Community photojournalism in the heart of Texas
Members of the Texas Campaign for the Environment, including Brett Cantrell and other 'zombies,' made an appearance outside the Capitol on Thursday to offer a public - and slightly creepy - 'thank you' to legislators for passing a bill that authorizes free and convenient recycling for old televisions. The bill has been sent to Gov. Rick Perry for signing. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
David Bamberger's dog Cody plays in the native grasses at the Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve near Johnson City on Tuesday May 26, 2009. Over the last 40 years Bamberger has transformed "the worst ranch in the Hill Country" into a model for land conservation. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
Photographer Dan Winters at his studio in Driftwood on Tuesday May 26, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
My assignment yesterday: Make a good portrait of photographer Dan Winters at his studio for an upcoming story about his new photography book.
In case you don’t know, this is THE Dan Winters who photographs all the biggest celebrities for all the best magazines. He has created stunning portraits of everyone from President Obama for Time to Johnny Depp for Rolling Stone. In short, he is a master portrait photographer.
You can’t imagine how intimidating this assignment was for me. I would be much more comfortable photographing the celebrities than the celebrity photographer himself because unlike the celebrities, Mr. Winters would be able to easily see every mistake I made.
Happily, I had nothing to worry about. Mr. Winters was extremely gracious and patient with me. I am pleased with the photo, and he said he was too. What a relief!
Largest oak tree in Blanco County near Johnson City on Tuesday May 26, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
I never know what I’m going to find driving to and from my various assignments. I spent all day Tuesday in the Hill Country working on a couple of assignments. While driving some back roads between Johnson City and Blanco I stumbled upon, according to the sign, the largest oak tree known in Blanco County. I just had to stop and take a picture.
Private Nathan Bissonnette of the 89th Military Police Brigade cries after talking to his wife on his cell phone just before boarding a World Airways military flight from Fort Hood to Bangor, Maine, on Wednesday May 6, 2009, on his way to the wars in the Middle East. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
Today’s Army no longer sends soldiers into combat on loud, cramped cargo planes. Troops fly chartered commercial jets and are tended to by a caring flight crew. About 300 soldiers from Fort Hood and Fort Bliss went to the Middle East on a World Airways airplane. The flight was their interlude between peace and war.
Statesman writer Denise Gamino and I accompanied the soldiers on the first leg of their trip – Fort Hood to Bangor, Maine.
Click here for the audio slideshow and a photo gallery.
And of course read Gamino’s touching report.
Collective Vision, the new photo blog by the staff of the Austin American-Statesman, was featured in a two-page spread in Sunday’s Statesman. We are really excited about our photo blog, and we invite you to check it out.
Canadian Brig. Gen. Peter Atkinson, right, gives well wishes to Capt. Guy Workman ah he gets ready to board a World Airways flight at Fort Hood, Texas, for a trip to the wars in the Middle East on Wednesday May 6, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
Statesman staff writer Denise Gamino and I accompanied about 300 soldiers on the first leg of their trip to the wars in the Middle East. We documented their trip from Fort Hood, Texas, to Bangor, Maine. They traveled not on a loud, cramped cargo plane but on a comfortable jumbo jet with all the amenities. Patriotic flight attendants took great care of them. For the soldiers this plane ride was the intermission between war and peace.
Watch a preview video of our story and video that we are publishing on Memorial Day. Check back here on Monday to read Gamino’s very touching story and to watch the video.
Chase Baromeo IV puts a fresh coat of paint on a nine-foot-tall statue of Fran at Fran's Hamburgers on South Congress Avenue on Wednesday May 20, 2009. The sprucing up was in honor of the real Fran - restaurant founder Fran Junk's - 75th birthday on May 11. The restaurant has been open since 1973, but the popular statue has been up since only 1998. It was blown down in a storm in 2006, and reinstalled in December 2008. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
I drive by this South Austin landmark every day on my way to work, and I was truly sad when it was removed after a storm knocked her down in 2006. It’s great to see the girl and her yellow Strat back on top of the burger joint.
Mallory Jordan enjoys the beautiful weather while perched on Peter Pan's lap at Peter Pan Mini Golf on Monday May 18, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
Mallory sure had the right idea on a sunny day when the temperatures were in the low 80s. It was a beautiful day in Austin, and Mallory had a good vantage point to watch the traffic and people go by on Barton Springs Road.
This is one of 65 rescued oppossums at Kathleen Shives' home on Thursday May 14, 2009. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
I have to admit I had a change of heart about opossums after my assignment to photograph Kathleen Shives who has dedicated herself to rescuing opossums. Occasionally at night I will see opossums creeping around in my neighborhood or in my backyard. At a distance in the dark they look like giant rats. I have always thought opossums were one of the ugliest animals. When first I met Kathleen she was caring for some tiny three-month old baby opossums, and the first thing I said to her was “They’re not so ugly when they’re babies.” I realized right away that I had made a major faux pas because Kathleen absolutely LOVES opossums and takes offense at anybody who doesn’t. She showed me around her home and backyard where she keeps 65 opossums. She taught me all about them. They are North America’s only marsupial – related to kangaroos, not rats. Now that I’ve seen them up close and even cuddled a baby opossum I definitely have a new attitude about opossums.
Kathleen Shives has dedicated herself to rescuing opossums. Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
That's me with a baby opossum. Photo by Andrea Ball
