ShutterSpeed

So here goes my first photo story for the Tribune Eagle. I did mine on the folks who play pool at the Cheyenne Senior Center. It’s not really how you might picture a typical pool hall — filled with noise, smoke and stale beer stink. But, this pool hall is not necessarily for the quiet and reserved either. I found that it is a gathering point for a group of guys who are pretty young at heart, depsite being seniors. They give each other a hard time and get awfully boisterous.  They’ll tell you about the old days when a new pool cue cost $20 and a small town reputation was earned by beating up the toughest guy in the community.  You’ll also find quieter times when they gather to talk about health issues, family problems and other challenges in life. It appears that these people are really there for each other and need each other to stave off that loneliness that I am told comes with retirement. At the same time, I couldn’t help but think that I hope to be having as much fun as they are when I’m their age.

Thanks for looking.

With my six month anniversary with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle now behind me, I thought I would write a few words on what it’s like to be the new guy in town.  Unlike my fellow photogs, I did not grow up in Wyoming.  Western living is still something I’m getting used to because I grew up in a city with a higher population than all of Wyoming.

This isn’t to say I’m any better off for it.  After all,  people do silly things like pay for parking and forgo fresh air in big cities.  On the contrary, I appreciate this state for its natural wonders and tight-knit communities.  This is my third year in Wyoming after two as a staff photographer in Rawlins and I’m convinced now more than ever that being a foreigner in cowboy country gives me a unique insight into taking photos here.  Most everything I see as a photographer out here is worth a few pictures since everything is fairly new to me.

Recently, I attempted to pick a few photos to explain what it is to be the new guy in town.  I chose the top one (from the United States Team Roping Championship back in September) because it reminds me of the distinct mood I typically experience at rodeos.  I chose the bottom one (from the Children’s Miracle Network Car and Motorcycle Show — also in September) because it reminds me more of the urban surroundings from which I came.

To me, the juxtaposition of the two images serves as a reminder of the diversity to be witnessed in my new town and state — Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Thanks for looking.

I’ve been fascinated with the idea of photographing Native American ritual for quite a few years now. When I realized the Wind River Dancers, of the Wind River Indian Reservation near Riverton, Wyo., were going to be performing at the American Indian Heritage Day Celebration at the Cheyenne Depot Museum this past Saturday, I jumped at the opportunity.

What I found was a diverse display of traditional dances from tribes such as the Ojibwe and Arapahoe. The dances themselves had a variety of purposes from healing to paying homage to animals to retelling stories of battle and the hunt. Some were even highly functional, such as the mens’ grass dance — wherein Native American tribes would use dance to flatten grass on the prairies where they would make their camps.

I wasn’t surprised to find that, by arriving early, I found pictures that I treasure as much as the shots of the main event. Meaning, with many performances and athletic events, I find that the preparation photographs tell just as much, if not more, than the shots of the main event. Here, I’ve provided a few photos of traditional Ojibwe performer, Brad Whelan, as he prepares his headdress, feather bustle (a spread of golden eagle feathers which go on his back) and other items for his performance for the public. You’ll also notice photos which display the clothing and dance which, amongst other things, makes these cultures so unique.

(continue reading…)

In honor of Veterans Day, I thought I would post some photos from a recent return from Iraq of several members of the Wyoming Air National Guard at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. These men and women were from the 153rd Airlift Wing and their jobs are to haul supplies, food and personnel around Iraq on 60 days rotations.

All in all, a pretty scary position to be in when we consider how the insurgents in Iraq have been known to target those carrying supplies for the U.S. military.

This thought really stuck with me as I noticed how emotional this homecoming was for the returning soldiers and their families and friends.  From the moment that mothers began to excitedly point out the incoming transport plane to the hugs and kisses between airmen and their loved ones, you could see how long these moments had been anticipated.

These emotional moments resonate with me now on this day of recognition for those who have served their country. To me, these photos are a reminder that military members indeed sacrifice much for us, but their loved ones do as well through the worry and loneliness of separation which comes with the job.

However, the photos, as well as the experience of shooting the assignment, also remind me that there is much joy when those who serve are reunited with their families. I suppose every coin has two sides.

(continue reading…)

I have to admit that I don’t know much about video games. While shooting this assignment, I managed to be booed by those in line when I admitted that I haven’t owned one since the Nintendo Gameboy of the 1990’s with their dim, green and black screens. Still, I figured this assignment would lend itself to something interesting.

Our features editor, Kevin Wingert, was doing a review of the game. So, I found myself going to Cheyenne’s GameStop for a photo of the crowd of about 50 waiting for the game roughly four hours before it was released.

The fan who was first in line, Robbie Sexton, told me that he had been there since 7:20 that morning. Sexton added that he had been getting by on Mountain Dew without a nap for the 13-hour wait. Sexton was still first in line when I came back at midnight to see what the scene was like when the game was actually released. But, now, the line had swelled to at least 500 people, if not more.

The assignment got interesting after the lights went out for a procedure which the utility company runs.  With no power for the cash registers, only those who had prepaid for the game got to leave with it that night. The Cheyenne Police Department dispersed the rest.

Shooting the assignment was what I had hoped for: a collection of die-hard fans laughing, joking and arguing to pass the time. I had fun photographing the way in which fans showed their enthusiasm — by wearing the gas mask featured in the previous installment of the game, for example. The hint of “spot news drama” as the police arrived also added some thrills to the assigment. Overall, the experience was a journey into a pretty distinct subculture.

(continue reading…)