fries at the bottom of the bag

black thursday

2011-11-28T13:55:00.000-05:00

people waiting in line for shopping deals on thanksgiving.

football feature

2011-11-28T13:33:00.000-05:00

A band picture before the start of a football game.

zombie illustration

2011-10-25T14:18:00.002-04:00

here's a photo illustration for a story on a zombie event
in norfolk.

sportrait

2011-10-13T15:35:00.001-04:00

we just got some portable lights so i'm working on using them.

here's a sportrait from yesterday.

india fest

2011-09-17T19:41:00.003-04:00

we did a story on the miss india portion of india fest, a beauty contest. here's a pic from backstage
and an out take that i liked.

paddle out

2011-08-11T13:22:00.003-04:00

Scores of people did a "paddle out" to commemorate one of the soldiers
killed in the recent Afghanistan helicopter crash. He was a surfer, and
in an effort to try not to identify people in the picture too well,
I overexposed the image (many there didn't want to be identified
due to their role with the military).

Technical note - this was done by a few stops overexposure and then
I brought down a little bit of the shadows to pull in remaining details.

State Championships

2011-08-10T15:25:00.002-04:00

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639310709134181762" />

A couple of images from high school state championships.

A Chance In Hell

2011-07-31T11:06:00.007-04:00

Earlier this year we spent time at the Kandahar
trauma hospital. We finally published the story
today. This image is of a solder who stepped on
a land mine, lost his leg sadly, and received the
purple heart after he was stabilized.

Please take time to look over the stories, photos
and videos. Our service members are still
witnessing this type of trauma daily.

http://hamptonroads.com/achanceinhell/

My gratitude is extensive to the military
and to those who allowed us to share their story.

It's the most intense two weeks I have ever witnessed.

Haiti and Ireland, and TID

2011-07-15T22:46:00.008-04:00

Getting caught up as of late with a few things:

I finally put up images from my trips to Ireland and Haiti on my website.

Here are a couple, but if you want to see more, check out

http://www.rosstaylor.net/

Also we just finished a website for The Image, Deconstructed, which is
a side project I've been working this year. I'm really excited about it -
it's the hosting archive for all the interviews we've done so far.

http://www.imagedeconstructed.com/

The site was designed by Sam Saccone, who volunteered his time to do this, so
much appreciation goes out to him.

http://samsaccone.com/

The blog is open also to anyone if they want a space to interview
someone regarding a picture or a series, just contact me, and I'll let
you know the details. In the coming weeks we'll have our first guest
interviewers.

Cancer Survivor

2011-06-19T14:39:00.004-04:00

This is a portrait of a local woman who was named Survivor of the Year by the local Susan G. Komen Foundation chapter. She was diagnosed at 41 with an aggressive form of breast cancer, but she has beat the odds and now in her later 40's, is still active and hopeful about her future.

Antsy To Get Outside

2011-06-16T12:43:00.003-04:00

Here's a photo illustration about getting outside for picnics.

more from the storm

2011-04-18T22:51:00.008-04:00

Some here are from the scene where a few people died in the storm.

I never know what to tell people in these situations - there really isn't
much one can do, I suppose, except maybe to listen.

and this man lost everything, his trailer, his home, gone.

tornado

2011-04-18T00:38:00.009-04:00

we had tornadoes to pass through not too far away. terrible to see, of course. "you never
think it'll happen to you," said one of the people i photographed. i couldn't help but think
how that resonates with all of us, that we never really think we'll be the one hit with a tragedy.

we're heading back out tomorrow and hopefully getting the word out will help some.

bent, not broken

2011-04-16T16:42:00.000-04:00

Sharon Adams pulls her plastic bag and rises from her chair, then pauses before wrapping her winter coat around. Just feet away, Melissa Shoemake smiles, then moves to embraces Sharon before her departure.

Shoemake knows Adams' plight.

“I identify with a lot of the issues the homeless face,” says Shoemake. “They feel comfortable with me, because I've been through what they're going through.”

Shoemake is now off the streets, clean and sober for 6 years. She's also an integral volunteer for the aid organization called People In Need, which gives a variety of services, including medical, each week at Beach Pentecostal Church in Virginia Beach.

“It's giving hope to people that feel there is no hope,” says Shoemake, a medical assistant, who volunteers in the medical station of the organization. It's efforts by people like Shoemake, and organizations like PIN, that are helping ease the financial burden of medical costs in the wake of the recession. The clinic serves about 30 people each week with basic medical needs.

“They're here for us. They're giving back to the community. Most of us (people who are homeless) don't have a job. It's really hard to find one, especially in today's economy,” says Adams.

As she turns to leave, Shoemake puts her arm on her shoulder.

“I want them to know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel,” says Shoemake. “I want them to realize that there is a better way.”

lack of affordable housing

2011-04-06T19:52:00.003-04:00

from a story on lack of affordable housing at the outer banks of NC.
this family is having to leave their apartment because they no longer
qualify for financial assistance and will be forced to move soon.

hockey

2011-04-06T18:52:00.006-04:00

got the chance to shoot a few hockey matches this season from above.

inspiration

2011-04-03T13:43:00.003-04:00

this woman dealt with sexual abuse for years from her adopted father.

we did a story on her as she faced her father in court during his sentencing.
i was deeply inspired by her poise and grace under pressure. she reminded me
of the powerful resilient nature of people, and that sometimes, people can
rise above the terror of others and beat the odds of life stacked against them.

pain management

2011-04-03T13:40:00.001-04:00

here's another picture from the economy series i'm working on.

+++++

“You learn how to deal with the pain,” says Tanya Ell, as she pauses in between sweeps of the vacuum. She leans against the bedroom wall in exhaustion.

“That vacuuming does a thing on your back.” She exhales. A moment passes then she says under her breath, “Whew.”

Ell, 56, of Norfolk, suffers from degenerative discs and faces almost constant strain in her back and her neck. She struggles in finding work these days, in part, because of her health issue. “I'm on heavy medication for my pain, which limits the jobs I can get, because you're seen as a liability.”

Ell has held many good paying jobs over the years before her health complications. “I used to bar tend, waitress, I even managed a comedy club. I can't do that anymore because I can't be on my feet that long.”

She needs to take breaks often to help cope with the pain, another obstacle in finding long-term employment. So, she cleans houses when she can to earn money. It affords her time to rest when she needs it.

She can't clean as many houses as she used to, either, which makes it harder for her financially. “It used to take me two and a half hours to clean a house, but now it takes me five,” says Ell. “I have to sit down and rest a lot. It's tough these days.”

“The painkillers take away some of the pain, but not all of it.”

Tough Loss

2011-04-03T12:48:00.001-04:00

VCU made it to the Final Four, and here the students react
during their loss to Butler.

bent, not broken

2011-02-27T21:15:00.001-05:00

another from the economy series i'm working on:

Larry Dart smiles as people pass.

“Hi, how are you?” he asks, like a greeter at church. A man in a suit slips between two booths and a women in high heels hangs nearby. She thumbs through her folder.

“I can imagine what it's like for them, getting their hopes up,” says Dart, a recruiter with Geico.

They're all at a job fair at the Ted Constant Convocation Center, in search of future employees and employment. “I'm seeing a lot longer gaps in employment. It's much more difficult for people to find a job,” says Dart.

Dart is at the fair to do preliminary interviews for his company. “It's the first step to get the ball rolling,” says Dart. The recruiter is sympathetic to those in search of a job, “I'd love to give a job to everybody,” he adds. “I can imagine how frustrating it is.”

After a while a woman approaches Dart and they speak for a few moments. She inquires about Geico and requests the preliminary interview. The two sit down at a small table draped with a white cloth. Dart takes notes and their conversation is hushed by the carpet and curtains. After the interview he stands up and shakes her hand.

She walks out and he waits for another candidate.

bent, not broken

2011-02-21T17:45:00.002-05:00

more from the series on the economy:

Kathy Garrett, center, quietly sorts clothing as scores of homeless men and women weave past, not knowing how much they share in common.

“I know how they feel,” said Garrett, “I've been in their situation.”

Garrett is a volunteer with Project Homeless Connect, along with Luz Colon, to the eft of her. On this day, they're helping to serve the needs of hundreds of homeless people.

She recollects to the years she was homeless and says,“It was a group like this that put me back on my feet, and I haven't looked back.”

Garrett has volunteered the past three years at the event, which offers a variety of services including medical treatment, housing services and donated clothing. The project is held at Norfolk Scope Exhibition Hall, and is run by the city's Office to End Homelessness. It comes at a time when people across the area are in need of assistance.

“It's rough, there's not many jobs out there for people,” says Garrett. “There's many things that prevent you from getting a job. It's important to be able to look right. You can't to an interview with holes in your clothes.”

“If you can get just simple basics, it can make a world of difference,” she says. Moments later, Timothy Snider, at left, remarks, “This is definitely helping me out.” Snider is one of the hundreds in attendance. “I was really needing the clothing,” he says.

“It's a big help towards keeping me off the streets.”

invisible

2011-02-14T20:49:00.003-05:00

Another from the series of the wake of the recession: Note: the images is taken through a screen door, creating the soft, streaking effect.

++++

“We're the invisible people,” says Pat Bitter. “We need jobs just as much as the younger ones do.”

Bitter, who is in her 60s, is in search of a job. She's one of tens of thousands of older people who are struggling to find work.

“I feel like older people are just getting brushed off from employers, and even though it's illegal, they won't tell you that's why.”

She's been told she's not qualified enough, and she's also been told she's too qualified for jobs. It's hard for Bitter, of Norfolk, who has worked since she was 16.

She has looked for work since September of 2008, when she lost her last job. At first she said she applied to around 10 positions per week. Over time her job application pace has slowed down, but in all, she says she's applied to more than 100 jobs.

She says she feels she's not alone in her struggle.

“It's not just my story, there's a lot of people in the same position.”

The months of unemployment, however, are beginning to take their toll.

“Employers start asking what's wrong with you (when they see the employment gap), and the bad part is...” she trails off, then says: “You start believing there is something wrong with you.”

Bitter adds, “To get the American Dream, you have to work for it. If there's no work to be done, there's no dream.”

waiting

2011-02-07T14:46:00.001-05:00

before speakers took to the podium.

super bowl illustration

2011-02-03T20:46:00.002-05:00

we did a story on getting out and watching the super bowl in unusual places like the movie theater.
this is an illustration for it.

bent, not broken

2011-01-30T11:07:00.002-05:00

i've started a photo column that are images stemming from the wake of the recession.

Here's the picture and Carolyn's story.

Carolyn Goodman wipes a tear away with
one hand and cradles the phone in her other.

“The only thing I hate to ask you is...” Carolyn
trails off then adds, “We're really low with gas
money. We're on a half a tank, and we have to
get back to the shed.”

She pauses, then asks humbly, “Is there anyway
you can help us?”The hum of a hotel heater
grinds the silence. After a few moments, she sighs in relief.

“I appreciate it.” She fingers the telephone cord.
“So, you'll call me sometime? Tomorrow? OK.
You too. God bless,” she says and then hangs up.

Carolyn is sharing a Virginia Beach hotel room with
her husband and daughter. Financial problems have
dogged them for awhile, but they thought things were looking up.

Her husband had a job and they were saving what they could.
However, he recently lost his job and unpaid bills mounted up.

Now, they're selling their possessions to pay for the hotel,
which is the only kind of housing they can afford, while
her husband looks for work. “I'm hoping we can get out
items to an auction in Chesapeake, that's our last ditch
effort to get some money – but it's hard getting rid of stuff.”

“Right now everything is tight. We're not sure if we're
going to have enough money for next week,” says Carolyn.

“I'm a fighter, I'm not going to shed tears. We're going to beat this.”

portrait

2011-01-22T12:21:00.002-05:00

from a portrait session the other day.

teacher

2011-01-20T13:31:00.003-05:00

this wonderful teacher dresses up as characters to help better teach her students.
unfortunately i didn't know about this until a quick deadline and we weren't able
to be there when she actually teaches in costume so a portrait had to do.

here she laughs as we talk about what it's like for her to dress as a chicken.

field hockey state champ coach

2011-01-13T16:44:00.001-05:00

sportrait of a coach who led her team to the state championship.

new blog

2011-01-10T14:10:00.004-05:00

I wanted to give a head's up on a new blog I've started which takes a look at images and the psychological approach to making it. It's to be a weekly feature - one week we'll deconstructed one of my images, and the other week we'll "spotlight" a photographer and an image of theirs.

check it out and don't hesitate to contact me if you want me to spotlight somebody and interview them about an image!

www.imagedeconstructed.blogspot.com

bball time

2011-01-07T12:31:00.001-05:00

reaction from last night's odu win over george mason university

hold on tight

2010-12-27T21:05:00.003-05:00

a snow feature from yet another snow storm that hit the area.

wrong place, wrong time

2010-12-24T11:09:00.005-05:00

"I was going to give her a ring this Christmas," this man said about his girlfriend, who was killed in a random shooting during a convenience store robbery.

here he poses for a portrait in the bedroom they shared.

dj

2010-12-22T09:34:00.005-05:00

from a recent story on dj's at a local restaurant/bar

snow again

2010-12-16T19:09:00.003-05:00

it snowed again here today - i feel like i'm back up north

snow

2010-12-13T22:58:00.000-05:00

we got a couple of inches of snow today, made me miss new england. here a dad swings his son around in a local park in norfolk.

bball season

2010-12-11T13:47:00.002-05:00

is back once again

a lost son

2010-12-05T22:45:00.002-05:00

a portrait of a woman whose son was in a car accident and now suffers from a traumatic brain injury. a very sad story. he lives now in boston and she can only afford to go visit him on occasion, since there is no treatment center here in VA that fits his needs.

cooking time

2010-12-01T12:20:00.002-05:00

here's an illustration for a story we did on the variance of cooking times of recipes - how they're not always reliable.

neonatal intensive care unit

2010-11-25T19:54:00.003-05:00

spent a few hours for an assignment at the neonatal intensive care unit, and focused on one family - this baby was having eye-work done on it, and was sensitive to light, which is why it was wearing the cover. in the second picture it was getting an eye exam - i'm happy to report the baby continues to do well.

homecoming

2010-11-16T09:43:00.003-05:00

more from the story of the girl waiting to greet her father who just got back from iraq. sweet child for sure, wonderful to see her light up when he returned.

surprise for dad

2010-11-14T11:38:00.002-05:00

this child has spina bifida, and was unable to walk - while her father was away on deployment she developed the ability to walk with assistance. here she spends time with her mother.

waiting for dad

2010-11-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

an outtake at a recent military homecoming

local chef

2010-11-12T14:01:00.004-05:00

from a story on a well-known local chef - one of his specialities is cooking a bananas foster dish.

lingering summer

2010-11-01T13:14:00.003-04:00

it's been warm here still as of late, a big change from the days i was in connecticut where it would already be getting cold now.

as the sun began to head down, i headed to virginia beach hoping to get something that still showed warmth.

i found this guy - loved the red surf board and was making frames of him looking out over the ocean - but then the woman he was with asked him what he wanted for dinner, he turned and at the same point this guy running passed into the frame.

outtake on a campaign stop

2010-10-31T17:53:00.002-04:00

thought this was a quirky pic from a campaign stop on halloween - at right is the candidate.

last days of summer

2010-10-29T17:25:00.004-04:00

here a kid cools off after running during a school exercise as temps still remained in the upper 80's

a portrait

2010-10-27T20:09:00.002-04:00

of a local businesswoman.

loved the light at the end of the day coming through her window.

puttin around

2010-10-27T19:59:00.000-04:00

golf feature from a practice green

fall leaves

2010-10-24T10:24:00.002-04:00

a guy clearing leaves from an apartment complex

volunteering

2010-10-13T09:36:00.002-04:00

this guy is a volunteer at a boys and girls club - he's a two-time kidney transplant and is a local hero to these kids. it's a joy to witness someone give back and connect so well to these kids.

more rain

2010-10-04T19:48:00.001-04:00

and another storm hits.

flying

2010-10-03T16:46:00.002-04:00

got to ride in an open-air cockpit for a preview of an airshow. really, really, amazing experience.

a local businesswoman

2010-09-29T16:53:00.005-04:00

from a recent business story on her.

wendy williams

2010-09-25T21:12:00.002-04:00

i'd never heard of this woman, but i guess she's on tv - she passed through town, so we did a behind the scenes look at her appearance at a local morning show.

here her makeup artist applies a touch up during a commercial break.

cold case detective

2010-09-24T10:39:00.003-04:00

a portrait from a story on a cold case - well you guessed it - detective.

homeless assist day

2010-09-23T09:22:00.002-04:00

here a homeless man gets an eye exam during a homeless assist day in portsmouth, va.

better late than earl (y)

2010-09-20T11:02:00.006-04:00

ha, stupid headline.

here's some pics from earl which barely missed us, thankfully.

back to the daily

2010-09-15T15:06:00.002-04:00

from a daily assignment this week on stove retrofitting in public housing. these guys are working to fix up a stove in one of the residents place.

iraq

2010-08-30T15:14:00.007-04:00

i'll try to post more here later but i just threw up a section on my website under new which contains iraq for anyone who wants to take a look.

here a soldier wipes sweat under the blazing summer heat in an area called "the boneyard" which is where much of the old iraqi military vehicles are kept.

www.rosstaylor.net

it's not edited in order nor any captions and i'll do that once i get more caughtup. the toning might be a little off as well as i just blew through it to get it up today.

should be back to blogging more frequently now.

thanks for looking...

r

last post for awhile

2010-07-21T15:49:00.002-04:00

here's one more from the same story from the picture below - here's she reacting to her recounting her frustration with the situation with her son. tough to watch for sure, but i was grateful that she trusted me to be in her space.

i meant to post it earlier but i've been wrapped up in trip preparation for work in iraq - so the blog won't be active till late august, for those who check this space out.

ptsd

2010-07-15T18:32:00.013-04:00

Here's a picture that ran over the weekend. It was emotional seeing this woman in so much pain - but I hope some of the truth of what she is going through is reflective in the image.

Here's the caption:

"I pray every night that God will hold him, because I can't," weeps this woman,
whose son is an Iraqi War veteran.

Her son tried to kill his wife and is now in jail in Alaska.

She alleges that his son was suffering from post-traumatic stress and that
the military didn't offer proper mental support for him once he returned home
from the war after an 18-month tour.

"Sometimes all I can do is just pray," she said. "I just want to hold my son one more time."

last sea pic

2010-07-11T19:07:00.003-04:00

ok last one i'll post from the series - check the link below on the first sea meets shore post if you're bored and want to see the slideshow.

more sea meets shore

2010-07-06T19:38:00.002-04:00

from the series "where the sea meets the shore." i'll post a few more before moving on - here's one of my favorite.

where the sea meets the shore

2010-07-03T10:10:00.004-04:00

finished up a project on "where the sea meets the shore"

i did my first multimedia piece here at the paper, it only takes a minute - check it if you can:

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/06/video-and-photo-gallery-where-sea-meets-shore

i'll post some more pics soon from the project

best friends

2010-06-25T18:58:00.002-04:00

these two are veterans of WWII and both were part of d-day. both were shot during their service, but thankfully survived.

they became best friends during boot camp and have stayed in touch over the years. here's a pic from a recent reunion.

portrait

2010-06-19T17:36:00.011-04:00

from a reenactment at fort norfolk.

for starters, this kid was very patient with me.

i photographed him on three separate occasions today during the reenactment - the first two i wasn't happy with, and although i'm sure everyone thought i was the world's worst photographer for not being able to get a picture after so many tries, we finally came up with this.

wal-mart proposal

2010-06-17T21:03:00.002-04:00

a portrait of a guy who proposed to this woman for a story we did on proposal stories. yes, his was at wal-mart.

a visit

2010-06-13T19:58:00.005-04:00

these two have been more for more than 60 years

he goes to visit her daily in the nursing home, where she is due to an illness. such a beautiful moment to witness this commitment.

a friend of mine said it might be worth talking some about this situation. i don't know if it's helpful for people to talk about the process of this but i'll try.

it's a portrait setting, and the challenge here was that the woman was in very poor health. visually it was very challenging to portray her in a way that would not be arresting and almost too over the top.

her mouth hung open and she was unaware of our presence, and it was deeply sad to see her in such poor health. i wondered and struggled with how to photograph her in a way that retained her dignity and reflected the love of the two.

earlier in my career i don't think i had as much concern as i do now, and i can't help but wondering if my own aging, my own mortality, plays into this increasing awareness. we have options as photojournalists and we bring our own thoughts into situations. nothing is truly objective. we worked for a long time to come together to this moment and it paid off.

there is a quote by james nachtwey in the movie war photographer that has always stuck with me. it has helped serve as a guide to me when photographing moments of struggle and sadness, and it makes sense to me.

"the worst thing is to feel that as a photographer i'm benefiting from someone's else's tragedy.

this idea haunts me.

it's something i have to reckon with everyday, because i know that if i ever allowed genuine compassion to be overtaken by personal ambition, i will have sold my soul. the only way i can justify my role is to have respect for the other person's predicament.

the extent to which i do that is the extent to which i become accepted by the other, and to that extent i can accept myself."

family prayer

2010-06-03T16:39:00.003-04:00

two sisters pray together during a family prayer time - their father recently lost his job and the family isn't sure what they will do next or if they'll have to move.

prayers and processions - the last one

2010-05-30T17:01:00.004-04:00

here's the last picture from my series for the paper.

++++++++

His heaven is almost done, but his hell is up next.

Leo Alvarado has more than 10 tattoos, but his most meaningful is in the works. “Right now I'm working on getting a big piece done called “heaven vs. hell,” said Alvarado. “It's going to go from my chest all the way to my mid-arm.”

So far the Norfolk resident just has parts of the heaven done, but he hopes to have the complete piece, including the images of hell, done by the end of the summer.

The Norfolk resident says the tattoo would be a source of encouragement. “If I've had a bad week, I could see the good side of the tattoo and realize that there's light at the end of the tunnel - that there's always a good that comes with the bad.”

Alvarado says he hopes the tattoo will be a good reminder of how to lead a moral life.

“The tattoo plays a big role in my faith,” said the 24-year-old. “When I look in the mirror I can always ask myself, 'Am I drifting towards the good side, or am I drifting towards the bad side?'”

It's a good reminder of where I'm at in life and where I want to go.”

+++

i'll continue the series on the side adding to it over time with images that resonate on this theme. if anyone wants to see the broader work you can go to my website and look under the new section

www.rosstaylor.net

repairing the torah

2010-05-28T14:59:00.003-04:00

next to last one from the prayers and procession series

+++++

He's working in the book of Numbers, but he's concentrating on the letters.

“I can go two days straight doing this,” says Rabbi Moshe Druin, as he inks his turkey quill before returning to the scroll unfurled in front of him. An Israeli flag hangs behind him and sunlight seeps into the chapel windows. All is quiet except save the small scratches of his lettering on the aged scroll.

“A lot of people ask me, 'What's the thought going through your head when you sit for hours and hours? They ask if it's boring.'”

“Boring?” he asks in response to his own question and smiles. 'No, it's not boring. You can keep turning this thing over and over, and you'll always find something new. There's no time to be bored.”

Druin is a sofer, or a scribe, and is working at Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk. The temple hired him to restore the lettering and repair four temple Torahs.

Druin says he finds his work fulfilling and advises anyone looking for the answers of life to look into the Torah.

“The message of the Torah is universal,” says Druin. “If ever you need a guide, it's right here in front of you.”

swan lake

2010-05-25T20:18:00.000-04:00

from a recent ballet

mourning a loss

2010-05-17T08:55:00.002-04:00

another from the prayers and processions series

++++

“Daddy, which one is it?” asks Madi, 6, as she and her brother, Justin, 9, look downward at a line of gravestones.

Their father, Justin Young, replies quietly, “It's right over here baby, don't you remember?”

The three gather around the marker of Kathleen Young, the children's mother, and his wife. They have come on Mother's Day, to pay respects to Kathleen, who was killed last year in a car wreck. She's buried at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk.

Madi drapes herself over her father, and her brother sits by their side. A light breeze lifts Madi's blond hair across her face.

“I'm really feeling her loss right now,” says Justin, of his wife. “I'm the mom and the dad now, but a dad no matter how hard he tries, will not be a mom.”

Justin sighs heavy as he stares at her grave.

“I just want to reach in and pick her up and hold her one more time.”

drop

2010-05-14T21:42:00.003-04:00

feature shot from a bball practice - here a kid watches a drop of water bead off his face.

prayers and processions - we gather together

2010-05-12T20:13:00.000-04:00

Kayla Redick, 4, looks curiously across the gym floor at Angela West.

The song Electric Slide spills out of nearby speakers and West breaks into a dance, smiling as she spins to the beat. Redick takes her cue and begins rocking in her chair, and a smile wraps her face, too.

It’s around 7p.m. Church services held by the Faith Inclusion Network have just ended at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church Gym. The network aims to connect people with disabilities, and to help them share faiths of all backgrounds. The church, located in Virginia Beach, serves host this night to dozens of people with disabilities and their familes.

“I love to teach all kids that anything is possible, that they can do anything,” says West, of Chesapeake. “I want people to know that God loves them just the way they are.”

She adds, “My faith is everything that I live for.”

West, who is a Christian, often works with disabled young people. Tonight she is connecting with someone who shares her disability, cerebral palsy.

“I want her to know you can do anything,” West says of her dancing partner. “God will make a way for her to do it.”

prayers and processions - a dance to ganesh

2010-05-08T17:22:00.002-04:00

another from the prayers and procession series:

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A shiver of light falls over Sangeeta Sharma's face. She fidgets with her necklace and her eyes cast upward through the backstage curtain.

“I'm kind of afraid I'm going to mess up - there's a lot of people out there,” the 11-year-old Virginia Beach resident says. “I'm really nervous right now.”

Her friends (l-r) Ritika Kaloji, 11, Sonia Deshmukh, 10, and Avni Malik, 12, huddle around and wait for their turn to take the stage with her.

They girls are part of the Dances of India, a non-profit dance school based in Norfolk. They are performing at the Taste of India festival at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Their performance is a classical Indian form of dance called Bharata Natyam.

Subhadya Desaraju, an India native who was in attendance, explains the significance of their dance. “They're basically praying to the Lord Ganesh. You pray to Ganesh whenever you start anything.”

The act they’re following comes to a close and the girls become more nervous. Their bracelets jangle as they move about. “Come on people!” Malik exclaims. “We're next, people! We're next!”

Strobes from parents' cameras sparkle in the distance as they step onto stage into a wash of light.

102-year-old

2010-05-06T21:01:00.002-04:00

portrait of a local guy who is 102-years-old, for a story we did recently.

obey

2010-05-04T17:32:00.001-04:00

from a dog training class where they learn to be seeing eye dogs for the blind.

head start

2010-05-01T19:35:00.003-04:00

a portrait from a story about this woman who is trying to get her twins into a head start program, but is struggling to get them in.

one more from the farm family

2010-05-01T19:32:00.001-04:00

eggs

2010-04-29T22:55:00.001-04:00

another portrait from the farm family

barn girl

2010-04-27T17:16:00.006-04:00

a portrait while on assignment of a family who lives on a farm.

prayers and processions - hammerin' hebrews

2010-04-26T11:40:00.003-04:00

another from the prayer's and processions series i'm working on

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I'm glad I'm not with the Yankees” jokes Jo Rosenblum.

Rosenblum, 61, isn't Alex Rodriguez, but she isn't pretending to be either. All she wants is to learn to throw a little better, and Richard Yanku is helping.

A clank of an aluminum bat punctuates the air. It's opening day for the Jewish Community Center Softball League in Virginia Beach. Yanku, the pitcher for the Hammerin' Hebrews, encourages her as she takes another toss. “It's like driving,” says Yanku. “When you first learn how to drive it's not that easy, but with practice you get better.” Both attend Temple Israel in Norfolk.

“I'm not coordinated at all,” adds Rosenblum, “But I'm trying.” The Virginia Beach resident hasn't played softball in 45 years. Yanku, on the other hand, began playing in 1973.

“I wanted her to feel she could get on the field and participate,” says Yanku. “You ask yourself, what are the little good things you can you do? It's my way of leaving a legacy behind as a Jew – it's just the little things that you do.”

Rosenblum adds: “Being around other Jewish people, it makes me feel good. I feel like I can be more free. I don't feel intimidated out here.”

outtake

2010-04-25T15:12:00.003-04:00

i was covering an event called taste of india for my faith series and came across this - two indian children dressed as a cowboy and a french woman. it has nothing to do with the series, but i loved the light anyway. so here's an outtake. i'll post the shot for the series later after it's published.

a daily puja

2010-04-21T18:47:00.001-04:00

another from the prayers and processions series:

Malini Srirama, and her daughter, Madhu, stand still and reverently gaze into her kitchen pantry.

Not at food, but at their shrine.

The rustle of Malini's sari breaks the silence, and she gently places petals of a camellia flower around a statue.

“It makes me feel happy,” said Malini, of the Hindu tradition of puja, or worship. “It makes me feel calm.” Malini, a Hindu, is originally from Bangalore, India. She now lives in Norfolk.

According to Malini, many Hindu households have a main deity that they worship. Theirs is Vishnu – known as preserver of the universe – a principal god in Hinduism. “It's an image for you to hold in your mind when you pray,” says Malini of shrine.

The puja is something Malini has passed onto her children. “I want my children to pray everyday. I want them to be spiritual to understand that there's something more powerful out there.”

Madhu, who was born in America, is happy to honor her mother and the tradition of the puja.

“I've been doing it since I can remember,” says the daughter. “It just feels comfortable. I enjoy doing it with her.”

prayers and processions - a night's respite

2010-04-12T11:55:00.001-04:00

another from the weekly series on faith and it's expression in our community.

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Julie Burks slips off her shoes and exhales softly.

She pulls her coat over her purse – her pillow for the night - then lays down and stares into the distance.

“It feels good that I'm not out in the cold,” says Burks, who is homeless. “When I was out there, the first thing I would do is drink. I would shiver all night - I didn't sleep. At least drinking keeps me warm.”

Burks is trying to kick the habit and has been clean for the past few days.

On this night, she and other homeless people are sleeping at Lynnhaven United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach. Burks is one of dozens assisted by Volunteers of America, which works in partnership with area faith communities to provide shelter throughout the winter.

It's a respite from the cold nights.

“I can handle it out there, but it's very difficult, especially when you're trying to stay sober and get your life back in order,” Burks says. “When I'm out on the street, you have to watch your back. You don't know what's out there.

"Here I don't have to worry about any of that.”

prayers and processions - passion 2010 "our redeemer lives!"

2010-04-05T15:29:00.006-04:00

from another installment of the prayers and processions series - this one from a local performance that features the life and times of jesus christ. the backstage shot is one of my favorite from the series so far, he's playing the part of jesus and has just a few minutes to shower and come back on stage after his crucifixion as the risen christ. it was impressive all that went into this volunteer-only performance.

for more pictures from it go to the pilot's website at:

www.pilotonline.com/blogs/common-ground

new church, youngest member

2010-03-30T15:14:00.002-04:00

another from the prayers and processions series that i'm working on faith and it's expression in our community:

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Stephanie Goetsch clamps the cloth between her teeth and curls her newborn tight.

A scattering of circular tables dots the gym floor and four basketball goals frame the sidelines. Red lights on small scoreboard spell time instead of the score, and a large cross looms on stage as a trio of musicians warms up.

It's almost time for church.

“We started the church in September and he (Luke) was born in October,” Goetsch says. “He's the first lifetime member. In fact, he's automatically a member because we are.”

The 26-year-old attends The Gathering United Methodist Church, a burgeoning congregation that meets in the gym of Courthouse Community United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach. It holds two services a week and targets young adults.

"We like it because it's more family oriented,” Goetsch says. “Because it's a new church, we have more input into how things are.”

Reverend Rachel Gilmore, 28, started the church. "We're meeting a need,” she explains. “That's really the only reason to start a church.”

Gilmore adds with a smile: “Right now we're like the college kid who comes home after they graduate, before they can go out on their own.”

uconn

2010-03-29T20:35:00.002-04:00

got the chance to shoot uconn once again as they passed through town - as usual, they won.

one more from the missionaries

2010-03-25T19:05:00.002-04:00

he's had this pair of shoes for almost the two years he's been on his mission. while he can afford another pair, he liked the symbolism of the worn shoe and continued to wear it. i have more from the mormon day and you can see them here:

www.pilotonline.com/blogs/common-ground

prayers and processions - mormon missionaries

2010-03-22T13:40:00.001-04:00

had the opportunity to spend a day with local mormon missionaries for the latest prayers and processions installment. i'll post more from the day soon, but here's the one image that ran and the story.

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Matt Randall, 20, drapes a towel over his shoulder and picks up a comb. He tends to his tightly cropped hair and eyes the finishing touches before leaving the bathroom and heading out the door.

Above him hangs a picture.

Three men - three symbols - of his inspiration.

“When I look at the picture, I feel empowered,” said Randall. “I know I've been called to preach the gospel to those here in Virginia.”

Randall's a missionary with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as a Mormon Missionary. He along with two other missionaries, Riley Petersen (CQ) and Pauliasi Wolfgramm (CQ), are about to hit the streets to spread their faith.

The men are key figures in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, including the current and past president. “These are men that we look up to,” said Randall. “When I look at them, I can tell they're called of God.”

Randall looks to the picture, especially in times of difficulty.

“I think of the things they testify and teach of, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Randall. “I know through the feelings that I feel, which is the Holy Ghost, that what they say is true.

prayers and processions - dhamma talk

2010-03-15T22:55:00.003-04:00

another from the weekly photo series on faith and it's expression in our community:

Udom Budsriphoom steps behind the desk and takes his seat in front of a bucolic woodland scene. He's wrapped in saffron orange, save his right shoulder, which is bare.

He peers over one of the monitors and takes a breath. A red light indicates that the DV recorder is on. The sound-proof room sucks up his words as they spill over the silver microphone.

Welcome to Dhamma Talk, a nightly installment of the teachings of Buddha at Wat Pasantidhamma in Carrollton, Va. Each night for about an hour the head monk records teachings of the Buddha to be posted on the temple's Web site.

“It's a way for us to tell the teachings of the Buddha.” says Budsriphoom, the head monk and a native of Thailand. “It's also a chance for us to give spiritual advice to people.”

Tonight's lesson is a rumination on nature and the involvement of humans. The teachings are a quiet pursuit for the monk, who longs to help show people Buddhism.

“Sometimes you feel lonely,” Budsriphoom says. “Sometimes we feel shy – you don't feel comfortable when you talk alone.

“You try to imagine many people listening to you around the world.”

bball tournament

2010-03-11T13:33:00.002-05:00

reaction from last night's semifinal high school state bball tourney

oscar pick

2010-03-06T18:04:00.002-05:00

each year our paper does a photo illustration of our movie critic and his pick on who will when for best picture. this year he picks avatar. here he is at the right of the frame in this illustration. it was an interesting challenge blending his face into the body of an avatar.

school closing

2010-03-04T09:25:00.004-05:00

this local school is under threat of closing due to funding - here the librarian, dressed up for dr. seuss' birthday, holds a paper chain made by the students that have slogans urging the school board and city council not to close it. she plans on bringing in front of both organizations to lobby against the closing.

prayers and processions - a hospital chaplain

2010-02-24T14:03:00.000-05:00

Another from the Prayers and Processions series:

Jeff Klein's eyes open slightly, and he whispers that it's okay to come in.

Strings of lights wave across a monitor - a record of his heartbeat - and lines of oxygen thread through his nose to aid his breathing. His wife Kathy rests against his bed rails to the left, and her downward gaze is filled with concern.

The Rev. Jill Kundtz gently smiles at both, steps up to the right and gathers her hand. Their arms drape over him like a curtain. Kundtz is the hospital chaplain for Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. “I want to make sure that patients have support, whether it be physical support, emotional support or spiritual support,” said Kundtz. “Essentially I journey with my patients.”

Kundtz is a Christian, but she supports anyone, regardless of their faith. “We don't put God in a box.”

Klein, 52, who was admitted earlier due to chest pains, is grateful for her prayers.

“You feel like God is all around you, it's almost like you're immersed in his presence,” said the Great Bridge resident. “You feel like God is next to you, you feel his touch.”

swimmer portrait

2010-02-19T09:51:00.006-05:00

here's a portrait of a local swimming sensation - the assignment was a bit of a challenge since he just has his street clothes, no uniform and coudn't get into the pool for the shoot. luckily i had the inspiration of

www.maxbittle.com/blog

and went with this. on a side note, bittle is one of the photographers on

www.aphotoaday.org

and if you've haven't heard of it, you should hop on and become part of the community.

prayers and processions - a muslim prayer

2010-02-15T12:19:00.001-05:00

another from the prayers and processions series.

Sulaiman Banwal, 24, opens the door to his bedroom and slips on his white prayer cap. He unfurls a prayer rug and bends bedside to the floor. He's wearing in a black perahan tunban, the traditional garb of Afghan men. He faces a wall draped with inspirational Islamic sayings.

The silence is broken by the rustle of his clothing as he bows prostrate. Somewhere in the distance is Mecca.

“Praying is a responsibility for every Muslim,” said Banwal, who, despite living 7,000 miles from home, still prays five times a day. He is a Fulbright Scholar from Kabul, Afghanistan. He attends Old Dominion University and is earning a master's degree in civil engineering.

He believes that praying to Allah helps him with his daily life. “In our religion you never lose hope, because losing hope means you're not believing in God anymore."

Banwal uses a computer program through the Web site www.islamicfinder.org that sounds automatic calls to prayer. “Whenever I'm becoming hopeless or stressed -- when I hear this it calms me down.”

"You feel like home, you don't feel alone,” he said of the call to prayer. “You're never alone, because God is with you.”

snow feature

2010-02-13T18:01:00.004-05:00

from the other day

gymnastics meet

2010-02-07T13:14:00.002-05:00

covered a gymnastics meet yesterday and i have to admit i had no idea what i was doing. there were all these numbers and judges yelling at me to get out of the way - it seemed everywhere i went i was in the way. got lucky to get this frame.

the pic is a reaction shot after a girl nailed her landing off the balance beam.