Un-Incorporated Orlando: Pets

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[column]I need to step up this project. I've got 4 images and about 45 days to get 54 more. It's a hard neighborhood to get a story out of. It's not simple. I have learned two things.

1) While most everyone is initially distrustful of strangers with cameras these neighborhoods feel so hard! That being said, a few minutes of talking smooths most things over.

The biggest success is that I have finally realized that it's not my camera that people are distrustful of. Its ME with my camera. I'm a stranger. I look the part. I'm wondering around looking all over the place for a photograph. No one else is doing that. So "Who the f*ck are you?" is kind of a valid question.

2) Pets are an easy way to meet anyone. You want to talk to someone, ask them about their puppy, compliment them on their cats. Pets are an extension of our selves. If I'm nice to your pet, your going to feel a little safer with me.

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My favorite Travel Shirt(s)

[col-sect][column] As I’ve worked at becoming a storyteller, I’ve realized that we all wear uniforms. Uniforms are born out of function and as a series of visual signals to the people around them. A police officer’s hard pressed shirt, the patches on a punk rocker’s vest, the sarong of an Indian worker,,these all mean something to people who are part of the uniform’s culture.



In most cultures I work with, men wear button down shirts if they can. It’s a visual indicator that one has a job to do. This might sound shallow in our culture, but it makes a difference in other places. I was in the Democratic Republic of Congo a few years ago working on a story with a team including my boss, a writer, and a marketing specialist. My boss was a man who carried himself as one who was in charge. In the states, no one would ever question if he was running the show despite the fact that others might be more dressed up than he. He had only packed tee-shirts for the Congo trip because it was staggeringly hot and he wanted to be comfortable. When our contacts or a subject wanted to deal with us, they never came to him, they always came to me or the marketing guy. When it became a problem we started asking people why they didn’t come to our boss with stuff. They just assumed we where in charge because we were dressed like professionals. The only difference was a collard shirt.

I find that I choose my uniform in the field based on two things: credibility with my subject and enough comfort to avoid distraction/fatigue. For me this means a buttoned-down collared shirt that breaths well, does not wear sloppily, and offers some protection from the sun. I have three that I really like for different reasons; I usually bring them all on a trip with me.

The Dress Shirt (or the Airport Survival Shirt)

Call me old fashioned, but I’m of the opinion that everyone should have one or two fitted shirts at their disposal. They don’t have to be expensive, they just need to fit well, not wrinkle easily, hold up, and breathe decently. My nicest shirt is usually the one I’m wearing on the plane. Not only does it come in handy when you have issues with your airline (something for a different post) but at the end of the day, you don’t know what you might be invited to or want to cover while in country. It’s important to have something that works.

I like the basic oxford from Lands End and the Nordstrom Smartcare Traditional Fit Pinpoint.
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The Travel Shirt



Ah, the Travel Shirt. Is there anything that says “Western Traveler” quite like a travel shirt? These synthetic wonders evolved from shirts made by outdoor outfitters who specialize in safari hunts and saltwater fishing. And they look it. With their billowy, tent-like structure, their endless pockets, and their promises of mosquito, bacteria, and sun repellent it will be clear to everyone around you that you are not from around here––and that there is something about “here” which makes you a little nervous. I find that they make me look like I do not care to respect my subject by dressing appropriately.

The problem is that they are really useful. They wash easily, dry quickly, and usually breathe really well. The only protective feature I care about is UV: mosquito proofing only works if you are keeping everything buttoned up. The best ones I've used are from REI, Royal Robin looks to have some decent ideas as well. I’m not a fan of Exofficio for the reasons mentioned in the above paragraph. They are so light weight that they are flimsy and look sloppy. Just make sure you are picking a color that isn’t ridiculous and that it fits mostly like a normal shirt.

The Patagonia A/C shirt

Short sleeved, breathable, easy to wash, comfortable on the skin even wet. The Patagonia AC shirt is probably the best short sleeved, lightweight field shirt I've used. It offers less in the way of UV protection, but oh man, it is so comfortable. You really do feel about 5 degrees cooler with it on.



I Instead of a synthetic material, it uses a cotton weave that pulls sweat away from the skin and allows wind to move through with little effort. At the same time it hangs really well and wrinkles fall out of it quickly.

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New Additions to the Family

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This guy just got in today! :) It's a Sigma 50mm f/1.4

About a month ago, my Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM died on me, again. I loved that lens, which is why I bothered to send it in to Canon for repair instead of replacing it. The repair lasted about 18 months and then failed again. I gave up.

I decided to upgrade to the Sigma. The Canon, Sigma, and Ziess all sit within about 200 USD of each other, and since the Zeiss is manual focus, I'm giving Sigma a chance. So far it feels much more robust and sturdy than the Canon. The optics are clearly designed around the faster end of the aperture range and testing I've seen suggests that as well.
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In other news, I decided to bridge my prime range with a little Canon 35/2-I've been shooting with a 24/1.8 and a 50/1.4 for years now. It's a tiny, light little thing with a whirly little arc motor and plastic barrel. I'm not entirely sure about it just yet. It's very sharp--even wide open--but it seems to be extremely contrasty and insensitive to shadow detail. The focal length feels really accessible however, so I'm going to give it a try.



I'll be testing both of these lenses in still and video in the coming week. I hope it will help some of you out.
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60 images in 60 Days: Un-Incorperated Orlando

[col-sect][column]If you grew up in any size city in the US you eventually discovered that there were parts of town that where technically not part of the town. America cities grow in funny ways and sometimes they end up not being allowed to absorb every acer with in their borders. Some times you wouldn't know unless you lived there. Other times they become the "problem areas."[/column]

[column]There are several areas in Orlando that have become crime magnets or pools because they only fall under County jurisdiction. Some of these neighborhoods have only had street lights and storm drains for a little over 10 years. Some of them still have unpaved roads.

Over the next 60 days I'll be working on an essay discussing these issues, their cause and the implications for the people living in these communities. My goal is to publish 60 images with in those 60 days.[/column][/col-sect]

Amazing People make Amazing Portraits

The team at Ushahidi is probably the largest gathering of intelligent, generous people I have ever spent time with. They are working on crisis information, mapping, and information filtering. Their work will change journalism, reportage, story telling, disasters, and the way we see war in the years to come. Keep an eye on them.

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