"Radical Harmonies" chronicles the Women's Music Cultural Movement and its evolution from a "girl with guitar" to a revolution in the roles of women in music and culture.
In its heyday of the 1970s and 80s, women's music opened doors for women musicians, producers, sound and light technicians, and for new women-owned recording companies and women-oriented shows.
Panelists: Dr. Dee Mosbacher, Dr. Boden Sandstrum
Moderator: Frankie Witzenburg, Rainbow History Project
March 17, 2024
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
Washington, DC
The Fierceness Served! The ENIKAlley Coffeehouse documentary focuses on the history of a Black LGBT performance venue, rehearsal space, and meeting place for artists and political organizations in Washington, DC from the 1980s to the mid-90s.
The film features the work of Coffeehouse artists as well as interviews with surviving members and supporters.
Public Screening & Discussion
Panelists: Christopher Prince, Wayson R. Jones
Moderator: Ashley Bamfo, Rainbow History Project
February 25, 2024
Shaw Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC
DC Trans Pride History Panel
Panelists: SaVanna Wanzer, Rev. Brian Hamilton, Holly Goldmann
Moderator: Rev. Diedre Gray, Director Trans Pride Initiative, Rainbow History Project
Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
Washington, DC
May 20, 2023
]]>Logan Circle and the LGBTQ Community: A History
Panelists: Larry Rosen, Sak Pollert, Ed Bailey, Maurice Dorsey, Nicolas Shi
Moderator: Jeff Donahoe, Rainbow History Project
A collaboration of the Logan Circle Community Association and Rainbow History Project
June 7, 2023
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I was asked to record two short performances at OutWrite 2019, featuring Regie Cabico and Wo Chan. They opened with these pieces. Regie's is called "Queerification" while Wo Chan's is called ""What I Do With My Face/Except."
"What I Do With My Face/Except" - Wo Chan
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I've included the shortest of the speeches. Others are available in the gallery.
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I invite you check out my coding work! https://irenerojas.com/
It's challenging but fun work!
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and take notes (complete with a fountain pen!).
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For me, the most interesting story was "When Mickey Came to Town". In the 1990s, Disney bought land just a few miles down the Manassas National Battlefield Park, the site of two Civil War battles. They wanted to create a history-themed park there. Public outcry eventually made them scrap the plan. I grew up in Northern Virginia and had no idea this had even happened. Sam Sheline was producer and director.
More from the events.
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In 1985, Ed Boyajian was a 22-year-old soldier stationed in Korea. He was tasked with escorting three infants to their adoptive parents in the United States. He had always been curious about what happened to them and had recently begun looking for them. He was able to find two of the three women, and discovered they both lived in northern Virginia. They set up a reunion of sorts. This was also the first time these two women had met each other. The parents of one of the women were able to attend, and brought two giant scrapbooks. It was interesting to hear how neither had been really exposed to Asian culture while growing up (or distanced themselves from it), but had begun exploring it more in the last few years.
Ed gave the women copies of the original adoption agency form, complete with their original names. Perhaps it's the start of a new form of family.
The husband of one woman had been a professional hip-hop dancer. Ed's sons were in hip-hop dancing classes. Time to show off!
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Mia S. WillisMia S. Willis Mackenzie BoyerMackenzie Boyer
]]>You can find the entire discussion here: https://youtu.be/gxV6gfUxdVE
]]>You can watch the entire ceremony here: https://youtu.be/oTN-oC9s5bw
]]>I visited Annapolis this past weekend. I discovered an open house celebration for the 150th anniversary of Government House, the governor's mansion and early legislative building. Many artwork details caught my attention. I really liked the snakes on the vase above. Here are some more photos.
An adorable cake.
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Shanon Lee is a writer, journalist, activist, and filmmaker. She was part of a panel discussion on sexual assault awareness after a showing of "The Color Purple." It took place at AFI Silver Theatre. She asked me to take photos to update her website. She was joined by Jennifer D. Williams, Keri Potts, and moderator Larry Miller. (Yes, Shanon's hair was indeed blue.)
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I shot the footage in 4K and edited in a 1080HD timeline in Premiere. I love how much leeway 4K gives you, even if it makes computers a bit ornery!
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I was grateful to help Jarrad Henderson cover the 16th annual HBCU College Fair, founded by the Alfred Street Baptist Church. This year's main sponsor was Facebook, the video client. We had two video shooters. My task was collecting interviews, but the reverend left before we could talk. I met with him the next day at the church. This was one of my favorite clips.
This was also my first time shooting in 4K. This was all natural light, the advantage of using a DSLR's full-frame sensor. In Premiere, I imported the video into a 1080p timeline and scaled the video down. I think it came out nicely.
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The night ended with a performance by Regie Cabico of "Faith, Hope & Regie."
Gallery
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I primarily ended up focusing on the propeller-based engines of the planes. They're just so neat.
North American P-51C Mustang, Excaliber IIITwo generations of propeller planes, with the North American P-51C Mustang "Excaliber III" in front. Monocoupe 110 Special, Little ButchMonocoupe 110 Special, Little Butch Nieuport 28C.1Nieuport 28C.1 Grumman F6F-3 HellcatGrumman F6F-3 Hellcat
Mooney M-18C Mite Horten Ho 229 V3Horten Ho 229 V3. It looks like a bug about to bite.
]]>I've started a personal project called "Above Fire & Brimstone: Stories from LGBT People of Faith." Religion has long been used to discriminate against LGBT people, yet many LGBT people still seek the guidance and community of faith. These are oral histories in collaboration with the Rainbow History Project.
I chose to show them on Instagram due to its 60-second video limit. I saw it as a challenge and found that the short limit was actually rather freeing. I only have to focus on that one minute segment at a time. I'm posting the videos every few days. Follow the project at #AboveFireBrimstone on Instagram.
]]>I was asked to record the annual wreath laying ceremony for LGBT veterans this past Veterans Day. It was a held at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC. It's believed to be one of the few cemeteries in the world with a dedicated LGBT area. The event was sponsored by The DC Center and the LGBT Fallen Heroes Fund.
It has taken a long time, but LGBT veterans are finally receiving the respect they deserve. The video contains some interviews at the end of attendees explaining the importance of visible recognition.
]]>An attendee interacts with "Isaac," articial intelligence software, at NVIDIA GTC DC 2017, on November 2, 2017. Greg Estes, NVIDIA vice president of developer marketing, speaks during the keynote at NVIDIA GTC DC 2017 on November 1, 2017.
An attendee at NVIDIA GTC DC 2017 interacts with augmented reality technology, on November 1, 2017.
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I really like the backlit feel of this photo.
]]>I've been working with the Rainbow History Project to document LGBT events in the Washington, DC area. I was honored to record the 2017 LGBT Fallen Heroes Memorial ceremony. For some people, this is the first time an LGBT officer member's family is included in a memorial service.
This was a very raw yet beautiful story from one of the speakers.
]]>Mark Ackerman speaks at the the Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017.
James Weichert speaks at the Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017. Receiving an award at the Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017.
An award recipient at the Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017.
I also took the opportunity to photograph food and other details. (I loved the squishy dump truck toys!)
Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017. Stress relief toys at Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017. Food at the Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017. Photo booth at the Weichert Regional Sales Awards at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on April 6, 2017.
]]>My favorite edit was Che Che's video.
I found Marilyn's thoughts very interesting and direct.
You can find all the videos at the CDC's "Lo Estoy Haciendo" and #Haciendolo campaign website.
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NVIDIA's Greg Estes, VP Developer Programs, welcomes attendees to the GTCDC Conference.
Big Data refers to processing large amounts of data to create solutions, such as making cancer research more efficient and widely accessible. Virtual reality was obviously a big draw, but its implication for automated driving is really interesting.
NVIDIA representative explains automated driving processors.
From a cancer research panel discussion.
Jerry Lee, Deputy Director for Cancer Research and Technology , Office of the Vice President, speaks during the "Is Artificial Intelligence Ready to Join the Cancer Fight?" panel. Erik Lindahl (left) and Gurvaneet Randhawa spoke at the "Is Artificial Intelligence Ready to Join the Cancer Fight?" panel. Lindahl is a professor at Stockholm University. Randhawa is a medical officer at the National Cancer Institute.
Other sights.
An attendee explores a game through virtual reality.
An attendee takes a virtual trip on a simulated Underwater SEAL Delivery Vehicle.
An attendee tests a wearable device that describes the world to blind and visually impaired people at the Horus Technology booth.
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Purple-striped jelly
Stumpy cuttlefishIt was feeding time, so I got to watch them catch fish all ninja-like. Love me some cuttlefish!
Baby cuttlefish Pacific seahorse
Bigfin reed squid posse
The sardine vortex was fascinating to watch, especially when other creatures passed by. They were hiding at the bottom of the tank out of sight until they saw their food. Then it was like they were summoned from the depths. Hammerhead shark with sardinesThe sardine vortex was fascinating to watch, especially when other creatures passed by. They were hiding at the bottom of the tank out of sight until they saw their food. Then it was like they were summoned from the depths.
]]>This was also my first time using my new Sony NX-100 camera, after the demise of my Panasonic. I wanted a camera with a large single sensor. It worked out nicely, I think.
]]>Trailer for "Get Unstuck" program by Parachute Coaching
I met Lauren Laitin of Parachute Coaching a little while back and she came to me when she wanted to make an online course. This is the trailer for the program. I shot the video segments, and edited them with the existing intro video and photos she took. We shot at her house and used an online teleprompter site. Setting up the cameras and lights took a while, but everything went so quickly once we started recording. Having a script helped so much. Learn more about "Get Unstuck."
]]>Gabriel Dawe - "Plexus A1", 2015Gabriel Dawe - "Plexus A1", 2015. The colors changed in fascinating ways as you walked around. Gabriel Dawe - "Plexus A1", 2015Gabriel Dawe - "Plexus A1", 2015
The newly-reopened Renwick Gallery, part of the Smithsonian, kicked things off in style, with their exhibit "Wonder." They gave nine artists one room each to fill with their creations. The two highlights for me were "Plexus A1" above and "1.8." The last one was especially fun because you were encouraged to lie down on the carpeted floor or couches and watch the ceiling change colors. It was such a nice sight to see signs that actually said "Photography Encouraged." It was such an immersive and relaxing adventure.
Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015. Netting hung from the ceiling was illuminated by constantly changed colored lights.
Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015. Visitors were encouraged to lie down on the carpet to get the full effect of the light show. Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015
John Grade - "Middle Fork (Cascades)", 2015John Grade - "Middle Fork (Cascades)", 2015. This was a cast of a cast of a 150 year old tree, the same age as the Renwick Gallery. Some fun moments.
John Grade - "Middle Fork (Cascades)", 2015Hello down there! Janet Echelman - "1.8", 2015There aren't many museums where this is completely fine. "You're too slow, dad!" Patrick Dougherty - "Shindig", 2015"You're too slow, dad!" Meta: a photo of someone taking a photo of someone taking a photo of him.
]]>This one is an interesting combination of a hymn leading into "Galileo" by the Indigo Girls.
"Galileo" - Emily Saliers/Indigo Girls - arr. Tom Anderson for The Capital Hearings, 1992 Here's their take on "Time Machine" by Ingrid Michelson.
"Time Machine" - Ingrid Michelson - arr. Jen Dilzell & Mike Rowan, 2014 This one was a fun mash-up of "Call Me" songs.
"Call Me" - arr. Rachel Rood for The Capital Hearings Gallery
]]>Once again, I was lucky to help Raiza Vega Candelario photograph a wedding. Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.
First dance Puzzle pieces That was shot by putting the lens inside the glass vase. The Washington Redskins and the related burgundy and gold colors were a major theme for the couple.
Writing on a puzzle piece Redskins Garter In Memoriam In Memoriam
Some outtakes.
Outtake: Which button do we button? Flower girl practice
]]>Jaime Alvis, Jen Dilzell, John Hazangeles Dileep Srihari Lyndsey Gore Jen Dilzell
The Capital Hearings Gallery
]]>The new grandmother
Shooting at St. Joseph's presented some challenges. It has a high ceiling that is painted blue, making it dark inside. Even when using flash, the light gets lost in the space above our heads.
At one point during the reception, two friends got out hairbands for the little girl. They had fun figuring out which one to put on her head to replace the bow.
They chose the feather, leading her father to comment on the 1920s flapper look it gave her.
I liked this quiet moment of baby and grandmother.
]]>Tree frog It's giving me some serious side eye.
They blend in so well, especially from afar. Poison dart frog photobomb!
Jellyfish
Jellyfish
Ibis? Ibes? Ibises? The internet has conflicting ideas on the plural of an ibis. Poison dart frog
Big fish going for its food. Inadvertent super-artistic photo! Shark convention
]]>Bettina Judd - "In 2006 I Had an Ordeal with Medicine" Gallery (Note: mature language and content)
]]>Alex enters the hall for the first time.
Family Portrait Detail of the remembrance candles.
Alex, her father, and brother share a moment while waiting to take portraits.
Adjusting the tiara. Alex's friend expresses her joy at seeing Alex in her dress.
Star wands and glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets were among the decorations.
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Her dress is so fluffy!
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Missing Man Formation:
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (bottom left), Grumman TBM Avenger (center), North American P-51 Mustang (right) and Vought F4U Corsair (top). The Corsair was piloted by John Dailey, director of the National Air and Space Museum.
Arsenal of Democracy VE Day Celebration, Washington, DC
Douglas A-26 Invader.
Arsenal of Democracy VE Day Celebration, Washington, DC
Consolidated B-24 Liberator (left) and North American P-51 Mustang.
Arsenal of Democracy VE Day Celebration, Washington, DC
Gallery
I took some environmental photos I thought could be useful for University marketing and promotional materials.
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I was one of three videographers working with Katharine Roman to capture the dedication of the Alexandria (VA) Police Department's Fallen Officer Memorial. The outdoors part of the ceremony was tough. We had unusually cold, freezing temperatures, with a vicious wind. I'm glad I wasn't the audio person. Nonetheless, the outdoor section was also a challenge due to the darkness. The above clip is a short collection of some clips from the outdoor portion of the event. Keep in mind this footage was intended as part of the larger three camera piece. It was certainly a test of the Panasonic AG-AC130. I did need to lighten two or three of the clips, but hopefully it isn't clear which ones.
]]>Some time ago, I helped Raiza Vega Candelario photograph the wedding of Christine and Mike Keller. It was a backyard affair, with a barn providing the backdrop. As part of the ceremony, Christine and Mike combined separate bottles of sand into one jar. I hadn't seen that before but it was kind of neat.
The groom and groomsmen played pool to pass time before the ceremony. Applying lipstick.
]]>I stopped by the DC Record Fair 2015 at Penn Social in D.C. Two full floors of vinyl dealers. Some big name albums for a lucky few. Link to the photo gallery at the end.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
After my time at the fair, I visited the National Portrait Gallery to finally see the Stephen Colbert painting. While passing through the Kogod Courtyard, I encountered some guys playing Dungeons & Dragons...with Legos. Never know what you'll find.
A man rolls a dice during a game of Dungeons & Dragons at the Kogod Courtyard in Washington, D.C.
]]>I had the opportunity to record the 18th Street Singers' most recent concert, "A City Called Heaven: A Concert of Spirituals." It was a nice change of pace from the choir's usual repertoire. It was my first time using two stereo microphones, resulting in four channels of audio. I really enjoy recording in the choir's home venue, First Trinity Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C. It's such a bright and airy space. Here are some of my favorite songs from the concert.
"I Got a Home in-a Dat Rock"
"Witness"
I was very excited to work with Word of Mouth again, recording their Fall Showcase 2014. This was my first concert using a Zoom H6 for audio, along with a Rode NT4 mic for ambient audio, and a feed from Clear Harmonies' board. The final audio was a mix of the feeds. I really enjoyed using the H6 and look forward to getting much use out of it. The concert was at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in DC, in their simplistically beautiful main space.
"Warpath" - Ingrid Michaelson/Edwin Starr
"I Won't Give Up" - Jason Mraz
This shoot had its quirks. To accommodate all the performers, the performance space was across the room from the stage and its bright lighting. To capture audio, I clipped a lav mic to a music stand just in front of the performers. It was too difficult to mic each user. I also did what I could to remind waiters to bend down in front of the camera, but they still appear. Nonetheless, here are my two favorite performances from the night. Many performers did not respond with poem titles in time to post the videos. Adele Hampton was a competitor. Sarah D. Lawson did not compete but I still enjoyed her poem.
Sarah D. Lawson - "Untitled [Dinner Party]"
Adele Hampton - "Untitled [Groupon]"
Gallery [Note: some poems contain mature language and themes]
]]>I'm excited and honored to announce that an abridged version of "On Stage: Girls Rock! DC" was accepted into Slideluck DC IX! This year's theme was "Solstice" and "On Stage" played well into the idea of birth and growth. Enjoy the video!
]]>On June 7, I was a second shooter for Raiza Vega Candelario. It was a laid-back house wedding, held in a backyard. How laid back? The groom and his party wore flip flops. It was such a beautiful afternoon and fun to shoot. Here are some of my favorites from my shoot.
The groom and his party serenaded the bride during the ceremony.
Some guests snuck off to watch the Belmont Stakes during the reception.
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Word of Mouth
"At Last" by Etta James
The Lobby
"Nobody's Perfect" by Jessie J
Lost & Sound
"Love the Way You Lie" ft. Rihanna - Eminem (Note: Language)
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H Street Corridor Video
Company Profile Video
My story from the 2013 Girls Rock! DC summer camp. I had such a great time following the girls and watching them come together and finally perform. It really was awesome, especially considering that some of the girls had never even played an instrument before the first day.
I chose to focus on some of the older girls, since I felt it was a bit safer from a safety perspective. They also tend to give better interviews. I tried to get a variety of instrument players for the interviews, and looked for at least one girl (Myiah) who was attending for the first time. Truly, it was such a fun experience learning that such an opportunity exists, and watching the girls overcome their differences to put on a real show at the end of the week on stage at the 9:30 Club, one of the most famous music venues in the country.
Now the technical stuff: I shot it all on a Nikon D800 with a JuicedLink audio adaptor, with a shotgun mic and Sennheiser wireless mice for the interviews. I edited in Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.
]]>I was able to record a small house concert featuring Small Potatoes, a folk band. It was all shot with a Nikon D800 with a wireless feed from the amp. "Cherokee Bill" (above) was my favorite song.
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A while ago, I spent a week with the students of the Girls Rock! DC summer camp. The camp teaches women's empowerment through music education. During the week, the girls attend instrument practice, workshops, and band practices. At the end of the week, they performed on stage at the 9:30 Club in DC. Some of the girls didn't know how to play instruments at all at the beginning of the week, yet by the end, they had formed bands and had created decent songs. It was very intensive, with some bands working on their performances late until the night before.
Due to changes in my schedule, editing the larger piece has taken longer than I expected. I created a short vignette so I could have something to share. I wouldn't call it a trailer though, since it uses a lot of footage that probably won't be in the final video. In this video, Taloni speaks about her experiences with the camp and her band. The final piece will go into greater depth about the students' experiences.
If there was one technical thing I learned, it's that the sound system at the 9:30 Club is extremely powerful and LOUD. I had been to a concert there before but it didn't have nearly this much volume. There is some camera shake at the end because the building was literally shaking. I did my best to physically weigh down the camera by pushing down from the top, but as with gambling, the house always wins. The house also won in the sound department. I had a feed from the sound board but since it was so loud in the room, I couldn't hear the loudness distortion through my headphones. So the lesson? Next time, I need to use input levels that are so low, they probably seem too low. Fortunately, I was able to control the rest of the audio from the week.
Nonetheless, I genuinely enjoyed seeing these different girls work together to create a performance and overcome their stage fright in just one week.
]]>Note about the audio: my camera was not the one receiving the feed from the board. The audio I captured through a shotgun mic was intended to help the editor in post-production.
This video is intended as a sample of my stage work.
The show also included a performance by Marcus Canty before the second act. Canty was a semi-finalist on the US version of "The X-Factor" singing competition.
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"Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal" - Alice Parker
"I Am the Rose of Sharon" - William Billings
"Pilgrim's Hymn" - Stephen Paulus
"Windham" - Daniel Read
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Here are some of my favorite photos from the rehearsal.
During the warm up before the concert, they had strong blue lights on the stage.
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I recently got a Nikon D800, my first video-enabled DSLR. To try it out, I headed to Old Town Alexandria and shot video of an osprey nest. I've heard there are three chicks and the parents. I could only see three birds in the nest. I think the one flapping its wings is a chick, still learning how to fly.
I've shot DSLR video before but I finally have a camera to call my own.
]]>These are my three favorite poems. Curiously, they were also some of the tamest poems people performed.
Keith Jarrett - "A Gay Poem"
Gabe Moses - "Little Fish"
Judson Lewis - "Chic-Fil-A: The Quest for the Forbidden Chicken"
("I am gay. You are tasty. That is our problem" might be my favorite line of the night.)
Gallery (Viewer discretion advised)
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In April, Mentor Foundation USA held two Authentic Career Experiences. One partnered students from the KIPP DC Public Charter School with employees at Atlantic Media in DC, publishers of The Atlantic and other properties. The other involved students from Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School in DC going to Skanska Infrastructure Development in Virginia.
Students from the KIPP school were tasked with designing mock websites that would appeal to The Atlantic's demographics and business partners. They scoured articles and laid them out into a logical design. The students were lucky to meet with chairman and CEO David Bradley, who showed them the evolution of magazine publishing.
At the end, the students presented their websites to their peers and Atlantic employees for feedback.
At Skanska, students were guided by Skanska employees in designing sustainable cities based on different environments.
Since the event coincided with Earth Day, students were encouraged to plant seeds and write down ways to reduce their environmental impact.
As with the Atlantic Media event, students presented their finished cities and answered questions from fellow students and Skanska employees.
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This is my latest video for Mentor Foundation USA. These students from Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School participated in an Authentic Career Experience (A.C.E.) workshop with Skanska Infrastructure Development North America at their office in Alexandria, VA. Like the H&M A.C.E. video, we wanted to make a video that summarized the event and could also be used to promote the program to other businesses and schools. Skanska actually plans to use this video as part of their diversity and community programs.
I shot the interviews (and unused b-roll), edited the entire video, and created the graphics. The b-roll from the actual event came from A&E Networks from the event last year. There were a few challenges in making the video but it was fun figuring them out. A small problem was that A&E's footage was shot at 720p, smaller than the 1080p I use on my camera. I just needed scale the videos to fit the frame. Fortunately, they had enough resolution for that.
On my end, there was the problem of interviewing two people at once with only one lav mic. We wanted to have the kids play off each other while speaking, so I clipped the mic on the shoulder of the kid closer to the center. I'm not thrilled with the extra background noise, but I eventually reduced that. The music also hid it.
There's the section with Karl's interview. That came from a finished video by A&E. In other words, I didn't have access to the original interview footage. The finished video already had a music track, so I looked for music that was very similar to the background music in A&E's video. I think it worked out pretty well, considering I couldn't edit out the existing music.
Putting a Small Wonder Media logo at the end was new. I hadn't done it before, but the marketing director urged me to do it.
]]>On January 30th, about 160 DC-area students came to the House of Sweden for the National Drug Facts Day 2013 event. The students entered by a Memorial Wall, with photos and family stories of young people who had passed away from drug use. The day continued with speakers, with Dr. Lonise Bias providing the keynote. She is the mother of NFL draft pick Len Bias, a victim of drugs. Afterwards, the students broke into groups led by members of the DC Youth Poetry Slam Team, and were encouraged to give their stories a voice through poetry. Some students presented their poems on stage. At the very end, the winners of the H&M Drug Free Slogan contest got their prizes. The winning slogan will be used on a t-shirt sold in DC-area stores.
When the kids first started with the poetry sessions, they were skeptical. Once the slam guys told them spoken word is essentially poetry, the kids understood better, and it was very neat to hear their final stories and poems. Full gallery.
David Mineta, Deputy Director of Demand Reduction for the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
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I shot and edited everything except the two photos in the third place video. I also created the animations.
Last year, H&M and Mentor once again held a slogan contest. DC area high school students were asked to submit drug-free slogans. The winner would be used on an H&M t-shirt to be sold in about 20 area stores, with a portion of the money going to anti-drug causes. The winning design was revealed at the end of the National Drug Facts Day 2013 event at the House of Sweden. Of course, the kids in attendance got shirts.
One of the lessons from last year's event: the kids are very nervous when they are called up to get their award. Too nervous to give a little interview about the inspiration behind their slogans. This year, we decided to do the interviews before the show and show the videos as the kids came up. That way, they only had to focus on not tripping on their way to the stage.
Betsy Somanji won first place, with "Drug Free Works For Me." I shot, edited, and created the animations in that video. I'm rather fond of the gear animation.
Second place went to Donnie Weiss with "You Can't Lose If You Don't Use."
Fredy Cardenas won third place, with "#TeamDrugFree".
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I edited the videos and created the animations.
January 30th was National Drug Facts Day 2013. In partnership with National Institute on Drug Abuse, Mentor Foundation USA held a big event at the House of Sweden. About 160 high schoolers from the DC area attended for a day of presentations and workshops.
One of the workshops was a panel where students asked scientists and an interventionist questions about drugs. Mentor asked students from around the world to submit a question about drug use. We played this video at the beginning to help the kids in the audience get their questions rolling. The video was interactive of sorts. A video would play and then we paused it while the panel answered the question. Then on to the next question and so on. When ever you see a stop sign in the lower right corner, it meant a two-second window to pause the video.
I did not shoot these videos. I edited the videos in Premiere and created the animations in After Effects. I've been surprised by how quickly I've been adapting to After Effects. I always thought it was a scary software monster, but I'm finding my past experience with Flash is making the learning curve less steep. Though I have a ways to go before I get to be a sensei.
]]>There are probably ways to have made this in a third of the steps it took me, but I don't know them yet. I'll get there though. Yes, I know the perspective is off... baby steps. I dare say I'm actually having some fun.
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Mentor Foundation USA partners with businesses, often in the DC area, to join high school students with professional mentors in an effort to expose the students to career possibilities. In this case, students followed H&M employees through a store opening to business and professional workshops.
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Shealah Craighead recently asked me to shoot a reception for the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, held at the United States Institute of Peace. I wanted to highlight the unique architecture of the Institute.
These are my four favorite, not-quite-reception photos.
GREG STANTON, MAYOR OF PHOENIX, AZ
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[I was the editor only]
Back in June, the Stevie Awards held their "America Means Business" conference for small business owners in New York City. Last week, they asked me to create a video about the conference from the existing footage. The amount and quality of the footage presented some issues, but eventually I was able to create a narrative story.
The video starts a little disconcerting, if I may say. My goal was to have someone explain why people might start a small business in this economy and why this conference was important. From there, I wanted the mentors to tell how they could help other business owners and how the workshops and speakers inspired attendees. Finally, I wanted to end on a positive note, to show that even though these are uncertain times, there are people who strive to succeed at doing what they love.
]]>STEM in an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. It's a buzzword in education, as teachers and education officials have fought to combat the brain drain occurring in American education. American students are falling behind their foreign counterparts in those areas, making them less competitive in the workplace.
Wolf Trap has been looking for ways to get children interested in STEM programs from an early age. They commissioned Robbie Schaefer (of Eddie From Ohio) to create a performance that made STEM elements accessible to young children. Interactivity is an important factor in engaging the children and their imaginations.
For this video, I used two cameras for a slight variety of angles. I put one amongst the kids for a "kids-eye view" of the show. I also had to work around the kids whose parents did not give media permission. They were off to one side but occasionally one would lean over into the camera view. Finally, I was asked not to make an intro for the video. Hence the cold start.
]]>This past weekend, Jarrad Henderson, one of my grad school alums, asked for my help in photographing the ceremony at the Pitts wedding in Quantico, VA. The ceremony was held at the simple yet beautiful United States Marine Corps Memorial Chapel on the base at Quantico. These are my favorite photos. Visit the gallery.
COMFORTING THE GROOM BEFORE THE CEREMONY.
LIGHTING THE UNITY CANDLE
EXTINGUISHING THE UNITY CANDLE
JOY
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I recently returned from three weeks in Italy and Paris, France. I was even in Paris on Bastille Day.
THE EIFFEL TOWER WAS ADORNED WITH A DISCO BALL DURING THE DISCO-THEMED BASTILLE DAY FIREWORKS SHOW, IN PARIS, FRANCE.
In Italy, I visited Rome, Florence, Siena, Sorrento, Pompeii, the Vatican, San Gimignano, Turin, and Milan. In Paris, I visited the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, Sacré-Cœur Basilica, and Versailles.
LEANING TOWER OF PISA
RESIDENTS OF THE SIENA CONTRADE OF ONDA (WAVE) MARCH THROUGH THE STREETS IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR RECENT WIN IN IL PALIO, A TWICE-YEARLY HORSE RACE HELD IN THE TOWN SQUARE. THE WINNERS PARADE THEIR FLAGS AND THE WINNER’S PENNANT THROUGH SIENA, ITALY, WHILE CARRYING A PACIFIER IN THEIR MOUTHS.
A PRIEST WALKS IN FRONT OF THE “CATHEDRA PETRI” IN ST. PETER’S BASILICA IN THE VATICAN CITY.
A FATHER AND SON PLAY WITH A BALL BEFORE THE BASTILLE DAY FIREWORKS SHOW ON THE CHAMP DE MARS IN PARIS, FRANCE.
NTERIOR CEILING OF THE PANTHEON OF ROME, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA AD MARTYRES (ST. MARY AND THE MARTYRS).
]]>[Note: These videos might be unsafe for work. Mature content and language.]
Last week, I was asked to shoot video final poetry slam of the Capturing Fire Queer Spoken Word Summit & Slam. It was my first time shooting a poetry slam, as well as my first time shooting in a Busboys & Poets restaurant. Due to cost and turnaround, this was a one-camera shoot. It was really strange doing a one-camera shoot, after so many two-camera shoots. Nonetheless, the performances were short and interesting enough that I didn’t feel I needed to switch to a second camera to keep things engaging. Also, since the performances were meant to be shown straight through, so I didn’t need the second camera to help in covering any edits.
Here are the three finalists in their respective winning order from the final round. While poetry slams aren’t quite my thing, I really enjoyed Joanna Hoffman’s pieces and thought she earned the top spot.
Joanna Hoffman - "9 Reasons"
Sam Sax - "After My Boyfriend's Drag Show"
Sophia Walker - Move Over War"
How Joanna Hoffman got first place...
"Coming Home"
"Pride"
]]>In early May, I shot my first wedding, filling in a friend who had to drop out suddenly. I had never shot a wedding, be it in photo or video, so this was a great opportunity. It was also pretty low-key and the families were great to work with. I also realized that monopods really are your friends when you’re moving around a lot.
I was originally going to break the story into three parts, but realized it lent itself well to four parts: the preparations, the ceremony, the transition to the reception, and the reception. Since these were the online versions, I tried to keep them focused on the highlights and humor of the day. Once again, congratulations to Lindsey and TJ!
Preparations
Ceremony
On to the Reception
Reception
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On Tuesday, the space shuttle Discovery was flown to Dulles-International Airport for transfer to the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Today, the shuttle was finally put in its new home. The Smithsonian and NASA had a ceremony in which NASA transferred ownership of Discovery to the Smithsonian. Discovery took the place of the shuttle Enterprise in the Smithsonian’s collection. It was very interesting seeing the two shuttles nose-to-nose. Enterprise never flew into space and was mostly used for landing tests. On the other hand, Discovery flew 39 missions and logged 365 days in space. I’m actually glad the Smithsonian plans to keep Discovery in its current shape, instead of making it spotless. I think this decision lets Discovery’s hard-working nature come through.
SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY IS MOVED INTO ITS NEW HOME AT THE STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER ON APRIL 19, 2012. DISCOVERY TAKES THE PLACE OF THE MUSEUM'S PREVIOUS SHUTTLE, ENTERPRISE.
A YOUNG BOY HOLDS HIS DRAWING OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY AT THE STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER ON APRIL 19, 2012.
VISITORS TO THE STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER WERE ENCOURAGED TO SIGN A BANNER FOR THE SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S INDUCTION ON APRIL 19, 2012.
INSTRUCTORS USED A COOPERATIVE EXERCISE TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT TEAMWORK DURING "WELCOME DISCOVERY" CELEBRATIONS AT THE STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER ON APRIL 19, 2012. THE GOAL WAS TO MOVE THE PLUSH PIG TO ONE OF THE POSTERS ON THE FLOOR WITHOUT DROPPING IT.
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This morning was the final flight of the space shuttle Discovery. During its 27 years of service, the shuttle flew 39 missions. The final flight took it from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Washington-Dulles International Airport. She now becomes part of the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the National Air & Space Museum. Atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, Discovery flew over a few DC area landmarks, including the National Mall. The shuttle piggybacks on the larger plane because it does not have engines. I stood on the steps of the National Museum of Natural History to get this photo. Having the shuttle fly over the Smithsonian Castle seemed fitting, given its new home.
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BILL SEELIG TAKES PHOTOS AROUND THE TIDAL BASIN ON A 4X5 VIEW CAMERA ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 23, 2012.
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I was asked to shoot photos of the 18th Street Singers in DC before their latest concert. I went to a rehearsal and the warm up before the concert. They were especially interested in facial expressions.
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Back in October of 2011, Wolf Trap asked me to shoot a meeting of the Imagination Conversation, a project of the Lincoln Center Institute. The project aims to address problems in America’s educational system to make American graduates more competitive in the marketplace. I’ve had quite a few teacher friends over the years. As an undergrad, I finally saw how hard my teacher friends worked to create lesson plans for their students. I realized I had taken teachers for granted for a long time. Since then, I have come to agree with what one of the panelists said: we have undervalued education, especially in the last decade. I believe this is a shame and I truly hope initiatives like the Imagination Conversation can show people why education must be a priority for a society.
Back to the videos. They were shot in October. This is not to say that it has taken me this long to edit them. After shooting the meeting, I was asked to first create some videos for the Board at Wolf Trap. Those were intended just for the Board. A few months later, I was asked to create shorter versions that Wolf Trap could post on Youtube. I also created the accompanying graphics.
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A video I produced in September 2011 for the EU Delegation to the US through Momenta Creative.
]]>This is a video I shot on November 17 in which EU Ambassador Vale de Almeida spoke about an upcoming EU-US economic summit.
]]>Back on November 28, the Eu and US ambassadors held a joint press brief after Pres. Obama met with EU leaders about the European economic situation. The video is 20 minutes long, so feel free to skip around.
]]>The Washington, DC chapter of Zonta, an international women’s service organization, asked me to shoot a video at their scholarship recipients dinner and then create a short piece that gave an overview of Zonta’s involvement in the educational community.
]]>My latest video for the EU Delegation to the US through Momenta Creative. Opening graphic by Femath Media.
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