Pool Time

Yes, it's the camera-in-an-aquarium half-in/half-out thing. My assignment was a portrait of 5 swimmers at a local high school, of which, 4 played other sports and they wanted those sports pictured as well. The guys were good sports about standing in the water for a bit of time as I and another staffer tried to get two SB-800s to the bottom of the pool. When we finally got them down there they weren't syncing so we ended up placing them in the 10-gallon aquarium with the camera and firing down through the bottom. The out of water lighting was my two alien bees, one at the left with a 40-degree grid spot and another at the right with an umbrella.

Nia Dance

I don't think the editors here have yet noticed if you send me to a dance related assignment I will stay as long as possible. There's a form of excercise/dance here called Nia Dance. It seems to be a mix of martial arts, modern dance and aerobics all mixed together. It was something different that I had never seen before and I enjoyed it immensely.

Georgia O'Keeffe?

This woman was unhappy with the local phone company who gave little notice before digging up her backyard to install new lines and then left behind a green power box to be shared between neighbors. But it wasn't until I got back to the office that I thought she has a funny little smirk that reminds me of Georgia O'Keeffe. Must be a New Mexico thing.

More time at the Roundhouse

Last Thursday I had my last day of covering the legislative session. I stepped into a committee meeting on a bill hoping to be passed on Domestic Partners. So many people showed up to testify they literally had to kick some people out to shut the doors. In short, there is much support behind the bill that came close to being passed during the last session. My other photo from the day that was even remotely interesting was a family waiting to surprise their father who was getting an award in the rotunda during the lunch hour. They were nice enough to let me hide in the balcony with them.

State of the State

First day of legislature... and the state of the state address. First in ode to Where's Waldo, find the Governor in the wide shot. (Click on the photo to enlarge.) For opening day, family and friends of representatives and senators accompanied them on the floor. The few young kids that were dragged along had to resort to amusing themselves and my favorite was the boy and his Nintendo DS Lite in the middle of the house chamber floor. Because I was positioned by the back door I really only got the Governor good on his way out and luckily he stopped and waved to the people in the gallery right overhead.

It looks like I get to keep going back to the roundhouse for the rest of the week.

Roundhouse Prep

Today, Tuesday Jan. 15, 2008, was the beginning of the legislative session. Yesterday I was sent out for prep features. Orientations, vacuuming and getting id badge photos taken were pretty much all I found.

First Fight

Ah Boxing. So this was an adventure. I volunteered to tag along with another staff photographer on Friday to learn the ropes of shooting boxing since it's kind of a big deal here, but ended up shooting it solo. The main event was Albuquerque's own Holly Holm who is a local celebrity and mighty fine boxer. She holds the WBC & IFBA World Titles and after Friday night's fight has a record of 20-1-2 (with 5 KO's). I have never watched boxing let alone shoot it before so I was praying for a miracle that I wouldn't screw up shooting at least the main event. I ended up enjoying myself quite a bit and found myself by the end of the night wishing for more blood and sweat. Holly won her match after her opponent suffered a cut near her eye and the match was ended. She walked away with her belts intact and I walked away happy to have successfully survived my first fight.










(Final note: Holly is the blonde and she was fighting Mariem Brakache from Atlanta, GA.)

Black and White Basketball

St. Pius High School gym is the brightest I've seen so far. A bit of a yellow cast from the yellow walls but not bad in black and white. With total ambient light... ISO 3200, F2.8, 1/800 sec.

Little Green Poncho

In a Manger

This is a bit old now but recently re-found in my files. This lovely lady owns more than 200 nativity scenes and they inhabit every corner of her house. Trust me I got the tour. It takes her an entire month to decorate the house with the nativity sets.

Pets of the Week

Today I caused quite a stir in the newsroom with this photo. I think everyone wanted to adopt this little guy. Every week we photograph pets of the week at three different animal shelters. Sometimes it feels like a lowly assignment but most of the time I secretly look forward to getting to play with the dogs and cats. Last week I met a dog I couldn't forget. Today I checked and she had been adopted, good thing, because actually I can't handle more than one dog for now.
My mother can vouch that I am probably the worst person to send week after week back to the animal shelters based on my track record of bringing home animals growing up, but I return each week and so far haven't made any adoptions. However, I'm sure that will change since I'll be here for a while now. I haven't mentioned it yet on here, but as of yesterday I am officially a staff photographer for the Journal.

Christmas in ABQ

A little late here, so with a "Happy New Years!" comes a belated "Merry Christmas!" Christmas eve in Albuquerque becomes a night when the city is illuminated by luminarias. Old town plaza is coated in them and the glowing little lunch sack trails flicker along streets and adobe walls. It was a frenzy of photographers, many who wanted to chat it up about how this year's sunset made for better photos than in years past, etc. The beautiful blue sky time only lasted for about 15-30 mins, which is when you saw all the photographers almost fighting for space to out shoot each other. Some were even following me around, waiting for me to finish and then shooting from exactly where I had stood.


Christmas day gave me a great present I'm not sure I will ever get to do again. Shoot Santa Claus' wedding. YES, SANTA CLAUS. He has ID to prove it. He legally changed his name a few years ago. And this year he was married, where else but in front of a Christmas tree and fireplace. Mrs. Claus said she met Santa country dancing. She said he's a good dancer and since he's a better cook than herself he cooks all their meals, he even made their wedding cake, topped of course with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.