The Game

I felt it as I woke up on Saturday. The energy. It was game day. The Game was played in Ann Arbor and as I headed north from a family gathering in Ohio I saw a solitary figure standing over the highway waving on Ohio State fans up to the Big House.  I wasn't sure I wanted to stop to shoot a feature, but I followed John Tully's rule that if you do a double take, you have to stop. I found the nearest exit and spent a few minutes talking to Darrell Ash. Even though he cheers for the grey and scarlet and I cheer for the maize and blue we share a passion for the game and his excitement was infectious. I wish that there was a different outcome at the end, but I couldn't have asked for a better game.

Storm Winds

The storm rolled through Midland just before 5 p.m. on Sunday. The same front that spawned tornadoes in Illinois knocked over hundreds of trees in a neighborhood in Midland. No one was injured, but the homes did not escape the damage from the trees as they fell.

Fall

Snaps from the past few weeks.

These guys

Just found this photo from last spring of Sean and Jake on a texting break in the kitchen. This year brought Jake back to the Mitt to work at the Flint Journal and I for one am glad he's back. This weekend Sean is out visiting the other member of the Ratpack, Libby March, who is the only one out of state now. We miss ya Lib, but I'm secretly jealous of you living near the ocean and the mountains.

Playoffs

Before the storm

It was a perfect Michigan day for golf.  On the course today I was able to relax for a few minutes as I focused on each frame. ISO, aperture, breathe, repeat.  I was comfortable, in the zone as I talked to parents and joked with coaches.  Now the storm begins.  I'm off to the Eddie Adams Workshop.  See you on the other side.

Rescued

MidMichigan paramedics and Jerome Township firefighters rescued three cats and a dog from a house fire in Sanford on Friday. "He was barely breathing," paramedic Al Coutts said about one of the cats. "We gave him a lot of oxygen." All of them pulled through and were reunited with the homeowners.

John Caffrey, the first paramedic pictured, had a lot of compassion for the pets. He stayed on the phone, pacing back and forth, until he found a safe place for them to be taken until their owners could be located.

As a photographer, when you are on the road racing to the scene you never know what you are walking into.  I was glad to find some good news in the midst of this tough situation.

Before the game

I spent time with each of the five Midland County high school football teams before the season started for a quick hit essay.  Here are a few of my favorites from the project.

Back to school

These second graders were actually pretty excited to be back at school, though a few did confess to some nerves.  It was interesting to listen to them as they introduced themselves to each other.  "I have a turtle." "I have eight grown up teeth." Both are certainly something to brag about when you're seven.

Maize and Blue

I took my first trip to The Big House on Saturday to cover the Central Michigan game there.  Covering Big Ten schools, and especially UofM, is a nice change of pace to Friday Night Lights.  I also love Michigan football, so it was interesting to see what it the place looks like in person after seeing it on TV for so many years.

Labor Day

My cousin Jared, front, and Preston, a family friend, shoot at a clay with their recurves over Labor Day weekend.  They didn't get one this year, but I think it's only a matter of time before it happens.

Battle for the Paddle

My first football game of the year was the Battle for the Paddle between Bullock Creek and Meridian. Meridian was down for most of the game but came back to win it in the final minutes to take home the paddle (which is literally a full size canoe paddle).