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Archive for the ‘The York Dispatch’ Category

Tractor-trailer vs. train

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, York on January 24, 2011| 6 Comments »

If a train is going westbound at 20 miles per hour and a tractor-trailer is heading southbound at (I’m not sure how many) miles per hour…

Never mind, I’m not going to try constructing one of those math problems.

I was en route to an 8:30 assignment this morning when my editor called and said a car hit a train at this-and-this intersection on the other side of town. When I arrived at that intersection, I saw nothing but found it hard to believe that the accident would have been cleaned up already — and then saw flashing lights about half a mile down a side street.

Turns out it wasn’t a car that hit the moving train — it was a tractor-trailer.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. A UPS freight tractor trailer crashed into a train at the rail crossing on Zarfoss Drive near West Market Street on Monday, Jan. 24, 2011. West Manchester Township police officer Keith Roehm said the truck driver, Monte Poff of Red Lion, was headed southbound on Zarfoss when he didn't see the rail crossing lights because the sun was in his eyes. No personal injuries were sustained, although the train lost a brake and dragged the truck about 130 yards before it came to a compete stop.

Train: 1, tractor-trailer: 0.

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Steeler country

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, Sports, The York Dispatch, York on January 23, 2011| 4 Comments »

Well, the Steelers defeated the Jets tonight, and are moving on to the Super Bowl.

Tonight, as part of my Sunday late-ish shift, I was sent to photograph fans watching the game at a bar.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Pittsburgh Steelers fans Mike and Kim Harkins, of Dallastown, cheer and New York Jets fan Joey Rivera, of Red Lion, grimaces, after the Steelers made a run during the second quarter of the American Football Conference championship game. Rivera, the Harkins and dozens of other fans gathered at Tailgaters Grille and Drafthouse on Sunday, Jan. 23, 2011, and watched the Steelers win the AFC championship to move on to the Super Bowl.

This isn’t the first time I’ve had to make pictures of sports fans cheering on their team at the local watering hole, and since the Super Bowl game falls again on my Sunday shift, this probably won’t be the last time, either. That said, these kinds of assignments always present a few challenges:

  1. As a photographer wanting to get fans’ reactions to the game, you absolutely need to stick around for a while to make sure you get enough reactions to enough plays. This is because…
  2. …Chances are, frames with really good moments are also going to have quite a few mid-blinks or arms in front of faces, etc.
  3. Also, sports bars typically have multiple TV screens installed, which means fans at any given table will at any given time be looking in any given direction, depending on whichever screen they choose to watch. This can make for some pretty odd-looking photos, what with people looking in all directions.

All of this means… you absolutely need to stick around for a while. (Which you should do anyway.)

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Rasslin’: Spring Grove defeats Red Lion 46-12

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, Sports, The York Dispatch, York on January 21, 2011| 1 Comment »

I had my first night shift last night, which meant I shot high school sports. Specifically, high school wrestling.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Spring Grove's Paul Smith, left, wrestles Red Lion's Rustin Lehr in the 189-pound bout at Spring Grove Area High School on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011. Rehr defeated Smith 2-1 in their match; Spring Grove defeated Red Lion 46

High school sports, especially wrestling and swimming, are known to feature poor lighting conditions that frustrate the hell out of photographers. John warned me about Spring Grove’s gym: For varsity bouts, they turn off all the lights in the gym except for a single spotlight above the mat.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Red Lion's Austin Holloway, top, wrestles Spring Grove's Toby Allison in the 135-pound bout at Spring Grove Area High School on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011. Holloway defeated Allison 7-6 in their match

Fortunately, the mat is white, so it’s basically one big bounce card or reflector or what-have-you. That said, the exposure on the edge of the mat isn’t so great — but I never felt tempted to pull out my flash. I was pretty happy with my first time shooting high school wrestling, but I know I won’t be so fortunate in every gym. (Alas.)

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Spring Grove's Mike Hartman, top, wrestles Red Lion's Patrick Kluyber in the 145-pound bout at Spring Grove Area High School on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011. Hartman defeated Kluyber 4-0 in their match.

(more…)

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Shooting kitties and puppies

Posted in Pennsylvania, Photography, The York Dispatch, York on January 20, 2011| 1 Comment »

Every month, The York Dispatch produces a short video featuring three dogs and three cats available for adoption at the York County SPCA. It’s a small service for the community, and I’m told that the videos do help bring animals from the shelter to good homes.

Of course, this means that every month, a Dispatch photographer needs to shoot video and take photographs of three dogs and three cats. Today, I went with John to see how it’s done.

Crissy poses for York Dispatch photographer John A. Pavoncello at the York County SPCA on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, for the Dispatch's monthly "Take Me Home" video featuring three dogs and three cats.

I’ve never been to an SPCA or shelter before, since I haven’t been in a situation where I could own a pet, and seeing all the lonely cats and dogs kinda broke my heart.

“It’s best to make them look as cute and sad and pathetic as possible,” John told me before we entered the building.

Some of the animals were shy and needed some coaxing — but others were immediately curious about John and me.

Jade inspects York Dispatch photographer John A. Pavoncello's video camera at the York County SPCA on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, for the Dispatch's monthly "Take Me Home" video featuring three dogs and three cats.

To view past “Take Me Home” videos, go to the Dispatch video homepage and click through the categories, which are in tabs on the upper righthand side of the Flash viewer, until you get to the correct category.

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It’s tax season again!

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, York on January 20, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yorkers know when it’s tax season — because the Statues of Liberty are on the streets, waving signs, dancing and having a good ol’ time.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Dressed as the Statue of Liberty, Freddie Frederick, of York City, waves to passing drivers at the corner of North George Street and U.S. Route 30 on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. One office's lead tax preparer, Kate Williams of York City, said the wavers bring in about 90 percent of her office's customers.

Every year, from January through April, Liberty Tax Services employs people to dress as the Statue of Liberty and attract attention and customers to their offices. My editor sent me out yesterday to shoot some video of these Statues of Liberty, just for fun. Check out the finished video, which he edited.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Statue of Liberty robes hang in the back room of the Liberty Tax Services office at 30 11th Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Dressed as the Statue of Liberty, Freddie Frederick, of York City, waves to passing drivers at the corner of North George Street and U.S. Route 30 on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. Frederick said he has been waving every January-April season for Liberty Tax Services for about three years.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Steaven Smith, of York City, dances to music via his CD player as he waves to pedestrians and passing drivers at the corner of North George Street and West Philadelphia Street on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. Smith, who is originally from New York City, said he loves his job because it represents his hometown and because he loves to dance. As to the music to which he dances and hums, Smith said he listens to anything from Young Jeezy to Mary J. Blige.

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Dirt Trackin’ Show: Not what you think

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, York on January 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On Sunday, my editor told me to check out the 28th annual Dirt Trackin’ Show at the York Fairgrounds Expo Center. Even though the show’s website gave no indication thereof, I expected to shoot some pretty dirty, gritty racing, and therefore prepared for the worst by wearing my oldest jeans and a worn sweater.

I knew I was wrong as soon as I entered the expo center. Instead making my way through large crowds cheering on dirt-churning racecars, I saw there were about 200 racecars on display and very few people walking around. Vendors and local drivers whom I met confirmed my fears: Sunday was turning out to be the slowest day of one of the slowest show weekends they’d seen in years.

But some people were out to have fun anyway. Here’s one.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Vicki Wallace, of West Manchester Township, wedges herself into the seat of small block modified car as the car's driver Daryl Dissinger, of Hummelstown in Dauphin County, gives her verbal instructions at the 28th annual Dirt Trackin' Show at the York Fairgrounds Expo Center on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011. Dissinger's car is pink because it is sponsored by the Dillsburg Cancer Center.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2011: A day on, not a day off

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, York on January 17, 2011| 3 Comments »

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which means the Crispus Attucks Community Center here in York hosted its 27th annual MLK Day breakfast and day of community service.

Yep, 27th. MLK Day became a national holiday only 25 years ago, but one of the organizers told me the CA began the breakfast two years prior. Here are a few snaps from today; check out some more in the York Dispatch gallery.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Berta Palmer, of York City, performs a dramatic monologue as former slave Harriet Tubman for the more than 500 people who came for breakfast and community service at the Crispus Attucks Community Center on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on Monday, Jan. 17, 2011. Palmer began and ended her monologue by singing parts of the spiritual "Go Down Moses."

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Michael Ortiz, 2 of York City, and his mother Atya listen to speakers while eating breakfast at the Crispus Attucks Community Center on Monday, Jan. 17, 2011.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Amarjaa Goodling, 9 of West Manchester Township, hands a plate of food to Jimmya Coates, 10 of York City, before breakfast was served to more than 500 people at the Crispus Attucks Community Center on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on Monday, Jan. 17, 2010. MLK Day 2011 committee member Lesia Richards said the meals were free to the public.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Voni Grimes, 89 of York City, performs "Lift Every Voice and Sing" on the harmonica during the 27th annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Day breakfast at the Crispus Attucks Community Center on Monday, Jan. 17, 2011. Grimes, who attended segregated schools in York, is a local community leader who has promoted athleticism and has had a gym named after him.

(more…)

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The face of disappointment: A young Steelers fan

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, Sports, The York Dispatch, York on January 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens are playing right now in the AFC playoffs. In anticipation of tonight’s game, my editor sent me to a local sports merch store on Thursday to photograph fans getting geared up.

Because York is about an hour north of Baltimore and, obviously, in Pennsylvania, the local fandom is split pretty evenly between the Steelers and the Ravens. This meant I had to make sure to get Steelers and Ravens fans in the store — no matter that it was noontime on a weekday.

I spent about two hours in the store, waiting for Ravens and Steelers fans to come in, and got one Ravens fan (who had to cross county lines in search of a Ravens T-shirt fitted for women). Finally, when a grandmother entered with her two young grandsons, I knew I could get the assignment done. With the grandmother’s permission, I followed the boys as they searched for shirts they could wear while watching the game.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Darius Kuentzler, 10 of Manchester Township, tries on a youth-sized version of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley's jersey at Bleacher Bums in York Galleria on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011. Kuentzler was visibly disappointed that the store's selection of youth-sized Steelers jerseys included only Woodley's and Ben Roethlisberger's numbers.

(Darius did eventually find a jersey he liked — Willie Parker’s. He also got quoted in the accompanying article.)

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Morning snow

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, York on January 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

This morning, I headed out the door at 6:45 for my first weather feature in Pennsylvania.

The entire northeast region of the U.S. received a blanket of snow last night, and York got about 3-4 inches. As the early-shift photographer, I was assigned to get some snow-related art around my apartment complex before the paper went to press. (The York Dispatch is an afternoon paper, remember.)

I was able to catch the guy who plowed, salted and shoveled an entire section of the complex before he left.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Justin Myers shovels sidewalks at the Apartments at Waterford early on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. Myers, who owns his own landscaping and installment business, said he has been plowing, shoveling and salting roads and sidewalks at the apartments and at another nearby business since 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11.

(I, uh, really need to control my camera tilt when using an off-camera flash. This is not the one I submitted for print, though.)

And photographed another guy brushing and scraping his car.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Ryan Wenrich, an engineer at Adhesives Research, scrapes and brushes off his car at the Apartments at Waterford on Wednesday morning, Jan. 12, 2011.

Then, before I had to go back inside to file photos, I traipsed around some more and admired the sky.

Natural vignetting. Natural sky (underexposed).

Then I went inside, thanked the powers-that-be that I have excellent snow boots and sent my photos to the paper.

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Pig: 1, Chris: 0.

Posted in Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch on January 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The Pennsylvania Farm Show opened in Harrisburg on Saturday, and my editor Randy, his wife and I went to check things out.

The annual show, now in its 95th year, is the culmination of all the county fairs and is essentially Pennsylvania’s state fair. (Given the time of year, everything is indoors in the massive Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.) Agricultural produce and stock are judged and auctioned, there’s a rodeo, local vendors set up booths, etc.

I’m going back today, and later I’ll blog more photos from Saturday and today, but here’s what’s running on today’s A1 in The York Dispatch:

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Lawson Neutzel, 6 of Seven Valleys, sits in a pen with two of his family's Yorkshire pigs at the 95th annual Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011. The Farm Show will run through next Saturday, Jan. 15.

I’m glad this is A1’s photo — because a pig ran me over while I got this shot.

More precisely, the pig, which of course weighed more than I did, barreled me over while I was talking to Lawson’s mother for the caption. Neither she nor I saw the fat porker coming. I guess it escaped from its handlers en route to its pen or the auction ring.

I’ve never covered a county fair or anything involving so much livestock — besides a few rodeos — but if getting run over by a pig is the worst thing that happens to me, I’m completely okay with that!

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High school basketball: Central York defeats Red Lion 66-43

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, Sports, The York Dispatch, Weddings on January 5, 2011| 2 Comments »

It’s been almost a year since I last shot basketball, but on the evening of my second day at The York Dispatch, I tagged along with John to photograph a high school game.

This was my first time…

  1. shooting high school basketball
  2. using my new full-frame camera to shoot sports
  3. having a lot of mobility and access during a game

For example, there was a wheelchair-access space cut out in the bleachers right in front of one of the baskets. Because no one in the crowd had a wheelchair, a photographer could sit there and shoot. So I did.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Central York's Jalil Ford attempts a shot during the third quarter against Red Lion on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2010.

A drop-down curtain separated the full court from a half-court, so that made for a nice, clean background on one side.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Central York's Corey Hartz attempts a shot against Red Lion on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2010.

The gym also featured a track that ran above and around the entire court. I spent most of the first quarter up there, and wished the whole time that I had at least a 300mm lens.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Red Lion's Eric Althoff unsuccessfully attempts to score at Central York High School on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011.

One thing I’ll have to wrangle: how to avoid back-/front-focusing with my new full-frame. I’ll be experimenting with different focus modes and techniques every chance I get.

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Day 2 at The York Dispatch: Arson

Posted in Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, York on January 5, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I spent Monday and Tuesday shadowing the York Dispatch‘s two staff photographers. Monday was a series of wild-goose chases — checking this out, looking for features… you know, the typical newspaper photography experience.

Tuesday morning, a fire destroyed two homes in nearby Red Lion. It was later ruled as arson, and John and I were sent to follow up on it in the afternoon. Three men were on-site, boarding up windows of the duplex that housed two families. I figured out that two of them were hired by one family to cover up one side of the duplex, and the other was hired by the other family. So John followed the two men, while I followed the single one.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Blake Cooper hauls a piece of plywood to board up a lower-story window of 136 W. High Street in Red Lion on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. Cooper, who works for Major Restoration Services, said the fire damage at this duplex was among the worst he has seen.

In such a disastrous scene, there were beautiful colors and beautiful light. I did my best with both.

© 2011 by The York Dispatch. Blake Cooper screws in a piece of plywood to board up a lower-story window of 136 W. High Street in Red Lion on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. The fire, which was called shortly after midnight Tuesday and was later ruled as arson, was caused by trash bags filled with gas that were thrown onto the porch of 136 W. High Street and ignited.

It’s a horrific thing for the two families who lost their homes — and for those whose neighboring houses sustained significant fire damage — but I think I did all right with these photos. As Cooper said when I spoke with him, “One man’s loss is another man’s gain.”

Coming up next: high school basketball!

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It’s official: A six-month photo internship with The York Dispatch

Posted in Internships/Careers, Journalism, Pennsylvania, Photography, Photojournalism, The York Dispatch, Travel, York on November 29, 2010| 2 Comments »

I have a few photos from Missouri and Thanksgiving I really should blog, but before that happens — I’m excited to announce I’ve accepted a six-month photo internship at The York Dispatch.

Front page courtesy of the Newseum.

So, after Christmas, I’ll be driving up to Pennsylvania via Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland. Then I’ll spend the next six months photographing for one of two newspapers in York, Pa. (That’s right — the other daily is The York Daily Record, with which The Dispatch has a joint operating agreement.)

York is a small town. Population-wise, it’s less than half the size of Columbia, Mo., where I went to college. I’ll be there for six months, and I’ll be joining a staff of two photographers.

Needless to say, the next six months will be very different from this past summer in Atlanta, and I’m very excited and honored to have been offered this internship.

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