Cool or Crap?

Today Elliott and I were wondering around downtown looking for pictures, when a scalper informed us there was a UK game today. On a whim we decided to go shoot it since we weren’t having much luck finding pictures. I was really not in the mood to shoot arm pit pictures (although i did come away with some). For a good portion of the game I was experimenting with shooting either really wide or really tight. I actually used my new fixed 35mm from santa clause for a lot of it. I’m not sure if I ended up with cool pictures or a bunch of crap to wipe my butt with. Seriously, let me know what you think. I think a lot of them are almosts’ that I can nail down over time, and perhaps at a high-school game or something.

I really wish that guys hand was up a little further for better separation with the guy on the far right.

Click on the two above and let me know which one you like better… I couldn’t decide. I feel like the body language in the first is more telling, but i like the hand on the sleeve in the second.

The reason the above is in black and white is because there was a bright red Toyota ad that I could not get around, distracting from the girl with the rabbit.

Apologies for the overwhelming amount of photos, but (1) I am really terrible at editing sports, and (2) I really wanted feedback so I thought that maybe If I engulfed you in photos It would convince people to respond.

Parting thought; If all you’re looking for is pictures you’ve already seen, then that is all you will come away with.

Wet Waterfalls?

 

Defying a radar covered in green, and a call for 100% chance of rain, my dad and I went wandering through the Smokey Mountains looking for waterfalls.

Ironically enough, right after I commented on how I was glad we didn’t wake up for sunrise pictures since the sky was covered in clouds; the above happened.

 

 

It may have been incredibly wet, and cold; but it was definitly worth it. And I could not pass up the hilarity of umbrellas in the wilderness.

The Feasting Finally Stops.

Today was my 6th and final Christmas dinner. Honestly I’m sick of all the food, but taking pictures of my crazy family, (and those that i have weird unknown relationships to…) never gets old.

I’m not real sure if or how I am related to this kid. All I know is that I tromped through the woods with him, he’s 5 years old, and already killing deer. Maybe he’s related to Elliott and not me.

Going.

If you know me at all, you know how I’ll interject an analogy into a conversation any chance I get.

I would compare the Evarts, Ky workshop to…. A lot of things…

It was happy and free; like a kid dropping out of school to live in Toys R’ us.

 

 It was frustrating; searching for a story, searching for features; probably as frustrating as trying to bend over to pick up your fork that has fallen to the ground when you are 7 1/2 months pregnant.

 

It was inspirational; like seeing the stars for the very first time.  

 

 

And more than anything it was directional; like walking down a road in the darkness and magically finding a never-dying LED flashlight.

I know where I need to go. I know how I need to get there. I found my flashlight.

Now its just about the going.

 

Tracking Tracks.

I almost feel rusty at blogging. Its been a good while.

I’ve spent the last amazing week documenting the town of Evarts, Kentucky. After a small hang-up in my first story idea, I found myself wandering for miles down the train tracks in amazing light, with some pretty awesome new photo-friends this week. And so my story idea was born. It is in no way anywhere close to being done, but its taking shape and I’m really excited about where I’m going with it.

The train tracks in Eastern KY were laid long before the town was built, so the track winds through backyards and churchs, and weaves in and out of peoples lives. It’s a long string connecting the lives of many people who will never even know eachother.

Tony and Tammy Melton just lost their home along the railroad this week when an arson made the trailer they once loved into a frame full of ashes.

I plan to show how the railroad connects the live of many by making a series of photos of people who live and work along the railroad. The photo above was shot in the Huddle House, a restaurant along the tracks.

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said, this story is no where near complete, but I’ve got myself moving in the right direction. Look forward to some singles from this freaking rad week later. Sorry for the brevity and lack of posting, but I’m pretty tired. However I would like to end on saying just how much I learned this week. I went into this thinking only of the tangible things I would come away with. The experiences I’ve gained this week far outweigh the value of any photo story I could have created.