Rosebush apple orchard

Sometimes you arrive 30 minutes early and they are running 40 minutes late.

Sometimes there is a lack of emotion.

Sometimes you get yelled at for taking photos of people wiping themselves free of apple pure.

Sometimes you label your photos in the order they should run.

Sometimes the designer chooses other wise.

Sometimes is a good way to characterize the life a photojournalist.

Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

Never, ever the same.

15 minutes of practice

Sometimes you have an a couple hours for an assignment. Other times, 15 minutes. The pressure to make images in a limited time frame is sometimes what makes the job so much fun.

Isabella County Fair

We did a feature on rides at the fair. I knew immediately I wanted to do some long exposure(something I've never seen in our paper). I arrive just before dusk and as I set up, the lights go out and the rides suddenly stop. An hour and a half later and a fixed generator I made this.

Sometimes all you can do is wait.

Finding the drive and making the fight

I can't believe I'm already a month into the new year.

I seem to be fighting all kinds of battles.

My days run together working the night shift. At times it can be a daunting task to find the motivation to wake, rinse, drag yourself to work for three or four hours of sun light, enter a dark gym, leave to a dark parking lot, edit, caption, tone, then to leave work knowing not only is it dark, but also freezing cold.

This all leads me to my next topic. I shoot basketball everyday and sometimes I cover two games. A college photographer asked why I was leaving a Central Michigan University game early and it got me thinking about how drastically different my life is from a year ago.

Being at a college newspaper you print three times a week and you maybe shoot three or four assignments a week. You have a rough web deadline and you pretty much do things at your pace.

It's great in theory to want to shoot an entire game, but there are many reasons it's not always applicable at a daily.

• Web first - Despite what you want to do or know will produce the best content your editor and bosses know differently and they have expectation you have to meet.
• Deadlines - Much like the first point other people (page designers) are waiting for you so they can do their job. They have friends and most importantly families.
• People - Not everyone understands you or what you do. They have families which are more important than their jobs, whether you think it's fair or not. To many it's about the paycheck.
  
• Real world - It's not college. You have three assignments a day instead of three a week. "Don't forget video," they politely remind you, so make that four. Your a staff of few instead of many. The reality is it's not feasible and you have to budget your time properly. You learn what to and what not to spend your time on.

All of this brings me to a final point.

Pick and choose your battles.

Not everyone you work with is as dedicated as you. So choose what you fight for wisely. Otherwise you alienate yourself and are labeled a with giant asshole target.

This doesn't mean you give up and give in. This means you lead by example. You show others you care and use your passion to motivate them. Instead of being the complaining gnat, be the caterpillar. Cheesy, yes, but little by little you achieve change. As others see the greatness in your work they will be inspired to do the same. They will also be inspired if they see you getting a pay raise.

The truth is you have to change your game plan sometimes. Instead of spending three hours on basketball, spend one. Spend the other two working on real projects and finding features. When the big games comes the editors will understand and take full advantage of it.

It's all a game.

Pick your battles, plan accordingly, do the right things, control the tempo, attack and you'll sometimes win.

Nadine's, a family tradition

Nadine Voisin, 64, of Mount Pleasant attempts to the cut the hair of William McClintic, 2, as he reaches for his mother Rachel Friday afternoon at Nadine's Beauty Salon, 701 E. Michigan St. Voisin has owned her shop for 44 years and has been cutting four generation of McClintic family hair. When asked why the family comes back to her Nadine said with a laugh, "Because I'm good."



Since William didn't get a haircut and either did any of his other family members the assignment was looking like a wash. I stuck around Nadine's and photographed a few of other appointments and made photos of her doing what she does.

As I came back to the office I was a little disappointed William wasn't cooperating. As I edited through photos I realized how valuable and story telling the top photo is. Had he sat in the chair and had his hair trimmed the photo would have been just that. Instead I was able to create a unique moment in the life of both William and Nadine.

Standing Still

I'm a wander.

I also get overwhelmed way to easily. My brain starts seeing everything and I want to capture it all. This is especially true on assignments when you have a limited time frame.

I'm facing right and then a moment happens left. I turn left and with in a fraction of a second I fumble with the focus button and exposure, but then I'm left watching the moment instead of capturing it.

I try to tell myself to breath, that's if I even remember to do that, because like I said I'm easily overwhelmed.

So instead of being a wander, a worrier or rusher, just realize life goes on.

Take your time. Sit and wait. Wait more and eventually it will happen.

And if you still miss it, just remember it's only a fraction of a second and not the rest of your life.

Where's the jube?

St. Louis breezed through the first two sets against Ithaca in the conference title. The third game was essentially a blowout until the Yellow Jackets started a rally to pull with in a few points, after being down by something like 15.

This frame never saw the light of day of in print or even came close, but I personally love absolutely everything about it.



In the end St. Louis won the third set and the game was over. This was the jubilation.

As far as my photos go I wish they would have lost in five sets, but I guess you take what you are given.