SHOT... by KillaSmilla

Baseball Rocks

2012-02-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

Tyler Junior College Apache baseball team on their media day.... I always catch the weirdest moments.

Chinese New Year at Brook Hill School

2012-02-01T09:50:00.001-08:00

Exchange students from Bejing, China celebrate Chinese New Year with their host families at the Brook Hill School in Bullard, TX.

New project 2

2012-01-28T19:11:00.001-08:00

New Project

2012-01-27T20:01:00.001-08:00

Camp Ford Yankee

2012-01-20T12:09:00.001-08:00

Playground

2012-01-20T12:08:00.001-08:00

Killgore at TJC Basketball

2012-01-20T12:07:00.001-08:00

Overcrowded Smith County Sheriff's Forum

2012-01-20T12:05:00.001-08:00

New Year's Baby

2012-01-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

First baby born in Tyler on New Year's Day. All the local media outlets were there. It got pretty crowded.

The Rose Queen's Court

2012-01-08T18:03:00.000-08:00

This is a shot from the press conference Friday night announcing Tyler's 2012 Rose Queen and her court. Tyler hosts the Texas Rose Festival each year which is a lot more about these young women than it is about roses.

It's 70 degrees in Texas today

2012-01-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

this would feel good right about now!

p.s. yes, I miss Utah.

old photo 2

2012-01-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

Here's another one from Utah. This was at a family event at a community center. These kids were in inflatable sumo wrestler suits, and obviously the kid on the left was really into it!

old photo

2012-01-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

from the Mt. Dew Tour last winter... was only my second time ever shooting snowboarding (1st was in Michigan on a landfill slope, so does that really count?? ha).

My Top 5 Assignments of 2011

2012-01-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

1. MOST ADVENTUROUS

Bison management in Yellowstone National Park

This was my most exciting assignment of the year. I was interning for the Salt Lake Tribune and they had me drive 8 hours up to Yellowstone National Park for four days to make some photos for a story they were working on about the park's bison management policies in and outside of the park. If I had to pick my two favorites in the word, they would probably be 1. traveling, and 2. animals (and 3. photographing both) so this assignment was a match made in heaven. However, it ended up being harder and more frustrating than I thought. I did not do a good job do to my poor planning and communication with the park. I basically spent 4 days taking photos of bison and that's it. I should have been shooting rangers out in the park corralling the animals into pins, catching them in the city, branding them, testing them for disease, etc. That was something I should have tried to set up before investing the time and money on this trip because once I got there the rangers said no to everything and I didn't do enough about it. I was really embarrassed when I came back with only 10 out of 1,000 shots having something besides a buffalo in it. I'll have to chalk this one up to a lesson in learning from my mistakes.

2. MOST EMOTIONAL

Dealing with the loss of Hugh Dearden.

When I was interning with the Salt Lake Tribune I decided I wanted to do some kind of sports related photo story. In my last month of my internship I was assigned to start on a project with sportswriter Bill Oram about a local man who was in the late stages of cancer and loved watching his son play soccer. I met the family, took some photos at the house when his son's team came to visit, went to a game, shot that, then got the news--only three days since I met him--that he passed away. We decided to continue with the story and I spent the next week shooting more soccer games, an open-casket memorial and a traditional funeral. This was the first story I ever worked on dealing with death and learning the ins and outs of being a sensitive journalist.

MOST EFFORT

The Young and the Homeless

In my first month at the Tyler Morning Telegraph I got assigned to go to a church and take some photos of four homeless guys who had agreed to do an interview with us about being homeless in Tyler. Originally the story was going to be about how it's hard living on the streets when it's 120 degrees in the summer in Texas. But that wasn't the story. The real story was their friendship. These guys stuck it out together. They kept each other company at night, during the day, during meals, etc. Between the four of them one of them usually had a cell phone turned on so I gave them my phone number and off and on from then they would call me, and I would come hang out with them documenting their lives. This was an easy story that I decided to go further with. I put a lot of effort into spending time with the guys, even staying up until 4 a.m. one night to get this photo of "Bear" as he fell asleep outside the library.

BEST STANDALONE PHOTO ASSIGNMENT

Our Lady Parade

This was an assignment that took me by surprise because I had no idea what to expect. It was a Sunday. I was feeling under the weather, and the only thing on my calendar was a note saying a Catholic parade was to be held that afternoon in downtown Tyler and a contact phone number. I didn't call. I figured it was a parade and there wasn't much to really know. Wrong. This wasn't any Catholic parade, it was the parade celebrating the feast day of the Lady of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) and the whole parish of St. Peter Claver was in the streets with many matachines, Virgin Marys and Juan Diegos to keep me busy snapping away.

BEST SPORTS ASSIGNMENT

Brook Hill's championship win

They say that football is big in Texas. I honestly don't think it's any bigger than it is in Michigan, but having so many schools and so many divisions and regions and such a long season of football in Texas means that many communities have a local team going close to that coveted state title. Since I'm the newbie on staff I spent all fall covering the private schools, but that meant I got to travel to go shoot Brook Hill as they took on another private school in Killeen, TX. It was clear from the touchdown within the first two minutes that Brook Hill was going to win. They guys were more adrenaline rushed and excited than anything I have ever seen, which in turn, got me really excited to shoot! It didn't feel like work at all photographing these kids with as they screamed and jumped around and cheered the whole game. Sports features have always been a favorite of mine to shoot.

Detroit Visit

2012-01-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Uncle Sam

2012-01-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

this is by my house in Michigan

Night Fire

2012-01-01T18:49:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

a feature from our food section

Drought

2011-12-22T19:28:00.001-08:00

Lake Tyler

2011-12-22T19:24:00.001-08:00

she found some goggles on a piece of land that used to be under water

Tiaka Lee

2011-12-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

Men's Job Corps

2011-12-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

Christian Men's Job Corps client & director

Merry Fitness

2011-12-22T19:17:00.000-08:00

I heard there were going to be children dressed as Christmas trees and snowmen working out to fitness routines at the local arts elementary so I traded shifts with a co-worker because it sounded to good not to cover! I thought it was going to be just kids in a classroom or in their gym working out and looking festive, but it ended up being a big production in the auditorium with parents and stage lights. I wish it had been in the gym! Maybe next year I can shoot a reheresal instead.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

2011-12-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Before yesterday I knew nothing about this religious feast day for Our Lady of Guadalupe, or "La Virgen de Guadalupe." Basically it's the day where Mexican Catholics celebrate their dedication and gratefulness to the Virgin Mary for leading them to know Christ. The feast day is set each year for Dec. 12 to commerate her appearance in the 1500s in Mexico City. In Tyler, the local St. Peter's Parish celebrated a day early on Sunday with a vibrant parade through the town. When I saw on the photo schedule that I had to cover a Catholic parade, this it NOT what I expected! I thought it would be at most a few nuns and some school kids walking down the street maybe handing out Bibles. This was so much better than I could have imagined. The people in the photos dressed as Aztecs/Natives dancing are called Matachines (religious dancers). Who knew that being Catholic in one country was so different than being Catholic in another?? p.s. These photos are for sale here

Lexington

2011-12-04T18:43:00.001-08:00

Tyler Christmas Parade

2011-12-04T18:36:00.001-08:00

Arp Looses

2011-12-04T18:28:00.001-08:00

Division II State Quarterfinal match against Lexington

I didn't even notice until posting these that they all must have bleached their hair???

Brook Hill Wins State!

2011-12-04T18:10:00.001-08:00

Weird Texas

2011-11-27T19:40:00.001-08:00

Kickerz Coffee on Loop 323 in Tyler

really??? also on Loop 323

Chapel Hill Basketball

2011-11-27T19:23:00.001-08:00

Christmas Lights

2011-11-27T19:21:00.001-08:00

I drove around Tyler today in search of people putting up Christmas decorations!

Salvation Army Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T13:00:00.001-08:00

I worked this Thanksgiving, and it was a crazy long day. I was dreading having to photograph dinner at the Salvation Army because I always feel like if you are eating at the Sally, you probably don't want anyone to know, let alone document it. I was pleasantly surprised that no one gave me a hard time, and the assignment was actually really fun.

Black Friday in Tyler

2011-11-26T12:50:00.001-08:00

keeping warm outside of Target

shoppers are let inside

outside Best Buy

looking for the best bargains

first inside Toys R Us

Red Smoke

2011-11-26T12:45:00.001-08:00

Was driving out to work on a project when I came across a Camry on fire in the road on Thanksgiving. I didn't get anything I really liked of the car, but I liked the billows of smoke. The woman driving the car got herself and her two children out safely before it actually caught flames.

If you aren't shooting basketball with a 50mm you are doing it wrong.

2011-11-26T12:36:00.001-08:00

There's something I love about sitting under the net with a 50mm on shooting at aperture 2.5..... just seems to work for me. Basketball is definitely my favorite sport to shoot. It's so action packed. There are so many moments. It's predictable and unpredictable at the same time.

Brownsboro vs. All Saints Episcopal

Robert E. Lee High School vs. Whitehouse

These shots are from the TABO Annual Scholarship Classic yesterday at UT-Tyler. It's a two day event, so I'll be heading out in a few hours to shoot it again!

Texas Leaves

2011-11-22T20:39:00.001-08:00

It's not the same (at all) as up North, but some of the leaves do change color in East Texas.

Henderson Cane Syrup Festival

2011-11-17T11:47:00.001-08:00

I didn't know any other syrups existed besides Maple #Yankee

Texas College Final Game of Season

2011-11-17T11:43:00.001-08:00

TJC Championship Loss

2011-11-17T11:40:00.001-08:00

Bullard at Brownsboro Football

2011-11-11T13:05:00.001-08:00

Memorial for Former Classmate

2011-11-11T13:02:00.001-08:00

UT-Tyler Soccer

2011-11-11T13:00:00.001-08:00

Goal!

Flying in a B-17

2011-11-11T12:55:00.001-08:00

also threw together a quick video....was hard to shoot when I couldn't stand still and was about to throw up!! B-17 Video

Football Playoffs

2011-11-11T12:53:00.001-08:00

Basketball is Back

2011-11-11T12:51:00.001-08:00

sk8

2011-10-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

Oktoberfest

2011-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Pink Hair Dye

2011-10-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

Pets in the Park

2011-10-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Look at this guy!

Skater Girl

2011-10-16T18:06:00.001-07:00

Whitehouse vs. John Tyler Football

2011-10-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Mascots with an Attitude

2011-10-15T18:36:00.001-07:00

Volleyball Zombie

2011-10-10T12:57:00.001-07:00

Friday Night Arp High School

2011-10-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

Arts N Crafts

2011-10-10T12:49:00.001-07:00

Red Mass

2011-10-09T18:17:00.001-07:00

Macbeth

2011-10-09T18:15:00.001-07:00

School Bus Accident

2011-10-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Wounded Warriors Golf with Kids

2011-10-09T18:12:00.001-07:00

Air Show for Wounded Warriors

2011-10-09T18:10:00.001-07:00

Texas Wounded Warriors Arrive

2011-10-09T18:08:00.001-07:00

Square Dancing on the Square

2011-10-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Festival on the Square in Tyler, TX

Finally!

2011-10-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

I got a good photo of a touchdown! Which one do you like better... and why?

Longhorn

2011-09-29T18:39:00.001-07:00

Weird

2011-09-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

Football Injuries

2011-09-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

These are from the first games I shot here in Texas. Seemed like everyone was passing out and breaking bones.

Bass Clarinets!

2011-09-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Fair Vendors

2011-09-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Olympic Hopeful

2011-09-25T11:21:00.001-07:00

Mackenzie Brown, 16, poses outside at her home archery shooting range Thursday afternoon in Flint. Brown is second in her age division for the United States for Olympic recurve archery. Brown is competing in the Olympic trials this week in College Station.

West Brook vs. Robert E. Lee

2011-09-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

Country for Our Country

2011-09-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

local benefit concert for East Texas wounded warriors

First Time Shooting College Football

2011-09-25T11:01:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty sure this was my first time shooting college football! It's definitely easier to get sharper images during the day.

UT-Tyler Soccer

2011-09-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

Kadie Powell

2011-09-12T18:43:00.001-07:00

Kadie Powell, 19, and her grandmother. Powell was injured in a car accident July 14 that left her quadriplegic.

Fire near Diana, TX

2011-09-12T18:39:00.001-07:00

Texas is on Fire

2011-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

some shots of the wildfires in East Texas. Unfortunately I did not see any big flames. A lot of the crazy stuff was far off the roads.

15 Brides

2011-09-08T12:31:00.001-07:00

I went to a wedding for work last week where 15 couples got married at the same time. It was really a cool event and a great opportunity for me to get some wedding photo experience since that is one thing I never do!

Womens Soccer!

2011-09-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

...is nice to shoot when it's finally 85 degrees and breezy!

Wounded Soldier

2011-09-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

Tennis

2011-09-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Football Portrait

2011-09-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Football Preview

2011-08-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been filled with shoot after shoot of on-location high school football portraits. Here is one from a shoot today at All Saints Episcopal School here in Tyler.

Ice Cream Face

2011-08-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

So Much Star Power

2011-08-12T16:00:00.001-07:00

I'm new to Tyler, so I didn't know about this TK Gorman-Grace Community rivalry, but I found out today at Grace's photo day when everyone there was asking me if I took the "star power" photo at TK.

So anyway, here is a photo of them doing the same thing.

Texas Heat

2011-08-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Pool Party Food

2011-08-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

This was a fun shoot I did for the food section. The theme was a pool party. I love this first photo, and I hope you do too!

I Lied...More Little League

2011-08-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

TennisTime

2011-08-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Country Club Golf

2011-08-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

I like shooting golf when there's someone like this giving me the scary eyes, otherwise it's just boring!

Football Begins.

2011-08-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

Little League Wrap-Up

2011-08-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

Gospel Aerobics

2011-07-31T15:52:00.000-07:00

Aerobic exercise class set to gospel music!

I think I may actually go back and take this class!

Austin, TX

2011-07-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

Little League

2011-07-25T13:33:00.001-07:00

When Dogs Attack

2011-07-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

Patsy Mumphrey was attacked by four pit bulls when she was walking to her friend's house last week.

Derby

2011-07-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

I shot a bunch of photos and made a video to go with a centerpiece story Vanessa Pearson wrote.

Texas State Open

2011-07-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

Li'l Cowboy

2011-07-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

golf!

2011-07-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to think I didn't even know it was 106+degrees outside while I was shooting this! I had a nice breeze going in my golfcart!

Air Show 2

2011-07-07T12:02:00.000-07:00