Author: David Ryder

Seattle’s Urban Forest – New Gallery

My work, photojournalism, Seattle, Still photography, Sustainability, Video

I’ve added a new gallery to the website, “A City’s Emerald,” which is a story about Seattle’s dying urban forest and the restoration efforts that aim to keep it alive. It’s an ongoing project, so check back soon for updates. A short film is also in the works. Click on the picture to see more.

Research shows a multitude of benefits that come along with trees in an urban setting – decreased crime, fewer auto accidents, slower and safer drivers, increased property values, cooler city temperatures, cleaner air, natural storm water runoff management, more birds … the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, invasive species such as ivy and blackberries are slowly killing the forest. Development of new building projects is also an obvious constant threat to urban trees. The dimmest projections show that almost none of the forest will be left this century if no action is taken. The good news is that the City of Seattle is taking an innovative approach to restoring the urban forest through the Green Seattle Partnership, which is a collaborative effort of public, non-profit, and private groups.

Photos: Seattle Shooting Memorial Day 2

My work, photojournalism, Seattle, Still photography

On Wednesday a gunman opened fire at Cafe Racer in Seattle, killing four people before fleeing and later killing another person and himself. Wednesday evening brought much sadness but also a heartfelt community response to the violence. Thursday was an extension of that, with hundreds of people gathering at Cowen Park, near Cafe Racer, for a “Walk for Love” that ended at the cafe. Again, it was a sad but very moving scene of people collectively mourning yet playing music and coming together to support each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos: Seattle Shooting

My work, photojournalism, Seattle, Still photography

Update: May 31, 7:00 p.m. – Short video, Joy and Mourning, added. Watch as Seattle residents react to a murder-suicide with both raw sadness and a joyous celebration of life.

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Update: May 31, 1:00 a.m. – 18 more photos added.

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Today was a sad day for Seattle. A murder-suicide was the latest in a rash of gun violence that by May has already brought the total murders for the year past the totals for 2011 and 2010, both of which were 20. The city responded with a collective mourning that was very powerful, and even more powerful was the celebration of life that lasted late into the night – just across the street from the scene of the murders, Cafe Racer. See below.

 

Above: Two women embrace after the crowd released paper lanterns into the sky in remembrance of those killed earlier that morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video: Like a dog with long ears

Multimedia, My work, Video

Last week I was lucky enough to be a student at the National Press Photographers Association’s Multimedia Immersion, which was an intensive week long workshop on video/multimedia production. I had some amazing coaches and was assigned to find a story at a local animal shelter in Syracuse, NY. I met Bob Graham, who had a very interesting story to tell. Have a look at my final project and hear his story:

 

XEffects Tech Transitions Review for FCP X

Gear, Multimedia, Tech stuff, Thoughts, Video

XEffects is another plugin for Final Cut Pro X (FCP X) that I have found useful for adding more of that polished look to my video projects. The plugin offers 10 or 12 distinctly different transition animations. These transitions are pretty sophisticated and so when you watch them, they feel professional. Not cheesy. They are intense enough for upbeat videos, but with enough options for toning down the mood more a more serious commercial project. I would highly recommend the plugin.

XEffects Tech Transitions is available from idustrual revolution for a reasonable $49.

Here is a video in which I used a couple of XEffecets transitions near the beginning:

 

Here is the company’s official tutorial:

FCP X Punchline Review

Gear, Multimedia, Tech stuff, Thoughts, Video

Punchline is a plugin for Final Cut Pro X (FCP X) that offers some slick titles and transitions to spruce up your project and save some time with editing. I wanted to write a quick FCP X Punchline review so that editors out there like me can decide if they want to spend the money on yet another new plugin for FCP X. Personally, I enjoy editing and telling a story with visuals (since I’m a photojournalist), but I don’t usually want to spend a lot of time on animation, titling, etc. I’m also not ready to spend the money to outsource this work to a third party. Plugins are a great compromise here.

Punchline is available for $49 from SUGARfx. You get a set of about 10 or 12 different styles, all of which are highly customizable.

Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

Easy to use

Quality transitions

High energy, which is good for sports and entertainment videos

Cons:

Variety – I might like to see a few more styles of transitions.

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You can watch the official FCP X Punchline plugin tutorial below:

Seattle May Day Protest Photos

My work, photojournalism, Seattle, Still photography

Update 5/2/2012 – 17 new images added.

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Below: A protestor is arrested by police Tuesday, May 1 during a May Day protest organized by Occupy Seattle. At least eight people were arrested as thousands marched the streets during multiple rallies and ongoing protests throughout the day. Sporadic violence broke out and demonstrators smashed several windows of banks and stores in downtown Seattle and committed other acts of vandalism. Much of the protests were, however, quite peaceful.

Shot for Zuma Press.