Visual Musings http://www.chrismackler.com/blog images and text from photojournalist Chris Mackler Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:41:36 +0000 en hourly 1 VisualMusingshttp://feedburner.google.com Featured in “The Visual Student” http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/10/08/featured-in-the-visual-student/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/10/08/featured-in-the-visual-student/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:50:04 +0000 admin http://chrismackler.com/blog/?p=498 I was recently featured in NPPA’s new blog, “The Visual Student,” talking about my experiences during my internship at The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Thanks Kevin!

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]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/10/08/featured-in-the-visual-student/feed/ 0 Balloon Glow http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/07/06/balloon-glow/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/07/06/balloon-glow/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:53:36 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=478 Some fun at an annual event where they light up six hot air balloons at dusk.


Mike Peiffer holds open a hot air balloon named The Tinker-Too to let the air in at the Balloon Glow held on the grounds of the Brucemore Mansion on Thursday, June 25, 2009. The event was part of the Freedom Festival. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

From left to right, Jim Thomas, Joan Nickol, Carla Huber and David Peiffer stabilize a hot air balloon named The Tinker-Too during the beginning of the Balloon Glow held on the grounds of the Brucemore Mansion on Thursday, June 25, 2009. The event was part of the Freedom Festival. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Hot air balloons glow in the sky at the Balloon Glow held on the grounds of the Brucemore Mansion on Thursday, June 25, 2009. Six hot air balloons participated in the event. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/07/06/balloon-glow/feed/ 0 Three Dog Night http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/24/three-dog-night/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/24/three-dog-night/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:00:17 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=468 Three Dog Night came to the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival over the weekend. It’s always fun shooting bands with sweet concert lights, let alone old(er) rockers trying to be hip.

Danny Hutton (left) and Cory Wells (right), of the band Three Dog NIght, perform during the Classic Rock Concert Night at the Freedom Festival held at Kirkwood Community College on Saturday, June 20, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Fans watch Three Dog Night’s performance at the Classic Rock Concert Night at the Freedom Festival held at Kirkwood Community College on Saturday, June 20, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Danny Hutton (left) and Cory Wells (right) of Three Dog Night perform during the Classic Rock Concert Night at the Freedom Festival held at Kirkwood Community College on Saturday. Wells was performing a new hip-hop version of “Mama Told Me Not to Come,” one of their hit songs of the ’70s. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/24/three-dog-night/feed/ 0 Ode to Cedar Rapids’ Skyline http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/24/ode-to-cedar-rapids-skyline/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/24/ode-to-cedar-rapids-skyline/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:48:17 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=461 Last week, after two of my shoots had been rained out, I was assigned to shoot buildings in downtown Cedar Rapids to put into our new online banner. At first glance, this might seem like a typical “intern assignment.” But there was good light, so I strolled around and I had freedom to shoot basically whatever I wanted.

The Tree of Five Seasons sculpture located where 1st Avenue crosses the Cedar River on Friday, June 19, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Smulekoff’s building on 3rd Ave SE on Friday, June 19, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Roosevelt Hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 19, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Alliant Energy tower in downtown Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 19, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Gazette Communications building, 3rd Ave SE, on Friday, June 19, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/24/ode-to-cedar-rapids-skyline/feed/ 0 Ducks http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/07/ducks/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/07/ducks/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:46:17 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=452 Yesterday I shot a rubber duck race. I must admit, seeing over 14,000 rubber ducks bobbing up and down in the Cedar River was pretty adorable – and fun to shoot.

Rubber ducks are released off of the Third Avenue Bridge into the Cedar River during the Great Eastern Iowa Duck Race presented by the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary and held in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 6, 2009. Over 14,000 ducks were sold, with the funds going to Four Oaks, Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids, and Daybreak Rotary’s work with Polk Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

A sea of rubber ducks float down the Cedar River during the Great Eastern Iowa Duck Race presented by the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary and held in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 6, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

A sea of rubber ducks float down the Cedar River during the Great Eastern Iowa Duck Race presented by the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary and held in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 6, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

President of the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary John Helbling collects rubber ducks after the Great Eastern Iowa Duck Race presented by the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary and held in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 6, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Volunteers Kyle Boesenberg (left), Keith Brooks (center) and Ainsley Hogan (right) pass up baskets of rubber ducks for collection following the Great Eastern Iowa Duck Race presented by the Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary and held in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 6, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/07/ducks/feed/ 0 Soccer http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/03/soccer/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/03/soccer/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:39:11 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=443 So I’ve been shooting a lot of sports lately. The other night I shot soccer, which I haven’t shot in years. I think I got a pretty cool image out of it.


Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Zach Brunscheen grabs the shirt of Iowa City West’s Alan Bedell as they both go after the ball in the second half of the Class 2A substate soccer match held at Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Monday, June 1, 2009. West advanced to state with a 4-1 victory. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

And how it appeared in the print edition:

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/03/soccer/feed/ 0 Recent Favorites http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/01/recent-favorites/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/01/recent-favorites/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:57:17 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=426 Brooklyn, IA


Drivers practice maneuvering through figure eights before the opening-day races at Brooklyn Raceway in Brooklyn, IA on Saturday, May 9, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Kelly Ellis helps daughter Katie Goetzinger, 6, (both of Brooklyn) plant tomatoes in the family garden located off of Spring Street in Brooklyn, IA on Sunday, May 10, 2009. The family harvests tomatoes, radishes and other vegetables in the garden annually. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Brooklyn’s flag display on Sunday, May 10, 2009. The display boasts flags from each of the 50 states and the four branches of the military. The display was built and dedicated in 1992 by volunteers and funded by private donations.(Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Track & Field


Marion senior Kelsey Labs races toward the finish line en route to winning the 100meter dash on May 15 during the Class 3A district at Thomas Park in Marion. Labs won in 13.13 seconds and also won the 100 and 400 hurdles. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Anamosa State Pen


Anamosa State Pen warden John Fayram in one of the penitentiary’s cell blocks on Monday, May 18, 2009. After being deputy warden for six years, Fayram was appointed warden in March 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Unprintable

This was “too inappropriate” for our print edition. But hey, I shot what I saw.

Brandi Miller, of Iowa City, “installs” a “The Swing Crew” bumper sticker on Roger Lewis, of Cedar Rapids, during the first Uptown Friday Nights event of the season held at Greene Square Park in Cedar Rapids on Friday, May 22, 2009 (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/06/01/recent-favorites/feed/ 0 Skydiving Outtakes http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/05/31/skydiving-outtakes/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/05/31/skydiving-outtakes/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:04:25 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=417 The Gazette has a monthly segment called “Coffeetown” where the paper profiles a randomly selected town within the circulation area with a couple of stories and photographs, and then invites the town to lunch with Gazette Employees. This month’s coffeetown was Brooklyn, IA. While shooting locals gardening, I saw people jumping out of planes. I went to investigate. (Photographs copyrighted Chris Mackler / The Gazette).


Corey Coleman, of Cedar Falls, receives final skydiving instructions from instructor Matt Yount (of Des Moines) before jumping out of the plane in a tandem skydive on Sunday, May 10, 2009. Skydive Iowa, located at 1922 Highway 6 in Brooklyn, Iowa is one of only a few airports that is skydiver owned. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

Corey Coleman, of Cedar Falls, jumps with instructor Matt Yount (of Des Moines) in a tandem skydive.

Aerial view of Brooklyn, Iowa on Sunday, May 10, 2009. (Chris Mackler/The Gazette).

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/05/31/skydiving-outtakes/feed/ 0 First Couple of Weeks in Cedar Rapids http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/05/04/first-couple-of-weeks-in-cedar-rapids/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/05/04/first-couple-of-weeks-in-cedar-rapids/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 03:46:26 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=404 If you didn’t already know, I’ve accepted an internship at The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here are a few images from my first couple of weeks:

Tornado Clean Up


(From left) Dustin Lange (14), Ryan Recker (15) and Stefon Brandt (15), all students at Alburnett High School, help clean up a tornado’s aftermath in Alburnett on Tuesday, April 28, 2009. A tornado struck the area on Sunday, causing no injuries, but downing large trees and destroying at least three large campers. Two Alburnett High School teachers, Linda Franck and Vicki Meadows, organized the student clean because many students were affected by the storm.

Josh Langhoff (16), Ryan Young (16), and Sam MacDonald (13), all students at Alburnett High School, help clean up a tornado’s aftermath in Alburnett on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

Same-Sex Marriage


Patty Glass (left) and Rita Wall embrace one another while waiting for marriage license paperwork to be filed at the County recorder office located in Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids on Monday, April 27, 2009. The couple has been together for almost one year. Said Wall, “I’m so proud to be an Iowan today.” Monday marked the first day that same-sex couples could fill out a marriage license application in the state of Iowa.

Hawkeye Downs


(From left) Jarrett Dulin (7), Taylor Christiansan (6) and Mckenna Dulin (8) “race” toy cars in the grandstand at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids on Friday, May 1, 2009. There were many children in attendance as Friday marked Kirkwood Kids night.

]]> http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/05/04/first-couple-of-weeks-in-cedar-rapids/feed/ 0 Changing World http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/04/29/changing-world/ http://www.chrismackler.com/blog/2009/04/29/changing-world/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:09:05 +0000 Chris http://www.macklermedia.com/blog/?p=394 wtd70
(thanks to WhattheDuck.net)

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