General Promotion Ceremony

I had the pleasure of witnessing the promotion ceremony of an Air Force Brigadier General today. The attention to detail and procedure and detail is something that makes the military a pleasure to photograph. I was lucky enough to make some pictures of the honor guard preparing for the ceremony and then did my best to stretch my creativity during the ceremony itself. Brigadier General Paul T. Johnson, commander of the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. He is responsible for one of the largest installations and flying operations in the United States and oversees more than 6,700 airmen, 3,200 civilians and 100 aircraft.

Sam Abell's Signed Book up for Auction

Photojournalism is a relatively small community that at times can band together with the goal of taking care of folks in our industry who really need it.
Currently, St. Petersburg Times photojournalist
Stephen Coddington is in a battle with big insurance and trying to keep his family together. If you are able to make a contribution, please follow the link above to the A Photo a Day Story that gives options for helping out. One of the latest is a great opportunity to get a one of a kind piece of photo journalism history:
There's currently an eBay auction of world renowned photographer Sam
Abell's latest hardcover photo book, The Life of a Photograph, signed
by the master himself. Published in 2008 by the National Geographic
Society.

Search for item #260456026357

or go here http://tinyurl.com/mbed9u

The Fountain

Natalie Guillen is a passionate and talented photojournalist, and someone who thirsts for life. When she makes friends, they are for keeps, when she dances, she flies, and she never passes up a fountain.



Plaza Colón, Old San Juan.

Salsa

Puerto Rico is credited in most circles to be the birthplace of salsa dancing. The other place credited is New York City. In Old San Juan, at the Newyorican Café, they can claim both, and have live salsa bands that perform in the intimate but beloved space that was once touted as one of the last places in San Juan that one could go to get a truly authentic salsa experience. In recent years it has slowly gone the way of a tourist bar, but remains wildly popular and has plenty of opportunity to celebrate the Latin groove.

Skate Park

As important as eyes are to photography, so are ears. After bolting for some shelter from a downpour in the Puerto Rican surf destination of Rincón, I heard a rumbling coming from behind me. It turns out that what I heard was skateboards whooshing through a concrete course in an echoing building. It was the perfect time of day, and although we missed sunset on the beach, I had a great time meeting some nice people and exploring a little color and light.

My Island

Milton Ocasio was born in Puerto Rico and has lived in Fitchburg, Mass. for the last ten years or so. When I met him on the beach in Ponce, he was in the middle of a 2 week trip back home, he had not been back in a decade. When he was talking about why he missed Puerto Rico, he told me, that for him, there was no other paradise on Earth. "This is my island......" he said. "....My Island!!! Ya'll can visit, but it's MINE!" It was wonderful to see someone so appreciative of anywhere in the world, especially when it's home.

Old San Juan

The architecture of Old San Juan is really amazing. The city itself is full of cobblestone streets and buildings that date back to the 16th and 17th century when Puerto Rico was owned by Spain. Wandering the streets looking for ways to reflect that was a real treat, a beautiful area that seems to have ghosts of its colonial past all around.

Iguana Man

Sometimes I get a reminder why it is so important to listen to your gut. It is a rare gift, but every once in a while a little voice in my head tells me that there is a picture to be made. When it happens while I'm driving, the impulse is to say "No, I'm busy right now, I'll come back later". Usually I get about a block before huffing a curse under my breath and turning around to photograph what I think I saw or felt.
In Puerto Rico in June, I was in the passenger seat on a day off from assignment when I saw a man attempting to sell baby iguanas for $3 a piece on the side of the road...."Picture".
I jumped out of the car, thinking I could catch up because traffic was slow. Yeah, right. Anyway, I thought the picture was of him holding them in front of his face, but it turns out that my gut told me otherwise, and it made all the difference.