Hangin with the Amish!

I was away this past weekend in the Eastern US, mainly in Pennsylvania, but I did make it to Lewes, Delaware ( the first town in the very first State in the US ), Cape May New Jersey, Atlantic City NJ, and of course one of my favorites, Manhattan. It was a balmy 37 degrees, that's 102 Fahrenheit for all my American friends. As we all know, I love the heat, even miss the choking 50 degrees of the Middle east at times.

I was lucky enough to be escorted around by a man I admire and respect, who commands the race team I was there to learn about. He drove me around endlessly to all the places he had probably been to a million times over throughout his life so far, and patiently answered my unending stream of questions about the area, it's inhabitants, the weather, the soil, the water, the history, the architecture, and on and on and on. I pestered him constantly about the race team, the process of owning the team, running the team, managing the press, negotiating the sponsors, and anything else that came up.

In our travels, we sped past a field of fresh cut hay. The farmer out cutting the hay, was a young boy, maybe 12 or so. His clothes were that of a boy from the 1800's. Thick black boots, laced up past his ankles, black simple straight leg trousers, black suspenders, a deep blue solid shirt, and a pair of Aviator sunglasses. He stood on the front lead of a manual swather, and in his already calloused young hands, he held the reins and drove a team of four big sturdy work horses. (a swather is used to cut crops in the field and lays them in perfect little lines that you have to go back and pick up later ). The dust kicked up in the heat behind the team and the cutting was thick and dry. The boy, not really a boy, but not yet a man, drove the team with a skill that looked as if he had been doing it for years and was a seasoned expert, which he probably had and probably was. As the dust flew forward and I caught the picture with surprising clarity and amazing natural back lighting, I wondered if he ever missed the TV shows, current styles of his contemporaries, ever talked back to his parents, got in trouble at school, or missed a day of chores because he has hockey practice or homework to do. Then I realized, how do you miss what you've never had to be concerned with? How do you miss doing the chores when everything depends on you bringing in the harvest before it rains and moulds in the field?

It amazes me how much we take for granted. I grew up with no running water, plywood floors in our 'little Hippie House on the Prairie'. We cut our own hay, stooked it up, hauled it to the barn for the winter feed stock and now and then I catch myself using these current little conveniences without remembering how simple life was without them. As we drove away from the field with the young Amish boy cutting his hay, I silently mulled over the things I didn't have as a child compared to what I have now. I am really happy for all these little things but I wondered... do I really need all this stuff? I filed the thought away until I could think about it some more, and here I am, writing it out here in this blog post to you fine people that are kind enough to spare five minutes to read my gentle ramblings. How much in life do we really need? The Amish live simply, without a lot of extra stuff. Why do we feel we need so much stuff?

So here's my question to you all... take a couple of minutes to think about this.
If you had to live without electricity, indoor plumbing, telephones, vehicles, and all the other modern conveniences you have, could you manage without them?

I am pretty sure I could, but not so sure I would want to. I like being able to answer a call from my Daughter or my Son at any given time of day. (Yes Shayne, even when you call me at 2 am after a night of debauchery with your buddies just to say how grateful you are that I'm your Mom and how much you love me and appreciate all the sacrifices I made for you)
 I like being able to flick the switch on the wall and have a room instantly blink to life before I enter it. I like knowing that my friends in other parts of the world are safe and dry when I have time to catch the nightly news blurbs. Now that I am taking the train or taxi's everywhere, I really don't miss having a vehicle, until I realize I needed to pick something up from a place in town that is not easily or quickly accessible by public transit. All these little things seem insignificant until you have to do without them.

Just sayin'

In case you didn't know, please don't forget to take a minute or two to visit my advertisers on the right of the page. They all have some interesting stuff to talk about too!

Don't forget to check your Compass!
Cole

Paparazzi, Paparazzo, Adrian Grenier, Evan Ferrante, and me...

Today I was sent on assignment for our local online news agency to photograph Adrian Grenier and Evan Ferrante for Adrian's new documentary about a 13 year old boy in the profession of paparazzo. I did not see the film with everyone else at the Glenbow Conaco Phillips Theater. I had planned to just fly in, take the pictures I needed for the paper and head out to the rodeo grounds to get the events. I like deadlines and the rush of getting my work in on time to match what the columnist is writing is kind of fun for me!

Those of you that know my work, know that I have a variety of subjects in my portfolio. A good portion is famous athletes, musicians, political figures, and events that they attend. I have taken great pride in always asking for permission from my subjects, and never taking the pictures without their consent. I may not make the 'big bucks' that the paparazzi make on 'the one great shot', but I am also always hired by the event host, the celebrity that's being celebrated, or the local news. It's not like I've never considered it, I just didn't feel like it was the best example of a lifestyle I wanted my kids to grow up with. All in all, if you get a great picture, you can feed your family for a couple of years without worrying about how you're going to pay the rent or choose between groceries and the electricity bill. In the end, I never went down that road because something in me couldn't compromise my values for a dollar.

So I arrive at the event, the film is still in progress, and Adrian Grenier and Evan Ferrante are standing in the lobby organizing their stuff. Very attractive, relaxed looking young men. After signing in and checking my press credentials, their media coordinator sets up my time with the two actors. They come over and bring along the 'merch' for the shot. As I get the pictures as quickly as possible, I watch them with my camera eyes for anything slightly not right. There is not a sign of anything untoward. They are both comfortable in front of the camera and the charming boyishness is still very obvious in their easy camaraderie.

As I mentioned, I was planning to jet out of there right after I got the shots I needed. Something about their easy energy made me want to stay for the Question and Answer period they had scheduled for after the show had concluded. I waited in the lobby and watched them organize their team. Finally the theater doors were open, the lights up , the crowd was clapping. Time to watch the magic. Their introduction by Nico and then a few words of address to the crowd by Luke, and they were on stage, ready to hear what the crowd had to say.

The questions were not difficult, mostly about minor issues in regards to the film, but the one common theme were the positive comments about the film. Adrian and Evan seemed to be well versed on the politics of their subject matter. They answered every question thoughtfully and with intelligent discourse on the subject at hand. They had plenty of humor between them and their demeanor about the project made me want to see it. I decided I would get a copy and watch it.  They very kindly autographed the DVD jacket for me and I left with contact information to send them copies of the pictures I took.

 I watched the DVD while I was getting ready to head out to the wrap party and found it to be a side of the paparazzi I hadn't counted on... they were human too! They had families, feelings, humor, attitude and everything in between. Adrian gets behind the camera himself to experience the side he's usually not on. The tables are turned when the kid becomes his own celebrity and Adrian has to play hide and seek with him, where Adrian is the one having to catch up with the kid.

Quite a few years ago, I was photographing a concert for someone. Unbeknownst to me, the promoter was dating a famous singer that didn't want her picture taken with him and saw me with my camera. With the promoter's kin in tow, she bared down on me in the lobby during intermission and demanded to  know who I was working for. Her attitude was 'in your face' aggressive and challenging every word I said. I was not shocked or taken aback in the least, I took it in stride as part of the job. I was a little surprised that the promoter had not told his lovely siren that I was working for him. She demanded to know who I was working for, what I would do with the pictures afterwards, and on and on. She was really quite lovely in person, but the attitude at which she spewed vitriol in my general direction was uncalled for and inappropriate, and made her seem vain and self absorbed. I politely explained the way I work, who I was working for and if she did not want to be in pictures, that I would not take any as she so politely requested. I also assured her that if she did end up in any by accident, I would edit her out or delete the file entirely. I was true to my word and did exactly that. By the time she walked away, she was much more calm and asking for my business card. I had two in my pocket but didn't feel like it would be a wise decision to share one with her at the time. In her defense, she was one of the most sought after entertainers at the time, and I'm sure she knew what it felt like to be hunted every time she stepped out her door. I have people prying into my life often enough and I'm not nearly that famous. Imagine having random strangers trying to shine a halogen lamp in all your nooks and crannies for the world to see... No thanks.

 I used to cringe in my boots every time someone referred to me as paparazzi. Did you know paparazzi means 'a buzzing annoying little flying bug'? Hmmm.... I'm happy I was able to meet them, photograph for my news 'deadline' and  watch a great film, but I will still ask permission to photograph any subject that I need to get. The documentary told the story from a new perspective and I'm glad I was able to see it. I still don't feel the need to get 'the money shot' and make a million off it. If I do, it will be because some rare endangered animal poked his head out of his cave and I happened to be there to capture it for National Geographic .... hmmm seems pretty much what the paparazzi do after all, doesn't it?
Well, you get what I mean. I'd still like to sleep at night knowing I didn't run a deer off the cliff in my pursuit of that elusive claim to fame.

Get the Documentary... it's worth watching!  It's called Teenage Paparazzo - a film by Adrian Grenier.
In the meantime ... don't forget to check your Compass.
Cole

Learning to rope ....

I have no idea how old I was, I can barely remember the day for that matter. I was learning how to rope from the back of a horse. If you know how to throw a loop, skip ahead because you know this next bit already...

When learning to rope, one usually starts with the basics of equipment. A long sleeved shirt. Why the long sleeved shirt you ask? When you're first learning, it's pretty common to start to throw and have the rope land on your extremities. If you're learning, it's not likely you've graduated to a nice medium soft smoothly braided rope. Most people start out with a stiffer rough rope so they don't have to work so hard to get the rope to swing properly. Those solid coarse ropes can burn like a son-of-a-gun when they hit you at any speed. Next thing is a proper set of roping gloves on your hands. I have scars from rope burn... ( this is usually funny when I tell people what the scars are from... rope burn. I generally don't elaborate on what the ropes were for. It's funnier that way.) I recommend blue jeans for the same reason. Lastly, if you're going to rope, put on some decent boots because it just looks silly otherwise. Cowboy hat is optional because, unless you're really a cowboy, or cowgirl you're just a city kid trying to look like you ain't! 

 First thing is positioning. It's better if you have your feet firmly planted, shoulder width apart, and you're facing your target square on. It's kind of like bowling but not really. Lol!

Okay seriously now... once you're standing square to your target, usually a wooden sawhorse with a set of horns tied on the one end not facing you. (Sometimes you can add a little tail to the end facing your direction if it makes you feel more like a real cowboy.) Now, when you're holding your rope, it has a natural shape to it, like a coil. You want to drop the loose end to the ground, but keep enough to have a small loop, and an extra bit by the knot to hold in your throwing hand. So you hold the loop part firmly in your fingers, and that extra bit beside it, outside the knot, with your thumb so they're together but still loose enough to slide out when you start to swing it up. Kind of like you're making the "hang loose' sign with your fingers. Swinging it in a circle slowly at first, until you get the hang of how the extra bit slides, while you keep the looped part beside it firmly tucked in your fingers. Once you get the feel of that bit sliding out, you can swing it up and build the size of your loop. This is where it can get tricky. Remember how I said not to wear a cowboy hat, now is where it would be wise to have on a ball cap with a sturdy brim ... Just a simple ball cap will keep the rope from singing your nose when it drops on you because you didn't build your loop correctly... oops...  maybe I should have told you that a little earlier. That rope burn on your nose will heal in no time, just put a little cream on it. So add a ball cap to your equipment list if you like.

Now then were was I ... oh yes, building your loop. Once you start swinging it over your head, it's the wrist motion that will benefit you most. With your hand in the 'hang loose' position, you want to flick your wrist so the rope swings up and over your head in a circular motion, with each swing, you let a bit of the slack, slip through your hand to make your loop bigger. Once your loop is a decent size, you throw the rope when your hand is up high, in the 'hang loose' position, with the trajectory of the rope already in the forward motion stage, you let it go once you extend your arm out in front of you. If you've built your loop correctly and built enough velocity to reach your target, it's always good to make sure you have enough length to reach the sawhorse... (insert cricket noise here ...) . Once you've spent enough time 'catching' the sawhorse's horns successfully, you can try it from the back of a horse... I recommend getting to know your horse really well before you do this. Some horses are not fond of stuff swinging around their heads and will show you what it feels like to land head first in a pile of manure at the first opportunity. 

So back to my story ... I was learning to rope from the back of a horse. Meet Big Buster, a big sorrel gelding that was super calm and really friendly. He was used to being a training horse so didn't even blink an eye when I started to swing the rope. It was the fact that every time I swung the rope to build my loop, I clipped his ears with the rope, just by a hair too. He gave me an air show I'll never forget. There's nothing like having your own little private rodeo with the quietest horse in the barn. I ended up, upside-down on the big metal pasture gate, knocked out cold for a few minutes. The fringes from my chaps dusting my face in the breeze. Didn't break anything, another miracle, but had to get right back up on Buster's back and do it again so he wouldn't think bucking the riders off was going to be a regular past time for him. In his defense, after I apologized for trying to trim his ear hairs, he was calm and quiet and let me try again without flinching a muscle.

That's my Stampede story for the week and I hope ya'll come back real soon, ya hear? 

And don't forget to check your Compass.

Cole

My first real Press Pass!

At this stage in the game, I really should be much like my contemporaries, getting ready to wind the career down. Slow down, think about retiring somewhere warm... well I'm just getting started.

Make no mistake, I've had a few press passes before, but they were paper,  handmade name badges, made hastily for the day. A few were made much like the backstage passes for guests of artists. Cloth stickers to attach to your clothes that last no more than the night.
Today I was delivered a true press pass, with my picture and a scan code, valid for the entire Stampede. I was so excited to get it, and to be covering The Greatest Show On Earth here at home for a local publisher. Would like to say who it is but I didn't ask their permission to write about it here so you'll all have to wait until they give me the okay.

So far, I'm just taking pictures, which we all know I can do well enough. They were really receptive to having me on board right away, and I'm not bragging or anything, but I have a pretty impressive portfolio.

The recent photos from my Canada Day road trip were a step forward to where I want to be with photography and this assignment with my new publisher is a great leap in that direction as well. I've mentioned before about my life as a kid, with National Geographic magazines strewn about, Jacques Cousteau on the TV, and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. Of course, I have to say, most of my photographer friends have the same dream, to go on assignments regularly for National Geographic magazine. The traveling and living overseas I have already done, were just the warm up for what is to come.

As my ever changing Top Ten List continues to evolve, I take another step, or giant leap from daydreaming to making them all a reality. My amazing friends, new and not so new, I have to give them all a huge salute, because without their encouragement and kindness, I don't know that I'd be so far ahead. Some incredibly gifted clients have gone above and beyond to encourage and put me forward that I can make these leaps and bounds. It just keeps getting better and better.

So, I'm sitting here looking at my Press Pass and I can say to myself, I have earned this. I've worked the trenches, fought the battles and I'll leave you with my favorite quote yet again ...

"I firmly believe that any man’s finest hours – his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear – is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious."


Vince Lombardi - June 11th, 1913 - September 3rd, 1970