Been a while. I've been busy these last few months getting this journalism program up and running. In short, I teach multimedia and photojournalism in Newsroom I and II elective courses in a program in partnership with the SP Times. We put out the school newspaper and have launched an ever growing website. It's an interesting gig...I'm trying to be a source of inspiration and ideas as well as a teacher, director of photography, mutlimedia producer, web editor, photo editor, multimedia editor, page designer, IT technician, managing editor, copy editor and occasional problem solver.

We have a load of excellent equipment and some stellar students. I'm always blown away looking at the work produced...most of these kids never picked up a SLR or used a Mac before taking this class. They're doing a great work and hopefully learning valuable skills.

Check out our website at http://snntoday.snn.pcsb.org/ to see some of the work. We are using Joomla as our content managing system online. In the last few months, I have learned this CMS in and out. The Eyes of Lakewood has been a strong video series...teaching the kids the basics of video interviews and editing while gathering compelling stories. There are multimedia presentations and audio slideshows and picture slideshows as well.

Anyways, here are some pictures of my first vacation, benefits of being an educator...I spent the week relaxing in the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami Beach area. My winter vacation will be in Southern Florida, then NYC and Boston. For spring break I've got plans to backpack and shoot for a week in Costa Rica, Jamaica, or Puerto Rico...wherever I can get cheap tickets to. For my big summer trip, I'm planning to take six weeks, grab a backpack, some clothes and a camera and head to a remote region in northwest India between Tibet and Burma. We'll see how things come together.

Also, a shout to my friends John Tully and Brandon Kruse who have some awesome projects they've completed recently. Killer stuff dudes.

And the pictures...

Yeah, it's been a long minute since I've posted here. That doesn't mean that I haven't been shooting. To see some of my recent and older work, rates, etc. check out my website.

"The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about."
Winnie The Pooh

So as one of the great philosophical minds of our time did so shall we.........Ponder the meaning of whatever for no particular purpose in the hopes that we may too discover something that we were not looking for in the first place. So let our great journey begin!


An Auspicious Beginning to Our Trip
Sunrise in King George County. This moment could not be missed. I pulled off the road, got out of my car, took along my coffee and donut and enjoyed the show.

What Lay at the End of the Road?

View from the passenger seat of life
Perhaps too long
I've sat
in the passenger seat of life,saying I could
see the world
just as well,
even from the back seat.
Time to turn
the ignition on myself,
pop the clutch
push off in first gear,
then coasting in neutral,
turn the corner,
and roar into overdrive.

Mother Nature Struts Her Stuff
Again what you see is what I saw in King George County. The colors of fall in Virginia never cease to amaze me. Mother Nature can be a real eye turner. Anyone got her number?

Remember When Gas was Less Than a Dollar?
Hyacinth, Virginia. The gas pump is for Texaco Lead Free gas. Texaco started selling lead free gas in 1974 when a gallon cost around 53 cents. Based on the ads in the window and the condition of the building the 70's was probably the last time gas was sold here. At one time this building probably housed a small grocery store, possibly the area post office, as well as the gas station. It was probably also one of the social centers for the area. A new "Quickie Mart" is a few hundred yards down the road.

An Old War Horse
The early farm tractors had all metal wheels. Rubber wheels came into use in the early 30's. This tractor looks to have been a late 30's early 40's model. No idea of the manufacturer. Today it sits rusting off Rt. 3 in Westmoreland County.

This is Rural Virginia
I feel sorry for those of you who stuck in offices while I get to enjoy scenery like this in Northumberland County. I can picture a Norman Rockwell moment inside.

A Final Resting Place on the Side of the Road
Westmoreland County. This small cemetery sits alone. There is not a church or home nearby. The names on all the markers have been worn away.

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.

Mary Elizabeth Frye

Quonset Hut Decked Out for Saturday Night