PHOTO-101: Framing

PHOTO-101 is my attempt to reach out to the amateurs, hobbyists, or point-and-shoot toting folks who want to learn a couple tricks of the trade. 

First up is framing. Framing is a simple trick that can definitely come in handy. Frames can create environment, draw attention, add information, or just give your image a nice  jolt.

Making a mundane shot more interesting:

A worker in a dump truck drives by a pipe opening as work continues on the Oconee County Community Complex Wednesday July 18, 2007.

Framing the truck in a pipe opening made this dime-a-dozen construction photo much more appealing.

The Sacred Harp Singers led by Gwendolynne Boone practice April 4, 2008 in Ila, Ga. 
These singers were practicing in a small space with little visual interest. I decided to step out of the situation and look in and thats were I saw an opportunity for framing. 

Windows and doorways are excellent quick and easy framing devices.

Assistant Pre-K teacher Karen Allen holds goddaughter Jada Johnson, 16 months old, during a tour of the newly renovated Winterville Elementary School Thursday July 23, 2009, in Winterville.

Shanon Hays, the TRR Cobb House Program Coordinator, primps a dress worn by Mary Ann (Lamar) Cobb, the wife of Howell Cobb, at a state dinner in 1860 during a tour of the the 19th century Federal-style mansion Wednesday June 24, 2009, in Athens. 

John Otwell (Leon Tolchinsky), left, and Shelley Marck (Sophia Zubritsky) act out a scene during rehearsal for the Town & Gown's production of Neil Simon's "Fools" Tuesday June 30, 2009, at the Athens Community Theater.

The foliage frame:

A 19th century home in Oglethorpe County is being restored by Lamar Wood who rented there 17 years earlier as a University of Georgia art student.
Here I tried to use the leaves from a tree to create a slight frame and foreground to make a building mug more interesting.

Framing with objects in use by the subject:

Justin Martin, a first year veterinary medicine student, teaches Kaitlyn Powers, 6, of Dallas, GA how to rope a calf Friday April 6, 2007, at the College of Veterinary Medicine Open House.
Every once in a while your subject will frame themselves and you just have to be at the right angle to capture it.

Framing  that references the subject:

Manager Ricky Harrison does glass work Wednesday October 8, 2008, in the University of Georgia glassblowing shop at the Chemistry Building on campus.
This was shot through a glass object similar to the one being created by the subject.

Jessica Sterling looks ahead to the instructor during a spin class at Georgia Cycle Sport Tuesday May 5, 2007.

This frame helps give more information about what the subject is doing.

Media Archivist Margie Compton inspects film in the University of Georgia media department of the Main Library Thursday October 16, 2008, on campus.
I shot this media archivist through a movie reel like the one she is examining.

There are plenty of opportunities for framing if you pause and take a look around your shooting environment. Hope this was helpful with ideas!

Countdown to football

Football season is just around the corner and I'm not going to lie, I'm scared. I have never gone through a football season at the Athens Banner-Herald with only 3 photographers on staff. We lost our boss and an open position during layoffs in January. High School football alone is enough to keep us busy, but the juggernaut that is University of Georgia football is enough to make us crazy. We staff 3 photographers and a videographer at every home game and send 2 photographers to away games. When you also add high school games and 5 or so football related sportraits per week to our magazine and daily assignments... things are going to get ugly.

Last weekend I shot the annual Countdown to Kickoff event at the University of Georgia football practice fields. Everywhere I looked I saw and heard zealous fans literally counting down the minutes until the first kickoff at Sanford Stadium. I myself love football. There is little more exciting than working the sidelines just inches from the action, adrenaline pumping, as the game unfolds. So, I am scared of being overworked and burning out, but I'm counting on getting caught up in the excitement to carry me through.


Autographed helmets sit on a table during the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields.

Georgia football players sign a large decorate "G" for Wayne Parker of Jackson during the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields.

James Hilliard, 6, of Auburn waves to Georgia quarterback Joe Cox as he signs a football helmet for him during the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields.



Justin Johnson, 11, of Colbert, left, and Jack Holder, 12, of Atlanta battle it out during a blow-up jousting game at the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields.


Jacob Jones, 2, of Tifton poses for a picture with Georgia cheerleaders during the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields

Georgia tailback Caleb King, right, laughs while signing autographs during the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields.
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Tyler Courson, 3, of Hull climbs under a giant Bulldog statue during the annual Countdown to Kickoff event Saturday July 18, 2009, at the Woodruff Practice Fields.

surrounded by light

I've heard of photographers who think silhouettes are cliche, uninformative, or an easy way out. Then of course there are photographers like me who adore them. I think sometimes simplicity tells a story more clearly than all the details in the world. I've rarely set out to take a silhouette. When they present themselves they are pleasant surprises that take what would be a pretty standard shot to another level of beauty. 

Athens Academy kicker Mark Allen practices punting Wednesday December 12, 2007, at the Georgia Practice Fields.


Dr. Robert Harris, the Pastor of Friendship Christian Church, prays for rain in the sanctuary Wednesday October 17, 2007. The church offers an open sanctuary at lunchtime each Wednesday inviting people of all faiths to pray for rain.

Dan Murfin of Colbert, left, walks to his car after attending the Old Fashion Tent Revival Sunday morning October 7, 2007, at Winterville First Baptist Church.


Brett Bowman walks by his junior dragster to get it ready for racing at the Fast Fridays Amatuer racing night June 6, 2008, at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce.


North Oconee High School senior Henry James puts some final touches on his classes' float before the homecoming parade Thursday November 1,2007, at North Oconee High School. This year is the school's first homecoming with returning seniors.


Lori Hartlein hoops with one of her original hula hoops at her Hula Hoop party at the Madison County Library in July, 2007.


Kenti-Anna Judson, 4, runs from the water after grandmother Pearlie Daniel, left of center, and mother Marquita Blasingame of Athens called their family to come eat dinner Wednesday afternoon September 3, 2008, at Sandy Creek Park.

Caden C., 5, plays with a toy plane at the feet of his grandfather Mikey Waters Saturday October 20, 2007, at the Athen-Ben Epps 100 Years in Flight Air Show.


Sisters Page and Claire Campbell of Hope For Agolden Summer sing A cappella in front of the stage at the Next To Last Fest Saturday December 12, 2007, in Bogart.

Georgia's Joshua Fields gets ready to bat in the Bulldogs' loss to No. Arizona Saturday February 23, 2008, at Foley Field.


North Oconee High School football players stand on the field before their homecoming game Friday November 2, 2007.

Jesus Raves

I recently ventured around Athens to photograph a few boarded up houses from a list of 200 or so abandoned properties. The pictures ran with a story about the Athens-Clarke Commission voting to create a land bank, which is an authority with the power to buy up broken down properties that are put up for auction to pay back taxes or demolition costs by flipping them to affordable-housing nonprofits. Read the story here. At one property I saw what seemed to be the crash pad of a homeless person. There was a mattress and a few articles of clothing tucked into a corner of the porch hidden from street view. I couldn't help but wonder where the person will stay once this property is auctioned off and flipped.  I imagine several of these eyesores around Athens, the third poorest city its size, are secret shelters. 

"Jesus Raves" is spray-painted on the boarded up windows of a building on Hancock Avenue near downtown Athens. Athens-Clarke County is starting a land bank, an authority that will buy up properties that are sold at auction to pay back taxes or demolition costs, then flip them to non-profits that build affordable housing for redevelopment.

 

Athens' Strongest Man

In the phone conversation I had with Orlando Green before my photo session with him I asked him what he typically wears to his strongman competitions. He said he wanted to wear one of his company's shirts for the photos. I said that I wanted to make sure his muscles could be seen. He laughed and said it shouldn't be a problem. When I arrived and first caught sight of the 6-foot tall, 220 lb strongman I had to laugh too, because no t-shirt could conceal this guy's He-Man build. The guy was HUGE! He also has a huge heart and huge goals. Read his story here.

Athens strongman Orlando Green poses next to a 700-pound tire used in the tire flop event.
Green, a Clarke Central graduate, created the Classic City Strongman Club and plans to open a training facility in Oconee County.

Flashback: This week last year

A crane used for the Tate 2 Center Construction is silouhetted as the sun sets Tuesday, July 22, 2008, in downtown Athens.


Teacher Christopher Sugiuchi plays with his band Ham 1 Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at the 40 Watt Club in downtown Athens.

Makeup artist Denise Tunnell, right, does the makeup of Kaira Whitehead who plays "Diva" before a scene is shot for BET's first scripted series "Somebodies" at a house on Athens Avenue Wednesday, July 23, 2008, in Athens.


C.L. Morehead stands in front of one of his hundreds of paintings by Lamar Dodd, the founder of the University of Georgia art school, Thursday July 24,2008, at his home in Athens. Morehead became the world’s largest collector of art by Lamar Dodd after selling his successful business Flowers, Inc.


Jason Hubbard pulls weeds after helping to plant small perennials along the old spring around which Athens was built as a part of a restoration project by University of Georgia workers Friday July 25, 2008, in downtown Athens.


Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader speaks at a rally held Friday July 25, 2008, in Masters Hall at the Georgia Center on campus.


Daniel Moore of Soul Water, a Christian hip-hop group from Gainesville, raps as children from the audience take the stage to dance Friday July 25, 2008, at the 2nd Annual Back 2 School Holy Hip-Hop event held in the Mell Auditorium at Clarke Central High School.


Eliza McCall, 10, hugs her aunt after winning a cake in a cake walk held after the 125th Anniversary service at Mount Hermon Presbyterian Church Sunday, July 27, 2008, in Ila.

Rockets and bombs got nothing on him

The story of Daniel Gade is one of those rare inspirations that comes along in journalism. The man has two Purple Hearts. Yes, two. He took on a rocket-propelled grenade and a roadside bomb as a soldier in Iraq and lived to tell the tale. He lost his right leg at the hip and now 4 years later is a triathlete with a para-olympic dream. Read his story here.


Daniel Gade, who lost his leg when hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005, is competing in the Nautica New York City Triathlon Sunday, July 26. He began doing triathlons last year and competes with Operation Rebound and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

Pickles, Okra, and Jam! Oh my!

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of going to the home of cookbook author Liana Krissoff. She is the author of "Secrets of Slow Cooking" and "Hot Drinks for Cold Nights," and was one of the editors of "Top Chef: The Cookbook." Krissoff and her husband moved 3 years ago from New York to Carlton, a small Georgia town with a population of about 235 people.
When I arrived she was in the process of fine-tuning her canning skills for a new book she is working on all about canning and preserving foods. Her 3 year old daughter Thalia was an enthusiastic helper as the pair canned okra. When I went to leave she insisted I take some of the experimental canned goods she had stockpiled in an overflowing pantry. I'm still enjoying her peach jam.

Read the Athens Banner-Herald story here.

Liana Krissoff, a Cook Book author, works on canning okra with help from daughter Thalia Krissoff, 3, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at their home in Carlton. Krissoff is working on a new book all about canning foods.


Thalia Krissoff, 3, helps her mother cookbook author Liana Krissoff can okra at their home in Carlton, Ga.


Food freshly canned by Cook Book Author Liana Krissoff sits on her counter Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at her home.


Liana Krissoff, a Cook Book author, plays with daughter Thalia Krissoff, 3, while canning okra Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at their home in Carlton.


Liana Krissoff, a Cook Book author, holds daughter Thalia Krissoff, 3, as they take a break from canning okra Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at their home in Carlton.