Mr. Lincoln's Socks

I almost wasn't allowed to take this photo, but luckily Mr. Lincoln was very humble and perfectly okay with me taking a picture of him putting on his socks.

Kid Feature

Summer is here and here are some recent outtakes from kid features. And contrary to Jasper tradition they're in COLOR! Although I do love the black and the white.

Track Sectionals

Out with the old in with the new

Standalone

I've been on the hunt for standalones for the past few days around Jasper. So when I saw these high schoolers skating in a parking lot on the way back from baseball I knew I should stop. I tried to talk myself out of it, but my photo instinct got the better of me and I hung out with them for awhile. I think my first words were, "Hey guys, I'm with the Herald, mind if I shoot some photos, we're looking for features." They were cool to hang with and even let me try out the "rip-stick..." think skateboarding and rollerblading combined.

The photo I posted on my 365 blog is super loose, and poorly composed, but I like the snapshot quality of it over some of these. I worry that after looking at thousands of perfectly composed/tightly cropped images, my eye just aches for something different.

Earth Day

A few frames from a tree planting at a local university. I love early morning light. Why does my body hate me when I tell it to get up? I think my photography would improve at least 50 percent if I got up earlier.

Jasper

I'm in my second week in Dubois County and I am loving it. The countryside is beautiful and the people are friendly. When I crossed Iowa while driving back from Colorado a few years ago I loved driving through the rolling hills and farms scattered among the cornfields. Dubois is similar, but there are more trees and wild places if you know where to look. I'm a true Midwestern son. I don't think I've lived in a place that I haven't liked, but I think the Midwest will always be home. Anyway, the internship at The Herald is phenomenal. I'm still trying to find a pace and routine that works, but I'm sure that will come in time. Here a few sports photos from last week.

The other blog

I may have given a shout about this before, but I wanted to make sure anyone that follows this blog also knows about my ongoing 365 project. I'm taking a photo everyday (or trying to) and posting it to my 365 blog (www.blake365.blogspot.com). I am generally a little looser in my edits for the 365 posts, so while there are some pretty photos, there are a lot of "what was he thinking" photos and photos from daily assignments mixed in. The rule is simple: one photo per day.

This blog here is a little different as I usually try to post a series of images or have something to say about a particular image. I don't write on the 365 blog, so if I want to write something up, it'll end up here as well. There is some crossover between the two blogs, but I usually keep the 365 one more current. Thanks for looking!

The Last Assignment

My last assignment for Midland was a tea party at a local pottery studio. Croquet seemed like a proper game for such an event. The office was quiet as I turned it in and it felt strange leaving my key on Ryan's desk. I learned a lot during my stint at the paper, and I can't say enough Nathan, Ryan and John. Best of luck to you all and I'll see you around.

Brother Sister Date

My last full day in Michigan I took Lauren up to Center Lake for a surprise horseback riding adventure. My friends Sue and Carissa graciously took time out of their day to lead saddle our horses and lead us on a trail ride. The weather was perfect, and after a fantastic ride around the camp property we went down to the lake to get our feet wet. I used to lifeguard on the dock, and it was surreal being there again. Thanks again Sue and Carissa for the ride! And Lauren, well, you're pretty cool too. I can't wait to see you in July!