Journalistic Style Photography

Todays effort..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:05:00 +0000

"... Just do the next right thing"

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:46:00 +0000

Today was for some reason a day for feeling kind of low.. As the day came to a close the Michael J. Fox story came on television.. Fox definitely has some real life tough days, but you'll never be able to tell and you'll never hear him whine about it.. Learning how to look at life like he does wouldn't be a bad goal to reach for.. Late in the day, but earlier than this moment, I went out to my backyard determined to find something in the realm of beautiful that wasn't readily obvious.. These photo's represent what I found and what to me, is an example of optimism..

How often on tough days is it next to impossible to see the beautiful things that are all around every one of us every single day.. Fox's show was about optimism.. He certainly has an overabundance of it and allowed a camera to follow him around and show us what it's all about.. I too use my camera to help correct MY vision.. During the show, Fox says to Bill Murray something about "just do the next right thing.." I wasn't paying close attention to that part of the show, but that sure seems like a way to help get you back on track when you veer off..

Thank you Michael J. Fox..

To All Those Who Suffer for Their Choice to Commit Journalism..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:59:00 +0000

2008 Statistics:

70 Journalists Killed
125 Journalists in Prison
673 Journalists Arrested

http://www.bobjots.org/2009/05/commemorating-the-world-press-freedom-day-2009/

Puppy pokin' round in a sewer pipe..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:53:00 +0000

This is a story I shot in Fort Worth a while back.. Puppy falls down a hole in a sewer pipe near a house.. This was a 6 hour ordeal with fire department eventually digging up half the back yard cause they can hear this little puppy crying but can't get to him.. There is at least an hours worth of video to this, but I cut it down blog size.. The little critter scampered down the alley inside this pitch black sewer pipe trying to get out.. He was FOUR houses down the alley and fire department managed to go in and pull him out.. Lucky smelly dog..

The Draw In, that Drew In No One..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:13:00 +0000

Joshua Texas..

On the Joshua city web page, yep they got one.. They are saying:

Joshua High School UIL is proud to announce that after the Regional UIL meet in San Angelo, Texas they're going to be sending five super young men to compete at the State UIL Meet in Austin in May. Placing second in Persuasive Speaking, Hunter McC. returns to Austin for the second time this year.

Now I don't know what the hell the UIL is, but I do know Manuel Fuentes could of used a little persuasive speaking when the city turned down his application to open up a restaurant next to his car repair shop on hwy 174.. Fuentes says "you can get your oil changed, a transmission filter, or a tune up, but you can't get any genuine Mexican food next door at the Draw In cafe.." Manuel doesn't really have a name for the place, he never got past the city inspector telling him that "without plumbing, running water, and a place to go to the bathroom, you just can have a restaurant here.." Fuentes says "that would cost about 10 grand and that's not happening.." But before the city Grinch spoiled his plans, he had his cousin, self proclaimed folk artist, paint up the front of the place with some menu items that might have been rolled up in some flat bread had he been able to fire up the grill.. I shot a couple images of the not so famous yet, restaurant and some of his cousin's artistry..

Signs...

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:10:00 +0000

I'm going to put together an ongoing project/collection of signs I find funny or interesting to me.. I see them all the time on the road and now I'm going to stop and shoot em.. If you have any jpg's of the same you want to add to the mix, send em to me mwzuke@gmail.com

My Sunday with Owengene Blackwood.. written, photographed, & edited by Mike Zukerman

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:50:00 +0000

On a little stretch just outside Cleburne Texas there's an airport with a grass runway, a church, and Owengene Blackwood.. You don't notice the airport from the road and that's just fine with Mr Blackwood.. But you'll miss more than you might expect.. Owengene got his name eighty seven years ago from two uncles Owen, and Gene. His mother wanted to name him after one or the other and couldn't decide which, so she just went with Owen Gene.. Rumor has it that the Blackwoods who owned a lot of land in that area had stolen it from the indians who had been there long before.. I got this story from a man who owned the flea market across the street whose daddy before him, had bought their land from the Blackwoods some sixty years ago.. I was on my Sunday road trip and I wanted to get a look at this grass runway so I drove over to the little airport and the photo's here help tell the story of the Fly In Church, and a very small part of Owengene Blackwood's life..

As I drove up I notice in front of the tin roofed hangers where old dusty once proud motor birds sit idle, was a little building with a sign by the window that read: "The Fly In Church.." There's a light on in the other window just above a podium with a cross on the front.. An open bible sits on top the bright red painted podium.. No one is inside but it's clear at some point God's business had been going on in there.. The windows were dusty, the door was padlocked.. On a table just inside the door were four more bibles.. I begin to shoot.. From a road leading back to the runway, along comes a red pickup with Owengene Blackwood at the wheel.. I told him I was a photographer on a road trip and I quickly learned Owengene doesn't hear so good.. He wears a hearing aide, but it's of little use.. Owengene talks really loud, I mean really really loud, because he can't hear himself.. So I had to show him what I was doing.. As he talked a little about his hand he burned on some grease a few weeks ago, I shot a couple images of him in his pickup and then turned and shot one of his reflection in his side mirror and showed it to him.. He got a big grin on his face, even laughed a little and said he thought that photo was the darnedest thing he'd ever seen.. I'm proud he said that to me and that it made him smile.. I asked if we could go inside the little church so I could shoot a few images and he told me "oh no can't do that.. It's dirty in there" and "I got my income tax papers laying around.. Can't let you shoot that.." I promised I wouldn't shoot his income tax papers and he said well I guess it'll be alright, so we went in..

Owengene told me about his friend Elvis (real name) who had not too long ago died of a heart attack.. Mannny died too.. Not too many of the guys left anymore who used to come on Sundays 9am sharp to hear Elvis do some preachin'. Said Elvis wasn't a real preacher, "he just knew the bible real good.." Elvis had his own parking space outside.. The only one who ever did.. The sign still there but rusted over like so many things in Owengene's life now reads: "Elvis Only Reserved Parking Elvis Only".. Owengene showed me what he called a juke box where they put in the music for the services.. Said someone must have taken the music with them, cause he couldn't find it and wanted me to hear it.. Then Owengene sat down in a chair and told me some Sundays every chair was filled.. Must have been 10 chairs in there all together.. Then Owengene got quiet while I was shooting.. He talks so loud and when you look his way he talks even louder cause he wants you to hear what he has to say.. Owengene I think was remembering his friends.. the Sundays.. his flying buddies.. The music wasn't playing and he wanted it to.. It had been a while since the last service and I think Owen Gene hadn't been inside the little church since then.. I shot a few more images then we walked outside and Owengene locked the door.. He told me "you can do whatever you want here young feller".. I laughed.. I haven't been a young feller in so long it just struck me funny.. Owengene Blackwood was warmin' up to me I think.. So I drove back towards the runway Owengene in tow and got out of the car and went over to thank Mr Blackwood for letting me do some shooting there and the talks we had about his life and the church.. He got out of his truck and left the keys inside.. I said let me get those for you, he said "oh I don't take the keys out, I'll forget where I put em".. Made perfect sense to me.. He told me "just do whatever you want but watch out for those planes comin' in".. I doubt there has been a plane come in there for a long time, but I said I sure would and I shook his good hand one more time and he went inside his house that sits right there on the property of his airport.. Wasn't two minutes went by and here he comes yelling "Mike I need to tell you my wife's name is Helen.. That's the most important thing," he said.. I got it.. I really got it.. Owengene has probably always had his priorities right.. He has a half dozen goats that don't have names, a guard dog named Sandy that will lick you to death, and a stray dog just named Dog.. He wanted me to know the elevation there at his airport is 830 feet.. Told me that several times.. "It's important to know the wind speed and the elevation when you're flying" he said.. Then he went back inside.. I shot my images and I had a good day with a man who made me laugh, and made me think about what's really important in life..

and that was my Sunday with Owengene Blackwood..

AMP Radio ON THE AIR!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:11:00 +0000

Weddings..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Opening up to shooting weddings.. Weekends were always too busy for me with sports shoots and so on, but now I think it's time to be a little more creative with my weekends and apply my journalistic style & creativity to weddings.. Capturing the same moments in time when those brief moments would ordinarily escape the overall picture and day..

Journalism, Photography, Style.. When & Why it Makes a Difference..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:15:00 +0000

This to me is a really interesting topic and somewhat complicated in scope, but in theory, is extremely simplistic.. I was shooting some images of a very colorful guy who had a very interesting job and when I felt I was finished and had gotten what I wanted, I went up to him and said hey I want to thank you for doing this and I think I got some pretty good shots of you here and he leaned over and looked me straight in the eyes and said, there is no you, there is no me, there's only us and our interaction.. If you aren't here taking pictures I have no one to pose for and if I'm not here posing you have no one to take pictures of, and then he said so I want to thank you and I want you to thank me and it was all about the interaction between US..

That in and of itself defines what journalistic photography ISN'T about.. The interaction and energy that comes from a portrait of a posed image is diametrically opposed to what you are looking for when you are shooting journalism style..

So I guess that is the easiest way I know how to explain what Journalistic Photography IS, is by explaining what it, ISN'T.. In the style of a journalist you are only a record of what happens.. Unrehearsed, natural, as if you weren't there, UNposed.. Often times it is as interesting or more so than the interaction and energy and play between people working in concert with one another, but more often than not more difficult to do as well and be happy with the result..

Often the successful journalistic style photographer through knowing where to be and when to shoot, will give even those who WERE there, a better feel and memory than they had when they recall the experience they went through. The series of images that includes a beginning, a middle and an end..

A shoot at my alma mater.. ahhhhh

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:37:00 +0000

I shot the stills for this event and made the mistake of putting them into imovie to see how it worked, instead of my final cut pro. BIG mistake.. O-well..

The kids were working on getting a place ready for their new school garden.. I went to elementary school there 100 years ago and in that very spot, we played kickball every morning.. "Slow and bouncy," was my call to the pitcher.. I'm still slow and bouncy today..

Junkyard Dog..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:16:00 +0000

One of my more memorable encounters in television.. So far..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:15:00 +0000

Maybe one of my most memorable shoots for television was when I caught my old pal ex-Texas Ranger Kenny "tough guy," Rogers being booked into the Tarrant County jail.. He wanted to get his hands on me but his hands were being used at the time for finger printing.. I had to be more reserved in what I said to him because I was rolling tape at the time, but the camera did most of what I wanted to do to him..

The Zoo Chronicals.. (Not KZEW.. ahhh the memories..)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:39:00 +0000

Too many favorite images from my work at the Fort Worth Zoo.. Probably have a 1000.. By the way, the little baby jaguar.. I know he's a cute lil critter but I probably shot him & his lil sister about 4 yrs ago and I can STILL remember the smell of that cute little faces poop.. It was the worst smell of any animal I had ever been around at the zoo.. Still makes me shudder.. He and the baby lion are now big enough to eat your face off.. Notice the look on mama lion's face ? There were bars between me and her & the babies are in the hay to her right.. I was about 3 feet from the bars to shoot thru so you wouldn't see them in the shot.. The look on her face was very plain and simple.. Do not even think about making a wrong move here camera guy.. Can you imagine the damage she could do ???

Another on the way back from East Texas..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:44:00 +0000

There is a law in Texas that you cannot pass two Dairy Queen's in any one trip without stopping at one.. While I was inside ordering my low fat hunger buster and fries, I notice a lot of old black & white photos's of a Dairy Queen in the 1950's with crowds of bobby socks wearing pre-diabetics ordering and drinking their root beer floats.. It was the Dairy Queen that was standing in the very spot I was in, but had been literally moved over to a parking lot next door (where it still is) to make room for this new one I was eating in! I had to go over and take a few shots.. See the little window on the side near the front ? That was the drive thru window! It's in horrific condition and I thought I'd clean it up a little and give it some interest by shooting it infra-red style.. Here tis.. Dilly bar anyone ?

While On A Video Shoot in East Texas..

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Was a long drive to the coal mines for a corporate video shoot on this day.. Nice day, 3 hour drive.. (thank you god for satellite radio - classic rewind) On my way back I spot this body of water with trash around the edge, knee deep mud, and these LONG, sharp tree trunks shooting up out of the water that would make an excellent place to hide a dead anything.. Who would even try to search this thing.. Not sure if it's part of a lake or what the hell it was, but the sunlight was hitting it just right and I had to turn around and shoot a few stills.. For whatever the reason I can't go anywhere without looking for something to shoot still images of.. Although television and corporate video still pay most of the bills, shooting still images is rapidly becoming my passion these days.. Some weekends have just turned into a road trip / photo scavenger hunt.. Will be posting more of these as I've decided to at least post a photo a day to this blog thing or I'll wind up forgetting about it.. Right now I MUST get an iced cold Dr. Pepper..

Spring Bee 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:29:00 +0000

If nothing else this was a sign of MY times.. The yellow flower is a weed in the back yard.. Yes, I should have mowed already, but then I wouldn't have gotten this shot right ? So I am chasing this freakin' bee around and it finally lands.. Then I take a fast flop on the ground with my macro lense that I had to get about 2 inches from the business end of this bee and I snap away as he does his thing.. 2 things I discovered from this shot.. One was how hairy bees are (whoda thought ?), and two, how hard it's getting to get up from laying on the ground these days.. The creakin' & popping in my knees & ankles sounded like gunfire..

Fort Worth Courthouse on a cold rainy night in March 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Zukerman) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:06:00 +0000

I think my family were the only one's who liked this image. Fort worth's courthouse and the entire downtown area at night especially with the wet street reflections is really nice.. Image was never used!
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