Month: January 2014

Recent work for Reuters: Inauguration of Ed Murray and Kshama Sawant

Diversity, photojournalism, Published work, Seattle, Still photography

Kshama Sawant (L) is sworn in as a Seattle city council member by Nicole Grant at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014. Sawant is a self-described socialist, and the first to be elected to office in Seattle in the modern era.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant addresses the crowd after being sworn in as a Seattle city council member at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.   REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Bill Halsey, a supporter of Kshama Sawant’s proposed $15/hour minimum wage, watches Sawant being sworn in as a Seattle city council member at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant addresses the crowd after being sworn in as a Seattle city council member at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.   REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant (L) is pictured with her Certificate of Election after being sworn in as a Seattle city council member by Nicole Grant (R) at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant addresses the crowd after being sworn in as a Seattle city council member at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Ed Murray (left) is sworn in as Mayor of Seattle by Gary Locke (center), as Murray’s husband, Michael Shiosaki (right) watches at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Ed Murray (left) is pictured with his husband, Michael Shiosaki (center), and Gary Locke (right) after being sworn in as Mayor of Seattle at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Ed Murray addresses the crowd after being sworn in as Mayor of Seattle at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014. Murray is the first ever openly gay mayor to be elected to office in Seattle.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Michael Shiosaki (C) watches his husband, Ed Murray, speak to the crowd after being sworn in as Mayor of Seattle at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Ed Murray addresses the crowd after being sworn in as Mayor of Seattle at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Ed Murray addresses the crowd after being sworn in as Mayor of Seattle at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant (R) is pictured with other council members during a Seattle city council meeting at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant is pictured during her first Seattle city council meeting at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Kshama Sawant (R), seated next to councilman Mike O’Brien (C), is pictured during her first Seattle city council meeting at City Hall in Seattle, Washington January 6, 2014.  REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Flashpoint 180 Monolight Review

Gear, Lighting, My work, photojournalism, Published work, Seattle, Still photography

 

The Flashpoint 180 Monolight Kit, manufactured by Adorama, is a nice lightweight and affordable monolight for on-location shooting. I tested it out on a recent portrait shoot for Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv and was pleasantly surprised. Hopefully this Flashpoint 180 Monolight review can help you decide if this is a piece of gear that will work for you.

 

Above: Henrik Rasmussen photographed for Dagens Næringsliv using the Flashpoint 180 Monolight Kit

The Flashpoint 180 Monolight Kit currently retails for about $200 at Adorama.com, including shipping. It comes with everything you need to go out and shoot right away, and is compatible with Bowens-mount accessories should you find the urge to slap on a beauty dish or some other light modifier. The kit does actually come with a small umbrella, though, which is nice. The kit comes with a small bag containing the monolight, reflector, battery with belt clip and charger, flash sync cord, umbrella, and a little grip that screws into the bottom of the monolight if you want to handhold it. The kit does not come with a standard light stand, so keep that in mind if you want to use one.

My first impression was that the kit is really easy to use. I set it up quickly and after some tests, was ready to use the light on an actual assignment.

Henrik was a great subject and the shoot was going well before I walked through a door and dropped the Flashpoint 180’s battery pack. It is made of plastic, so it is lightweight, but I was sure that it would be broken after hitting the concrete floor. I was pretty surprised to see the pack was fine, and also relieved that I could still use it for the rest of the shoot. So keep in mind, this is an affordable piece of gear, but it can actually handle some of the rough treatment that sometimes comes with using gear on-location.

After making a few portraits indoors at the offices of Marel, where Henrik is president, we went outdoors to get a different look and check out the performance of this Flashpoint 180 Monolight in the sun. Even diffused by an umbrella, the light was just fine for producing enough power to knock down the ambient light outside by about one full stop. The dial on the back of the light allows for a variation of up to five stops, too, and it was quick and easy to adjust.

All in all I’d say the Flashpoint 180 Monolight Kit is offers a great value. The one thing I’d like to see is a longer battery power cord so that it is easier to set the monolight on the ground if I’m not using it as a handheld light. It has a built-in belt clip and it seems that this light was designed to only be handheld, because the battery’s power cord is hardly long enough to reach from the ground to the top of a light stand, should I choose to use one. That said, the monolight was nice to use and I hope this Flashpoint 180 Monolight review helps you out. Thanks for reading.

Recent work for Reuters: Boeing machinists vote yes

My work, photojournalism, Published work, Seattle, Still photography

Union member Tina Shay reacts with fellow union members after hearing that a union vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Union member Hazel Powers after hearing that a union vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Hazel Powers (R), who has worked at Boeing for 35 years, reacts with fellow union members after hearing that a union vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Union member Tina Shay reacts after hearing that a union vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Union member Gabrielle Rogano (C) reacts with fellow union members after hearing that a union vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Jim Bearden, Administrative Assistant with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751, is pictured while announcing that a vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Jim Bearden, Administrative Assistant with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751, announces that a vote narrowly passed by 51% in support of Boeing’s contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 to construct the wings for the 777X jetliner in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

A volunteer from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 counts ballots at the union’s headquarters in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

Ballots are pictured at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 headquarters in Seattle, Washington January 3, 2014.

 

An airplane is reflected in the IAM 751 headquarters building in Seattle on the day of the machinists’ historic contract vote, January 3, 2014.

Recent work for Reuters: Boeing union “Vote No” rally

My work, photojournalism, Published work, Seattle, Still photography

Union members yell “vote no” during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. Union machinists of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 will be voting on the latest contract for the 777X jetliner production in Washington state. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

A truck is parked in front of the IAM District 751 headquarters during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

A “vote no” sign is pictured during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Union members, including Jacob Powers (L) and Chris Schorr (R), cheer during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

(L-R) Sheldon Keehnel, Teresa Dofredo, and Gina Forbush are pictured during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Union members yell during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Jacob Powers yells during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Union members including Rob Curran (C, bottom) yell during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

Chuck Brezina, who retires this month and has lost a finger during an industrial accident on the job, is pictured during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

A union member makes noise during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

UCFW 21 president Dave Schmitz, who came to show solidarity with Boeing union machinists, yells during a Boeing union rally against the new contract put forth by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, January 2, 2014. REUTERS/David Ryder

 

 

Recent work for Reuters: Polar Bear Plunge

My work, photojournalism, Published work, Seattle, Still photography

Happy New Year!

Below: Participants react after entering Lake Washington during the 12th Annual Polar Bear Plunge in Seattle, Washington January 1,2014. Hundreds participated in the chilly New Years Day tradition, organized by Seattle Parks and Recreation and held at Matthews Beach. REUTERS/David Ryder