karen e wink

There is no such thing as taking too much time, because your soul is in that picture.- Ruth Bernhard

My job has a long list of perks. Covering the arts sits close to the top of that list.

Louisiana Public Radio and the Arts Council produce a series called Crossroads that airs in SW Louisiana on KRVS. The series visits other cities but the broadcast version is held at Lake Charles’ Central School Theatre almost monthly when it is “in season.”

This concert series has been on my to-do list since I first learned about it. Finding the time to cover this event has been an issue for almost every event. On January 20th that all changed and I was able to cover Chris Thomas King’s Crossroads concert.

King is the son of a famous blues musician, Tabby Thomas, but he is not walking in anyone’s shadow. He is a great blues man in his own right with multiple Grammies, 3 gold and platinum awards, and movie performances. His website is christhomasking.com if you would like the complete lowdown. It was a great performance and a photo ran on A-1 the next day.

My black and white favorites are below. I shot this event with my personal Olympus E-3. Love Love Love my camera. Cheers!

<-kew->

Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow. – Imogen Cunningham

Collecting tear-sheets is a task I often forget to do. It takes more time if you don’t collect them as you go along. Add that to my revised list of New Year Resolutions. Below are the year end tear-sheets from 2008 and 2009. I also threw in one from my helicopter ride over Cameron after Ike.

Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long. – Walker Evans

The period between Christmas and Mardi Gras in South Louisiana is a slow news period. Add rain to the mix and it becomes an even slower news day. This means that I hunt for “wild art.” Yesterday that translated to a barge floating into the void of fog and rain on the Calcasieu River. The photo ran in color. I prefer it toned in a black and white version.

A technically perfect photograph can be the world’s most boring picture. - Andreas Feininger

The end of 2009 marks my first full year in Lake Charles.

My employment with the American Press began in June of 2008. My first six months were swamped by Ike and Gustav. Hurricane coverage buffed the newbie shine off my forehead.

January 2009 creeped in and life in Lake Charles without storms became a daily reality. Looking back over the year, southwest Louisiana has revealed itself to be a well kept secret in Louisiana. Continue reading One Full Year

The American Press lost an incredible sport writer last week. The living world lost a sweet happy soul who was always quick to smile.  Even though I did not have the opportunity to work with Brian Guilbeau for long, his positive spirit helped make my first months at the American Press more bright. For this I am eternally grateful.  May you rest in peace, Brian.

This photo was taken when Brian and I  patrolled around Lake Charles to cover the damage from Hurrican Ike. I would have been lost without him.

Here’s the obit we ran this past Saturday in the American Press:

Brian Guilbeau, an award winning sportswriter, columnist and page editor for the American Press, died Friday. He was 38.

He had battled cystic fibrosis, undergoing a pair of lung-transplant surgeries.

Guilbeau was the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s 2005 Columnist of the Year. He covered high school and McNeese sports for the American Press over the years, with assignments ranging from LSU’s national championship game to a high school basketball matchup played behind closed doors because a fight marred the teams’ previous meeting.

He won awards from The Associated Press, Louisiana Press Association and LSWA for game coverage, columns and headline writing.

Guilbeau also served as editor of the Health & Fitness page and was a page designer on the nighttime news desk.

His wife, Cassondra, and daughter, Lilly, are among those who survive him.

Whether he is an artist or not, the photographer is a joyous sensualist, for the simple reason that the eye traffics in feelings, not in thoughts. – Walker Evans

At some point during my long sabbatical from photography, i purchased a TLR (twin lens reflex) from a camera shop in Atlanta. The TLR appealed to me because it reminded me of high school and i love the 2.25×2.25 negative.

I took journalism in high school. Our classroom was equiped with a nice darkroom and we had several TLR’s that the school had owned since the 50’s. I love the quality and portability of the cameras. So when I saw this Rolleicord, it struck a note of nostalgia.

However, the camera sat unused and carefully stored away for years until last week.

I had 1 roll of Fuji’s Neopan film with an iso rating of 100.  The camera appeared to be in working order but you never know unless until you shoot a roll through it. So shoot I did.

There are several things about the Rolleicord that differ from the cameras I use on a daily basis in my work. The first, everything is backwards from the focusing screen to the side the focus ring is on.  So i looked like a clumsy ox at first. Second, everything is manual and there is no built in light meter. This in itself is not a huge issue because i do own a hand-held meter. However using a hand-held meter requires more thought. Lastly, there is no preview screen. Your photos are not revealed until developed.

All these differences slow down the process and allows you time to think about releasing the shutter. It was very refreshing and reminded me of why I love the art of photography.

For the first roll, i just shot a few things close to home nothing too major. There are only 12 exposures on a 120 roll so it was easy to shoot through to the end. My choice of developers was Ilford Perceptol. Working with the chemicals requires even more thought with controlling the temperature and time.

The results of my short shot were dead on and with no light leaks. My little Rolleicord worked perfectly.

Since then, my head has been spinning with several projects that only film will do justice. The whole process is exciting and relaxing at the same time.  I look forward to also recording my time in southwest Louisiana in film as well.

Now, I need to fix the enlarger I was given through a chance meeting. The cord needs repair and I need a new bulb.  The challenge is going to be space for a table in a room that can be “blacked out.” I did find a lab in Atlanta that does E-6 processing for 120 film and they scan negatives and slides as well.

I am at war with the obvious -William Eggleston

Post summer is settling in over south Louisiana. Its still warm and thanks to El Nino we have rain and more rain. October is normally dry but i’ve stomped through the mud all month. Not to mention, the Friday that the heavens opened up and blessed us all. After all, what’s a little rain in 80 degree weather. Below you will find a few of my favorite photos.  Not too much other to report,  other than the weather. Lake Charles has many events to fill my assignment calender which is always better than being bored.

i shot this during the opening prayer. I imaged this guy was praying for no rain, much like myself.

Continue reading El Nino

If you want to write you should learn the alphabet. You write and write and in the end you hava a beautiful, perfect alphabet. But it isn’t the alphabet that is important. The important thing is what you are writing, what you are expressing. The same thing goes for photography. Photographs can be technically perfect and even beautiful, but they have no expression. – Andre Kertesz, Visions and Images

the band from St. Augustine High, New Orleans

I am committed to improving my writing yet I avoid it to the extreme. I even avoid posting personal writing on this blog. Lack of confidence in my writing has to be the concern.

The reporters at work that I respect seem to go on and on about a subject. They paint a clear picture of the story. When I write, I see my photos in my head and I only think how the words will augment them. This prevents me from writing more? I am after all a visual person.

Continue reading Express yourself

Well I remember, I remember don’t worry
How could I ever forget, its the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, no you dont fool me
The hurt doesn’t show; but the pain still grows
Its no stranger to you or me

Cue drum solo.

This past Thursday night cued the start of prep football season with Jamborees. I covered two of the small town events. The first one was Thursday night in Vinton, a small town on the edge of Texas. Standing there on the field, I hear the distinctive intro to Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight, circa 1981. Instantly I am back in high school with my OM-1 and a hand-full of Kodak Tri-X.

Continue reading In the air tonight

In America, the photographer is not simply the person who records the past, but the one who invents it. – Susan Sontag

Everyday newspapers lose good journalists. This is old news. Most are because of layoffs, but not always.

The “American Press” lost one of my favorite reporters last week, but John Guidroz left in pursuit of a masters. We are so proud! Guidroz was an excellent reporter and had the APME awards to prove it. Plus, he was just darn nice!

John did have a knack for getting in the backgrounds on my photos when we were covering events together. I’ll miss trying to crop him out of my photos.

BTW: John is also a talented musician. I had been trying to make it out to hear him sing for many months. Time drug out until it was time for his last show in Lake Charles. That is the one I attended. John sung many of my favorite songs from the 80’s and 90’s. He’s got such talent: award-winning journalist and he can sing!