Life's not fair

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

 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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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.