The Documentarian

Fear v. Hope

2011-03-19T11:25:00.007-06:00

Helped Christina Kennedy put together a piece for Kickstarter, a fundraising site for creative projects. She and her two kids, Elliot and Nico, will collect drawings of monsters. In the vein of Godzilla, these "Eco Monsters" run the gamut from good to bad, and they speak to the future of our planet. (Please watch the video for inspiration.)

Christina and her kiddos will select the top drawings for a book and an exhibit.
Funds raised through Kickstarter will go toward these costs. Christina would like any surplus funds to benefit the victims in Japan, where she grew up.

Christina and I started producing the promotional video for this project *before* the quake, tsunami and resulting nuclear disasters struck Japan. As these events occurred, she wasn't sure what to do. However, upon the urging of those closest to her, she decided to move forward.

This project is timely and allows people of all ages to express their fears -- and their hopes -- regarding our world.

How can you participate?

Draw your own Eco Monster and send it to:

Kennedy Family
P.O. Box 40190
ABQ, NM 87196
USA

You can also financially support the project by donating a few bucks on Kickstarter.com.

Thanks, Folks! Let's see those monsters...

Three years

2011-02-23T21:51:00.005-07:00

Remembering The Trib from Lillian J. Kelly on Vimeo.

On Feb. 23, 2008, The Albuquerque Tribune printed its last edition. The afternoon daily was my home and my training ground for 1 1/2 years. While that may not seem long, it was enough time to be challenged and to grow as both a storyteller and a human being.

This post is dedicated to the fine men and women -- the Tribunistas -- who came before me, worked beside me and continue to inspire me.

My pal Dale

2010-05-17T10:09:00.004-06:00

Of pharmacy and photography from Lillian J. Kelly on Vimeo.

It's been refreshing to share good ol'analog photography with Dale Graham, a pharmacist and photographer who lives with his wife Maureen and Boston Terrier Herbie in Fayette, Mo. He's been called "the Ansel Adams of the Midwest," which might be an appropriate moniker.

In this video, Dale makes a photo of the Howard County Courthouse in the middle of Downtown Fayette, a town of approximately 3,000 in mid-Missouri. The building behind him used to be his pharmacy, which is now a swanky-yet-affordable restaurant. (If you head to Fayette, I suggest the steak salad.)

Look forward to shooting more with and learning more from Dale during my time in Missouri.

Video: History of Broadway

2010-04-12T17:22:00.006-06:00

Broadway: Beginnings of Columbia, Mo. from Lillian J. Kelly on Vimeo.
This piece is part of a group documentary project about Broadway, a road that traverses Columbia, Mo. Other participants in David Rees' Picture Story class covered the street itself, business, real estate, city government, public parks, education, and fashion.

Lilli's Perfect Day

2010-04-12T10:38:00.003-06:00

"I have trouble being called an artist... Call me Dale," said Mr. Graham, who posed for this photo (taken with my Canon 20D) in front of the building that used to house his pharmacy in Fayette, Mo.

Trained as a pharmacist, the 80-year-old started his relationship photography at the age of 12. Today, one of his photos, "Windmill on the Prarie," is part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He works solely in film, mostly black-and-white. Although he has made wedding photos in color. A majority of his work is comprised of landscapes, and he's taken his cues from Ansel Adams.

He was kind enough to spend a few hours chatting, showing me around his small town of 3,000 people and sharing his photographs.

The best part of the day? Using a Hasselblad for the first time. He showed me how to meter the light and manipulate the shutter speed and aperture, and I made a photo of him in front of a sign for his former photography studio.

It felt good to use film, again. I'm definitely hooked.

I look forward to spending more time with the Grahams.

For Carm

2010-04-11T22:21:00.004-06:00

My pal Carm liked my snow-filled bathtub, so I returned for the thaw.

One fast German

2010-04-11T22:19:00.002-06:00

Photographer Jakob Berr flies by a photo from the Farm Security Administration that hangs in Lee Hills Hall on the MU campus.

Thinking spot

2010-04-11T22:17:00.001-06:00

This tree house is a few feet from my front door. Whenever I need a break and some fresh air, I walk down to the creek...

Summary: 30 Days, 30 Photos, Round 2

2010-04-11T21:39:00.002-06:00

It's been a tough month to keep up with posting. Even though I've been shooting every day, I haven't been going through my take every day. My feedback loop has been broken, and it shows in my photos.

However, because of the continued challenge to make and post a photo each day, I am now in the habit of carrying my camera with me. And my hesitation to make photos has decreased dramatically.

My fellow photogs and I will meet tomorrow. Not sure if we'll choose to take on Round 3, but I will continue to post to my blog regularly.

Thanks to everyone who's glanced at my work and given feedback!

Day 60: Mis vecinos

2010-04-11T21:27:00.003-06:00

My neighbors Laura, Ginger and Angel are not often in the same frame.

While Ginger (center) raises Laura and works toward her PhD in engineering, her husband Angel works a full-time job engineering public works in their native Puerto Rico.

Angel came to visit recently, so I offered to make a photo for them.

Day 59: Can't hide my 505

2010-04-11T20:56:00.008-06:00

In Ellis Library on the MU campus, there is a half-story between floors 1 and 2. (Très Harry Potter meets Choose Your Own Adventure.) While looking for a book last fall, I came across this beautiful graffiti...

I snapped a photo of the Zia symbol, which emblazons the New Mexico flag, with my phone. It reminded me that I'm not the only New Mexican walking around the middle of Missouri.

However, I was heartsick when I returned recently to find the artwork altered...

I refuse to silence my state pride!

Day 58: More Broadway

2010-04-11T20:37:00.002-06:00

With the help of Eastside Tavern owner Sal Nuccio, who recently lost his bid for mayor, I was able to climb to the rooftops of CoMo.

I also made video, which will be used in my project about the history of Columbia.

Stay tuned...

Day 57: All the 'lil boxes

2010-04-11T19:57:00.007-06:00

My search for the history of Broadway led me to the second story of the Daniel Boone Regional Library. The water tower seen through one window is the site of the original settlement of Smithton, which was disassembled and moved down the hill to become Columbia, Mo.

This 21-second video clip will not make it to the final cut, but I like the movement through the separate frames on the screen.

Day 56: Like I also said...

2010-04-11T19:37:00.001-06:00

... in post Day 51, I (heart) my Jeep.

Also on the list? Making pictures of myself.

Day 55: Recess

2010-04-11T19:10:00.005-06:00

Spent spring break in CoMo. While it was a week full of work, my pal Clare joined me for a walk along the MKT Trail.

Day 54: Like I said...

2010-04-11T18:56:00.005-06:00

...on Day 51, I (heart) sleeping in.

Day 53: Week before Easter

2010-04-11T18:42:00.003-06:00

Found this while walking along the MKT Trail, which runs through the state of Missouri. It follows the former course of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad track. I'm sure this pole supported telegraph wire that ran the same course.

Day 52: Quarantine

2010-04-11T18:36:00.002-06:00

My pal Christine Martinez is on the mend, and this is her first public outing after being sick in bed for a week.

Day 51: Unabashed nerdishness

2010-04-11T18:09:00.008-06:00

As I continued research into the history of Columbia, Mo., I saw this T-shirt behind a glass display at the State Historical Society of Missouri.

I (heart) a lot of things: sushi, my Jeep, sleeping in... History has been officially added to the list.

Day 50: A woman who knows

2010-04-11T17:34:00.002-06:00

Liz Kennedy is a local historian who knows quite about about the origins of Columbia, Mo. In fact, she's been able to trace her family back to the beginnings of the town in about 1820 or so.

She will be the narrator in an upcoming piece about Broadway, a project for my picture story class.

Day 49: Line of sight

2010-03-23T19:57:00.005-06:00

Mito Habe-Evans and I embarked on an urban safari along Broadway this afternoon. She made video with the Canon 5D as I drove.

Mito spent the day documenting the road and its commuters via various modes (bike, car and Jeep) for her portion of our Picture Story class project about the road that runs through most of Columbia, Mo.

Day 48: Big screen

2010-03-22T23:25:00.004-06:00

Colleen Lefholz shares about her portion of our group Broadway project: the Columbia Cemetery. One of her subjects gave her a tour of the historic headstones.

Each of us in David Rees' Picture Story class is taking on a different aspect of Broadway, a road that runs through most of Columbia. I have chosen to look at the city's historical development by focusing on the Downtown area.

Day 47: Cool soak

2010-03-22T23:20:00.004-06:00

I've always wanted an outdoor bathtub, but I'd prefer slightly warmer water...

Day 46: First Day of Spring

2010-03-22T23:16:00.002-06:00

After a brief flirtation with short sleeves and sunshine, I awoke to snow.

I didn't leave the house.

Day 45: Waking, walking up

2010-03-22T23:09:00.003-06:00

While I joke this is what the world looks like before I drink my caffeinated tea in the morning, this is what mid-Missouri looked like Friday morning as the fog took its time to dissipate.

As promised, another experiment with framing. This was the first afternoon we could open the windows in the third story of Lee Hills Hall overlooking Peace Park. As the sign directs, we closed them before leaving the building.

Day 44: No stills today

2010-03-22T23:03:00.003-06:00

Interviewed Warren Dalton Jr., an expert on local history, about Columbia's Downtown area. (This is a screen grab from the video.) We spoke in one of his buildings, the Booth Building, which has stood at Broadway and 10th Street since 1886.

Because I used my video camera, I left my still camera at home. Felt strange not to have it with me...

Day 43: Hint of spring

2010-03-22T23:00:00.003-06:00

As you can see, I'm obsessed with windows and using them as frames. Yes, there are more to come...

Day 42: Night at the library

2010-03-16T22:40:00.004-06:00

After Carm's kind suggestion (see comments below), I took a dramatic whack at a crop. I aspire to make better pictures, ones that don't require such surgery.

Meg Burcke makes another blog appearance... She chose a seat a few chairs down from me at the Frank Lee Martin Memorial Library (also known as the J-Library) on the MU campus. It's a quiet place to concentrate. And, yes, water bottles are allowed.

Day 41: Through the looking glass

2010-03-15T21:27:00.007-06:00

Spent part of the Ides of March on the second story of the Booth Building on Broadway in Columbia, Mo. Warren Dalton Jr. owns the Downtown structure, and he's shared a bit about the history of the area with me. Hope to learn more this week.

Day 40: Thinking spot

2010-03-14T21:53:00.011-06:00

On my walk to the mailbox today, I found a chair.

So, I sat...

And this is what I saw...

Day 39: Grocery store tourist

2010-03-13T20:48:00.007-07:00

One of the employees at HyVee, my favorite grocery store in Columbia, allowed me to taste a Honey Sunset Plum from Chile. Mmm...

These yellow fruit sweeten as they ripen to red.

I like to choose local, organic food over imported produce when I can. So, instead of going back for more, I'd like to travel to Chile.

Day 38: Conferring

2010-03-12T21:11:00.006-07:00

It's encouraging to meet regularly with other photographers in my Picture Story Class, especially when I find we're in the same boat: struggling to row up the semester stream. We're midway at this point with eight more weeks to go...

From left to right: Chris Dunn, Jessica Cherry, Laura Herring and Colleen Lefholz.

Everyone has had something to contribute, and I've learned a bit from each person.

Day 37: Another man who knows

2010-03-11T20:21:00.005-07:00

David Rees is the head of the photojournalism department at Missouri's School of Journalism. His door is often open, and students refer to him as "Yoda" for his ability to listen and give guidance. Today, he offered much-needed encouragement during a brainstorming session.

A year into my two-year program, I'm glad I made the decision to attend grad school...

And I look forward to the coming year.

Day 36: A man who knows

2010-03-11T19:54:00.005-07:00

Warren Dalton Jr., 92, is a local historian. In addition to publishing a bimonthly column in the Columbia Daily Tribune, he and co-auther David James have recently released a book called Historic Downtown Columbia. He's graciously agreed to meet with me to share a bit about the history of Broadway, which runs through Downtown.

Day 35: Under pressure

2010-03-11T19:02:00.003-07:00

Jesse Miller, bench jeweler, steam-cleans a ring at Buchroeder's Jewelers in Columbia, Mo. Open since 1896 and in its current location on Broadway since 1911, the shop is possibly the oldest business in Boone County.

Day 34: Venturing out

2010-03-11T18:52:00.003-07:00

Fought a fever for most of the weekend, and this was my first foray into public. The Boone County Public Library was on along my route to Wal-Mart. The cool night air felt good.

The architecture is unique, and it reminds me of my days working in the children's section of The Farmington Public Library in northwestern New Mexico.

Day 33: Like mother, like daughter

2010-03-07T20:17:00.003-07:00

My mom knows I've been under the weather, so she Skyped in to cheer me up. As I have not left the couch all day, this is the one photo I've made.

When I was a kid, I didn't really see the resemblance. But as I get older...

Day 32: Signs of spring

2010-03-07T19:46:00.003-07:00

Opened my windows for the first time Saturday. According to the calendar, there are only 14 days left of winter. It seems spring is truly on its way.

Day 31: Another 30

2010-03-05T22:31:00.003-07:00

Strategic communications graduate student Meg Burcke poses for photojournalism grad student David Kennedy in Gannett Hall.

"We have to make a photo each day," I said to Meg, trying to explain why the two of us pounced on her with our cameras. After one month of making and posting at least one photo each day, my fellow students in David Rees' Picture Story class and I have agreed to continue for another 30 days.

"Don't you do that anyway?" she asked.

Excellent question, Meg. Excellent question.

Day 30: What to leave out

2010-03-04T17:36:00.005-07:00

Jackie Bell lectures about cropping photos in her Visual Communications class. I'm Jackie's teaching assistant, and the two of us will spend part of the weekend grading assignments where students demonstrate they know what to include and what not to include in a photograph.

This marks the 30th day in the 30 Days, 30 Photos project.

It's been a valuable exercise in the daily practice of photography. In studying how to capture light, I've had to learn patience with myself. This project has allowed me to open up and trust the process. Not every day, not every picture will be perfect. (In fact, none of them will be.) But that's OK, because I'm learning and, more importantly, allowing myself to play with my camera.

Day 29: Oldest biz in town

2010-03-03T21:34:00.008-07:00

Buchroeder's Jewelers is the longest running business in Boone County, says owner Mills Menser. It's been open for business in Columbia, Mo., since 1896 and it's been in its current location on Broadway since 1911.

As its 100th location anniversary nears, changes will be made. Shelves have been cleared for demolition. Next week, remodeling will make way for twice as many diamond display cases. As the commerical says, "Buchroeder's is where Mid-Missouri goes to get engaged."

Day 28: Like a polaroid

2010-03-03T21:29:00.004-07:00

Made this image while driving through a green light. Didn't look through the viewfinder. Held up the camera with my right hand while holding the wheel with my left.

Because I was driving, I wasn't able to immediately see the image on the back of my digital camera. In fact, I didn't see it until a few moment ago.

The colors and composition remind me of my childhood documented in Polaroid film.

My Aunt Colleen used a Polaroid camera when I was young. After each flash, she'd pull the thick receipt from the camera. My brothers, cousins and I would huddle around it, waiting for the smelly paper to do its work and reveal the image we knew, hoped, prayed would emerge.

We still huddle today. Around the backs of our digital cameras. Around phones. Around laptops. Around TV screens. The wait becomes shorter and shorter as the process evolves, but the anticipation, the hope and the community surrounding what transpires remain the same.

Day 27: Closing in

2010-03-01T23:06:00.003-07:00

Calin Ilea concentrates as Anne Shipley and others discuss a group project about Broadway in Columbia, Mo., during David Rees' Picture Story Class.

As a group, we've also agreed to make and post one photo each day for 30 days. The finish line approaches...

So, will we commit to another 30?

Day 26: Another 704

2010-03-01T21:35:00.004-07:00

Here's another view of my apartment. Someone has scribbled the front and back with chalk.

My friend Clare and I have been discussing how much we'll miss Columbia, Mo., when we move from here. If all goes according to plan, she'll graduate in May and I'll embark on some sort of project come June.

This apartment has become my home, however temperary, and I will miss my neighbors and easy access to the MKT Trail, Downtown and the J School.

Day 25: Blurring the lines

2010-02-28T00:16:00.006-07:00

Can you see where the number of my apartment building ends and the tree branches begin? Or, perhaps, vice versa?

Day 24: Details

2010-02-26T23:17:00.002-07:00

Honoring the impulse. That's what this 30 Days/30 Photos project is all about. Removing the barriers that keep us from making a picture.

Today when I saw this, I was sitting at a red light and thought, "Huh. That's interesting." There was a moment's hesitation before I pulled over to make the picture. But that moment - those few heart beats within which I argue with myself over whether the energy to be spent will be worth it - was so brief.

The more I shoot, the fewer beats of hesitation.

What have I got to lose?

More importantly, what is happening Tonight? And when?

Day 23: One of the best reasons to live here

2010-02-25T23:09:00.009-07:00

Anyone who sees "The Invention of Dr. NakaMats" will understand why its director, Kaspar Astrup Schroder, is asking audience members to pose with two fingers toward his camera after a screening of the movie at the Blue Note in Columbia, Mo. It's part of the True/False Film Fest, a long weekend's worth of documentary film and one of the best reasons to live in (or visit) this community in the middle of Missouri.

I was in good company: Brian Heffernan to my left, Clare Becker to my right. Both are Journalism School grad students who understand why Dr. NakaMats' method for picking out cameras is, well... unique.

Day 22: Meet Colleen

2010-02-24T23:17:00.004-07:00

Colleen Thomas manages the J Café, a spot on campus to grab grub for a great price. As we students come crawling to the counter for a caffeine, sugar and/or protein fix, she greets us with a smile.

Collen and I found ourselves walking out of the building together this afternoon, and I found out she has been beading and blogging for years... Check it out.

Day 21: Inside the judges' chambers

2010-02-23T22:34:00.007-07:00

Judging for Pictures of the Year International continued today with the portrait and portrait series categories. Rick Shaw (top) is the director of this ship, which will continue to cruise through this week and next. Donna DeCesare (second from top, left)of the University of Texas, Søren Pagter of the Danish School of Media and Journalism, and freelance photojournalist Lynn Johnson are three of this week's judges. Freelance photojournalist Pablo Corral Vega (not pictured) is the fourth. Matt Cavanah (bottom) is one of several volunteers (second from bottom) who help keep the ship afloat, while journalism students and faculty are welcome to sit in and observe the process.

The Drive

2010-02-23T21:55:00.021-07:00

Ruth and Raymond are newlyweds in their 80s.

They recently celebrated Valentine's Day at Sunrise Baptist Church, which is a few miles down the road from their 240-acre farm east of Columbia, Mo. They also celebrated Raymond's 83rd birthday at his son's house in nearby Jefferson City, Mo.

I unexpectedly met the couple during a country drive last fall, and we've come to know each other over the past four months. The following is a submission for David Rees' Picture Story class. Instead of creating a traditional narrative, I approached this assignment as if writing a poem.

To learn more about the couple, please see "Young Love" and earlier posts "Kissing Contest" and "Ruth and Raymond, continued."

The Drive

This dirt road was quiet, until you tuned the radio.
While uncertainty lies ahead,
I will help you watch the road. You may fall asleep,
But not before I squeeze your hand.

-LJK, 2/23/10

Day 20: The light of day

2010-02-22T22:15:00.004-07:00

I'm definitely not a groundhog, because I was excited to see a shadow of my building number near my living-room window. The sun came out today in Columbia, Mo., and I sense spring is right around the corner.

Instead of celebrating this fact outdoors, I spent time in Ellis Library, where you can see campus and Downtown Columbia from the north windows. With the hope of spring comes the hope of spring break...

Day 19: Ruth and Raymond, continued

2010-02-21T19:38:00.007-07:00

"I want to help you, but I won't," he said.
"Don't help me. I want to do it all on my own," she said.
They both laughed as Raymond placed a card on the kitchen table and Ruth drew for her next move in their game of Rummy.

Raymond turned 83 today. The couple celebrated by attending Ruth's Sunrise Baptist Church for Sunday school and then joining Raymond's family in Jefferson City for lunch.

Today was the first day I shared my photos of Ruth and Raymond with Ruth and Raymond. I was nervous because Ruth hesitates to have her picture taken and still seems shy around my camera. However, my fears were unfounded and I was truly touched by their reaction.

After the family gathered around a laptop to watch the three-part piece, the three of us had a few quiet moments. Ruth and Raymond are not experts in photography. They did not see the technical flaws that, to me, are blaring from the screen. Instead, they were flattered that someone said, "You're important. Please, let me tell some of your story."

Their feedback was nourishment to my soul -- it provided the psychological completion of creation that is lacking when we make photos and leave them in our camera, on the film, on the memory card or in our computers. If we make photos, they are useless and we are left emotionally hanging as photographers unless we share them.

Yes, that's my Jeep, Daisy, you see through the window of Ruth and Raymond's kitchen.

Day 18: Where a kid can be a kid, continued

2010-02-20T20:19:00.005-07:00

Laura, my 5-year-old neighbor, is taking her mother, Ginger, to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate her mom's 40th birthday.

I admire Ginger for retaining a child-like sense of play. Hmm... I may have 8 1/2 more years to go, but where and how do I want to celebrate my Big Four-Oh?

Day 17: Kissing contest

2010-02-20T16:40:00.005-07:00

You may remember Ruth and Raymond from an earlier post called Young Love. They're in their 80s, and they're newlyweds.

They celebrated Valentine's Day at a banquet at Sunrise Baptist Church, where Ruth regularly attends Sunday morning services. Here, they're competing in a kissing contest where the couple with the most lip marks within the time limit wins. After donning some bright red lipstick, Ruth gave Raymond 19 smack-a-roos.

They didn't win. The contest.

They've become very dear to me, and it was good to spend the evening together. I hadn't seen Ruth and Raymond in about two months. Hope to see them again tomorrow...

Raymond turns 83.

Day 16: BYOV

2010-02-20T15:28:00.005-07:00

It's Bring Your Own Vinyl every Thursday at Top Ten Wines in Downtown Columbia, Mo. MU students and POYi judges gathered after a long day to sip drinks, play ping-pong and spin records.

From left: Scott McKiernan, Jakob Berr, Michelle Peltier, Calin Ilea, Scott Strazzante, Josh Bickel, John Schreiber and Chelsea Sektnan.

San José State student John Russo speaks with judge Pedro Ugarte.

Day 15: Where a kid can be a kid

2010-02-20T15:19:00.004-07:00

My neighbor, Ginger is turning 40. Standing outside our apartments Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2010, she told me her daughter Laura, 5, wants to take her to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate on Saturday.

Day 14: POYi, Week One

2010-02-20T14:41:00.007-07:00

Rick Shaw, director of Pictures of the Year International, instructs the judges ahead of Tuesday's general news reporting category in the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., Feb. 16, 2010.

One third of the three-week Pictures of the Year International photo competition is over. Judges Scott McKiernan of ZUMA Press and Doubletruck magazine, New Orleans-based freelance photojournalist Kathy Anderson, Pedro Ugarte of Agence France-Presse in South Asia, and Scott Strazzante of the Chicago Tribune have put in several long days to judge a variety of categories. Each year, the University of Missouri hosts the contest, and here are the winners. So far.

Two more weeks to go!

Day 13: Mo

2010-02-15T21:54:00.008-07:00

Mo -- which is short for Mohawk but I have lengthened to Mojo and Mojito -- and I have become good pals. I've been watching her and sitting the house where she lives in Columbia, Mo., this past week.

Mo's owner returns tomorrow. After looking at the other photos I made today and deeming them unacceptable to share, I went outside and made this image.

Maybe it's because she's 14 years old and doesn't move too quickly. Or maybe it's because she was raised by a photo family. Whatever the reason, Mo went along with the idea of being photographed. She's a great dog, and I'm gonna miss her.

Day 12: Notes

2010-02-14T21:41:00.003-07:00

David Rees' Picture Story class has agreed to take on Columbia's Broadway as a group documentary project. This road cuts through most of town and offers a cross-section of this community of approximately 100,000 in mid-Missouri. There are housing developments on each end with a historic district in the middle. Here is a look at the middle -- where east meets west, where old meets new.

The historic Daniel Boone Tavern is on the left with a fresh building that's under construction on the right. I may take a look at the history of this this street, this town, by putting it in the context of development.

Day 11: Ivy

2010-02-14T11:49:00.007-07:00

To know Ivy Ashe is to like her. Her joy, her laughter, her smile are infectious... We ate dinner together at Café Berlin last night.

Her New Year's resolution? To learn more about hockey.

"I figure it was one I could keep," she said.

That's right. It's not a vow to make or break a habit. It's not a self-criticism. Nope. It comes from a place of wanting to explore life for all it has to offer...

So, in honor of Ivy, I'm starting the official Adventure Club list. That's right, kids. If we've shared an adventure together, I'll add your name to the roster. No fees, just an obligation to enjoy life for all it has to offer.

These words are scribbled outside my living room window, serving as inspiration for the club's creation and marking HQ.

Day 10: New day

2010-02-14T11:23:00.004-07:00

Many of us, when we wake, face a new day with a demon on our shoulders. For some of us, it's Self-Doubt. For others, it's Worry or Fear or Shame or Fill-in-the-Blank with Your Favorite Negative Thought. On some days, more than one voice whispers to us to pull the sheets over our heads and block out the world.

But not this day. This day, I woke with sunshine on my face and hope of recovery from a sinus infection, which had kept me isolated for most of the week. These past days, I've been too much inside... the house I'm sitting, my own head and my comfort zone. Time to break these membranes. Time to put that Demon of Self-Doubt in a box and go see what else is going on in the world...

Day Nine: Inside looking out

2010-02-12T14:49:00.002-07:00

Confined for yet another day, I see a tree house that must be explored.

Day Eight: A la David Kennedy

2010-02-12T14:43:00.003-07:00

While fighting a fever, I watched squirrels take part in the bird-feeder bounty of a porch in the East Campus neighborhood of Columbia, Mo.

David Kennedy is a classmate who specializes in nature photography. I'm sure he'd cringe at my use of a 50mm lens and lack of patience.

Day Seven: Proof

2010-02-10T11:22:00.002-07:00

Finally, I have cleaned my dishes.

Day Six: Classmates

2010-02-08T14:37:00.004-07:00

Liz Lance shares about her work as a Fulbright scholar in Nepal during a lunchtime lecture in Tucker Forum, Feb. 8, 2010.

Zach Siebert and Phoebe Sexton ponder the world's political problems, as they have promised the world peace by dinnertime, Feb. 6, 2010.

Day Five: Like a good neighbor

2010-02-07T21:27:00.004-07:00

Ginger knocked on my door this afternoon and handed me a plastic container of homemade chili and this cake. (Had I been quick enough, I may have made a photo of her! I was distracted by the smell of beans and chocolate.) I've had some pretty good neighbors in my day, and she is, by far, one of the most thoughtful.

This is as far as I went in one sitting. Round Two commences tomorrow morning with my tea.

Day Four: Forest for the trees, or the other way around

2010-02-07T12:30:00.006-07:00

"There is ecstasy in paying attention," Anne Lamott writes in her book "Bird by Bird."

Before taking up this 30-day, 30-photos challenge, I had allowed my self-editor to take charge and diminish my sense of play, my sense of exploration, my sense of adventure. Yesterday, I jumped out of my Jeep, looked up and saw this sunburst through the trees in the East Campus neighborhood of Columbia, Mo. "Nice," I thought.

There was a brief moment where I hesitated. Yet, by picking up the camera and clicking the shutter to make one frame, I silenced the voice of my self-editor who was whispering, "Why waste your time? You're not here to make pictures. Besides, this image is cliché."

So, what? I look at it now and still say, "Nice."

Day Three: From the heavens

2010-02-05T18:18:00.008-07:00

Like other parts of the United States, Columbia, Mo., is covered in snow. On my way home from campus to collapse with a cold, I passed the Islamic Center of Central Missouri.

Please say a prayer for my sinuses.

Day Two: Seeing red

2010-02-04T19:18:00.004-07:00

Mid-winter in Mid-Missouri, yet there's still a hint of color on the naked branches outside my door. When I start to fear the green may not return, I’ll stop.

Only 44 days until spring.

Day One: Meet Doris

2010-02-04T18:43:00.002-07:00

“What part of New Mexico are you from?” A voice interrupted my concentration as I raised my camera to make yet another picture of Jesse Hall on the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia. I lowered my lens to meet Doris Barnhart.

She spent the early 1960s in northwestern New Mexico, the area where I grew up and spent more than 20 years of my life. The 73-year-old is a Boone County native who works with MU’s Scholastic Journalism Programs, where she helps prepare high school students for careers in journalism. Her father was a newspaperman, and she says news ink is in her blood. After having worked for two newspapers myself, I can relate.

While I was parked outside Neff Annex last night to make a photo of a boring ol’building, I’m grateful Doris readjusted my focus. “It was your license plate, not your camera, that drew my attention,” she said of the Land of Enchantment’s yellow and red design. Had she kept walking without initiating the conversation, I may have missed out on meeting one nice lady.

As a student in David Rees’ Picture Story class, I’ve agreed to make (and post) a photo each day for the next 30 days. If last night’s experience is any indication of what can happen when I explore my world with a camera, I say “Bring it on.”

And I wonder whom I will bump into next…

What the "J" stands for

2010-01-27T17:59:00.010-07:00

Students of the MU Journalism School can see Jesse Hall and the Columns from Elm Street.

While this image appears on almost every postcard of the University of Missouri-Columbia, I made this photo for my Grandma Joyce, who inspired my middle name and wonders what my campus looks like. I hope to make more photos of my life here (and at various times of day) for her and other family members.

I'm just sitting there and...

2010-01-22T15:42:00.015-07:00

...next to me in Christina's Beauty Salon is Gaby Perez, 41. As I have my hair trimmed, we talk about the local restaurant she manages and she shows me photos of her family on her phone. She's lived in Columbia, Mo., with her husband and 9-year-old son for six years. Spanish is her native language, and she's mastering English.

She's never been to Paris (France), but she would like to see the City of Lights... someday. In the meantime, she'll wait for her light brown hair dye to set.

Meeting and chatting with Gaby reminded me of why I love photography -- making connections with other people. I thank her for sharing and allowing me to make her photo.

The Newlyweds

2009-12-22T15:06:00.005-07:00

Ruth Brummitt, 88, had sworn off marriage when her first one ended more than 40 years ago. "Never say never," she says. She and Raymond Schlup, 82, tied the knot four years ago and still call themselves "newlyweds."

Take a look at their courtship and their life after the honeymoon in Young Love.

She said "yes"

2009-06-28T21:23:00.012-06:00

I was having a glass of wine with friends at Les Bourgeois winery along the Missouri River this evening when I turned around to see a man named Karl propose to his girlfriend just feet from my table. She said "yes," as you can see.

I'd like to thank Karl for popping the question at sunset. I'd like to thank Sarah Flagg for jabbing me in the ribs and telling me to turn around.

Rwandan renewal

2009-06-19T23:37:00.016-06:00

Marianne Bihomora dreamed of being married in a church ever since she and her husband, Stanislas, who is known as Stani, were wed in a small civil ceremony two decades ago. Since then, lack of money, turmoil in her homeland of Rwanda, life in a Kenyan refugee camp, resettlement in the United States and raising their six kids put the dream on hold. But when Marianne's 70-year-old father, Michel Mumyantarama, came to Columbia from Rwanda in August... it finally seemed like the right time...
Excerpt from story written by Christine Martinez for The Missourian. Martinez spearheaded a multi-media project, shooting photos, gathering sound and producing A wedding 20 years later. I helped with a few photos.

First rodeo

2009-06-19T23:29:00.003-06:00

Jenahlyn Felten, 15, prepares her horse Montana for the Missouri High School Rodeo's Barrel Jackpot on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at the Boone County Fairgrounds. She's been riding since she was 7 years old and has been competing for a few years. "It's hard work, but I like the training," she said.

These ran in The Missourian.

Columbia Curfew?

2009-06-19T23:15:00.009-06:00

The city of Columbia is considering a curfew for teens. Anthony Chavez, 12, and Alex Terrell, 13, live in nearby Ashland, Mo., where children under 17 cannot be in public between midnight and 5 a.m. The two agree with the curfew, saying it keeps teens safe.

Joseph Boettcher, 12, (left) and Hayden Mahieu, 15, play at the Virtual Arena on Thursday, June 11, 2009. The two are neutral about a potential curfew for teens in Columbia.

Larry Green, 15, says there should be no curfew in Columbia. He was hanging out with friends on Park Ave. on Thursday, June 11, 2009.

The first two photos were published in The Missourian.

First flash

2009-06-19T23:03:00.006-06:00

Columbia Police Officer Keisha Edwards speaks with Tyler Stone (right) and Keith Ramsey after the first night of Moonlight Hoops at Douglas Park. The Columbia Police Department will be on site for the summer-league games. "It's community policing at its best," Edwards said. "It's an opportunity to interact with the community, giving them an opportunity to interact with us, building relationships."

This was my first attempt shooting with flash on assignment for The Missourian.

Dugout duds

2009-06-19T22:47:00.005-06:00

Mizzou Tiger Katie Milles dons her catching gear during a double-header against Missouri S&T. On April 15, 2009, the Tigers won both games: 10-2 in six innings and 6-0.

This was one of my first attempts at shooting sports. Still working at it.

Two pals

2009-06-19T22:36:00.006-06:00

Jeffrey Wold Lynch waits for his turn to sip while his friend “Diamond” Dave Tye drinks alcohol in Downtown Columbia, Mo. The two describe themselves as homeless and say they sleep on the streets because the local shelters have too few beds. Lynch and Tye timed their sips strategically, waiting for acquaintances to walk further down the block before pulling out the bottle. “We don’t mind sharing, but we can’t feed the whole world,” Lynch said in February 2009.

New faces

2009-06-19T22:17:00.010-06:00

Sandar Thang, 27, is a refugee from Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country the U.S. State Department refers to as Burma. When she posed for this portrait, she, her husband and her infant son had been in their new home of Columbia, Mo., for one month.

They moved to Columbia about the same time I did. I met them randomly on the street, and she graciously posed for this photo. I brought copies of this and images I made of her husband and infant to their home several weeks later. They introduced me to more refugees from Burma/Myanmar. There are more than 60 in mid-Missouri.

Josh Vest, 22, tries to keep his fingers warm by cupping them around a cardboard cylinder of coffee. “It’s hard to keep a job while you’re traveling,” he explained, posing for this portrait. He and his traveling companion, Samantha Eveland, were in Columbia, Mo., on their way to his home state of Texas.

Making these portraits was part of my first assignment in the photojouranlism graduate program at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Taking my camera to the streets helped me break through a membrane of doubt. Thank you, David Rees.

RGVFG: Tradition, preservation and cooperation

2008-12-05T00:42:00.006-07:00

The South Valley of Albuquerque is known for its agricultural wealth, and that atmosphere has been threatened by development in recent years. In order to fight subdivisions and box stores, Ron Shipley decided to take matters into his own hands and form the Rio Grande Valley Farmers Guild.

Shipley says the guild is designed to give farmers access to land, water, equipment, education and support. In this video, we meet three of the 12 founding members: Shipley, Richard Brandt and Jennifer Prosser.

Brandt directs Dragon Farm, which is part of the curriculum at South Valley Academy, a charter high school in the area. Students plant, cultivate and harvest the farm year-round as part of their curriculum.

Prosser is an herbalist and owns Sunstone Herbs. She moved from upstate New York last year and has only been on her property in the South Valley for about six months. So, she's in the process of preparing her land for next year's harvest.

Although in its infant stages, the guild has already initiated a number of projects: purchasing equipment for members' use, growing organic grains, growing hops for local beer, creating an herb co-op, creating a community orchard, and creating a mentoring program.

Shipley says this is the most important work of his life. If the guild is successful, then farming will continue to be alive in the South Valley for generations to come.

Chris Dudley wrote and composed the music for this piece. He also helped with the photography. Read his blog: bullhornjournal.com.

Behind the scenes

2008-11-27T14:15:00.011-07:00

Here, I'm interviewing Olivia Valdez as she spins wool at Tierra Wools in Los Ojos, N.M. This segment is part of a Frontline series about social entrepreneurs. Details in the Nov. 17, 2008, post below.

Chris Dudley, a burgeoning filmmaker, has accompanied me on a few projects. He made this image with his video camera. The lights you see are his. (I prefer ambient light, but was open to using his light kit for interviews for this series.) While we have different shooting styles, it's been a blast to take field trips around New Mexico and tell people's stories with this up-and-comer. Keep an eye on him at bullhornjournal.com.

SCC: Education, support and opportunity

2008-11-27T11:18:00.013-07:00

"When you give a woman a paycheck," says Susan Matteucci, "she will spend it first on her family." And Southwest Creations Collaborative tests this theory by providing a living wage, education, child care and other support to Spanish-speaking women in Albuquerque, N.M.

In this video, we meet Rosa Villareal, who moved from Mexico 19 years
ago. Until she found SCC, she had difficulty securing work. She says
SCC is her support, her life.

We also meet Andrea Plaza, the programs
director, who uses feedback from the employees to help coordinate
classes and resources.

Matteucci founded SCC after moving to
Albuquerque from Chicago. She brought with her a wealth of experience
regarding women's issues and empowerment.

After spending an afternoon at SCC, where I felt a real sense of
community, I wondered, "Why can't every work environment run like
this?"

Chris Dudley photographed this piece, while I did the editing. Read his blog: bullhornjournal.com.

Tierra Wools: Tradition, community and commerce

2008-11-17T14:45:00.006-07:00

Los Ojos is a small community in rural northern New Mexico. It has little economic opportunity for the folks who live there - save Tierra Wools, a limited liability company that began more than 25 years ago to offer jobs for local women and a market for local wool-growers.

Not only has Tierra Wools offered traditional housewives a way to make money outside the home, it's also provided a sense of community. It's given the women - Sophia De Yapp, Olivia Valdez, Lupe Valdez and Angie Serrano - a place to be and become.

By creating rugs with the wool of local Churro sheep, the women of Tierra Wools are also preserving Rio Grande Weaving, a tradition brought to the area by the Spanish several centuries ago.

This piece is part of a Frontline series about social entrepreneurs - "people whose ideas and organizations create new and sustainable markets and services that benefit underserved communities... whose ideas leap beyond charity to find systemic solutions to poverty, educations, health and social justice," in Frontline's words.

Tierra Wools certainly fits this description.

Chris Dudley wrote and composed the music for this piece. He also helped with the photography. Read his blog: bullhornjournal.com.

Pueblos under Los Ranchos

2008-11-11T22:17:00.011-07:00

It isn't often that an archaeologist finds a significant dig in her own backyard, but Kit Sargeant did.

Her husband, Arnold Sargeant, owns a Bed & Breakfast in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, a community just north of Albuquerque, N.M. When he and his late wife purchased the adobe building in the 1970s, they had no idea what lay beneath. When the two decided to dig a pool in the backyard, they hit paydirt, historically speaking.

Kit is no longer with us. She died in 2001.

Carlton Canaday had the foresight to film Kit when the dig was complete in 1986. He was gracious enough to share this footage, and we are able to hear Kit describe her work in her own words. (Please view through the end of the credits.)

For a better viewing experience, please visit knme.org. (If it's no longer listed on right side of KNME's home page, please click "More" and scan the list on the left.)

Uranium Conundrum

2008-10-13T14:06:00.007-06:00

Uranium, an essential ingredient in creating nuclear energy, is found in large deposits under Grants, N.M. Some say the town should welcome the industry back to an area that struggles with its economy, while others say the land and its people need to be protected from such.

In Part One, we get a glimpse of the history of Grants and the area's need for economic development. In Part Two, we see some of the health and environmental effects of past uranium retrieval efforts, as well as learn how future uranium development would be conducted.

As our nation looks for new ways to feed its hunger for energy, is it wise to re-establish uranium mining in northwestern New Mexico, a place that has seen two large uranium booms and busts over the past 50 years?

Enchilada Gardener

2008-09-21T13:35:00.001-06:00

Mike Wheelock has an ordinary home in an ordinary subdivision just outside Corrales, N.M. He's converted every inch of his backyard to garden. He's employed the "enchilada method," also known as the "lasagna method," in which he layers soaker hoses, builders' paper and compost -- just like a flat enchilada. He says this has saved him from watering and battling the weeds. In fact, before using this method, he had almost given up his hobby of gardening out of frustration.

Now, his hobby helps pay for the mortgage on his house and his adult daughters' education at the University of New Mexico.

Video: Summer Solstice at Chaco Canyon

2008-07-10T22:32:00.013-06:00

Chaco Canyon is miles away from the things of modern man. Each year -- at summer solstice, winter solstice and the equinoxes -- the sun can be viewed from different markers. Marks of the ancient Chacoan culture can also be seen throughout the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico. In this video, park interpreter G.B. Cornucopia and others guide us through the canyon and its ruins.

Video: The Black Hole

2008-07-10T22:27:00.007-06:00

Ed Grothus is an institution in Los Alamos, N.M., the birthplace of the atomic bomb. In this video, we learn of Ed's hope to erect two monuments that tell the history of the small town in northern New Mexico's Jemez mountains.

Video: Full Moon at White Sands

2008-07-10T22:17:00.006-06:00

The miles of gypsum sand in southeastern New Mexico is a wondrous site, especially as the sun dips over the horizon. White Sands National Monument is open late under a full moon. It's worth the drive, from wherever you start the trip. In this video, we meet Anne Walthers and Ralph Weber from Boston, Mass. They planned their vacation around this event. We also meet ranger Tirzio Lopez, who leads sunset walks along the dunes.

Video: Silvery Minnow

2008-07-10T22:07:00.006-06:00

The Silvery Minnow Refugium in Los Lunas, N.M., is not your average hatchery. The place has been built to mimic the Rio Grande in order to breed the endangered species. I met Douglas Tave, the refugium manager, when the construction site looked like a skate park -- a snaking river of cement. Months later, when this video was made, the place was full of water and almost ready for the fish.

Video: Gathering of Nations

2008-07-10T21:58:00.004-06:00

Each year, thousands of Native Americans come together in Albuquerque for North America's largest pow-wow. Both a social gathering and a dance contest, a pow-wow open to participants of all ages. In this video, Joseph Fox, a 17-year-old from Canada, tells of his ambition to win the Fancy Dance.

Video: The Faithful

2008-07-10T21:54:00.007-06:00

Myron and Rosemary Robart subscribed to The Albuquerque Tribune for 59 of their 60 married years. In this story, Myron shares with us his evening paper routine, which includes reading The Trib in bed.

Video: Death of a newspaper

2008-07-10T21:44:00.010-06:00

I used to work with some fabulous folks at The Albuquerque Tribune, which closed in February 2008. Here's a look at the last days of the beloved afternoon paper.