Apparently I Take Baby Photos

The six-month-old niece came to Eastern Washington for a visit this weekend. Her mom and I took her out to Manito Park for some photo funsies and we found funsies. 

Not only did Izzy, short for Izabelle, have her diaper changed in the park, she tried to eat flowers and sat in the dirt. We had a whale of a time. 

What does it even mean to have a whale of a time?

In other news, the photos are online at Flickr, but I’ve put together a little slideshow to embed on here. I’m feeling good about this portrait work and hopefully as Izabelle gets older I can continue to take more photos of her through out her life. 

At least I know I’ll always have a guinea pig for new methods of photography other than my cats. 

Distractions

It’s nice to hear this from New York Times reporter, David Carr.

What is your writing/reporting day like?

Today, I spent far too much time on email and Twitter, and far too little time reporting a story I’m working on. 

(Source: tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com)

According to Facebook, 24 people shared this photo I took of the Spokane County Courthouse. Well, I did share it to the station’s Facebook page so that contributed. It still boggles my mind for three reasons. 

1. I don’t know who most of them are because it doesn’t display shares from private users. 

2. I didn’t put a freakin’ Blush Response Photography watermark on it because I took it while on the job. 

3. IT HAS 24 SHARES. 

Other than an odd amount of shares, it did collect some unique comments:

One woman says the photo is a bit Ghostbuster-ish: “Are you the keymaster?” 

One man says it reminds him of el Greco’s View of Toledo. Had to Google that one. 

Another woman recalled her childhood. She was told the courthouse tower was Dracula’s house. 

Another man says Doc Brown should be out front with his Delorean. If only the courthouse tower was a clock tower.  

"The story I first broke news scope, and called talking to grace included the audible sound of the earth,s crust cracking. This mourning the cracking could be heard loudly tom and players at SYSA-Spokane Youths Sports Association riepen field. Woe a hot spot in the earth is developing which will plummet the city of spokane into the liquid magma core of the earth. Research columbia plateau lava flows which in past history engulfed from yellowstone park to the cascades in lava. The crust from Billings MT. to portland and tacoma are also cracking. The first sign was in Spokane in 1998 when deep under corbin park crust dropping could be heard and felt; cause a solar sun blast."

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My Last Cupcake Story Ever

I’ve officially retired from cupcake journalism. This is the last story I’ll ever write about the baked good. Ever. No really, it is. 

It’s time to put the final layer of frosting on local cupcake coverage. Before we do, you’re going to need the skills to make your cupcakes beautiful in the comforts of your home.

Also, the athletics director gave amazing quotes about cupcakes:

Q: Is it a good idea for football players to eat cupcakes?

A: Have you seen how big the offensive linemen are? They feed them cupcakes. The breakfast of champions.

Failed Cupcake Ledes

• There’s nothing like the sad sight of messy frosting all over your cupcake to make a day sour.

• A cupcake is not a cupcake without frosting.

• Cupcakes, man. They freak me out.

• I swear this is the last time I write about cupcakes.

The Stuff of Legends —

Legend has it this couch has been passed around from one Spokane journalist to another. Now the cushy green couch has made its new home at @SpoCats HQ.

It’s the new hang out for the moonlighting newsies notoriously known to crash neighborhood meetings with their kitteh shenanigans. We don’t know how they do it, but they tweet too. Weird, right?

According to our sources, the couch was passed down from a Spokesman Review reporter to a former web producer. It was then handed off to a SR web developer and now it belongs to cats.

I guess that’s the nature of things.

App: Instagram

Filter: Rise

Contrast: Increased

While on the scene of a story, it’s not possible for me to send back photos on my 5D. That’s where the iPhone comes in handy. It’s becoming a regular habit for me to take an Instagrammed shot of my favorite photo as a preview. The tweets also start by saying “photo of a photo…”. 

Someone told me it makes the photo look realistically old from the 70s. With the added coloring of the Instagram filters, I can see that. The above shot is from Thursday’s Milk Bottle soft opening. 

North Spokane | KXLY

Seven months after a destructive fire ripped through the Garland District restaurant, burgers are grilling and ice cream is shaking to the tune of thank you to the firefighters of Spokane Fire Department who responded on September 25th.

I crossed the street in the nick of time (without jaywalking) to photograph two fire trucks approaching the same intersection at the same time. I was stoked about the shot. Which is why I was eager to show some aspect of it - hence the photo of a photo.

I’m not sure if it’s a decent portfolio shot, but I’m very pleased with the content of the photo. Two fire trucks, one milk bottle and a random television photog hanging out behind the street sign. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Post sushi wine.

We sat at Nectar Tasting Room listening to a guitarist. We tried to determine the very moment he would switch over to the loop. The light came in just right at a 7:30 p.m. angle near the couches. While swirling the wine, ambient lights captured nicely in the liquid vibrations of a Hiney red blend. 

To capture a similar effect, swirl your wine like you would any red. Let go of the glass and immediately snap a photo while it’s still circling around the glass. Smokey effect that captures any reflections in the room.

App: Instagram

Filter: Kelvin

“I don’t suppose I could hitch a ride?” I asked our news photog and reporter as they searched the neighborhood behind our television station for the alleged stabbing. I got comfy on what I believe was a seat. Hello, Friday.

North Spokane | KXLY

When police call your newsroom asking if you have security cameras pointing at an apartment complex behind your station, you know something is up.

We arrived to the scene of an alleged stabbing in the area of 400 West Sinto around 4:15 p.m. where a woman attempted to blame the McGill killer for harming the victim. She told police a black man ran up to the victim and stabbed him in the chest.

When something is so close, it’s difficult to stay put and not do anything. We didn’t know where this incident was so we left in a group that kept getting bigger. At first my entourage was just our 10 p.m. anchor. And then it was a pair of techies.

Thankfully our news team drove by and I tagged along to the area of West Sinto where I was able to shoot this photo gallery. That’s also how I learned the vehicle wheel fence is a few blocks up the road. Good to know.

More of the photos I took on Friday are available at the story or on my Flickr.