Start of Something Good

So with college over and my whole life ahead of me, I am left contemplating what I am going to do. Where will this path I've chosen take me. Well for right now, the path is keeping me in Kentucky to pursue music with my heavy metal band, Cryptic Reality. But, so as not to waste the last four years of my life, I've finally found a style and way of photographing that I was making my work lack in years past.

My plan is to autobiographically document this journey my bandmates are undertaking, so that years into the future we can look back on it and say we did everything we could to achieve our dream; even if it never happened. Three of us are going to be living together, and we will be doing tours, shows, practices, parties, everything. I hope to put this together in a photo book when it is all over (if it is ever over) but for right now I will periodically be posting on the blog, until I get enough of an edit to put it on my website. This is the first photo of the project, and many more will come.

"So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?"

-Hunter S. Thompson-

Because I love you all

Holy neglected blog, Batman! It's been a long, long, long time since I've updated this, mostly because I just got so busy last semester that regularly updating was out of the question. So I'll make up for it by picture vomiting all over the Internet right now. This isn't nearly everything I shot last semester, nor is it even the best stuff. But I like all of these in some way and thought I would share them with you. There may have been a few I've missed, and if I stumble across them I will be sure to update again. Thanks for looking!

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Washington Capitals vs. Nashville Predators

It's finally hockey season! Not only does that mean I get to watch games, but I get to shoot them as well. By sheer luck my first shoot of the season was the Nashville Predators against my beloved Washington Capitals. It was extremely hard not to yell and cheer for them but regardless, I had a blast. I also tried not to only take pictures of Ovechkin and the other Caps players. These pictures are aren't my best, but overall I'm happy with the outcome. The six months worth of rust has been shaken and I look forward to the next game. Until then, enjoy!

...But I didn't say I totally didn't single him or HHBL out.

Suzanne Bowdy, 33, of Annandale, Va., takes pictures of players from the Washington Capitals during warm ups before a game at Bridgestone Arean in Nashville Tenn. Bowdy travled from the D.C. area to see the game and visit Nashville for the first time. "I love it here. The people here are super friendly and it is definitely a hockey town."

Anders Linback #39 of the Nashville Predators makes a save against Marcus Johansson #90 of the Washington Capitals during an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Washington Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth #30 watches a puck shot by Nashville Predator forward J.P. Dumont (not pictured) go into the net during the first period of an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The Capitals would win the game in overtime 3-2.

Nashville Predators defenseman Kevin Klein #8 hip checks Washington Capitals forward Alexander Semin #28 against the boards during an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Ryan Suter #20 of the Nashville Predators battles for a puck against Brooks Laich #21 of the Washington Capitals during an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Shea Weber #6 of the Nashville Predators attempts to block a shot from Washington Capitals forward Brooks Laich #21 during an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber #6 shoots on Washington Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth #30 during an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The Capitals would win the game in overtime 3-2.

Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with Alexander Semin #28 and John Carlson #74 after Semin scored a power-play goal in the 3rd period of an NHL game on October 16, 2010 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The Capitals, who started the 3rd down 2-0 would rally and win in overtime 3-2.

"Features" Week 6

Last weekend my roommates and I went on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which lets you travel through the gorgeous Kentucky country to visit six of its most famous distilleries. The weekend was amazing, and it was hard to go back to reality after those few days avoiding it. Of course, I kind of forgot to take real pictures throughout the trip for Practicum, so I just turned in 3 pictures from the weekend. It probably won't go over very well with the professor, but everyone needs to get away for a little bit.

Portrait Shootout

However, we had a 40 minutes to get a portrait of someone during class and I feel in that time I made a much better portrait than any of the previous ones I had done that week. Maybe it was the pressure of needing to get a picture, maybe I put more effort into it without realizing, or maybe shooting portraits all week actually made me better. Either way, it's a step forward and I'm wanting to keep up with it so it wont be as big a weakness as it is right now.

Blake Lambert, 21, of Davies County, Ky., spends the afternoon outside with his Farmhouse fraternity brothers. Lambert is an Agricultural Education major at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky.

Portraits

Unfortunately, I really don't like portraits. Overall I just don't enjoy it and I feel it's by biggest weakness as a photographer. Of course, that just means that I have to keep doing them and get better at them. That didn't happen this week.

Bowling Green resident David Wood works as a caretaker at the Fairview Cemetery in Bowling Green, Ky. "It doesn't bother me," he said when asked about constantly being in a graveyard. "It's a job that somebody has to do."

"I try to make things easier for people during a rough time." Abe Shelton owns Borders Monument Co. in Glasgow, Ky., which carves headstones for the recently deceased. "I think it helps people deal with their loss."

Kelley Sisk works as a florist at Hobdy's Florist in Scottsville, Ky. "There's just something about people's reaction to flowers, no matter what the occasion is."

Features Week 5

Sophomore Marquarious Moore flops in mud with his Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers after winning a mud volleyball tournament in Bowling Green, Ky. The tournament featured fraternities and sororities from Western Kentucky University.

Barbara Conley, 49, of Bowling Green, Ky. cleans the counter of Theresa's restaurant in Bowling Green while there is some down time after the breakfast rush. The 21-year-old restaurant is a favorite in the city and has its busiest times in the early mornings and afternoons.

BG Transit employee Frank Lee, 38, of Bowling Green, Ky., tops off a transit bus at the end of one of his shifts.