Courant Photography Department Blog | Category Archives: John Woike

50 Cent – Boxing Promoter

June 12, 2013 by John Woike

Mike Oliver’s last bout was 20 months ago in Puerto Rico, a loss to Juan Manuel Lopez on a technical knockout in the second round.

Oliver, a Hartford featherweight, needed time to recuperate from that fight. He rested his body and mind, stepping away from the sport that consumed his life.

Curtis Jackson III — otherwise known as a rapper 50 Cent — announced Wednesday afternoon that he will be the promoter for the ESPN “Friday Night Fights” show at the Connecticut Convention Center on July 5th which will feature “Machine Gun” Mike Oliver, one of the Hartford and New Haven boxers on the ticket. The event is billed as “50 Cent’s Birthday Bash” because it comes the night before the rapper turns 38. To read Paul Doyle’s story or see more photos… Read More »

Ana’s Garden

June 11, 2013 by John Woike

A group of friends at Carmen Arace Middle School have created what they hope will be a lasting tribute to a slain Sandy Hook first-grader and a legacy that future generations of students will carry on.

Marcus Savage, 13, blows bubbles in Ana’s Garden after a dedication ceremony Tuesday evening in Bloomfield. Savage was one of the students that worked on the garden for several months and want to name “the most peaceful place in the school” after Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, one of the 26 victims of Sandy Hook. Steve Goode tells the story of five friends who created the sanctuary and to see more photos Read More »

It’s been a year since Colby Salerno had his heart transplant, look for his story in the Courant on Monday.

May 31, 2013 by Courant Staff Photographer

It's been a year since Colby Salerno had his heart transplant, look for his story in the Courant on Monday.

Andre Drummond signs autographs for students at his old elementary school.

May 30, 2013 by John Woike

Andre Drummond signs autographs for students at his old elementary school.

Isaiah Brooks is chalked up and ready to throw the shot putt during the Class M track meet.

May 29, 2013 by John Woike

Isaiah Brooks is caulked up and ready to throw the shot putt during the Class M track meet.

Uphill Climb

May 23, 2013 by John Woike

Show thumbnails Caption

2013.05.17 - It's an uphill battle for the Weaver High baseball team which has lost 70 consecutive games, the longest current streak in Connecticut high school baseball. The team played, and lost, to East Catholic Friday afternoon in Manchester. Its last victory was in 2010. Since the start of the 2007 season Weaver's record is 2-128.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Stalys Delos Santos leads his teammates in series of stretches before taking the field. Despite the losing streak day in and day out the team members, some playing baseball for the first time, show up for practices and games.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Stalys Delos Santos, Erick Diaz and Brander Vega of Weaver watch as East Catholic players take infield practice before their game.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Head coach Jamie Verab gathers his players together comes for a team cheer before they start their game. Verab encourages the kids before every game even though the odds of winning are slim.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - The Beavers struck first as Daniel Livent scored to take a 1-0 lead but that quickly disappeared in the bottom of the inning.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Juan de la Cruz allowed 9 runs during the first inning in a 12-2 loss. De La Cruz is the lone senior on the team and the only player to have experienced a win. "I was a freshman against Bloomfield," De La Cruz said. "We scored four runs in the last inning. I'll never forget it."
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Stalys Delso Santos charges a ground ball as Omar Montalvo of East Catholic heads to thirdbase during the first inning but even routine plays turn into...
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Costly errors as this bobble play turned into...
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Three runs as Omar Montalvo, #5, waits at the plate for Jaysen Nunez (C) and Andrew Stutts to score The trio scored on a triple by Tyler Aprea in the first inning to take a 9-1 lead.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Head coach Jamie Verab pats Stalys Delso Santos on the back for his efforts despite an error at SS that allowed three runs to score. against East Catholic Friday afternoon. Verab and the players keep tings in perspective by having a good time and spending much of their time laughing and joking with one another.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Luis Majias came in to pitch the second inning in relief of starter Juan De La Cruz after he gave up nine runs. Head coach Jamie Verab says "We've had 1-2-3 innings, scored some runs and made plays, we just don't do enough of them. My players are here for every game, and they're trying."
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - James Brown of Weaver stabs at a ground ball charging the ball from third base. Many players are picking a glove and bat for the first time so fundamentals of the game, as in getting in the proper position to field a grounder, not only in practices, but also in games, is strongly enforced.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Stalys Delso Santos stretches for a flyball but can't quite catch it. Dropping pop-ups, such as what happened in this game, happens too often.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Frankhery Gonzalez keeps the ball in front of him but can't make the play at first base. Gonzalez struggled with fielding ground balls cleanly during the loss which brought on some words of advice from Verab at the end of the inning.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - "What I can't stand is not hustling and not being there mentally," Verab said. "Diving for balls, backing up, knocking down a ball and staying with it; those are the kind of things which we don't do enough of."
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Jaysen Nunez of East Catholic waits for the ball as Stalys Delso Santos tries to steal second base but was easily picked off when he hesitated en route.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Nick Newsome is one of two cricket players on the team. "Baseball is a little like cricket, which I've played a lot," said Newsome, a native of Jamaica who has been in the U.S. for three years. "Hitting a baseball is much more difficult. The bat is round; in cricket it's a broader bat."
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - (L to R) Brander Vega, Juan de la Cruz and Daniel Livent get a kick out watching Nick Newsome as he swings at a pitch during his at bat. Livent says "The hardest part is understanding that not everyone at Weaver has played baseball since they were little," he said. "Some of them picked up a bat and ball for the first time this year. Sure, you try to make plays and get hits. Sometimes I've got to tell myself, 'At least I, and hopefully other guys, are giving 100 percent and trying.' No one can ever take that away."
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Head coach Jamie Verab gives a fist pump to Luis Majias after reaching third base late in the game. Majias later scored for one of the Beaver's 2 runs in a 12-2 loss as their losing streak stretched to 70 straight games.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Erick Diaz (R) high-fives Luis Majias after he scored one of Weaver's 2 runs in a 12-2 loss to East Catholic Friday afternoon.
2013.05.17 - Manchester, CT - Even though the Beaver's suffered yet another loss in the end Luis Majias (L) and Nick Newsome (R) can still laugh and joke with one another. Head coach Jamie Verab has some optimism for the future. He expects around 12 underclassmen to return next season. Experience hopefully means improvement.

Saybrook Lighthouse

May 16, 2013 by John Woike

2013.05.16 - Old Saybrook, CT - Today I had the pleasure of taking a guided tour of the Saybrook Breakwater (Saybrook Outer) Lighthouse with reporter Kenneth Gosselin. BM1 Ryan Yoraschek and EM3 Jean Blanco, Aids to Navigation Team, Long Island Sound, U.S. Coast Guard, were are main tour guides. Patrick Sclafani, Public Affairs Officer with GSA New England Region was helpful with a history of the lighthouse which is up for sale, one of two lighthouses in Connecticut available. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

2013.05.16 – Old Saybrook, CT – Lighthouses, like greenhouses, are appreciated largely in spring and summer when we return to the outdoors and enjoy gardens and beaches alike. Lighthouses are part of New England’s iconography, like maple syrup, foliage and rocky beaches. The Breakwater Light is not open to the public. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

Training Session

May 15, 2013 by John Woike

2013.05.15 – Simsbury, CT – The Simsbury High School Crew teams were out for a training session on the Farmington River Wednesday afternoon. The teams will be competing in the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Association Sprints Championship at Lake Waramaug this coming Sunday. Photo was taken with my Nikon D300s, transferred to my iPhone using an Eye-Fi card then filtered through Instagram. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

Dew Drops

May 8, 2013 by John Woike

2013.05.08 – Bristol, CT – Dew drops hang from a Knockout Rose bush in Bristol Wednesday morning. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

2013.05.08 – Bristol, CT – A tiny insect rests on the leaf of a Knockout Rose bush in Bristol Wednesday morning. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

2013.05.08 – Bristol, CT – Morning dew drops on the leaf of a Knockout Rose bush in Bristol Wednesday. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

Veterans Affairs

May 2, 2013 by John Woike

Eric Shinseki, Sec. of Veterans Affairs, appeared at VA Regional Office in Newington Thursday afternoon to dicuss his Outline Plan to End Compensation Claims Backlog at Hartford VA Office. He also talked about the Veterans Benefits Management System, a cornerstone of VA’s transformation to an all-digital benefits claims system. VA is implementing a robust plan to eliminate the claims backlog in 2015. Senator’s Richard Blumenthal, Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Linda Swartz were also on hand.

The Thrill of Victory & The Agony of Defeat

March 22, 2013 by John Woike

Ingalls Rink in New Haven on the Yale campus was the site for the Division II boy’s hockey state championship Wednesday night. I haven’t covered a game at the “Whale” in a few years but I remembered it was a great place for a championship game, lots of energy which was evident as the East Catholic fans came prepared packing 11 buses to cheer on their Eagles.

Kevin Robinson of Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe proved to an elusive player as Liam Donohue and the East Catholic defense found out quickly in the first period as Robison scored two goals, the first 1:45 into the period and the second with 11:01 left to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.

Then East Catholic made it 2-1 when Alex Manner slipped the puck past goalie Kyle Greenhut with 49 seconds left in the opening period.

Brian O’Connell (L) led the celebration of Manner’s (C) goal as the Eagles fans cheer along while Conor Scharlop is left alone behind the goal as the Mustangs lead narrows to one.

Kyle Scheetz of Fairfield Warde battles for a control the puck from his knees after being checked to the ice in front of the goal during the second period.

Brian O’Connell’s goal with 9:08 remaining in the second period gave the Eagles new life as they tied the score at 2.

Griffin Casey (C) found a gap between Daniel Silvestri (L) and Charlie Meder (R) during the first period and when he scored with 6:08 remaining in the second it gave the Eagles their first lead at 3-2 which is how they ended the period.

The third period began the same way as the first two as Kevin Robinson continued to put pressure of the East Catholic defense as he skated in from the left wing.

Goalie Thomas Usseglio made the initial save on Robinson’s shot later in the period but somehow the puck got past Usseglio on the other side of the goal giving Robinson his third goal of the evening tying the score at 3 with 5:31 left.

Thomas Kryspin celebrates his goal at the end of regulation that would have given the Mustangs a 4-3 victory but…

as the East Catholic players lied on the ice in disbelief, thinking their season had come to an end a review by the goal judge ruled the shot a no goal and the game went to overtime tied at 3 apiece.

Thomas Usseglio made the save on Kyle Scheetz’s shot as the defense collapsed on the play during overtime stunting a chance for the win.

With 5:18 left in the extra frame, Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe was awarded a penalty shot after the referees ruled that East Catholic had fallen on the puck inside the crease. “It is a tough call for an official,” East Catholic coach Drew Clarkin said. “Clearly he was in position. From our vantage point you can’t tell a heck of a lot. We have to live with the call and live with the result.”

“I almost I had it and I was about to put my glove on it but [someone] knocked it away,” Usseglio said. “Someone’s stick came in and it went to the far post. I stuck my pad out and I don’t know what happened after that.”

“I saw him coming down and I saw it in his eyes he was going to deke,” Usseglio said. “I wanted to get him before he could come down and deke. I wanted to get him with poke check. … I missed the poke check and I slid and I didn’t get far enough.” Robinson scored all four goals giving the Mustangs their first ever title.

Brian O’Connell (L) and Sean Keleher (R) were the first ones to reach Usseglio to console the junior who made 31 saves on the night as the Eagles season came to a close.

It was one of the best hockey games I’ve had the pleasure to cover in a very long time. I had been reading Courant reporter Matt Conyers stories and Tweets throughout the tournament which seemed to have so many games in OT but even he said afterward it was one of his most memorable games.

Pro Tip: Shooting ice hockey can present plenty of obstacles. Some arenas provide little holes in the plexiglass to stick your camera lens through which gives you a cleaner image and your camera has an easier time focusing on the fast paced action as the players come flying down ice. The down side of that is limited swing from side to side in the small hole and switching between focal lengths with a separate body can be tricky and you will miss some shots. Shooting through the glass can create a distortion if you are not shooting straight on and can cause all kinds of interference for your auto-focus which will drive you crazy as the lens searches for its subject. The trouble here is finding a piece of glass that hasn’t been to scared from pucks and sticks. Some arenas have areas on the concourse level that afford you a nice overhead shot but I didn’t like the fact the glass was the same height all around the rink. Many, like the XL Center, will be higher behind the goal and extend around the corners slightly then drop down a couple feet to give a clean view of the goal area without the top of the glass in the frame. If you look at the photo of the East Catholic players lying on the ice at the end of regulation you can make out the top of the glass.

The problem with shooting from ice level is that you limit yourself to one goal and the hope the scores happen on your end. The first period I chose the Eagles scoring end since they are the home team for our readership so I need to focus more on their action. It burned me on Robinson’s first two goals which happened on the other side but then Alex Manner scored on my end to give me a nice reaction photo. I stayed at the same end for the second period so I could shoot goalie Thomas Usseglio. I always like to have something of both sides, offense and defense, just in case we need something of a certain player. The third period I chose to stay at ice level, a lot of times I will go up so that I can get both ends (the safe route), but I figured I would take a chance. I settled into the East Catholic bench side behind the goal which gave me a clean line of sight to their bench. I thought that if they scored on the other end the odds are the players will head to the bench for jubilation. I switched to the other side of the goal midway through the period since a lot of the Fairfield players seemed to come down their bench side. That proved to be fortuitous since Thomas Kryspin’s goal and reaction at the end of regulation was right in front of me.

For the overtime period I decided to stay put and hope for the best. When the controversial call was made and the penalty shot was awarded to Fairfield I was in perfect position for the winning shot as Robinson deked my direction and shot around Usseglio as the bench looked on behind them. I was lucky that my camera didn’t decide to have a focusing issue at that moment. After Robinson skated away to celebrate with his teammates at the other end I was able to capture one of my favorite photos as the East Catholic players came off the bench to console their goalie. These kids played their hearts out and left everything on the ice with nothing to be ashamed of.

Camera settings: Nikon D300s, 1/500th shutter, 17-55mm f2.8 set to 40 mm at 2.8 and auto white balance.

Preserving History

November 30, 2012 by John Woike

When I arrived at the Manchester History Center to photograph Mary Dunne, President of the Manchester Historical Society, she gave me a tour of the historic mill that the society purchased in 1999. We strolled through the main level looking for a backdrop that best described the atmosphere of the building and the work that has been done to it. Dunne took me to the first floor which still has a few original weaving looms along with other historical pieces. I love old factory buildings for all their large windows, wood floors and high ceilings that offer wonderful natural light for an environmental portrait.

We decided on a main meeting room that is used for events and lectures because of the natural light and simple decorations for an upcoming Holiday event. It helped that the sun was obscured by clouds and a light snow was falling outside to diffuse the sun. Dunne was a little apprehensive at first, like many subjects that don’t necessarily feel comfortable in front of the camera, but after a few shots to check the lighting she began to get feel comfortable. I checked the photos and decided the first pose and placement of her in the scene wasn’t quite right so we tried a different angle.

The resulting photograph produced the look I was trying for. The large windows behind her provided a nice framework and allowed the mill building across the street to be seen and by now Dunne was beginning to let her personality show. I really like the joy she displays while sitting in a place she has a passion about and making the center a legitimate museum for the city of Manchester.

Pro Tip: Environmental portraits can be tricky at times but with a little creativity and a great subject things will fall into place once you get rolling. Search the facility for a place that will not only show the features of the place but allow the subject to feel comfortable. Try a variety of lighting and choose what works best, sometimes your first choice is not always the best so don’t pigeon hole yourself into one vision. Use a shutter speed that will allow the natural light to fill to your desired level, a slower shutter will give more fill, too much will blow out the background. Make sure your main light source is in a softbox or an umbrella to soften the flash and set the flash to a little stronger setting than the background light to make your subject stand out from the background. I normally like to hoot as wide open as the lens will allow but this time I went somewhere in the middle to give greater detail to the buildings features as well as the subject.

Camera: Nikon D300s, lens – 17-55mm set at 17mm, aperture f/5, ISO 800, shutter 1/125, color balance cloudy setting to give a slightly warmer feel to the photo.

Last of the Sunflowers

October 19, 2012 by John Woike

Last week while I was out hunting for enterprise in the great north territory known as Zone 3, I was surprised when I drove past a patch of Sunflowers on RT 190 in Somers. Sunflowers? October?

I was on my way to First Night at Gampel Pavilion as the men’s and women’s basketball teams marked the start of their season with the fan friendly event. I quickly spun my car around and parked in a lot next door. There was a car near a barn on the property so I ventured over to the young lady standing nearby and introduced myself thinking she owned the property. Come to find out she was another photographer, Christa Acosta, who was meeting a client there to shoot a family portrait. I asked if I could hang out for a while while she worked and she agreed.

The family to be photographed was running late and the afternoon light was beginning to be obscured by some nasty storm clouds. Forecasters were predicting the seasons first hard freeze so the likelihood of these bright flowers being around the next day were slim. When the family arrived Christa began suggesting a few spots for Andrew, 5, and his one year old sister Camryn, to sit for the portrait. The pair would sit then move, sit then move but luckily I was able to get an image that worked as Andrew held his sister by the hand as they walked out from the Sunflower patch.

Pro Tip: We do a lot of enterprise at the Courant and sometimes you get lucky and come across a situation that just screams out – STOP!!!! There’s a picture to be made here. Sometimes you are luckier than others, this day I was grateful to run into Acosta and her clients, the Czepiel’s. I’m sure she made some wonderful images that day, she was voted the Top Photography Blog by the Hartford Courant in April of 2012.
Camera – Nikon D300, Nikon 70-200/2.8 lens, ISO 200, Shutter priority set at 1/1000th, cloudy color balance.

Fast Company

September 12, 2012 by John Woike

Once upon a time I used to enjoy water skiing. Not competitive skiing, just first drag me behind my uncles’ 14 footer with a 40 hp Johnson outboard on a peaceful lake in New Hampshire. On a good day I could take off from the dock on two skis, drop one and then slalom around the lake until we came back to the cottage. If I wiped out, it would be a long haul, and I mean haul, back to the cottage because the boat just didn’t have the power, or I the technique, to get up on one ski. Those were the good “old” days.

I began photographing good skiers on the Farmington River in Collinsville where a slalom course was setup. I was struck by the power and grace the skiers displayed slashing back and forth across the wake then stretching to make it around a set of buoys along the course. There was a ramp in the river as well which the skiers would launch themselves off. The people I met there told me about the Avon Old Farms Ski Club, which has a history of turning out national champion skiers.

That first visit in 2000 to “The Pond”, as most members call it, I met the Haines family. Haley Haines, then 7, was ready to take the next step up as waits for her turn behind the boat at the Connecticut Old Farms Water Ski Club in Avon. Her father Hutch, an accomplished skier, owns the land where the club is located and trains his children.

(L to R) In 2005 Julian, 8, Wyatt, 10, and Haley, 11, all competed last week at the Goode National Waterski Championships in West Palm Beach, FL. Wyatt took first place in the Boys 1 dividion, ages 10 and under, in the slalom. Julian competed for the first time and Haley competed in the Girls 2 division.

Wyatt showed his winning form during a practice run on his home course after he took first place in the Boys 1 division, ages 10 and under, at the 2005 Goode National Waterski Championships.

I got a call from Hutch just before the Labor Day weekend to tell his kids had done very well at this years Nationals and wondered if I would be interested in coming out for some photos. Seven years later Wyatt’s form is a little more polished and aggressive which helped him finish in second place during the 2012 Goode Water Ski National Championships in West Palm Beach, Florida August 14-18th. His best run was 3.25 buoys at a rope length of 39.5 ft off. More than 600 water ski athletes from across the United States competed for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two Open divisions during the five-day tournament.

Quinn Haines, 13, placed high enough in the final standings of the 2012 Goode Water Ski National Championships in West Palm Beach, Florida, during the week of August 14-18th that he made the U-13 USA Team. He is headed to the Malibu Pan American Water Ski Championships in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, September 12-15th.

During the preliminary heat today Quinn placed first with a jump of 37.1 meters or 121.7192 feet.

I shot a couple of videos of Wyatt and Quinn as well as a couple photos. Wyatt takes you on a wild run through the slalom course and Quinn takes you on a flight off the ramp as he practiced his jumping.

Hope you enjoy.

Pro Tip: I used a variety of cameras for this video shoot. Two GoPros in waterproof cases, a Contour GPS in a waterproof case and a JVC pro video camera from on board the boat. I was able to mount two cameras on the ramp, the Contour was on the side using a magic arm and one of the GoPros under the ramp where Quinn would be launching from. I made sure that both were in a safe location so that if Quinn were to enter the ramp early he would not get injured by hitting the camera off to the side. Dad approved both locations and was psyched with the prospects these spots could produce. I put other GoPro on Quinns’ helmet. This allowed me to get two different angles of him approaching the ramp and two as he flew through the air and then landing. I got some help editing from Mike Piskorski and Scott Vargas of FOXCT which helped a lot in matching and blending sound from all those sources.

For the slalom video I put a GoPro in a harness strapped to Wyatt’s chest and let him make a couple passes. I shot from the boat with the JVC and then cut the two clips trying to match the sequences as he sped through the course. Then I just added a high voltage guitar track to give it a little splash.

Working with people that are willing to try a few tricks made it all worth while.

Good luck this week Quinn!

End of Summer

August 31, 2012 by John Woike

Where did the summer go? That question seems to always arise once Labor Day, the “unofficial – End of Summer”, arrives. The summer seems to go quicker each year as I get older, a week at the shore in the middle of it all is my greatest respite from the daily grind of life.

As the next season approaches I felt it was worth a look back on the summer and some of my favorite images.

The “Transit of Venus”.

I was sent to cover the transit of Venus, a once in a lifetime event at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium in New Haven. It had been cloudy all day and there was little hope when I left Hartford that the sun would be visible as the tiny planet made its pass across. But with some patience and a little luck the clouds began to breakup around 6 o’clock and by 6:30 the grand event began.

The planetarium provided me with a large neutral density filter that knocks out 99.999% of the sun’s harmful rays to allow me to capture the photo of the sun. As I was shooting the crowd that had gathered for the show, Jason Archer picked up the filter and used it to look at the transit as other used special glasses to catch a glimpse. I like the effect the filter gave, almost like a portal looking out into space as the the overcast clouds are reflected on the surface.

Hartford Courant reporter Hillary Federico took a “shot” with Dom Basile, a certified firearms instructor, as he gave her pointers and a little backup while test firing a M16 machine gun at the Metacon Gun Club in Simsbury. Basile talked about the recent spike in female gun use in advance of the “Women on Target” program which will be held at the club later this month.

Assault rifles are a hot buzzer topic, love or hate them, in the right hands – like a trained instructor, police or military officer, they are a weapon used to “keep the peace”. But in the wrong hands, they are a merciless machine that devastates lives. On July 20, 2012, a little less than a month after this photo and article were published a man in full body tactical armor entered a movie theater in Aurora, CO., for a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” killing 12 people and injuring 58 others, the highest number of casualties in an American mass shooting. One of the weapons he used was an assault rifle.

The Travelers Championship had to be one of the hottest golf tournaments I’ve covered at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell. Chris Stroud tries to keep cool with a wet towel over his head during the second round of the 2012 Travelers Championship golf tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell Friday. Stroud shot a 68 and finished the day at -1.I think I got heat stroke after the Pro-Am Wednesday. The heat and humidity also took a toll on UConn women’s head coach Geno Auriemma as he had to be removed from the course after 13 holes on a golf cart and received I.V. fluids at the medical station back near the clubhouse.

One other thing you can usually count on during the week of the tournament is rain. Jon Martel of Bristol heads for the parking lot after play was officially suspended for the day during the second round of the 2012 Travelers Championship golf tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell Friday. Martel is a volunteer with Webster Bank and is the Hole Captain on the 2nd hole during the tournament, he and the players will be back on course at 7 am to complete the second round and the cut will be made.

Another thing you can count on, is a first time tour winner hoisting the trophy on Sunday. Marc Leishman kept the streak going after posting a score of -14 as the leaders were still out on the course. But the final four holes proved to be disastrous as each that held the lead squandered their opportunity leaving Leishman with his first tour victory.

Leslie Gordon, an instructor at the Yoga Center of Collinsville, helps lead a new class that incorporates yoga and paddle boards. It is based on paddle boarding, which is a very hot new water sport. Paddle boards look like big surfboards, but you stand atop them with a paddle and paddle around. They are selling like crazy. And now people are doing yoga on the paddle board. A yoga studio in Collinsville has a teacher who leads yoga sessions on paddle boards on a calm section of the Farmington River in Collinsville.

Andrew Haraghey, 16, is a rising star in the sports world as he claimed 5 gold medals in the 2011-2012 Disabled Sports USA Ski Tour this past winter. Haraghey, of Enfield, has cerebral palsy and is training to compete in the 2014 Paralympics which will be held in Russia. He’ll be heading off to Mount Hood in Oregon on July 10 to begin on slope training.

I used a stencil template that Andrew and his mom had made from cardboard to cut out stars that they would sell in his fundraising efforts.

C.J. Martin takes a shot as he passes a guest watching a chucker at Giant Valley Polo Club in Hamden Thursday evening. Matches are held every Sunday afternoon and sometimes spectators are treated to live music as a backdrop to the action. The shoot was for the “Parting Shot” feature in Hartford Magazine, which is now under the CT1 Media umbrella of publications.

Vernon resident Andrew Badecker, 25 (as of July 28), quit his last ordinary job in 2007 after winning $7000 playing online poker. Having already dropped out of college, his parents kicked him out of their house. Since then, he’s gone on to win more than $2 million playing poker in professional tournaments and online. He lives a suitcase life, always traveling and never in one place for more than a couple of months, while consistently confronting the challenges of being a so-called gambler and the realization that he doesn’t have a “normal” life.

When I walked into the house of Andrew he was wearing a tank top and ironing a yellow shirt on the kitchen table.As we talked he explained he normally wore loud colors and bold sunglasses so when I saw his yellow shirt and the color scheme of the living room I knew where I wanted to take his portrait. Two lights, one with a softbox a grid to direct the light and another behind him to illuminate the colors of the two walls behind him. I bold and brash portrait for a guy that likes to make a statement.

This was one of those “Bad ideas gone worse” situations. After torrential rains caused flash flooding in Naugatuck this pickup truck was resting on the edge of a parking lot that had be eroded away by the rain.

So after assessing the situation these guys figured they had a plan to get the truck off the egde and safely onto the parking lot above. Things don’t always ended up like you planned as these men found, once the truck started going forward the weight shifted and over the side it went. Now they had a real problem.

Juan Morrero of New Haven holds onto his nine year old daughter Anysha (L) as her twin Tenysha enjoys the cool water at Wadsworth Falls in Middlefield rush over her Monday afternoon. Morrero said he hadn’t been to the Falls in about 14 years but thought of it as the family was looking for someplace different to cool off.

Mike Roberge of M&M tennis court company in Bristol spreads the red paint that will outline the courts at Plainville High School Thursday morning. Roberge, of Bristol, was working with Joe Foran of Farmington on the project that will be finished in time for school. I climbed the fence surrounding the courts to get a high angle, much to the amusement of the workers.

After a micro-burst ripped through South Glastonbury August 10th knocking power at the Glastonbury Hill Country Club, Tim Smith waits with his daughter Colleen Elizabeth Smith, her flower girls and bridesmaids for the start of her wedding. Severe weather delay the ceremony for over an hour and a half as the bridal party and guests had to navigate through back roads to get to the country club due to downed power lines and trees all around the area. Since the storm had knocked out the power the reception was moved to the Inn at Middletown which was able to help out the newlyweds on short notice.

Diana Benza of Bristol grabs a handful of balloons from Bob Irvine as they set up for an engagement party for Benza’s brother Alex Irvine’s daughter Annie at Elizabeth Park Wednesday evening. The happy couple thinks they are attending a birthday party for Letitia Benza, the grooms mother. Annie and Alex are from Wethersfield.

The sun set on top seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during second round action Tuesday evening at the New Haven Open at Yale tennis tournament after she retired during the the second set due to a right shoulder injury. Radwanska lost the first set 6-0 to Olga Govortsova of Belarus and was down 2-1 in the second before retiring.

I’ve never covered the US Open and likely never will but I’ve enjoyed covering the tennis tournament in New Haven throughout its history. I’ve been able to shoot the stars of my generation, Becker, Lendl, McEnroe, Aggasi, Blake, Monica, Lindsay, Steffi, Venus and many more. There are certain times of the day that I like the best, late afternoon and the very beginning of the night match, especially when the sunsets.

Twenty seven teams from across the country and Canada pushed their limits of endurance and strength during the final day of the 2012 Connecticut SWAT Challenge at Reservoir #6 in West Hartford Thursday afternoon. Members of CSP #1 (Connecticut State Police) run with a few tires chained together during one obstacle on the course.

Actor Kevin Cottle works the fly rod during filming of Connecticut “Still Revolutionary”, the second TV spot for its tourism campaign. This time, instead of going to the shoreline/Connecticut River valley, they’re going to Litchfield County. The iconic West Cornwall Covered bridge over the Housatonic provides the backdrop for this scene.

Being a native of Connecticut I love to take rides into Litchfield County. My dad would pack my mom and brother into the car and we would take road trips to People’s Forest, Kent Falls and other places in the northwest part of the state. It is a wonderful place to take a “Sunday drive” when the foliage is in full display.

With matching “Barbie” backpacks, dresses and shoes, twins Raelin and Aubrae Oporto, 7, are led down the hall by mom Tricia Dunn as the new Bristol West Elementary School opened Thursday as students arrived for the first day of class.

First day of school, that goes back a long way.

Tonight my assignment fell through in Rocky Hill so I took a little ride along the Connecticut River. If you venture off the beaten path there is a dirt road that follows the river from Wethersfield south to Rocky Hill through corn fields and grass lands. I used to water ski on the Connecticut with a cousin or old friend years ago so I sometimes search for someone out enjoying the evening. As Labor Day begins, take a few moments to relax, enjoy a cold one, spend time with family and most of all be grateful for the little things in life…

…because before you know it, you’ll be saying, I can’t believe its Christmas already. Just 115 shopping days to go.

As I was driving home I decided to take a drive to a place I like to stop once in a while to watch the moon or sun rise. Tonight a Blue Moon rose above the city of Hartford.

Goodnight Moon:
…Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
Good night cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light
And the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens
And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks
And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house
And goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody
Goodnight mush
And goodnight to the old lady
whispering “hush”
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere

–”Goodnight Moon”, text by Margret Wise Brown

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

Transit of Venus- Obscured by Clouds

June 5, 2012 by John Woike

All photos and text by John Woike / The Hartford Courant

I spent most of May on the Picture Desk at the Courant, a job we all share as our duties get spread among those that remain at the oldest continuously newspaper in the country. It sure feels good to be back in the field.

Today was a transit of Venus, a rare astronomical event that will not happen again until December 11, 2117. Overcast skies across the state caused the website at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium at Yale to post a message stating the likelihood of viewing the transit would be poor. That didn’t stop over three hundred people who came out to witness the event, they were not disappointed when the clouds broke. I’m grateful for being able to have witnessed this since I’m sure I won’t be around the next time it passes Earth.

When I arrived the clouds were packed in and greyish but there was a buzz as the crowd began to gather around 4pm. The staff at the observatory were kind enough to loan me an 8″ neutral density filter that they use on some of their telescopes, it worked perfect. Not sure what my exposure was since I was rapidly changing the shutter as the clouds rolled past but my best guess is around 2000 ISO, f2.8 @ 1/1000th shutter. I used shutter priority as the camera setting. This image was shot with a 400/f2.8, on a tripod and then cropped in Photoshop afterward.

After taking a few shots of the Sun and Venus I turned my attention to the crowd that was in amazement as the sun went in and out of the clouds. While I was packing up my lens Jason Archer had picked up the neutral density filter I was using and began to view the transit. I first met Jason on another assignment at the planetarium at the Connecticut Children’s Museum in West Hartford a few years ago. I love how the sky is reflected in the filter, a group of people wearing eclipse or neutral density glasses leaned in while trying to get a view and the clouds behind them are dark and ominous. The contrast works beautifully.

Frederik Simons and Alain Plattner, both of Princeton University, were in town for a conference and stopped by to join the people that came out to witness the transit.

Rabbi Avi Hack holds his son Tzvi Yehuda Hack, 5, up to the telescope so he can get a better view while a line of people wait their turn.

You don’t feel out of place wearing weird glasses in public when everyone else is wearing them too.

Ben Newton of Old Saybrook stood away from the main group of people as he adjusts his glasses.

Scott Bombroski of Wallingford, a member of the Astronomical Society of New Haven, demonstrates how a “Sunspotter” works to a small group of people. The image of the Sun and Venus past through a lens on the front then get reflected off a series of mirrors until it shows on a piece of paper at the bottom of the triangular device.

Susan Renkon (C) and Giancarlo Accettullo (L), are struck by the view as the clouds cleared for a few moments.

John Parejko (L), a Yale post doctoral student of Astronomy, mans a telescope as lines of people streamed through the parking lot at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium.

About three hundred people of various ages gathered to watch the transit of Venus from the grounds of the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium at Yale.

(L to R) Simon Jacobs of New Haven and Laurie Guenther of Meriden stood outside one of the observation telescope rooms at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium in New Haven to get a better view of the transit. The two didn’t know one another before tonight but they, like many that attended the event, started talking about the beauty of the night and how lucky they were to have witnessed it.

Pro Tip: It paid off getting to the assignment early, even though the weather forecast was not cloudy skies, it gave me a chance to talk with the staff at the observatory which eventually led to me being able to use a neutral density filter they had, it proved to be very fruitful. Patience, patience, patience. Waiting can be frustrating but when you hold out hope for a break, sometimes your wishes are answered.

Cameras used – Nikon D300s and D300. Lens – 17-55/f2.8, 70-200/f2.8 and a 400/f2.8. Metering set Matrix and camera set on shutter priority.

Michael Douglas – Meeting the Man

April 23, 2012 by John Woike

When I was asked if I would be interested in taking a trip the NYC to photograph Michael Douglas for an upcoming ARTS cover I jumped at the opportunity. Douglas was being honored with the 12th Annual Monte Cristo Award from the Eugene O’Neill Theater, a place that he honed his craft growing up in Connecticut.

I have been a fan of his from his early work in “The Streets of San Francisco” with Karl Malden. Really enjoyed his role in Wall Street, Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. Besides my editor Sherry Peters said “Who knows, maybe Catherine will be there!” Yes indeed, this could be very fun.

The shoot was to take place at the couples Central Park West apartment. When I arrived I was disappointed to see the building shrouded in scaffolding and netting due to repairs on the exterior but the view from their living space was still breathtaking on this early Spring afternoon.

Douglas was running a little behind but his assistant was there to greet me as reporter Frank Rizzo had arrived a few minutes earlier. The spare time allowed me to check the place out for a suitable location for a portrait and photos during the interview.

A fine Steinway & Sons piano sat in one corner with little pieces of tape on the keys to help Douglas and daughter Carys learn the notes.

As I walked around the spacious quarters I heard a clicking sound that only one thing I know of makes on hard wood floor. I was standing near the entry when in walks Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Stunning is all I can say. She greet me and welcomed Frank and I to her home. The window light in the apartment is gorgeous and so is she. I felt odd wanting sooo badly to take a photo but I wasn’t there to photograph her. I didn’t want to act like some star struck paparazzi but I guess in some ways that is what I ended up being as I snuck this shot as she and her assistant were leaving for an appointment. Oh well, maybe next time I’ll be asked to take her portrait…

When Michael arrive I asked him to sit on the couch facing the windows in the sitting area as he talked about his career with Frank. The background setting was a little busy but the photographs were telling a part of his life that added to the story.

On August 16, 2010, it was announced that Douglas was suffering from throat cancer and would undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The cancer and treatment seems to have taken a toll on him and at 67 he’s beginning to look a lot like his father Kirk.

He lost over 30 pounds during treatment and was tired a lot but today he seemed to be doing better and gaining weight back.

When he looked back at a portrait of him taken during filming of “The China Syndrome”, which he both produced and starred in, a glint of his past showed in his expression.

As the interview wound down I was hoping for a chance to get him alone for just a couple of minutes to get a simple portrait, one with little distraction in the background but he politely declined as he was growing tired. “Besides, you must taken some good ones during the interview, no?” Yes, but as a photographer I always hope to walk away with that one image that just says it all. That’s difficult to do when you are shooting during an interview as facial expressions can be fickle while people talk, reflect, etc…so I wasn’t going to push it with him.

As we were leaving I kept trying to angle him into the doorway that had a couple of richly stained panels and a clean background as the window light fell off. I think he knew what I was trying to do so it was kind of a cat and mouse thing. He’d give me a glance every once in a while as he talked to Frank and let me get something close to what I was hoping for.

I guess between the last two images I like this one the best for it’s simplicity. Now if I could have only gotten him to look my way, if only for a moment…

Pro Tip: Shooting actors and entertainers can be a very satisfying or frustrating depending on their time, personality, assistants or the setting available. Working with reporters on these assignments can be just as trying but nothing is predictable so take a deep breath and have fun.

Women’s Final Four – UConn Bounced Again

April 4, 2012 by John Woike

When I heard I would be covering the UConn women’s basketball team during the post season I was excited at the prospect of them making it to the Final Four.

For selfish reasons I was looking forward to hooking up with my brother Jeff who has lived in Denver for 22 years and I haven’t been able to visit him as often as I would like. We would get together every other year to do a little skiing but I haven’t strapped my boards to my feet in a couple years now. I also have former colleagues from the Hartford Courant living in Boulder and Golden and really wanted to see them as well.

Sunset heading to Boulder Saturday night to meet with Michael Kodas and Carolyn Moreau for dinner. Shot with iPhone 3s using Instagram app.

Inside the Pepsi Center the court awaits for teams to compete for the national title and 30,000 fans cheering on Baylor, Stamford, Notre Dame and the University of Connecticut.

Fans lined the concourse to wait for a chance to get an autograph for the Huskies, some were fortunate, some left with empty hands due to a time constraint.

Jenny Sohm, of Witchita, KS, (L) and Catherine Kello of Washington, DC, aim their cameras towards the UConn women’s team hoping to take a souvenir home of their favorite players like…

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis who holds her 2 year old brother Xander Ali alongside teammate Brianna Banks.

When the autograph session ended the Lady huskies took to the court for a little practice for the fans.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma gives Tiffany Hayes advice on a play during practice as associate head coach Chris Dailey, Kia Stokes, Caroline Doty and Kelly Faris listen in.

Some fans sported “net” hats and temporary tattoos as they watched teams work out.

The UConn women’s basketball team take a half-court shot as the buzzer sounds during their practice session.

Kia Stokes is serenaded by her teammates for her 19th birthday Saturday afternoon after the UConn women finished their practice, tradition calls for the birthday girl to skip around the court afterward.

There are always photos you wish you had at an event like this. One photo I wish I had been in a position to take was a meeting between UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and Tennessee head coach Pat Summit. I was on one end of the court when I saw a commotion at the other side, I wasn’t sure what it was but a small group of reporters and photographers had gathered off the baseline. By the time I realized what was going on and made my way there it was over and I missed the two coaches greeting and hugging one another. The once bitter rivals and titans of the women’s game have recently begun to mend their relationship after it was announced Summit is dealing with the effects of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

I used to beat myself up over missing a shot like that but today I realize you can’t be everywhere all the time. Be grateful for the ones you are able to capture and hope the next time you’re in the right place at the right time. I was able to follow her around for a few moments as she stopped to sign autographs for fans.

She brought smiles to the faces of many Tennessee fans as they lined up along the sidelines for a change to meet their idol.

Sunday afternoon Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson were the first of the Huskies to walk the walkway to the locker room before their semifinal game against Notre Dame.

The UConn marching band plays as Bria Hartley leads the Lady Huskies onto the court before a crowd of 30,000 in the first semifinal.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis’ 2 year old brother Xander Ali raises his arms to cheer for the team as they enter the arena.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey, and assitant coaches Shea Ralph and Marisa Moseley know they have a tough task at hand as they face Big East rival Notre Dame for the 8th time in 15 months.

Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw (L) and associate head coach Jonathan Tsipis (R) greet UConn head coach Geno Auriemma before tip-off.

Freshmen Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis of UConn drives through Brittany Mallory of Notre Dame during the first half of the 2012 Women’s Final Four. at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, Sunday afternoon. KML played with assertiveness and scored 6 points in 13 minutes in the first half.

Kelly Faris of UConn splits the defense of Kayla McBride (L) and Devereaux Peters (R) of Notre Dame to hand out 4 of her first half assists.

Stefanie Dolson of UConn is double teamed by Devereaux Peters (L) and Natalie Achonwa (R) of Notre Dame in the first half but Dolson scored 12 points to help the Huskies take a 36-33 lead at the half.

Bria Hartley of UConn pushed the ball up court against Natalie Achonwa and Notre Dame during the first half scoring 10 points in 20 minutes.

(L to R) Tiffany Hayes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis scramble for a loose ball against in the first half, Hayes had 4 points and 3 steals while Mosqueda-Lewis scored 6 points.

It was a physical game as Stefanie Dolson found out late in the first half as she tries to keep her contact lens from dropping to the floor.

The coaching staff and bench look on during the first half as Notre Dame builds a slight lead but the Huskies took a 36-33 lead at the half.

Bria Hartley drives past Natalie Achonwa of Notre Dame during the second half as the two teams exchanged baskets for most of the second half as neither one could get a lead larger than five points.

It was a very physical game as Bria Hartley gets fouled by Devereuax Peters of Notre Dame during the second half.

When Stefanie Dolson picked up her fourth foul at the 17:19 mark of the second half UConn had to put sit their starting center and play a four guard line-up and use freshmen Kia Stokes until Dolson returned with 10:09 remaining.

With Dolson in foul trouble head coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey and Kelly Faris ponder their game plan after Dolson picked up that 4th foul.

Freshmen Kia Stokes is triple teamed as she takes a shot during the second half. Stokes only scored 2 points and grabbed 2 rebounds in the second half but gave Uconn a presence inside while Dolson sat with four fouls.

Natalie Novosel helps Skylar Diggins up after drawing a charging foul against Bria Hartley during the second half of the first game keeping the Irish up by a point at the 14:28 point.

(L to R) Skylar Diggins and Bria Hartley battle for a loose ball during the second half, Diggins grabbed the ball and called timeout.

Tiffany Hayes looked for the foul as she drove to the hoop against Devereaux Peters (R) as Kayla McBride looks on during the second half.

(L to R) Kia Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis are pumped after Mosqueda-Lewis scored a basket and drew the foul late in the second half against Notre Dame. After hitting the free throw the Huskies trailed by two with 12:48 remaining.

Kelly Faris splits the defense of Natalie Achonwa (L) and Devereaux Peters (R) late in the second half to rally the Huskies.

Kelly Faris stole the ball from a stumbling Natalie Novosel with 01:22 left in regualtion. It was the beginning of a wild finish of the second half.

Caroline Doty leads the UConn bench in celebration as the Huskies close the gap at the end of regulation against Notre Dame when Kelly Faris stole the ball, drove to the hoop and was fouled.

Faris gets encouragement from Tiffany Hayes, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Kia Stokes after drawing the foul and heading to the line for two free throws.

She hit them both to give UConn a 67-65 lead with :11 remaining in the game, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma had this to say about the end of regulation. “I made a huge mistake of taking Kia Stokes out of the game at that point. We went with five guards so that we could switch all their screens. And in the end one defensive rebound would have won it for us. That’s the part I’m going home with.”

With five guards on the floor the Huskies pressed and Skylar Diggins missed layup bounced off the backboard as Caroline Doty lies on the floor and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis tries to keep Natalie Novosel from the rebound…

but Novosel had the inside position on Mosqueda-Lewis and beat her to the ball with less than 5 seconds remaining…

and made the shot that tied the score at 67 forcing OT.

I used a remote mounted along the catwalk high above the basket. With all the commotion in the closing seconds of the game I didn’t have time to pick up my camera with a long lens for the far side of the court so I reached over to the remote and just pushed the trigger hoping for something. When I got the card and started to edit the images I was happier than a pig in you know what at the results. With Doty on the floor and the sequence of players streaming into the frame it captured the what ended up being the play of the game.

“The game sometimes hangs on one play,” Auriemma said. “Kelly Faris steals the ball, misses the layup and gets two free throws. If she gets the layup and the foul shot, we’re up three instead of two.”

Stefanie Dolson listens to head coach Geno Auriemma during a timeout before the start of overtime.

Auriemma pleads with Caroline Doty, Tiffany Hayes, Kelly Faris Stefanie Dolson and Kia Stokes to defend their ground in OT.

Tiffany Hayes drove to the basket against Brittany Mallory for 2 of her 10 points but she turned the ball over 6 times in 39 minutes and a couple of 3 pointers by Mallory…

Extended Notre Dame’s lead in the extra period. Mallory finished with 11 points and 5 assists in 41 minutes.

“As most games do, the game turned on one great play by a great player,” Auriemma said of Novosel. “And once we got into overtime, we just didn’t have enough. Brittany Mallory made two shots and that’s who we wanted to take them. God bless her, she stepped up and made them.”

When the final buzzer went off Stefanie Dolson wiped tears from her face as Notre Dame celebrated their 83-75 victory. Dolson finished with 20 points and 9 rebounds in 34 minutes.

Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw and her bench jump in joy after defeating UConn and earned the change to play Baylor for the national championship on Tuesday night.

Stefanie Dolson tries to compose herself as reporters ask her questions in the locker room after the 83-75 defeat. “It just sucks” she said trailing off into tears. “We worked so hard all season, and to end just end it this way, it doesn’t feel good.”

Tiffany Hayes said she was proud of her team and teammates after suffering an 83-75 loss in overtime. Many didn’t think the Huskies would make back to the Final Four but Hayes was happy they were able to be there but wished the season hadn’t ended this way.

“What can I say?” coach Geno Auriemma said. “We put ourselves into position to win.”

Pro Tip: I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended a few Final Four championships. I worked as an editor/technician for staffers Rich Messina and Bradley Clift in 1999 when the men won their first title. I was in Philly and San Antonio for the women when they won in the mid 2000′s. I went to Detroit for the men’s Final Four when they lost to Michigan State in 2005. Each time I’ve gone I have had the privilege to work with some outstanding people from the Courant, the NCAA and other newspapers and wire services. Each time time I’ve come away with new friendships and knowledge.

Tim Rasmussen, Director of Photography at the Denver Post, hooked me up with his chief photographer John Ledya. He gave me advice as to what lens to use for the overhead shots at the end of regulation. He also was able to secure a spot for me on the catwalk so I could mount my camera, next to probably 8 others from various papers and wires services. I owe a lot to them and Jamie Schwaberow ?of NCAA photos, who I met through Jay L. Clendenin, a former Courant photog. Contacts, experience and a little luck helped me to achieve the results I hoped for. I wish I could have stayed longer but hey, there’s always next year, and listening to Geno after the game, I would love to be in New Orleans next year for another go round. Until then…

Patience Pays Off

March 12, 2012 by John Woike

Patience.

A word that I have come to better understand over the last year.

One that I have always liked to say I had, but sometimes would lose with little notice.

However, when searching for an interesting photo I could watch paint dry to get the image I was hoping for.

Early last week I was out looking for weather features in the Hartford area. I had often driven past the Ebony Horsewomen stables in the North End near Kenney Park but each time I stopped there were no programs going on. Tuesday afternoon was a different story.

When I first arrived I notice Marissa Elish, 17, and Angie Womack, 15, walking out to the fenced in area where the horses graze. The afternoon light was just getting low on the horizon and back lit this situation perfectly. I noticed a set of stairs directly in front of where the girls were head so I climbed to the top to get a nice overhead view of the scene. I was pleased with the first image I captured but wanted to spend some time with the students that frequent the place.

Walking around the grounds I came upon Damian Deberry, 9, leading Strawberry, to the barn under the watchful eye of Shayde Breedlove. There are plenty of farm animals on hand to keep an eye on you, like…

Elvis and UConn, two goats that kept me in their sights while I was waiting for another photo to happen.

I was drawn to this image because of the vertical lines of the buildings, now I just had to wait for someone to walk between the two. Thank you Deka Lane who walked Sankofa back to the barn after giving dressage riding lessons. Lane has been at the Ebony Horsewomen program for about 10 years and is a master senior counselor. (It did take about 5 minutes for this to happen but I knew that the next riding lessons were happening at 4:30 so I took up my position at about 4:20)

Diamond Hamlet, 19, has been apart of the Ebony Horsewomen program since she was about 9 years old, Tuesday she was helping groom some of the horses like Ali.

Trudian Finnikin, 17, pets Hansome to keep him calm while he gets a grooming Tuesday afternoon. Finnikin has been with the Ebony Horsewomen program in Hartford for two years. I didn’t want to overexpose this image since I really like the rim-light effect on Hansome.

Moving 90 degrees from the previous photo I used the direct sunlight on Hansome to get this portrait of him eating his feed. I exposed for the highlights to capture rich detail and let the background fade to black.

When I entered the riding ring a was struck by the sliver of daylight created by the barn door being left open. When sixteen year old Naiomi Gurahoo walked Carter over to a step stool for mounting, she moved into the beam of light, and for a moment turned her head towards the door. Exposing for the highlights in this image allowed the background once again fade to black.

Mark Cook, a reader, sent me an email last week regarding this photo and the technique used, it ran on B3 in the Connecticut section.

The first thing I do when arriving at a location is to look at the available light. Is there any natural light coming in the room or am I locked into using the light source of the room, in this case – fluorescent. Next I decide where I want to stand to compose the shot I’m hoping happens. Watching as the kids rode the horses around the ring it was evident that unless someone rode near the center of the ring I was not going to get anything worth while. When Tyrell Spence, 14, tried his hand riding Strawberry, a pony at the Ebony Horsewomen program, I knew I might come away with the image I envisioned. Strawberry, despite her size, is a very strong willed pony and if you don’t control her with some authority, she’ll show you who’s boss. On the second pass around the ring the two rode into the sunlight and turned towards me, I took about five frames in the sequence. Rick Hartford, our photo editor (this month – our staff rotates on a monthly basis), and I chose this photo. He pushed to get it on the cover of the Connecticut section but there was a photo with a story already laid out so it landed on B3.

I used a Nikon D300 body with a 17-55/2.8 lens set at 35mm. Shutter set at 1/500th, ISO 400, aperture 2.8.

Pro Tip: Sometimes on assignment you don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect photo to happen, but when you do, take advantage of it. If I had called it quits after arriving at the stables and capturing the first photo in the blog, I never would have stumbled upon the last one.

Desperate Days – UConn Men Fall to ‘Cuse

March 1, 2012 by John Woike

One of the things I love about shooting sports is the ebb and flow of a game. This season the reigning national champion UConn men’s basketball team has seen more “ebbs” than “flows”. Even when you think they might have the flow going an ebb seems to find a way to step in a overtake them.

When I get assigned to cover a game I make sure to get there a couple hours early so that I can set up a remote camera. I mount one on the basket stanchion or under the reporters table on the sideline. I do this for two reasons. One, to get an angle on the play for a different point of view. Or…

…when you’re point of view from the floor is completely obscured by either other players or a referee. When Roscoe Smith took the final shot against Syracuse last Saturday night that would have tied the game and likely put it into overtime, he drove the far side of the lane and was nowhere to be seen from my spot. But you fire the camera and hope that somewhere in the crowd you get a glimpse of him in case he makes the shot or, in this case, is rejected by C.J. Fair (wearing orange headband) with about 2.2 seconds on the game clock.

A quick preview of the play on my camera told me I didn’t have a clean shot so I hoped that my remote camera was working properly. With a 9pm start time and the game ending after eleven I needed to send a few game ending photos quickly to meet deadline.

This was the first image I sent because it had the two elements that best spoke about the outcome of the game. A dejected Ryan Boatright of UConn in the foreground while the Syracuse players congratulated C.J. Fair, #5, for his last second block. The Huskies had “flowed” back from a 14 point halftime deficit but in the end the game was taken over by yet another “ebb” and UConn fell 71-69. When I did get a chance to edit my remote camera I was pleasantly surprise with the result…

…I couldn’t have asked for a better shot to sum up the conclusion of the game than this image! The wide angle view gives a nice separation of the players, their faces watching the play and the entire arena on its feet hoping the shot falls pushing the game into OT. In the end it was just another gut wrenching loss for the team and their fans. Perhaps this team will live up to their pre-season billing – next year – if all these young players decide to return for a season of “flows’ instead of this seasons “ebbs”

Pro Tip: Preparation and pre-thought are good habits to have when covering an assignment, whether it is sports, a news event or an environmental portrait.

Camera – Nikon D300, 17-55mm lens set at 20mm, f/3.5, ISO 1250, shutter 1/640th, auto white balance. Pocket Wizard remote transceiver.

The Mystery of Irma Vep

February 8, 2012 by John Woike

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing dress rehearsal at the Playhouse on Park a few times and each time I’m amazed at the talent and performance of the actors and crew.

The latest show was the production “The Mystery of Irma Vep” which required the two characters, Sean Harris and Rich Hollman, to play 8 different roles and make 39 quick costume changes. Tori Mintzer (C) applies makeup to Harris while Hollman slicks his hair down in preparation of wearing a variety of wigs.

Harris and Hollman get help from Sarah Smith (L) and Shushrusha Lamsal (R) fitting into their first costumes of the night. Velcro is sewed into the back of the outfits so the actors can quickly go back stage and change from one costume to the next with minimal delay.

Jane Twisden, played by Hollman, and Lady Enid, Sean Harris, stare into the night and watch as Lord Edgar returns from a hunt for the feared werewolf.

Hollman, as Lord Edgar, proudly shows off the supposed werewolf he killed that haunts the grounds but is later informed he has killed just a wolf. The play involves ghosts, mummies, vampires and werewolves.

Hollman, playing a vampire, draws Lady Enid, played by Harris, into his trance and tries to seduce her. Enid will fight off his advances with the bouquet of flowers she holds.

Harris, as Lady Enid, is comforted by Lord Edgar, Hollman, after she was attacked by a vampire. Hollman had to rush back stage to get out of the vampire costume and back into Lord Edgar, all along he carries on a conversation with Lady Enid from backstage while she tries to compose herself.

In the closing scene Harris emerges through a frame that usually holds a painting of Irma Vep, the former lady of the house and first wife to Lord Edgar, and screams hysterically towards the audience. Lights go down and act one ends.

Unfortunately I was unable to stay for the remainder of the show but from what I did encounter, the audience that saw the shows during January were treated to a great comedy as the two men masterfully portrayed their numerous parts.

Pro Tip: Theater lighting can be very challenging to say the least but the results can be dramatic if patient and the stage is well lit. Working backstage was the most difficult since where the actors were changing costumes was right behind a black curtain at the back of the set and the only lighting used was a dim blue light so the stagehands could find the props and next outfit.

Cameras used: Nikon D300s and D300

Lenses: 17-55/2.8 and 70-200/2.8

Shutter speeds varied from 1/4 of a sec. to 250th and ISO’s of 400 to 2500.