...and fire in the sky

wicked sunset this weekend...and there's nothing like getting a head start on your wild art for sunday by shooting something on saturday night.

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What the hell, Santa!

where is rudolph when you need him?

Destiny Kadri (center), 6, of Springdale, can't understand how she and Santa Claus, played by Capt. Dean Bitner (3rd from left), of the Springdale Fire Dept., got passed by her sister Chelsea Kadri (2nd from left), 8, and Firefighter Steve Lewis (far left), of the Springdale Fire Dept., while racing go-carts at Lokomotion Saturday morning in Fayetteville. The Springdale and Fayetteville Fire Departments, along with the Red Knights Motorcycle Club were sponsoring their third annual toy giveaway that provided gifts for 44 children in Washington and Benton Counties.

happy ho ho everybody

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yum

mmmmmmmmm

love that cotton candy!

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more americana...

i got the chance to visit the Little O' Oprey in west fork last weekend and it was a blast. if you are ever bored in northwest arkansas on a saturday night (and who isn't) it's really worth checking out. classic country, gospel, even a little rock and roll. i still have "peace in the valley" roaming around in my head.

the story will run as part of our progress edition in february with an online slideshow. i will post a link when it comes out.

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Justin's Story

well, the high school football regular season is finished, and so is my story about justin tate, a senior at elkins high school, who has down's syndrome.

my focus on the story was not so much about his disability, but about his impact on the team and the town, as well as the fact that it was his senior season, and he had devoted 12 years of his life to this team as a ball boy, jv player, and finally, a senior captain. he was a great kid to work with, and although the team didn't make the play-offs (a lot of injuries...just about everyone had to ironman) they did finish the season with a win, so justin got to go out with a smile.

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ps - to see my multimedia presentation about justin go to:

http://showtime.arkansasonline.com/e/media/mm/justin/

a lack of separation

i just got back from the western kentucky mountain workshops and i am exhausted...

it was a great experience, met lots of rad people, shot some decent photos...just the kind of kick in the rear we all need at times.

i shot this image in perryville, a town of 763 in boyle county...the place epitomized americana.

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so i went to cover the opening of a new office building today and they had all of these photos up on the walls with this pseudo-journalistic feel to them and i couldn't help but thinking how ridiculous it is that the people that shoot those pictures have to set them up when they happen all day, every day, and all you have to do is look around ...but i don't want their money, or their jobs, or my photos hanging up in a fascist corporate institution (with an open floor plan, a coffee shop, a workout room, and dilbert cartoons on every desk), i just want them to know that they are a waste of time...all of them.

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