High school football season is upon us once again. While that means we get busier on Friday nights, it also means that another Rockford Register Star Gridiron season preview section is in the books. Last year, we played with fire and light. This year, we took things to new depths (pardon the pun). Since the beginning of 2014, the photo staff and sports staff has been collaborating on what to do for this year’s Gridiron section. We had an excellent idea. […]
Every now and then, I have an assignment at a place with absolutely gorgeous light. That is the case with Fight College, a boxing gym in Rockford. I first wen to the gym in April of 2013 shortly after they opened and I immediately noticed the light. Everything is in one big rectangular room. One of the short walls is completely windows. Most of the other walls are painted black. There are also a few sections of mirrors. I found […]
I managed to rake in a few awards at this year’s Illinois Press Association editorial contest. The Rockford Register Star claimed six awards total. My photo of Byron’s Hunter Hill received second place in Personality Portrait, Division F. A shot that barely made it in the 2012 calendar year received third place in Spot News Photo, Division F. I don’t put a lot of weight in contests. Everything about them is subjective. A photo could do really well in one contest […]
As a photojournalist, I have to be flexible to photograph anything at any time. That can be anything from breaking news to sports and even the occasional environmental portrait. My weakness is portraiture. I think it is fair to say that most shooters have strengths and weaknesses. At a spot news event, I feel at home. I’m there to capture the scene. I play a background role as an observer. With portraiture, I’m in charge. I set the lighting, the […]
…because you never know which one will end up getting published all over the place. In a previous post, I talked about how any picture can end up spreading like wildfire, especially on the web. Shortly before the post, I shot an image for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that went viral on sporting websites. Although my thoughts on the matter at the time were a bit more juvenile, it is still interesting to see where your pictures end up. In […]