Newt Gingrich Iowa Campaign Tour

January 11, 2012
candids, celebrities, events, photography, politics
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On the day after Christmas, I got a call from the Gingrich campaign asking if I could fly to Des Moines to document Newt’s Iowa “Jobs and Growth” bus tour. I spent the next eight days following the campaign bus around the state – two thousand miles, 40 hours in the car, 22 cities, 4-5 hours of sleep per night, and 10,000 photographs.

It was a great experience, both personally and professionally. I was impressed by the caliber of the campaign staff, touched by the kindness and generosity of the many Iowans I met along the way, and amazed by the stamina and discipline required of anyone who runs for the Presidency.

Here are a handful of images from the tour:

Newt and Callista Gingrich in Mason City, IA

Spencer, IA

Le Mars, IA

Televised town hall in Des Moines, IA

A campaign supporter attends a meet and greet

Taking questions from the national press

Independence, IA

Walford, IA

Davenport, IA

Muscatine, IA

Greeting supporters in Muscatine, IA

Campaign bus in Burlington, IA

Iowa Caucus in Cedar Falls, IA

Cedar Falls, IA

Toronto Contrasts

December 13, 2011
architecture, cityscapes, photography, travel
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I was briefly in Toronto a few weeks ago and had an hour or two to roam around exploring. As with many cities, it was difficult to just jump in and out of the car while I was downtown, but as I edged away from the city center, I had a little more flexibility. I thought this was an interesting image – the contrast between the fancy downtown skyscrapers and the tatty transitional neighborhoods.

Toronto Contrasts

Toronto Contrasts

Premiere of Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows

December 7, 2011
celebrities, photography
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Last night’s premiere was a little less unruly than the night before, perhaps because the celeb crowd was smaller. But, Robert Downey Jr. and Rachel McAdams from the movie both attended along with a handful of other glams. The thing that struck me last night was the other-worldliness of some of these people. Rachel McAdams, for instance, looks like she’s lit from within. I particularly like the contrast in the bottom two pictures between Rachel and the folks behind her:

Premiere of New Year’s Eve – Hollywood

December 6, 2011
celebrities, photography
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It’s good to mix things up. A few days of quiet, slow-paced, contemplative, peaceful landscapes, then a few days of combat in the photographers’ pen at movie premieres. There is a lot of pent-up rage in that group of people and things can get a little testy.

Because of the number of celebrities who showed up and the high profile of New Year’s Eve, last night was particularly wild. The insanity notwithstanding, I love shooting these events. It’s absorbing, like rock climbing or hang-gliding. There is a lot of standing around at the beginning, but once the action starts, time disappears. Despite the volatility of the environment, it’s an almost Zen-like experience.

Here are a few of the glamorati who were there:

Premiere of "New Year's Eve"

Crystal Cove – Newport Beach, CA

December 4, 2011
landscapes, photography
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In the thick of a host of thin things yesterday afternoon, I decided it was time to clear the cobwebs. Crystal Cove is a peaceful stretch of beach situated between the much busier Newport and Laguna Beaches. Kelp beds, tidal pools, sea lions porpoising in the wake of fishing boats, and lots of birds. A two hour stroll on the sand, cobwebs gone.

Here is a seagull, standing watch over the sunset.

Gull - Crystal Cove

And from the top of the bluff, Catalina Island under a setting sun.

Catalina Island

Power Plant – Dawn

November 30, 2011
industrial, landscapes, photography
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I love photographing industrial facilities. As with so many things, seen from the right perspective, they can be incredibly beautiful. The English photographer, Michael Kenna, has made a series of sensational photographs of power plants and other industrial operations that are worth checking out. In addition to admiring his talent, I am also envious of the access he was granted to photograph these sites.  Always tricky, trying to photograph industrial facilities. Security guards tend to get a little antsy when they see the tripod and the long lens. Fortunately, in this instance I was far enough away that I was invisible to the powers that be.

Power Plant

Power Plant - Dawn