Allison Weiss

This is musician Allison Weiss in her studio in Athens, Ga.

I've been working on trying to do different things with my lights, be it trying a softbox rather than a grid or a gel or something creative whatsoever. I tried a new Lumidyne Softbox III and went with a CTO gel (I have been reading too much Joe McNally of late) and went with a barebulb (grid) on the light on the rear.

For a musician, she was very cool to work with. She even photographed me and a reporter and posted it on facebook.... which was funny as the reporter did not want to be photographed at all.

I shot this too tight because i really like the guitar shadows on the wall. Beyond that, i really tried to put some through into my shots and the portraiture.



Then i went quirky fisheye and my only problem with it is two things. One - shoulda moved the lightstand and two - flash was about 1/3rd to 1/2 stop hot.



Then we went outside and worked on the street. I should have cranked the shutter speed way up and kill the ambient as its too light for my taste. (Then again, i was also getting heckled by some of the ladies who work at a local "showbar" whom we're having a smoke.)

All in all, its a different direction for my work as I'm trying new things.

Barn Fire

An Athens Clarke firefighter is silhouetted by the flames from a barn in the 700 block of Double Bridges Road that caught fire on Sunday, July 5, 2009 in Athens, Ga. No one was hurt while the barn, several vehicles and an adjacent apartment were completely destroyed.

The last thing after spending 11 straight hours inside a car driving from Maryland was to grab my camera and go to a fire. But after hearing 3 or 4 engine companies go screaming down U.S. 78, it was time to figure out what was going on.

Thankfully i saw a passing command car and just followed them all the way to the scene which was a metal barn out by the Oglethorpe County line which was fully involved when everyone got there.

Of small irony, my first ever spot news I shot at the ripe old age of 12 was a barn on fire while on a boy scout trip. (On Tri-X and developed it myself)

So on this fire, i finally got my cliche' silhouetted firefighter against flames. Been looking for that shot but ACCFD does such a good job, i rarely get the opportunity. I made my photos, called the news desk and went home and collapsed.

July Fourth Fireworks

Fireworks over Solomon's Island on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland on Saturday, July 4, 2009.

I drove 20 hours over 2 days for that picture. We were 1/2way to the car by the time the finale kicked off. Shoulda repositioned myself to get all the boats on the water and silhouette them instead. I think i took maybe 16 frames total.

Sweet. Don't Die.

Oconee County Firefighter John Vangotum sprays down hot spots as firefighters battle one of several small forest fires along the railroad tracks near the Victoria Station subdivision on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 in Watkinsville, Ga.

I texted a friend while i was at the scene of a wildfire along the railroad tracks in Watkinsville, Ga., and thats what they said. "Sweet. Don't Die." Probably the best advice you can give anyone covering a wildfire. Well really the best advice you can give someone.

When i critique student work and i see brush fire coverage, i always have to remind them to have the right gear. You shouldn't be that photographer who is at the scene
of a wildfire and have great access and try to get shots with a 20mm lens of the crews working without the right Nomex gear. Yesterday i broke that rule, straddling the line of good judgment and complete dumbass.

I went as far as i could without endangering myself and as far as i could without getting in the way of the Oconee County Fire Dept. Turns out a passing train from the Hartwell Railroad (The Athens Line LLC based on a 2005 article) managed to spark the fires as somehow brakes from the train will send sparks into the dry brush. Remember back to third-grade science class: heat (sparks) + fuel (dry brush) + oxygen = FIRE. I got dirty and found myself wondering if my shoes would melt as well as getting a face full of steam as i was following the fire crews. When i got nervous for my safety and everything kinda hit me, I left. There will be more wildfires. I got my pictures and i bailed.

I missed a few photos of people using garden hoses to wet down their back yards. OCFD saved a few structures before i started wandering around and getting up and into the face of the fire.

Athfest 2009

A woman dances to Deaf Judges at The Morton Theater on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

Athfest to the uninitiated is a three-day music festival smack dab in the middle of Athens, Georgia that features a ton of bands from the Athens scene and nearby areas. Most of them, you haven't heard of unless you're a supporter of local music or a loyal reader of Jordan Steppe.

Photographically, its really like shooting fish in a barrel. This was my second time in three years; i was at the College World Series last year. Unlike most concerts these days, it is not "three-songs-and-out." You could shoot as long as you wanted, no restrictions on flash and if you were ballsy enough, even shoot from the stage. There's a small army of kids from UGA and other scene followers who are getting the same concert photos over and over.

Me? I want something different. I can stand at the front of a barricade with an 80-200 and get the same thing they do. As always, I want something different, something creative. Thats the one thing, the one lesson above all that you should take away from concert photography -> Whats the next shot I can get? How much cooler can i make it?

Since i only photographed one day (Friday), I went all out. Busted out the pole cam with the fisheye and tried to make the most creative photos you can make in 100-degree-heat. It was disappointing to see the main-stage acts not have much stage energy but it was hot and easily 105 degrees on the stage. Completely understandable. I shot 3 bands on the main stage - The Empties, Twin Tigers (whom sounded great) and Dead Confederate (Looks like DC should be seen indoors in a club based on their stage lighting) and Tealvox over on the second stage. Tealvox was pretty good for a high school band and had a really nice, tight sound. After all that, it was time to walk back, edit for the daily and eat before hitting the evening shows.



Matthew Rain of Twin Tigers plays during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Taylor Patterson, left, shoots her friend Erin Dunn with bubbles during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Codey Stalvey of Tealvox plays during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

Many, many thanks to The Ice Cream Man for the Ice Cream.

After half a hamburger from the Grill - the heat had zapped my appetite - I walked down to the heavily air-conditioned 40-Watt Club to catch some evening bands. The All Night Drug Prowling Wolves took the stage and blew me away. I enjoyed them live and actually bought a CD. Saw Dexter Romweber Duo play and then walked up the street to see We Versus the Shark play their last show ever. Morton Theater was running behind so I caught Deaf Judges first - Think Beastie Boys, circa 1983 - and the theater had a smoke machine running which looked fantastic to go along with the stage lights.



Ben Thrower dances with Denise Medow while All Night Drug Prowling Wolves perform during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Tom Cheshire of All Night Drug Prowling Wolves is seen in a multiple-exposure photo while performing at the 40 Watt during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Deaf Judges perform at the Morton Theater during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



People dance while Deaf Judges perform during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Dexter Romweber is reflected in a mirror at the 40 Watt during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Marlow Sanchez of All Night Drug Prowling Wolves performs during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga. (Polecam, rear curtain, on camera flash. Needs some work. Needs slower shutter speed.)



We Versus the Shark performs their last show during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Guitarist Samantha Paulsen plays as We Versus the Shark performs their last show during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga. (I bought coffee from Sam for two years)



Drummer Scott Smith strips to his boxers before performing as We Versus the Shark performs their last show during AthFest on Friday, June 26, 2009 in Athens, Ga. (I've never seen anyone who comes as close to "Animal" from "The Muppet Show" before seeing this)

Parting thoughts: Artists- Put your name on your website so i know who you are. If they're not identified in the photos, it's because you aren't identified on your website and I can't find out at 2 AM.

McDonaldland fades away

I believe those are Mcdonaldland Playland equipment featuring Officer Big Mac and Grimace. (Behind the Hallmark Mobile Home Park in Athens, Ga on Wednesday, June 24, 2009)

I remember playing on the McDonaldland playgrounds when i was a kid. Imagine my surprise when I'm walking around a trailer park in the middle of a domestic dispute (which was simply a misdemeanor and very unvisual despite being dispatched as an individual trying to ram a trailer with a tractor-trailer) and to my surprise, i found this playground equipment just sitting there.

Clearly no one has played on them in years. Its interesting to see how this had faded into obscurity as McDonalds has completely done away with the concept of 'McDonaldland' as a marketing campaign.

Four Alarm Georgia Theater Fire

Around 7 AM, a multi-alarm fire was called in at the Historic Georgia Theater in Athens, Ga. I found out about it around 745 and was out the door by 746 and on scene 10 minutes later. (Of course, my fiancee did call me for 15 minutes straight until i answered the phone. It was a day off)

The structure that was built in the 1930's was completely gutted. Roof collapsed early on, keeping firefighters from making an interior attack. The downtown power grid was off as the main power vault was underground in the vicinity of the structure. ACCFD was able to keep the structure from completely collapsing and burning to the ground. The walls are still standing and some of the rafters are still intact despite being very weak.

Something this big spot news wise means photos are going to have to be worked hard and fast. I needed to make quality, storytelling images fast beyond what the average person would get. Spot news does need to be exactly that, on the spot. But a compelling fire photo generally needs some decent composition or or at least artistic thought.

Saturday morning quarterback. I went up high but didn't even try and talk my way into the Bank of America building or onto the roof. Big mistake. Some people who worked in there got good images. Missed out on my tower/silhouette photo early on. Sun rose fast and i didn't get the picture i wanted. (That and a tree was in the way). And lastly, i ran out of the house without socks. I have blisters all over my feet. (And i'd have had better photos if i had answered the phone faster)

Here's how the front page looked.



Bottom left first-on-the-scene-photo by newsroom intern Allie Goolrick.



Thats my only picture with actual flame in it. I missed a flare up while walking around the giant block but got somewhat lucky when they opened up the front door to try and extinguish and save anything else in the front.



There's an interesting symmetry between the gracefulness of a a rainbow mixed with the abject destruction of a landmark being consumed by fire.



An Athens Clarke firefighter is treated by EMTs during the blaze. (No firefighters were hospitalized or injured that I heard about)



Wilmot Green, owner of the Georgia Theater, (white shirt) sits on a curb with firefighters across from the blaze.



Firefighters use aerial towers to fight the blaze. (Note, the city only owns three and all three were used during the blaze, just not in this photo)



Firefighters battle the blaze from street level.



Nothing like what i was trying to make.