tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53764212686258869252024-03-12T23:18:05.125-04:00News-Herald In FocusNews-Herald photographers share what they're capturing and give the stories behind the photos.News-Herald Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10992850793901999785noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376421268625886925.post-81721848161770049232012-07-14T15:00:00.000-04:002012-07-25T17:22:46.324-04:00Teeba's Transformation by Maribeth JoerightOne of the most rewarding stories for me over the course of my career has been covering the journey of Teeba Furat Fadhil Marlowe. She was badly burned by a roadside bomb in 2003 in Iraq when she was just 19 months old. After seeing a photograph of Teeba in newspaper in 2006, Barbara and Tim Marlowe stopped at nothing to get Teeba here for treatment. One year later, Teeba arrived in the United States from Iraq in the summer of 2007 and took up residency with the Marlowes in their Concord Township home. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv02sgx9KLTkxzb8IRJSpHrUdmqHU8C_4A-BdNTybbW1kqVoJYpGSwGdYphFpyZfAAjqUKGs5lbXov1IcqrkBnUoTw7amRDp-ZqYBWKuVUYahQ18UqJKN_TIEUTd1rus2I7LFCF3XgV-LP/s1600/Teeba+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv02sgx9KLTkxzb8IRJSpHrUdmqHU8C_4A-BdNTybbW1kqVoJYpGSwGdYphFpyZfAAjqUKGs5lbXov1IcqrkBnUoTw7amRDp-ZqYBWKuVUYahQ18UqJKN_TIEUTd1rus2I7LFCF3XgV-LP/s320/Teeba+closeup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When I met Teeba, she was horribly scarred and painfully shy. But she was inquisitive. She stared at me as I started to photograph her. She spoke not a word because she did not know our language, only her native Arabic. But like young children, she learned English quickly. She attended Goddard School and took an interest in karate and gymnastics. She made friends easily, despite her obvious handicap.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUOLNynuFO9j5MxC-jvNvhDUcmKUZHbi6VayRTlrNDZeniPEEGKL6QIBSbEEAvgf8ZSZcT3ozpxD4EziMICATIPAQGZL3KcR_uYAMWIXArW3aRjWJcnYoq1ApV044kUP08qWbNbJCK6Fc/s1600/Teeba+expander+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUOLNynuFO9j5MxC-jvNvhDUcmKUZHbi6VayRTlrNDZeniPEEGKL6QIBSbEEAvgf8ZSZcT3ozpxD4EziMICATIPAQGZL3KcR_uYAMWIXArW3aRjWJcnYoq1ApV044kUP08qWbNbJCK6Fc/s320/Teeba+expander+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Over the last five years Teeba has endured <a href="http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2008/06/13/top%20stories/19770581.txt" target="_blank">numerous reconstructive surgeries</a>, 16 of them to be exact, at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland. More often than not, tissue expanders were part of her daily wardrobe, as noticeable as the bright colors she liked to wear. Teeba had to put up with stares from strangers and unwelcome questions about what happened to her. Even at her young age, Teeba handled the situation with grace. Barbara has always maintained that throughout her ordeal, she has never complained. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xm-1A8vv5ab9A9uTATSab4uHFp0xwZa6HqtPcHtrL30zVpWLScUJ93gnzZIqojZY96GRASDiH8yhXCbqLiMr0i0r1h0Qoa82EIajKVeMNyYUaMqWeslP8ID4EqkvssrsXo2cZe_RXQD1/s320/Teeba+surgery.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Teeba, now 10, will be in fourth grade at Andrews Osborne School in Willoughby. She is a gifted artist and passionate about fashion and international dance. She has close friends who love her as much as she loves them. Her shyness has dissipated just like most of her scars and what has emerged is an engaging, witty and confident young lady. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ8opIDaKmPe42_akYF0EBOBTvYFcdpZCPOhktHDSKlJ8ZZ3wtBOaaWO_C6-wXTuzfSzETbdhRSsx3CNCJzw3QAP43UXHU5ap3EztyKojB8NWjJHLFKAcqmc9283DutMrVFw9lG0Z-Ozr/s1600/Teeba's+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ8opIDaKmPe42_akYF0EBOBTvYFcdpZCPOhktHDSKlJ8ZZ3wtBOaaWO_C6-wXTuzfSzETbdhRSsx3CNCJzw3QAP43UXHU5ap3EztyKojB8NWjJHLFKAcqmc9283DutMrVFw9lG0Z-Ozr/s320/Teeba's+art.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98ViSvUM9PJj2VAuEGkJTb2tBzQU1gtvyvYRfVhEDJJxRkATU4R4llskqHbbZg09BFyF4Dsc01O8EzJd4YItZ5P4SmoxAKSBTQcTnKFMc3ZsT7vchtarGoqHEaNUx2XKcMCnjjmX8dx9A/s1600/Teeba+and+Katie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98ViSvUM9PJj2VAuEGkJTb2tBzQU1gtvyvYRfVhEDJJxRkATU4R4llskqHbbZg09BFyF4Dsc01O8EzJd4YItZ5P4SmoxAKSBTQcTnKFMc3ZsT7vchtarGoqHEaNUx2XKcMCnjjmX8dx9A/s320/Teeba+and+Katie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's been amazing, watching Teeba's growth and transformation over these last five years and documenting her story through the lens of my camera. I've been inspired by her resilience and sense of humor through all her hardship -- she's endured more in her short life than many of us will in a lifetime. I'm grateful to Barbara and Tim for welcoming me into their home and into their lives from day one. They allowed me to be with them day and night, often during difficult and heart wrenching times. The selfless love of this couple is an example for all of us. The Marlowes and many others behind the scenes have altered the course of Teeba's life for the better. As a journalist, I love a good "making a difference" story. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZR1t75aMXGHD7fFtPTS4F5fLRPJE4t3pgmVhsqHNwe9AMpjP-zTKVQXlvAGHpimHY8O9iMkq563j8KGUw0p7DIB3lZ8rxFAVZ8nTdMx-wCn_1ZMQLREHSV4irQFFLEQR5Jym23SKn8Cjx/s1600/Teeba+and+Lily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZR1t75aMXGHD7fFtPTS4F5fLRPJE4t3pgmVhsqHNwe9AMpjP-zTKVQXlvAGHpimHY8O9iMkq563j8KGUw0p7DIB3lZ8rxFAVZ8nTdMx-wCn_1ZMQLREHSV4irQFFLEQR5Jym23SKn8Cjx/s320/Teeba+and+Lily.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOGE-XXO5vU8TyMf2oq0R66E7p1LbIm-bsrANH70g5iF-on3pPgrNFY2EkfrLyVPzB6osmKkmDzHRVeaVTRxnUCUi2W3-dMc1RkuotT-3NtRHd5afkwPkwM9upGdnjqfv8eIX_o4-eaQJ/s1600/Teeba+snuggles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOGE-XXO5vU8TyMf2oq0R66E7p1LbIm-bsrANH70g5iF-on3pPgrNFY2EkfrLyVPzB6osmKkmDzHRVeaVTRxnUCUi2W3-dMc1RkuotT-3NtRHd5afkwPkwM9upGdnjqfv8eIX_o4-eaQJ/s320/Teeba+snuggles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Read about <a href="http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2012/07/14/news/doc50001fe9558cb580755752.txt" target="_blank">the latest update on Teeba</a>.News-Herald Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10992850793901999785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376421268625886925.post-59399366793899114022012-07-09T13:23:00.000-04:002012-07-09T13:34:00.124-04:00Covering President Obama proves cool and refreshing by Michael Allen Blair<span lang="en-US"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> I had the opportunity last Thursday to cover President Obama's stop in Sandusky.
</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
I couldn't help but draw comparisons to the differences in attending an
Obama campaign stop compared to a similar event held by George W. Bush
in Kirtland back in April 2005. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
The seemingly laid-back atmosphere of the Obama event quickly put my
mind at ease that I wouldn't be dealing with many of the issues I dealt
with during the Bush visit.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
Let's start with the cool factor. Cool music playing and ice cream, now
we’re talking. This compared with having to beg for water from a holding
pen while covering Bush. I truly was treated like an animal by his
staff. The Obama event stood in stark contrast.
Although security was obviously still a huge deal and a bit of a pain,
everyone was friendly and I was treated with a tremendous amount of
respect and dignity. The mere access I was given was head and shoulders
above the Bush event. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
I was actually close enough to take some cool photos with my iPhone. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
After the event was over, Obama even made a stop at Ziggy's bar in
Amherst for a cold brewski, how cool is that. The event was held in a
city park, again, very cool, lots of shade and did I mention ice cream?
In closing, I'm including below a video slideshow
of my experience.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxjW5rdJAMgnqaQZk2BDZpr5f8aRb7YcOyv-J4mWvj0Nv5uM2dxgeyZanNbEn0qZb6PVPxUFZ4xd1Qs3yTO8Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
</div>News-Herald Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10992850793901999785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376421268625886925.post-4819082998197903962012-06-05T11:03:00.000-04:002012-06-05T11:12:24.680-04:00Photojournalism in the new news ecology by Michael Allen Blair<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">There’s been a lot written
this past week regarding Advance Publications’ decision to scale back to
publishing several of their daily newspapers to three days a week. As you can
imagine, this is an unsettling topic among journalists who make their living documenting
the daily news.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As a 20-year staff
photographer/multimedia journalist, I can more than relate to many of the fears
my fellow journalists harbor in an ever-changing industry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">In many ways, I feel like the
industry has reached a major crossroads where the decisions that are made now
will ultimately result in the success or failure of local newspapers as we know
them. One of those decisions will involve the direction of news photography and
videography and the work flow issues associated there in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As consumers of local news
turn increasingly toward the Internet for information, local newspaper
organizations are faced with the challenge of producing visual content on par
with local television news websites and large metro dailies. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Although still photography is
still undoubtedly a valuable tool, the web offers the ability to tell stories
visually with much greater sophistication than traditional photo pages or
slideshows. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAREQYjOrSpmRzO1QeQmug5EaDvQB_VWH7LQkregGguRKrzfCJsWH83s1lpCH5lTwQJgIzcA0VJxHhAjKvPJM_efYJY6bVWfcW9gXYA9qlpldg1_Nuh6TD_Dfxs7AGf467DfGU-8LKek0o/s1600/Camera+rig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAREQYjOrSpmRzO1QeQmug5EaDvQB_VWH7LQkregGguRKrzfCJsWH83s1lpCH5lTwQJgIzcA0VJxHhAjKvPJM_efYJY6bVWfcW9gXYA9qlpldg1_Nuh6TD_Dfxs7AGf467DfGU-8LKek0o/s320/Camera+rig.jpg" width="199" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As consumers’ web use
increases, so too will the demand for sophisticated visual story telling.
Moving pictures will become the norm, whether in the form of audio slideshows
or short timely videos. The pace at which the majority of people now consume
news and information is not conducive to spending significant amounts of time
with single still photos on a web page. In many ways it’s a chicken and egg workflow
dilemma for photographers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> In keeping with the our corporate digital
first mindset, I believe multimedia journalists need to think video first and
still photography second. Sporting events maybe the exception to this when the
desire to freeze motion is paramount. With the increasing capabilities of HDSLR
cameras, frame grabs and greater Internet
band width, still photography will play an increasingly smaller role in the web
world. I envision a day where the majority of images on a web page will be
clickable and stream a corresponding video. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">While some stories may be
suitable for a one-man band approach, others merit a thoughtful team approach.
Visual and audio problem solving is typically second nature for today’s photojournalist.
The increasing demand for social media and real time, live news coverage has
created an opportunity for photojournalists and reporters alike. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s through well equipped teamwork
that local newspaper organizations will provide the sophisticated visual story
telling that will be the rule not the exception in the new news ecology. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>News-Herald Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10992850793901999785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376421268625886925.post-51711725220255683772012-05-21T16:31:00.003-04:002012-05-25T11:22:54.681-04:00A personal journey home by Michael Allen Blair<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week I embarked on a personal journey that pushed me to
my limits emotionally, physically and professionally. When I learned that the 2012 National Press
Photographers Association Multimedia Immersion workshop was being hosted at
Syracuse University, roughly 35 miles from where I grew up in Sherrill, NY., I
knew I needed to attend. You see, my relationship with my hometown has been
strained lately to say the least. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When my mother passed away in March from stomach cancer, I
lost my last physical connection to the city where I grew up. Grasping for something
to hang on to, I turned to my childhood memories and the many good times I had
growing up in New York’s smallest city. One such memory involved a surrogate big
brother of sorts who used to play baseball with me in my yard. He was my
sister’s boyfriend for a short time. I always admired him and thought how nice
it would be to have a big brother like him especially in the absence of having
a father present. As kids, we grew older and drifted apart, then became great
friends in our adult life only to drift apart again. His name is Nathan and he had such a
profound impact on me that I named my first born son after him. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dASxcWB-_6COxaG-Ivp3nNNb5Ms1fYINNL4f6BvE1b4OtE4pHoLJZ_0fVrwqHxZQazaR-XZ0UnyGfQIZ7Tm-mFgSowV6JaOkj_grdfTyPxPdci-Zw8tRkrMgwLnYMwerbDzBK-UhmS-i/s1600/Nate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dASxcWB-_6COxaG-Ivp3nNNb5Ms1fYINNL4f6BvE1b4OtE4pHoLJZ_0fVrwqHxZQazaR-XZ0UnyGfQIZ7Tm-mFgSowV6JaOkj_grdfTyPxPdci-Zw8tRkrMgwLnYMwerbDzBK-UhmS-i/s640/Nate.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I prepared to attend the multimedia workshop, I started
to contemplate the possibilities of
focusing on a story from the area in which I grew up. I reached out to
Nate and his wife Toni to see if they would be willing to host me for a couple
days as I tried to explore the ghost of my past and the technologies of my
future. As always, they were gracious
and welcomed me into their beautiful farmhouse in Vernon, NY.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was always in awe of the success of the couple just a few
years my senior. They seemingly had everything going for them, great jobs, a
beautiful family, a grand estate with horses and a sprawling property in which
to grow the seeds of their future. I was
a little surprised when they agreed to allow me to focus my lens on their life
together and the love they have sewn in the once fertile soil of the horse
farm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You see, Nate is a first generation farmer, he didn’t
inherit the farm from his parents as many young men do. He did however
seemingly inherit glioblastoma brain cancer, the same kind of cancer that
killed both of his parents, just years apart.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRUjk9hYA-ewLCRpLfclZRxNyeG8SMDnPJlIWrWMw9TU68fCLahBCAhCbiesBwWR7pz9j3e_ijy49PXuqTMxte6_X9VvMV4EpDNNVMNXPzYKGfQuhl_QIwdCE3th3GHwXyvKa8FVPZO0T/s1600/Nate%252BToni+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRUjk9hYA-ewLCRpLfclZRxNyeG8SMDnPJlIWrWMw9TU68fCLahBCAhCbiesBwWR7pz9j3e_ijy49PXuqTMxte6_X9VvMV4EpDNNVMNXPzYKGfQuhl_QIwdCE3th3GHwXyvKa8FVPZO0T/s640/Nate%252BToni+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I talked with his wife Toni about telling their story
she had indicated that the tumor was shrinking and I arrived at the farm with a
sense of hope and optimism for my friends. On the second day of filming, Toni
returned home and informed me that the cancer was terminal and that my friend
had little hope of survival. Suddenly what I had envisioned as a story about
renewed hope and optimism was turning into a story about loss and despair. The video below is a testament to their love
and struggle against this horrible disease which has systematically picked away
at them like a vulture feeding on the skeleton that was their idyllic life
together.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I drove away from the empty horse barn that day, I was
left with a new sense of what’s important in life. It’s not the things we surround ourselves with in life
or our physical connection to a place, it’s the love we have in our lives and
our memories of that place called home that are important. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dytPeu1Y3zr3txdR9sWGm8-O3V1CXd_Qwp2IHLcU_dZT3MuKRwFZ9tPv4_UF5CYPY65ynsQdib9AKuQSJZWqw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>News-Herald Blogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10992850793901999785noreply@blogger.com1