U.S. Senior Open, Day 4 of Many

today I had some fun and made some pictures... Romero totallly blew his lead and we captured all of his troubles on the 18th hole. Watson took off.

U.S. Senior Open, Day 3 of Many

Yeah... physically, this tournament is grueling to cover. Part of me wonders why people would ever pay $95 to watch this... and the other part of me is in awe of the handful of true legends who are playing this week.



Jay Haas



Tom Watson



Ben Crenshaw



Curtis Strange



Hale Irwin



Some Guy :)

U.S. Senior Open, Day 2 of Many

Covering this tournament is an incredible physical challenge... and this is only the practice rounds. Happy Fourth of July...

U.S. Senior Open, Day 1 of Many

This course makes the Old Course at St. Andrews look like a parking lot. This should be an interesting week.

Manawa Rodeo, a reshoot...

I shot this same rodeo last year as an intern. Who knows... maybe I shot it better this time around...

Dairyland, no doubt

My first assignment for The Post-Crescent turned out to be very light news, but one that went worldwide. We have a guy from neighboring Little Chute, Wis., who carves cheese. He was commissioned to carve Mt. Rushmore from a 700-pound block of cheddar.

Our story and photos went to the AP Wire was was picked up by masses of publications in four continents.

Graduation

College is over... it's a happy time, it's a sad time... it's looking ahead at new things and looking back on old things.

Final Fridays in Nelsonville

Going off the beaten path at Final Fridays, an outdoor local art expo in Nelsonville, Ohio.

A young girl stood on the cold and windy street corner trying to find homes for a litter of puppies.



A teenage couple strolled through a back alley.

WNPA Milwaukee

The annual Wisconsin News Photographers Association convention was held end of March at the Milwaukee Art Museum. It was hands-down the best photojournalism convention I have ever attended.

The museum atrium.

DJP conducting important business.

Photo by Dan Powers. That's me accepting the student photographer of the year award.
I look gargantuan.

Living large at the rooftop bar at the Hotel Metro downtown...

Ohio State, 49 – Wisconsin, 48

What a game. The Post-Crescent had me shoot it for them. Here are a handful of my favorite frames:



Ohio State head coach Thad Matta waves the cut-down net following the Buckeyes' victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007.


Len Chappell, center, of New Berlin, Wis., father of Wisconsin forward Jason Chappell, sits disappointed with the Badgers' loss to Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007. At left is the elder Chappell's wife Joanne. At right is his friend Jim Scheidler of Madison, Wis.


Wisconsin's Brian Butch (32) screams in agony after injuring his elbow during the first half of a basketball game against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007.


Wisconsin's Brian Butch (32) grips the shirt of a trainer while receiving attention for an injured right elbow during the first half of a basketball game against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007.


Wisconsin's Brian Butch (32) exits the game after receiving attention for an injured right elbow during the first half of a basketball game against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007.

District Swimming

I covered this same meet last year, too, for The Dispatch, somewhat differently and somewhat the same. I don't like shooting the action in swimming. I think it's pointless. Everybody is shooting the action, which I think is pointless because the light over the water is generally awful and it's really just people bobbing their head up out of the water every-so-often. Everybody's seen that stuff...

It doesn't mean I can totally ignore the actual competition, but more interesting things are happening in the stands and on the deck. Where the moments are happening is where I want to be.

Quiet moments...


Quirkyness...


Louder moments...


Underwater moments...


[break]

Now these next two... I don't know... you all tell me. I'm not happy with either of them, really, on a technical level. They are slightly soft and grainy. But their news value makes them "necessary evils" of a sort. The swimmer, at far right, is a known phenom expected to perhaps qualify for the Olympics in the relatively near future. He broke his own record in the 100-yard butterfly by a full two seconds and finished almost three seconds ahead of all his competitors.

The first image, showing him finished with everyone else still swimming, shows that. The second of him in action with less of a lead, shows that perspective of the story slightly less so, but it is slightly sharper.




You be the editor...

Dorsel Bibbee

I'm still following "Old Dorsel" through the changing seasons. Here he is at Cherry Ridge Cemetery in Meigs County, preparing a gravesite for digging earlier this month.

WNA Awards

The Post-Crescent flew me up to Wisconsin to accept an award in person from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. I won first-place for general news photography for a photo from a soldier returning home to his son from Iraq.

I had a great time seeing my future co-workers again, and had a great time doing a little bit of partying with them. Didn't take many photos but here's a snap of Mr. Wags looking mischeivious.

Scott Strazzante visits OU

Scott Strazzante of the Chicago Tribune came to OU to speak... one of the best we've had. Here are some snaps:

Portfolio reviews:


Signing posters:


We need fill-light!!


I have a fascination with photographing my meals... when they're good...

Christmas is a time for Change?

No pictures this time. Just my words (which I hope are worth something...)

This Christmas was special. My entire family was here in Ohio, together, celebrating the holiday. That doesn't happen so often anymore, nor will it (probably) in the future.

Things change.

As one gets older, I suppose, Christmas becomes less about one's self and more about others – in fact, life itself becomes more about others. It's not about what you got... it's about what you gave and how it was received.

When I was younger I would reciprocate questions to my dad: "What do you want for Christmas, dad?" I never really understood then why he always answered that he didn't need anything. Of course he needed things, right? He needed some longer, baggier pants so he would look cooler (he still needs those!). He needed a really cool computer game to blow off some steam (he still plays Tetris and Minesweeper on Windows 95, God love him). And what guy doesn't need more ties to wear to work? (my dad has hundreds of ties, actually)

I guess there are bigger things in life that just mean more. Maybe it was something that us kids would make for him. Or just being with us. Or just seeing us smile. Maybe that was what made his [Christmas] Day. Maybe that's why a computer mouse that I bought him five years ago hasn't even been opened, and every single photograph of mine that I've ever given him has found a place on his desk, dresser, or mantelpiece.

I'm able to see some of those same sentiments in my own interactions with my neices and nephew, now. Just seeing them healthy and happy – just getting a heartfelt two-second hug from a three-year-old, is enough. I've learned a lot from my family, and I'm sure I'll continue to.

But, things sure change.

One could go so far as to say that things will never be like they were... that things are as they are. My family will continue to grow. My family will continue to change. My family will continue to move about the country. The dynamic is just that... ever changing.

My family has spent Christmas at my late maternal grandmother's house for about 40 years. We've held-on to that tradition for several years after my grandma passed away, but eventually, Christmas won't be celebrated there anymore. It's easy to say that it's not about where you are, and that it's who you're with. But it does matter where you are. I know that the tree will be in the living room, with the same lights, and ornaments, and angel. I know that the nativity will be in the family room under the window with that little light bulb (our "star from the east") over the manger. I know that everyone I know and love will be there, sitting in their usual spots as all the kids open presents. To boot, I've never missed a Christmas. Next year, since I'll be the newbie at my new job, I'm not so sure I'll be able to keep my hot-streak going.

Many people enter our lives. A relative few will actually accompany us along the entire path. Being able to understand that is often hard, but perhaps imperative. Whether they stay with us or not, others make a change in our lives that is sometimes as slight as the ripple of a pebble thrown in pond, and sometimes as great as an ocean wave. We desire people who will stay, to help us weather all of the immense change, as well as share in it. Nobody said it would be easy, but nobody said it would be all bad either.

Merry Christmas.