Sports, Travel & Commercial Photographer - Jim Bryant Photography

Learning the finer art of Patience

2011-12-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

There are times when I like getting as one in nature and capturing wildlife or landscapes pictures. Don't get me wrong, I'm still passionate about being a photojournalist and a sports shooter, however, getting lost in nature is refreshing at times. Waiting for the sunlight to be in the right position, or an animal or bird to come within your frame sometimes is a test of patience.

While in the Navy and stationed in Pensacola, I became friends with another photographer, who happened to be a avid deer hunter. While I liked to shoot deer with a camera, he, on the other hand was a compound bow hunter, was looking for a hunting companion and started giving me lessons.

It was pretty neat going out in the afternoons and flinging arrows at deer targets and after a few short weeks I was ready for my "first" kill.

I didn't care about getting up at dark thirty, driving out into the woods and waiting in the cold for hours in hope of bagging a deer, but after a few hunts I was become comfortable while our in the woods. At times we often saw deer, however, they never came within bow range.

When I returned home my wife, Amy , would inquire, "Is Bambi safe, how about it's mom and dad?" So, I told even through we didn't bag us a deer, it was a lot fun, getting out early, watching the early morning ground mist burn off with the rising sun, listening to the birds and getting as one with nature.

Rick talked me into trying another technique, tree stands. Not only were you able to get a higher vantage, but at higher level your human sent would be harder to detect and if you applied some nasty smelling liquid called "Deer in Heat", hopefully would bring deer withing shooting range. He selected an area with plenty of deer runs, we both chose trees at opposite runs, climbed up a tree and set up the stand, sat and waited.

It wasn't long before I got lost in my thoughts while scanning the area for deer, watching the sunlight reflecting off the wet leaves really brought out the beauty and contrasting fall colors of the various trees. I wished I was holding a camera instead of a bow.

Suddenly, a shout broke the tranquility of a peaceful morning, "For Christ sake will you shoot that deer!" I looked down and noticed three or four deer, not 20 yards from me munching berries off a bush, but after hearing Rick's outbreak, their little white tails rose and off they disappeared down the trail from where they came.

Once again I could safely tell Amy, "Bambi's parents were safe." It was a quite ride home, until Rick finally broke the silence. "What were you thinking, why didn't you shoot the deer?" I went into detail about getting lost in my thoughts while enjoying nature's beauty.

That morning was my last bow hunt. I'm still the "great white hunter" and instead of a bow, I hunt with a camera. I did, however, come away with many lessons learned by spending hours in once location, but more importantly, I learned that sometimes it takes patience and time to capture that special photograph.

Capturing story telling travel photos

2011-08-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

If you are like most photographers who fill up digital cards with photographs to put together a personal vision of your travels or, you might be assembling a power point/slide show in hopes that they will wow folks, and if you have hopes of someday impressing travel section newspaper or magazine editors and art directors with your story telling pictures, then you will need to educate yourself on how to take better travel pictures. One way that might help is to study the magazine content.

Photography and travel go together like peanut better and jelly. Many of us like to travel to places filled with beautiful landscapes and interesting people and for most part; your photographic journey begins just beyond the front door.

At an recent slide show I presented on travel photography, a person asked, “I’ve been to some of the same places as you and own some of the same equipment as you do too, but my photographs aren’t as good as yours. Why?”

The only difference I’ve come across between professionals and amateurs are, that the professionals think before they photograph. A scene I’ve witnessed more than once shows the difference: A camera-toting tourists, spots a scene worth shooting. He momentarily breaks loose, throws his camera to his eye, fires off a few images and then returns to his group.

The difference? A professional photographer will always leave his family at home when they are out working. Only kidding, I’ve know National Geographic photographers who have taken their family along on six-month-long assignments. My wife and family have been on vacations from the Grand Canyon, to Hawaii, Tokyo, Hokkaido’s Ice and Snow Festivals to bullfights in Portugal and to the Panamian rain forest. And when it comes to having to wait for me to get that “shot”, they’ve got to be the most patience family in the world. Besides, it helps to find a hotel with a swimming pool and hot tub for them to relax and play in while I’m out photographing.

My wife says I’m interesting to watch as I photograph. Why? Because, I’ll study the scene to either take mental notes or to jot them down in a notebook. Then taking time to walk here or there, climbing up high or stooping low to find a choice angle and location from which to shoot from, and then only to decide to return later for the beautiful colors of early morning or evening lighting.

Here’s some tips I’ve prepared by learning the hard way, from experience making “mistakes” in the field.

Research in advance of going, spend time at the local library or on the Internet and earn all about your destination. Look for information on cultures, customs, weather, history, politics, wildlife, industry, sports and festivals. You’ll get an idea on what types of photographs you’ll be able to take, what equipment you’ll need as well as what to wear and how to get around.

Using light. Light is the strongest element in photography. Study travel magazines and you’ll notice most of the photographs are either taken in the early morning or late afternoon hours. That’s because the quality of light during these times is much more pleasing to the eye, because it’s warmer with deeper shades of red, orange, yellow. Shadows are also longer, adding a sense of depth to the height and width to the scene you are photographing.

Take photographs that tell the whole story of your travel destination. This means packing your wide-angle and telephoto lenses and photograph people, landscapes, wildlife, flowers, markets and buildings. Shoot a wide variety of indoor and outdoor pictures. Photograph everything, even the food you eat! And be ready to shoot under any lighting conditions.

Ask yourself what’s unique about this place. Editors and art directors often look for establishing shots, the trademark that “says something about your travels in visual terms. Get an idea on what to shoot, go to a local card shop and look at picture postcards of the area’s landmarks.

Great pictures are make, not taken. A photographer studies the scene and chooses the elements/subjects to include in the scene. Don’t be afraid to crop in your viewfinder, only adding your real subject and capturing that only. It’s very tempting to include too many elements in a picture because of the beauty of a scene. Being selective with what elements you add will make a more dramatic image. Think about making a picture rather than taking a picture.

Look for different angles in your shooting. There’s no rule that states that all photographs must be shot from eye level. Take a variety of images of your subject shot from different locations. Change photo angles and switch lenses, as this will change your photographic view as well.

Keep your subjects interested. Most travel photos will be of people in various situations. You’ll find that people make the most interesting photos and you need to find a way to communicate with them. I carry a foreign language dictionary for each country I visit and learn some phases that might help when I want to photograph someone. Speaking a phase of the local language gives the subject a chance to warm up to you.

Dare to be different and break the so-called rules of photographic composition and be creative. Listen to your instincts and shoot pictures from the heart!

Love for the game

2011-07-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

I spent last six days last week (July 16-22) covering the West Central District 2 Big League Baseball Tournament in Silverdale, WA. The 16-18 year-old players from Arizona, Washington, Northern and Southern California, Hawaii, Nevada and Oregon were competing in a tournament where the winner advanced to the World Series played in Easley, South Carolina. In the six days, I shot over 9,000 frames during the 16 games and here are a few of my of my favorite images. While most games were pretty much lopsided victories, some were close, including the championship game between the California teams. With the score tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the 7th inning Northern California scored the winning run on a wild pitch throw by the Southern California reliever. Good luck to the Northern California team, do West Central District 2 proud.

Being there is what matters

2011-07-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

One phase a photographer doesn’t want to hear is, “Hey, you should have been here earlier!” This is just what I was greeted to from the front desk clerk as we checked into the Grand Canyon Lodge.

We planned to arrive a few hours or so before sunset at the South Rim so that I would have ample time to setup and take pictures of one of the Worlds Seven Wonders basked in what photographers call, “magic light.”

It was so cloudy I didn’t think there wouldn’t be any picture taking possibilities, but the clerk mentioned that weather conditions constantly change around the canyon and he’ll ring the room if there’s a break in the weather.

Settling in for the evening, I attached the camera on a tripod and waited. Sometimes, we’re blessed with a little luck and a few minutes later I received the call, only to run outside to see the canyon surrounded by clouds and being lit by a ray of sunshine. However, I was able to capture a dozen shots before the canyon was once again socked in.

There’s another saying photographers’ use, “It’s 95 percent being there and five percent dumb luck.” In this case that phase was all too true.

A mighty "damn fine weekend"

2011-06-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

“Diane, It’s 10:38 AM on Fathers Day and Toshiro and I are on the back deck of our Port Orchard home, located on the Kitsap Peninsula, some 58 miles from Seattle. We are enjoying the last fire in our 10-year-old terra cotta chimenea. After the fire dies, it will become a garden planter.” This the type of recording FBI Agent Dale Cooper (played by Kyle MacLachlan) dictated to Diane on his tape recorder. As you can tell, I watched one too many “Twin Peaks” episodes yesterday. My son, Trevor, sent me the Twin Peaks The Definitive Gold Box Edition for a combination birthday/Fathers Day present. I know if anyone who hasn’t watched Twin Peaks should download the pilot series and you’ll found out just how fantastic it is. I'd recommend you watch this on a moonless night near a forest, or on your living room sofa chair with a cup of “mighty fine damn hot black coffee” and a piece of cherry pie.

Today, I received as a gift a half dozen tomato plants and a

pond liner. Guess I know how I’ll be spending the rest of the afternoon.

Many thanks for my family for making this a “mighty fine” Birthday/ Father’s weekend.

What’s gonna be for Christmas perhaps... The complete box set of
“Northern Explosure"?

Making the best of a bad lighting and background situation

2011-06-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

My good friend Randy Romo has been after me to take senior photos of his son, Tanner. However, since April we’ve had typical Pacific Northwest rainy and gray weather in the Puget Sound region.

When the weather was good for those few days, Tanner was off playing high school baseball for South Kitsap or for his Narrows Select Baseball team.

This weekend the weather was perfect. I was able to capture some nice senior portraits of my son Colin, dressed in his prom attire, in our backyard. Around 5:30 with the setting sun filtering through the trees and shrubs making for beautiful lighting, I set up a three speed light studio and took some pictures. Now this tuned out nice.

However, the only day I could take pictures of Tanner was Sunday morning at about 11:00. Horrible sun, however, we found a somewhat shady spot in his grandfather’s yard to make some pictures.

I set up three Canon 580 portable speed lights, using CTO warming filters, did a few test shots, adjusted the output flash of each strobe to match the ambient light and bingo - got the correct lighting. Most of my camera and flash setting were ISO: 50, Aperture: 3.5, Shutter: 1/250 and Exp. Comp.: -1.3.

In spite of the sun and background, these didn't turn out so bad. I would have rather taken them in the beautiful evening magic light, as I did with Colin, however some things just don't go your way. Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to get that good “natural” lighting.

Capturing a Memorial Day Flag feature

2011-05-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

Being a Navy veteran of nine years nine months and twenty-seven days, I’m somewhat patriotic. My wife, Amy, is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer and patriotic as well. One year, while in search of a feature photo for an advance article in the paper announcing Memorial Day events, I was somewhat disappointed to find only photos of Boy Scouts setting out miniature Flags at the local veteran’s cemetery. Throughout the years this was a photo I took time and time again. So I spent about an hour capturing pictures using different lenses and from a variety of angles. Still, I wasn’t satisfied, but decided to take a lunch break when rainfall started.

After pulling into our driveway I noticed that the holiday flag strung across the two doors of our garage was captured in the raindrops forming on my windshield. The hundreds of drops magnifying various parts and shapes of the flag immediately lifted my spirits.

Since my wife’s car was parked right in the middle of the driveway (it’s a habit that she has that just pisses me off) I grabbed the macro lens and jumped into the front seat of her car. Meanwhile it was a race against time, as the sun reappeared and the drops were evaporating and disappearing right in front of my eyes.

Remembering a trick I learned while attending Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications’ photojournalism program, I had once sprayed glycerin mixed with water that enhanced the water drops on a swimmer during a studio shoot.

Grabbing a bottle of vegetable oil and pouring some into a spray bottle used to water flowers I headed back outside to spray the windshield. Now the windshield was once again filled with perfect long-lasting drops featuring the flag and I could take as long as I wanted to get the right shot.

Feeling pleased with myself, I headed back to the paper to download the images and put into the system. Because of my effort, the photo story was moved from a section front to the front page.

About a half hour later, I received a call from my very irritated

spouse, who was headed out to pick up one of your kids at school. She had gotten into the car, turned on the wiper blades and my oil-water drop mixture smeared across the whole windshield and she couldn’t see.

Whoops, even through I forgotten about cleaning her windshield, I saved the day by capturing a Memorial Day feature shot.

Making the best of it

2011-05-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

Lately, I’ve taken upon myself the ever-lasting task of scanning my vast library of slides and negatives. Remember negatives? While editing the takes has brought memories of traveling to 38 countries, some of those memories remind me of the Clint Eastwood movie, “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.” In the 4 decades of my photographic journey I have experienced some great assignments and a few not so great assignments. However, one has to make the best of whatever is thrown your way.

 I had the chance of covering Pope John Paul II, not once, but twice. The first time, a very good friend of mine, Rick Shaw, POY Picture Editor of the Year a few times and now University of Missouri’s director of the Pictures of the Year International competition, brought me help in his news paper’s coverage of the Popes Miami visit on September 11, 1987. My assignment was to cover a local Catholic Church’s group bus trip from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami to see the Pope. Now, that was a dream assignment. Even though I was far from the official podium, I was able to capture the church members reactions, which told a pretty good story.

Two years later I was again assigned to cover the Pope’s first ever visit to the island of Terceria in the Azores, this time for Gamma Liaison and it started out not so good.

In the 1987 visit, the press photographers were given pretty good access and good vantage points in which to capture images during the visit. However, in his visit to the Azores, we were positioned back behind the crowd about what seemed like 1/4 mile from the grandstand. The crowd had a chance to get better pictures than the assembled world’s press.

I had to resort to setting up a 300mm with a doubler and still the pope’s image was tiny in the photograph. I guess the Pope’s press representative heard our complaining, mostly coming from me, and came over to the still photographers. Since I had his attention, I asked him look through the viewfinder and explained what we needed was to get closer, way closer. He departed and a few minutes later returned with Ecce Homo, the Pope’s official photographer, who looked through my viewfinder. After a few minutes of haggling with the press representative and the head of security, we were granted 15 minutes of photographic coverage the Papacy’s platform. I was now closer to the leader of the Catholic Church than what I was during Miami’s coverage. Not only that but within a few moments after the relocation, the Pope stepped into a sunbeam, which made the best photograph of my assignment.

Life's not fair

2011-05-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago my wife and I were thrilled when we noticed a robin was building her nest in a Firethorn shrub outside my daughter’s bedroom window. My oldest son planted that bush with my wife about 15 years ago. Over the years we’ve watched it slowly grow up the side of the house.

One of our favorite jokes was that Firethorn would deter a child from sneaking in or out the window. Now I was thinking that those thorns would help protect the robin and her eggs.

For about a week we watched the robin carry small branches to be used in building her nest. It was slowly taking shape among the evergreen leaves and needled branches.

You can imagine my delight when on Saturday I noticed a brightly blue colored egg lying in the middle of her nest. Being a photojournalist always in search of producing a documentary, I had set up an EOS MK II Ds on a tripod with a remote release to capture pictures of the egg, and hopefully, the whole life cycle from the hatching to the robin caring for her young baby bird.

While the robin was away, I removed the window screen and clipped away a few branches to get a better view of the nest. Afterwards, I replaced the screen; switched my 70-200mm f2.8 from auto focus to manual and zoomed onto the nest.

I placed the camera in a corner near the closet very carefully as to not disturb the robin.

Knowing that if she saw any sudden movement or heard any sounds she’d most likely abandoned the nest.

After hearing the robin landing upon the window screen I slowly creep into the room to start taking pictures. Since, my camera was already pre-focused, I used a remote to trigger the shutter and captured a few pictures of the robin as she gently settled onto the nest to warm her egg.

However, not all stories have happy endings.

When I checked back a day later, the egg was missing and the robin was gone from her nest. I was hoping that I was mistaken.

While searching among the ferns below the bush and then finally up in the branches of the Firethorn, I found the egg, skewered by those same prickly thorns that I hoped would keep her safe in her nest. Life’s not fair I thought, being cheated of some promising photos. Throughout the years’ I’ve used that same phase over and over again to my children when life didn’t go the way they wanted.

Capturing danger that lurk from above

2011-04-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

My wife, Amy, often comments on how our dog, Toshiro, a designer Japanese Chin Pomeranian mix, is in constant awareness of his surroundings. There’s not a movement within the backyard or flying overhead that doesn’t escape his gaze. While, on the other hand, Buffy, our daughters’ Pekingese Pomeranian, looks only at ground level and not at those dangers lurking above.

After cutting the grass and pulling weeds on Saturday, we were all out enjoying a moment of relaxation in the late evening sun. Amy and I in deckchairs, the two dogs soaking up sunbeams, Toshiro’s glaze turned upwards. I spotted a Bald Eagle circling high overhead much like one of those WWI airplanes that flew in search of targets. As the eagle started to lazily spiral downwards and loomed bigger and bigger with each circling pass, it became obvious that the hunter had spied Buffy sunbathing and was thinking about a dinner of Chinese takeout.

As soon as it made a low pass, no higher than 20-feet above over our rooftop only to land in a tall tree across the road, Amy called to the dogs while I ran downstairs, grabbed a camera and attached to a 300mm and 1.4 converter.

With both dogs safely indoors, it soon became apparent the perched eagle had no intentions of going anywhere anytime soon and we both settled into our respective waiting games, me taking pictures and it, waiting for the meals-on-wheels to reappear unguarded.

For years we’ve seen this particular bird out on patrol, but in the past Pepper, our Dalmatian, was a force to be reckoned with and the kept all raptors at bay. However, since Pepper had passed two years ago, the eagles’ low-level overhead flights had become more or less a standard routine.

While capturing a few shots of the bird, from it’s lofty perch, looking downwards with those keen eyes, the situation started to get more interesting, when a single crow started cawing and dive-bombing the eagle. Crows are fiercely territorial and will heckle and hassle any bird, big or small, that invades its’ space so I was able to get some shots of the crow buzzing the mighty hunter.

After a bit, the eagle finally grew tiresome of the harassing crow, swooped down from the limb to a make low-level pass near the trees bordering our fence line.

While it made an flyby overhead I was able to capture some really sweet pictures of the bird flying right at the camera as it made one final pass before continuing on in search of easier unsuspecting prey.

Taking the path less beaten

2011-04-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

While walking around Seattle’s International District, searching for some photos to take, I happened to stumble upon a small antique shop tucked away in an alley not too far from S. Main Street. What drew my eye immediately to the shop’s front window wasn’t the contrasting styles of Chinese pottery displayed next to a ceramic duck, but a cat napping and sunning itself.

Positioning myself across the sidewalk, I slowly raised my camera, hoping not to disturb the napping cat, I was able to fire off about three frames before the cat jumped down.

I dare to say, this is probably one of the most unique still life

photos I’ve ever taken and glad to have not taken the beaten path and instead ventured into this alleyway.

Adding story-telling elements in covering a football game

2011-01-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

I wanted to show you how I approach covering a football game. I normally look for elements of fan and player emotion, offensive and defensive plays that might tell a complete story from start to finish of the game and on Sunday this was no exception. The Seahawks, 7-9 in the regular season, shocked the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans 41-36 with the arm of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck’s four touchdown passes, a defense that produced critical plays when the time counted and running back Marshawn Lynch’s electrifying 67-yard touchdown in the final minutes that sealed the victory. Thrown in those factors mixed with the constant roar of 66,336 spectators at Qwest Field a photographer would have been blind not to come away with decent game pictures.

#1 -- Marshawn "The Beast" breaking tackles (at least eight) on his way to a 67-yard touchdown that sealed the 41-36 BFC Wild Card game against the Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saint.

#2 & 3 -- Brandon Stokley's TD catch and run and celebration.

#4 -- Saints quarterback Drew Brees passing up pressure from the pass rush of Seahawks Chris Clemons.

#5 -- Seahawks defense bring down Saints running back Julius Jones.

#6 -- Saints head coach Sean Payton calling time out.

#7 -- Seahawks wide receiver Cameron Morrah breaking away from Saints defensive back Roman Harper.

#8 -- Seahawks' Tyler Polumbus pass blocking on Saints defensive end Alex Brown.

#9 -- Seahawks Hasselbeck completing a pass to running back Justin Forsett. Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 272 yards, four Td’s and one interception.

#10 --Seahawks Raheem Brock and Lofa Tatupu celebrate a sack on Brees.

#11 -- Seahawks fans make noise at Qwest Field, forcing a false start against the Saints.

Fans at Qwest field have made opposing team commit 106 false starts.

#12 -- One fan came painted as the Hulk.

#13 -- Seahawk fans scream as loud as they can to cause a false start on the Saints’ offensive unit.

#14 -- As time runs out, defensive tackle Colin Cole raises his arms in victory.

#15 -- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll shake hands with fans before heading into the locker room to celebrate with his team.

#16 -- Defensive tackle Craig Terrill picks up and twirls his wife while celebrating the Seahawks 41-36 win over the Saints.

Anyways, each game is different and you have the chance of taking different story-telling pictures. Had the Saints been ahead and were sure to win, I would moved over on their side of the field to focus and capture more images of offensive action, their players and fans reactions as well as sideline jubilation.

Let there be light

2010-12-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

Ever try shooting wrestling in high school gyms with bad lighting or lack of it? How about trying to capture images where they turn off all the overhead lights, and lower one flood light from the ceiling that’s positioned over the circle of the mat. No light, bad light…no photos...period. Depending on the number of cheerleaders and where they are allowed to sit, I either set up two to three remote strobes, two at the front corners and one in back. These lights are triggered at the same time using a Canon Speed light transmitter ST-E2's. The lighting didn’t turn out too badly and it didn’t brother the wrestlers at all. When the lights are turned on In other area high school, you can get by shooting ISO 800 at f2.8 and 250th second.

I shot these using the following settings:

Date: 1/7/10

Time: 7:47:00 PM

Latitude:

Longitude:

Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Serial #:

Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Macintosh

Frame #:

Lens (mm): 93

ISO: 800

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/250

Exp. Comp.: 0.0

Flash Comp.:

Program: Manual

Focus Mode:

White Bal.:

ICC Profile: Adobe RGB (1998) (embedded)

Contrast:

Sharpening:

Quality:

I shot these using the following settings:

Date: 1/7/10

Time: 7:47:00 PM

Latitude:

Longitude:

Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Serial #:

Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Macintosh

Frame #:

Lens (mm): 93

ISO: 800

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/250

Exp. Comp.: 0.0

Flash Comp.:

Program: Manual

Focus Mode:

White Bal.:

ICC Profile: Adobe RGB (199

8) (embedded)

Contrast:

Sharpening:

Quality:

Making the best in a bad situation

2010-11-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

Our good Canadian neighbors North of Washington State sent us an Artic Blast for a few days on Monday night right after the snow we received on Sunday and throughout Monday. Unfortunately, the lights and power went out right before halftime in the Monday Night Football game between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.

No cable, radio, computer, internet or stove. So what do you do in these middle age conditions? Just set a fire in the living room , grab candles, lanterns and play Monolopy. Lucky for us we still had hot water and a downstairs fireplace that is on a natural gas line, so we could still take hot showers and heat one room of the house, which kept us from turning into human popsicles.

Cooking, not a problem, earlier that afternoon, I cooked a hearty homemade tomato, barley, and chicken soup, with carrots. All I had to do was run down to the basement and pull out the camp stove, hook up a can of gas and warm up the soup and boil water for hot coco on the snow covered deck in 25 degree weather. It was sort of like camping out, but in the comfort of your home.

Because of vast amount of icy covered trees that were blown down on power lines up and down the Kitsap Peninsula, we had heard that some folks might not get their power on till Friday. While hoping we weren’t one of them I was planning on cooking the Thanksgiving meal on the camp stove. The turkey could be cooked in the smoker, but I was wondering how to cook a pumpkin pie, Maybe on the grill, with the gas turned low and hope it would be ready by Thanksgiving Day.

During the board game, I ran down stairs, grabbed the camera and took a few pictures of the competition. After the game and while everyone was settling in for the evening, the power company managed to restore power at 7:15, only 11 hours after it went out. We are truly one of the lucky ones. I, for one, am truly happy that I won’t be bundled up, standing in the 25 degree weather and wind to cook the meal. Happy Thanksgiving to all and be thankful for what we have and not for what we wish we had.

Seeing human contrast within a picture

2010-11-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

I have a fascination with people and being a photojournalist, I love taking pictures of people everywhere I go. Scott Bourne, a very good friend of mine, once said, “Most people wait until someone gets out of their picture, Jim, waits until someone walks into his."

I’m just that type of guy, who, will always try to capture some sort of human element that will add to my pictures. One of those elements I use is contrast.

To me contrast of subjects within the frame of my viewfinder tells a story. Not the type of contrast you see in colors, tones, conflicts or shapes, but a contrast in emotions, body languages, relationships and age. This takes seeing, timing, composition, watching and paying, attention , waiting and timing for that decisive moment to happen when to press the shutter button and know when you’ve captured a story-telling

picture.

The Canon 500mm f4, What a sweet lens!

2010-11-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a difference a lens can make. Normally, when covering the Seahawks games, I use either my 300mm or 400mm f2.8 lenses and follow the action up and down the sidelines. However, this Sunday I was loaned a 500mm f.4 from Glazer Pro Photo. Glazer's, who have been providing pro support for at least six years, brings a battery of loaner equipment to the Seahawks games for us pros to check out and use. They bring a cart full of MK IV's, MK III's, and 300mm, 400mm and 500mm lenses. I normally use the 400mm f2.8 (mine is in the shop), but someone already beat me to the lens so I used the 500mm instead.

Talk about a sweet lens!!!!!!!! With this lens there's no need for chasing the action up and down the sidelines. My work area was from the corner of the end zones to the 30 yard lines and I was able to get pictures in front of the offense of developing plays, catches, open field running or hang out behind the QB to get pass receptions, interceptions, behind the line sacks or stuffed plays.

From time to time I've watched the Seahawks team photographers and studied how they cover a game. Now I know the method to their success in capturing great action shots.

Not only was the 500mm much lighter than the 400mm and I wasn't weighted down like a pack mule, but I didn't arrive home with the effects having to run a marathon as well.

It's a Mystery to Me

2010-10-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when modern technology doesn’t work, you just have to revert back to just putting the camera on manual, raise the ISO and bracket your exposures and hope for the best. While recently working on a feature metal sculpture artists Dan Klennert at his Elbe, Washington outdoor studio I couldn’t get my 580 EX flashes to fire.

Earlier in the week I was there to photograph the wonderland of rust-colored scrap metal sculptures that included dinosaurs, birds, fish, horses, insects, people on Harley motorcycles and a huge iron wheel.

Since he was welding at the time I returned a few days later to capture shots of him welding and planned to set up the flashes to lighten the sculptures a bit using Strobists/Joe McNally type lighting techniques, but for some reason they wouldn't fire by Radio Triggers. Since he using an arc welder/cutter and using a high amount of electrical current to work, it must have caused a lot of EM noise, which easily overpowered the signals. Then again maybe it was the fact that I was enclosed in a steel frame structure with an aluminum walls and roof and was filled with medal scrapes of all sizes and shapes. That could have quite possibility nulled out both the radio/IR signals too. Who the hell knows, the signals just didn’t fire the flashes while he worked.

So, I used the “Hail Mary” method, camera on manual and bracket

the exposures. Also every time I got too close with the 16-35mm flying sparks created from the welding landed on me. I should have gone to the car and grabbed a safety hat and glasses, but at this point and time I only worried about capturing a picture. A few times when sparks landed in my hair and smelling burning hair I stopped shooting to slap the top of my head, but I continued shooting. The slow shutter speed method worked, as I was able to make photos of him using a shutter speed of 1/20^thof a second at f.5.6.

After I returned home and set the strobes up in my office they worked fine. As Fleetwood Mac once named an album, “It’s a Mystery to Me!”

We are OPG

2010-10-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

It’s now official... meet the crew of Olympic Photo Group. (L to R) Jesse Beals, Greg Wellbrock, Jim Bryant and Brad Camp. We are OPG, and bring more than 70 years of combined experience, collective skills, knowledge and take a photojournalism approach to photographing sports, corporate, studio, senior and family portraits, commercial photography, weddings and events. We consists of a Pulitzer prize nominated photographer, the 2009 Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s Photographer of the Year, and North Kitsap's Best of Photographer for 2008 & 2009 and a Martha Stewart Bride Choice winner.

King for a Day

2010-10-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here's some images I captured of the Sounders vs. CD Marathon (Honduras) while working for CONCACAF’s Champions League Soccer Match as one of their contract photographers. It's my second game shooting for the CONCACAF folks in New York with another one coming up next week. Since I'm one of two of their official photographers we get to wear a blue penny, while all the other shooters have to sport a pink ones. While they are limited to shooting from the back of the goal areas, we get to roam the sidelines. It's good to be king for the day once in awhile.

Waiting for that "Magic" light

2010-10-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

While departing the Mt. Rainier area after completing one assignment and heading to shoot a football game in Tacoma I happened upon a view of the mountain wrapped in lenticular clouds.

Most of a photographer’s time is spend waiting for that perfect light, or as we call it, the “magic light”, but once in awhile we are afforded a rare opportunity to capture not only the sunset’s golden glow, but, what we call “Alpenglow” a pinkish, rosy color that bathes the mountain in supernatural splendor. Knowing that this event only lasts for a few seconds and having nothing else to do for four hours until the football game started, I set up one camera on a tripod and enjoyed the scenery while taking pictures every few minutes or so.

What added to the pictures is that for the past two days, a lenticular cloud has hovered over the state's tallest peak. Seen maybe a dozen times a year, it still looks cool every time it's showcased. The clouds are formed when warm, moist air runs into the surface of Mt. Rainier. The mountain forces the air upward, which cools and condenses turning, it into a circular looking hat cloud that sits a top the mountain’s peak. As the air sinks back on the other side, it dries out and the cloud dissipates. That's why it just hangs over the summit area.

Local area residents say that the cap clouds, are a sign that rainy weather is on the way and the clouds are the mountain's version of an umbrella, a prediction for oncoming rainy weather.

Anyways, back to the magic light. As soon as I saw the clouds rapped around the mountain I knew I would be offered one magic opportunity to capture the mountain in some pretty dramatic colored photographs. Using two cameras, one set up on a tripod with a 300mm and anther equipped with a 70-200mm zoom, both lenses would emphasize the glowing sunset effects on the mountains topography.

The Alpenglow, as captured illuminating the mountain, only lasted but a few seconds and was the highlight of this dramatic sunset, which was the cause of me being late and just making it to the football before halftime ended. But what the hell, I only needed four pictures for that assignment, and just how many times is a photographer afforded an opportunity to capture the Alpenglow?

A Stihl Ballcap, Rainbow Suspenders and a shotgun

2010-09-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

A few years back near election time my editor received a letter from a readers saying he was sick and tired of the present administration and was tossing in his hat as a candidate for presidency. After calling the man, Pat told me to get my camera and come with him. On the way he explained that a reader in his 80’s was about to declare his announcement to run for the Presidency and he sounded pretty much crazy. Pulling up in front of a rustic wooden cabin he met us dressed in his Stihl chainsaw hat, rainbow colored suspenders and flannel shirt.

I thought to myself, this is going to make one hell of a great environmental portrait. After the interview, he put on his hat and asked if we could take it outside his cabin with his shotgun. I smiled, replied why yes and thought, a chainsaw hat, suspenders, and a shotgun, it doesn’t get any better than this.

Trusting your gut feeling

2010-09-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's all about getting in the right shooting position in order to capture good action. Normally, when I cover a baseball game I start out in either the inside or outside home photos wells to shoot the starting pitchers. But during the last Rangers vs. mariners game I trusted my gut feeling and opted to hang out in the first base line photo well to get pictures of the infielders and outfielders in action and significant plays at first and second bases as well as outfield action. After capturing a few pictures at that location, I moved to the inside home photo well on the other side of the Mariners dugout where I captured another play at home plate as well as the safe at second. A few innings there, I moved over to the outside home photo well to make a pictures of Texas Ranger's pitcher Tommy Hunter pitching, safe at third, a different view of a play at home, Tommy Hunter wiping the sweat from his forehead before being relieved in the seventh inning and lastly, the Mariners closer David Aardsma hugging catcher Guillermo Quiroz after preserving a 2-1 win over the Rangers. Sometimes it's just 95% being in the right location and 5% dumb luck.

This Lady takes the Cake

2010-09-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

I thought I had seen it all while covering the Seattle Seahawks games, but this lady takes the cake in the originality category. I spotted her decked out in her "Hawkhooters" before kickoff at the San Francisco 49er vs. Seahawks game on Opening Day. Some Seahawks fans come dressed as the Hulk, umpires, Scottish Highlanders and in all manner of blue and green costumes complimented with face paint and spiked hair. And, I’d have to go as far to say they pretty much rival the Oakland Raiders fans of Raider Nation in the weirdness and craziness categories. This proves a point that not all action is on the field.

Juniors Final Hit

2010-09-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture I captured of Ken Griffey, Jr., being congratulated after hitting a game winning walk-off single against the Toronto Bluejays. Bluejays' first baseman Lyle Overbay (R) walks off the field as Seattle Mariners mob Griffey in the ninth inning at SAFECO Field in Seattle May 20, 2010. Griffey, pinch-hitting for Josh Wilson, hit the game winning single to right field that scored Milton Bradley in beating the Bluejays 4-3. I was able to capture the opposite emotions in one frame, the happiness of the celebrating Mariners players and the dejection displayed by Overbay as he walked off the field with his head down.

Come to find out this was his final hit at Safeco Field. On June 3rd he retired from Major League Baseball.

This picture is a fitting tribute that brought an end to a historic record of his final achievements in a hall of fame career.

Coming home to roost

2010-09-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

Ever since we moved into our present home 15 years ago, we have raised generation after generation of squirrels, crows, peeps and Blue Jays, which made nests in the trees surrounding our home. A few years ago Amy had me cut down a big Cedar tree, which was home to our Blue Jays. Now, every morning I am woken to the racket this hungry little fellow makes in a tree right outside our bedroom window. So, I grabbed my 70-200mm and went searching among the limbs of the Douglas fir. Here he is all puffed up and trying to look big and dangerous. As I got nearer and nearer to the nest, the bigger he tried to make himself. Even through they make such a racket in the mornings, it's fun watching the babies grow up, make their first flights, peck around the yard and have babies of their own one day.

Using Clouds to your advantage

2010-08-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

What a difference in what 24 hours make. While walking my dog on Monday, I spotted a really neat scene of The Brothers in the Olympic Mountain range shrouded by a low-lying cloud layer. After the walk, I loaded by gear into the car and headed to a high vantage point where I could get a much clearer picture of the mountains. The low cloud layer is what really makes this photograph stand from the one I took 24 hours later. I used my 400mm f2.8 with a 1.4 converter to get a tighter shot of the mountains. Keep on the lookout for clouds and when ever possible add them into your landscapes to dramatize and enhance the terrain.

For all who’s interested in what setting I used, here they are:

Date: 8/23/10

Time: 9:00:54

Latitude:

Longitude:

Model: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Serial #:

Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh

Frame #:

Lens (mm): 560

ISO: 160

Aperture: 32

Shutter: 1/60

Exp. Comp.: -1.3

Flash Comp.:

Program: Aperture Priority

Focus Mode:

White Bal.:

ICC Profile: Adobe RGB (1998)

Using Fill Lighting to enhance the Photo

2010-08-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Recently I was commissioned to take a series of informal portraits of Larry Stokes, one of Kitsap County’s Port Commissioners. The Marketing/Communications Manager warned me beforehand that he can be a bit of a difficult, but once he warms up to you, he has a heart of gold.

When getting out of the car, I was greeted by his two dogs, which treated me like a long lost friend. Round one to my side. After unloading my car and while setting up lights, on the porch, he asked since it was sunny outside why did I need portable flashes. I went into explain that it’s good to use a tad bit of fill flash to fill in the shadows, especially when you were metering for the ambient light.

After finding an ideal location on his porch, I fired off a couple of tests and showed him the results and explained why I needed to set up a few of the flashes and adjust the output for less light. While taking pictures the dogs came up to join him, which only added to his personality.

After the shoot he invited me into his den, which looked as if it was taken from a scene of an old Alfred Hitchcock move, “Psycho”. Hanging on the walls were stuffed heads, all shapes and sizes, ranging from moose, varies varieties of deer, analopes, mountain sheep to a huge Alaskan bearskin. Also posed in the room corners were a stuff cougar, raccoon and a couple of bears fighting in a corner. He said once while hunting in Alaska he came upon the two bears, one black and other fighting, and killed them. He’s also a hunting guide and a very talented taxidermist.

Posing him in the den, with a bunch of stuffed animal heads on the wall made the photograph work. Using the tools of his trade, elements in the background all added to this environmental portrait.

I wanted to get Larry in a shaded setting and away from the 3:00 sunlight. I used a two 550EX light setup for the porch pictures (both headshot and overall). One light was set about three feet from the subject on camera left, while the other was camera right about five to six feet from the subject.

I really liked the way the porch was in the shade and wanted to utilize the leading lines of the railing, decking and house as they lead right into the subject. Plus, the sunlight spilling onto the decking through the railing also added a nice touch as well. I metered for the overall ambient lighting which was 125th for ISO 50 and I set the flashes output at -1 2/3 (camera right) and - 1 1/3 (camera right). I took a few test shots to make sure the flashes didn't overpower the existing light and make adjustment to f-stop and set the Ev to Exp. Comp.: -0.3. I always strive to balance the flash output to the existing lighting so that the lighting looks natural.

Flash fighting placement for or the inside shots were: one camera left, beside the subject, pointed at the wall to shed light on all those heads in the background. Another was camera left pointed at subject and the 3rd light was camera right. I always meter for the existing light in the whatever location I’m in and then set ISO, flash output, shutter speed and f-stop to get the correct mixture lighting, so that I don't get harsh shadows.

I used my 16-35mm f2.8 lens for the porch and inside shots and used my 70-200mm for the outside headshot.

Hope this helps everyone to understand what going on through my head as I try to figure out the correct balance between the existing light and my flash output.

Educate Your Clients and Other Photographers

2010-08-11T07:55:00.001-07:00

A prospective customer recently emailed me saying my print prices are too high.

“Your prices are outrageously high. Photos are good but not $5.00 a piece good, maybe $2.00.

I will check with the other parents who had cameras and get copies from Costco for .14 each.

After what we paid to send them there and then to pay these prices for photos, I may consider one photo, but can’t pay these prices”.

My response: I understand the way you feel, sending kids off to sporting events aren’t cheap. I have a son who wrestles and goes all over Washington to participate in Tournaments and a daughter who used to own a horse and go Western Gaming.

I also added, that last year I lowered my prices so that clients could afford them. I hope you understand that I can’t give my photography away for $2.00 a print. Being a 40-year plus veteran photographer and without the benefit of another full-time job to rely on, this is now my full-time job that brings in money to support my family of four.

When you look at my vast experience, with the costs involved with the purchase and upkeep of professional digital camera equipment and lenses, not to mention the computer, software programs to post process the images and then add the costs of DVD’s and external hard drives to store the images on, this is expensive. But wait, there’s the monthly fees associated with posting the images on Photoshelter, and Exposure manager. Then on top to those, add health insurance, studio rent, insurance, office supplies, phone service, utilities and the list goes on and one. I have to make a certain amount a day to meet my Costs of Doing Business, otherwise, I'll be out of business.

Because of my experience, I'm provide field access closer to the action while most parents are limited to shooting from the stands. I know where to stand on the field and when to press the shutter button to provide my clients the best sports action photography available.

All I can say is go online and check out the other photographers prices. Some are about the same if not higher than mine. $5.00 for a 4 x 6 is pretty damn cheap for the quality you're getting.

I understand that with the advancements in dSLR technology and digital age has made picture taking so easy that about every housewife, father, cave person and perhaps even a gorilla can shoot a picture. I've known some have who had thoughts of turning pro after a few short months behind the viewfinder. Unfortunately, these folks, who already have full-time jobs, look upon photography as a way to make a few extra bucks and don't know the actual costs of doing business in photography. Like most under educated photographers they either charge 25 cents a photo or they give them away to friends for free.

You can however purchase one of my 4 x 6 digital downloads for $5.00 each and take them to Costco to get your unlimited low resolution at.14 cents a prints printed.

This is a point in case that is happening to every professional photographer out there. It's up to us to educate our clients and other photographers on the true cost of doing business in photography.

Baseball umpires make good pictures too

2010-08-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes covering baseball can be boring as watching it on television. But each game is different and something exciting can happen: double plays and steals, plays at home plate, and diving catches in the outfield. While editing the games I came across a series of umpire pictures from one of the 15 Big League baseball games covered. An errant pitch hit the home plate umpire in the, yes, you guessed it. The game was stopped for about eight minutes or longer so the umpire could regain his composure. So, while he was bent over catching his breath, the three other umpires came over to see if he was okay and they all assumed the position. It was quite funny...they must have had sympathy pains for him.

Know When to Duck

2010-07-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

Many have asked, “What’s it like to be a sports photographer?” Well, I can say one thing, you are assured the best seat in the house and along the sideline of action, but sometimes that comes with a price. There’s always a degree of danger when covering sporting events. A friend of mine was hit in the head by a baseball thrown from the outfield and ended up with a brain injury that sidelined him for over six months.

Even through I haven’t been hit by a baseball, (knock on wood) I did have the lens hood from my 400mm f2.8 get knocked off, and crashed by a line drive foul ball that went into the first base photo well while covering a Mariners game. So, when you are viewing baseball, either on TV or at a game and wonder why so many pro sports shooters have their lens hoods wrapped with duck tape, now you know the rest of the story. Fortunately, the lens was protecting the left side of my head while I was waiting for a pick off throw at first base.

How fast do those errant foul balls travel? Fast damn fast, and you have to be quick enough to duck or get out of the way when you see them headed your direction in the viewfinder.

There’s been games where I’ve had three or four foul balls coming crashing into the photo well and bouncing around like a pinball. So far, I’m only been grazed, but three over thrown baseballs in the first base photo have hit another friend well in one week. I told him he’s a ball magnet and I always make it a point not to be in the same photo well.

While covering sporting events and standing near the action you must process cat-like reflexes and know when to drop the camera from your eye and either dodge right or left. Whether you’re covering little league, high school, college or pro sports, your chances of getting hit by a ball, bowled over by wide receivers, linemen and running backs are one of the chances you take every time you step out onto the field. And believe

me, the higher the level the players are, the quicker you have to be to get out of their way. I’ve been bowled over by Santana Moss, landed by Jamal Williams and stepped on by Reggie Bush as he was chased out of bounds, but nothing more scared they hell out of me when Shaquille O'Neal landed next to me. The floor actually shook! I looked at him as he picked himself up and all I could have said was, “Damn, that would have hurt if you had landed on me!” He laughed and said, “Consider yourself very luck.” You know what? I was indeed very lucky and still so to this day, I am.

I captured this photo last week at the New York Yankees vs. Mariners game. Notice the 3-D TV cameraman and where the position of ball is. Now, that would have hurt.

30 Years of War Honored in Granite

2010-06-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Monuments are everywhere. In Hanoi, Vietnam, there are statues, a tomb, museum and plaques to honor their heroes, and martyrs.

Near a traffic circle by the Lake of the Restored Sword, there is a bas-relief monument that commemorates the capture of John S. McCain III, son of the admiral who headed the U.S. Pacific Command. McCain was captured on October 26, 1967, when he bailed out and landed in the lake.

“Our People must never be allowed to forget, “ my guide says. “They defeated France, a major European power, forced the Americans to withdraw and battled the Chinese Communists to a standstill.”

Constant tribute is paid to the Ho Chi Ming.

He’s never out of sight and lies in a great tomb built with Soviet help. The massive red stone tomb has all the looks of a Soviet monument, with a parade ground the size of a Wal-Mart parking lot.

On any Sunday, workers, peasants, soldiers and the Young Pioneers, red-scarved school children pay their respects to “Uncle Ho”.

Elders, attending from a distant providence bring a wreath, bright flowers on a bamboo rack; follow the white-gloved guards who carry it in slow motion goose step to the marble entrance.

Also in Hanoi is a museum that displays ‘air pirates’ booty among other weapons used and captured in their war against imperialism. There is an outdoor gun park full of relics, one of which was a 105mm howitzer, captured from the French and then used to dump explosives on them at Dien Bein Phu. Also on display are two torpedo tubes used in an attack against the American destroyer USS Maddox and the tank that broke down the gates to the South Vietnam presidential palace and ending the war.

An entire room displays booty taken from American ‘sky pirates” – the helmet and oxygen mask of Everett Alvarez Jr., who was shot down and held prisoner for eight- and- one half years. Helmets are piled high besides broken tail assemblies. There are also photographs showing captured American pilots and airmen.

After viewing room after room of captured American weapons, I decide to go to the second floor to get a high angle picture of the MIG-21 belonging to the North Vietnamese fighter pilot, who had shot down over 21 American and Chinese war planes, when a Russian approached and asked, ” What did you think of this place with all your things in it?”

“Well.” I replied, “After being kicked out of Afghanistan, maybe one day when the country settles, maybe they will build a big museum full of your stuff.”

Red-faced, the Russian walks away.

In Vietnam, sacrifices are a way of life

2010-06-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

In Vietnam I found a mountain of red tape to toil through, as my photo wishes had to be resubmitted because Vietnamese officials in Tokyo didn't pass it onto those in Hanoi.

Once we walked by Hanoi's infamous "Hanoi Hilton," a prison used to house American pilots during the Vietnamese War. But my escort, Dy, hadn't arranged a visit. I suddenly left the press tour to get a closer shot of the prison only to get chased off by a pith-helmeted guard frantically waving his arms.

They're very strict," Dy said as I rejoined the group. This is still used as a prison for our worst criminals." There would have been nothing to see inside anyway, he insisted, only the inner courtyard and a long block of crowded cells.

"This is frustrating," I yelled, "you only want me to photograph images that shows your country's successes. You want me to photograph the great war museum full of captured war trophies, the impacted remains of a B-52 in a community pond, your export textile and rug weaving factories, where luxury goods are made for wealthy customers elsewhere, not in Vietnam. You want me to photograph the school that Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden made famous during their 1972 Christmas visit. I need images to show our readers, that not only is your country a first-rate military power, but a fourth-rate economic one with a per capita income of less than $200.00," I said.

"If only you had asked us when the Visa was submitted in Tokyo," Dy replied, "in Vietnam, there is no such thing as freedom of movement, of following a lead where it may take you."

Photographing people in any country has little to do with taking pictures. It involves trying to understand people and their culture.

In Vietnam's controlled society it's even a challenge to meet average people on the streets. But after my guide dropped me off at the hotel, I soon found, I could wander around Hanoi at will and photograph people, who lived in poor gloomy ghetto - old French villas fallen to shabby decay and general life, but outside the city, all travel was regulated to the foreign visitor.

What likely will remain are the images of a country where beauty and ugliness lives hand-in hand.

Images like:

Construction crews using a crowbar to pry, one by one, bricks out of a wall;

One-hundred-year old French streetcars;

Old men playing a Vietnamese version of Chinese checkers in a city car;

And, always the children with their smiles.

When the Rules are in Vietnamese

2010-06-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

“Impossible! Permission denied!” During my trip to the Republic of Vietnam I learned to expect stringent restrictions, suspicions and endless surveillance. To start things off, there’s prohibited list. You are forbidden to photograph the frontier, military equipment movements or installations, fuel storage facilities, seaports, railroad junctions, tunnels, railway and highway bridges and so on. Even aerial photography is strictly prohibited.

In Vietnam’s tightly controlled society, just meeting and talking with the average person is a challenge in itself. Even through I could wander about at will in Hanoi, outside the city all movement was closely regulated. This policy is of great value in allowing the government to show off its accomplishments – schools, hospitals, and factories – while quietly hiding its failures.

Even the Government Press Guides both help and hinder. It would be impossible, especially for an American, to work in Vietnam without them. They set up trips, arrange for interviews and protect the visitors from harassment. But their main job is to observe our comings and goings and make sure all journalist and photographers don’t come into contact with “unauthorized” citizens.

But even with all the frustrations, working in Vietnam was filled with fascination and excitement. I like to think of my work as a people-to-people project, and my lens as a peephole into a world seldom seen. I wasn’t always able to get the photographs I wanted, but at times I did manage to penetrate the fears of the Vietnamese people. And perhaps I may have helped calm their suspicions of me, my country and our way of life.

Photo 1 – With the Polish of an adult performer, a Young Pioneer at the Dong Da School in Hanoi sings a hymn of praise to Ho Chi Minh, the constant image in Vietnam’s Capital.

Photo 2 – A worker weaves stands of wool into balls to be used in Rug Making A the Hai Hung Rug Factory.

Photo 3 –A Vietnamese worker trims a hand-woven rug near Hanoi before it is prepared for export. The ornamental rugs will be shipped to Russia, Germany, Canada and Iraq.

Photo 4 –Workers operate a machine that weaves spools of cotton into long textile sheets that will be cut and sewed into towels. The factory makes over 100,000 towels a day.

Photo 5 – A woman sews seams on towels. She is one of 2,000 women workers at the factory.

Photo 6 – A factory stacks towels for shipment.

Getting the right angle in shooting Wrestling

2010-06-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the world and certainly an interesting one to take pictures of. I find it gets kind of hectic when you're shooting at a tournament when there are two or more mats set up with action going on all at the same time. I normally try to use at least two camera bodies, one equipped with a 24-70mm, another with a 70-200mm, and if possible a third body equipped with a 300mm f2.8, that way I have all my focal lengths covered. When shooting, I try to get story telling shots of most of the matches, the winning, loosing, happiness, you know the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. Guess it's all those years of shooting sports for newspaper and magazines that has taught me that capturing the reaction after the action is just as important.

I try to get vertical shots of takedowns and escapes and then zoom closer, filling the frame to get pinning combos and closer action. Sometimes the ref in the photo will also tell an important moment in the action.

Be careful, when you're near the mat you start to develop a six sense to know when to drop the camera from your eye and either duck or move. I once had two heavy weights land on top of me. I hurt the better part of a week.

Here's some images that might give you an idea. I shot these inside a gym with decent lighting at 320 sec. at 2.8 with an ISO 1000. Normally, when they set up a single over head flood light for the championship rounds, I set up two or three Canon 550 EX speed lights and use a Speed lite transmitter ST-E2 to fire them.

Having to Deal with Publicists

2010-06-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Taking pictures of celebrities can be a rush job. Most of the time they really don’t care and generally try to accommodate the photographers needs, but it’s their publicists who actually control their clients time and this can be frustrating.

It actually took me longer to find a parking space near the W Hotel in downtown Seattle than it did to set up four of my 550 EX Speedlites, and take a couple of tests shots than it took for me to get some pictures of Carson Kressley, the flamboyant star of TV's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", in the lobby. Kressley, who was in town promoting his fashion book of tips for the straight men, "Off the Cuff”, was really great to work with, but his publicists was not.

I’m not trying to say that this individual was hard to work with, but, having him constantly look over my shoulder, wanting to view each captured image was gate keeping at it best and cutting into my allotted shooting time. Finally, after seeing my frustration, Carson suggested to his publicists, the shooting session would pass quicker if he’d look at the images after they were all taken instead of one at a time.

Kressley was great to work with, having model underwear for many years, he was natural in front of the camera and didn’t require any guidance in posing at all and I able to squeeze about 30 pictures off in the 30 minutes photo session before the publicists called it a wrap.

"Thou Shall Not Set up Photo!"

2010-06-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

During a photo assignment to take pictures of baby lemurs at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, I ran across a problem in showing just how tiny these furry creatures were when there were stuck behind a glass window and were asleep in their bassinettes. Lucky, a local TV photographer and reporter arrived in the nick of time to solve that problem.

According to the National Press Photographers Associations Code of Ethics rule number 5. It states, “While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.” Somehow those rules only seem to apply to still photographers and not TV photographers.

After setting up his camera and tripod in front of the glass window and taking a few shots. He said the one of the Zoo’s staff if they could move the babies closer to the window for a better shot. The staffer walked over to a box of rubber gloves, pick up a green pair and pink pair and asked the TV photographer, which would look better. “Pink”, he replied. I didn’t say a thing and let him set up the photo.

Donning the pink gloves, the attendants picked up the lemurs and moved them closer to the window. Not only by holding them in their hands, give size in relationship to a human hand, but also the pink gloves were a nice added touch of color.

When I returned to the paper and told the story to our Director of Photography, he asked if I said anything at all to change the situation? “Nope, nada, nothing, the TV photographer and reporter set it up", I replied, they took control over the whole situation. “Good, and you managed to get a nice feature picture of a hard subject.” He said.

So next time you see something shot by a TV photographer for the nightly news, you just gotta wonder just how much part they played in contributing to influence the event filmed.

Adding Blur to Create Motion

2010-06-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

One method I like to use when out shooting sports, news or any other assignment is to put a little blur motion in my photos. This is one way to convey motion to the viewer.

I like to shoot at low shutter speeds (1/60^th or slower) using a shorter lens and “pan” or move the camera while shooting. When panning, I keep the camera on the subject and swing with the action until it is directly in front of you. Then press the shutter button as you continue panning and the result you’ll achieve is a blurred background with a sharp subject focus.

You can shoot blur-of-action photos three ways:

1) – Remain stationary and shoot the subject as it passes.

2) – Move along with the subject and shoot in motion.

3) – Remain stationary and pan your camera as the subject moves parallel to you.

Capturing Peak Action in covering sports

2010-06-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked to share my secrets in capturing peak sports action photos you see in newspaper and magazines. One thing, I try to stop the action using a shutter speed of no less that 1/500 second and preferable 1/100 second or higher.

Getting the shot at the peak action requires split second timing, practice and keeping your finger pressed on the shutter button. The best stop action shots have sharp focus and the ball in the frame.

Another success in shooting sports requires a photographer to use long telephoto lenses in the ranges of 200mm, 300mm, 400mm, 500mm and longer. These lenses allow a photographer to use low f-stops at either 2.8 or f 4.0. This not only allows me to blur out the backgrounds, but I’m able to use higher shutter speeds to capture the ball in mid air. Another important reason is that the viewers’ eyes automatically goes to the subject and not wonder around the photo. Always crop your photographs to add impact and eye stopping power to them.

Another helpful hint is you also need to process knowledge of the sport you are shooting so you can anticipate the action.

Here's a few that might show you want I'm writing about.

Adding graphic power to your photographs

2010-06-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

I enjoy using visual communications in my photography. I like to think It’s not what you photograph, but how you photograph the subject. Some photographs have that talented eye to notice and add that little bit of extra graphic ingredients to a photograph that makes your eye look longer. This type of visual smack is what makes some photography stand out from the ordinary.

Crop for impact: If you want add graphic power, you must crop in on those story-telling elements. Study everything in your viewfinder, the entire frame, not just the center. You can get rid all the distracting elements in the sides, corners or background by changing camera angle, shooting distance, or zoom settings. I try add a better graphic impact by moving in and singling out specific features using a zoom lens or a macro lens to photograph small details.

When taking long or medium shots, I’m always on the lookout for pictures within the picture. Seeing interesting details inside the overall frame, I sometimes make separate pictures of them. By closing in on the light striking a maidenhair fern, I was able to bring out the graphic patterns on the fronds.

Look for reflections: Reflections can help you create striking compositions. They can be found them anywhere: car door windows, even, in water puddles after a rainstorm and in the calm surface of a lake as such as the boater’s reflection in the marina as he washes off his sailboat.

Silhouettes: Look for eye-catching graphic shapes that can be silhouetted against a bright background, such as a sunrise or sunset. For a good silhouette effect, shoot against the light and expose for the bright area, so that the foreground goes dark such as I did of the Salmon fishermen at dusk and able to capture the light reflecting off the fishing lines.

Use of lines: Use lines to make your compositions more graphic to express the mood you want as they curve and lead your eye right into the subject. But using a micro lens to capture the dewdrops as they transform the graceful curves of a spider web into a deadly looking diamond necklace.

Subject placement: Where you position your subject or center of interest within the camera’s viewfinder can also add to graphic impact. According to years of advice that you should never center the subject in the middle of the picture, that’s just plain crazy. It does sometimes create a static composition, but also can produce a powerful bull’s eye effect that pulls the viewer’s eye right into the center ring such as this portrait of an Azorean girl before she went to her first Communication.

Using shapes, patterns and colors: Colors also produce a life of their own. I like to use contrasting bold colors to work with one another, as the contrast of the white daisy against the color of the purple lavender.

The repeated line and patterns of repeated lines, shapes, tones and colors within a scene adds that extra bit of graphic power to your photographs. Sometimes those visual lines may be orderly as the outlines of hills at Hurricane Ridge that create a step ladder leading up to Mount Olympus.

Covering non-photographic events

2010-06-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

While working for newspapers, photographers shoot a variety of assignments ranging from spot news, general news, sports, feature and documentary. But, there’s nothing more dreaded than being assigned a why I love where I live, my favorite chef, a fine romance, check passing, ground breaking and of course, the school assignment. To the news photographer these are commonly know as “non-photographic events”, but they have to be covered and it’s up to us to capture a story-telling photo.

Most are pretty boring event to cover, so if only teachers would plan ahead and contact the newspaper’s education beat reporter and inform them of an ongoing class project. That would actually make better pictures than kids standing next or pointing to a finished science project. The same goes for ground breakings, instead of having to capture pictures of local officials moving dirt with a shovel, how about stopping by ever so often at the construction site to make pictures of workers. I tried to train our reporters on what makes a visual assignment or not. From time to time I had to tell them, that this is one assignment where 5,000 words is a lot better than one crappy photo.

Once I received an assignment to cover Presidential Candidates at The Islander Middle School . Eight graders were taking part of a social studies class using Story path, an educational program in which they create an election campaign, with candidates, platforms and posters. Sounds pretty boring and why yes it was. I could have gotten a few shots of the candidates standing at a podium giving a speech, but for some reason I decided something there might make a good photo. Besides, if I returned to office after this assignment, there might be a worse one waiting. I have this thought, if you’re out of the office your working, you know out of sight, out of mind to the editors and another photographer would get handed a “last minute” assignment.

I’ve been following this one group from classroom to classroom when the candidate, dressed as Herbert Bobman, for the Peace Party, had her nose tweaked by a classmate. So, instead of handing in a speaking at a podium pictures, I stayed longer and the paper published a nice story telling feature.

The excitement of covering spot news

2010-06-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

To some news photographers there’s nothing like getting the blood pumping than having to jump up and rush off to photograph a spot news event. Spot news photographs are pictures of unscheduled events for which no advance planning was possible. These news situations are normally spontaneous photos of a fire, traffic accident or a rescue. This type of event puts pressure on the photographer to produce while working under trying conditions, even through a little humor can be found near the end once those emergency personnel on the scene deems the situation isn’t life threatening and a lighter type of photo can be taken. So, if you don’t make it on time to photograph the trauma situation, a story telling photo can always be made.

I’ve found while out covering spot news events, stay out of the way of police, fire or medical personnel. A long lens helps so that you can move in closer to make photos that might show emotion.

Most of the time it’s often difficult to gather caption information at spot news events, so I try get the names and contact phone number of an police officer, firefighter or paramedics and what fire station they belong to, so that I can later phone and get more details.

Here are some details of the posted photos:

A SWAT team member and his dog provides cover for the rest of the team as they search house to house for a suspect in the after a Seattle Police Officer was shot in his car about 9:30 this morning. Since the scene was still active, I was forced to use my 400mm lens and stand back across the street behind a police line.

South Kitsap fireman knocks back a house fire in Port Orchard. While working for the Port Orchard Independent I got to know most of the local emergency personnel well and actually able to move in closer to a fire, emergency situation using a variety of lenses, ranging from a wide angle to a telephoto.

Emergency personnel stabilize an injured woman after an accident. While covering this accident I was told to get back by a Washington State Patrol Trooper, but the Fireman Lieutenant informed the officer that I knew what I was doing and wouldn't be In the way. I guess all those times I dropped off containers of ice cream at the fire station paid off.

A fireman carried a 50-pound English bulldog up a steer embankment after his owner lost control on an icy road.

A sanitation worker pours coffee from a thermos after turning over his garbage truck while traveling through a roundabout.

"Oh Wow!"

2010-06-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Living in the Pacific Northwest provides photographers not only chance to capture a variety of scenic attractions, but also never ending challenges in shooting under a variety of lighting conditions. While cruising around Port Orchard one day I came upon this scene of the snow capped Olympic Mountains. What made it pop out was the ever changing sky conditions and the dark layer of the gathering cloud line. To me, a scenic picture or “Oh wow!” is one of my favorite types of photo subjects. This shot is another type of pictorial as it grabs the viewers’ attention and is easier to take than any other, for it is the type of subject that shouts out to you. “Just take me!” If the light is right, if the composition comes together to make the kind of eye-catching shot that captures the spirit of a place, then take it quickly because the scene may change momentarily. And if the lighting changes for the better, take it again. Being in the right place at the right time is one of the secrets of capturing the “Oh wow!” shot. Luck has a lot to do with it, but carrying your camera around with you and spending time out taking pictures will increase your chances of capturing this type of scenic picture.

Adding story telling items to portrait

2010-06-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

While attending Syracuse University's photojournalism program, one of our professors gave us an assignment, go out and shoot four rolls of 36 exposure film, (yea…I’m dating myself) 144 pictures of people, but, the clincher was we could only photograph the subject with a 50mm lens and only shoot that individual once. So, we had to shoot 144 different people. That's one way to break one's shyness.

Photographing strangers requires being sensitive. People, especially in this day and age, don't like having a camera stuck in their faces. Instead, try to calm suspicion. Introduce yourself and communicate in a sincere way why you want to make a photograph of them-because you're interested in what they are doing. Once you make that connection as a human being, most people are flattered by your interest and open up to you. Also your body language can do the trick: There's no cultural barrier to a smile or expressing your admiration for a pretty child.

My style is to surround people in their environment with things that make them different from other people. When you go into someone's environment to shoot a portrait, there is something around the subject that makes them special. Everybody has something that is symbolic of what they do. To establish a working relationship with the subject, ask them to explain what they do. That gets them relaxed, while at the same time, gives you ideas for pictures.

When shooting people I like to travel light and use my 16-35mm, 28mm-70mm and 70-200mm zoom lenses. One of the keys to successful people photography is the ability to work quickly when needed. And the zoom lenses help me do that: I can compose my scene, and then “shoot and move to another angle.”

Here are some examples where I used my 16-35mm to make environmental portraits. When photographing people, I try to take a headshot and an environmental portrait.

Ride em Bulls

2010-06-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Rodeo events make for great picture taking. While covering last August’s Kitsap County Fair Rodeo Xtreme Bulls event I captured a picture I’ve been waiting for years to get. Normally, photographers always take photos of the cowboys riding the bulls and horses until they either get bucked off or reach the qualtilfiying time limit. Here, in one event I was able to get a shot of what seemed like a bull riding a cowboy after he was bucked off. Go figure, of getting a picture such as this. Needless to say, the cowboy wasn’t hurt, but he sure did get to the safety of the fence in record time.

Included is the capture info:

Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Serial #:

Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Macintosh

Frame #: 135

Lens (mm): 300

ISO: 250

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/4000

Exp. Comp.: -0.3

Flash Comp.:

Program: Aperture Priority

Focus Mode:

White Bal.:

ICC Profile: Adobe RGB (1998) (embedded)

Contrast:

Sharpening:

Quality:

Get the ball in the frame and in focus

2010-06-03T11:59:00.001-07:00

As a sport photographer, my job is to capture that peak, action that tells the story.

I like to do is use my longer telephoto lenses, normally I use the 400mm f2.8 for baseball, football and soccer, and the 300mm f2.8 for basketball. That way, I can shoot at f2.8, which throws the background out of focus and high enough shutter speed to capture the peak action and good facial expressions.

However, in this digital age, it’s good to capture both. It’s all about seeing pictures possibilities and capturing both those action and reaction moments that lead to great photographic moments.

Here's a few pictures: Oakland Athletics' shortstop Marco Scutaro forces out Seattle Mariners' Jose Lopez at second base and fails to make a double play in the third inning in Seattle.

Seattle Seahawks' defensive end Parick Kerney (L) knocks the ball out of Washington Redskins' quarterback Todd Collins hands in the first half of their first round NFC Wildcard playoff game at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Seattle Sounders' Kyle Smith (11) performs a bicycle kick past L.A. Galaxy's Simon Elliott and towards the Galaxy's goal area during the second half of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals on Wednesday at Seahawks' Stadium in Seattle.

San Diego State tight end Steve Schmidt, left, catches a pass over defending Washington State corner back Chima Nwachukwu for first down yardage in the second quarter of their football game in Seattle.

Seattle Supersonics' Earl Watson, right, knocks the ball away from Atlanta Hawks' Zaza Pachulia, from the Republic of Georgia in the third period at Key Arena in Seattle.

Always ask for permission first

2010-06-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

I get asked many times about how I come up with interesting portraits and features taken out in public. Normally if you stand from a public street, sidewalk in American a subject used to be fair game. It still is, but during these times where everyone is suspicious it’s good to ask beforehand. Once you go onto someone’s property, such as a cafe, business or mall, it’s best to ask permission of owner and those who you hope to photograph.

One of the keys of photographing people of different cultures, not only in the United States, but abroad, is to do as much research as you can before you depart. Find out if there are any taboos concerning photography. Another key to taking good pictures abroad is to be sensitive to local customs and the different reactions people may have to you and your camera.

Some people will have no problem, while others have objections to photographs being made of certain individuals or groups. Some will deny pictures taken on religious principles. Some will feel that you want to make fun of them, to show their poverty or some other bad aspect of their lives to the world. Then, there's some that believe that when you make an image of them you are stealing their soul or in some way taking something away from them.

And they are right; when we photograph them we are capturing the essence or spirit of a person or place. You should always respect others' feelings and beliefs and you don't want to get beat up or land in jail. People are always more important that pictures. It's best to first ask them before you take a picture.

While in assignment in Hanoi, North Vietnam, my press guide and I were visiting a typical neighborhood and I came across this picture of an elderly woman and a young child sitting in a doorway. As soon as I raised my camera in their direction she scowled and let out a stream of Vietnamese. My guide said she didn’t want you to take their spirit. I asked him to explain that I only wanted to capture the beautiful child sitting on his grandmother’s lap to show the importance of family relationship in their country, where the aged are still important family figures and respected, not unlike in the United States where the sons and daughters often put their elderly parents in rest homes. This led to conservation and soon she agreed on letting me take their picture.

But mistakes are bound to happen. Once while photographing in Kenya’s old Muslin section of town, I spotted three kittens climbing up a white elaborate drapery that hung in front of an open door. So, in order to get a different angle I laid on my stomach, took some pictures and heard some loud talking coming from behind me, but didn't pay too much attention as I was too intense on getting the photo. Then, a rock landing nearby got my attention. I got up looked over at the angry crowd that was gathering, pointing and yelling. So deciding to head back into town, I turned to walk away and they followed. I walked faster and their pace quickened as well. Soon I was off and running down narrow alleys and streets with them in pursuit. It was like a scene out of the movie, “The Arabian Nights.” I ran around one corner and my escaped was blocked." When things started to get exciting, an old Indian man came out from his store and asked what had happened to cause such an event. Looking kind of worried he turned in my direction and I explained to him in English, that I was only taking pictures of kittens playing. When he explained what I was shooting, the whole crowd busted out laughing and the tension quickly eased. They had thought I was taking pictures of unveiled women from under the protective cover of the drapery.

All ended well as I was treated to some of the finest Indian curry that night in a local restaurant and was able to get a guided tour, which ended up in capturing some great shots the following day in Mombassa.

Those double whammies will get you every time

2010-06-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is about covering Major League, College and high school baseball games where the umpires seem to have this uncanny knack of getting into the way, not just once during a game, but most of the time.

In the past this has been a topic of discussion among photographers shooting from the photography wells and this year, it's no exception. Why do the umpires have to run all the way out into the outfields and right into the line of sight between us and the players, thus blocking out leaping catches, dropped balls, colliding players and such? Is this a rule posted in the umpires handbook? Rule 101 - Always, if possible, block the photographers view in significant plays at home plate and elsewhere on the field.

I thought I had captured a great series of photos taken Saturday in the WIAA 3A State high school championship game between O'Dea and Camas of a play at home plate, so I thought. Not only did the first base coach, who was running towards home plate block me out, but I received that "double whammy" when the umpire moved into the frame as well.

After yelling at the coach and informing him as to why there are painted white lines in shape of a box along the first and third base lines and they are suppose to stay either near or in the box areas, not run up and down the sidelines. "He replied, "Hey, sorry, I just got excited!" Commenting to the other photographers present, I mentioned, "Well think of all the readers who aren't going to see a capture of a significant play at home plate, but will instead see the coaches backside running down the baseline."

However, in spite of having to shoot through all the moving objects, I was able to capture one frame of the catcher's reaction when he closed his eyes after the home plate umpire called the base runner safe.

Goes to show you, there's one thing for certain, "those double whammies" will get you ever time.

One of the weirdest things I've ever seen

2010-05-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

One of the weirdest scenes I've ever photographed was while living on the island of Terceira in the Azores. Everyday, I would shoot a different part of the island. One one particular day while out photographing "a day in the life" of dairy farmers, I rounded a corner and came to a standstill in a traffic jam of sorts.

There was this farmer who was having trouble moving a dairy cow to another field. Normally a farmer would open a pasture gate and the cows would follow one another from one field to the next. But since he only had one cow to be used as a lawnmower to munch the front lawn, he was having serious problems. I guess to him the most logical way to move one cow was by motor transport, but as you can see she didn't want to have any part of his plan. So after trying to coax her into the back of a truck, which was blocking the road and with the traffic backing up, he finally gave up and decided to put his back into the job.

I don't know just how long it took him to get that cow into the truck and since I already had a humorous photo, I decided to turn around and head back in the same direction. I guess that this proves that when you're out and about you'll never know what interesting or funny situation might lie in wait around the next corner.

It pays to pay attention

2010-05-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

While growing up in Japan and taking pictures at a high school football game, a Pacific Stars and Stripes staff photographer, pulled me aside and told me, “Jim, not all the important action happens between the 40-yard lines.” From that period on, I was always on the lookout for game telling photos, whether they were on the field or sidelines.

Covering a state high school West Central District playoff game between Sumner and Central Kitsap, I noticed, most of the first base calls went in favor of Sumner. One a few occasions the Central Kitsap coach called time come over and to argue his point, but to no avail.

Next time Central Kitsap came up to bat, the head coach moved from his normal third base position to first base and I knew it would be a matter of time before heated words would be exchange between him and the umpire.

A few innings later, one of the Central Kitsap players, who had taken a large lead-off from first base, was picked off on a throw from the Sumner catcher to his first baseman. Watching from my photographic vantage point near the first base line, I thought that the runner was clearly safe in returning to the bag, and so did the coach, but the umpire thought otherwise. And that’s when the fireworks started.

When the argument started, I trained my lens on both men, as they got closer and closer together, the words became more heated and the pictures keep getting better and better. Pretty soon, the CK coached moved in so close that the bill of his hat was touching underneath the umpires’ hat. As the discussion centered on the multitude of questionable calls made by this umpire.

As the veins on the coach’s neck popped out and I knew it was just a matter of seconds before the coach was ejected from the game. I got my picture; he did in fact get booted and spent the remainder of the game, watching his team come from behind to win, sitting in a lawn chair outside the center field fence.

Adding rain to capture moody photographs

2010-05-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

While sitting around yesterday, looking out the sliding glass doors, watching the rainfall and wishing it would just go away, I realized two things: I’m a photographer and living here in the Pacific Northwest with it’s never ending rainfall, the bad weather, like it or not would give me a opportunity to go outside in our backyard garden and a chance make some good pictures. I thought of images that would evoke some type of mood and atmosphere, and would give me a chance to break away from that wishful “sunny-day” look and provided a few reasons to capture something different.

First, consider the possibilities that rain can add. We get plenty of those wet days here and it provides a silvery shimmer to city streets and foliage that can turn even a mundane scene into one of magic. The diffused light from an overcast sky mutes bright colors and emphasizes soft monochromes and enhances the subtle compositional effects.

One method I like using, is to use my 28-70mm f2.8 lens which has a minimum focusing distance is about 12 inches, while it’s not stellar for a macro, when I attached the Canon Extension Tube EF25 I was able to move in close to capture details and rich colors of the various plants, grasses and trees branches with water drops shinning like a jewels.

When shooting in the foul weather one thing you have to watch for is that water can damage your photographic equipment. When the weather turns while out photographing in bad weather, protect it under a raincoat or umbrella when not shooting. Make use of doorways, storefront arcades, overhangs, or awnings.

For prolonged exposure to the rain, weatherproof your camera with a gallon plastic zip lock bag that is flexible enough to operate the shutter release. Cut a hole for the lens and then seal the lens shade to the bag with the use duct tape or a strong rubber band. To protect the lens, use a lens shade and skylight filer and wipe off moisture that collect on your camera with a dry, clean cloth. My all time favorite is using one of those chamois car wipes you can purchase at any auto parts store.

Be alert to such stormy scenes as you photograph, if not, you’ll never know what visual opportunities photographing in bad weather might bring.

It’s not always the action that’s important

2010-05-24T06:25:00.001-07:00

Former Port Orchard Independent reporter, Mark Walker, once told me after looking at a few of my sports action features, “Get the ball in the frame and in focus!” Well, that’s silly coming from a wordsmith and not a photographer. I tried explaining to him that I was trying to capture the after action reaction of a game saving play, which to me is as important as actual action shot. However, it did piss me off so much that from then on I made it a point to capture both, action and reaction of every play.

But To me, sometimes, the after reaction of a significant play is almost just as important or sometimes more important than the play itself. However, in this digital age, it’s good to capture both. It’s all about seeing pictures possibilities and capturing those moments that lead to great photographic moments.

Here's a picture I captured the other night of Ken Griffey, Jr., being congratulated after hitting the game winning single against the Toronto Bluejays. I managed to capture a story telling photo of Bluejays' first baseman Lyle Overbay (R) walking off the field as Seattle Mariners' Ken Griffey Jr. (L) is surrounded by teammates after he hit a single to right field that scored the game winning run in the ninth inning. Griffey pinch-hitting for Josh Wilson hit a game winning single to right field that scored Milton Bradley to beat the Bluejays 4-3. I like the fact that I was able to capture the both the happiness and dejection in the same frame. The happiness of the Mariners players and the dejection displayed by Overbay as he walked off the field with his head down definitely told the story better than Griffey swatting the ball.

Other pictures that display reactions are: Manchester United's Roy Keane, middle, congratulates Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, left, after he scored the third goal of the first half against the Celtic goalie Magnus Hedman.

Alabama's Blair Potter, left, and Jessica Smith watch the Washington team celebrate their 7-5 win in the NCAA Softball Super Regional game Saturday May 26, 2007 in Seattle. Washington beat Alabama 7-5 to advance to the College World Series.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney celebrates his sack of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia in the second quarter of their season opener at Qwest Field in Seattle.

And lastly, the look on the base runner’s face as he’s called out during a Babe Ruth baseball game. If he had scored, the game would have gone into extra innings.

As you can see in the posted photos……..sometimes that reaction tells the story better than the action.

Using angles and lenses in visual story-telling

2010-05-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

At a recent photo lecture I gave on travel photography, an attendee asked, “I’ve been to some of the same places as you, own similar equipment too, but my photos aren’t as good as yours . Why?”

The only difference I’ve come across elevating the professionals from amateurs is that the professionals think before and while they photograph. I’m always on the lookout, taking mental notes of a scene, taking time to find high or low angles in which to shoot from and always looking for that perfect “magic” light to shoot in, even if I have to return later to capture it.

Sooner or later you’ll be asked to share your pictures, in either a to your friends or associates in the form of a slide show, power point presentation of a display prints.

While you can build these projects around a central theme or subject, try to show an overall feeling of the “spirit” of the place you photographed, rather than just a single theme, for a more visual story.

There is a logic structure in visual storytelling, and you see those technique used everyday on television and in the movies. They are both visual storytelling mediums, and directors use the same techniques to pull you into the story. The same is used in telling stories with photos.

As a still photographer, we can learn a lot from these visual story-telling techniques. The cameraman and director of photography use different types of shots and angles ranging from overalls to close-ups, to establish a story line. The next time you watch a movie, turn off the sound and study the mixture of shots that are used. These same types of shots are useful to keep in mind when you go cover a place with your camera.

Establishing shot – Wide-angle overview that sets up the scene. This is often a high angle shot that will give the viewer a really good idea of the setting.

Medium shot - Usually a closer up view than the establishing shot. Street scenes can be taken with any lens ranging from a wide angle, standard to slight telephoto lenses. I like using my 16-35mm and 70-200mm to capture these types of images.

Close-up shot – Are often pictures that show storytelling details, such as faces, hands, signage, architectural details, food, drink, and artwork.

Point of view shot – Are shots taken from the angle of a participant in an event or action, such as soldier’s view of the battlefield. The POV shots are more of a moving-picture technique than a still-photo, but you can make exciting POV shots by using unusual viewpoints like very high or low angles.

Look for different angles to photograph from. There’s no rule that says everything must be shot from the eye level, so shoot the same subject from low to high angles, even at ground level sitting on your butt, kneeling or laying on your stomach. Each angle will give you a different prospective of the scene.

Every time you set out to photograph a situation, be it a street fair, a market or a walk about through the countryside, keep in mind this mix of shots. Each is important, if you take all establishing shots or all close-ups, you’ll loose the attention of your viewers. In everything you cover, get the establishing shots, the medium shots, detail and close-ups, and if possible the POV shot.

One thing I’ve learned from years of picture taking is “Dare to be different!” All rules of photographic composition can be broken. Break all the rules, be creative, shoot your pictures from the heart and you’ll stand out from the rest.

Seeing in details

2010-05-20T07:57:00.001-07:00

Over the years, photojournalists reach a point where they refine their personal approach to shooting skills. Each approach is different, but most of whom I have talked too all agrees that the basis of such a visual approach is the trained ability to see everything in great detail.

The late Frank Hoy, who I had as an instructor at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and who later taught at Arizona State University, taught his students an exercise in detailed seeing called the EDFAT – Entire, Details, Frame, Angles, and Time, a method that allows you to fine-tune your photographic seeing.

This approach works as well with things as well as people. EDFAT will help you explore the familiar as if it was a brand new subject.

For a start, organize your seeing in terms of using three categories: the establishing shot, the medium shot, and the close up. Apply this approach to everything you see.

The old saying, “what you see you can photograph” only applies to someone who sees in detail. So take the time to make a short field trip as a practical test method. Sling your camera on your shoulder and carry it with you while you learn to see deeply and in detail during a short walking tour in an area where there are a lot of people.

As a photojournalist you will constantly deal with strangers, so your subject should be someone unknown. Approach the subject and introduce yourself. Explain what you want: A complete portrait of them based on shooting many photographs. You’ll be surprised on just how cooperative most people are when you explain your needs. When the subject agrees to be photograph, move back to about 15 feet and start shooting.

ENTIRE: From 15 feet away, focus on the entire person as part of the environment and shoot one or two horizontal shots. Turn the camera to a vertical position and shoot two more. Move around the person and compose each shot differently in some strong composition. Don’t place the person in the center of the frame. While shooting, explore the person through your lens. Move in and from about 10 feet away, repeat the procedure. Then move in to about 7 feet and repeat your shooting process.

DETAILS: Now from 5 feet away search for details of the person now you are long longer photographing a person in relation to a large background, but you are making a portrait. So concentrate from the waist up. Shoot two horizontal frames and then to vertical frames. In doing this, you are framing the person in relation to the edge of your photograph and are now exploring the composition possibilities that come to mind. Use feet, books, boots, a hat, hair, eyes, and even the background elements to compose a variety of photographs: no two shots should be the same. Talk with the person as you shoot. Get to know the person’s background and personality. Soon they won’t be a subject anymore, but an interesting individual.

ANGLES: What would this person look like from a different angle? If you had taken all your shots so far from eye level and straight ahead, now take shots from the left and then right, from both high and low angles. Look for something to stand on, or even sit on your butt to get an especially low angle.

Now move in really close, to the shortest focal distance your lens with focus. Study the details on the subjects face. Concentrate on photographing a shot with just the eyes, nose, lips and hair and features of the face. At this close distance they are your material for a close-up. Remember to shoot both horizontal and vertical shots. Try to get your subjects hands in the photo, perhaps close to the face to frame it. By now you are working with you’re subject to get a character study, or what is called a personality portrait.

TIME: During this shooting exercise, you have been using the fifth element of EDFAT – time – in two ways: first as a series of shutter speeds to capture the action and second, as a span of time that allows you to explore in full details many visual possibilities of a single subject.

More importantly, you have introduced yourself to a way to be photographically perceptive.

Gotta have that gift of the gab

2010-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love taking personality portraits that go beyond photographing a face that shows some interesting aspect of the subject’s character or personality.

My wife, Amy, has mentioned throughout the years that I can be embarrassing when out in public taking pictures. “How can you walk up to a perfect stranger, talk to them like you’ve known them for years and then get a picture?”

I don’t know, maybe I’m one of those photographers who have a special knack for setting my subjects at ease and a gift of the gab. But, mostly, it takes, experience, being very perceptive and extremely stubborn. When I want to make a picture of an interesting person, I don’t care how long it might take. Once, while trying to take a portrait of a carnival worker, he asked why I wanted to take a picture of him? “You have an interesting face”, I replied. Still, he refused, so I hung around talking, asking him about the life of a carnie, some of the towns he’s visited and how long he’s been a ride operator. Soon, kids started lining up to ride, as he started taking tickets, he asked, “You’re not gonna leave here until you take my picture are you? I smiled, and said, “I’ve got all day” and like I said, “you have an interesting face.”

“What the hell, take my picture!”, he snapped back, stuck the cigar in his mouth and glared at me.

My favorite technique is moving in with my 70-200mm lens for a close-up to ensure a strong center of interest and simple composition. One of the things I try to do is capture the subject’s character and emotional appeal.

In order to produce a good personality portrait, especially when dealing with those subjects who don’t want their pictures taken, a photographer must be part psychologist and part interviewer. To me, this shows the subject that you are interested in them, not as just a subject, but a human. Sooner or later, if they are busy, they’ll give in and allow a photo to be made. Besides, having that gift of the gab, doesn’t hurt at all either. Being a photojournalist, it’s our job to return with a
grabber shot…the one that tells the story or captures the character of someone.

Go out and shoot pretty pictures

2010-05-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

While working at the Florida Times-Union, a former picture editor, Charles Kogod, offered me a bit of advice one slow news day. “Jim, just go out and shoot some pretty pictures!” Being a news photographer, I didn’t think that pretty pictorial or scenic could also go into the paper as a weather feature. Kogod knew what he was doing nurturing and developing photographers as he ended up working for National Geographic’s Special as the Director of Illustrations in the publications division for many years. Now, he photographs, teaches and edits. http://www.charleskogod.com/

Sitting on the back deck, reading a book, I noticed a huge, white billowing cloud formation rising up from the easterly direction. Gabbing my cameras, our dog, Toshio, started to jump and dance around me as he’s always up for a good walk, We jumped in to the car and headed off to Manchester Dock to take pictures of the magnificent cloud over Seattle.

To this very day, almost 30 years later, I still take Charles’ advice to heart and go out to shoot pretty pictures. One this day, my instincts paid off and I was rewarded with an unusual weather feature.

My camera goes with me everywhere

2010-05-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

I once had a friend, who commented to me about always carrying my camera around everywhere I went like Charlie Brown's blanket-toting best friend Linus van Pelt. It’s true I don’t want to put myself in the situation of missing a picture. It’s a way of life for most photojournalists, besides most people around town wouldn’t recognize me without a camera hanging from my neck. And I certainly don’t want to miss capturing an image such as the one posted above.

Even after a hard days work, whether I’ve been cruising for a feature picture or after covering two to four assignments, my cameras are always by my side.

Feature photos are a favorite of photojournalist because they are human interest in a creative way that shows readers a “slice of life” and a view of daily life.

Most days after dinner, I would pile those that wanted to go, into the car and we’d head off to discover South Kitsap County to play at one of it lakes or parks. Since Long Lake Park was nearby and always offered some good feature photography that was our favorite location.

On this particular evening, while the kids were playing in the water and I was on the lookout for an interesting situation to photograph, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a blur of activity. Here was this young man, headed to the water with his Golden Retriever, Diesel, in hot pursuit. As he and his dog created water splashes, I raised my camera, focused and shot a series of images of them running through the water. Afterwards, I talked to Jon and found out that he and the dog were out running.

Jon was getting in shape for the upcoming football season and Diesel just liked to go on runs as well.

The next day, while editing the frames, I noticed on this one particular image that had Diesel nipping at Jon’s pants as they romped through the water. And it was as if the dog was telling his master to slow down.

Had I not been armed with cameras, I would have been kicking myself in the butt for not capturing this moment. Which proves the point, carry your cameras everywhere, otherwise, you might miss a truly great photograph.

"You should have been here 45 minutes ago!"

2010-05-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

While attending Syracuse University a professor opened my eyes to one of the most important aspects when covering news events.

Being in a classroom full of photographers the discussion most of the talk was of cameras, lenses, and angles, but it came down to one word, “curiosity.”

You should look beyond the actual event and look for a photo that’s more compelling with emotion.

Upon reading an article about an upcoming public funeral services for the first solder from our area to be killed in Iraq, I called the church, spoke to the event coordinator asking what ground rules were set up for press coverage during the mass.

She mention that a Rosary would be held about a hour before the mass and it might make for a more interesting photos because the casket would be draped with the United State Flag instead of a white cloth.

I like to get to events early so that I can scout out the area and find places that afford a nice clean background or where better pictures would be made from other than an area reserved for photographers.

Also, I wanted to be unobtrusive and show compassion for the mourning family, friends and particularly for the wife he left behind. By staying back far enough away, using a long lens, I was able to capture a photo that still had emotional impact and told the story.

Having arrived for the Rosary, before the other local papers
and the TV crews, I was able to capture a picture of

Michele Bunda as she touched the flag-draped coffin of her late husband Staff Sgt. Christopher Bunda during the Rosary before Mass at the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Bremerton.

After the Rosary, the flag was ceremoniously removed and folded by the Army’s honor guard and was replaced with plain white cloth. As I was standing there previewing the images in my camera, the local newspaper photographer, who had just showed up, approached and while showing him the scene that was just captured 10 minutes earlier. He said, “That’s the picture”,, looking at the photos on my camera, the one scene pictured of the widow touching the flag draped casket and asked when was this taken?

I told him all about my curiosity, the phone call and of being told to come earlier than the Mass.

Sure, equipment, knowledge, experience, sensitivity, thought, persistence and instinct all played part key parts in helping me to capture an image no other photographer did. But I like to think that “curiosity” of never having covered a Mass, led me to place a photo call that yielded one important piece of information about the Rosary, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been about to get a picture no body else recorded.

Let there be light

2010-05-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

One of the most important ingredients in making a photo is the light. As a photographer, I’m always on the lookout as to how important the intensity, color and direction of light plays on a scene.

To me the direction of light is more than another tool is help enhance a scene as it can be added as one of the most important story telling elements. The way the light affects the photo is almost as important the scene itself.

Some of my favorite times of the day to photogaph are the early morning and early evenings when the sidelight creates long, casting shadows. I like shooting in the evenings, when the golden tone of the setting sun creates scenes with that “special magic” light. This is because the lighting created from the setting sun is not only more colorful, but the effects vary widely; peak effects may last a few seconds or half an hour or longer depending on the intensity of the setting sun.

I found out one day that the mural on the downtown library, where the paint was peeling and falling off, was going to be repainted by the original artists. Arriving early, taking pictures and talking to the artists, the scene looked somewhat two dimensional and lacking depth. I asked how long he was be painting and he mentioned that he’ll be at it until it gets dark.

Wanting to use the sidelight from the evening sun, I knew this would be the best lighting for capturing the mood, color and texture of the painted wall and creating a three dimensional view with the use of a dramatic shadow.

Putting your subject in their environment

2010-05-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

I like to add visual story telling details when taking environmental personality portraits. By including tools of the trade in the foreground and background says a lot about a person and what they might do for a living. The reporter wanted to go to the city hall and produce a personality story on the new major. Since I already did some prior research, I found out the mayor was a pilot and suggested that a good time for the assignment, would not during the week for a boring at the office photo, but go photograph him during an upcoming weekend fly-in at a nearby rural airport.

You can imagine the reporter’s delight, when the editor agreed that the shooting the mayor on the tarmac with lined up new and vintage aircraft wing tip to wing tip would be an interesting twist to the story. So happened the mayor also pilots a 1941 Stearman Biplane. Reporters, some reporters think their job is an 8-5 job, five days a week. Unfortunately for photographers, it's 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

While the reporter interviewed the mayor, I took various pictures, ranging from a medium telephoto to a wide angle of him walking around the plane. Now, if any of you know what it’s like working with a reporter, it’s rather a pain in the butt, trying to keep them from getting into every photograph. But, to the reporter, most of which are visual impaired, to them the written word is all they care about and the photos are something to go along with their story.

Afterwards, the reporter, said, “Well I got want I needed, you ready to go?” No, I was just getting started taking pictures and mentioned. “You know, it’s not the headline or first sentence to your story that grabs the readers attention, it’s the photograph.”

The mayor mentioned that he was due to give a public performance in about half an hour and asked if I wanted to take some pictures of him as he flew touch and go landings above the airfield in the background, would most certainly give me the environmental details needed that would show our readership something about the mayor’s life. When you go out and pictures of people doing interesting things, it’s a plus for the readership we serve.

I like to get my subjects involved in making the picture better. Try to get them involved in such a way that they are assisting you instead of you forcing a set up on the subject.

My style is to surround the subject in their environment with things that might make them different from other people. To me, the mayor’s vintage aircraft was a symbol that made him something special and then having him also fly it, put him in a setting that provided a greater identification for the readers.

I can't believe she did that

2010-05-12T08:25:00.001-07:00

Being a photojournalist, our job is to capture life's moments. Those might be the good, the bad, the ugly and sometimes, the bizarre. While assigned to document Port Orchard's annual Fathom O' Fun's Frog jumping contest, one of the best shots of the day I took was the Queen planting a kiss on the winning frog. As she gently, but firmly held it in her hands, puckered up and planted one on tip of the frog's nose, I pressed the shutter button, that captured in one instant, a photo that she'll be remembered by for the rest of her life.

Sometimes, you just have to stop

2010-05-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

While on my way home from shooting the West District 2 Big League (16-19 year olds) Championship baseball game in Silverdale I happened to crest a hill and lo and behold I saw the crescent moonset over the Olympic Mountains. Didn't take too much effort for me to think twice about stopping in a nearby parking lot. Pulling out the tripod, attach a shutter release to one of my MK II's with a 300mm f2.8 lens attached. I set the camera on manual, f-stop at f4.0, and used a variety of shutter speeds, ranging from 30th of second to one second exposures and capture this beautiful moment. Granted, it was a long week covering 20 baseball games in six days and I was wanting to get home. Even through I was hot, tired and hungry, I'm glad that I stopped, and took the time to capture this unique photo. I believe the end result was worthwhile. So enjoy the photo.

“Help me Mr. Wizard!”

2010-05-07T06:21:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been stuck in an embarrassing situation where you just wish that Scotty could beam you up out of there or get a little help from Mr. Wizard?

While driving around looking for a feature picture on a slow news day a police call came across the scanner concerning a man perched up in a tree with a rifle near an elementary school. There’s nothing like the possibility of getting a spot news photograph that get’s one adrenalin flowing. Arriving near the address, I was stopped a deputy, whose car was blocking access to the scene. After a few minutes, he told me it was not a guy armed with a rifle, but someone up in a tree with a rope around his neck threatening to jump. Still, because of the nature of the situation, the officer explained that I was not allowed near the scene, but if I wanted to back up and drive down his neighbor’s driveway, I could possibility get some good shots from that location.

Sounding like a plan, I backed up, pulled over at the entrance, grabbed a camera with a 300mm lens attached and quietly positioned myself behind some bushes that offered a protective view from the police and a front row seat to the developing situation.

About thirty or so feet off the ground, standing on a tree branch, was this guy with a yellow rope around his neck and drinking coffee from one of those “Big Gulp” containers. Apparently he was pretty despondent over the fact his wife had recently left him and he was in the process of being talked out of ending his life by a suicide prevention officer.

A few minutes later, he happened to look over at my direction, and from his birds’ eye view spotted me. Yelling at the top of his lungs, “Hey photographer, do you really want a good picture, get ready!” Knowing my cover was blown and peering through the bush I could see deputies looking my way. Having already gotten a few good pictures, should I stay or leave? Just to make matters worse, I next heard from a half dressed woman leaning out of the upstairs bedroom window asking me what I was doing in her yard? When her husband appeared and asked, “what in the hell are doing with a camera outside our bedroom, as the situation was starting to get way out of hand only thing I thought of saying was, “I’m from the newspaper and your neighbor, Raymond, is up in a tree with a rope around his neck. “

Now taking the attention away from me they both left the driveway widow and as I quickly retreated to my car, I heard the balcony door open with the husband yelling at his neighbor, “Raymond, what in the hell are you doing up in that tree?”

Remembering a childhood cartoon, I thought, "There's no place like home"and wanted to desperately call on Tooter the Turtle’s friend, Mr. Wizard and request a transfer to anywhere and quickly. As I got into the car I’d cry out for Mr. Wizard to rescue me; and with the words "Drizzle, Drazzle, Drozzle, Drome, Time for this one to come home" I safely departed the area and safely arrived back at the newspaper a few minutes later without any police cruisers in hot pursuit.

Things children do at events

2010-05-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

One thing I’ve found out during my many years of covering events that involve children is that their attention spans are not always the longest. While assigned to cover the opening ceremonies of little league, I focused on this group of bored T-ball players waiting the festivities to get underway.

Everything, that could go wrong, did, which was fortunate for me as the series of photos I captured just got better and better as time passed. The coaches ushered the ball players onto the field and while they stood at attention waiting for the National Anthem, the PA system wouldn’t work. As the minutes slowly elapsed, each of the young players, who, reached the limitation of their individual levels of “paying attention”, gave up and just decided to occupy their time as they saw fit. The pictures, I came away with certainly did have that Norman Rockwell Americana feel to them.

“Don’t shoot, I’m only the photographer!”

2010-05-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

On a slow news day, while post processing images and listening to the police scanner, a report came across that a Silverdale Bank was just robbed. Unfortunately for the bandits, a car buyer who was looking over cars next door, noticed a man running from bank, jump into a waiting vehicle that sped off. He was able to provide the Sheriffs Office with the cars’ description and license plate number, which turned out to be a Tacoma address. Now, if you’re going to rob a bank, don’t do it on the Kitsap Peninsula as there are only about three major roads leading off. Highway 16 and Highway’s 3 North and South. Figuring since they were Tacoma residents, I’d start my search oh Highway 16. Sure enough as soon as I reached the highway entrance traffic was starting to back up and I knew they must have been pulled over a mile or so up the road.

It’s helps to know you’re the area you cover and the many roads leading throughout the county. More than once, instead to taking the most direct direction to and from an assignment, I’d take a different route. This was three-fold purpose, gave me more mileage to claim on the expense form, a chance to maybe find a feature or two along the way and this besides, this method helped me learn my way around South Kitsap area. I knew that if I drove down a road-paralleling highway 16, eventually, I would run into the police action. Looking for the flash of the blue blinking lights, I stopped on a county road just below where the cars were pulled over, grabbed my cameras and headed up the embankment.

Upon reaching a barbed wire fence I realized that I needed to go back down to car, open the trunk, grab a pair of pairs so that I could uncouple the metal bands holding the wires in place onto the fence post. Once done, I placed a branch between the wires, climbed through and proceeded my way to the top.

By the time I reached the highway and from the sound of branches cracking underneath my feet, the officers, thinking I might have been one of the robbers’ companion, who was giving themselves up, had their hands on the gun handles ready to draw. All I could say way, “Don’t shoot, I’m only the photographer!” The robber, who was being cuffed, glared and barked, “Don’t take my picture!” One of the deputies, whom I knew well, said, “Son, you got more things than worry about Jim taking your picture.”

Sometimes, in cases such as this, it helps to have a sense of humor to ease a tense situation. Besides, I bet it gave the deputies a funny story to spread throughout the sheriffs department.

Thoughts are miles away

2010-05-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

While living on the island of Terceira for two years was truly an immersion into the old rural world lifestyle. Day after day, I had a photographic game plan of sorts and would assign myself a different assignment ranging from industry, farming, fishing, arts & crafts, religious ceremonies, landscapes, generally I wanted to cover the island much like a National Geographic photographer would. As I wandered through the village’s narrow cobblestone streets, photographing people at work,
I noticed a religious parade of young girls, who will take their First Communion, carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary during a religious celebration honoring the festival Divino Espirito Santo..
After photographing the parade I was invited by the family to take pictures of their First Communion at the local village church, Which made for some interesting pictures. As four participants took their First Communion seriously, a little one's thoughts were miles away.

This is gotta be a first

2010-05-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

In all my years of taking baseball pictures, ranging from high school, college to the pro ranks, this picture is gotta be a first for me. While covering today's Seattle Mariners vs. Texas Rangers baseball game in the 10th inning I finally made a picture of the ball breaking a bat. What's so amazing is that Sport Illustrated photographer Rod Mar, and I took the same photo. But, in his, the bat is a bit more broken. I have never been able to get a picture of the ball breaking the skinny part of the bat, however I have taken plenty of pictures of the bat flying apart, but without the ball in the frame. Now, what are the chances of capturing this type of shot? What’s even more amazing is that two photographers three feet apart nailed it.

Beer can be medicinal too

2010-05-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Working as an on call, part-time staff photographer at the Seattle Post Intelligencer from 2003-2009, offered me a wide variety of assignments. There, I was known as the ” Mickey of photography”. You know, the kid on the Life cereal commercial, where his two older brothers pushed a bowl full towards him and said, “Let’s see if Mickey eats it?” It seems that from time to time, I received the not so glamorous day to day grunt assignments, so that a few of the staffers could devote their time on projects, high profile news or driving around looking for daily wild art.

One of these assignments was of Norms Destiny, a 6-year-old racehorse at Emerald Downs. After developing hind end leg problems, the horse, co-owned by his wife Leona Orr and Vince Hemninson was going to be put down in December 2001. On Christmas Eve James, went to go spend time with the horse and brought along some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a half rack of Coors light and drank it with the horse. The next morning when he awoke the horse was standing and walking around the stall. So in a few days Norms Destiny seemed to be getting better and was taken to Vince's farm for a yearlong workout. In 2002 the racehorse took a fifth, fourth and four second places. This year the won a $12,500 claiming race on July 6th, his second of the year and two third-place finishes. The owners feel it's time for him to retire.

Upon arriving at the track and meeting his trainer James Orr, he asked, what kind of pictures do you want of Norm? When he opened the frig and showed me beer and sandwiches he brought along and could feed them to the horse, I thought, that’ll work. I was able to capture some pictures of the horse guzzling down it second Coors Light beer after eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich fed to him by Orr.

They got character

2010-05-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Throughout my years of photographing around the world, the one thing I’ve noticed is that I truly enjoy taking pictures of the elderly much more so than the young. Why, because they’ve experienced life much more fully than a youngster and it shows on their faces. To me, more the wrinkles the better photograph it’ll make. Experiencing life and its trials and tribulations is like reading a facial road map; it shows their true character. Most of the time they are just honored to have their picture taken.

Out in the middle of the vast Atlantic Ocean, on a wind swept island, where most of the islands’ residents live in one-horse villages on a two-lane cobble roads, the Azoreans are different from their more modern counterparts of Portugal. By today's standards, the 300,000 inhabitants are mostly poor and ill educated. While most residents, have full time jobs they are also part-time fishermen and farmers, to help make ends meet, and these hardship are lines etched on their faces of life.

On another island nation, Japan, can also afford the photographer a chance to capture some great character study photographs in a land where the elderly is highly revered. I’ve never had a problem in getting my elderly subjects to let me capture the pictures I wanted. Photographing people in foreign countries required a different mindset. What I’ve done in the past to calm distrust was to introduce myself and try to communicate that I was interested in them and what they were doing. Also, learning a couple of words in the language showed them that I was interested in them and that opened the doors to make good photographs.

In Sports, the key is paying attention

2010-04-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

In covering sports, especially baseball, it’s easy to fall into a rut or to become inattentive during a boring game. There’s always the “safe shots” a photographers seems to get of plays at first, second, third bases and home plate. In a recent high school game between the South Kitsap Wolves and Central Kitsap Cougars, I notice a series of signals between the Cougars’ catcher, pitcher, second baseman and shortstop used in trying to pick off the Wolves base runners.

It always helps in being in the right place as well. Sports photographers have to fight the habit of shooting from the same location. Normally, I start out near the home plate, this allows me to get shots of pitchers throwing, a good play at first base, third base and home. Once a runner reaches first, I move down the first base line and in hopes of capturing a double play at second, pick off throw by the pitcher at first or a different angle for a catcher tagging out the sliding base runner trying to score. Also moving around, keeps your attention on the game focused by looking for plays in different locations.

Having already capturing a few “safe shots” I started to pay attention to the signals being communicated between the pitcher and catcher. By focusing on the pitcher, and hoping to get something out of the ordinary, I knew I was going to make a picture of a base runner being picked off at second base. It took a few innings, but as you can see, it made for a great picture.

Serendipity, instincts and dumb luck

2010-04-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

They say serendipity plays a big part in a photographer’s life, so does listening to your inter-voice and luck. You’ll never know what you’ll run into when traveling to and another assignment.

While driving down the Long Lake Road on my way to Olalla to cover a Little League baseball game, I came across two kids, who had set up a lemonade stand along side the road. At the time it didn’t look too interesting, so I passed by. About a mile down the road, I had this gut feeling and an inter-voice told me to turn around and just hang out for a while. Paying attention to my instincts, I went back, parked the car, shot pictures while waiting for a carload of customers to appear. I didn’t want to get too close, so I used a 300mm lens to capture scenes from up the road, down the road and across the road of these two enterprising youngsters just sitting in the hot sun on the lonely stretch of road, waiting and waiting and waiting.

Sensing all I got was a bunch of pictures of them waiting for customers, I decided to walk back to the car and continue to the baseball game. Halfway to the car, I once again heard that inter-voice telling me to turn around. As I did, the boy got up from his chair, walked around to the front of the stand, hunkered down and helped himself to a drink. Just as he started to drink, I raised the camera, focused, pressed the shutter button, and captured one picture before the film started to auto rewind back into the film cassette. I couldn’t believe it, this was my final shot on a roll of 36-exposure film and I hoped I was able to capture the moment.

This also reminds me of what another fellow photographer once told me. “It’s 95 percent being there and 5 percent dumb luck.”

Wake up call Vietnamese style

2010-04-28T07:05:00.001-07:00

While staying in Hanoi in a one hundred-year-old French hotel with beds and plumbing to match, I didn’t need an alarm clock for my early morning wake up calls. Every
morning like clockwork, the hotel workers would gather on the second story courtyard balcony below my window to perform their early daily exercises. Like clockwork, seven days a week at 6:00 A.M. I was rousted out of bed. During my two-week stay what I found was two countries, one, a bureaucratic nightmare where the left hand rarely seemed to know what the right hand was doing. A country that has lived with war for thousands of years, but now in the past ten years, only has started to show the outward signs of venturing into what the Western economy has to offer.

But there is another Vietnam. A land of people whose faces read like maps marking the road of sacrifice they have traveled; a land of people who aren’t so very different from those found throughout the world.

Sometimes the bull wins

2010-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

While living in on the island of Terceira, far out in the Atlantic Ocean, some 850 miles off the western coast of Lisbon, Portugal in the 425-mile long archipelago of the Azores offered me many a photo opportunity during my two-year stay. One of my favorite assignments was covering the street and arena bull fights during the summer months. During the last part of the bull fight at the outdoor arena in the city of Angra do Herismo, the suicide squad, or focados, are a group of men on foot that stand in a straight line and taunts a 500-pound bull until it charges. As the animal heads towards the line, the lead man, normally the junior member of the group, tries to leap over it's neck and hang on by the horns as the others quickly surround the animal and try to slow it to a halt. I watched this poor guy get bowled over by the bull three straight times. After being steamrolled by the bull in this picture, the members picked the guy up, and supported him as the bull charged. That time he was able to hang on, with help, of course, until the bull was stopped. Sometimes the bull wins and it sure made for good photos.

The Final Homecoming

2010-04-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

This is one of my fall time favorite shots and a great story behind it.
After my departure from the Navy in 1983, I worked as a staff photojournalist for the Florida Times Union in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1983 I was assigned the difficult assignment of providing coverage of the final homecoming of a U.S. Marine that was one of 241 killed in the barracks bombing attack by terrorists in Beirut, Lebanon. The editors wanted to show just how a major world-wide event affected the small town of Yulie, about 20 miles outside of Jacksonville. Marine Corporal John Blocker never saw the homecoming his parents and peers gave him when he came back to Jacksonville on November 8, 1983. He came home in a casket. The readers of the Florida Times-Union saw the weeping mother. They saw the father comforting his wife while he stared in disbelief at the casket being rolled across the tarmac, and they saw a Marine officer, sharply saluting a comrade who had died. In the one image, I had accurately portrayed the actual cost to that small town without actually showing an image of the fallen soldier. I am very proud of that. The image was nominated for the 1983 Pulitzer Prize in Spot News photography. I’m proud of that, too.

Don't Put that camera away

2010-04-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

We have a saying here living the in Pacific Northwest, if you don’t like the weather wait 15 minutes or so, it’ll change. Especially during the winter to spring months. Once while covering a high school baseball game in middle April the weather started out sunny, turned cloudy and cold and then started to hail. While most of the other photographers ran to their cars to put away their cameras, I still photographed the game. Sometimes bad weather gives a photographer an opportunity to make some pictures that evoke a certain type of mood and atmosphere that help make unusual pictures. I took this weather feature photo of South Kitsap Wolves' pitcher Brian Cox, standing out on the pitcher’s mound standing in a flurry of hail that halted the game but for a few minutes. The photo titled, “What the Hail”, took first place in the annual
Washington Newspaper Publishers Awards. So when it rains, hails or even snows, don't put that camera away as you'll never know the picture you'll miss.

Sometimes your pictures anger moms

2010-04-24T09:24:00.001-07:00

I once received a phone call from an irate mother, who's son photo appeared in the Kitsap Sun. There he was displayed four columns wide on the sports section front missing a throw to home and allowing the base runner to safely score. She told me he was embarrassed and devastated. I mentioned to her that since their team lost the championship 17-2 by committing six errors allowing all those runs to score, the story of the game was the all those errors committed.

Still she lambasted me, saying I should have chosen another photo to run instead one of her son missing the ball, Finally, I said, "You know, I had plenty of others to choose from, unfortunately, most were your son's inability to catch the ball and protect home plate.

I think she sounded like the one who was embarrassed, not her son, otherwise I would received a call from his father. Remember rule number one: Don't piss off the photographer. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Sometimes You just gotta stop for the picture

2010-04-22T17:43:00.000-07:00