Sunday, June 30, 2013
Remembering Jim Kelly
I'll be real honest. I didn't know much about Jim Kelly until very recently, but his work will continue to leave an impact long after his passing.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Sinbad Reflects on His Parents
"My mother and father taught me everything: integrity, honesty, being responsible. My father said you can't be anything unless you accept responsibility for all your failures. My mother wanted me to have a tough hide but a tender heart."
- Sinbad, Parade, September 1994
Thursday, June 20, 2013
From Full-Time to Freelance: Saying Goodbye to the American Photojournalist
It's somewhat ironic that as cameras become more ubiquitous within our society, the role of the photojournalist is becoming more rare throughout newsrooms every year.
On May 30th the Chicago Sun-Times laid off their entire photography staff, including distinguished photographer and Pulitzer Prize winner, John H. White. Yes, a Pulitzer Prize winner laid off. That's like you being recognized nationally within your industry as 'Employee of the Year,' and being let go the following year. Chances are you'd be stunned. So too were the photography staff at the Sun-Times when they were given their pink-slips less then three weeks ago.
John H. White had been with the Sun-Times for more then 40 years before he was relieved of his duty last month. Neither his tenure nor his work was enough to save his job, and his firing -- along with that of the entire photo department -- is an ominous sign for photojournalists across America.
The rise of iPhones and DSLR cameras have given way to the perception that photojournalists aren't all that important and that anyone can do it. Add in all the tools you can use in any standard Photoshop Suite and all the sudden you have a belief that photography is rather simple. This belief has sadly and seemingly seeped into the newsroom culture where more and more photojournalists are having to resort to freelance type work.
I think of photography much in the same way I do poetry. Both are easy to dabble in, but hard to truly master. There's a certain nuance that a photojournalist possess about their craft that can really only be developed through time, skill and the capturing of countless photos. Let us hope that newsrooms across this country come to their senses and once again see the importance of photography as the lens through which we see the world. For the actual article and a collage of John H. White's photography of 1970s Chicago, click here.
On May 30th the Chicago Sun-Times laid off their entire photography staff, including distinguished photographer and Pulitzer Prize winner, John H. White. Yes, a Pulitzer Prize winner laid off. That's like you being recognized nationally within your industry as 'Employee of the Year,' and being let go the following year. Chances are you'd be stunned. So too were the photography staff at the Sun-Times when they were given their pink-slips less then three weeks ago.
John H. White had been with the Sun-Times for more then 40 years before he was relieved of his duty last month. Neither his tenure nor his work was enough to save his job, and his firing -- along with that of the entire photo department -- is an ominous sign for photojournalists across America.
The rise of iPhones and DSLR cameras have given way to the perception that photojournalists aren't all that important and that anyone can do it. Add in all the tools you can use in any standard Photoshop Suite and all the sudden you have a belief that photography is rather simple. This belief has sadly and seemingly seeped into the newsroom culture where more and more photojournalists are having to resort to freelance type work.
I think of photography much in the same way I do poetry. Both are easy to dabble in, but hard to truly master. There's a certain nuance that a photojournalist possess about their craft that can really only be developed through time, skill and the capturing of countless photos. Let us hope that newsrooms across this country come to their senses and once again see the importance of photography as the lens through which we see the world. For the actual article and a collage of John H. White's photography of 1970s Chicago, click here.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Son Makes Dad Proud on Father's Day
A father talks about how proud he is of the education his son is getting and the man he is becoming.
You can read the article at TheGrio.
You can read the article at TheGrio.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
A Little Girl, A Bowl of Cheerios, and A Whole Lot of Hate
It's somewhat ironic that a 30 second Cheerios commercial could show just how far America has to go when it comes to race and media.
The Cheerios commercial that has ignited a racist backlash is rather simple in its premise. A young girl - who happens to be biracial - asks her mother if Cheerios are good for your heart. Her mother responds that they are indeed healthy for your heart. The commercial then cuts to her sleeping father on the couch who awakens to see an avalanche of Cheerios on his chest. Here's how it all plays out:
The Cheerios commercial that has ignited a racist backlash is rather simple in its premise. A young girl - who happens to be biracial - asks her mother if Cheerios are good for your heart. Her mother responds that they are indeed healthy for your heart. The commercial then cuts to her sleeping father on the couch who awakens to see an avalanche of Cheerios on his chest. Here's how it all plays out:
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