Bonneville Speed Week 2012

The Yankee Engineuity Express starts down the flats reaching 153 MPH.

Another day full of engines, salt, and speed! Bonneville Speed Week is like nothing else. Men and women spend the year building and perfecting their vehicles in hopes to squash land speed records on the fastest course in the world. Racers of all types lined up despite the wetter-than-usual salt this year. A storm had hit the night before, closing two of the three courses, but had not managed to dampen any spirits. Spectators, racers and photographers were as giddy as school children; something about loud and fast cars that gets people excited.

Those invested in the 'projectiles' wait anxiously while docked at the starting line, waiting for their signal. Large trucks peel out as they push the aerodynamic cars down the course until they can reach third gear pace. The crowd waits for the punch as the driver finally picks up his own speed and quickly disappears into the mirage near the edge of the horizon.

Many come to show off what they've been working on during the past year, revving engines and lifting hoods ready to share their life story to any passerby curious enough to strike up a conversation. Those who have been coming back since the beginning, however, are there for only one reason; to get some speed! 

This car waited hours at the starting line, only to pull off at mile 2 after reaching 161 MPH.

The salt flats are aptly named, as there is no shade to speak of. You have to make your own if you want to be out of the sun.

Some of the competitors have used their life savings to build the kind of car required to reach speeds of up to 400 MPH. 

Speed Week is a perfect time to show off your pride and joy, even if it never races for timed speed.

Photographically speaking, I kept my Singh-Ray warming filter on my 17-40mm and my Vari-N-Duo (warming filter and neutral density filter combo) on my 70-200mm. This allowed me to get shots that weren't completely blown out by the bright scene and play around with a slower shutter speed (see first photo). As all races are held during the day, the bright harsh light is always a factor when shooting Speed Week. It just becomes part of the scene. I would definitely suggest a warming polarizer of some sort. It make just that extra bit of difference in such harsh lighting.

People from all over the world come to see speed records fall at the salt flats.

Roller Derby

The Red Rockettes faced the Happy Valley Derby Darlins in a roller derby battle last night.  The Derby Darlins quickly took the lead and never looked back.  It was a great night for roller derby and a great night for photography.  My action shots weren't turning out the way I wanted them, so I focused on the eccentricities of the derby girls and got a few shots I liked.  

I learned a lot about roller derby and learned a few lessons for photography as well. 

Cataloging Photos with Adobe Lightroom

I've been reviewing old photos and came across several that I had dismissed initially but are actually some of my favorites in their own series.  Amazingly enough this happens quite often, which is exactly why I never delete photos, always back them up, and continually review old ones.  You never know what surprises you're going to find.  I catalog my photos to keep them organized and filtered.  I use Lightroom for this purpose and I find that it works wonders.  You have to keep up on it, but with the help of a regular routine you'll be thanking yourself later. 

As soon as I am able to sit down with my computer and CF card after a shoot, I plug in my card reader and start downloading images.  Ideally, I am near my external hard drive and can do a back up then and there and forget about it.  No matter when I get to it I will back up my photos.  Backing up your photos may be the most important step, so don't forget it!  I can do this automatically with Adobe Lightroom and kill two birds with one stone on one download.  I've preset mine so that all I have to do is plug in my external hard drive and press OK and it'll automatically back up to my selected hard drive.  If it's not plugged into my computer Lightroom will remind me.  After I get all my photos into Lightroom and backed up on external hard drives, I start to go through and weed out the good from the bad.  I use a 'flag' for the ones that draw an initial reaction and I know are good, and a rejection flag for any overexposures or out of focus photos I know I don't want to keep.  Then, I go through the flagged photos and narrow it down even further to the best of the best with a rating of five stars.  I can filter the photos so that only the flagged photos are showing and develop from there, eventually focusing on the five star images.

When I am satisfied with my selection of "good" photos I start to play around in the digital darkroom.  Does the photo tell a better story in black and white?  Will it look better cropped?  What can I change to express my vision?  Aside from correcting exposure, color correcting and removing dust spots I don't like to "correct" too much unless I'm trying to achieve a certain look.  The point is to try and capture it in-camera as best you can.  Photoshop, Lightroom or iPhoto will only take you so far.  Getting an image right in-camera is the best practice and will improve anyone's photography.  I try to take that to heart.  

Last but not least, I go through my images regularly.  If I missed a back up I get it done as soon as I can. If I haven't gone through and edited dust spots, I'll do it.  Most importantly, I'll look with a fresh set of eyes at all the captures and if there is a photo I think should be flagged or even starred that isn't I'll do it then.  It's amazing what a fresh set of eyes can see.  I often find photos that were initially overlooked and wonder why I hadn't flagged them or given them a better status to begin with.  The best practice is to review, review, review!

Occupy Salt Lake Protests

Nowell lit up his hand-rolled cigarette as he continued to explain his reasoning for protesting outside the Federal Bank Building on State Street and 100 South in Salt Lake City.  There's a handful of individuals at this site supporting the 'Occupy' protests around the nation.  Nowell stressed that getting the word out was his main purpose and the reason he's been sleeping and protesting at this location for the last two weeks.  Cars driving by honked in support, and the occasional passerby stopped with interest.  Others are not so enthusiastic about the idea.  One man confronted a protester by yelling and throwing his hands around.  I thought the tension might rise, but the protester stood his ground with an easy going smile on his face until the man left.  These protesters don't seem to be looking for a fight.  They just want their voices heard.  And as Americans, we all have a right, if not an obligation, to voice our opinions.

I've had to learn, as a photographer, that you have to keep an open mind.  It's best, in order to tell the story, to not take sides.  Sure, I have my opinions, but I don't think they are best spoken here or getting too wrapped up with my photography.  Take these photos as they are.  I'd much rather have my photos speak for themselves than for me to try to explain them, and hopefully they are able to do just that.

Photo Essay: Occupy Wall Street/SLC

Two men hold signs in support of Occupy Wall Street in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tents set up in Pioneer Park for the Occupy Wall Street protestors.  Salt Lake City, Utah.

Unknown woman holds a sign at a rally for Occupy Wall Street.

Peaceful protestors gather to hear a young speaker in support of Occupy Wall Street. 

Unnamed man holds a sign in support of Occupy Wall Street.

Unknown woman writes out a sign for the Occupy Wall Street protests in Pioneer Park, Salt Lake City, Utah.

A band from Tennessee plays to support the protestors in Pioneer Park Salt Lake City, Utah.

Documentary: Carnival

I've read different articles in photo magazines about how carnivals and fairs are great places to photograph, but never really sought them out.  Last week I went to the Utah State Fair to see what all the fuss was about.  Initially, I thought the rides at dusk with slow shutter speeds was going to be the recipe for the night (which it partly was), but I found myself drawn to the small vendors and everyday carnies even more.  The first guy I spoke to was running a 100 shots for 5 bucks game.  Shoot out the middle of your target and you get to take home a giant stuffed Scooby.  I have to say I was tempted.  I gracefully declined but asked if I could take his photo.  He straitened up, took off his hat, combed his hair and smiled.  He told me he felt like a picture gave a person a kind of immortality, as a photo can last a whole lot longer than we can.  This stuck with me the rest of the night and I couldn’t help but thinking he was right.  He reminded me of the whole reason any of us really start taking photos.  For myself it was to document.  Every photo I take for one reason or another is to document.  And really that's what any of us are really doing when we take a photograph.  I took his photo proudly, hoping I had done him justice even if I had only spoken with him for a moment.  He tried one last time to get me to play his game but the sun was setting and pictures were waiting to be taken.  

Bonneville Speed Week (5)

Bonneville Speed Week (4)

Bonneville Speed Week (3)

Bonneville Speed Week (2)

Bonneville Speed Week (1)

Bonneville Speed Week is going on this week out at the Salt Flats in the northwest region of Utah.  Racing started last weekend and will continue through the rest of this week.  Densely packed salt on miles of flat land make this natural phenomenon a breeding ground for speed demons and motor heads.  Competitors line up to take their turn to try and break the speed records set in previous years.  Car bodies of all shapes and sizes are streamlined and modified to maximize speed.  Engines revved and spectators awed as each rocket-like car or motorcycle came up to the starting line.  Completely decked out in fire suits and crash helmets, each competitor was focused on the ride.  There was no joking around, no smiles for the crowd.  These drivers were focused.  Going down a speedway at 200 + MPH is serious business.  One small hiccup and your done.  The goal is speed.  No matter what the cost.  

Photo Series: Bull Rider

When witnessing a "moment" through the viewfinder all you can do is keep shooting.  Emotion and shock are for afterwards.  Focus on the task at hand and you'll get the shot(s).  As I shot this series I couldn't help but think about the photojournalists I look up to and how they photograph what they do. 

Note: The rodeo clown ended up saving the rider from further injury by sitting on the bull's head, as seen in the last photo.  After the bull was corralled the rider got up seemingly unharmed.  

Story: Easter Protest

Unnamed man protests an Easter gathering of many faiths at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Man preaches from his bible with family by his side.  Salt Lake City, Utah.

I shot these back in April around Easter weekend and found them in my library again.  Gotta love the new 500 GB internal hard drive! 

Story: Street Dancing

A dance group enjoys a warm summer night at Library Square (Salt Lake City).  June 13, 2011.

World Press Freedom Day

Photo courtesy of Magnum Photos

Today is World Press Freedom Day, and in honor of the journalists and photojournalists who risk their lives to tell amazing stories from war zones and dangerous places, Slate Magazine has put together a slideshow you can see here.

Sad News from Libya

Two photojournalists covering the events in Libya were killed today.  Click link for full article and photos of their work.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42682853/ns/world_news-mideast/n_africa/?GT1=43001