Life size gingerbread house

Brian Hirsh of Madison lifts up his daughter Liah, 6, so she can decorate a near life size gingerbread house with a candy cane during the second-annual Gingerbread Casas for CASA event held by Dane County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) at Hilldale Shopping Center in Madison, Wis., Saturday afternoon, Nov. 20, 2010.

Children direct volunteers where to spread the icing for candy and cookie decorations.

Thanksgiving baskets

Counting as he goes, Ted Daul of Madison, a volunteer with the Madison Area Technical College's Psychology Club, walks through hundreds of bags of Thanksgiving food for those in need at the Goodman Community Center in Madison, Wis., Friday evening, Nov. 19, 2010. Volunteers from the community, MATC, and UW-Madison's Los Angeles Posse 7 worked on the Fritz Food Pantry at the Goodman Community Center project Friday night, filling at least 1,000 bags to be distributed on Saturday at the center.

WIAA Football: Div. 4 State Championship - Waunakee victorious over Cedarburg

Waunakee High School's Leo Musso (45) breaks loose for 33-yard gain thanks to a block by teammate Max Chamberlin (11) on Cedarburg High School's Zach Hetzel (21) in the first quarter of the WIAA Division 2 State Championship at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Friday afternoon, Nov. 19, 2010.

The Waunakee High School bench watches Musso's (45) 33-yard run as he is tripped up by Cedarburg High School's Jesse Gall (16).

Waunakee High School's Austin Maly (4) celebrates his first quarter touchdown against Cedarburg High School with teammate Nathan Kruser (5).

Waunakee High School quarterback Hunter Darger (16) takes a hit after the pass from Cedarburg High School defensive lineman Nick Schlaefer (56) in the first quarter.

Cedarburg High School's Evan Fischer (20) forces a fumble on fourth down and three yards from Waunakee High School's Leo Musso (45) in the first quarter.

Waunakee High School Max Chamberlin (11) wrestles away a pass intended for Cedarburg High School's Kane Kaiman (5) in the fourth quarter. Chamberlin ran the ball back for a touchdown.

Waunakee High School's Zak Hougland (14) lays a hit on Cedarburg High School quarterback Ryan Ramuta (12) in the fourth quarter. Ramuta's pass was intercepted and returned 14 yards.

The Waunakee High School defense comes off the field elated towards defensive coordinator Justin Acker, center, after intercepting Cedarburg High School quarterback Ryan Ramuta with 10:13 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Waunakee High School's Beau Murray (23) fights for a catch while defended by Cedarburg High School's Corey Bloch (8) in the fourth quarter. Although Murray was unable to make the catch, Bloch was called for defensive holding on the play, resulting in a first down for Waunakee.

Waunakee High School head coach Pat Rice is all smiles as his Warriors run onto the field after defeating Cedarburg.

Waunakee High School's Jacob Jankowski (51) celebrates with his teammates after the game.

Waunakee High School head coach Pat Rice looks over the state championship trophy with his players after the game.

WIAA Football: Div. 4 State Championship - Brodhead-Juda falls to Kewaunee

Kewaunee High School quarterback Doug Delebreau (10) is pressured by Brodhead-Juda High School's Blair Chapman (21) after fumbling the snap in the first quarter of the WIAA Division 4 State Championship at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Thursday evening, Nov. 18, 2010.

Brodhead-Juda High School's Alex Wallace (1) evades Kewaunee High School's Justin Stangel (24) in the first quarter.

Brodhead-Juda High School's Alex Wallace (1) celebrates a second quarter touchdown.

The Brodhead-Juda High School defense reacts to a Kewaunee High School pass play in the second quarter.

Kewaunee High School's Craig Christman (26) trails Brodhead-Juda's Blair Chapman (21) on a completed pass in the third quarter. Chapman got the ball to the 5 yard line on the long gain.

Clockwise from bottom, Brodhead-Juda High School's Blair Chapman (21), Jaron Harding (30) and Joey Jordan (84) stop Kewaunee High School's Craig Christman (26) as the ball pops loose in the third quarter. The play was called dead and it was ruled there was no fumble.

Brodhead-Juda High School's Brett Squires (56) fights back tears while watching the final seconds tick off the clock as the Cardinals lost to Kewaunee.

Brodhead-Juda High School's Alex Wallace (1), right, consoles teammate Bryan Bauman (53) after the Cardinals fell to Kewaunee.

Big Ten Football: Wisconsin 83, Indiana 20

Yep... you read that correctly. Wisconsin scored 83 points in their trouncing of Indiana on Saturday. There's some talk of roses, lately, but nobody's counting their chicks before they're hatched.

Wisconsin's Louis Nzegwu (93) wraps up Indiana's Trea Burgess (21) in the first quarter of a game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball (28) is pulled down by the face mask by Indiana's Jarrell Drane (30) in the first quarter.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball (28) struggles for yardage near the goal line defended by Indiana's Brandon McGhee (39), left, while being grabbed by Indiana's Jeff Thomas (53) in the first quarter. Ball did not score on the play, but got the ball to the 1 yard line.

Wisconsin's J.J. Watt (99) puts pressure on Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell (4) in the first half.

Wisconsin's David Gilbert (11) dives for a fumble by Indiana quarterback Edward Wright-Baker (7) in the second quarter. Wisconsin recovered the ball.

Wisconsin's J.J. Watt (99) celebrates his recovery of a fumble by Indiana quarterback Edward Wright-Baker (7) in the second quarter.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball (28) runs the football in the second quarter.

Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) throws the ball in the third quarter.

Wisconsin's Aaron Henry (7) runs back an interception 37 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis (4) pulls in a 74-yard pass from backup quarterback Jon Budmayr (5) over Indiana's Matt Ernest (15) for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin mascot "Bucky" struggles to do push-ups for each Wisconsin point in the fourth quarter of the game. The score at the time was Wisconsin, 76-13. The final score was 83-20.

Wisconsin backup quarterback Nate Tice (12) celebrates with his teammates after scrambling for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

NCAA Hockey: North Dakota 1, Wisconsin 0

North Dakota's Brad Malone (22) checks Wisconsin's John Ramage (55) in front of the goal as goalie Scott Gudmandson (1) follows the puck in the second period of a game at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Friday evening, Nov. 12, 2010.

Wisconsin goalie Scott Gudmandson (1) fails to save a game-winning shot from North Dakota's Jason Gregoire (17) in the third period. North Dakota won 1-0.

North Dakota's Jason Gregoire (17), center, celebrates with teammates Chay Genoway (5), left, and Jake Marto (25), right, after shooting the game-winning goal.

The Paper Wall

Kate Duff of Middleton looks at part of "The Paper Wall," a tribute to the 1,244 soldiers from Wisconsin killed or missing in action during the Vietnam War, during a ceremony opening the exhibit on the second floor of the Capitol rotunda in Madison, Wis., Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 9, 2010. "I feel bad about the way the soldiers were treated when they came home," said Duff. "I'm just glad they're honoring them."

An obituary for Marine Pfc. Daniel L. Meysembourg of Madison, who died in the Vietnam War at the age of 18, hangs in "The Paper Wall" in the Capitol rotunda in Madison, Wis., Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 9, 2010.

New Chapter: Madison

Above is a photo of the hallway outside the Press-Gazette's multimedia studio, newly decorated with four pictures from each photographer on staff (mine are at far left). It's an area of the building that I feel like I've left a really positive mark... and a place where I really came to feel comfortable. It's important to me to reflect on this because today is my last day of work at the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

On Nov. 8, I'll begin work as a photographer at the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison. Change is change... it's agitating but exciting, risky but with the possibility of greener pastures.

In Madison I'll be one of four photographers (3.5 technically since the chief photographer will be doing a good amount of scheduling and planning). I'll be busier, which is great because I got into this field in the first place to work my butt off and be out in the community. I'll be asked to help shape the video and multimedia strategy for the staff going forward. And I'll be more a part of major sports coverage, my first photographic love.

My hope with every endeavor is to make myself and the place I'm at better. I feel like my time in Green Bay allowed me to do that and now it's time to do it at the next level in Madison.

It's game time.

Yoga

The Press-Gazette offered a local perspective on Southern Baptist church leader Albert Mohler's controversial statements about yoga, saying that the popular form of exercise and meditation was at odds with Christianity.

Karen McArthur of Green Bay participates in a group chant in Kathleen Kelly-Hoffman's Gentle Yoga class at Bay Area Yoga Center in Allouez, Wis., Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010.

Halloween costumes

I've written on the topic before: I'm really not a fan of Halloween. Worst holiday ever. And I always get assigned to either a business story talking about how it's the best Halloween ever for costume and decorations stores, or Trick or Treat night.

I got the business story this year and headed over to Halloween Express in Ashwaubenon. I was struck by how... umm... risqué costumes have gotten. I can't believe how much people are willing to pay for so little fabric. Such costumes seem to far outnumber the superheros, goblins and ghosts.

Anyways, I saw this stack of people rolling down an aisle and I loved the various faces and eye directions. I love finding moments at business assignments... who says business photos have to be dry!

Holly Wilsmann of Mishicot shops for Halloween costumes with her children, Allison, 4, and Jackson, 6, at Halloween Express in Ashwaubenon, Wis., Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010.

It's... pedometer hand-out day... woohoo?

Fourth grade students Brandon Coopman, left, Jake Hayes, center, and Andrew VanBoxel, right, take a look at their newly issued pedometers in Carie Jens' phy-ed class at Webster Elementary School in Allouez, Wis., Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010.

The "grassy knoll"

I'm a big fan of the semi-elevated view for shooting sports. Field level is often great. Upper deck or catwalk can be great, too. But so often I think photographers get caught up in those two extremes. Maybe it's my middle-of-the-road personality, but I think there's something to be said for halfway.

The biggest issue with this, though, is that often there's no place for photographers to work in the stands without blocking the spectators. But every so often you get lucky enough to shoot at a field – like Green Bay Notre Dame (below) or Lawrence University's Banta Bowl – with the coveted "grassy knoll."

Big fan. Grassy knolls rule.

Sheboygan North High School's Danny Weber (22) is stopped at the goal line by Green Bay Notre Dame's Peter Mortell (15), creating a third and goal situation for North, in the first quarter of a game in Green Bay, Wis., Friday, Oct. 15, 2010. North scored later on a fourth and goal from inside the one yard line.

Green Bay Notre Dame's Alex Miller (20) runs the ball in the first quarter of a game against Sheboygan North High School in Green Bay, Wis., Friday, Oct. 15, 2010.

Cross country

I love looking for different angles, and this time I got lucky with the athletes' uniforms color-coordinating with the newly-turned foliage.

From left, Ashwaubenon's Brady Selner, Green Bay Southwest's Ian La Mere, and Ashwaubenon's Jordan Carpenter lead the boys varsity race at a Fox River Classic Conference cross country meet at Colburn Park in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday afternoon, Oct. 14, 2010.

Fox Point Boat Launch, De Pere

Sunday morning, 10/10/10.

Green Bay Duathlon

Mike Christman of Green Bay pulls his bike off his car before the 2010 Aurora BayCare Sports Medicine Green Bay Duathlon began at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., early Sunday morning, Oct. 10, 2010. Heavy fog blanketed the Green Bay area overnight.

Benjamin Harrison (#7) of Manitowoc walks his bike out of the transition area. He later finished fourth overall with a time of 1:43:06.3.

Molly Bouressa (#29) of Kimberly begins the bike stage heading south on Oneida Street and rounding the corner at Potts Avenue. She later finished first in the female division with a time of 1:55:56.3.