Ash Wednesday

 

Katrina Hartsock prays during an Ash Wednesday mass at St. Mary Cathedral on Wednesday Feb. 25, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Have a heart

 

Nancy Hanlan, a data analyst at the Heart Hospital of Austin, walks through the mitral valve in a giant inflatable heart model during an exhibition at the hospital on Wednesday Feb. 25, 2009. "Matters of the Heart: A Cardiovascular Exhibition on a Grand Scale," featured the 12-foot-tall, 21-foot-long first of its kind giant inflatable heart. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

This brand new one-of-a-kind giant inflatable heart made its world debut at the Heart Hospital of Austin, and I was there to document it.

Obama election photo wins POYi award

 

Barack Obama supporter Sharon Makari listens at the Studio Jazz Bar & Restaurant in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday Nov. 4, 2008, as President-elect Obama gives his acceptance speech. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

This photo of a woman watching Barack Obama’s acceptance speech on election night recently won third place in the Presidential General Election category of the Pictures of the Year International (POYi). 

On election night I was assigned to get local reaction to the presidential election results.  I wanted to be with African-Americans as they watched the results on television.   With the help of a co-worker I found a viewing party at a local restaurant.

 As soon as the results started trickling in I began making photos and transmitting them back to my editors.  This went on for a while until eventually Obama was declared the winner and the place erupted.  I made some pretty good photos of the celebration and then quickly went back to my car to transmit. 

 I decided to go back into the party one more time to photograph the group watching Obama’s acceptance speech.  It was a dark room and the whole place was now silent.  That’s when I noticed the woman in front, bathed in the blue glow of a neon light, intently listening to Obama.  The image of the TV screen was reflected in her glasses.  I knew this could make an interesting image.  I just hoped I could pull it off technically.  I hand-held and manually focused a 200mm lens at 1/30th second.  Over the next few minutes I shot of several photos of her but only a couple were any good.

It is an honor to be recognized in the Presidential General Election category of the POYi.  My photo is the only one among the winners in which the candidate is not even in the photo.  I was in Austin, Obama was in Chicago, but I still made a compelling photo.  This illustrates one of my guiding principles in my photojournalism career:  One doesn’t have to travel to exotic places to do great photojournalism.  It can be done in one’s own town. 

That’s the challenge of community photojournalism.

You can see all the winning images in POYi (here).

 

Supporters cheer as Obama is declared the winner. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

 

 

 

 

FLDS photo wins POYi award

  A young FLDS girl peers out a window while waiting to be reunited with her parents at the Austin Children’s Shelter in Austin, Texas, on Monday June 2, 2008, the day after a judge ordered the immediate release of hundreds of FLDS children seized by Child Protective Services. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman  

This photograph I made of a young FLDS girl waiting to be reunited with her parents recently won an Award of Excellence in the General News Reporting category in the Pictures of the Year International (POYi) photojournalism contest. 

On June 2, 2008, the day after a court order, dozens of FLDS children in shelters all over Texas were released back to their parents.  First thing that morning I set up with a 400mm lens in a spot across a busy street from the Austin Children’s Shelter to wait for the reunions.  The first pictures I made early that morning were of a little girl clutching her doll and looking out the window anxiously awaiting her parents’ arrival.  Little did I know it at the time but that would be the best photo I would make all day.   That’s because in an effort to protect the families, shelter officials decided to use large blue tarps as a makeshift shield from the media.  I stood in front of that shelter for nine long hours in the Texas heat, and never had a chance to document the actual reunions.  The best I could do was get a shot of some shadows casts on the tarp.   At the end of the day I felt like I had failed.  I was hot, tired and frustrated about the blue tarps. 

But the photo of the little girl made an impression on a lot of people.  I guess I should have quit while I was ahead!

You can see all the winning images in the POYi contest here.

 

Shelter officials use large blue tarps to shield FLDS families from the media at the Austin Children's Shelter. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

An FLDS mother and child leave the Austin Children's Shelter on Monday June 2, 2008. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

 

 

 

Stress and photojournalism

     In a recent survey by CareerCast.com photojournalist was listed as the third most stressful job behind only surgeon and commercial airline pilot.  According to the article at CareerCast, “[photojournalists’] jobs can require them to be on the frontline of every catastrophe, from wars to hurricanes to riots. However, one common bond between all three of our most stressful jobs is their demanding schedules, which often change at the last minute and may require extended periods away from home or long shifts while on the job.”

      In addition, in order to make our photos we have to be in the exact right place at just the right time with our cameras on the proper settings and the focus just right and release the shutter at the perfect split-second.  There are dozens of different variables that are out of our control that can ruin our photos. And in photojournalism there are no do-overs.  You either get it right the first time and capture the defining moment or you lose it forever.  Good photojournalists know how to increase their odds of getting a good picture but there is also a fair amount of luck.  All that adds up to lots of stress, especially during very important assignments and historical moments.

      According to CareerCast, “The type of stress surgeons face when operating may be very different from the stress a pilot feels when landing in a storm and from how a photojournalist feels while taking pictures during a fire or hurricane, but all three bear more stress than any other job in the country.”

     I agree that photojournalism can be a stressful job.  But it’s also a very rewarding and fun job, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

 

 

Clifford the Big Red Lobbyist

Clifford the Big Red Dog meets lobbyist Steve Holzheauser while roaming the halls of the Capitol on Tuesday Jan. 17, 2009. Clifford and other PBS characters spent the day at the Capitol for Pre-k Day to raise awareness for pre-k issues. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Why did the geese cross the road?

A gaggle of geese temporarily hold up morning rush hour traffic as they waddle across the road toward Lady Bird Lake in the 600 block of East Riverside Drive on Monday Feb. 16, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

After getting a tip from a couple of co-workers, I decided I better go check out a gaggle of geese apparently stuck in the median on East Riverside Drive during morning rush hour.  Just as I was getting out of my car I heard the sound of screeching brakes.  The geese nearly caused a multi-vehicle accident as they tried to cross the street.  They scampered back to the median, but seconds later they tried again.  This time attentive motorists stopped and the birds calmly went on their way.

Great Texas Warrant Roundup

 

Dozens of law enforcement officers from the Austin area listen as the Third Annual Great Texas Warrant Roundup was anounced at a news conference at Austin Police Department headquarters on Friday Feb. 13, 2009. People are urged to take care of their outstanding warrants before they are arrested. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

 These guys will hunt you down if you don’t turn yourself in or pay your fine within the next three weeks.

Ukulele Ladies & Gents

 

Carolyn Nelson performs with San Antonio's Ukulele Ladies and Gents at the Senior Day rally at the Capitol on Tuesday Feb. 10, 2009. About 3,500 seniors from around Texas came to the Capitol to lobby for their causes. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Adopted at age 36

 

Alice Jones, right, 36, is adopted by Kate Held in a hearing presided over by Judge Rhonda Hurley at the Travis County Courthouse on Friday Feb. 6, 2009. Also during the hearing Alice Jones legally changed her name to Alice Held. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Alice Jones, who spent 16 years in the foster care system, finally saw her dream come true.  She was adopted at age 36.  Read all about it here.