18 May 2011
grad school, photography Permalink

NPR’s photo lede = 1A above the fold.

May 18, 2011

During the last week of my internship with NPR, I got to photograph a story with Larry Abramson, NPR’s education correspondent. We spent the day with Fairfax County eighth graders participating in Junior Achievement’s Finance Park program as part of a series on financial literacy and young people. This was the first real story I got to cover for NPR, and it was an awesome experience.

My favorite photograph from the day made it into the story page, and to my surprise (and delight), on the homepage for a few hours. For those of you familiar with the impact of running a photograph above the fold on 1A in a print edition, having a photograph appear in the photo lede spot on NPR’s homepage holds the same weight. Coburn Dukehart, one of my coworkers at NPR, alerted me to the story’s position on the site and sent me this screenshot, which was good since my internet hadn’t been working all day.

And yes, I forwarded this directly to my mom. She was excited, to say the least.

27 Apr 2011
blogging, food, photography, projects 1 Comment Permalink

Backlog: Everything.

April 27, 2011 1 Comment

I am so far behind on all the awesome things I want to blog. But priorities are with finishing my Master’s project report (and thus my degree), my internship at NPR, and trying to secure as many things as possible with the wedding. Okay, that last one is a little frivalous. But only a little.

In the meantime, enjoy a few photos from my Project 365. The theme is obvious.

day085 :: year five

day091 :: year five

day095 :: year five

day098 :: year five

11 Apr 2011
blogging, photography, the arts Permalink

The Washington Revels: Maritime Voices

April 11, 2011

day083 :: year five

Just a preview from my last-minute shoot with The Washington Revels on Saturday. Stage photography has always been a favorite niche of mine, somehow a cross between sports and studio work. The lighting was not ideal – direct down lights – and the men were all wearing hats, but I think I managed to get some really nice frames.

This one made me laugh out loud, so I deemed it “Picture of the Day.”

09 Apr 2011
family, photography Permalink

Happy Anniversary.

April 9, 2011

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Thirty-three years ago, my parents got married. I wonder if the future they imagined on that day looked anything like it is now. They’re so happy, so perfectly strange and silly, so full of love.

I’ve got the best role models.

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad.

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25 Mar 2011
blogging, photography, the arts Permalink

Crosspost: Pachyderms On Parade

March 25, 2011

Originally posted on the Intern Edition blog for NPR.

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Every year, right around the end of March, rumblings of the elephant walk start to surface.

Yes, that’s right. The Elephant Walk.

In advance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus opening at the Verizon Center this week, the streets of DC turn into a pre-circus parade of elephants, clowns and other entertaining animals. It’s really a clever way to generate interest in the event while masking it’s true intent – moving the massive pachyderms from the circus train’s station in Southeast, up past the Capitol for a photo op, and on to the final venue in Chinatown.

Since I’ve lived in the city, I’ve tried to get to the elephant walk to see the spectacle. And every year, I’ve missed it. This year was a close call – those elephants walk fast! I followed @DCElephantWalk on Twitter to keep updated with their location, and still I barely made it to the Verizon center to see the parade. Thankfully, the clowns were out and about afterward to meet with the crowd.

Some love the elephant walk. Others decry it as animal cruelty. I opt to put aside my adult brain and indulge my inner 10-year old.

I love elephants. And I love a good photo op.

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12 Mar 2011
blogging, food, photography Permalink

Man overboard.

March 12, 2011

day045 :: year five

Seen at 9:00am (ish) on my way to work. I think it was outside of Hooters.

Not a sprinkle was out of place, not a smudge in the frosting.

I do not know its fate. I hope that someone hungry found it, cleaned it off, and didn’t go hungry for an entire day. I know it sounds gross to us, but it was fresh, and there are quite a few homeless people who hang around the Gallery Place area for whom this may have been like finding pure gold. I wish I could do more (or anything, really) to help them.

I wish I could do more to help so many.

But all I can do is take pictures.