Left Behind

It's not often I stumble upon something quirky when I have my camera handy to capture it. But last night, I covered the New Jersey primary for governor from the East Brunswick Hilton, where Mayor Steve Lonegan conceded to Chris Christie. After I packed up my stuff to head home, I stopped by the men's room, found this and had to make a picture of it. It symbolized the outcome for Lonegan. 

In Love

I set off to document tragedy, but came back with an image of joy. Late Friday, teenagers boating near Manasquan collided with a bigger boat, leaving one dead and others critically injured. Editors sent a reporter and me to the area today with the challenging task of finding family, friends or neighbors to discuss the teens and their accident for a follow-up story. But while some people find it cathartic to talk about ill-fated loved ones, others - including everyone we tracked down today - don't. So my editor instead asked me to make a photograph down the Shore as Memorial Day weekend kicked off.

A couple who seemed totally in love caught my eye on the beach. So I watched them, waiting for a good moment. The moment came when he scooped her up and carried her off to the water. 

Brian Williams

The latest issue of Inside Jersey Magazine features on the cover Jersey's own NBC anchor Brian Williams. A native a Middletown, NJ., he returned to his old stomping grounds for the photo shoot. One of his favorite places is Max's Hot Dogs in Long Branch. Which was featured on the cover. I also photographed him at his favorite beach located in Sea Bright. 

Now this shoot was slated to run during the warm month of June, but had to be shot on a very cold and windy day in April to make it happen. Brian was great. He endured the nasty elements head on with out complaint. Thanks Brian!

The photo of him peering out from over the collar of his jacket, to me has a James Dean quality about it. I thought it was a very cool picture, considering it was a grab shot after the photo session had concluded. We used it inside next to a submitted photograph of him by NBC.

To see a few behind the scene photos from the shoot, check out: Brian Williams.

Remote Boy

I owe a lot to the kind folks down in Raleigh, NC. for their help and kindness while shooting the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Everyone was accommodating, friendly and extremely helpful. There are too many of you to mention. A special thanks to Chris Seward, a photographer with The News & Observer, Carl with UPI/AP, Ellen with Reuters and this guy, Jeff Basladynski, who is studying Commercial Photography at Randolph Community College in Asheboro, NC. I think I will forever remember him as, "Remote boy." If there was an extra pass available, he would help shoot and run disks for the local folks. Out of the kindness of his heart, or maybe it was his eagerness, he would retrieve all of the remote cameras at the end from the catwalks of the RBC Center. I don't know how he did it, but he did. It was extremely helpful and a time saver. I wish we had someone like that back in Jersey.

Thanks Jeff!

Oh, yeah... before I forget, my camera is the one on the far right.

Planning, Perspective and Luck

Well the hockey playoffs are upon us again. I'm following the New Jersey Devils on the road as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes during the 1st round of the Eastern Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Last night the Devils lost 2-1 in overtime during game 2 in Newark. I always make an effort to place a remote camera up in the catwalks of the arena hours before game time. I do this for two reasons. One, you never know when you might be blocked from my photo position. Having another camera at a completely different angle might catch that moment that I was blocked.  This especially helps when I shoot alone and can't see both goals from my position.  So I hang the remote camera over the goal I can't see very well. This is the back up.  The other reason why I like using a remote camera is that it might render a very cool picture, not necessarily the defining game wining moment, but jut a cool shot.  

So last night I place a remote camera over the Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur.  The above shot was of the first goal that was made against him. Here you see the puck popping back out as Hurricanes' Eric Staal celebrates.   

The other photograph is the reaction to the game wining goal in overtime as the Hurricanes defeated the Devils 2-1.  Devils goalie Martin Brodeur looks stunned and on the right there is good reaction from Eric Staal of the Hurricanes celebrating. 

High-Key Fashion

Last week I was on a summer fashion shoot for Inside Jersey Magazine. This time I had the pleasure of working along with John O'Boyle, another fellow Star-Ledger photographer. For a day we took over several suites at The Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. A very cool place I must say. Anyway, the day was tight and there were many outfits to cover. Sometimes mistakes happen when you are rushing from location to location. Here I went to test my exposure and forgot to change my setting from the last location, which delivered a very cool high-key image. Even though this photograph won't make the cut, I had to keep it for myself. Sometimes mistakes render an unexpected favorite. 

Fleetwood Mac

I had the pleasure of photographing Fleetwood Mac perform in concert Saturday night during their Unleashed Tour 2009 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ.

I've never seen Fleetwood Mac in concert before so it was a lot of fun to see them play.  To see more photographs from the show check them out here: Fleetwood Mac.