The Greatest Gift of All

A monumental day of giving.  These are the kinds of days where I value my job, the people I work with and the beautiful children and families I meet.  I remember the first time I ever photographed a young girl with cancer she looked at me and said, "My name is Ashleigh and I have cancer."  I set down my camera and tried to hold back what felt like tears about to unravel.  I looked at Ashleigh and said to her, "That makes you one of the strongest people I know Ashleigh."  We starred at each other for a moment longer before I took another picture of her beautiful blue eyes and warm smile.  She then leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I beat it."

On Sunday, December 13th 2009 The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live To Give Foundation reached out their hands to help seven local families with a child fighting cancer this holiday season by suprising them with the greatest gift of all...giving them a holiday to remember.
Not only did I have the pleasure of attending this wonderful day but I got to capture moments between the donors and the families, children and friends.  I was able to portray their beautiful souls through my lens for the world to see the essence of these families and love they have for each other and for us, the donors who made this day, the best day.

2 year-old Vanessa Goley rests her head against her mothers while waiting in line for brunch during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

The Yahia Family and members of The Bottomless Toy Chest gather around Santa Claus after opening gifts during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

The Bottomless Toy Chest Administrative Assistant Whitney Coulson helps 3 year-old Breanna Massey, a cancer patient, open one of her gifts at brunch during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

6 year-old Isaiah Burris picks out toys from 'The Bottomless Toy Chest' for himself and 9 year-old brother Darren Burris, a cancer patient, during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

11 year-old Zakaria Yahia, a cancer patient, takes a moment to read the card given to him by his stocking donors during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

4 year-old Perla Perez, a cancer patient, enjoys one of her gifts from The Bottomless Toy Chest during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

Smiles Heal.

Excellent work to both teams who contributed to making this day so special. 

Give yourselves a pat on the back! 

                                                

"Beauty is skin deep. A tattoo goes all the way to the bone." - Vince Hemingson

BOOYAH.
I finished my final JRN220 project compiled of sweat, tears, audio and of course...PICTURES.  Well, maybe not tears exactly.  I will say that I really enjoyed working on this project and learned so much about what I can improve on.  I think that is one thing I love about working with photography and other photographers around me is that we are constantly helping each other and constantly giving each other feedback.  I figured that as exciting my project was, my subject matter was hard to capture.  Now, a tattoo convention would be unreal and that is something I would really like to attend at some point in my life and most certainly would love to document as well.  Anyways, enough of my rambling.  What you are about to see is my final project composed of audio and pictures, a soundslide all property of me.  I did my project on a tattoo artist named Eric Ochsenkehl, licensed tattoo artist and manager of Heritage Tattoo in Mount Pleasant Michigan, 1222 S. Mission St.  Check it out!

clickkkkk

To see pictures from my project, look at my flickr:
www.flickr.com/photos/clapyour_handz

Like A Virgin

I was assigned to shoot the basketball game last weekend.  I haven't shot sports, ever.  The reason may be because I was never presented with the proper equipment to capture the action or because I just never really thought about.  As my editors keep telling me, "It's a whole other animal."  I took my NikonD40 to Rose Arena where the lighting just happens to be awful with another staff photographers 1.8 lens so I could attempt to not look like a total amateur shooting the basketball game.  Well here's the kicker, the lens would not auto focus when I switched it onto my camera so I spent each minute manual focusing players, a basketball, the hoop and the sidelines.  Under the circumstances I think it wasn't too shabby.  Yeah, a lot of my photographs came out blurry but my eye was anticipating the moment.  I enjoyed the photographs I took apart from the basketball game, the ones I could take the time to focus my lens on and also get close to them, get a nice frame and composition on my subject.  I ended up using the images I took on Saturday for my fourth assignment in my JRN220 class.  This one was used for my sports feature.  I would have liked to get more players in the circle and back up a bit but between the players height and the intensity of the timeouts I practically had to squeeze between peoples legs to get my shot.  Better luck next time!


Central Michigan University Basketball Head Coach Ernie Zeigler goes over team plays during a time out in the second period against Indiana University-South Bend Saturday, November 7, 2009 in Rose Area, Mount Pleasant, Mich.

His House Christian Fellowship

Service is what makes our country strong. 
His House Christian Fellowship spent their weekend providing their hands to the community with projects like leaf raking, walking dogs and playing with cats at the Animal Shelter and preparing meals at the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen.  To see the picture slideshow me and Jeff Smith put together for the newspaper, click here.

Reading senior Adrianna Neuenschwander, right, flattens raked leaves with a stick to create space for more leaves while Battle Creek senior Julie Wright, right, holds the garbage bag open Friday as part of a volunteer project put together by His House Church. The volunteers raked the front and back of five yards on Bertshire Street.

South Canton senior Jasmine Wilson places a dish of squash in the oven for lunch Saturday morning as part of a volunteer project put together by His House Church at Isabella Community Soup Kitchen, 621 S. Adam St.

Open Mic Night

Open Mic Night in the Towers basement!  My two suite mates were singing together in the show so I thought I would come to show them support and of course to be obnoxious with my camera.  I enjoyed the comedy and a majority of the music/covers played.  I think I'll consider busting out some Fiona Apple at the next open mic night :]

Mount Morris sophomore Morgan Kuzava sings, "At Last" by Etta James during Open Mic Night, Thursday November 5, 2009 in the Towers basement, Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Livonia freshman Nick Szpond preforms, "Woe" by Say Anything during Open Mic Night, Thursday November 5, 2009 in the Towers basement, Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Royal Oak senior Kirk Wilcox preforms his comedy routine during Open Mic Night, Thursday November 5, 2009 in the Towers basement, Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Heart of Michigan Clown Graduation

I love clowns. 
I will start off by saying that I find them in no way scary, creepy or weird.  I think they are a riot and I enjoy the positive energy they provide to children.  With that being said, I have volunteered for many events and service projects on campus and throughout the community this semester where I seem to always spot a clown present.  I have photographed them, played with them and even received my own balloon animals from them.  I also got to talk to them as normal human beings regardless of how much face paint and polka dots they were wearing.  Let me tell you, each one of them has a story to tell.  During my volunteer hours at the Disability Awareness Fair I ran the face painting tables with another volunteer and of course the more experienced Heart of Michigan Clowns.  After a few hours of painting faces and hands I began talking to a few of them about my passion in photography and my plans to pursue a career in photojournalism.  As they questioned me about various experiences and jobs, one of them mentioned their graduation coming up next month that would be a great event to attend. 
Well, I did just that.

From right to left:  Lulu, Cha Cha and Marillie wait outside before preforming a final skit fulfilling their last requirement to become a Heart of Michigan Clown, Thursday November 5, 2009 at the Commission on Aging in Mount Pleasant, Mich., 22 S. Lincoln Rd.

Marillie, left, and Hattie-Hattie, right, preform their a skit during the Heart of Michigan Clown Graduation, Thursday November 5, 2009 at the Commission on Aging in Mount Pleasant, Mich., 22 S. Lincoln Rd.

To see more from the graduation, go to my flickr account

www.flickr.com/photos/clapyour_handz

Sexual Encounter

Oh yes, I went there.  I photographed a sexual encounter of mine.  Well, the aftermath at least.  If I still studied fine art photography I honestly think I would do a series on sexual encounters, it's endless I love it.  Actually I just decided I'm going to do a series on sexual encounters at some point in my life.   

Baby Portraits

This is Ryleigh Wilson who is almost four months old now.  Probably one of the happiest babies I have ever met although it's hard to capture her smile on camera.  It's almost as though she recognizes the bulky black object in my hand which starts to snapping her way.  Thank goodness her mother Carolyn is a goofball and can get a few laughs out of her or else we would be stuck with Ryleighs "smushy" face, which can be cute.  I took a majority of the photographs at Cranbrook because of the scene setters the campus provides, especially near the ponds during the fall are gorgeous.

220 Photo Story

For my JRN 220 class we have started our picture story, which I am very excited about.  My teacher has allowed me to go above and beyond the criteria and submit soundslides as apposed to just 5-7 images.  I decided to do mine on the local tattoo shop, Heritage Tattoo at the corner of S Mission and E Preston in Mount Pleasant, Mich.  My reason for choosing a tattoo shop is because of my fascination with the art and the whole environment of being around tattoo artists and those who have tattoos, whether they have designed their own tattoos or just strongly believe in the ink they have permanently been tatted up with.  I myself have four tattoos, only one I designed myself while the others represent who I am based on beliefs, passions, etc.  Eric Ochsenkeho, the manager of Heritage Tattoo and licensed tattoo artist will be my main focus/subject.  The clients will also be just as important to me and my photographs in aspects of their emotion (idea behind tattoo, getting tattoo done), their art (previous and current tattoos) and their interaction with Eric.  My goal is to shoot everything taking place in the shop between Eric, his staff and his clients.

Eric Ochsenkeho, licensed tattoo artist and manager of Heritage Tattoo, gathers ink to prepare for a clients tattoo October 16, 2009. 

Eric Ochsenkeho, licensed tattoo artist and manager of Heritage Tattoo, tattoos Bedford freshman Chad Pudvan in the center of his back between his shoulder blades a deer skull and cross combined at Heritage Tattoo, October 16, 2009 in Mount Pleasant, Mich.  "I designed the tattoo with my cousin.  I got the idea because of my beliefs in God and my fascination with deer skulls and hunting," said Pudvan.



I am still working on the interviewing portion to better write my cutlines and what not so just bare with me.  These are the two photographs I liked best out of my visit on the 16th.  More to come, as soon as I am done editing them all.

"We Are Everywhere"

Grosse Pointe Park junior Stephen Repicky observes the lawn display Wednesday outside Charles V. Park Library.  The flags, arranged by the Gay/Straight Alliance, represent the number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students on campus.


This photograph was published as Photo Of The Day in CM Life on Friday, October 16.  I love seeing displays like these on campus, especially seeing students reactions to them.  Another organization did something similar to this on September 11th in tribute to those who died with little American flags in the lawn.  This display was put on by the Gay/Straight Alliance.

Circle K

I was walking down the sidewalk towards the University Center one day earlier in the semester when a few girls had a booth set up outside handing out flyers.  I am always curious as to what's happening on campus so I approached the booth when a voice called out, "Do you like to volunteer?" and I answered, "Well certainly."  I was handed a flyer that introduced an organization on campus by the name of Circle K.  Circle K is the college level of the Kiwanis Family and works to promote service, leadership and fellowship.  The group participates in service projects in the Mount Pleasant community, and also  participates in projects put on by the other Circle K clubs in Michigan.  I attended the first meeting to check it out and ended up enjoying pretty much everything I saw.  I ended up joining Circle K after that first meeting this semester and have now attended many service projects like walking dogs at the animal shelter, helping out at mobile food trucks and volunteering at the soup kitchen.

Lapeer freshman Courtney Tornga, left, and Bloomfield Hills junior Katie Carbin, right, peel and  dice potatoes for the beef stew being prepared for lunch Sunday afternoon at the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

CROP Hunger Walk

If many of you are not aware of CROP Hunger Walks, I suggest you not only check it out but become a part of them as well.  I participated in the CROP Hunger Walk a few weeks ago here in Mt. Pleasant, volunteering but walking as well (and taking pictures, duh).  CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty.  On Sunday, October 4th locals from Isabella County came together to support the cause.  Local beneficiaries included the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen, Red Cross Food Pantry, Salvation Army and WIC/Project Fresh (ICHP).  

Local residents of Isabella County came together to walk and support hunger resulting in 195 walkers at Island Park on Sunday, October 4, 2009.  The participants donated over $12,323 dollars this year.

Zonta Applefest

I volunteered at the Zonta Applefest not last weekend but the weekend before that.  The weather was pretty crummy but it was still really fun to venture off campus and interact with cute kids in their puffy winter coats and pink cheeks during the fall season.  Since the weather was so cold not many people showed up, allowing volunteers to kind of hang around with not much to do.  So, with me having my camera at hand I did what I do best.  I had a blast interacting with some of these kids, they really do have personality. 

Twenty-one month old Azanne Ives enjoys her first hayride by pulling hay from haystacks and throwing it up in the air during the Zonta Applefest at Papa's Pumpkin Patch on October 3, 2009.

Class In Session

I made the front page today.  High five!

Southfield senior Portia McIntosh, Human Growth and Development student teacher, works with a Walnut classroom student at the Discovery Center on Tuesday morning in the Child Development and Learning Lab.

Walnut classroom students play with test tubes at the Discovery Center on Tuesday morning


I shot this assignment not too long ago for CM Life at the new Education and Human Services Building on behalf of the new Preschool, which use to be located in Wightman Hall, and how both staff and children are grasping the transition.  Initially I went there during noon, which is when Pod A: Classrooms Walnut and Oak are let out for recess.  I photographed student teachers and children playing in sand, painting pictures, riding bikes etc.  When I brought them back my editor and I weren't pleased with them, we liked a few but I needed to capture the childrens expressions because children seriously, have the best facial expressions.  Since the journalist who was writing the piece told me that I had at least a week until the article would be published, I was eager to go back and re-shoot.  This time around, I shot indoors during free-time when the children got to interact with their peers at different activites centers around the classroom.  My personal favorite was the Pretend Station where two young boys who were running a resturant fed me tacos for breakfast.  I took over 250 photographs in the hour I was there.  I came back to the newsroom with the photos I just shot and my editor agreed, "Much better." 

Others from the shoot:

Mount Pleasant in 24 Hours

The chaotic weekend that every staff member of CM Life has been fretting is finally over. Along with the week that followed it, full of editing and hard work to prepare for its presentation. To give you a brief idea of what I'm talking about...this past Saturday each reporter and photographer, even videographers went out at different hours of the day in the time span of one day, Saturday and compiled 24 different stories to present to our audience our city of Mt. Pleasant in 24 hours, through multimedia, pictures and stories. I have to admitt, it turned out incredible thanks to our outstanding Presentation Editor, Matt Stephens who can really lend a helping hand, and in most cases hands, when needed. Also Jake May, a very talented photographer, and previous editor at CM Life who goes above and beyond to make sure everyone feels like they are settled and most importantly, having fun. It took me about seven hours to edit my complete multimedia piece, which is about two minutes long. Two hours went towards the audio, an hour towards editing my photos and the rest towards putting the both together to create my sound slides. By the end of the night my eyes were twitching frmo staring at a computer screen for so damn long but it was well worth it. My piece was on a custodian. Not just any custodian, her name is Cathy Aho and she is an amazing woman. A very three dimensional and interesting woman, someone with a past who is most certainly living the present while grasping the future. Cathy works in my residence hall which is how I met her and decided to use her as the subject for this piece. So full of life with so much to say, I couldn't resist.

Into The Light

I volunteered at the Into the Light 11th Annual Cancer Walk on September 25, 2009.  It was a very special event to attend since my grandmother is a survivor of breast cancer but also just a few weeks ago my brother's wife was diagnosed with 4th stage cancer in her breasts and lymphnodes which have spread to her liver.  I met many amazing people and listening to a few of these courageous individuals share their stories with me was very moving. 

Mauricette Berivardet, 76, a Mount Pleasant resident and breast cancer survivor of nine years, helps decorate bags in honor of cancer survivors and for those in memory of who passed away. "Cancer is a blessing in disguise," says Mauricette, "I realize how beautiful a sunset is, I never had before." The bags were displayed by candlelight for the Into the Light 11th Annual Cancer Awareness walk which started at eight o'clock in Island Park on Friday, September 25, 2009.

Kari Conant, 36, an Isabella County resident and breast cancer survivor of one year, leads the Into the Light 11th Annual Cancer Awareness walk in Island Park on Friday, September 25, 2009. Over $40,000 was raised last year for Community Cancer Services of Isabella County.


One shot I couldn't help but love which brings out the old me, who photographed metaphors behind meaning, was this one;

Over 2,000 bags were illuminated along the pathway of Island Park in honor of cancer survivors and for those in memory of who passed away during the Into the Light 11th Annual Cancer Awareness walk on Friday, September 25, 2009.

TyeDye Tom

I met a very interesting individual on campus, which doesn't happen very often. I mean don't get me wrong, I love meeting new people and I find each one of them unique but do I rarely find someone who really captivates me. "Tyedye" Tom of New Orleans was on our campus outside the Bovee U.C. with a tent set up of items he was selling from his store 'Wish You Were Here' in Murphy, Tennessee. Tom was raising money to help support Alternative Breaks, a service project concentrated on social injustices. This idea originated when Tom's home was effected by Hurricane Katrina and students from Oaklahoma University helped fix the damages that were caused by the incident. While Tom travels to different college campuses like Michigan State, Grand Valley and many outside of Michigan he mentioned that, "Central Michigan has really embraced the service end, they have really served students education in leadership." But that's not what stood out to me about Tom. The first thing that caught my eye were all of his tapestries hanging, along with beaded hemp necklaces and classic rock t-shirts. The second was his dog Ben, a black lab who wore an american flag bandana around his neck. The third, was when I really got to talking to Tom. He shared with me his feelings about how the world is running for instance, "Greed has replaced the word prosperity." Aside from getting to know him I got to personally know his compassion for what he does. He told me that, "Michigan is losing people faster than its resources, we need to keep them here...that's why I'm here."

  Tyedye Tom of New Orleans fundraises for Alternative Breaks, a service project concentrated on social injustices, where half of the proceeds go towards the program. "I do it for the need. Service is what makes this country strong, we have got to remember that," says Tom.

Jordan River Nature Trail

For Labor Day weekend I went hiking with my friend Ethan's cousin and a few of his friends on a path just outside of Bellaire, Michigan.  I'll be honest, I love nature and really enjoy camping but I have not hiked in ages.  I especially can't recall a time where I wore a backpack to provide me with all of my necessities for an entire weekend.  Regardless, I was anticipating the hike with an open mind and couldn't wait to take it all in.  We hiked a total of 18 miles.  Ten on the way to our campsite and then nine on the way back from our campsite to where the car was parked.  The hiking was exhilirating while the camping was...hilarious.  Hydrated Beef Stroganoff and Mexican Rice for dinner/breakfast.  I had my usual granola and passion tea.  We played an array of games to keep us occupied when night fell and we did quite a good job at that suprisingly.  Of course being me, one of things I carried on my back was my camera, its accessories and my tripod.  I documented pretty much the whole trip which I will share with you all.

Less then a mile into the hike, I hated being in back but I'm not a leader so I couldn't be up font.

Ahh, nature.  We stopped to take a break, thank god, where I took some pictures of the scenery surrounding the trail.

From left to right:  Ryan MacWilliams, Laura Maihofer, Ethan MacWilliams and Rob (forgot last name)

Ryan being one with the water, or as he would say, "Water and meditation are wedded for life."

Mmm, Rob drinking spring water.  There's nothing like it.

Laura caught a baby toad.  They were everywhere!  It was hard trying not to step on them.  Poor buggers.

When in Rome!  I guess Rome referring to reflections, which I love.  Especially in my tea.

Rob and I went searching through the woods while the others napped to find dead wood for the fire.  I picked it up and he broke it in half.  It was pretty good team work.

Me, Ryan and Rob went on rounds to fill up water bottles for everyone.  We had to pump the water but man, was it cold and mighty refreshing.

Ethan sitting down with no intentions of getting back up after our ten mile hike to our campsite.  We all got in and went swimming eventually, despite the bone chilling temperature of the water.

Ryan waking up from a nap before dinner.  His hammock holds two, if you can believe it or not.

The swimming portion of our day.  I had to put my camera away after this because the current was too strong I had to hold onto the bridge with both hands.  Plus, it's water.  I don't want to take any chances.

Ethan brought with him a can of Mandarin Oranges which he then tried eating with his pocket knife, random but delicious.

Men attempting to make fire.  We got it going eventually, it was roaring all night.

Ryan and Laura playing the harmonica around the campfire.  Classic.

Mushroom spotting!  Score.  I wish I could identify it, maybe one of these days.

Goodbye camp, hello eight mile hike ahead!

More amphibians on the trail.  Salamanders are the best though, for real.

Half way there, anticipating the end?  No way, we love it out here.  Don't be fooled we just stopped to take a breather and check out view, we were quite a ways up.

 

Fork in the road, and both trees are marked blue for our trail.  Hmm...Ryan and Rob decided we just keep going the way we were headed.  Good idea.

Each one of us hiked the 18 mile Jordan River Trail!  Give yourself a pat on the back.  Now it's time to kick back and have some fun.

Home brew, give it to me.  On our drive back we stopped at brewing company in Bellaire called Short's that Ryan has been to time and time again, which had the best brew.

Oh, and phenominal pizza to go with the brew.  YUM.

After consuming four slices of pizza and three cups of beer Ryan admits, "I'm ready for a nap."