Before I cover this weekend's NFC Divisional Playoff Game between the Saints and the Cardinals I thought I'd share some of my favorites from the season.









































This has been my first season of covering a professional sport of any kind and it has been a blast. Along the way I've caught a bit of the Saints fever that everyone around here is experiencing and can't wait to be at the game this weekend.

WHO DAT!

Check back for photos from the post season.

More to come... DC

      

This summer I shot a bit of film. Normally I shoot digital and have the luxury of blasting off as many frames as I feel is justified for the assignment. Making photos with film, which is something I really only had to do in college, helps me slow down and think about what's in my frame because every click of the shutter counts. I mostly used an Iloca range finder that my Grandfather gave me, which he bought when he served in the army as a young man in 1957. I also put a few rolls through my Nikon F5 just to make sure it still works.

These are my favorites from the film i finally just had developed.


Determined canoer and one of my best friends Alex Rozko came down for a visit from NYC.


Sunset at Lake Martin in Breaux Bridge, LA




This is the cat that lives outside my apartment. I started feeding her because I felt bad that she had to hunt lizards for food. Now she thinks we're friends.


hopefully there will be more film to come... dc

      

Gordon Gano is possibly the happiest and one of the most genuine performer I've encountered in my brief foray into music photography. Gano, along with his new band mates the Ryan Brothers, graced the tiny Somewhere's Else Lounge stage during a recent visit to Lafayette. The Lost Bayou Ramblers opened with a short set and later joined Gano and the Ryans on stage for a musical collaberation that meshed the alternative folk rock of Gano and the Ryans with the Cajun sounds and energy of the Ramblers.

Ramblers faithful and those Violent Femmes fans who came to see Gano all seemed satisfied as the show closed with an extended version of "Blister in the Sun." Gano's voice, with the added fiddle of the Ramblers Louis Michot, energized the crowd as they belted out the words to the classic Violent Femmes song.
















More to come... DC

      

Omelet Ingredients:
5025 Eggs
50 lbs. Onions
75 Bell Peppers
4 Gallons Onion Tops
2 Gallons Parsley
1 1/2 Gallons Cooking Oil
6 1/2 Gallons Milk
52 lbs. Butter
3 Boxes Salt
2 Boxes Black Pepper
Crawfish Tails
Tabasco Pepper Sauce (to taste)

Abbeville's Giant Omelette celebration is a two day festival capped off by the cooking of an omelet by honorary chefs, from all over the world, on a 20' skillet. This was possibly my favorite south Louisiana festival of the year, which is saying something because I've been to a lot of festivals. It takes nearly two hours of prepartion interspersed with dancing to cajun music to complete the cooking of what is more like scrambled eggs than an omelet. In the end everyone in the crowd of several hundred people gets a bowl of eggs and a chunck of delicious french bread.












more to come... DC

      

I was blessed with some nice light for a Veteran's Day ceremony at Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery this afternoon.
Also I was privileged to hear a survivor of the Bataan Death march speak and to meet several WWII veterans.

Thank you to all the men and women who are serving and have served our country at home and abroad. As for those those who have given their lives for the freedom of others I think President Obama said it best in speech at Ft. Hood on Tuesday, "Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life's work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - that is their legacy."

more to come... DC

      

Today we needed a feature photo for the paper. I couldn't come up with anything brilliant so I found my way over to Girard Park as the light started to get nice. I still wasn't feeling particularly inspired, so i started making photos of people feeding the ducks. Mostly little kids + nice light+ animals= easy mediocre feature

It was going ok and then the last little boy I was photographing named Bobby, who was maybe 2 yrs old, was really winding up and throwing the bread at the ducks as hard as his little arms would allow. His picture and the rest of the story are below...


the little guy was really getting into and his mom was having fun watching him and handing him bread. then all of a sudden Bobby loses his balance and tumbles face first into the water. which is maybe 8 inches below the cement landing. the kid disappeared into the dark water which was surprisingly deep. i looked up at his mom who was as shocked as i was and then i saw his shoe appear near the top of the water. I was able to snag his ankle and haul him out of the water choking and crying. thankfully he had not taken on too much water and was shaken up but ok.

once he was back safely in the arms of his mother i wasn't sure what else to do so i made a couple of photos. i think both his mom and i were in shock over what had just happened.




Bobby ended up cold, wet and scared but none the worse for wear. My guess would be he's not allowed to feed the ducks for awhile.


Here are a couple less exciting photos from the day....






Thurs morning i'll post the Giant Omelette Festival photos since I didn't get around to to today... DC

      

This is going to be a quick post because I'm spending the night catching up on everything after a five day vacation visiting Bettina in Hartford. (photos from the trip that went by way too fast are coming soon) For now here are few shots from a high school marching band competition I shot Saturday for the paper.

The first one is of a UL Lafayette piccolo player but the rest are high schoolers.

















Check back soon for photos from the Giant Omelette Celebration.... DC

      

This post is not nearly as exciting as the title would lead you to believe. I spent most of yesterday covering the LSU vs. Tulane 42-0 blowout at Tiger Stadium. I made it down to New Orleans pretty late but I had some great friends waiting for me.


I was greeted by Kerry, New Orleans newest resident, with a "homemade" birthday cake and a rendition of Happy Birthday from everyone on the porch that made for a great start to my birthday, since I arrived just after midnight.


Pip showed up to share some good news after spending the night on the town.




The folks who shared my early morning flight were in rough shape after what I can only assume was a long night of Halloween fun in New Orleans.


I'm posting this from the Washington D.C. airport where very soon I'll be boarding the world's tiniest commercial plane that will hopefully not bounce too much in the rain clouds. In just an hour and a half I'll be landing in Hartford and finally get to see Bettina and start my vacation.


More to come... DC

      

I spent Monday photographing a Halloween event hosted by Families Helping Families at Acadian Village in Lafayette. The volunteer organization is a non-profit, family directed resource center for individuals with disabilities and their families. FHF advocates helping people with special needs become contributing parts of their communities rather than pushing them into institutions.

The night was filled with kids and adults dressed in costumes, trick-or-treating, socializing, and competing in a costume contest. The event brought together a community of people that rely on one another to learn and cope with difficulties, as well as share the joys of their unique lives.

Here are a few of my favorites











This kid is awesome. He gave me a big smile and then winked for his photo. After I made the picture i showed him on the camera and he gave me a big two thumbs up.


More to come... DC

      

It's been entirely too long since i've made a post here. Now that I've got a new design and no annoying ads on the top, I thought I'd give blogging another try.


Sunday was a day for the dogs at Girard Park in Lafayette. Canine owners brought their four legged friends to the park to strut their stuff in competition and socialize with other dogs and their masters.














much more to come.... DC