Tag: photojournalism

Sizing up the Competition

Posted on by david.kennedy

Sizing up the winners
Sizing up the competition: Jaron Tylock of Racine, left, and Casey Panyk of Union Grove marvel at some of the top catches on display in the Salmon-a-Rama leader case on July 17, 2010 in Racine, Wis. Among the fish on display is angler Roger Hellen's potentially record-setting 41.5 pound Brown trout caught on Friday. | Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 23mm | Exposed 1/60 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 2000 (0 EV)

On the last full day of the Salmon-a-Rama tournament, I found myself walking around quite a bit in search of subjects.  Most of the anglers who were focusing on fish offshore were in their boats from 5am until 8pm, coming in just before the weigh station closed at nine.  Storms are brewing tonight, putting pressure on the anglers for the last few hours before the close of Salmon-a-Rama at 11am Sunday.

I’ve been going through my photos and video (well, I’m trying my hardest with the video files–my laptop isn’t anywhere the speed of my desktop computer, and its attempts to play the 5D II video files are laughable at best), and I’m attempting to identify holes in the story that could be covered with certain content.

I know that I need another interview or two, although my video interview with co-director of Salmon-a-Rama Craig Bender was very informative.  I would like to have the perspective of a fisherman or two.  I tried tonight, but while photographing and hanging around is fine for some people, recording their voice can be asking too much.  It’s too bad, as they definitely had something to contribute, but there will be opportunities tomorrow.

I do not have a picture of anyone reeling in a fish, and on the one hand I’m nervous about this gap, and on the other I think it’s fair to say that part of the experience of fishing is waiting for a bite on the line.  It’s what people do while waiting that can be the most interesting: the relationships between anglers, be they friends or family.  The other part is the pride in the catch.  So while I don’t have that moment in between those two stages, but  it is my hope the content I do have will compensate for this shortcoming.

A world record for Brown trout?

Posted on by david.kennedy

Roger Hellen with his 41.5 pound Brown trout
Angler Roger Hellen poses with his 41.5 pound Brown trout for Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel photographer Benny Sieu at Salmon-a-Rama on July 16, 2010 in Racine, Wis. The trout, caught that morning, was speculated to be a world record-setting catch. The current record for Brown trout was set last September in the Manistee River of Michigan at 41 pounds, 7 ounces. Hellen's trout, an ounce heavier, is pending review of National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association before it can be declared the world record for this species. | Canon 1D Mark III and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 51mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200 (+1 EV)

Not just any “fish story”

On the morning  of July 16, 2010, Roger Hellen set out in his boat, “Get Hooked,” with his friend Joe Miller.  He came back with what is quite possibly a world record for Brown trout: 41 pounds, 8 ounces.  The fish will likely earn Hellen the grand prize of $10,000  at Salmon-a-Rama, and also stirred up a bit of a media frenzy given the possibility of a new record for Brown trout.  The current record was set only back in September 2009 by an angler in Michigan with a 41 pound, 7 ounce Brown trout.  The catch also beats the Salmon-a-Rama record for largest fish entered in the contest which has stood since 1997.

So far, I’ve met some great people out at Salmon-a-Rama, and I think that the stories I’ve heard will be compelling for the argument that sport fishing is an important part of Lake Michigan–something that could be lost should Asian carp gain access to the Great Lakes. Continue reading “A world record for Brown trout?” →

Checking in at the Weigh Station

Posted on by david.kennedy

Weighing in Lake perch at Salmon-a-Rama
Yellow perch spasm on the table while Jeff Zinuticz, center, a fishery technician for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Craig Bender, left, the co-director of Salmon-a-Rama, measure and weigh angler Joe Staszewski's catch on Thursday, July 15, 2010 in Racine, Wis. After discovering that the perch were not prize-winning, Staszewski said that "they were hitting better before, but now Salmon-a-Rama has come." | Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 16mm | Exposed 1/80 sec. @ f/4, ISO 800 (+1.33 EV)

Last night I had a fairly productive evening at Salmon-a-Rama.  I still need a couple of audio interviews, to gather some ambient sound, and to shoot some video, but I have the feeling it will all come together.

Some of the photos are more visual “notes” that I like the idea of an image, but that a given frame is not enough to push it into the final edit.  I’m hoping to perfect all of these frames before the week is out, although the one above may be tough to beat given that the Yellow perch (“Lake perch”) were still jumpin’ on the table!

Please scroll down for the rest of the photos and, as always, comments and criticism welcome! Continue reading “Checking in at the Weigh Station” →

One image, three versions

Posted on by david.kennedy

Fountain v. 1
Adults and children alike cool off from the summer heat in the Dr. Laurel Salton Clark Memorial Fountain on July 13, 2010 in Racine, Wis. The fountain, dedicated to the astronaut from Racine who was killed in the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, was recently re-opened to the public after being temporarily closed being in violation of the health code. | Canon 5D Mark II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 57mm | Exposed 1/500 sec. @ f/8, ISO 200 (0 EV)

I was on my way to the boat ramp and piers by the Reefpoint Marina in Racine, Wis. yesterday when I passed by one of the city’s summer hot-spots for the past several years: the Dr. Laurel Salton Clark Memorial Fountain.  The fountain was named in memory of the astronaut who was killed in the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003 who grew up in Racine.

Earlier this summer, the city closed the fountain to the public because its plumbing couldn’t handle the chlorination of the water any longer, and was therefore in violation of health code.  The city went as far as to post a guard in front of the fountain to deter people from cooling off in it, but it was recently brought back up to code–at least in a temporary manner–in time for the summer heat.

There’s one image I liked quite a bit from this afternoon, but I cannot decide on a crop for it! Continue reading “One image, three versions” →

The Largest Fishing Tournament on the Great Lakes

Posted on by david.kennedy
Fishing poles
Fishing poles rest in one of the official buckets given to registrants of Salmon-a-Rama at Reefpoint Marina, Racine, Wis. The lines of the poles were tied off to beer bottles to alert the fishermen if a fish tugged at the bait. | Canon 1D Mark III and 70-200mm f/4L IS lens @ 89mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/4, ISO 100 (+1 EV)

The largest freshwater fishing tournament in the Great Lakes kicked off on July 10 in Racine, Wis.  One of the great concerns about the possibility of Asian Silver and Bighead carp entering into Lake Michigan is the potential for the destruction of sport fishing due to the radical changes that could happen to the food chain.  The carp are voracious filter-feeders, and could out-compete the fish that serve as “food” for the trout and salmon, and could be the final nail in the coffin for the lake perch.

It wasn’t foremost on the minds of the anglers participating in Salmon-a-Rama, but when I explained the idea of my project, there seemed to be universal concern about the invasive carp, most recently found only six miles from the shoreline of Lake Michigan.  It’s encouraging that this project is relevent even if the environmental outlook for the Great Lakes seems to be discouraging. Continue reading “The Largest Fishing Tournament on the Great Lakes” →

Chimping a Wedding Portrait

Posted on by david.kennedy
Bride and Groom at the Lakefront
Bride and groom and a chimp at the Lakefront, Shoop Park, Racine, Wis. | Canon 7D and 400mm f/4 DO IS lens | Exposed 1/1600 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200.

A Sequence

My dad and I went down to Shoop Park in Racine, Wis. late this afternoon in hopes of getting some photographs of birds in flight.  Indeed, there were some Common Terns and Caspian Terns in addition to the usual mix of Herring and Ring-billed Gulls.

But the most interesting discovery was a couple having their post-wedding portrait taking on an old pier parallel to the one we were standing on.  I made a few pictures of them, and was amused by the interaction between the bride and groom, as well as their photographer who went from paying attention to them to chimping!

Saying goodbye to the class of 2010

Posted on by david.kennedy

In the fall of 2008, I relocated to Columbia, Mo. to enroll at the University of Missouri School of Journalism’s graduate program. I’ve met wonderful people–graduate students, undergraduates, faculty, staff, and many locals in Columbia–who have made this an amazing, if trying experience. On Saturday, after four semesters, many of the people in the cohort I matriculated with received their degrees. It was a bittersweet moment to realize that it’s over for some, but not quite for all.

Stephens Lake Park: A Green Oasis on Broadway

Posted on by david.kennedy

Stephens Lake Park: A Green Oasis on Broadway from David Kennedy on Vimeo.

In late March, I posted a “draft” of my contribution to my Picture Story class’ project on Broadway, one of the main arteries of Columbia, Mo., which was a “think piece” about Stephens Lake Park.

This Monday, I had the opportunity to sit down with Steve Saitta, Parks Development Superintendent for the city of Columbia, and ask his thoughts about the relevance of Stephens Lake Park for the community, and the significance of the park’s location on Broadway.

I believe this to be a significant improvement upon my original idea, and I hope you’ll agree. Comments and criticism always welcome!