Category: Personal Stories

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“Breaking The Spirit”

I was reminded recently of an experience that I had while shooting a story for Smithsonian Magazine on Arthur County, Nebraska. Truth be told, it was an assignment that I almost didn’t accept. I thought that a story about the least populated county in the United States was not a story for me – I shot city stories for the most part. But then I thought, why not? It ended up being one of the most gratifying magazine assignments that I ever did – on many levels.

Personally, it pushed me out of my cultural norm. “What am I going to do in a desolate part of the country where cows far out number the people?” Photographically speaking as a people shooter, it really pushed me to see and shoot differently. Because there were so few people, I lingered longer and got a closer glimpse into their lives than I normally would have on a 7 day city shoot with lots to cover.

One day stood out for me. I was photographing a cowboy “breaking” horses. cowboy_belt_buckle I watched as he worked with an incredibly spirited horse, trying at first to calm the animal. I remember asking a question about “breaking” the horse to which the handler replied that he never wanted to “break” an animal’s spirit, but rather to gain the animal’s trust. I thought to myself that this cowboy must be a wonderful father and husband and a part of me fell in love with that notion – his understanding of the difference between “managing” this stunning creature and “breaking” its spirit.

I realized that maybe that moment in time was in essence the story itself and the reason that I needed to take that assignment. I remind myself of that every time I’m hesitant to stray from my comfort zone. That almost always there’s a reward. I was fortunate that the assignment editor on that piece saw something in me that I didn’t.  So many times, for a variety of reasons “clients” feel the need to over dictate the visual message and the end piece reflects that, becoming an entity that is neither “here nor there”.  The “spirit” of the piece becomes broken.

These days because of tight budgets and fear of losing one’s job – things tend to become more predictible and safe – choosing shooters who’ve done that type of story before or re-doing the same stories that have proven to be “successful” in the past. But every once in awhile – someone (like the cowboy) comes along and recognizes something in my spirit and gives me the necessary “rope” to bring my vision to the project while still managing the “whole” – and marvelous things happen.

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Staying Outside The “box”

A friend of mine recently reminded me that I have said that I like to stay outside the “box”.  That I have spent much of my career trying not to be categorized or pigeon holed into one specialty of photography.  Perhaps not the greatest business decision, but nevertheless a series of mini decisions to continually depart from whatever my norm is or has been.

Even as a child I discovered early on that I wanted to explore – in the broadest sense of the word.  I surely did that in my days right out of high school and college when I embarked on a year long backpacking odyssey across half the globe.

Mooney, Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China 1983
Mooney, Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China 1983

But it was after that sojourn that I pursued a career in photography to facilitate a somewhat vagabond life.  And that I did combining a photographic career with my quest for discovering people and cultures. I ‘ve been  fortunate over the years to have garnered assignments from high profile magazines like National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian and Travel & Leisure.  And I loved the path that I had chosen.

It was about ten years ago that my restlessness pushed me into the medium of video.  Technology was making it possible and affordable for me to shoot my “stories” in this medium with sound and motion.  But I was more focused on adding those new dimensions to “the story” rather than on the “tools” itself. Getting into video proved to be a great move, certainly a good business move as society has gravitated more toward the web.

So in my desire to live a life “outside the box”, I’ve come full circle and realize that “decision” has not only been “good” for  business – it’s led to a very interesting and rewarding way to live life.

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Making a Difference

I’ve always been quite active as a volunteer in my community.  When my daughter was going through the school system, I was very involved with various committees and events throughout the years. What I enjoyed most was being able to share my gift of expertise as a professional photographer and filmmaker.  One year I produced, shot and edited a piece for the school’s International Baccalaurete Program highlighting what some of the students were doing for the CAS portion of the program.  CAS stands for Creative Action and Service and  the students need to spend a certain number of hours in each of these areas.  So I created a short video made up of interviews with current students talking about what types of things they were doing to fulfill those hours.  I also took whatever still photos and video that the kids or their parents provided me and worked it into the piece.  The video was a hit amongst the kids, their parents and the teachers and will be archived to show future students contemplating the IB program.

I’m not so involved with the schools now that my daughter has graduated, and I miss that community connection and what I got from that personally. I do mentor high school kids from time to time who are interested in photography and video and I love to work with the passionate ones.  And last year my husband/partner, Tom and I shot and produced Freedom’s Ride, a short documentary about 20 predominately white students from our high school district and 20 predominately black students from a public school in Harlem, NY who rode the bus to and from Alabama, retracing the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. That was an incredible and rewarding experience for all.

Currently we sit on the board of our local public access TV station Mendham TV.  Independently Tom and I have produced 20 half hour talk shows for the station, called Mendham People.  We recruited local people for hosts who came up with various local people to interview in a Charlie Rose type format.  One of our hosts was our local postal clerk, Pete.  We live in an area where we don’t get mail delivery so everyone goes to the post office on a daily basis and sees Pete. So he’s a well known figure and knows everyone in town.  Recently our station started airing the town’s public meetings.  The station isn’t funded but we managed to get volunteers and trained them to shoot the meetings. I’ve started attending town meetings  and I feel much more in touch with my community.  Volunteering on the board of the local TV station has kept us involved with our community and is a way for us to continue to “give back” to our community.

It’s always nice of course when I get personally thanked or recognized in some small way for my volunteer efforts, but the biggest reward is always  how it makes me feel.  I believe we all can make a difference even in the smallest acts of “giving” and to all those who have shared their time and talents, you know how rewarding it is personally. I’ll end with a quote by Arthur Ashe.

“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”

—Arthur Ashe (1943-1993), professional tennis player, civil rights supporter

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Birthdays, Dreams and Optimism

It’s amazing how quickly priorities change. Today’s my birthday and I knew that I had a lot of deadline items I needed to get accomplished early in the day. I was cutting my work day short because I have tickets for a Jackson Browne open air concert this evening in Brooklyn.

I quickly checked my email and caught up on “social media” dialog and then at 7:50AM Eastern Daylight Time – my power went out. I knew I had a “window” of opportunity to get any computer priorities taken care of before my backup battery went out. Then I would need to come up with a plan B. I could still work on my laptop but my airport wasn’t on so I didn’t have an internet connection. I could last as long as the battery in my laptop held out. I could go down to the library – but their power was out too. I could use my blackberry for as long as that battery lasted. Then I actually could recharge both my blackberry and my laptop battery if I used the “universal power inverter” that plugs into the cigarette lighter in our car.

Or I could give into the forces of nature and take the day off from technology. I think I’ll do that. But I’ll use a bit of my battery and write this blog before I succumb to the “powers that be” and “make the best of it”. Who knows there could be a silver lining in all of this. All these metaphors started me thinking about other “mantras” that I’ve led my life by. Seems fitting on my birthday to take the time to reflect on these mantras and share them.

1. Always have a dream. Believe in it and believe in yourself in making it happen.
2. Keep your passions alive. For me, my strong interest in cultural stories will always keep me exploring. I need that and it gives my life perspective.
3. Set goals – even little goals are good and then reward yourself. They will all lead up to you making your dream come true.
4. Make decisions or they will be made for you.
5. Do the “right thing”. You will love yourself more if you do.

It’s still raining and the power is still out at 9:56AM on Tuesday, July 21, 2009. But I’m going with my plan b, taking the day off from technology and heading out to the open air Jackson Browne concert – rain and all. At least it’s his “acoustic” tour.

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“The Most Trusted Man in America” – Walter Cronkite 1916 -2009

We lost one of America’s greats yesterday, Walter Cronkite died at the age of 93. I grew up, getting my “news” from Mr. Cronkite along with millions of other Americans. We all believed what he said and we trusted that what he said was the “truth” and not just “opinion”.

Walter Cronkite brought us some of the most amazing news stories of the 20th Century and he did so with the utmost integrity. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth, John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Martin Luther King’s assassination, Bobby Kennedy’s assassination, news about the Vietnam War and of course the first Moon landing. He said once and I’m paraphrasing, that amongst all the turmoil and problems of the 1960’s, the Space Program and in particular that first landing on the Moon showed America’s true spirit and resiliency. He personified that – he gave us hope for the future.

I think anyone who remembers getting their news from Cronkite, longs for those days when the news was the news and not an endless stream of pundits’ opinions. We’ve lost our trust in journalism and journalistic integrity. And with social media and “citizen journalism” I not sure we’ll ever get that trust back.

I had the privilege of meeting and photographing Walter Cronkite in 1986. I was shooting a story for the National Geographic Traveler Magazine about Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. I was given contact info for Walter Cronkite and called him up and asked him if I could photograph him for the article. Mr. Cronkite spent his summers in Martha’s Vineyard and was a well known figure there especially among the “sailing set”, so it was thought that a photo of him would make a nice addition to the story . We set up a date and a time for the photograph. Being a professional, I always confirm any appointments the day before. So the day before our shoot was scheduled, I called the telephone number that I had, to confirm. This was well before the days of cell phones and emails and even before computers became such a big part of our lives. Throughout the day, I kept calling the number that I had from whatever pay phone was available but I kept getting a ringing phone – no answer and no message machine. The day came and went and so did the next day – the day I was supposed to photograph him. I missed our appointment because I never connected to get details of where to meet him. I felt betrayed by “the most trusted man in America” that somehow he had forgotten our appointment. And then something hit me that night – perhaps when I rewrote my notes with all my contacts and phone numbers for the shoot – I had not written his phone number down correctly. So I took a shot and called directory information to see if by some slim chance Walter Cronkite was listed. Much to my surprise he was listed! The next day I called him, profusely apologizing, embarrassed and humiliated and told him how I had incorrectly written his phone number down when I was rewriting my notes and that it never occurred to me to check the telephone directory to see if his number was listed. I assumed that someone like him who was so high profile would have an unlisted telephone number.

Cronkite

He was incredibly gracious, yet he did warn me about making “assumptions” and I have never forgotten that lesson. And he gave me a second chance and set up another day for the shoot.

The day of the shoot was a glorious day on Martha’s Vineyard and Mr. Cronkite suggested that I photograph him on his sailboat. His mother was also on board and I remember her as being quite a character. I have fond memories from that afternoon. I took my photos but he didn’t head back to shore to drop me off – he loved to sail and it was a perfect day for it so we continued to sail throughout the rest of the afternoon.

I cried last night when I heard the news of his death. I cried because he’s gone and also because we’ve lost our trust in journalists and the news media in general. But like Cronkite, I’m hopeful for the future. Thank you Mr. Cronkite for your integrity, professionalism and your personal words of wisdom for me that wonderful day so many years ago. “And that’s the way it is”.

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Family Biographies

I think one of the most gratifying areas I create videos for is in documenting family stories. This past weekend, I traveled to Michigan for a large family gathering. Because this part of my family is over 800 miles from me, I don’t get to see them as often as I like. I also know that the years go by like minutes these days and that many of my aunts, uncles and cousins are getting on in years.

On this particular trip I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and decided to set up time to get my relatives to sit down for video interviews. I wanted to archive their stories for future generations of our family. Mom,Jereta, Joyce, Dorlen, Frenchie

We took an afternoon and one by one, each aunt and uncle told me stories of growing up and the hard, but happy life they had on the family farm. They talked a bit about my mother and I’m grateful for that because she is no longer here to tell her story.

At times the tales were funny and it times they were quite emotional. But I think at the end of the day we all agreed that what we had accomplished in taping their stories,  was an important thing to do. Video is such a wonderful tool for documenting a family’s story because they are telling their stories in their own way, with their own voice. Creating family biographies is one of the most rewarding areas that I work in. And it’s also the most appreciated.  I’d like to think in my own small way that I’m continuing a legacy for future generations to come.

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Pinetop Perkins – Still Singing the Blues at 96

Yesterday, July 7th as the world mourned Michael Jackson’s passing, another music legend, Pinetop Perkins turned 96 years old. Pinetop Perkins, King Biscuit Blues Festival, Helena, AR

Pinetop Perkins is a legend in the world of “blues” music. He taught Ike Turner how to play piano during the 1940’s while working on Hopson’s Plantation in Clarksdale, MS. Pinetop still tours the world playing his boogie woogie style blues. Even at 96 years old – he’s still living his passion for the blues.

I met Pinetop in Mississippi in 2002 while there for his homecoming. I had recently embarked on one of my earliest video projects – a project about the Delta blues musicians and the part of the world that gave birth to that music.  http://tiny.cc/ntwso My approach was to shoot still environmental portraits of these musicians, but more importantly capture video interviews of them talking about their youth and the Delta.

Pinetop Perkins, Clarksdale, MS I spent the morning with Pinetop sitting on the front porch of an old shack on Hopson’s Plantation. The crowds from the party the day before had come and gone and it was just the two of us, having a conversation on a glorious October morning. It was memorable and I captured his stories which I hope will be heard by generations to come.

That day led to many other wonderful encounters over the years with Pinetop and even a trip to the Grammy’s when Pinetop was honored as a lifetime achievement recipient.

Pineop_Ike_Gail

Seven years ago when I asked him what the blues was, he replied “ Something worrying you so bad that you mights need to cry about it – you got the blues if you can’t sing em”. I try to remember those words when I’m down – and sing the blues to carry my troubles away.

Happy Birthday Pinetop.

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Woodstock and The First Man on the Moon

What does Woodstock and the first man on the moon have in common? They both are celebrating their 40th anniversary this month. Amazing not only that it has been 40 years but that those totally different events happened in the same summer.

I remember both vividly. I watched the moon landing being televised on my 18th birthday. And I was part of the crowd at Woodstock.

At the time – to me – Woodstock didn’t seem like a historical event but the moon landing did. A few months ago I visited NASA and the control room where the best and the brightest facilitated that historic event. Houston_NASA_2202 It was humbling. But what really hit home was how basic the room was in terms of technology. Rotary dial phones and just a handful of buttons on the consoles. I instantly remembered a moment on TV when they showed NASA technicians feverishly using their slide rules. My daughter doesn’t even know what a slide rule is.

It’s amazing how far we’ve come in 40 years. I suppose to some 40 years may seem like a long time – but to me it sure went fast. Most likely I won’t be around in another 40 years and I can’t help but wonder what changes technology will bring to our lives.
But underneath the technology is the human spirit and the drive of pursuit. Let’s hope that we humans use technology wisely.

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The Class of 2009

I have been a bit remiss in blogging this week due to the fact that I have been busy attending my daughter’s graduation from Northwestern University and the week long events and activities that coincided with this momentous occasion. I will take a moment to be a bragging mom.

My daughter Erin has always been a high achiever and on Friday, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northwestern University. Quite an achievement from such a prestigious, academically rigorous university. The event itself was memorable, due to a gutsy call to have it outside even though the weather forecast was ominous and there had been sudden downpours throughout the day. But Chicagoans are gutsy people and they made the call to have the event outdoors.

The ceremony was scheduled to run from 6PM to 8PM. It was abbreviated and condensed in the hopes of getting through everything before a pending storm that was headed our way. Wynton Marsalis was the keynote, who not only spoke but played his horn. What a passionate send off – better than any words could ever accomplish.

But aside from the ominous weather, what I will remember the most were the words of one speaker who noted that this was the most talented class based on scores and grants and awards in the university’s history. But he also noted that it was also the class with the least placements (jobs) since 1932.

I suppose that most would look at that as bad news. But I started thinking about that and how that entire generation has basically been brought up to think that “everyone is a winner”. A generation brought up in an era where everything was pretty easy and always rising – getting a job, getting a better job, real estate prices rising, the stock market going up etc. And all of a sudden – a reality check.

For most of us, graduating college in and of itself was a reality check – an introduction to the real world. But for these graduates – it’s a reality check on a grand scale. Maybe only 1 out of 5 have a job – if that. No doubt some will go to grad school and hope for better times. Some will go home and live with their parents. And some will be resourceful and tough it out finding some kind of employment until a “real” job comes along. They will be forced to “think outside the box”. They will need to try harder and be more proactive.

But on the other hand, this generation will be more resilient and become stronger. They won’t take things for granted. They’ll recognize opportunities and make the most of them.  They’ll network more and at a time when social media is making it more possible. They’ll create new opportunities because the old ones are gone. And in the process they’ll truly change the paradigm of how business is done. Almost like the generation that graduated in 1932 – during the Great Depression.  That generation turned out to be one of our greatest generations.

It will be quite interesting to see how a group of super achievers will not only mold their destiny but change all of ours in the process.

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Story Telling

Now that I am producing both still imagery and video, I am trying to find the right word or title that I can call myself. I’m not just a photographer anymore, yet I really hate the word videographer. I’ve come up with a couple of words like “hybrid” and “visionographer” but still can’t quite find that right word.

And then I realized who I am. I’m a storyteller. I tell the story through visuals and sound and motion. Storyteller – a simple name for a person who has played that role since human beings began telling their story by painting on cave walls.

I love the story – beyond anything else – beyond the toys and the tools. It’s in my blood – it’s what has always motivated me and inspired. It’s why I became a photographer. It’s why I needed to learn video. Both were essential in telling my stories.

I must say that almost every magazine story I ever shot, what I loved most was connecting with people and listening to their stories. Perhaps I should have been a writer but I was more comfortable with my visual ideas and always felt a loss for the right words to express them.

When I think of all the movies that I’ve seen, the ones that really stay with me, have one thing in common – they tell a good story. A film can have all the special effects in the world but if it doesn’t have a good tale – it’s nothing beyond the packaging and fizz.

So the next time someone asks me what I do – I know what I will say – I’m a storyteller.