Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Year One

Today marks my one year anniversary at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. I cannot believe how quickly the year has passed and how much has happened in those 365 days. Being part of such an amazing photo staff at an awesome daily newspaper has helped me to grow not only as a photographer but as a person. I am no where near done growing and I have so much more to learn and to do both professionally and personally, but I am so thankful for those good things and even some of the bad things that have happened.

I have had my photos on A1, photographed along side really talented journalists and even been able to tell photo stories on my own through the paper and our various other publications.




(some of my first big pieces right off the bat and a recent story I shot)


I have also made some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Not only do I get to work with these talented folks but I get to hang out with them after work, at their homes with their families, on days off or on crazy girls weekend adventures. I was worried I wouldn't be accepted into the group, but that is one worry I should have never had because this group could not be more awesome and welcoming and for that I am very thankful. 



(above: Me, Dan and Elaine - aka the coolest photogs ever. below: some HT hooligans I hang with.)


I have had to learn to love Nikon again (I still love my Canon gear though!) and I shoot tons of stills and videos as well as tweet and Facebook about all sorts of happenings. I've been to all sorts of new places I never had been able to cover before and I have seen that it is possible to produce huge and amazingly impressive pieces if you work for a company that truly stands behind you and wants to push the envelope.



(above: Me with my D4 when it arrived. below: my badge on June 4, 2013.)

So what will year two hold? I have no idea really, but I hope it is filled with more fun with friends, more learning from amazing colleagues and bosses and more amazing photo opportunities. Thanks to all of you who made year one so awesome. 

(I'm ready to take on year two!)


live. laugh. love.
-rso-

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Where has the time gone?

Soooo about the last 3 1/2 months... yeah. Kind of forgot to post. My only excuse is that time gets away from me super easily.

I'll soon be coming up on my one year anniversary at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune! That is so crazy to think about. Season was insane this year but not having to go to galas/brunches/lunches/speakers every day made it a much more enjoyable one. Life in general has been pretty nuts but that is no excuse for not posting (well, sorta, but not really).

Anyway, here are a bunch of photos from February until now that I have liked from covering various assignments. Not all of them are my "best" images. Some I chose because I liked the person or the story and just want to be able to look back and remember that time. Others I really just liked the image. Some I chose because I was proud of my growing lighting skills (yeah folks, I am using lights on assignments occasionally these days. Madness!) Some just make me laugh. I hope you find at least one or two images you connect with while looking at my blog.



Two Highland dancers practice their steps off to the side before taking to the stage to compete at the 20th annual Sarasota Highland Games and Celtic Festival Saturday, February 1 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. 



Ariel Serrano coaches his son Francisco, 17, during rehearsal Wednesday, February 5 at Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. 



Ian Ackroyd reacts to hearing he has been named Sarasota County Schools' Middle School Teacher of the Year Thursday, February 6 at Venice Middle School. Ackroyd is one of three finalists for the annual Sarasota County Schools Teacher of the Year competition.  



Jay Leno performed Friday, February 7 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota. 



American Idol contestant and Bradenton native Sam Woolf performed Saturday, February 8 at the Bradenton Farmer's Market. 



A dozen couples renewed their vows Friday, February 14, Valentine's Day, at the Senior Friendship Center. The center also had gowns, old photos and wedding lore all on display in the main room. 



Katy Bergen gives it her best shot during her lesson with Tim Mason, a two time Canadian champion and an International medalist in lawn bowling. 



Julie Curtis and Mallory LaGasse, 5, have fun laughing together and building a dog house out of colorful plastic pieces Friday, February 21 at Circle of Friends Preschool. 



People took part in the 7th Annual Southwest Florida Heritage Festival Saturday, February 22 out at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center. Shows repeated throughout the day including a shoot out by the Hole In the Head Gang, Civil War Skirmishes, weavers, blacksmithing, horse trail rides, kids games and music. 



Two museum staff members got creative in securing and transporting the floral arrangement for the Rubens Gallery for the 4th annual Ringling In Bloom at The John and Mable Ringling Musem of Art on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. The four-day event, including lectures, workshops, demonstrations and a fashion show with food, continues through Sunday.



The Tampa Bay Rays watch their fellow teammates out on the field during the Tampa Bay Rays spring training season opener game against the Baltimore Orioles Friday, February 28 at the Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte. 



J.J. Hardy, No. 2, throws the ball to make a key out during the Baltimore Orioles spring training home day opening game against the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday, March 1 at Ed Smith Stadium. 



Cheryl Cohen moves to the music with her bird of paradise and smiles while enjoying the Baltimore Orioles spring training home day opening game against the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday, March 1 at Ed Smith Stadium. 



David Chrobak was a hit with the crowd at the Mardi Gras Strut Around The Circle Tuesday, March 4 on St. Armands Circle. 



Sarah Haskins kisses her baby Caroline's head after winning the Women's Sarasota Sprint Triathlon Pan American Cup Saturday, March 8 out at Nathan Benderson Park.



THIS WAS NOT AN ASSIGNMENT! This is just plain awesomeness in Sarasota. #flamingobike



Runners try to make their way through the final color, green, during the Run or Dye run Saturday, March 22 out at Nathan Benderson Park. 



Peggy Fairchild, a former flight attendant for 31 years, now plays a stewardess on the American Airlines DC3 Flagship Detroit. It is the oldest DC-3 in the world that is still running.



Anne Krom, 87, smiles and throws her hands our triumphantly while sitting in boat pose Friday, April 4 during Jenny Gallagher's Gentle Yoga class at the Faith Lutheran Church in Sarasota. 



Jeremy Joerger, left, with his wife Kelly, son Max and father-in-law Raul Armengol spend some time together at the bar in the brew room at JDub's Brewing Company in Sarasota. 



Kai Shea, 3, was very excited to meet Shelly at the 28th annual Run for the Turtles Saturday, April 5 out on Siesta Key Public Beach. The run supports sea turtle conservation and research at Mote Marine Laboratory and is the Sea Turtle Conservation Program's major fundraiser of the year. 


Adrian Perez



Matt McFall, a former runner for Braden River High School and a current student at USFSM, is one of the youngest in the area to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  



Nancy Brown, 78, left, coaches the members of the Dream Team relay team made up of Alexander "Chuck" Eremchuk, 88, Doris "Madame Butterfly" Russell, 93, Geoffrey Revett, 90, and Sarah Allnutt, 90. The Maryland Masters swimmers swim under the Chesapeake YMCA and competed in the three-day YMCA Masters Nationals Meet at the Selby Aquatic Center.



Ruben Ramirez Hildalgo, from Spain, slips and falls on center court during his match against Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, at the Longboat Key Club Tennis Gardens Wednesday, April 16 at the Sarasota Open. 



The three-month-old pig, Gertrude, hides in a corner from all the people Saturday. April 29 at the Suncoast BBQ and Bluegrass Bash. 



The 2014 Queen's Court modeled fashions by Shoppe On The River for the Casual Sophistication portion of the De Soto Heritage Festival Musical and Fashion Show Tuesday, April 22 at Bradenton Area Convention Center.The show, called Diamonds in honor of the festival's 75th anniversary, featured the 2014 Queen’s Court along with music and dance numbers by various individuals and the Manatee High School Sugar Canes. 



Bessie Pitts sings a solo during the pop up concert with Bishop Henry L. Porter and The Westcoast Gospel Chorus of Florida Thursday, April 24 on the corner of Lemon Avenue and Main Street.  



Army veteran Rex Tharp, 23, stands and waits for his turn to shoot at the First Annual Florida Fun Shoot, a sporting clay tournament benefiting wounded veterans through Operation Second Chance, Friday, April 25, at the Ancient Oak Gun Club. 



Michelle Mindock, a US Navy veteran, laughs while getting her nails done by Nedra Ngov, an MTI cosmetology student, at the 2014 Veterans "Stand Down" event Saturday, April 26, at the William L. Little Health and Human Services Center and the Payne Park Auditorium. "I've waited all year for this," said Mindock. 



Erica Tenorio looks at microfilm from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune while visiting the Selby Public Library in Sarasota. 



From left to right Sara Antonio, 16, Kenneth Domingos, 10, Jeremiah Jacinto, 8, Daniel Jacinto, 6, Patricia Jacinto, Betty Jacinto, 3, Tulsa Domingos, 7, Ernesto Jacinto, Isaque Jacinto, 4, Archie Jacinto, 11, and Rihanna Domingos, 11. Missing from photo is Ernesto Jacinto, 15. 



Mayor Wayne Poston and Sam Woolf have a laugh about the key to the city of Bradenton Wednesday, May 7 at welcome home breakfast that was held for "American Idol" finalist at Pirate City. 



Irwin Vogel, 85, is a snow bird but goes to Siesta Key beach daily when he is in Florida. He builds his own lounge chair out of sand and then adds a tarp and old cushions on top. He also brings his radio and a lunchbox and spends his day sunning, swimming and watching the crowds.  



Isabella Zotos, 3, gets a big laugh out of being hit by some waves crashing on to the shore Friday, May 16 at Lido Beach. 



live. laugh. love.
-rso-

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Elvis, Elvis everywhere...

From the Waffle Stop birthday party to actually going to Jim Elvis' Chinese New Years party to the Shake, Rattle and Soul competition I think it is safe to say that Elvis and I have become well acquainted in 2014.

The Shake, Rattle and Soul festival was pretty entertaining. The Elvis tribute artists were REALLY good and I even got to meet the guy who made Elvis' famous sunglasses with the EP on them. I covered the Saturday portion of the competition and got to see an awesome black Elvis (who also does a James Brown impersonation) and a little eight-year-old Elvis who had some sweet moves. The crowd was mostly women from Elvis fan clubs from around the state. I was bummed I didn't get to photograph the woman who does an Elvis tribute, but I did get to meet her. 

Here are some shots I took for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune at the Shake, Rattle and Soul competition that took place a few weekends ago in Sarasota. 


Jason Baglio from Independence, Louisiana was one of the eight Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota.  



Hank Poole, 8, watches all the Elvis performers from backstage Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. Poole also performed after an intermission in the show. 



Elvis enthusiasts took part in performing and watching Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



Dan Barrella from Staten Island, New York was one of the eight Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



Elvis enthusiasts took part in performing and watching Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



 Robert Washington from Auborn, Maine was one of the eight Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



Artie Dadyan was the creator of the EP Elvis sunglasses that Elvis wore in the 70s. Elvis bought 488 pairs from Dadyan. 



 Elvis enthusiasts wore their best Elvis shirts, outfits and accessories Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



Those attending tried to get autographs from all the Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota.



 Debbie Knight, also known as Lady E, performed Friday night as one of the Elvis tribute performers and came to watch the others Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



 Hank Poole, 8, from West Virgina, was a special Elvis tribute performer who took the stage Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 



David Lee from Birmingham, Alabama was one of the eight Elvis tribute performers Saturday, February 8 at the 2nd Annual Shake, Rattle and Soul Festival at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. 


live. laugh. love.
-rso-