the vendor

The other day I was assigned something last minute–go to the corner and take a photo at noon of a news paper vendor who sells dollar papers to help the homeless. So I went over and met Johnny. I took a few photos, but then worked out with him that we'd meet up at the place he goes downtown to pick up more papers for the evening hours. So I hung out with/followed Johnny for a few hours. He is the Denver Voice's top vendor currently. Last month he had the highest paper sales in the nation. Really cool, sweet humble man. He's also very serious about his job.
I plan on talking to him for longer to get more in depth about his background and hopefully to get a few better photos.

I went black and white with this one.

He takes public transportation and walks to get around town.

Johnny is good at making friends with pedestrians. He seems to know everyone.

Sorting and folding his papers, making sure that everything is perfect.

Getting hot now that it's springtime.

100 days

Today marks the hundredth day Obama has been in office.

constuctive morning

nice light, interesting situation this morning.

Denver Water workers replacing water pipes from the late 1800's on 13th & Vine

behind the curtain

I photographed a play for The Met last week, and a few things happened with the story causing some of my worst photos from the shoot to run. This was by no fault of anyone but me for taking so-so photos.
Here is one that I liked that didn't run.

dancing body parts

we went and photographed some break dancers on thursday night during class. let me just say, it can be slightly nerve-wracking to shoot something with Judy watching. slightly.

the time of the crows

i’ve seen darkness. shit, i’ve stared it down, and it shook me to my very core. i’ve walked down those lonely streets with hundreds of black crows as my guardians, watching from high up in the treetops. waiting. i’ve stumbled alone in the fog until my hands shook. couldn’t even pick up my own damned cell phone they were shaking so bad.
can't hold it long enough to dial, and all the while my breaths are coming in tight gasps like i’m drowning.
but there ain’t no water.

and there you are across the abyss, and how could i ever know? how could i have known, and they had to call out for me, cause my voice had left. they were surrounding me like a blanket, ready to catch me for the fall.
and lord how those mountains shook, like my hands. the land crumbled in front of my waking eyes and god wasn’t there, only my short panicked breaths, gasping for air.

we remain, while everything gets washed away

Another snowstorm hits...

I've been given more hours at work, which I'm very thankful for, but at the same time, I now don't really sleep anymore. So when I heard that the computer I have been using to edit my photos on this semester died, I had a slight melt down in the office. I was running off of 4 hours of sleep when I called Judy, freaking out. Bless her for her patience, and clear-headed-ness.
You'd think I learned my lesson about a year ago when my external disc drive died and I lost 6 years worth of photos... But no, I apparently didn't. I've just taken on a zen look on life which is to say, there will always be more photographic opportunities, thus more photos. Life has an ebb and flow to it, and you can never get too attached to anything.
At least, this is what I like to tell myself.

So here's to a new photo I created yesterday.

David Brian keeps an eye out for the oncoming Lightrail while his coworker, Jim Speck works to warm up the rapidly freezing tracks April 17, during a major spring snowstorm that slammed Colorado causing avalanches, closing highways and bringing down power lines across the state.

visual distractions

lately i've been feeling pretty frustrated with my project... like i'm in a rut. i was at the greeley rodeo today and it was one of those days where i just wanted to throw my arms up in the air and scream "WHY??". i figured my girl would probably think i was crazy if i did that though, so i didn't.

one of many distractions today:

bien sur...

...of course my rodeo gal was named prom queen and i wasn't there.
in all fairness to her, she didn't want me to be there, but it still hurts... a lot. she did, however, allow me to photograph her preparing in a right tizz because she had about 45 mins to beautify after arriving from rodeoing for a day. if you're a girl, you understand how much it's asking a senior in high school to get ready for prom in 45 mins.

anywho, here are two photos i thought looked interesting next to each other.