Tampa Photography Blog

Astronomers have figured out how to photograph the entire universe using a telescope millions of miles from Earth. The end product is quite beautiful.

To learn what exactly it is that we see in this amazing photo, please take a look at this article. It will blow your mind!

*Photo by the European Space Agency.*

If I had a dollar for every time I encountered an article about a “Photoshop-altered image”, well, I’d have some extra spending cash which I would probably use to by the newest version of Photoshop.

BP has yet again become a big blog topic due to three photos that were released of their cleanup efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. The photos were clearly altered and whoever did it, used a cut and paste technique that did not make the new versions realistic.

I’ve ranted on my blog many a time about altering digital photos and what it can do to my profession and the credibility of all photographers. It cannot become the norm for anyone—photographers, editors, designers or even CEOs.

The reason this particular incident upsets me is because BP is in enough trouble already—they have tarnished their image this year, possibly forever. How would this kind of stunt help? Someone always finds out…thank God for the photo geeks who find these problems. Plus, BP’s reaction to it is that they are now blaming the contract photographer for altering the image and claiming no responsibility of their own.

The photographer may have done this on their own (and for that they should be punished) but BP is forgetting the one lesson they should have learned in the last three months: one mistake can take an entire company down.

View the before and after images here.

*Photo courtesy of BP via Flickr.*

One of the most powerful and in-depth photo stories I have ever viewed won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography.

Denver Post photographer Craig F. Walker received the award to bring the Post’s Pulitzer total to six.

For more than two years, Walker documented a “boy” named Ian Fisher as he graduated from high school, joined the Army and was deployed to Iraq. Walker’s access and creativity to make every frame different after years covering the same subject is inspiring. Through his images, you can see his passion to tell this story in particular. He didn’t have a model soldier as a subject. He didn’t just want the typical “war images” from Iraq that we have all become numb to after seeing so many of them.

The story is called “Ian Fisher: American Soldier” and I highly recommend you take time out of your day to see what really happens when young men are asked to take on more responsibility than they can handle.

There are so few storytellers left in photojournalism that are given the time and resources to pursue a story and finish it. My thanks go to the Denver Post for giving Walker what he needed to make this an award-winning piece of art.

*Photo by Craig F. Walker*

A 25-year-old U.K. mother recently checked out the Google Street View and was surprised to find an image of her 3-year-old son naked, with only his shoes on. A license plate on a nearby car was blurred out but not the naked boy. The mother wants to know why the images aren’t reviewed well before being posted online.

Google later replaced the image with one that blurred out the child from the waist down.

When I first read this story, I thought that the mother was probably somewhere she shouldn’t have been, letting her son run wild with no pants on. (I’ve seen weirder things happen.) I assumed she would cry “invasion of privacy” and sue Google for millions. Then I read that this happened in her garden, I assume in the privacy of her own backyard.

Now I understand why she is so upset and why she feels sick to her stomach about finding this photo. I don’t have a child but if this happened to my husband or me, I would be outraged. I can’t think of a reason why we’d be naked in our garden but you never know!

Where do we draw the line when it comes to technology and our privacy?

This year’s recipient of the Pictures of the Year International (POYi) Emerging Vision Incentive award is truly exposing a way of life that is bizarre, intriguing and sad.

Photographer James Chance will continue to document his project called “Living with the Dead: Manila’s North Cemetery.” Through his project he is exposing a community of 2,000 people who have made their home the North Cemetery, among hundreds of thousands of Filipino presidents, celebrities and Catholics.

These families have literally built lives on top of tombs and graves. They live and work there instead of in the city slums, where many of the city’s poverty stricken people reside. Approximately 40 percent of Manila’s population lives below the poverty line.

According to Chance, 80 funerals can occur each day in the North Cemetery.

Chance’s goal is to explore the lives of the people that live among the dead. The most interesting aspect of his plan is to understand the cycle of life in this community—“babies are born as bodies are laid to rest.”

It’s rare these days to see classic storytellers receiving money to do what they do best. I’m excited to see the POYi grant awarded to Chance and I can’t wait to see what he does with the project.

*Photo by James Chance*

Not even Lance Armstrong can avoid being “Photoshopped.”

His latest professional magazine photo graces the cover of Outside, a travel and fitness magazine. He wore a plain t-shirt for the photo session and Outside staff added “38. BFD.” (The numbers and letters refer to his age this year--38 years old--and that it’s not a “big f---ing deal”.)

Armstrong is pissed. He called it “weak” that they did it without his permission.

In the age of digital alterations, the only thing that upsets me is that there’s an easier solution—ask him to wear a shirt with the phrase on it in the first place. Maybe they did and he refused but no one has offered up that information yet.

The story is about his 38^th year and how he’s overcome so much and what's in store for his future. I get it. It’s kind of funny to have a shirt on that expresses his attitude.

However, so many staffers are now looking to do post-production work on photos that they forget photographers can make most of it happen from behind the lens! It’s lazy and brings more scrutiny on all publications every time there’s a controversial magazine cover photo that’s rumored to be an altered image. Outside staff defended their actions by showing they have very small print on the cover that says, “Note: Not Armstrong’s Real T-shirt.”

Just because someone admits “I’m lazy” doesn’t make it ok.

One of the reasons I love the new photo exhibition at the Tate Modern in London is that the photos are a wonderful mix of very literal imagery and some that are more suggestive and subtle.

The exhibit titled “Exposed” showcases photographs from various artists that focus on the idea of voyeurism. Some are more subtle like the Harry Callahan photo (1984) of the backside of a woman standing on a street corner. The way it’s shot, it seems as though maybe the photographer is a safe distance behind her, using a long lens and trying to fill the frame with her body.

A more obvious interpretation of the voyeurism theme is seen in Shizuka Yokomizo’s photos from her “Dear Stranger” body of work from 1999. She wrote to strangers asking them to stand in their window at a specific time and date so she could photograph them outside their homes. It sounds creepy to me but apparently enough people did it for her to make a series out of it.

I visited the Tate Modern in London in 2006 while traveling with a dear friend of mine through England and Ireland. I loved the museum and have always held a fascination with modern art. Even if I don’t understand it completely, I’ve always been drawn to it.

Photography exhibits catch my eye first, naturally. Seeing someone else’s work in exhibit form is a special privilege and I don’t take it lightly. I know how much time, effort and talent goes into one show so I’m grateful there are museums out there like the Tate Modern that allow for such artistic freedom.

*Top photo by Harry Callahan; Bottom photo by Shizuka Yokomizo.*

Where does the “altering” end when it comes to digital photography?

When you’re trained to be a newspaper photojournalist, you are given certain rules to abide by. One of them is don’t alter your digital image so much that it looks nothing like the original. Many photographers and sometimes editors have made the news themselves by ignoring this rule for the sake of making a “better” photograph.

I will admit there is a huge gray area so it is sometimes hard to know what’s acceptable and what’s not. Removing people from photos is NOT.

The Dominion Post in Morgantown, West Virginia took it upon themselves to alter Martin Valent's photo (he works for the West Virginia Legislative Reference and Information Center). The editor of the paper, Geri Ferrara, is under fire for her decision that she continues to defend.

The photo in question is of Governor Joe Manchin seated with a pen signing “Erin’s Law”, named after a WVU student (Erin Keener) who died in a hit and run accident. The original photo includes two members of Keener’s family and three delegates with the Governor. The newspaper removed the delegates from the photo because of “the newspaper's policy not to publish pictures of candidates running for re-election during the political season."

Ferrara said her decision is just because she labeled the photo a “photo illustration”. She is truly stretching the definition of the word. Webopedia defines it as “a type of computer art that begins with a digitized photograph. Using special image enhancement software, the artist can then apply a variety of special effects to transform the photo into a work of art.” View the story here and decide if Ferrara has created a “work of art”.

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) keeps a watchful eye over all newspapers, journalists and editors. They wrote to Ferrara and stated their disappointment in her decision. "Find an alternative to lying," NPPA's letter to Ferrara said. "If the there are no other photos available of this event, then do not run any photo at all or run a head-shot of the governor if you have to run something. You must value your integrity above all else. All other considerations or excuses pale in comparison."

Hitler is wearing a pink uniform with a heart on his sleeve instead of a swastika. Does this sound like a joke? Well, a fashion boutique in Sicily, Italy thinks it’s kind of funny.

The boutique called New Form has caused a controversy by using Adolf Hitler in its current advertising campaign. The photo has been enlarged to 18-feet high posters and shows Hitler in a pink uniform accompanied by the slogan, "Change Style--Don't Follow Your Leader."

I believe the point of the campaign is to poke fun at Hitler while urging their target market to stand out and be your own leader in the fashion world. Good idea but not sure it’s going to go over so well with the general public.

It doesn’t offend me personally and from a public relations standpoint, I can see why they did it. The internet is buzzing about this controversial advertisement and their next one won’t be politically correct either. It features Chinese Communist leader Mao Tse Tung.

Bad publicity is still publicity.

Controversy surrounding a photo of Modern Family actress Julie Bowen breast-feeding is the latest talk of the blogosphere.

It brings up the question of most photos involving women exposing something—has it gone too far?

One could argue it’s no different than a Victoria’s Secret ad showing women in lingerie covering only what would be blurred by the FCC.

But is it the maternal act of breast-feeding that offends people? Or is it the pride Bowen showed by trying to unveil the photo on The View and then being able to do so on George Lopez’s late-night show.

I asked my husband what he thought when he saw the story and after he joked a bit, he said he didn’t see the point in her showing the photo on national television. I guess that’s how I felt too.

She said she was proud of her “double football” pose because she holds both boys at the same time while breast-feeding. I guess I’m proud of some things I do in the privacy of my own home but I haven’t photographed them and released them to a talk show host.

My question to you is, “What’s the point?”

View the story and photo here. (Photo by REUTERS.)

The New York Times maintains a creative and newsworthy blog filled with impactful photos and stories.

This week the staff unveiled a project they’ve spent countless hours working on called A Moment in Time. They asked blog readers to submit photos taken from all over the world at exactly 15:00 U.T.C. on Sunday, May 2, 2010. The project was an ambitious one and the results are pretty cool.

Professionals and amateurs submitted more than 10,000 photos for the interactive globe gallery. You can click on any stack of photos from around the world and see the submissions from that region.

Projects like these keep the passion of photography alive for so many shooters.

The most recent chatter about the Miss USA Pageant has nothing to do with the actual pageant.

All 51 contestants participated in a very sexy lingerie photo shoot with photographer Fadil Berisha called “Waking up in Las Vegas.”

The photo shoot has drawn some controversy because of its contemporary, sexual nature but personally, I am all for it. Controversy still draws attention the pageant, which has been less than exciting the last few years. I have never been interested in the pageant myself but seeing that they choose to go this route with a great photographer and some edgy photos, draws my interest.

A good point was made that in this photo shoot, no more skin is shown than during the swimsuit competition. It’s just different clothes to cover up X-rated areas. The women look sexual, beautiful and current but isn’t that what some of the pageant is about any way? I have never seen an unattractive woman compete in Miss USA.

What do you think? Is this too much for the traditional Miss USA Pageant or is this just what the pageant needs to bring viewers back?

Click here to view a video of the shoot.

John Kaplan.

To most people who are not in the world of professional photography, that name means nothing.

He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

He teaches photojournalism at the University of Florida.

And he has cancer.

John is not your ordinary cancer patient. He has documented his struggle through chemotherapy and numerous other painful procedures and treatments in hopes of bringing some light to the world of cancer.

He said it started off when he took a photo of himself in his bathroom mirror on a whim. Now he’s created a documentary about the entire ordeal.

To call this brave and selfless is not enough. It’s difficult for photojournalists to document someone else’s struggle with a disease. We do it when we have to or when we think a story needs to be told. But to photograph your own story about cancer is nothing less than inspiring.

“As my doctor says, with some cancers you never know,” Kaplan said. “I don’t spend time dwelling on that. (I’m) just glad I’m here to be there for my family, there for my students and know this film project will help other people.”

I was fortunate enough to earn my degree in journalism at UF under the tutelage of John Kaplan. He has made me cry, laugh and work so hard to be a better photographer. When others couldn’t find the time to help, John pushed me and didn’t let me fail. I will never forget that about him. I hope his current students know how lucky they are.

Click here to watch a video of John discussing the film.

POYi launched a new program that will help aspiring documentary photographers make their dreams come true.

The basic requirements are to propose a new project focused on documentary work, be an emerging photographer (not a full-time professional) and be willing to work on the project for a full year.

The part I love the most about this program is that there are no age limitations. So, this grant of $10,000 could go to an 18-year-old enrolled in college or a 65-year-old retiree. As long as you have a strong proposal and a passion for the subject you want to document, you can apply.

POYi Director Rick Shaw explained how this could change someone’s life, "So if someone is a security guard, and their whole hope was to become a documentary photographer, but they're not able to get a foothold because of the current publishing climate and economic realities, this incentive would do it."

The University of Missouri and Pictures of the Year International have a long history of being synonymous with photographic excellence. The Missouri School of Journalism was founded on 1908 as the “world’s first school of journalism.” They produce award-winning photojournalists year after year, most of which enter and sometimes win the POYi contest. The contest is in its 67^th year and is still going strong.

If you’ve ever had a desire to explore and document a social issue but didn’t have the time or money, this program is your chance to make it happen.

The application fee is only $20 and the deadline is May 31, 2010.

To read about the details of the program, click here.

To apply, click here.

One of my favorite charities to shoot for is Flashes of Hope.

The goal of this organization is to photograph kids with life-threatening illnesses like cancer and give those photos to their families as a gift.

The best part is seeing how the kids light up once they realize this is about pampering them, making them feel special and helping them to forget about their illness, if only for an hour. Being in a hospital for days on end and having to receive treatment that makes you feel worse can be exhausting.

Because the shoots are done monthly and I've only been volunteering for two years, I've done two shoots, both of which were extremely fulfilling. During the first one, we set up the studio in a break room at the hospital. A father came in to escape and get a little distraction. He told me had a 16-year-old daughter at the hospital that had cancer and was not doing well. I stopped what I was doing and sat next to him, just to listen. He went on about how he couldn't believe he had to watch his "baby girl" go through this. And he started sobbing. I couldn't help but hug him and after about ten minutes of talking and crying, he said he felt so much better. All he needed was someone to listen who wasn't a doctor or family member. He needed a shoulder to cry on and I was so touched he chose mine.

All of the people involved are volunteers and the families don't pay a dime for any of it. They receive a print package and a CD with the high-resolution photos after the photographer edits the images.

The entire shoot is coordinated by All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay Chapter Directors Dana Hudepohl and Marc Silbiger. Aveda provides make up and styling services and local photographers rotate monthly.

So far, 185 children have been photographed in Tampa Bay.

If this charity interests you, I urge you to donate your services or money to keep it going. It means a great deal to me and I hope after seeing some of the photos, you’ll feel touched too.

Watch the FOX 13 story here.

Once again, Lindsay Lohan is making waves by doing a crazy photo shoot.

This seems to be her way to get attention when she's not doing her job, which in case you forgot is acting. The last time she shocked the world was for a photo shoot for the cover of Purple. She was dressed in a white robe with a crown of thorns on her head and her arms outstretched. She was trying to look "Christ-like."

This time, celebrity photographer Tyler Shields photographed Lohan in little clothing with a gun pointed in her mouth, with her legs above her head and with blood on her hands and all over the walls behind her. She calls it "art" and has defended it on her Twitter page.

The photos are provocative and as I've said before, most photos are shot to get a reaction. It doesn't have to be a favorable one, it just has to be an honest reaction when you see it. Shields is doing what any photographer would do--making images that people will talk about, blog about and want to see.

The shoot is called "The Dirty Side of Glamour." Check it out and see if it evokes a reaction in you.

WARNING: The video discussed in this blog is violently graphic and contains nudity. Please be aware of this before viewing it. Thank you!

Singer and rapper M.I.A. debuted the graphic video “Born Free” on Monday and the cyber chatter hasn’t stopped since.

No one is quite sure what the underlying message is but that probably is the message: think for yourself.

The 9-minute video shows SWAT-like men rounding up red-headed boys from a neighborhood and forcing them on a bus. The boys are then taken to a desert and lined up, execution style, then told to run into the desert. One boy stands there, paralyzed by fear. He is shot in the head in a scene not unlike that of Eddie Adams’ Pulitzer Prize winning photo of a suspected Viet Cong being executed.

The other boys run through the desert only to be surprised by land mines, one of which blows a boy to pieces.

Now, most people might ask, “What’s the point?” Well, you may not know her message but just like I am blogging about the video that made my mouth drop, you’ll probably have an opinion on it too. She’s hoping for a reaction, a discussion, an argument, a feeling.

While this is supposed to be a “music video”, I do understand the point of shooting something to elicit a reaction. Some still photographers don’t care if you like their photo, as long as you feel something about. We’ve all seen graphic images from war that make us cringe and turn away but we still felt something when we looked at it.

You Tube decided to pull the video from their site due to its graphic nature. I understand the need to protect others from viewing such graphic violence if they think they’re just viewing a hip hop music video. But I don’t see this being any worse than photos or videos that document reality.

Try looking at photos from the earthquake in Haiti or the West Virginia mine explosion or even Hurricane Katrina. I still think about the people I photographed in New Orleans after Katrina hit and I hope someone saw my photos and paused to think about the people in them.

After refusing to air a commercial in its entirety, Lane Bryant recently accused FOX and ABC of treating them differently than other clients because they represent and sell to plus-size women. Both networks have rejected this claim and stated that there is no validity to their arguments.

Even though the public technically doesn’t know who is telling the truth in this battle, it’s obvious Lane Bryant is trying to raise questions: are plus-size, scantily clad women viewed differently than thin, petite women, even when seen only in a television commercial?

I have to admit, I see the double standard.

I have watched Victoria’s Secret commercials for years featuring tiny women with unrealistic bodies and very little clothing. This is what society gives women as “the standard,” which we spend the rest of our lives attempting to reach (and most of us fail). I rarely saw plus-size women featured until Dove launched the Campaign for Real Beauty. This genius campaign has reached millions of women of all ages and made it “ok” to show larger women in lingerie or bras and panties.

Lane Bryant model Ashley Graham said she didn't know there would be such controversy about her commercial because she believes it was tastefully done. Read the entire interview here. 

Take a look for yourself and determine if the recent Lane Byrant or Victoria’s Secret 'The Nakeds' ads offend you or if you think one should not be aired during prime-time network programming.

View the Lane Byrant commercial here.

View the Victoria's Secret commercial here.

I find it a crying shame that the Supreme Court doesn't see the value in keeping a law that bans the sale of animal cruelty videos.

I always try to see both sides of an argument when something controversial like this comes up in the news. It's difficult though as an animal lover and owner to see our justices overturning a ruling and rejecting a law that seemed to be working.

The justices also threw out the criminal conviction of Robert Stevens of Pittsville, Va., who was sentenced to three years in prison for videos he made about pit bull fights.

The law was created in 1999 to reduce the sales of "crush videos" to fetish seekers. The videos showed women crushing small animals to death with their feet or high-heels. Of course, I don't get the fetish so why would I believe in the rights of these people to make and sell the videos?

State representatives have suggested that they will create another law to target crush videos specifically.

The justices sited free speech as the reason for the 8-1 ruling.

Please read the full story here and talk to your Florida state representative about further action here.

The new 11-part series from the Discovery Channel called LIFE has me consumed and obsessed. And I'm not the only one.

You don't have to be a professional photographer to see the beauty in the photography captured for this series. And what impresses "photo geeks" like me is the technical aspect of the shoots.

Discovery was smart enough to post video and details with behind-the-scenes insight for people like me.

One of the most interesting scenes was one on Bulldog Bats fishing. I'm sure it doesn't sound ground-breaking but trust me, when you know what went into the three-week shoot, you can appreciate it on a whole new level.

The bats fish at night so there's obstacle number one: light. How do you shoot an animal at night with no light? The crew asked bat experts in Belize to acclimate them to light for three months prior to the shoot. The crew was hoping they would set up, start shooting and the bats would not alter their behavior.

On the first night of shooting, the bats were flying clear of the pond where the crew had set up. No one could understand why the light would affect them now after they seemed to ignore it for so many months. But as the producer was playing with the bat detector, he realized the electric box used to power the lights was giving off the same frequency as the bats. The bats’ frequency was being drowned out by the electric box. And without that frequency, the bats could not echolocate to fish. (They use sound waves to locate prey.)

So, once past the lighting and frequency obstacles, the crew had to photograph the bats flying by at 40 miles per hour and slow it down. Most filming is done at 24 or 25 frames per second. The camera used for the bats shot at 2,000 frames per second slowing the bats down a remarkable 83 times.

Next challenge: how do you know when a bat flying 40 miles per hour will grace you with his presence? The crew used bat detectors to get a warning when the bats were approaching. They set the camera to film eight-second sequences, four seconds before and after the camera was set to record. So, when they saw a bat’s first splash on the water, they got eight seconds of film as he disappeared again.

The last challenge was contending with the weather. It damages camera gear quickly and weakens photographers who often work around the clock for these kinds of projects. The camera the crew brought “died” while on assignment and another one was flown in to save the shoot. With heat and humidity to contend with in Belize, it’s amazing these crews get anything done.

Take a few minutes and check out the series. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

*Photo credit: Discovery Networks*

None of the obsessive Canon users like myself need confirmation that the company produces an amazing camera. But now the Canon 5D Mark II has made it's way to the set of the show House. Pretty cool in the photo world.

Director Greg Yaitanes said he shot the season finale with the 5D because of the tight spaces he was working in and because the shallow focus pulled the actors' faces to the foreground.

Yaitanes answered 5D questions from 'photo geeks' (a good term in my business) on his Twitter page. Check out the finale airing on May 17 on FOX.

Photographers Tracy Raver and Kelley Ryden have their hands full, literally.

These Nebraska-based sisters are also moms and claim they are so great at what they do because of their experience and skills working with newborn infants. All of their subjects are less than two weeks old and they say the hardest part of their job is posing their little bodies and keeping the babies happy and asleep.

They have published a new book with a collection of fantastic photographs with all royalties going to non-profit organizations that help newborns.

Please take a moment to browse through their images or put their book on your wish list. You can also watch their full interview on The Today Show.

*Photo by Tracy Raver and Kelley Ryden

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing James Bain, a sweet man with a huge heart.

Bain was released from prison in December after serving a prison term for raping a 9-year-old boy in Lake Wales in 1974. He has repeatedly asked for DNA testing over the years to prove his innocence. In July, a judge granted his request and he was exonerated of all charges.

I met Bain at his mother's home in Tampa for the photo session. The photos were published in a French newspaper called Le Journal du Dimache for Polaris Images. Reporter Karen Lajon meet me there to interview him about his unique story.

I've included some of the photos of Bain, even though only one was published. The home was very difficult to shoot in because his mother had quite a few collectibles in a small place! I did my best and I hope he enjoyed the photos.

Please feel free to add your comment or suggestion at the bottom!

Peter Gowland died March 17 but his legacy will live on.

He was responsible for making the classic pinup just that—classic. He used lots of natural light and gorgeous beaches to create images of beautiful women and men.

Gowland seemed to know all the tricks to pinup photography and he published 26 books to share his knowledge with others.

To prevent models from tiring, he made hidden foot supports out of wood so they could stand for long periods. But what most photographers of that time remember him for are the cameras he designed and built in his garage and sold.

Please take a moment to check out his body of work.

It's truly sad to hear the real story on how some magazines find their photos and the reasons why they publish them.

I understand People and US Weekly are not considered to be true journalism outlets but the deceit plastered across their covers is alarming, especially when they choose the same photo!

Sandra Bullock posed for the cover photo on both magazines but did so in the summer of 2009 for a different story. Since Bullock did not agree to cooperate with the magazines, they could not get a new photo of her for their stories on her split from husband Jesse James. So, they both bought similar photos of her because she looked less than happy in these pictures.

Read the full story and see the covers here.

Music photographer Jim Marshall passed away in his sleep in New York City Wednesday.

Marshall photographed legends Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and many more.

One of my favorite photos is the one posted to the right taken at Woodstock in 1969 during a set by Sanata. I love it not only for the color and warmth but because he was shooting with a Fish Eye lens before it was really hip to do so.

Read the article about his death here and check out his work here.

(*Photo by Jim Marshall)

Judges in NPPA's 2010 Best Of Photojournalism competition have picked winners in the Domestic News Picture Story, International News Picture Story, Enterprise Picture Story (Large Markets) and (Small Markets), Environmental Picture Story, and Non-Traditional Photojournalism Publishing categories during their fourth day of judging at the contest's host site, The Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg.

This contest is one of the most respected in photojournalism. I specifically enjoy looking at the photo story winners as this has always been a passion of mine. Please take a moment to view these wonderful images made by some of the best photographers in the world.

http://bop.nppa.org/2010/

A significant health care bill has been passed by the House and is headed to President Obama's desk to be signed.

I applaud the President's efforts to change our damaged health care system and provide for those in need. However, I fear this will bring about more problems and less solutions once it's fully functional.

Proposed changes like prohibiting health care insurance companies from denying applicants coverage because of pre-existing conditions could help people like my parents. But there is no guarantee.

I worry about the effect this will have on my family and my future children. Being a small business owner, this bill is supposed to help people just like me.

We'll see where the bill takes us...

Photos (top to bottom):

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) walks back to the Blue Room with U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden after Obama delivered a statement about the House of Representatives' final passage of health care legislation, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 21, 2010. The legislation would usher in the most sweeping changes to the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system in decades. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Supporters of the Tea Party movement hold a sign outside the US Capitol as they demonstrate in Washington against the health care bill. Democrats used their majority to muscle the measure through, losing 34 conservative party members who joined the united Republican opposition, worried about paying a political price in November mid-term elections. (AFP/Nicholas Kamm)

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's, D-Texas, arm rests on an autographed copy of the bill after the House passed health care reform in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Sunday, March 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

This blog entry has nothing to do with photography. The only connection it has to my work is that the person who wrote the following column helped me to become a better shooter. She is a writer, a runner, a mother, a wife, a friend and a brave soul.

I met this amazing woman at The Times in Shreveport, Louisiana and we worked on several projects together. Her work always made my work look better.

I've told Kym for years now that she is my hero. I'm not sure if she understands why but reading this column again, months later, it hits me that her strength is one of her best attributes. The struggles she's gone through in her life that are NOT in this column would shock you.

Please take a few minutes out of your day to read it. I hope it inspires you and maybe helps someone you know step forward about something that happened to them.

Thank you for sharing, Kym.

Please click here to read: 'My goal is to live'

Toyota executives apologized today for the problems concerning sudden acceleration in some of their vehicles while continuing to deny that the problems are related to electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, others like United Kingdom-based EMI expert Keith Armstrong believe that the acceleration problem is linked to EMI and that the tests performed were not comprehensive enough to decide the root of the problem.

I photographed Armstrong for a USA Today story and while only one of his portraits was published inside the Money Section today, I thought I’d share a few of them that I liked.

Armstrong was photographed at a hotel in Brooksville, Florida while he was visiting the U.S. on business.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Maya Tucker shot this photo of a neighbor holding her baby out of her window as her apartment filled with smoke from a fire that started in a closet. What’s even more interesting is that Maya Tucker is not a professional photographer. When I first saw this photo, I thought it was a great moment caught by a New York Daily News photojournalist and “right place, right time.” Not so.

Great moments can be caught by anyone but it’s rare to have a news-worthy moment documented by an amateur photographer. I applaud Maya for having the guts to photograph this—most bystanders do not think to pick up a camera during a crisis situation.

As newspaper photojournalists, we are trained from day one to do our job, do it well and shoot first, and then ask for forgiveness. If there was a photographer on scene, I’m guessing neighbors might have been watching him or her, wondering how he or she could take photos at a time like this. In the news business, we are forced to separate ourselves from the subjects, even if those subjects are victims.

During my five years as a newspaper photographer, I witnessed countless situations that broke my heart. The last and final adventure I had was covering Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I realized after that week that I was not born to be a newspaper photographer. Some are born to cover natural disasters, wars and devastation. I am not one of them.

I'm very excited to be photographing James Bain this week. I'd like to hear what his life has been like behind bars for 35 years, as an innocent man. Polaris Images has asked me to photograph him at his Tampa home for a French Sunday newspaper called Le Journal du Dimache.

Bain was released from prison in December after serving a prison term for raping a 9-year-old boy in Lake Wales in 1974. He has repeatedly asked for DNA testing over the years to prove his innocence. In July, a judge granted his request and he was exonerated of all charges.

When Bain was released, his first requests were to have a glazed doughnut, a Mello Yello and spearmint gum. It makes me a little more thankful for all the simple pleasures I take for granted on a daily basis.

ABC News recently obtained new photos from the 9/11 attacks after filing a Freedom of Information Act request in 2009 with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The photos show a different view of what happened that day and how far and wide the damage spread. Will these images help people to rebuild and "never forget" or will they just bring back bad memories? View a gallery of the images and make your own judgements.

*Photo by Det. Greg Semendinger/NYC Police Aviation Unit*

Sports Illustrated released their annual Swimsuit Edition this week with four Olympic athletes featured including Lindsey Vonn. The photo of Vonn on last week's cover caused some debate over whether the pose was provocative or appropriate for her sport. The latest issue features Vonn in much more compromising positions and in less clothes. So, is it ok for her to be sexy and alluring in the Swimsuit Edition? The whole point of the annual edition is to showcase beautiful women in very tiny bikinis in exotic places. So, why does the world get upset when a female athlete shows some skin but when a male athlete poses shirtless for GQ or Men's Health, it’s acceptable?