Category: Home/Work

The Sharp End of the Semester

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This is it – last day of classes, final portfolios in progress. A little panic, a little relief, a sentiment shared with the students.

It has been a long semester. The regular classes have gone well, though the new classes have been a challenge. Returning to my normal courses in January will be a bring back a sense of normalcy.

For the students, everything is hopefully coming into clarity, the lessons of August and September should have been absorbed and sharpened into their daily visions. Some of what I’ve seen shows that, some thankfully have a bit of time left.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24 mm f/3.5 TS-E, ISO 250, 1/1250, f/6.3

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24 mm f/3.5 TS-E, ISO 250, 1/1250, f/6.3

New Shows Old

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They are rebuilding what is known as New College on campus. (New because it is allegedly the second building built, adjacent to what is called Old College.) Over the summer, while working in the basement, they found evidence of an even older building that was on the same site. (I cannot tell you how badly I wanted to go see that, but with no journalistic or academic reason to ask, I didn’t.)

But at certain times, you can see glimpses of what is a nearly 200 year old building.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24 mm f/3.5 TS-E, ISO 500, 1/250, f/4.0

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24 mm f/3.5 TS-E, ISO 500, 1/250, f/4.0

The Lean

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Sitting in the back of the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar on Saturday, looking around at how intent everyone was. Students looking for glimpses of knowledge, professionals looking for glimmers of hope.

For me, these events are difficult … I want to attend to attend, to let the warmth and knowledge flow into me, rejuvenate my soul. But I need to be there to build contacts for my students, to find new people who can help them grow, be it through guest lectures or internship opportunities. And I need to renew old contacts, refresh friendships, for the benefit of the students and myself.

So the dilemmas … sit in for all the presentations or just a few … schmooze a lot of people or just a few … catch up with a lot of people or just a few. My day ended up being a lot of fews.

And, as we head into the holiday season, a season that will have us at home for the first time as a family and not on the road, I’m reminded of that same balance challenge of years past – if I’m back in New England, where there are old friends and family to see, do I choose a few to see well, or many to see lightly?

I leaned towards many lightly and always came away unsatisfied. At Saturday’s seminar, I saw few friends, but saw them well. And came away satisfied. I leaned into those conversations and let everything else disappear.

Canon PowerShot G10, 30.5 mm, ISO 200, 1/8, f/4.5

Canon PowerShot G10, 30.5 mm, ISO 800, 1/8, f/4.5

Giving Thanks, Giving Back

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I am not an overly sentimental guy, but I give thanks for what I’ve been given every day. My family, my friends, my career and, for more than 20 years, my passion for storytelling through visuals.

My friend Sean Elliot posted a link to the Help Portrait site yesterday and it has me thinking – and wanting to give back a little. Help Portrait is an effort to have photographers – pros and hobbyists, anyone with a camera – shoot a portrait of someone in need – any need – and make them a print. It’s not about you, your portfolio or your career – it’s about using your gift, your talent, your vision, to make someone else’s day a little better.

I’m in, are you? Because I know I have a lot to give thanks for.

Hard Walk, but Free

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We have a dog. Don’t know if I mentioned that, but we do. She’s a little thing and has been pretty sheltered, so we decided to take her to the dog park. Didn’t go so well, not much into socializing. She spend most of her time leaking – mostly drool, not sure why.

Canon PowerShot G10, 6.1 mm, ISO 80, 1/800, f/4.0

Canon PowerShot G10, 6.1 mm, ISO 80, 1/800, f/4.0

Sentiments, Visualized

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Thursday was one of those days that could have gone one way, went another and even that ended up being the wrong dead end. If there is such a thing.

Walking back to the parking lot, I was contemplating whether I did the right thing by staying silent in a meeting, to stopping my thoughts from leaking out. Stop. Stop. Stop. And then, of course, I’m parked right next to …

Canon PowerShot G10, 8.9 mm, ISO 160, 1/100, f/5.6

Canon PowerShot G10, 8.9 mm, ISO 160, 1/100, f/5.6

The powers that be telling me I did the right thing? I think so.

I hope so.