Al Paglione takes reprise from cooking during the 2006 Eddie Adams Workshop to chomp on a Cuban cigar…This is Al Paglione. He and his son help cook at the Eddie Adams Workshop. Meeting him was pretty great! I was shooting him with my 17-55mm and he was totally jockin’ me about my zoom. He was talking up the Nikon 50 f/1.4 — which I have — and so, I decided to take that lens out of my bag and snap it on my camera for a spin. So, everything after this photo are shot with the 50mm. He was right, that lens is awesome…I gave a print of this photo to Al’s son Jerry, and he started crying and gave me a huge hug. Those two bicker like the Jersey boys they are, but there’s so much love between the two of them…The Eddie Adams Workshop in Jeffersonville Saturday, October 7, 2006.

The 10am Update is a regular blog feature showcasing the best work from my archives. enjoy!

Saturday, September 26, 2009.

My assignment was to shoot the football game. But this kid was too cool to ignore.

The 10am Update is a regular feature showcasing some of the best images from my archive.

Monica Lopossay, in early morning fog, while arriving at the Eddie Adams Workshop Barn in Jeffersonville, NY, for the Black Team pre-workshop clean up.

For all you newcomers to the professional photo biz, The Eddie Adams Workshop is now accepting applications. May 28th is the application deadline.

Stay posted for more images from my time as a student and as a Black Team member.

Jean Tansey stands amid a canopy of trees lining Sycamore Lane she maintains for the Cedacroft community. Her work has impressed the Baltimore Rec and Parks so much that they are using her program as a model.

When I was an intern I was a more anit-portrait than I am today. In fact I’m decidedly pro-portrait these days. That’s not to say I hated the idea of portraits. Truthfully, they intimidated me a bit. Theoretically, they’re easy to make. Bare minimum, all you have to do is take a picture of someone looking into the camera. Well, I wasn’t interested in bare minimum. The real trick I realized is to consider how the image will come across to the readers. And this image is testament (not in a big amazing way) that “feeling” trumps composition. Like any shoot, I made multiple frames. I have a bunch where her head is placed in the middle, and she is looking right at the camera. But we started talking, she started moving and her personality started showing. At first I placed more importance on the symmetrical photos during my edit. But this one kept intriguing me. Her face, her expression, her joy, was something I could relate to. It was so human.  The other images, while technically closer to “perfect” felt stale in comparison. What it all boiled down to, was that I just liked looking at this image the most.

The 10am Update is a regular blog feature showcasing some of the best work from my archives.

I was building my lighting set up for a recent shoot and it resulted in a really cool, dark, creepy image.

The best thing about it, is that it gave me lighting ideas for my upcoming Athletes of the Year shoots. Sunmee Huh is lit with two gridded alien bees to her right and left.

An ensemble of french horns and bassoons will be competing with jet engines at BWI and last minute shoppers at the Westminster Mall in the coming weeks. Phil Hooks, instructor for the french horns, peers over sheet music and excitedly conducts his pupils at Westminster Baptist Church Sunday December 12, 2004.

I love this image. But about a week after making this image, after the now defunct Westminster Eagle came out, I got a phone call from a perfect stranger congratulating me for making, and I’m paraphrasing here, not patting myself on the back, “such a good image in such a rinky dink paper.” As it turns out he was visiting Westminster from Atlanta (where I’m from!). And I guess he wasn’t used to seeing good photography in hyper local newspapers. Obviously, I wouldn’t say the Eagles, both Westminster and Eldersburg, were by any means rags. Patuxent does community journalism really well. And of course, these days they have to do it really well, what with next to no budget. The funny thing is, if the publishers and bosses of all the community newspapers gave photography more of a lead visually and invested a bit more time and money into their photo departments, I think they’d A.) be taken more seriously B.) well liked by the community they cover C.) end up in more scrap books than bird cages. Lets be honest, most people want to get in the newspaper at some point in their lives, right?

The 10am Update is a regular feature on the blog showcasing some of the best photos from my archives.

A fox family member sits by the Owings Mills 7-Eleven it frequents on a regular basis

I made these images back in 2004, when I was an intern at the Patuxent Publishing Co. I was filling up my car with gas after an assignment, and I looked over and saw a fox. I looked around to see if anyone else pumping gas was phased by this. Come to find out, they’re regulars. These guys like people — well, at least they’re not too scared of us. I got really close to the one in these two images, only using a 50mm lens.

There was another one who preferred to stay in the shadows by the wooded area. The dumpster seems to be their main source of food. I wonder, if after more than five years, they’re still hanging out at the 7-Eleven in Owings Mills. Maybe I should investigate?

Reservoir’s David Kuper, bottom, lost to River Hill’s Evan Shebel 11-2 during the 140 weight match. Reservoir defeated guest River Hill 42-16 Tuesday, January 5, 2010.

Here’s the Howard County Times story.

Lesson learned: when the winning team is depicted by one of the kids who lost their match, there’s a good chance the sports editor will get yelled at by a mom, coach, or dad. Then that wrath, more than likely, will get deferred to me. In Howard County, River Hill is the school to beat. The school’s been open for, I think 12 years, and already half of their gymnasium’s wall is practically covered with Sate Championship banners. I don’t think there’s been one year when they haven’t won at least two State titles. So, when a school like Reservoir demolishes them in wrestling, the parents and coaches want to SEE (that’s what I do.  I show.) VICTORY.

I get that. I know that. But the image above met two criteria. It was by far the most dramatic photo from the night that had a fighting chance reprinting in newsprint. You see, Reservoir has one of those awesome spot lights occasionally used in High School wrestling matches. I love them! I’m a big fan of reduction in photography. — especially since there’s always at least one person sitting in the front row with a blinding white t-shirt. So, I love those lights. Our newspapers’ printing presses, however, don’t.

Unfortunately some of the below photos might be seen as “too artsy,” by the powers that be. I also get that. A silhouette of boys in their headgear really has no business accompanying a game action story.

And that’s where this blog comes into play. I now have an audience for these cool photos that have no reason to be published. So, from the bottom of my heart, thanks for looking and being that audience.

So, enjoy.

River Hill’s Michael Ada defeated Reservoir’s Jase Zester 3-2 during the 189 weight match.

Reservoir’s Sean Quinn pinned River Hill’s Jacob Benedict during the 215 weight match.

Reservoir’s Josh Hamilton lost to River Hill’s Brandon Barnes during the 285 weight match.

Reservoir’s Josh Knox pinned River Hill’s Patrick Linden in :57 during the 112 weight match.

Reservoir’s Seth Rowell defeated River Hill’s Ryan Blum, foreground, during the 125 weight match. Reservoir defeated guest River Hill 42-16 Tuesday, January 5, 2010.

Reservoir’s Bubba Mullens defeated River Hill’s Nick Oliver during the 130 weight match.

Reservoir’s Raman Ziaee was pinned by River Hill’s Nick Connolly in 5:44 during the 135 weight match.

Reservoir’s Robby Greer defeated River Hill’s Jack Noonan 9-8 during the 145 weight match.

Reservoir’s Mark Colabucci pinned River Hill’s Ryan Noonan in 1:48 during the 152 weight match.

Reservoir’s Mark Mike Mullens defeated River Hill’s Arvind Stone 1-0 during the 160 weight match.

CAPTION: Tri-legged “capture the pumpkin” teammates Nick Schoch, middle , 13, and Ben Stevick, 15, right, mingle with other classmate who wound up in “jail.” Ben, who has Downs Syndrome is able to play PE games and attend class with his peers because he has been included into normal 8th grade classroom settings at St. Mary’s Catholic Middle School. However, Catholic High Schools are typically geared towards college preparation which may order difficulties if Pallotti High School attempted to include Ben.

This was from a story about inclusion. …inclusion of kids like Ben Stevick who have Downs Syndrome in classroom activities at private schools. Specifically, what happens to the children who are included after middle school.

I made this image back in 2004, when I was an intern, and to this day I’m still in awe of its symbolism. Even though his classmates accept and like Ben he’s still not included socially. Nick Schoch, on the left, in the foreground, is paired with Ben. If I remember correctly, they were paired together often. But Nick has friends. Acceptance of peers has a strong gravitational pull. So, I wasn’t too surprised when I saw Nick turn his back on Ben to talk with his friends. Ben was just left all by himself.

Now, having said that, I’m a big fan of these kinds of programs. — as long as the kids being included aren’t dangerous. I think both the classroom majority and those being included can learn a lot from each other, but I think this picture really captures the reality of the social dynamics at play. Middle schoolers are gonna be middle schoolers.

The 10am Update is a regular feature highlighting some of the better work from my archives.

Retired Richmond police officer Bill Lightfoot, photographed at his Richmond home, ended his 36-year career in law enforcement with the elder abuse unit, much of which was dominated by financial abuse cases. He was a homicide detective for nine years before that, but says he was more astonished by the circumstances surrounding the elder abuse victims. More often than not, the abusers were immediate family members and/or primary care givers. After retirement Lightfoot is glad to have left the casework, but not the subject. Seven years after retiring his shield, his work continues through outreach and he helps craft laws concerning elder abuse in the Richmond General Assembly. Here’s the article. They used the above photo as the jump for the Virginia State’s page, but I’m not sure if it’ll stay with the story when fresher material is updated.

The idea was to make photos that reflected the story’s gravity. The mood needed to be somber, a bit dark, and pensive. The editors and I agreed that a domestic setting, like that of his subdivision, made the most sense, too.

and me being me, I played around with reflections, hoping to layer information in an aesthetically interesting way. I’m not sure this one worked, though. Obviously I like something about it. Otherwise I wouldn’t be showing it off.

I tried a few variations incorporating him within the setting. His body language really jumped out on this photo. He’s seen a lot of horrible things in his career. His posture gives off a guarded sternness, but his eyes gleam with concern …compassion.

Initially we wanted to photograph Robin Runser, one of the main subjects in Vicki Needham’s story. Her dad was recently victimized by, for lack of a nicer term, a gold digger. Of course, my timing couldn’t be worse. I called her right as her dad was about go into surgery. She was a wreck, and broke down on the phone. She apologized for crying, telling me she couldn’t talk and absolutely did not want to be photographed. But she told me I could call her tomorrow.

I thought maybe I have a chance to save the assignment. I read a draft of the story, and a photo of Robin made the most sense. Well, actually, a photo of her dad made the most sense, but he’s not ID’d in the story. So I assume he’s been kept anonymous for a reason. And while she appreciated my call back, she stood firm. Of course I had to respect her wishes. Any more persistence would be ill received. It’s a shame. I could tell a portrait of her would be so powerful.

A truly emotive, visceral portrait should be like a punch the reader’s stomach: fast and they should feel it. The idea is to inculcate empathy. Here’s the twist… To conjure those emotions, we journalists have to ask them to relive whatever darkness they’ve endured. And then we listen. We watch. Some of us will take notes. Some of us will make a picture. The hope for me is that the portrait will be strong enough to make an impact on the readers — in this case, to help elderly people avoid and/or spot the signs of financial abuse. But the reality during the shoot is that we’re re-opening a wound.

These people are brave.

It’s one thing to read about it, but some of the stories Bill Lightfoot told me — because I needed him to get to that place — were far more penetrating than what the article said. Nothing against Vicki Needham. Her article is poignant, informative, and all around a good read. Bill’s demeanor changed. His posture became a bit more guarded and the eye contact we shared became a bit more brief but heavier. The more and more I got to know Bill, the less and less I included the setting, letting him, alone, set the mood. Above is one of the last photos I made of him. We’re still outside — it’s actually raining, spitting — but I underexposed the background to isolate him while he told me more stories from his day as a police officer. He told me he’s figured out how to cope with what he’s seen. Part of his current job, as an advocate for elder abuse prevention in Virginia, is to tell these stories, so it seems like he’s putting his memories to good use.

But I imagine photographing Robin Runser would be so much harder. One of the things Lightfoot told me was that so often the family members of those victimized suffer collateral victimization. I believe it. I heard it on the phone.