Pet Minister Revisited

A revision of my earlier piece on Barbara Michael, a pet minister associated with Columbia's Unity Church. Michael was kind enough to let me witness and photograph their annual pet memorial, held on May 1, 2010. This revision includes sound and images taken from that memorial.

Pet Minister Revisited from Elisa Day on Vimeo.

Working on this project was a little frustrating because I couldn't find my original files that I used to create the first video. There were things I wanted to use and I couldn't because I couldn't find the original! Very frustrating. One positive - I didn't use Final Cut and amazingly, the edit and creation of this went much faster.

Finally! Some Pics from My 30-Day Project!

After much drama, I have finally been able to start on my 30-day project. I'm excited but nervous at the same time. Because, unlike most of my other classmates, I haven't been able to really benefit from discussion and input as to how to drive this project. I know that my guiding sentence is 'the story of the sandwich generation.' Meaning, she's taking care of her grandchildren and now her mom. Here's some preliminary pictures:

Here's my new friend, Louise, Tammy's mom. She likes to be called 'Aunt Louise' and loves reality shows - so much that she records the results each week in a notebook :)

Louise arrived by plane and John and Tammy drove her furniture from the Bronx. Here it's welcome home, Tammy.

Job Profile: Barbara Michael, Pet Minister

Wow - it's been a while since I posted anything to this blog. I have been remiss. For my latest project in Picture Story, the job profile, I was able to feature Barbara Michael, who leads the pet ministry team at the Unity Center here in Columbia.

What's a pet ministry, you might say? It's a ministry in the church that focuses on giving to its animal lovers. Michael annually provides a pet blessing ceremony (in the spring, as close to St. Francis' Day as possible) and a pet bereavement ceremony (in the fall), as well as providing comfort to those members who have lost furry friends. While she doesn't marry animals, she will do a ceremony similar to a baptism.

Barbara Michael, Pet Minister from Elisa Day on Vimeo.

When I asked Michael why her ministry was important, she stressed that it helps promote better human-animal and human-human relationships, while providing a space for people to feel accepted and validated in their love for their furry friends.

I loved Michael's enthusiasm for her work and for the animals (and people) that she gets to interact with. Much appreciation goes out to her for her flexibility in letting me come out and videotape her.

Although I am going to be doing another edit of this video, I have to say that I am GLAD that this assignment is over. In retrospect, I think putting this video together took me the shortest amount of time yet - which was lucky, otherwise I wouldn't have finished for class.  There were many things that went wrong:

1.  MU's lovely mail issues - where getting my e-mail seems to be hit-or-miss - lead me to miss Michael's reply to me that she sent 2-3 days after I e-mailed her. So I didn't read it until this past Friday. (Bright spot: Barbara e-mailed me the day I responded and we set up for later that night for me to tape her interview. She was really great throughout the entire process.)
2. The camera I got, I don't know if it was just a jinx on me, but the thing didn't seem to like to hold a charge (or something). When I went to film some of her action at CMHS, the battery died so I had to plug it in to charge during about 1/2 of the walk Barbara and Perra (the black dog) took.
3. Someone was nice enough to change the setting in camera from headphones to AV, so that anytime I tried to listen to playback, all I heard was an annoying buzz. 
4. One of the most frustrating thing about this whole assignment was the fact that I could not seem to be able to get the files off of the video camera onto my laptop so that I could edit them. I tried for over 4 hours to try to work a solution last night, to no avail. The cable supplied with the camera connects readily to Macs, but I own a PC (which I prefer). The other cables that came with the camera that might allow me to connect it to my computer were gone. I tried looking through all of my cables to see if one would work. They did not. I tried going to 2 different Wal-Marts to purchase a cable that the manual said were "sold commercially." No dice. I went over to campus, to the convergence lab, to use one of the computers there, and that just lead to more problems. 
5. On campus, I could readily download the files, but then transferring them to something that I could leave the machine with - Hah! The backs of the Macs won't connect to my hard drive's fire-wire cable. I tried putting the files on Bengal, but I couldn't find a link to MU's Bengal space anywhere (and no I don't have the address memorized to Apple-K to it. I couldn't find a way to FTP to my website, so I decided to upload the files to a folder on the class folder, because I can access those and download them. I thought the problem was solved, but no!
6. I get home and attempt to connect to the class server, which I've done several times before, and it won't. And there's nothing wrong on my end!!! (And I can access it just fine today.)
7. I try to log my footage, so that at least I can plan out exactly what's going where and the buzz makes it difficult. I can barely hear it through the speakers on the camera, and then stopping and starting the video so I don't miss anything - a joke. After about 10-15 minutes of stop-starts, I gave up.

I want to send out a big thank you to Barbara for being so flexible and understanding in the face of some hiccups (including my foster dog letting my own dogs loose out of my yard because of a hole he pushed in my fence - I spent about 30 minutes hunting them down.) She was very congenial and made getting to know her very enjoyable.

Character Profile: Tammy Kelliehan

Earlier, I posted pictures from my character profile of Tammy Kelliehan, a 41-year-old grandmother who has taken on taking care of her 5 grandchildren: Kayla, 5; Keya and Kyla, 2; and Eric and Erykah, 1. I now have expanded that project to include audio from interviews with Tammy. My story focuses on her role as caretaker for her grandchildren. (The music in the background in what the twins listen to every night as they fall asleep.)

Click here to view the project.

Thoughts About Chapnick

As the semester has progressed, I have been confronting this dread I possess regarding picture stories. What I mean is, I enjoy / admire / am inspired by personal projects that other photojournalists have created. But the idea of pouring myself into something like that - the vulnerability there, where you have to pour yourself into people in order that they reveal themselves to you - I have been fighting with myself about whether 'I want to do something like that.' A part of me is really inspired to dive into an issue, into people's lives, and starting with Staff, it's one of the things that I really love about being a journalist - getting to hear people's stories and getting to know them. Another part of me, however, doesn't relish all the 'extra' work that would go into something like that. The work I refer to is all internal and it can be so exhausting. I don't relish the work of having muffle the part of me that quakes in terror whenever I interact with most people, the part that anticipates the inevitable rejection by them that I 'know' most likely won't happen, but it's something that that I've carried around with me since I was 3, so it's hard to get over it. (Thank you to Hurn for his discussion about shyness!!!)

So, when I read "Throughout the world, photojournalists are working on personal projects. These are long-term, independent projects generally not subsidized by newspapers, magazines, or book publishers. They are often the projects that are closest to the photographer's heart; they can be the key to effective photojournalism and career advancement..." I groaned. (I have no choice!)

But then I read: "Every photojournalist can undertake an independent photographic project, but few do. You have to be self-demanding, self-motivated, and stubborn. You have to be willing to spend many hours, maybe years, on the project, and subordinate other pleasurable aspects of your life to it." Ah! So it isn't easy for anyone else! That's encouraging.

The thing I like best about Chapnick's chapter is how he described what people did to make their ideas happen. It doesn't take much to pique my interest, one my challenges is formulating that into something that more people would be interested in.

One-Day Story Re-Edit

In Photo Story, we have the opportunity, after receiving an assignment's grade, to re-submit with the potential of raising it by a letter grade. So, today I changed my focus on my one-day project to be a story about how the Pereras use the wool. I resubmitted it with these pictures:

Two of the Pereras’ Karakul rams wait to be fed on Thursday, February 12, 2010. Karakul sheep are possibly the oldest domesticated sheep, with carvings of the sheep found in ancient Babylonian temples.

Some of the more mature Karakul ewes peer out of the main barn of the Petite Saline Sheep and Llama Farm, owned by Rey and Dee Perera. The Pereras have a flock of over 90 Karakul ewes and rams, bred from the five major blood lines available in the United States.

Rey Perera scatters feed for his farm's rams on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. The Pereras keep their rams and ewes separate except during breeding season. The separation keeps the rams calmer and less likely to butt Perera or each other.

Character Profile Outtakes

Editing my character profile was hard! There were so many images that I liked, but how to tell my story? So I thought I would post some of the other ones here...

Motherhood, the Second Time Around

A character profile of Tammy Kelliehan, a 41-year-old grandmother who moved with her husband to Columbia to help care for her daughter's 5 children: Kaylah, age 5; twins Keya and Kylah, age 2; and twins Erykah and Eric, age 1.

(This took work! to figure out how to embed this in my blog, but I finally did it! yay.)

Lessons from POYi - Freelance/Agency Issue Reporting Picture Story

This week, I've gotten to attend several sessions of POYi, notably the Freelance/Agency Feature Event Picture Story and the Freelance/Agency Issue Reporting Picture Story.

For the Issue Reporting picture story, it was defined as: A story or essay that explores an important social, economic, or political issue.

"Love Me"

Story Description: Love Me reflects on the cultural and commercial forces that drive a global obsession with youth and beauty. The project explores how a new form of globalization is taking place, where an increasingly narrow Western beauty ideal is being exported around the world like a crude universal brand. The project spans five years, and involves photography in 17 countries across five continents.
Image Caption: Katie, age 9. Winner. Universal Royalty Texas State Pageant. Texas, USA.

The first picture of the First Place essay kind of creeped me out because it reminded me of JonBenet Ramsey and the very evil things that happened to her. It was cool to see an essay, rather than a photo story win something. The judges really responded to the message of the essay - how the Western 'ideal' is seeping all over the world, despite how negative it is.

Caption: For more than 20 years strict social rules have required modest dress and covered hair. Laws forbid women to publicly sing, dance, or wear make-up. There are reportedly more nose jobs being performed in Iran than in any other country in the world. Elham, 19, and her mother, 55. Rhinoplasty "nose job" operation. Tehran, Iran.

Lessons from POYi - Freelance/Agency Feature Event Picture Story

This week, I've gotten to attend several sessions of POYi, notably the Freelance/Agency Feature Event Picture Story and the Freelance/Agency Issue Reporting Picture Story.

For the Feature Event picture story, the feature event was defined as: A candid, unposed story or essay of a significant planned or unplanned event that does not qualify as “hard news” or focus on “social issues.” Examples are: Michael Jackson’s death and memorial, President Barack Obama’s inauguration, spiritual celebrations or pilgrimages, cultural festivals, or any number of other event-based experiences.

Caption (from the First Place picture story): WASHINGTON - JANUARY 20: Barack H. Obama holds in a crowded hallway backstage at the Capital moments before walking out to be sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts as the 44th president of the United States on the West Front of the Capitol on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States.

I mentioned the definition because there were several good stories that were eliminated because they didn't fit the definition of what category it was entered in. One such story was Tomas Van Houtryve's essay, The Great Leap Backwards.

Caption: A portrait of Chairman Mao Zedong is seen reflected in wet pavement in "The East is Red" square (Dongfanghong square) of Nanjie village in Henan province, China on 31 October 2009.

As only 12 images were allowed for an essay, the ones entered are #1-6, 8, 16-20. Because it didn't seem to be of a specific event (as per the caption and story summary), say the anniversary of Mao's death, it was disqualified, even though the judges liked the story and the images. One comment that sticks out to me from their judging: "It's interesting to think of the Communist government as a brand name."

A Day on a Sheep Farm

The Petite Saline Sheep and Llama Farm is located in Booneville, MO, is owned by Rey and Deanna "Dee" Perera. When I called them, they were incredibly welcoming and that carried through in my visits with them. As I got to know them, I discovered their real love for their animals - whether it was their sheep, llamas, ducks, Guinea hens, parrots, cats or dogs - and when I was editing I decided I wanted to illustrate that as I illustrated their work on the farm.

Here's the pictures from my story:

Rey Perera distributes feed to his Karakul ewes on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Perera works his farm daily and typically begins feeding the sheep, alpacas, and llamas around 8 am.

After feeding his llamas, Rey Perera pauses briefly to survey his sheep yard on Tuesday morning, Februarry 16, 2010. The Pereras use their llamas to guard their sheep; prior to adopting their first llama in 1989, coyotes would steal several of their lambs each year.

Characters, Plots, and Dialogue

As I was reading the chapter on subjects (character), I was trying to figure out exactly how this fits with telling a story visually (it really fits when thinking about written characters, and since I've done that before...). But then she said this: "As soon as you start protecting your characters from the ramifications of their less-than-lofty behavior, your story will start to feel flat and pointless, just like in real life." How often do we talk about the subject being aware of the camera or the amount of 'access' to the subject? How often have I come across someone who doesn't want something about their life told, because it was 'private'? And how do I tell that part of the story without being a jerk? I mean, typically, I'm very accommodating, but how do I get to that part of the story with people that I'm going to see more than once, who are getting to know *me*, just as I a, getting to know them?

 

From 'Ono Kine Grindz's blog.

In the back of my mind, I'm hearing 'build their trust,' but sometimes when I think about that kind of thing, it feels really freaky to be that vulnerable. What I mean is - you have to let people in before they will let you in. The only way that they will be soft is for you to be soft first. And there's the issue of time. I guess what I'm thinking now is: for the really important stories, it isn't going to be drive-thru journalism, In and Out, where you don't stay and savor the meal. This is 5-star gourmet stuff that requires sometimes just sitting there with your hand on your belly in sheer ecstasy over the delicacies you're savoring. And isn't that what we all want to do, when we get past the laziness and the fear, is tell stories that eat like succulent surf 'n' turf.

 

From Omaha Steaks.

 

From Time Out Sydney.

My mouth is watering even now.

An Idea, An Idea, My Kingdom for an Idea!

 

 Edvard Munch, The Scream

This is how I felt today about completing the one-day story for Picture Story before speaking to Deanna & Rey Perera. 

My first idea, featuring Steve Heying the Falconer, didn't pan out: when I called to set something up, like we'd previously discussed (and he seemed enthusiastic about doing), he balked.

So, onto idea number two: covering someone who owned a sheep farm. Rita had recommend Susie Everhart of Susie's Grass Fed Meats, who sells lamb at Columbia's Farmer's Market. She was very wary about me coming out and taking pictures, and let me know that this time of year, she doesn't do much with the sheep except feed them. So, another dead end.  (She did agree to possibly letting me come out in the spring, when there's more activity.)

At this point, I was getting that familiar pit in my stomach, the one I get when I start to envision having nothing, failing miserably.

So, I searched the internet for sheep farmers in Columbia, MO, and I found Deanna and Rey Perera of Petite Saline Sheep & Llama Farm in Boonville. It's about 30 minutes away, but they were very welcoming about me coming out. I mostly spoke with Dee (although they both had me on speaker phone) and she was very happy to hear that I was a student at the J-School. They work with MU's Vet School, and someone is in the works to come out and round up some of the sheep for educational purposes.

And now, I am off to start my project tomorrow at 8:30 am. I think this could lead to a bigger project. Yay!

Front of the Class

I don't know about the rest of you, but sometimes I just have to study with background noise. Sometimes it's music, other times it's the television. Today, while studying, I watched Front of the Class which told the story of Brad Cohen, an award-winning teacher who overcame Tourette Syndrome.

The movie was pretty cool/encouraging (I loved his attitude), and it lead me to investigate Cohen further. I found his blog and wanted to publish some of his words of encouragement in the face of adversity. And with the state of photojournalism today, you might just call it adverse...

Like Bird by Bird, even though it's not for photographers, it all still applies. Enjoy.

From Brad Cohen's blog:

So with that, I remind everyone what has helped me overcome the challenges of living with Tourette syndrome. I hope these ideas help others move forward to follow their dreams.

1. Keep that positive attitude.
2. Focus on your strengths… Show the world what makes you shine.
3. Never give up… Every time someone tells you that you can’t do something, prove them wrong! Show them not only can you do it, but you can do it better than others.
4. Surround yourself with people who believe in you.
5. Don’t make excuses, because the first excuse will lead to another, after another, after another.
6. Find your passion in life and go for it.
7. Last but not least… Don’t let [your obstacle] win! Don’t allow any of your weaknesses in life get the best of you!

More on Polaroids

I've done some more ruminating on Polaroids.

Photo by Kris Krug

To quote Lamott:

"You can't -- and, in fact, you're not supposed to -- know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing. First you just point at what has your attention and take the picture."

I find it a little sad that in today's digital age, the wonder and mystical sensation attached to Instamatic images will become something that people can't relate to. Polariod stopped manufacturing the instant film in 2008. It lost its appeal to mass consumers before that because of the cost of the film - I remember it was something like $1 a picture (and then you didn't know what you were getting until it was done). Who wants to spend that much money on film when now you can get the same effect with a digital?

But there's something to be said for that memory - of waiting for the image to develop. Of having to yank to free the film from the camera. Of shaking the picture so that it would develop faster. Tearing back that foil to reveal an image that was slightly undone but 'cooked' right before your eyes. The anticipation of waiting for it. The thrill of the magic. The innocence and simple joy of youth.

W. Eugene Smith, Photography Made Difficult

"Photo is a small voice, at best, but sometimes - just sometimes - one photograph or a group of them can lure our senses into awareness. Much depends upon the viewer; in some, photographs can summon enough emotion to be a catalyst to thought." -Eugene Smith

We watched "W. Eugene Smith: Photography Made Difficult." As Rita promised, the acting by Peter Riegert was cheesy. (I actually thought that they could have just used voice overs and not had *any* of the cheesy acting and it would have been a better movie.) But I loved much of what was said in the movie. And like the 'nerd' that I am, I took notes so that I could remember the nuggets of wisdom.

Quotes from the movie:

• "I photographed the war to comment on greed and stupidity." -Smith
• "human lumps of fright" -a description of Japanese civilians during WWII driven out from hiding

• "My people could be these people... an accident of birth and home."
• "He was close to a breakdown most of the time."

• "He was always looking for an imminent truth."
  

Ancient Images

I really loved reading about how modern photography evolved. Of course, I love history (and almost went to grad school for that). When Langton started talking about US photographers in the 1800's traveling to document life internationally, I decided to see what I could find (imagewise) on the web. Here's some pictures:

From the 'Holy Land'

 

Fishermen At Tiberias, 1858
E. Pierotti

 

Safed, 1900
American Colony Photographer

Cana Of Galilee, 1869
Frank M. Good

School Lunches and Polaroids

As Lamott was describing school lunches, I tried to recall my lunches. It was really hazy at first; nothing too remarkable. I marveled at her recall of the strict requirements for the types of sandwich: I've never eaten a bologna sandwich with lettuce in my life. I wonder if I would like it better. Because I really hate bologna. It's the smell that's so nauseating to me. And I never ate PB&J because I was allergic to the PB.

On first glance, my memories of school lunch were going through the line. As a grade schooler, I remember passing through the line and feeling nauseous because they were offering hot peanut butter cookies and the smell was so revolting (physically!). And I remember those yummy square pieces of pizza.

As I thought about high school, my favorite school lunch came to mind: chocolate donuts and milk. But thinking about it lead me to think about where I ate it: often in the library, or up in the computer lab. Anywhere but in the lunch room. That dreaded lunch room. Why was the lunch room so evil? The girls sitting there in their pockets of friends, with spurnful eyes. It wasn't that I didn't have the Code lunch, because the Code lunches at my school were the bought kind, but it was that I didn't have the Code friends.

And then I thought about this boy in middle school who they tormented. He ate ketchup on a cookie once, just for the attention. I wonder if he became a writer. I seem to remember him playing the trumpet... It's funny that I thought of him. Even though I wonder what this has to do with telling a story with pictures. I suppose it relates to finding that subtext and letting it speak to you for the inspiration, the theme.

And like the Polaroid, finding that hook in a bigger story will pull people in. How to make it personal. How to get the audience to connect. It's not hard for me to connect with my story - but how to get others there? To want to know or see what I want to know or see? How to get them interested in my chocolate donuts and milk.

Quiet that Vinegar-Lipped Reader Lady!

First I wanted to post a link to this article about a mouse riding a frog in an Indian monsoon. Photograph from Reuters/Pawan Kumar (India). From 2006, in the norther Indian city of Lucknow, they captured it on film:


This week, we were charged with reading Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. And I absolutely loved it. It spoke to my soul. Yes, it's about writing, but like Rita said, it can apply to creating photographs. I love that it's not just me that grew up awkward and teased and tormented. I like to think that Anne got a note passed to her in 6th grade titled, "Who Hates Anne Lamott" with classmates signatures on it, so that I'm not the only one. I like to think that she got called Trapjaw because of her underbite, or harrassed with some stupid song like There's a Hole in the Buckett. I mostly like thinking that I'm not the only one who sometimes wants to sit frozen because she's convinced everyone would rather she not exist because she's so annoying or stupid or whatever crime I might have committed.

I loved the image of the vinegar-lipped Reader Lady.


She really does look like this in my head, going, "That's interesting? Really? That's a terrible idea! How disappointing."

Something that Inspires Me

Just want to post a picture from a photo story that really inspires me:



I'm really interested in the Middle East, since my parents live there (Saudi Arabia). Hearing their stories and getting a peek into Arab culture, as well as knowing Palestinians and *knowing* what goes on in Palestine, it really caught my interest. I also like it because it's well-shot.

Dominic Nahr won gold for this international picture story at the 62nd CPOY competition. I really wanted his portfolio to win gold, too, but they chose a guy who did a story on Skatopia. I didn't like his story as much, but that's judges at CPOY for you (chipmunk).