2011 Country Stampede

     Tuttle Creek State Park was packed with country music fans this past weekend for the 2011 Country Stampede. Below are a few photos I made while I was there.

Country Stampede romance.

Country music trio, Lady Antebellum.

Country music singer, Joe Nichols.

Cowboy hat shopping.

Couldn't resist.

Lightning in Wichita

     I went home to Wichita this past weekend, and on Saturday night the sky was glowing with lightning bolts. I grabbed my camera and tripod and went down to the Keeper of the Plains. At 9 p.m. the giant work of art is surrounded by flames for about 15 minutes. I thought the flames and lightning would produce a fun photograph. Afterward, I went to Old Town and climbed onto a parking garage to get a view of an area filled with restaurants, bars, live music, and a movie theatre. Below are the results.

 

Joplin Tornado 2011

     Last week I spent two days (Tuesday and Friday) in Joplin, Missouri, photographing the destruction that was caused by an EF-5 tornado on Sunday, May 22. As I write this, 134 lives have been confirmed as deceased from the tornado. This tornado is the deadliest in the U.S. in more than 60 years. When people ask me what it was like to witness the aftermath, I typically shake my head and remain speechless. For me, it resembles, what I imagine, a violent war zone would look like.
     I was surprised to find how many of the survivors were willing to speak to me and other press about their experience. For me, as I am sure it is for the majority of journalist, the goal is to never exploit the people that have been put in these situations, but to tell and show the honest story and emotion that exist.
     In 2007, I traveled to Greensburg, KS to photograph the devastation of a tornado that destroyed that town. I have since been back to Greensburg to see the rebuilding process, and how the community is proving that life can continue after such a disastrous event.
     I hope that everyone in Joplin, Tuscaloosa, AL, and every other place that has been affected throughout this horrible tornado season will prevail as Greensburg has.

Joplin citizens and volunteers begin to sort through the rubble.

Danny Gideon sits on his porch with his dogs two days after an EF-5 tornado ravaged the city of Joplin, MO. Gideon rushed to find his 77-year-old mother 45 minutes after the tornado hit. After finding his mother in the rumble of the retirement home she was living in, she passed away eight hours later in triage. During all of the chaos, Gideon said, "She wasn't scared."

 

Rebuilding is well underway only a few days after the tornado.

St. John's medical center.

Graduation Season

     Since school has let out for the summer, I have been working/interning as a photographer for the Manhattan Mercury. My assignments have varied for the most part, but I have also covered a few different graduations in Manhattan. First, Kansas State University had a weekend full of commencement ceremonies, and today was Manhattan High Schools ceremony. Below are a few frames from these graduations.

The 2011 graduating class of Manhattan High School celebrating the end of their high school careers.

Searching the masses for friends and family.

A new K-State graduate taking a family photo with "Mr. K-State," Ernie Barrett.

Juggling

The Downtown Farmer's Market is now open for business in Manhattan. The Manhattan farmer's market is one of the oldest in Kansas. Below is a picture of juggler, Anneliese Spence, performing near the entrance of the market, and a man with his son walking around. I love farmer's markets because they are comprised of local people, producing locally grown food/handmade items. 

Larry Williams Sr.

     It's been a little bit since I have posted any work on here. Below is a video I just finished on a postal carrier, Larry Williams Sr., that delivers in Manhattan. Before his tenure with the U.S. Postal Service, he served 22 years in the military. He is nice guy that really enjoys his job. Take a look!

KSU vs. Mizzou Men's Basketball

     Today, I covered the K-State vs. Missouri basketball game at Bramlage Coliseum. The students and fans came out in full-force, making the "Octagon of Doom" a very loud place. Senior point guard Jacob Pullen passed the 2,000 career points mark, and led the Cats to a, 80-70, victory. This was probably one of the funnest basketball games I have ever photographed. The NCAA tournament is looking more and more like a reality for KSU, as the Wildcats (20-9) have now won four consecutive games with two left before postseason play begins.

A lone Missouri Tiger fan is surrounded by purple in the KSU student section.

Jacob Pullen became only the second Wildcat to surpass the 2,000-point mark.