Last week Ortega and I spent a morning out in Placedo for the filming of a historical documentary. Nothing more fun than horses, people dressed up in old-timey costumes and film crews to make an assignment engaging. Despite all that, the photo that really struck me after the day was this moment between one of the actors and a horses during down time in between scenes. I just really loved this affectionate moment.
The other day while on assignment at a living history event for Texas independence day, this camel laid down to relax (i’m assuming, I don’t have super camel powers where I can communicate with them.) It looks pretty comfortable and I found the photo amusing, though the phrase “dead camel” went around the office a few times, it was still one of my favorite photos from the day.
This one because of this young lady’s expression, came in a close second:
We recently decided to make quirky mug photos for our Get Out columnists. Every week they write about games, movies, food, culture and books. I shot everyone in the studio. The perk of having friends being your subject is that they’re comfortable, so they’re natural and relaxed and you end up with fun expressions.
A couple weeks ago Dianna Wray and I covered a murder trial in Goliad, Texas. Delbert Andrew Mills was being tried for the murder of his wife, Patricia Leigh Mills, in 2003, when she died in a house fire. At the end of the trial he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. These are a couple shots of the emotional moments of her family following the verdict.
Richard Wiley, brother of Patricia Leigh Mills, cries after the verdict at the Mills trial in Goliad. Delbert Mills was found guilty of murder in the 2003 death of his wife, Patrica Leigh Mills, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Sharon Burdettte embraces Richard Wiley, right, as Allison Salinas, far left, Jo Wiley, middle, and Todd Burdette, bottom, react after the verdict at the Mills trial in Goliad. Delbert Mills was found guilty of murder in the 2003 death of his wife Patricia Leigh Mills and was sentenced to life in prison.
Last week I came back to work aglow with the experience of something new. The lovely Caty Hirst and I were invited by the Circus to come meet their elephants. We watched as they bathed them, telling them to lift their foot or turn their head. When they lifted their feet for cleaning, it was as if each one was being lifted daintily for a manicure. I felt completely enamored with these great animals. As I took photos they kept reaching out to say hello and see what was up with this human clicking away at their feet.
They seemed as naturally curious as we were.
I couldn’t help but be thrilled with my day as we returned, slightly smelling of friendly elephant, to have met two such amazing creatures and been able to interact with them.
I moved to NY in September of 2011, started a new job, new home, new friends. Little did I know that just a year later I’d be moving back to Texas! And now I’ve been here 5 months (5 months, really?!) and it’s already 2013. I’ve had a lot of great experiences this year, not just because of the people I’ve met but the photos I’ve had a chance to take. I am really glad I went to NY, however briefly, for everything I gained there. And I’m just as glad to be back in Texas at a paper I love, with old friends and weird assignments to explore. I recently asked my photographers to pick their top 3-5 favorite shots for the year to turn in to a contest. After going back through all my photos this year, I can see how difficult it must have been for them. There are so many experiences that become as personal to us as the photos that are a result of them, it’s hard to choose. So here are a few of mine.
Last night was the big rivalry game here in Victoria, Texas. Victoria East High School vs. Victoria West. Though the rivalry is all in good fun, people get pretty excited to be there and root for their school. We had four shooters and three reporters at the game to cover it. The photographers were doing individual features, general features, game action and produced video. It was an intense, but fun night. Of course the game ran late and we all ended up booking it back to the office for deadline, then spent the next hour yelling at our computers to work faster (that was possibly just me), but we made it and had a nice spread of photos in our A section and sports section today. My assignments were all feature related, so here are some of my favorite shots from my night.
And here is our front page. Our designers are very talented and creative. It makes for great photo pages! We also had a full photo front on the sports page, in addition to photo spreads inside both sections, but I don’t have those pages yet. Will post more later.
Firefighters fight a multiple building fire at the former Union Fork & Hoe in Frankfort Wednesday August 1, 2012. Twelve buildings burned as the fire spread.
Firefighters fight a multiple building fire at the former Union Fork & Hoe in Frankfort Wednesday August 1, 2012.
Firefighters communicate with each other as they fight a multiple building fire at the former Union Fork & Hoe in Frankfort Wednesday August 1, 2012.
Flames and black smoke billow from a multiple building fire at the former Union Fork & Hoe in Frankfort Wednesday August 1, 2012.
Firefighters fight through billowing smoke to put out a multiple building fire at the former Union Fork & Hoe in Frankfort Wednesday August 1, 2012.
Robert Kiniry rides through the track at Unadilla Thursday August 16, 2012 in New Berlin.
Christian Craig catches some air on a hill of the track at Unadilla Thursday August 16, 2012 in New Berlin.
