Clarke Central heads to SemiFinals

Clarke Central senior linebacker Devante Derricotte yells in celebration after the Clarke Central Gladiators beat the North Clayton Eagles 52-13 in the quarterfinals of the GHSA class AAAA playoffs on Friday, November 27, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

Jube comes in many forms. HS football seems to give the best, most pure raw emotion of celebration that any of us have seen. These days its a matter of putting myself in the right position and creating the opportunity for the photo rather than what i shoot.

Thieves Market at Go Bar

Monday night i was invited out by my friend Scott to see his wife's band Thieves Market play their first ever show at Go Bar.

I really enjoyed it and the music was very, very good. I think they have the potential to go somewhere. The sounds was very tight and Go Bar is a very, very small room - Basically a converted garage from an old gas station. The light was what you expect at a bar here in Athens. The Georgia and Morton Theaters have the best light but when it comes to clubs, 40 Watt seems to be lit the best. Lighting is certainly not a priority whatsoever when it comes to clubs.

All in all, a very good time and a very good show.









Maximum Busy Muscle opened up. Interesting Trio.

Small Soapbox:Random Sideline Guys.

The guy in the red hat is the TV timeout guy. The guy in the green vest is the Instant Replay guy. Isn't there a better spot for them to stand?

Usually i get annoyed at people who jump out in front of my cameras (ask Niki) and will generally take my ranting to a new artform. The sidelines are usually packed with people who have no idea that this is a professional working environment and that if you move forward, you're going to block a whole lot of people.

This time, i have to take serious issue with where these random workers stand. Because of their attitude - I overhead the Instant Replay guy's response to a SportsComm request to take a step back - they refuse to move and have no qualms about blocking everyone who's standing farther downfield then the 10 yard line.

All I'm asking is that the Southeastern Conference move these two guys back by 2 yards, back to the line where the cameras have to be. Its frustrating, its annoying and frankly I don't understand what the purpose of standing in everyone's way is. If its not safe for us to be up by where the red line is, why is it safe for them?

I'm also in favor of the NCAA making the bench area smaller, shrinking it down to the NFL size of between the 35-yard-lines or a compromise down to the 30s.

Redcoats!

Redcoat band senior Brent Cohen throws powder up into the air pregame as the Georgia Bulldogs lead the Kentucky Wildcats 20-6 at halftime at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, November 21, 2009.

I work around Georgia's Redcoat band a bunch. They're good people, have a good sound and they have to endure the same football games that i do, rain, shine, or otherwise. They don't get a game ball on the field for all of their hard work week in and week out.

So this being the final home game, i had two pictures that i liked from the game/debacle against Kentucky.

Maybe sometime I'll get to actually see them perform at the half instead of sending pictures.



Georgia feature twirler Amanda Farmer performs in front of the Redcoat Band seniors before the state of the Georgia/Kentucky game at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, November 21, 2009.

Rock Wall

Students climb the rock wall at the Ramsey Center on Thursday, November 12, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

I saw this while walking to another assignment. I just liked the contrast and the lighting. Didnt get exactly what i wanted tho.

Hot Football, Cold Night

Steam rises off of lineman Terrence J. Bradshaw during a timeout as the Clarke Central Gladiators beat the Mays Raiders 31-28 in the opening round of the GHSA Class AAAA football playoffs on Friday, November 13, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

I've always wanted to get the steam rising off of a football player and it works. Nice environmental feature that tells the story.

Sunset Sportrait

East Jackson Eagles running back Tyler Collins on Monday, November 16, 2009 in Commerce, Ga.

While i might be milking this sunset sportrait trend a bit, I really liked how this one came out.

Leonid Meteor FAIL

Stars swirl around the North Celestial Pole. (D700, 14mm/3.5 15 minutes)


Seems like every time i try and do something space or astronomy related, it ends up in a giant cluster****.

There was the time i photographed a space shuttle at night with a remote and i got pretty pictures of smoke. That one was my fault.

This time, the meteors just weren't there. The Leonids, named for the constellation Leo, just didn't show in any photos. Granted it was supposed to be an off year as they were supposed to only be about 20/hr here on the east coast.

After staying up all night, the fog rolled in around 3 AM and thats all she wrote.

I ran two cameras: One pointed at polaris to get the swirl, with the intention of getting a meteor streaking across the sky (D700, 15 min, f/4, ISO 100, 16mm fisheye) and the other going 30 sec aimed at the eastern sky (D2x, 30 sec 14mm/3.5 ISO 1600) and i only have one partial MAYBE. I did find 3 airplanes.




I'm not sure what that line is. It might be a meteor but really faint. It didn't seem like an airplane as it doesn't continue all the way through the frame and it doesnt have the pulsing strobe light like you usually see from an airplane.

Camp Amped

Eleven-year-old Jacob Samuelson plays guitar with Death of the Peanut King during Camp Amped at Nuci's Space on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for this to actually run so I could post it.

I hung out with some of the kids who were participating in Camp Amped at Nuci's Space the day after the World Series (aka The Day of the Hangover). It was a lot of fun to watch these kids at basically rock and roll camp. I was very shocked to watch these 5 teenagers launch into Nirvana's "Drain You." This being Athens, i expected something more shiny and happy.

Alas, it was a lot of fun. Very dark space to shoot in but the noise in the photos just makes it more rock'n'roll to me.





Fifteen-year-old Ana Bishop-Colon sings a cover of Nirvana's "Drain You" during Camp Amped at Nuci's Space on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Athens, Ga.





Musician Thayer Sarrano, right, sings alongside thirteen-year-old Sage Meneses during Camp Amped at Nuci's Space on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

















Robby Casso plays the drums during Camp Amped at Nuci's Space on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Athens, Ga.



Sage Meneses dances during Camp Amped at Nuci's Space on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Athens, Ga.

Georgia/Auburn features

Andrew Bezilo walks underneath trumpets during the dogwalk before the Auburn Tigers take on the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.

Here's some features from the Georgia/Auburn game, some of which didn't make our photo gallery. I was thoroughly annoyed that the sidelines were once again packed by people with point and shoot cameras. People on the Auburn sidelines were nice. All in all, it wasn't a bad game. Missed too much of the timely action.

Two more games this season. I've been doing work that I'm proud of and its the best I've done sofar, but its still not good enough.



Georgia captains (l-to-r) Ben Jones, Jeff Owens, Joe Cox and Prince Miller walk out onto the field pregame before the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Auburn Tigers 31-24 on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.



Cheerleaders cheer before the dogwalk before the Auburn Tigers take on the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.



Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin jumps up pregame before the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Auburn Tigers 31-24 on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.



Fans dance in the second quarter as the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Auburn Tigers 31-24 on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.

Choo-Choo

A train went over the trestle that i was driving under.

Me and my silhouettes.

Tech info - 30 MPH out the sunroof, 14mm @3.5

Late Veterans Day Feature

Flags adorning crosses represent fallen soldiers from the City of Jefferson for a Veterans Day display at Woodbine Cemetery on Thursday, November 12, 2009 in Jefferson, Ga.

While driving around for another assignment, i found this on the day AFTER Veteran's Day. Horribly useless other than for up here.

I wish i were an Oscar Mayer weiner

Six-year-old Caleb Campbell climbs inside the Oscar Mayer weinermobile at the Athens Area Human Society on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Watkinsville, Ga. The Weinermobile will be at the YMCA in Athens on Friday afternoon.


Now i've never actually seen an Oscar Mayer weinermobile up close and personal before. I couldn't imagine seeing it in my rear-view mirror.



Crystal Evans, executive director of the Athens Area Humane Society, dances with Chloe the cat in front of the Oscar Mayer weinermobile at the Athens Area Human Society on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Watkinsville, Ga. The Weinermobile will be at the YMCA in Athens on Friday afternoon.



Ten-year-old Davis Clark sits inside the Oscar Mayer weinermobile at the Athens Area Human Society on Thursday, November 5, 2009 in Watkinsville, Ga. The Weinermobile will be at the YMCA in Athens on Friday afternoon.

Love Notes

Apalachee's James Landing stands with a message about his girlfriend on his hand as the Apalachee Wildcats beat the Salem Seminoles 37-14 in Winder, Ga., on Friday, November 6, 2009. Apalachee finishes the regular season undefeated at 10-0, winning the Region 8-AAAA title.

That's what high school football is all about. A kid with a love note written on his hand before his game.

Floating Away

Balloons fly away on senior night as the Apalachee Wildcats beat the Salem Seminoles 37-14 in Winder, Ga., on Friday, November 6, 2009.

Sometimes i feel like this. Adrift and floating away.

Georgia Homecoming

Georgia head coach Mark Richt waves to the student section after the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 38-0 on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.

After my vacation trip, I'm really enjoying the ridiculously wide look of the 14mm on a full-frame camera. Granted it flares like nobody's business, but I'm enjoying it. I used it earlier this week for an assignment that hasn't run yet and i used it pre/post game for Georgia's homecoming as it was just a glorofied scrimmage so there was PLENTY of time to mess around and try and experiment.

I just like what its giving me and i feel it really puts the viewer in the scene and shows all the context.

(TechNotes: D700, Vivid color, -1 EV, Sigma 14mm/3.5 unless otherwise noted. The lens vignettes and for some reason, unless you underexpose it, the center of the frame gets overexposed.)



Three-year-old Jackson Tucker, of Watkinsville, watches the dogwalk before the Georgia Bulldogs against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (D2X 24-85/2.8-4) I was trying to frame using the pomp-poms.



Georgia majorettes cheer during the dogwalk before the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 38-0 on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (D2X 24-85/2.8-4) Just great light.



Class of 1992 feature twirler Angie Davis rehearses before the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 38-0 on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.



Georgia students Christina Swoope and Darrell Tricksey are names the University of Georgia's homecoming king and queen as the Georgia Bulldogs lead the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 31-0 at halftime on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (D2x 20mm/2.8 and i think there's something wrong with the lens)



Georgia cheerleaders practice lifts before the game as the Georgia Bulldogs beat the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 38-0 on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (If it looks like the cheerleader damm nearly fell into the camera, its because i was almost too close)



Georgia quarterback Joe Cox stretches before the Georgia Bulldogs against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.