Two silhouettes passing in the night

I caught janitor Eric Gunn, right, passing security guard Kelvinita Phillips in the hall of CSU's Corn Center for the Visual Arts last night after I noticed the light cast in the windows from along the RiverWalk and I had to go in and check it out. It's amazing how much starts going on in downtown from 6 to 9 at night. Hmmm...mental note.

Looks like it's kayaking outside

Chuck Armentrout and his fun wild tribe of kayakers were at it again Wednesday night. I decided to get something a little different and more artistic rather then the normal sports action take. It's a place to start. I captured these guys as they u-turn to get back in line to jump back into the waves below the falls.

The kids of summer

Well, I finally got back down the RiverWalk and I can't tell you how much it does for my soul. I love the community connection one can get if they come down here enough. You get all walks of life and people are usually pretty open to conversation. The peacful environment surely plays a large part in creating that mood. Here in this image Anna Davis, 7, and Teszai Munoz, 5 play in the water just below the falls on the Phenix City side just before sunset. I look at this image and I simply see the potential of the city and how great it could become. FYI: These kids are in 8 inches of water with a parent just outside my camera frame for those worried about their safety. And by no means should anyone swim in the river due to the dangerous currents and undertow.




I love the idea of shooting truly candid photographs where your subject doesn't know you're there. These images turn out to be less inhibited and less artificial. In the above, Cedric Davis, 5, right, and C. Jakes, 4, are just simply being boys near water. In the bottom photo, I really loved Teszai Munoz's body language below and how he was taking it all in.

Sunset worshippers

I caught a few of these guys bathing in the last hours of sunlight last night before going to cover the LOST vote. The last one in the grass thinks I can't see him. A sidebar: If anyone is interested in prints from this site or any of your favorites published in the Ledger-Enquirer, we will be posting a folder of best images to choose and order prints from soon on Pictopia. If you have questions about an image or getting a print made let us know by sending me an email here.

Yaking on the Hooch II

Chuck Armentrout came to Columbus again to host another kayak competition and to talk to a local engineer about ideas that could help the sport grow in Columbus. (More of that story to come here and via a column by our own Tim Chitwood.) Here are some of my best shots from the session. My apologies to anyone who didn't make the cut, but if you keep trying I'll keep trying too. Don't forget to click on the images to enlarge them. This is my favorite of the day. I got luck and caught Frank Norton just as he came to the surface and a sheet of water ran away from his face.
Kirk Robertson catching a gulp of air before he goes back under again.
Here's Charlie Simmons immersed as he pulls a trick to bring his boat upward towards the sky.
And here's Kirk again taking his turn on the wave.
I caught Chuck here in the middle of a 360.
Alex Rath as he rolls his boat upright again.
Zach Sanders caught through the spray.
Charlie Simmons catching a ride on the eternal wave.

It's too darn hot

Stanley Misinco fishes with his shirt off as the sun begins to rise over the Riverwalk steps leading to the Chattahoochee River in downtown Columbus Tuesday morning. I can't blame Stanley at all. It was only shortly after nine in the morning when I took this and the temperature was already well into the 80's. I don't know how you people do it. I can tell who is from the south and who isn't because the locals (and by local I mean born and raised) here don't seem to sweat. It's quite impressive actually. I need to start finding photographs before the sun rises. Good luck to all you fellow Northerners in the coming months. I hope we make it to October.

Kayaking Columbus

I was lucky enough to catch Tayler Musselman Sunday afternoon as she was paddling her kayak down the Chattahoochee River just south of the Dillingham Bridge. I had my first real chance this past weekend to try kayaking, on flat water of course, and it's quite adventurous with the added bonus of a great upper body workout. I was only out for two hours, but saw a school of healthy-sized fish swim right past my bow, watched a blue heron fly back and forth in front of me, saw some type of water fowl I've never seen before and even watched a beaver swim, dive and chew on branches from a fallen pine.(You could even hear him chewing.) After all this, I was compelled to snag floating trash on my paddle back to shore. I so wish Columbus offered kayak rentals or tours because I'm sure it make us all better stewards of such a rich ecosystem that we could truly explore and commune with. Any readers out there have a kayak or two they want to get rid of??