Press Democrat staff and freelance photographers published 434 commencement photos online this past weekend. Before the online world and photo galleries, the paper would publish maybe 10 photos from the entire graduation season. There simply was not enough space in the newspaper for all the high school and college graduations. [...]
The view from my backyard of the Annualar eclipse this afternoon...the images were taken just a few minutes apart. -Kent Porter
Yep, the Amgen Tour of California (TOC) has come and gone from Santa Rosa. Professional bike racing is comparable to the other racing event that is awash in advertising sponsorship, namely NASCAR's annual visit to Sonoma County in June. The TOC has grown exponentially, arguably the third most popular bike [...]
Came across this funny picture today while on assignment off Pine Flat Road. Just hit the target if you're going to shoot. -Kent Porter
I'm walking on sunshine , wooah I'm walking on sunshine, woooah I'm walking on sunshine, woooah and don't it feel good!! -Katrina and the Waves 1985 The past few weeks have had these four seasons all rolled in to one. One day, you need a quart of sunscreen, the [...]
I know this post is late. Baseball started a couple of weeks ago. But I did get to cover the Oakland Athletics home opener. Even though the A's haven't exactly burst out of the barn this year (for that matter, neither have the Giants) it still makes for good photos. [...]
Photography is habit forming. The great thing about this habit is the documentation of everyday life. Photojournalists do what they do, to inform, enlighten. My photography teacher in high school, Harry Hickman, told me once that photography is one thing that a person can do their entire life. I was [...]
It's tick season. Several years ago I worked on a story about Pt. Arena High School's basketball program. After talking with some of the varsity basketball players I was told that a group would usually play hoops at a friends house after school, on a court that overlooks the ocean [...]
Vacation. A time to reconnect and unify as a family. Recharge those batteries if you will. Nothing like lying on the beach for six days, watching the kid swim and soaking up the sun (with sunscreen). Of course I did the tourist thing and photographed a few palm trees too. [...]
I gauge the season by the type of gear that bivouacs in my work vehicle. Winter: -waders -rain coat and poncho -plastic bags -towels -kleenex (to wipe water away from lenses and cameras) -extra change of everything -hand warmers Spring: -Same as above -bug spray Summer: -get rid of the [...]
How many frames in a photojournalists life? Millions. Literally.
I’ve lost count since I started shooting photos at eight years-old with a Polaroid Land Camera (which I still own). It’s a way of life this photojournalism thing which is endlessly fascinating. The trip along the way, now in my 31st year professionally and the last 25 with the Press Democrat, has been an adventure in life. What it has to offer, ranging from implausible beauty to the utterly cruel things life randomly pitches out have shaped and molded who I am. That means I get to witness history. Pretty cool, eh? This journey has included photographing lots of inanimate objects which can be terribly boring. I’ve also borne the brunt of people unhappy to see a photographer show up to document less than pleasant circumstances. Then there’s the weather, which wreaks havoc on the human race daily. So I document the clouds. My advice for anyone having a bad day is to go outside and take a picture of those clouds once in awhile. It will do wonders for the interior beast. Unless you are using a metal tripod in an electrical storm.
-Kent Porter