wildlife art

shot a taxidermist last week for a page that's running this Sunday. these are my favorite shots...I'll probably post the print PDF after it runs.

sassy kids

had to feature hunt for a front page tomorrow. here's what I came up with -


Jazariell Reese, 4, glares balefully at Nylia Gordon, 3, as Nylia holds up Jazariell's party hat by its broken string Sunday afternoon at Allskate Fun Center.


Martell Reed, 1, bursts into tears as his mother, Amber Reed, tries to move him forward Sunday at Allskate Fun Center. "He's mad because he wants to be held," his mother explained. "And that he can't skate."

just because

here's a couple I liked from last week's lighting mishap/win escapade.

getting to the end of the basketball season

...just when I've started to be able to relax and enjoy shooting it. this was the most intense game I've covered all semester - neck and neck the whole time, with two amazing teams. here's to next year! also, I want to just shoot sports with a wide all the time.

lighting mishap for the win

Shot basketball last night and had some lighting issues...ended up having to limp along with one. Kind of like how dramatic it made some of the frames, though.

neighbors: jeanne turner: the hard worker

Jeanne Turner is a hard worker. Since before her teens, she has been making her own money.

“There’s probably never a day since I was twelve years old I didn’t work.” Jeanne said.

Born in Rockford, MI., the daughter of a state policeman, Jeanne attended elementary school at St. Brigid in Detroit, Rockford High School for ninth and tenth grades, and Parkside High School in Jackson for her last two years of high school, graduating in 1970.

During her junior and senior years of high school, Turner was a car hop at A&W Restaurant on High Street and West Avenue. Since then she has built up 40-odd years of work as a server and bartender, waitressing and tending bar at the Brown Hut for 18 years and the Oak Tree Lounge for four as a bartender, waitress, and cook, before buying My Playce, which she has owned for 19 years this May.

“I saw it, wanted it, bought it,” she said simply of her acquisition of My Playce.

It has not been easy keeping a bar running with the downslide of the economy. Turner says she used to have a lot of employees, but for the past four years, does all the bartending, cooking, and serving solely by herself.

“I do everything. (Work) keeps us young...or old.” Turner said with a laugh.

pastor hoxey

polar plunge

watoto children

I really enjoyed the Watoto Children's Choir kids..

Ugandan girls in Watoto Children's Choir wait in line backstage to perform in the auditorium for St. John's and Jackson Catholic Middle School students Thursday morning at St. John's Elementary School.

married people

Art and Cathy Taylor share a kiss while getting a series of portraits done being seeing "Hitch" at the Michigan Theatre during Marriage Matters Date-Your-Mate night Friday. "We're just a good match," said Art of their 13-year marriage.

western invitational: gymnastics

house fire

nothin' like working a 12-hour plus day, what with a story shoot and gymnastics meet all day and a gallery and more story shooting, to get called out on a house fire...but you know, it's the hard work that makes the job great. and no one was hurt, so it wasn't a bad spot news occurence.

A fire on Jericho Road reported around 11:00 P.M. Saturday brought out firefighters from the Summit Township, Jackson, Blackman-Leoni Township, and Spring Arbor. Summit township adminisitrative fire chief John Worden said there was only one occupant, who made it out of the structure safely, and that about half the home was destroyed.

iphone 4 release

huck finn graphics

yup.

boys' best friends

attempting layers. I think it almost works..

Jacob Wyers, 9, lower center, tackles labrador-beagle mix Blue, as Nathan Wyers, 7 upper center, plays with Blue's sister Maxie and their brother, Cooper Wyers, 5, tumbles to the bottom of the snow pile Sunday at the Wyers' home in Jackson. The brothers share responsibility taking care of Blue and Maxie, who are 2 years old and from the same litter, as well as 12-year-old terrier mix Isabell (not pictured).

wrasslin'

first time shooting wrestling.

portrait leftovers

albion v. hillsdale

yaller hat

Senior Lindsey Benedict, 17, center, wearing a beanie hat, talks with senior Jessica Burtka, 17, center left, Thursday at Hanover-Horton High School. Beanies were worn by students in support of teacher Matt Resor, who battled cancer last year and has returned to teach part-time this semester.