Donkey Basketball

Thought this was a joke when I saw it on the photo budget at the Daily Herald. Nope. Quite literal. Kids playing basketball while mounted on asses. This is what I consider to be a "photographic win."

The most interesting part about this - aside from kids falling headfirst from donkeys that were crapping all over the gym floor - was how challenging it was to photograph. Donkeys, as you may know, do exactly what they want - and nothing else. They stop. They start. They charge you. Which, I may add, is especially terrifying when you're looking at them through a telephoto. Oh, and they do one more thing that I previously mentioned: they crap. A lot. Enjoy the burros!

Shawn Black, left, takes a spill off of his aimlessly wandering animal during a game of donkey basketball Thursday, March 29, 2012, at Spanish Fork High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. The school's agriculture club used the event as a fundraiser, bringing Donkey Sports, Inc. all the way from Washington state.

Corbin Redd, center, laughs with his brother, Hayden Redd, left, as Colton Baum, right, adjusts his helmet prior to a student and faculty donkey basketball tournament Thursday, March 29, 2012, at Spanish Fork High School in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Colton Baum, center, reacts to being tossed from his furry ride during a donkey basketball tournament Thursday, March 29, 2012, at Spanish Fork High School in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Aaron Shirley, right, owner of Donkey Sports, Inc., briefs contestants on the rules of donkey basketball prior to a school tournament Thursday, March 29, 2012, at Spanish Fork High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. The school's agriculture club used the event as a fundraiser, bringing Donkey Sports, Inc. all the way from Washington state.

Holi: Festival of Colors | Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple

I waited for years to photograph this particular event, and the time finally came: Holi, a Hindu celebration of happiness, love, peace and the end of the winter season. Celebrated for two days by over 80,000 people in the seemingly out-of-place location of Spanish Fork, Utah, Holi only continues the streak of bizarre, visually astounding, crowd-heavy events that never ceases to amaze me to photograph.

I originally thought I would be shooting it for the paper, but the assignment was handed off to staffer and buddy Spenser Heaps, who did a beautiful job for print the next day. That being said, I took the weekend to shoot Holi as both the casual observer and raging participant. The "assignment" was actually no assignment at all - in fact, it was the first event in three months that I shot for myself with no purpose but to simply enjoy. The result? It felt great. The pictures shown here represent the feel of Holi; the happiness, the struggle to breathe and the celebration of beauty in the marriage of crowds and colored chalk. In addition to making pictures that worked wonders as a creative release, I made new friends, strengthened current relationships and checked another life experience off the bucket list in one fell swoop.  While I scrub to rid myself of colored chalk in unspeakable places, I sure hope you enjoy.

Kayden Porter | Anatomy of a Baseball Portrait

Before covering a baseball game in Spanish Fork, Utah, I was instructed to shoot a portrait of Kayden Porter. This kid (more like a 6-foot 3-inch, 235-pound, home-run-derby-winning man) is a beast, bottom line. Luckily, he is also a good sport. I had five minutes before the game to bust out an image to use for a highlight piece on the pitching powerhouse. Armed with a combination of two Elinchrom strobes, the greatest light of them all (the sun) and a red outfield fence that had caught my eye, we went to work. In less than a few turns of the minute hand, I had balanced my strobes to daylight and fired off 20 to 30 frames. Kayden - who had apparently done this many times before - was a natural. With little coaxing and positioning, I was getting the look I wanted. The second image was chosen to run in print.

What works for me is the punch of color and contrast provided by the reds of the fence and and outfit, especially when in competition with those eyeballs. The flesh and and hair catches the pure white of the strobes to produce an almost plastic feel, which I love in an artificially lit portrait. The detail in the stitching of the glove and hat adds tasty little details. While he may not be too stoked on it, the cracked lip is awesome.

While it is by no means a perfect portrait, I sure hope he digs it. After all, he looks like a total badass. Read the accompanying story about Kayden here. Enjoy!

Technical info: (1) bare Elinchrom strobe to the left (set cheek-high), (1) bare Elinchrom strobe to the rear-ish right (cheek-level), sun from high and behind, powerpack, Canon 5D Mark II, 135mm f/2L @ 1/200th and f/11... from what I can remember.