Lots and lots of little pigs, Obama delegate, and a broken leg

Today was good.  I went to a farmer's market in Woodstock, VT to get a standalone for tomorrow's paper.  That shot was a real piece of shit so I looked for a better one on the way to my next assignment.  I found this place on top of a hill with about 90 barn animals sticking out of the ground, it was just too funny.  All these little cows, pigs, foxes, and one, just one black bear.  They were all placed chaotically into little herds by order of their species. 

Obviously the paper needs something with people...

Clearly, the pigs were planning an attack against the intruding 2-leggers. 

From here I drove to Thetford, VT. My reporter counterpart got in contact with a Vermont State Delegate that just got back from the Democratic National Convention so the paper needed a portrait of her.  Her name was Sherry and she was terrific.  She lit up like a little kid in a field of stuffed pigs when she talked about being at Obama's acceptance speech.

   

Soccer at Dartmouth College was next.  I hate sports shooting, I'm sure Richard Avedon was a better sports photographer than me so I won't even post those- when things really get going, like a goal has the potential to be scored in the next moment I always find myself with the camera down, watching the game, I'm awful. However, I did see a player break his leg today (heard it snap too).  That leg was fucked, his foot was almost facing backwards it looked like some gnarly tree branch- I felt sick to my stomach. 

retones

Life changes, eyes develop, personal taste changes, but the pictures taken 6 months ago stay the same- they were still taken by the same photographer.  --- Tonight I went through some old pictures and retoned them.  Why do I feel like I was a better photographer 6 months ago than I am now?  It's not a good feeling, I feel like these pictures were taken by someone else, am I not connecting?  Goodness, I feel lost behind the lens sometimes,  like I don't know what I am doing.  These shots were all shot for me, no pressure... maybe thats the reason, I'm two weeks into this thing and I still feel a lot of pressure to make something special-- it's been a long time since I have had to shoot for someone else, I'm just adjusting to that, yea that's it. it will get better, easier, more understandable, and I'll be alright.  Come on, come on, happen soon. 

A different route home

I took a left instead of the usual right out of work today and let the GPS figure something out for me.  As soon as I crossed over the CT River into Windsor, VT I saw this girl with her cat.  Saying, "hello, I work for the Valley News" seems to open the doors with everyone up here.  This is Ashleigh Sweet, 10, on her birthday with her two month old cat, Princess.  The second photo is Ashleigh with her cousin Breanna Moody, 9, who lives a block down the road. 

Square dancing

Yesterday I had a day off.  It was awful, I had nothing to do- I woke up really late, I went for a swim in the Connecticut River, and went to Best Buy to buy Pulp Fiction. I came home to watch the movie and decided to read the paper first. In the calendar section I saw that there was a square dance happening that night in Newbury, VT, about 45 minutes north of my place, so I hopped in the car and when to that. I figured I would get a stand-alone out of it or maybe a solid story idea, I got neither- I got lost for about an hour on the way there and had just about given up hope when I saw some lights on at an old church on top of a hill, I got closer and could see silhouettes of people moving and bobbing around- I found it!  I went in and met a women named Mitzi, she organizes the square dance every month, we talked for a while, I got my quote incase I needed to use this as a stand-alone, then I started shooting.  It was a tough shoot, I had William Albert Allard on my mind- in the movie "National Geographic, The Photographers," there's a scene where he is stalking around a dance floor with his Leica, moving in time with the dancers and fluently firing one off here and there. I got into the rhythm of the place about the same time a new dance started, another partner was needed in the group for the dance to continue- then I heard,  "Hey, you, put the damn camera down and get out here, you'll learn much more that way."  "Okay, sure," I said, and I spent the next hour and half square dancing.  It was a great night and I didn't come away with a single good frame. Next time I'm bringing a date, Linda was a little too old for me. 

So that was Saturday, luckily I only had one day off this weekend.  I worked today, I had one assignment, go out with the reporter and get a picture of kids on their last weekend before school starts. 

I shot 4 kids, the above was my favorite shot from the day. I tried out my new flash technique, I think I like it.  

Later in the day I went out to find a stand-alone.  This is my favorite frame that I have made so far up here. 

FOOTBALL!!!

Jocks, man...  these guys were a treat. 

{excitement}

More sports

Field Hockey today and lots of hunting for stories.  

Two

Today I covered more soccer practice for the fall sports preview. This time soccer was in Woodsville, NH, about an hour north of the newsroom.  

Freshmen Jordan Wilson of Woodsville, NH dribbles around the center of the field with his teammates during warm-ups before scrimmage. 

On the way home I looked for stand-alones- while looking I saw this little guy.  It was in really nice shape, I wonder what it was doing there looking so sad. 

I am trying to get one of these, its about time I would say... My father has always had one or another through out my life while I opted to take interest in the watercooled VWs.  I guess I've "come around" cause I am selling my watercooled to get a beetle.  Anyone have a 67 bug for sale? 

Back to the stand-alones. Five more miles down the road led to a lake with a few families on vacation. 

During their week-long vacation, brothers Stephen (L) and Ben from Boston fish from the dock of their rental lodge at Post Pond, just north of Lyme, NH. 

The Valley News- day one

I began my internship today.  A Little Penguin named Chardonnay and "The Departed" helped my nerves and allowed me to sleep last night... yeah I was a bit nervous about this first day- all of those, "Hi, I'm Jeff, Hi, I'm Jeffs," but apparently hearing those three words is nothing new at the Valley News, I am the second intern named Jeff in less than a year and one of four Jeffs working in the very small newsroom. Anyways, all went well in the end, I was just excited to get a camera in front of my face.  I arrived on time and after those horrifying introductions (for shyness and anxiety reasons) I was sent out to find a stand-alone. A short drive led me to a skatepark with some young kids riding around on scooters and skateboards in Lebanon, NH. 

After learning how the toning and filing system works I finished my skate picture up I went out to get some food before my next assignment, which was varsity soccer tryouts at Lebanon High School for the Valley News' fall sports preview. 

I then went to Lyme, NH where a portion of an old bed and breakfast was being torn down for the construction of a new one.  The B&B recently fell under new management after it's previous owners passed away.  

"My favorite tool is the chainsaw," says Ryan Fynley (9), of Lyme, Ryan is the grandson of Tony Pippin Sr., the new owner of the Alden Country Inn. 

Firefighters did the demolition and also used it as an opportunity for training. I got to the demolition and was told to stay behind the safety line but after asking the Chief of the Lyme Fire Department if I could go closer I was quickly escorted inside by Deputy Tim Estes - so there I was with no helmet, no goggles- drywall being shredded with industrial chainsaws, glass being shattered with axes, keeping the camera up was the only protection I had. 

I'm really excited about what tomorrow will bring and where the next 5 months will take me. Gee whiz, this is sweet. 

I guess that this must be the place...

Where the heart is?  Yes, I would say so.  I have to soak it in, all of that perfect Maryland air.  We got a small taste of fall today, my favorite season.  The air was crisp with a strong, warm wind coming across Mr. Kramer's corn field, Tucker was bouncing around the yard taking care of all the important things that a dog must do.  I do love to be home and I sure will miss this place.  I have never missed a Christmas or Thanksgiving in my entire life but that will change this year.  

It starts...

So here I am, starting one of these- just turned 23 years old and in one week I leave for Vermont to start my internship at the Valley News.  I can't tell if the butterflies are from excitement or nervousness, maybe a healthy dose of each.  I intend for this (blog?) to be a place to post what I do during the internship: my photos, my story ideas and my general feelings about New England.  

We'll see how things go, Owen Butler told me, "always have a convincing plan for giving up photography," if I bust it, I'll drive the brown truck and deliver packages to my friendly community.