My Last Post for Class, 5/12/2014

Well, this will be my last post for my New Deal photography class at the BOE.  Sort of bittersweet, but I know that this won't be the last time I post, well maybe on this particular blog, but not my last photography post.  Over the past 9 months, I've really found something that I really enjoy; it's photography.  I've dabbled in it before and with Photoshop as well, but this was the first time I felt connected and passionate with what I was doing.  I'd go out to take shots of Huntington and I'd lose track of time, sometimes for hours upon end.  Of course, there were many missed shots, or shots I flubbed because I couldn't get my settings right in time.  There were people who refused to have their pictures taken and I know many of those shots would have been awesome.  But I hope that I came close to accomplishing my goal of comparing the New Deal Era-style of photography with capturing the essence of Huntington and it's residents, in an unfettered, honest, and real manner to the best of my ability. And I think I have, but no looking back, on to tomorrow... live to see another day, another scene, another shot, another face...living in Appalachian America.

The Three Wise Men of Hal Greer Blvd., March 2014

The Three Wise Men of Hal Greer Blvd., March 2014

The Three Wise Men of Hal Greer Blvd., March 2014

The Relentless Mules, August 2013

HMAF 2013, Sept 2013

King Kool and his Kustomers, Fall 2013

The Doors, August 2013

The Scrambler at Camden Park, August 2013

San Francisco Watch Man at Pullman Square, March 2014

Survivors Will Be Shot Again, March 31, 2014

Old Glory on 10th Street, March 2014

First Update of 2014

Sorry about the long lapse in time from my last update to this one.  I started out the new year with great expectations of taking pictures every day, but alas, I caved and strayed away from taking pictures daily, sometimes for weeks at a time, like in February 2014.  That was also coincidentally the same time we had all that awful weather.  It got the best of me; instead of pressing on, I resigned to defeat.

When it got a little nicer weather-wise in March, I got back into the groove of things, capturing a range of pics around the city limits of Huntington primarily.  In addition, I developed a partnership with a residential program for men with alcohol and drug addiction in Huntington and took some candid shots exclusive to our partnership.  Out of respect for the men in recovery and the establishment, these pictures will not to be shared with the general public.  But it was a very eye-opening experience, nonetheless, and I had some really great conversations with some of the men who were in recovery.

But there were a bunch of other photos that I'd like to share from around the city of Huntington taken from around the New Year to just recently in early April 2014.  Once again, thank you for reading my blog and taking the time to look at my photos and appreciate the simple beauty and happenings around Huntington, WV.  It truly makes my day when somebody shares with me that they've viewed and appreciate the pictures that I'm taking.  It makes it all the worth while.

December 3 - December 11, 2013

Here are an assortment of pics I snapped in my free time around Huntington from Dec. 3 - Dec.11. All are of everyday scenes near 3rd / 4th Avenue.  Once again, I'm trying to capture people "at work" or interacting on the streets.  Not the most entertaining pics, but fun anyway.  I'm getting a better grasp of the camera settings and how to react to a variety of conditions...  Anyways, enjoy!

Lime dust at WV Steel

Lime Truck Driver

WV Steel representative approaches photographer

Construction worker on scaffold at The Frederick

The Frederick's Eye

Two men taking a break outside a store in downtown Huntington

Monday, November 25, 2013 - Thanksgiving Break

For these shots like many before, I didn't have a real direction in which to shoot. I just set out in my car and try to catch as many happening, sights, and occurrences as I can possibly capture.  Sometimes this yields good results, and sometimes I come up empty-handed or just don't hit the mark that I'm trying to achieve.  On this jaunt, which only lasted a little more than an hour, I found myself on 8th Avenue just past 8th Street by the railroads (For some reason I tend to gravitate toward the train tracks and back-alleys of Huntington...) at a building where there were four construction workers up on a scaffolding hammering out the loose bricks near the roof of the structure (presumably knocked loose from the windstorm?) and their foreman down below leaning up against the building beside it.  His leaning up against the building next to the one they were working on is what initially got my attention as I drove by.  These aren't my greatest shots, but I think they're compelling enough nonetheless.  Took over 50 shots, but only 4 made the cut (I'm struggling with exposure, still getting some blown out.)

Construction worker catches object

Construction worker attaches pulley

Worker and foreman hold scaffolding

Jeep sits on blocks beside train tracks

Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 - En route to photo class on Hal Greer Blvd

So, I was on my way to photo class this past Monday and I glimpsed over and saw a young "hippie" girl walking down Hal Greer Blvd. with a djembe strapped over her shoulder and no shoes on.  I essentially merged left immediately and put on my turn signal to turn left and turn around to catch up with her to see if she'd let me take her picture.  There were some upset people behind me honking their car horn as I waited at the stoplight, because the sign said no left turn, but I did it anyways, because I couldn't let this opportunity pass me up.  I finally turned around and parked my car at Advance Auto on Hal Greer and hurried up to catch up to the young hippie girl.  I got her attention after shouting at her a few times and got her to turn around.  I think at first she was a bit alarmed, but as soon as I told her my name and what my project was about, she warmed up rather quickly and was very receptive to me taking her pictures.  She said that she wasn't from Huntington and was trying to get to Chicago.  She kind of looked like a prototypical New-Age hippie festival girl, but was very sweet and smiled a lot when I talked to her.  I took about 50 pictures, but some of them didn't turn out very well, since I was still struggling with getting my exposure just right.  But here five pictures that I took of her which I felt expressed the range of emotion she displayed in the 10-15 minutes that I was there talking to her and snapping away.

Hippie girl looks up on Hal Greer Blvd.

Hippie girl smirks on Hal Greer Blvd

Hippie girl looks away on Hal Greer Blvd

Hippie girl looks surprised on Hal Greer Blvd.

Hippie girl smiles on Hal Greer Blvd.

Marshall Memorial in Spring Hill Cemetery on the anniversary of the plane crash - Nov. 14, 2013

In the thirteen years in living in Huntington, I had never been to the Spring Hill Cemetery to view the Marshall Memorial until this evening. I felt it would be befitting to pay my respects on the anniversary and hoped to capture a few scenes of people there before the sunset. I met some very nice individuals there taking pictures and showing their own respects. The older man name in the photo with the Marshall jacket on was Glenn and he said that he actually witnessed the smoldering wreckage on that fateful night.   He said that he was meeting his granddaughter there tonight who knew every line in the movie, We Are Marshall. When she arrived, she quoted the entire pep speech scene from the movie line-for-line as her mother videotaped the whole thing from her phone. I captured her photo while she was mid-speech. Awesome and chilling.



Man reads Marshall Memorial on anniversary of crash

Teenager recites the pep talk scene in "We Are Marshall" at the Marshall Memorial on the anniversary of the crash

Two men look at the Marshall Memorial

Remembrance

 

 

 

Veteran's Day at the Veteran's Home in Barboursville, WV - Nov. 11, 2013

All gave some, some gave all

Two disabled veterans playing bingo on Veteran's Day



Two veteran's sitting on a bench outside at the Veteran's Home



Veteran from Logan, WV

Veteran in wheelchair plays bingo at Veteran's Home

Veteran stands beside the mural he painted



American flags outside Veteran's Home in Barboursville, WV on Veteran's Day