Vintage Motorcycles

In an attempt to clear my mind I put my project on hold for a day and ran over to the vintage motorcycle show, Sunday afternoon at O'Connor Fieldhouse in Caldwell. I put together a little slideshow, so check it out if you'd like.

http://www.iptblogs.com/IPTmedia/slideshows/080330_Vintage

Boxing Update

In only a matter of a day or two the story that I set out to tell about the Caldwell boxing scene has evolved into something a little different, which I'm convinced is a good thing. Originally, I had hoped to document the lives of the boxers of Caldwell but after a day of stewing, I came to the conclusion that it may be to broad of a topic.

So I decided to begin focusing on two boxers who are related in a somewhat uncommon way and who have both faced plenty of adversity on their road to becoming professional boxers. The project is very much still in its infancy, however, I do have a pair of photos to share. These were both taken within the last week and are both of Edgar, the older of the two boxers I am following.



I guess the goal, as of right now, is to document their lives leading up to a highly publicized bout on Saturday, April 5th. I've hit a few road blocks to date, although things are coming along pretty well.

Check back for more updates down the road.

The Start of Something Big

Last night I started something big. For the past week and a half I have been brainstorming with the intention of coming up with a story idea that I could take on over the next few weeks or months. On Saturday, March 22nd I had a breakthrough and settled on one idea. The exact direction which I am going to take the story is still up in the air, however, I can say that I now have laid the groundwork for something special.

I intend to take an in-depth look at the boxing culture in the small city of Caldwell, Idaho. More specifically I hope to visually document the lives of those who live it. It is a subject that has been done before, however, this particular story offers a variety of unique characteristics which make it somewhat special. As I understand it, boxing has a well documented history in this area complete with a cast of highly talented and passionate individuals surrounded by a variety of controversial issues between the boxers, the trainers, the cutmen, the teams and the community in which they reside.

At this time there isn't much more to say, but I intend to frequently document my progress as time goes by. This is an out take from a recent shoot at one of the clubs I will be following.

Early Easter Sunday

I can't really say i've ever thought of myself as much of a "morning person" and today that sentiment was firmly reinforced. Six o'clock came much earlier than I had hoped and when it came time to fumble into my car and drive across the valley to cover a sunrise service, I was less than enthusiastic. Little did I know, things would only get worse as the morning progressed.

The service was scheduled to start at 7 a.m. so I decided it would be advantageous to arrive around a quarter till, a decision which I very quickly came to regret. As stated in a previous entry, the service was held outdoors, which has proven to be problematic in the past as I had attempted to cover this event last year and arrived the morning of to find that it had been canceled on account of rain. This year the weather was almost equally as uncooperative, although instead of rain I was battling 45 mph winds. The service eventually started after only a half an hour of standing on a hill, in the dark, waiting. Needless to say, the experience left me with far less inspiration than I believe it was intended to.


After escaping to the cozy confines of my four-door sedan I gathered my thoughts and set out for Melba, about 15 miles East through the heart of rural Canyon County. The destination, in this case, was not nearly as exciting as the journey. I encountered a road called Cool Rd. which I thought was interesting enough to follow and I am modestly happy that I did. I found this old abandoned home next to a big tree that was just about as disfigured as the house and I decided it was worth taking a picture of.



I'll be rounding out the rest of the day with an Easter Sunday calf roping contest in Caldwell. I'm hoping coffee will be provided at the gate but I won't hold my breath.

Action on the Ice

Tonight I covered a game between the hometown Idaho Steelheads and the Stockton Thunder at Qwest Arena in downtown Boise. The Steelheads play in the ECHL, which as I understand it, is the second tier of minor league hockey under the NHL. Regardless, it is a ton of fun to watch, especially when I shoot from the box between the team benches. In this spot there is no glass to guard you from flying pucks and in some cases flying players. This evening I got stuck between a verbal argument between two players from opposing teams as well as an unfortunate exposure to ammonium carbonate or smelling salt, which was more unpleasant than you could imagine.

GOOOOAAAALLLLL!!!

Spring Ball

The past couple of days have been fairly slow, which has been a welcomed change of pace. Friday afternoon I covered a softball game between The College of Idaho and Concorida University, a powerhouse matchup, I know. I got this shot as two infielder's collided while going for a short pop fly.


Today I covered a couple of Easter Egg hunts which were considerably less exciting than I had hoped. I am keeping faith (no pun intended) that the Sunrise Service I will be covering tomorrow in rural Canyon County will be worth the early rise and the long drive. On paper it sounds interesting, a service on the top of a large outcropping of rocks named Lizard Butte, which adorns a large luminescent cross.

Check back to see if it was worth the work.

One year later...

Well it's official. It's spring. I say that with a certain degree of sadness because I know the ski season is nearly over, but I can't help be optimistic because I know that as one season ends, another begins.

At work, the winter sport season has ended and before I have even had a chance to relax, it's time to break out the sunscreen and flip flops and get ready for spring sports in the sunshine. To this point I have already covered a variety of ball games and track meets and so far so good. It always takes a game or two to knock off the rust but that's what spring training is for right?



One additional anecdote worth noting; on March 1st I rolled over my one-year anniversary at the Idaho Press-Tribune. I find it pretty hard to believe how quickly a year can go by and it is just as scary to think how much of my life has changed in that time. I've left behind great friends and have made a few new ones, I've lived in 4 different apartments, I became an uncle, I grew a beard, I learned to ski, I rediscovered what it means to work hard, and most importantly, I laughed and laughed often.


Now in my second year, I have learned a few things and although I can't quite consider myself a vet, I now feel more comfortable with myself, my job and my surroundings, which I am convinced can only help me as I embark on future endeavors.

So as usual, thanks for checking in and keep checking back, I have a couple projects in the works over the next month or so and I intend on logging my progress.