The Way I See It

So I was sitting in the office tonight when I heard a call come in for 222 Lake Street. That’s the address for The Times, and there was supposed to be a fire on the railroad tracks and in the surrounding bushes out back. I didn’t think it would be anything major, but since it was a couple hundred yards away I grabbed new night cops reporter Kristi Ritchie and we ran out the door. Only to find this. Give me a break! The firemen came and put out the flames. With their jug of drinking water.

Just as the plane carrying the Marines was about to land, it began to pour. And I mean pour. Of course I wasn’t prepared, so I got soaked. Some bystander felt sorry for me after awhile and handed me an umbrella, but it was too late. Thanks to Mike Andriacco for the photo.

In my two years here, I’ve never covered a troop homecoming. Til two weeks ago. And as of today I’ve been to my second.

I guess I was (almost) in the wrong place at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City while covering a troop return. That’s the Air Force’s finest Mike Andriacco pointing me in the right direction.

I recently found out that I won third place for feature photo in the November 2007 NPPA Region 8 clip contest. It was taken at The State Fair of Louisiana. This is my second win for 2007 (I started entering in June) - I also got third place for feature/multiple in September for my project on shotgun houses.

I’ve started doing a long-term project on Texas Avenue in Shreveport. The street was once bustling, but now all you see are crumbling buildings and homeless people. Or so it may seem to the untrained eye. Here is one of my favorite shots after two days of shooting. I just got reporter Alison Bath interested in the story, so I’m expecting great things.

I was at the Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City with reporter Janelle Rucker shooting a story about kids under 16 having to be accompanied by an adult. We went to the arcade, and I couldn’t resist the grabber machines, as I call them. I never lose, and I had to prove it. I won this stuffed animal on the first try - except it got caught in the chute.