attended the show as a fan with my DSLR. I'd gotten advice from another concert photographer that I admire; he told me to start bringing my camera with me to shows where the venue allowed it. I was at the front of the stage when another blogger showed up. We alternated spots during the show so we could both get usable shots. This turned out to be Adam from Surviving the Golden Age and I've been shooting with his blog ever since. Until this point, I felt like a concert photographer without a home. Thanks for giving me a place to call my own!

2. We got another addition to the family this year: Hannah. She's absolutely perfect and really completes that family. Welcome, Hannah, and you've got tons of pictures in your future!

3. Green Ride: This was an assignment for the newspaper. Thousands of bikers rode through multiple towns to raise funds for the families of Newtown. I'm from Connecticut and I've seen how it effected so many of the surrounding communities. I wanted to capture something special from this event, so I decided ahead of time to get a panning shot as the bikers passed by. I took probably close to 200 photos panning and this one came out perfect. The pop of color on the motorcyclists bandana and the flashing of the peace sign made it that much better. It is, by far, my favorite picture I've taken this year.

4. Stratford Answerbook Cover: I took over as the main cover photographer for the Eastern papers this year. This was my first Answerbook cover, and my favorite of the five towns I shot.

5. Carnival Ride: Night photography is one of my first passions. I was asked to cover a carnival in Monroe and I brought along my tripod to get some long exposure shots. They were a lot of fun on digital AND film.

6. Addy and her first Christmas Tree: My cat has never seen a Christmas tree before! I've always been afraid of her climbing it or attacking the ornaments, but she's been a perfect angel.

7. Danny Kavadlo: My trainer asked me to come take pictures of a workshop. The end result is my first publication in a book. Danny loved this shot so much, he used it in his book. Such an honor, thanks, Danny!

8. Christopher Walken: This happened the day after Hannah was born, so I was in a bit of a daze. I'd driven to New York and back, then ended up being the main still photographer while Walken spoke about his career in the town of Stratford. I was so nervous, I could barely speak to him.

9. Anna and Sara meet Robert Sledge: There is nothing better than meeting your internet friends! I was fortunate enough to meet a few of my friends for the first time this year and made more while out at shows. Sara, Anna and I met up to see the Last Summer on Earth tour in Philly, which would have been enough fun for me, but we got to meet Robert Sledge of Ben Folds Five after the show. I can't wait to do it again, ladies!

10. Michael Bolton: FINALLY! For those of you that know me, I've been trying to photograph Mr. Bolton for a long time. The best explanation I can give you is that Michael Bolton has been my El Guapo and I've finally faced that.

11. Grace 12. Hannah 13. Aria 14. James These are my nieces and nephew and I love how they each have their own strong personalities. I'm so lucky to be able to capture that as they grow.

15. Meagher Family Portraits: I've been doing these for about five years now and I finally convinced the gang to head outside! We were lucky with the warm weather and man, do the pictures rock this year!

16. Ladybug: I was out searching for a cover shot for the Trumbull Answerbook and stumbled across this. I was trying to frame up a picture of the town hall with wildflowers and just happened to look down. Although this wouldn't work for the cover, it's a great picture and really taught me to notice the little things.

17. Fall Foliage: I didn't get out and get the wide shots I wanted to this year, but I found a couple of lovely details along the way.

18. Botanical Garden, NY: My brother and sister in law asked me to take pictures at the Botanical Garden to use as a wedding gift for their friends. Please! Me and flower details? Sign me up!

19. Spanish Moss, Jekyll Island: I took another vacation this year and headed back to Jekyll Island. I brought along minimal equipment, which forced me to use a lens that really hadn't been a part of my arsenal before, my 35-350mm 5.6 lens. It's a beast and weighs a ton, but it was pretty sweet to be able to travel with one lens and get all the shots I wanted.

20. Luke: I dog sat for friends a couple of times this year. Although I'm a cat person now, I grew up with dogs. Sometimes it's fun to just run around in the yard, playing ball with a dog. Luke has such a personality to him and this wide angle shot cracks me up. Big huge nose and tiny little feet!

21. Millionaires Village, Jekyll Island: I spent more time photographing the architecture on the island this year. My eye has definitely changed as a result of all the Answerbook photography I've done. That's a straight up post card shot.

22.  Me and Ray Cycle: How often do you get the chance to photograph a super hero from your childhood? Chris Rowlands, AKA Ray Cycle, used to tour the grammar schools in Connecticut when I was growing up, teaching kids about recycling. I found out Chris was playing at the Nature Center in Ansonia this year, so I went to photograph it, of course! I rarely take pictures with people; I prefer to be the one behind the camera, but I absolutely had to have a picture with Ray Cycle.

23. Stratford Fireworks: I haven't taken serious fireworks pictures in about seven or eight years. I don't always want to lug my tripod and big lenses down to the beach, where they can get damaged with the sand and passersby. I got some great long exposure shots with a ton of color. These are always fun and I really need to do them every year.

24. My Triumphant Return to Graduation Photography: Another huge milestone for me. Back in 2006, I was accosted at the end of the Foran High School graduation that I was covering for the paper. The assistant to the principal was none too pleased with me doing my job even though I checked with security and they allowed me onto the field. She said some ridiculous things to me and emailed my editor, referring to me as the "Photographer in the Green Shirt". It was a bizarre experience that's stuck with me for many years. My personal facebook icon has always been and always will be a bright green box because I joined shortly after this happened. It still makes me chuckle to this day. I agreed to cover Monroe High School's graduation this year after making sure there would not be another incident. I dressed in khakis and a black shirt, but I threw in my bright green shoes as a throwback to the last graduation. As I waited for the graduates to come down to the field, I snapped this picture with my cell phone to mark the occasion. I came this close to changing my facebook profile picture, but why mess with a good thing?

Although there have been several growths in my photography, I lost someone that influenced me a great deal this year. Wayne Ratzenberger was a photographer whose work was seen by just about everybody that lived in Connecticut over the years. I was incredibly fortunate to have worked with Wayne at Hometown Publications and then with Hersam Acorn and I learned so much from him. He had an amazing ability to capture a person's personality and it is something I aspire to. Wayne was always willing to give advice and go over techniques. He always made sure to tell me when he was impressed with my work, which was the highest form of praise I could every ask for. I've included one of my favorite shots of Wayne's. It's bold and striking and something I never would have thought to capture at a press conference. I'd like to think that my work has become better as a result of Wayne's influence, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

5 Decisions Away

I want to talk about inspiration today. Sources of inspiration can vary wildly, and one of my favorites comes from a very different outlet: Hoarders. In particular, Extreme Cleaning Specialist, Matt Paxton. I'm a member of the Possum Posse, a snarky group of fans of the show that light up facebook Monday nights when the show is aired on A&E. People comment in real time and it really has taken on a life of its own. I enjoy the Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque shout outs more than the show. (You might recognize me as the bright green box.) The lead picture is some fabulously bad Photo Shopping by yours truly that I shared with the Posse around Christmas time.

Anywho, back to Matt Paxton. He and fellow Clutter Cleaner, Cabell Hatchett, have a podcast called 5 Decisions Away. Check out the link and it's also available for free download on iTunes. While it can get a bit raunchy at times, the prevailing theme is one of second chances. The podcast might not be for everyone, but I really do find inspiration in the life stories Matt and Cabell share, along with some of their amazing guests.

Last week, the guys sat down and talked music. (episode 31 if you'd like to take a listen) By far, it was my favorite episode. For those that have been following my blog, you know music is a big part of my life. For those that are new, thanks for checking this out! I'm a photographer/graphic designer for a local weekly newspaper with a passion for concert photography. I'm still figuring out my path to be able to do what I love and make a living out of it. I'm not there yet, but I've been making some pretty strong steps in the right direction. I know that it's a struggle and takes a lot of guts, and that's why I enjoy listening to 5 Decisions Away. I'm able to listen to other people tell their story and it pushes me to keep going, to keep trying, to keep taking chances.

I could talk music all day, but I thought it would be fun to pick out my Top 5 songs and share them with you. Matt and Cabell talked about the power of music, how it can bring you to a different place just by listening, and I couldn't agree more. The five songs I selected are the songs that mean the most to me and inspire me. A more detailed explanation is below. The playlist can be found over on the music player on the top right of the blog. If you've reached this post a little later in the game, other songs might have crept up above them, so here is a separate link where you can listen.

1. Girl Waiting by Hotel Lights from Girl Graffiti: My readers know how much I adore Hotel Lights. Darren Jessee, the drummer from Ben Folds Five, is the front man/songwriter. He crafts hauntingly beautiful songs, and this one paints such a vivid story. The line: "She feels so free when the record's playing" really speaks to me and I think hits the point that Matt and Cabell were trying to make about music taking you to another place.

I've been fortunate enough to bring my camera along to two Hotel Lights shows. I want everyone to know this band, they are truly talented.

2. P.S. You Rock My World by Eels from Electro-Shock Blues: This entire album is a brilliant masterpiece. It chronicles the tragic loss of E's entire family, really delves into his pain and longing, yet still manages to find the bright spots in all of this. That alone is an inspiring story. Whenever I'm down or in a bad place, I will put this album on, feel my pain and let it go. The line: "How a careful man tries to dodge the bullet, while a happy man takes a walk" kills me. Every. Single. Time.

The Eels will always be one of my top bands and I was amazingly fortunate to snag some great shots on their tour last year.

3. It's My Job by Jimmy Buffett from Coconut Telegraph: Matt Paxton, you have excellent taste in music! He's spoken before about Jimmy Buffett, and although he didn't play any in his selection of songs, I'm taking care of you. Bubba was one of my first loves in music and was the reason I wanted to become a concert photographer. I've always found inspiration in this song: "It's my job to be different than the rest, and that's enough reason to go for me...It's my job to be better than the best." And to Matt, I think the lyrics: "It's my job to be cleaning up this mess" all but screams you! Say what you will, but Jimmy Buffett has a pretty good philosophy to life and it still hits home for me.

4. The Only Way by Gotye from Like Drawing Blood: This one is purely personal for me. Every time I hear this song, I will think of the picture I took. I felt like with the previous bands I had shot, I had great position, but for this concert, I was stuck shooting between some tall people. Wally has an amazing energy in his live performance, and I really latched on to that. This is exactly why I go to live shows and want to do this. I live for moments like the one below.

Sharing that picture and a few others with the band and fans was an absolute pleasure for me. It was really a defining moment that made me realize: even in a bad position, with a wrist injury and not my best equipment, I could still get amazing shots. Gotye's been getting a TON of airplay for that other song, but he has an impressive catologue of music. You're going to be hearing a lot from him.

5. In Your Own Time by Keane from Strangeland: Keane is my concert for the month of June. Their latest album has been growing on me slowly, and it has some amazing stand outs. This song is one of them. It's my current inspiration. I'd quote lines from it, but the whole thing is perfect. Keane has a knack for writing epic anthems. I can't wait to sing along with the rest of the crowd at the Beacon. Two more weeks!

So there you have it. Let me know what you think; I love comments! Come up with your own set of songs and feel free to share them with me. Be sure to check out the rest of my blog for more concert pictures, photos of the week, a fun series of macro eye pictures and whatever else happens in my life. Thanks for stopping bye!

Apparently, May is National Photo Month

When there's a month or day for everything under the sun, you tend to ignore them. Need I remind you of National Velociraptor Awareness Day or the upcoming Cheer up Keanu Day? Seeing how this is a photography blog, I'd feel remiss if I didn't post something about National Photo Month. I found this list of 100 Tips from a Professional Photographer and thought I'd share and add my insight. Photos are all mine, the tips come from Eric Kimp. My thoughts are added in bold under them.


1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn't mean that they're a good photographer.
My own camera is 5 years old. I tend to invest my money on lenses.
2. Always shoot in RAW. Always.
3. Prime lenses help you learn to be a better photographer.
They force you to recompose your shot and move yourself instead of zooming.
4. Photo editing is an art in itself

 Knowing how to use programs to improve your images is key.

5. The rule of thirds works 99% of the time.
6. Macro photography isn't for everybody.

But it sure is for me!

7. UV filters work just as well as lens caps.
Always, always, ALWAYS have some kind of filter on your lens. It's much cheaper to replace a cracked filter than a busted lens.
8. Go outside & shoot photos rather than spending hours a day on photography forums.
9. Capture the beauty in the mundane and you have a winning photograph.
10. Film isn't better than digital.
11. Digital isn't better than film.
12. There is no "magic" camera or lens.
13. Better lenses don't give you better photos.
Not automatically, but after you've been taking photos for a while and know your gear, more expensive lenses will give you sharper images.
14. Spend less time looking at other people's work and more time shooting your own.
15. Don't take your DSLR to parties.

 But do take your point and shoot! Party pictures always crack me up.

16. Girls dig photographers.
I hope guys dig them too!
17. Making your photos b/w doesn't automatically make them "artsy"
18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you "photoshop" your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the "digital darkroom".
I worked as a specialty lab tech at a camera shop. When you brought your film to a good lab, we would enhance your photos. Photoshop to a point is the same thing.
19. You don't need to take a photo of everything.
20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none.
Right now I have 3, but I've been traumatized because I lost thousands of files from not backing them up.
21. Ditch the neck strap and get a handstrap.
I prefer my Black Rapid strap. My camera hangs at my hip when I'm not using it and it saves your neck and back when shooting a long day.
22. Get closer when taking your photos, they often turn out better.
23. Be a part of a scene while taking a photo; not a voyeur.
24. Taking a photo crouched often make your photos look more interesting.
And getting low gives you a whole new perspective.
25. Worry less about technical aspects and focus more on compositional aspects of photography.
When I started getting serious about photography, my coworkers always told me I had a great eye. You have to make people want to look at your work. (Thanks for all the encouragement, guys!)
26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you.
I've never had this problem, but I know other people that do this.
27. Always underexpose by 2/3rds of a stop when shooting in broad daylight.
Your camera meter will often lie. Know your gear and know what result you'll get without thinking.
28. The more photos you take, the better you get.

The top image is from 2005, the bottom from 2010, same subject. I've been shooting and learning for many years. You really will improve over time. Stick with it. Ask questions when you don't get the result you're looking for.

29. Don't be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures.
30. Only show your best photos.
31. A point-and-shoot is still a camera.

And when you know how to use it, what a camera it can be! Yes, this photo was taken with a point and shoot camera.

32. Join an online photography forum.
33. Critique the works of others.
34. Think before you shoot.
I've learned to like to shoot on the fly, but going in with an idea of images you want to get before hand is always good. I'm a planner; it's the Virgo in me.
35. A good photo shouldn't require explanation (although background information often adds to an image).
I just said this in a recent post!
36. Alcohol and photography do not mix well.

 Baaaaaaaaaaaah!

37. Draw inspiration from other photographers but never worship them.
38. Grain is beautiful.

I often used to push process my black and white film to INCREASE the grain.

39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier.

 I love my Think Tank messenger!

40. Simplicity is key.
41. The definition of photography is: "painting with light." Use light in your favor.
Learn to see light and you will become a great photographer. I'm still working on this. I don't think I'll ever stop.
42. Find your style of photography and stick with it.
Shoot what you love as much as you can. It doesn't matter what that is. If you love taking pictures of garbage cans, do it. Become the best garbage can photographer you can be!
43. Having a second monitor is the best thing ever for photo processing.
LCD screens lie! Process on a CRT monitor!
44. Silver EFEX pro is the best b/w converter.
45. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Everywhere.

Even if it isn't your DSLR, have something on you or you will miss out on some amazing moments.

46. Never let photography get in the way of enjoying life.
47. Don't pamper your camera. Use and abuse it.
But if you're about to take a fall, protect your camera! At all costs!
48. Take straight photos.
I actually have a problem with leaving too much space on the right side of my frame. I don't know why and I don't see it when I'm shooting unless I tell myself to slow down and really look. I blame my special eyes.
49. Shoot with confidence.
This used to be a big problem for me. When I first started at the paper, I used to get really worried and stressed over every shoot. It takes time, but you'll get over it the more you shoot.
50. Photography and juxtaposition are best friends.
51. Print out your photos big. They will make you happy.
52. Give your photos to friends.
53. Give them to strangers.
I'm not that weird...
54. Don't forget to frame them.
55. Costco prints are cheap and look great.
When in a pinch, I don't mind Walgreens, but real photo labs are worth it.
56. Go out and take photos with (a) friend(s).

Even if their style of photography isn't yours. You might end up taking an amazing picture. (Thanks for dragging me along, Dennis!)

57. Join a photo club or start one for yourself.
58. Photos make great presents.
Moms love photos of kids and grandkids. 
59. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling.
60. Candid>Posed.
Let your subjects be natural. I'm horrible at posing people.
61. Natural light is the best light.
I hate using my flash.
62. 35mm (on full frame) is the best "walk-around" focal length.
63. Don't be afraid to bump up your ISO when necessary.
64. You don't need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don't even own one).

I do own a tripod, but in this shot, I actually left it in my car. You can always improvise. I used a rock wall to brace the camera and in the past I've utilized chairs, tables, even stacked books. Just make sure your camera isn't going to plummet.

65. It is always better to underexpose than overexpose.
66. Shooting photos of homeless people in an attempt to be "artsy" is exploitation.
67. You will find the best photo opportunities in the least likely situations.
68. Photos are always more interesting with the human element included.

Kids enjoying a sunset on the beach > a sunset on the beach

69. You can't "photoshop" bad images into good ones.
70. Nowadays everybody is a photographer.
71. You don't need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard.
72. People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons.
73. Cameras as tools, not toys.
74. In terms of composition, photography and painting aren't much different.
75. Photography isn't a hobby- it's a lifestyle.
76. Make photos, not excuses.
77. Be original in your photography. Don't try to copy the style of others.

Even if that makes you look weird. I love my shoe shots!

78. The best photographs tell stories that begs the viewer for more.
79. Any cameras but black ones draw too much attention.
80. The more gear you carry around with you the less you will enjoy photography.

I went hiking in Montana and had a huge camera backpack. Not only did it add a good 30 pounds and make me exhausted, I hardly took any pictures because I was in such a foul mood. After that I learned to carry 1-2 lenses at a time on vacation. I try to change them up every day so I'm not always using a telephoto.

81. Good self-portraits are harder to take than they seem.

And they don't have to be taken in a mirror.

82. Laughter always draws out peoples' true character in a photograph.

Always be prepared for these moments. I think above all else, I have an incredible sense of timing. That comes from lots of people watching.

83. Don't look suspicious when taking photos- blend in with the environment.
84. Landscape photography can become dull after a while.
85. Have fun while taking photos.
86. Never delete any of your photos.

They might not be what you wanted, but end up being really cool.

87. Be respectful when taking photos of people or places.
88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.
89. Travel and photography are the perfect pair.

Taken in Hawaii. Add compositional elements to frame your subject. It adds depth.

90. Learn how to read a histogram.
91. A noisy photo is better than a blurry one.
92. Don't be afraid to take photos in the rain.

But always keep a plastic bag and rubber bands in your camera bag to protect your camera. 

93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it.
94. Never take photos on an empty stomach.
95. You will discover a lot about yourself through your photography.
96. Never hoard your photographic insight- share it with the world.
97. Never stop taking photos

And never stop experimenting. This was taken at a parade with a slow shutter speed while I panned. I'd never done it before myself and wanted to prove that I could.

98. Photography is more than simply taking photos, it is a philosophy of life
99. Capture the decisive moment

Take chances. I hate when I'm surrounded by other photographers, especially at sporting events. Even though the ball was a good 30 yards from the end zone, I stood behind it and was ready for the diving touch down. I was the only photographer in this position, so I was the only one who got this shot.

100. Write your own list.
Yeah, I'll get on that for next year.

Throwback Thursdays

This week's Throwback Thursday comes from the not too distant past, an Easter Egg Hunt I shot for the Valley Gazette in 2008. I loved this picture from the moment I took it. It reminds me of this:

Normally, I refrain from talking about my day job on this blog. It's no big secret: I work for a newspaper company. I started off in sales, just to get my foot in the door, but my real interest was to be a photographer for the paper. There was something special, almost magical about seeing your name in the paper under your photograph. My mother has saved every single one of my pictures that has run; she even laminates them, too. I'll be honest with you, in 2005, when I started, I didn't even have a digital camera. I was not good. It took a lot of time and practice and mentoring before I felt like I was any good at it. Finding an interesting image at often times boring events is not easy, nor is having to switch from creative mode to reporter mode to be able to document the names and ages of your subjects. To this day, I never really thanked the people that devoted their time and effort, gave me advice and helped me grow as a photographer. Thanks, guys.

I work for a newspaper company, and times have been hard. It definitely feels like we are a dinosaur. The shift into online media, the downfall of the economy has hit the business hard. I've been there for seven years, which is the longest job I've had so far in my life. Seven years and many different titles in several departments. I've made it through I don't know how many rounds of cutbacks at this point. None of them are easy, for anyone, but yesterday really hit home for me.

I don't shoot for the papers often anymore. Photography was one of the first cut backs, and with two staff photographers besides me, photography is not my main job, I gave up a lot. They expect the editors to take on a lot of the photography roles to keep costs down. I understand, but I haven't been happy in the decline of quality over the past few years. Anyone can take a picture. Digital cameras have changed photography forever. I definitely benefit from a lot of those changes. Just because someone can use a camera, doesn't mean they know how to take a picture. I'm not trying to sound elitist here, and I do my best to be down to earth on this blog. In my opinion, it's undeniable that some people see things differently than others. They are creative, they capture the moments better, they know their equipment so well they can shoot without thinking and get a good result in any situation. It takes years to be that good. I'm still getting better at it myself. I'd never be able to do an editor's job and report on budgets, keep up with breaking news or fill a 20 page paper every week. It's not what I do.

Our staff photographers were cut yesterday. I've seen it happening all over the place; CNN dropped about 200 of them over the past couple of months. If readers will submit photos for free, why have photographers on staff? To me, it's about quality. I don't see the shots that used to inspire me growing up. There's no magic in it anymore, and I don't think that's because I've been doing it for seven years. It's why I've been branching out and trying to find a subject for my own photography that continues to challenge me. I want that passion back.

This was one of my early shots for the paper. It's not anything I'm proud of today, except for the fact that it was the first picture that one of the other photographers complimented me on. He pulled me aside at work and said, "The look of joy you captured on that little boy's face? That's what it's all about."

It just saddens me so much to see that caliber of skill and talent gone. The future does not look bright. The arts are slowly dying.

How long until we become an extinct dinosaur?

My weekend

I give you the bane of my existence: the crawl space. The majority of my personal belongings are stored here and have been for two and a half years. I started moving these items a carload at a time the weekend before I tore my ACL. Since my move, I have not seen the end of the crawl space. I have not had access to many things, most importantly my old photo albums and negatives.

I told myself I was going to empty it this weekend. I cleared out my bedroom and locked the cat out. Could you imagine how irritating Addy would be covered in fiberglass? I've started this process a few times and given up after a half hour or so. It is so narrow, you can't fit yourself and a box next to each other and you definitely can't stand up. Basically, you're forced to kneel and drag boxes out one at a time. Oh, and the boards that are there? Not level. So you have to lift the boxes at every joint. There's no light in there, it's horribly hot and you want to be completely covered otherwise you get coated with fiberglass. It's not pleasant.

After two hours, this was the result. It felt like a scene from hoarders, where they do a slow pan over the piles of "treasures". I don't think I have a serious hoarding problem, but seeing a mountain of stuff like this, I felt the need to sort through it all. There went my Saturday! I'm proud to announce that I got rid of 4 boxes of books, an old stereo, a box full of board games, two jackets and two bins of twin size sheets (seeing how I don't even own a twin size bed). I also got rid of a broken pack-n-play and pulled out another bin of baby toys for my neices. Hopefully, I would have made Matt Paxton proud.

The very last box was what I went in for. I don't know what I would have done had I not moved this before hurting my knee; that box weighed a ton! I repacked the crawl space with this much closer to the front so I wouldn't have to kill myself to get it out next time.

I now have a plethora of images, which should cover Throwback Thursdays for the rest of the year, and that's just from the photo albums. I really went in there for my negatives. I started shooting seriously around 2000 and didn't get my first digital camera until 2005. How many negatives could I have shot in 5 years? 7,280, approximately. That's only counting the negatives I shot with my SLR, I have a whole separate photo box of negatives I shot in high school and college. I'm guessing there are at least another 2,800 in there.

They have been stored in waterproof/fireproof negative containers and luckily, I've organized the majority of them. Go me and my neurotic Virgo self! I did a little bit of math: 10,000 negatives scanned at 4 minutes a frame (which seems to be the general speed of film scanners) means that I've got 666 hours of scanning ahead of me. 666 hours, just scanning alone, not counting time to load the scanner, organize and file them digitally, nor edit them in Photoshop.

I'm starting to think I am a bit of a hoarder...

Now I need to look into film scanners. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I don't even know what resolution I should look for. If I'm going to spend 666 hours doing this, I want to do it right once.

P.S. A friend has talked me out of the crazy idea of scanning all these images myself. Instead, I'm looking into a few different options from a scanning company. I can do 600 negatives for $130, and not do any of the effort. I think that option is far superior because the number 666 appeared way too many times in this post for my liking.

Lil' Bill

Long overdue, but I finally had the opportunity to get Lil' Bill and family in front of the camera. Cute babies need no words. Enjoy!

I couldn't get over how cute his sideways glances are!

And some room details. I'm totally jealous of the hand made wookie!

All work and no play...

It's been quiet on the blog front and it's going to be that way for a while. I'm diligently working on my website redesign. I can't wait to share it with you!

Best of 2011: Concerts

Puffing my chest out, proudly, Not a bad set of images, if you ask me. Not bad at all.

I've been planning this post for a while and it went through a lot of edits. I have to say, it was HARD selecting shots, and that's a good thing! It's funny; when I started this blog, I didn't have a specific direction. I'm a photographer, I want to share my work, maybe grow my business. I never thought I would rediscover my love of concert photography, but I certainly have. Looking to the year ahead, I want to develop this. I get excited when I look at the pictures up there. I'm excited for the concerts I'm going to next year (more on that soon) I'm excited to take chances, I'm excited for the relationships I've built. Make sure I don't chicken out, readers!

Images Left to Right, Top To Bottom:

• PBoo, Tiny Al, Knuckles, E from the Eels @ Music Hall of Williamsburg: There are so many great pictures from these concerts, but this is easily a standout for me. This is my favorite group shot of the year.

• Noel Gallagher @ The Beacon: I like how this could easily be any musician at any concert. I like the connection between the musician and the audience. I like how he was only in this position for a heartbeat (I have a ton of pictures that don't work because his head isn't the shot, too much of his body isn't being hit with light, etc) It was a quick moment that I was ready for and one that wouldn't have been captured anywhere else than from my vantage point.

• Jon Brion @ Le Poisson Rouge: I've talked about the intensity of this shot before and how much I admire Jon Brion. Even though I didn't like my position at this venue, no one else got this shot. Patience and persistence.

• Noel Gallagher @ The Beacon: I did not expect Noel to show this amount of energy. Personally, I think he makes a good front man and hope that he settles into that role over the next couple years.

• E from the Eels @ Music Hall of Williamsburg: There is a direct connection between this picture and the silhouette shot of Noel Gallagher. I'm in the position of the fans in the shot above. I don't know what it is that gets me every time I see a well done silhouette shot. Maybe it's all the hours I spent watching Mystery Science Theater 3000...

• Darren Jessee from Hotel Lights @ The Rock Shop: I might be most proud of this picture. The light, or should I say lack thereof, in the Rock Shop was a challenge. Darren is such a quiet, contemplative musician and I feel like I captured that.

• The Kingston Trio @ Bridgeport Cabaret: I love that three guys with acoustic guitars and grey hair rock just as hard as any of the other musicians in this collage.

• The Chet, E from the Eels @ Music Hall of Williamsburg: This picture has such a Herb Ritts quality to it. (Think Chris Isaak's video for Wicked Games) It looked fine in color, but it spoke so much more to me in black and white. I'm tickled this picture is on the Eels website. I wonder if The Chet has seen how bad ass I made him look.

All in all, I feel like I'm able to see that moment of passion and intensity in any situation and capture that. For me, that's what makes a great photographer. Be it a family portrait, wedding, landscape or concert.

I want to thank all of my friends that went with me to a show this year. I know I can get into a zone and I might not say all that much, but I assure you, I'm having a blast. I really enjoy sharing what I love with you guys.

Day Trip to DUMBO

Yesterday was a first for me: a solo trip into the city from start to finish. Normally, I like to bring a friend along, partly for moral support, partly because everything is better when you can share it with someone else. I even braved the weather, which was not in my favor. I managed to catch about ten minutes where the rain let up enough for me to snap a few pictures.  I managed the subway system without any missteps, another first for me, but I cut my trip short as a result of the weather. It down poured the rest of the day. I just didn't want to visit the other stores and restaurants I scoped out ahead of time. I felt like a drowned rat and it was colder than I anticipated. Although I'm developing a new found love for the City, I do not love it in the rain. At all.

So what was so important for me to brave an area of New York I've never been to in the pouring rain? Check out this review:

The New York Photo Festival's Fall invitational presents a selection of images that capture the powerful relationship between photography and music in all its forms, be it solo musicians, bands, rock concerts, grand operatic productions, or intimate one-on-one sessions.

From Herman Leonard's jazz portraits, which defined an era of cool, to Pennie Smith's explosive shot of Paul Simonon smashing his bass. From Mapplethorpe's intimate portraits of Patti Smith, to the iconic photography of Anton Corbijn and Laura Levine, photography has long been instrumental in how we experience music.

Strip away the music, and what you have is an image that defines a moment, an emotion. An image that tells a story.

The photographs selected for "Audio/Visual" capture the unique relationship between photography and music - be it solo musicians, bands, rock concerts, grand operatic productions, or intimate one-on-one sessions.

"Audio/Visual: An exhibition of music photography" will feature over 100 photographs by 70 artists - on view at the famed gallery and event space The PowerHouse Arena in Dumbo (Brooklyn), from October 19 to November 3.

Is that not the perfect show for me? It's as though someone looked at my blog and saw the development of it over the year. I knew as soon as I read that write up, I had to make a trip into the city to see it.

Had I known about this exhibit ahead of time, I definitely would have submitted some of my images. I feel like both of these shots of the Eels from Williamsburg expresses that sentiment perfectly.

One of my all time favorites, Mr. Folds conducting the audience.

An old digital picture of Rufus Wainwright and his Superfan. This guy was thrusting his fist in the air and shouting, "YOU'RE NUMBER ONE, RUFUS!!!" It was so out of place for Rufus' style, I couldn't stop myself from taking this picture. Unfortunately, my high res copy of this picture was lost several years ago in a hard drive failure.

And one of my newest, this shot of Jon Brion. It was the emotional and musical crescendo of the show and I'm so proud of capturing the moment, especially from such a crummy position in the audience.

It was a great exhibit, and I'm really glad I went to see it, despite the miserable weather. I've only just started to look at the work of other photographers. I think I've always been worried about being influenced too much by what I've seen. I've developed my own voice as a photographer, so I'm not worried about that anymore. The main thought going through my head as I looked at the photos was, My work is just as good as this. I can do this. That might not be a surprise to some people, but that's a huge step for me. 

I don't know if New Englander's are more subject to self deprecation. I definitely have the constant strive for perfection mixed with the realization that I will never achieve said perfection; classic Virgo. Throw in the Napolitano upbringing, I'm a trifecta of self doubt! It's taken many years for me to not hate my work. I used to be completely nervous before a shoot. I remember that I actually made myself sick right before the first big photo assignment I got for the newspaper. My photo editor later told me that he didn't even care if I got usable images, he just wanted me to work out the kinks. I don't feel those nerves any more. Now I feel excitement.

I'm definitely still learning and expanding my photography. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with it. I'm not sure if I can support myself solely on that, but my confidence is growing. And for me, that is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome.

Maybe you'll be seeing more of my pictures in the future. I could be one phone call away from having my own exhibit. A series of photos of musicians shoes. You never know...