Looking back to 2009

It has been an interesting year and one of huge changes for myself and my family. As many of you already know my wife Lore and I both lost our jobs of 20 years and 14 years respectively. We have faced the challenges head on and have learned that 2009 wasn’t the end but only the beginning. I am proud to say neither of us ever applied for or collected unemployment of any kind.

I was sitting with my son Chris on Christmas Day and I said to him, "at 56 I still think my future is in front of me". He looked at me and said, "well of course it is". It would be easy to say my future was 20 years ago and that was my time to build and learn. You can’t sit on your hands in today's computer age. If you’re not evolving and pushing yourself today you will be left behind tomorrow.

I try! That is all I can do. No one is holding my hand and I haven't had a mentor in my life to encourage me. I have great friends that have helped me but my early years where very much alone. I encourage mentor-ship and have seen first hand how a positive mentor can help a person's growth and success. My path has always been a self-taught journey. In my wisdom, I would advise a person starting out in anything to seek out a mentor!

Being independent has been great. It’s challenging and very different than anything I have ever done over the past 20 plus years. As I write, I have the news on the TV in the other room, the dog at my feet, no one to bother me with petty corporate power struggles, and in house-fighting. How good is that? I love it! The hardest part of this is reminding myself to get out of the house periodically and not to work 14 hours a day.

I look forward to 2010.

Tempe Town Lake Ironman 2009

On my way I saw this man standing inside this empty business space watching the Ironman.


Shannon well on her way to a 10:48 minute Finish WOW! Congratulations to you.


Runner and spectators under Mill Avenue bridge.


Runner and spectators under Mill Avenue bridge


Runner and spectators can get really close under Mill Avenue bridge


Young women in the light.


Lorie is the Energizer bunny. Funny someone would give her this hat.


Lorie and Evona cheering friends


Carl finishes in 10:47 . That is impressive. Congratulations.


Shannon center with all her best friends at the finisher area.

Master in Photography Joel Meyerowitz

Cronkite School Photojournalism 351 and 451









This is New York City photographer Joel Meyerowitz. I was extremely fortunate to have Joel as a guest speaker tonight in my Photojournalism 451 class at Arizona State University's, Walter Cronkite School of Mass Communications and Journalism.

What an incredible treat to listen to a master. His photographic body of work spans 45 years. With 17 photographic books published, two Guggenheim Fellowships an NEA (National Endowment of the Arts) grant and many other rewards his appearance to our class was hugely significant.

His approach to his work and the clarity of thought is extraordinary. If you're familiar with his work or have listened to him speak you will understand what I mean. If you're not familiar with his work check out the links below.

He began his career as a street photographer in New York City were he earned the respect of curators, scholars and fellow photographers. More recently his documentation of ground zero. Meyerowitz spent 9 months documenting the aftermath with a large format 8 X 10 inch view camera. His photographs have been seen by over 4 million people all over the world.

His latest work is a documentary record of all New York City Parks creating an archive of New York City’s 29,000 acres of parkland. It is the first long term visual documentation of NYC parks since the 1930’s when they were photographed as part of Franklin Roosevelt’s WPA program. His book is titled Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks and is sold by Aperture. http://www.aperture.org/legacy.html


http://www.joelmeyerowitz.com/photography/index.html

http://www.joelmeyerowitz.com/

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/M/meyerowitz/meyerowitz.html

http://www.in-public.com/JoelMeyerowitz

http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/meyerowitz/meyerowitz.jhtml

Enjoy!

Photo's from the big island of Hawaii

MaryBeth walking on a black sand beach.


MaryBeth and Stephanie hanging loose as Jason and Chris body surf.


Stephanie and MaryBeth chatting it up as Chris enjoys life.


Lorie at a fruit stand.


MaryBeth receives a kiss from a random horse in a field.


Jason and Maybeth get their picture taken at South Point.


South Point, the Southern most tip of the United States.


Chris photographing from the mens room.


Lorie enjoys the wet worth of a volcanic steam vent.


After a very long day of supporting Lorie during the World Championship Ironman competition we all get back to our condo exhausted.

This is a selection of photo's that I thought were a little different then my usual vacation photos.

The old self-timer family portait.

How many self-timer family portraits have I taken over the years? So many that everyone time I say "lets take a family portrait" everyone starts complaining in unison. Then I discovered lets have fun and act out for the photo. So here you go, a new way of doing something old. Act away.

Lorie Armstrong conquers the Ironman

Courtesy ASIPhoto


Courtesy ASIPhoto


Courtesy ASIPhoto


Courtesy ASIPhoto


Courtesy ASIPhoto




Courtesy ASIPhoto




Courtesy ASIPhoto


Courtesy ASIPhoto



Many of the Photo's above are courtesy of Action Sports International, ASIPhoto. They had photographers all over the course making great pictures.
I have tried so many times to make good pictures of Lorie but honestly it is very difficult to be a fan and a photographer at the same time.

My wife Lorie of 30 years conquered the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii Oct 10, 2009. She finished 19th out of 30 women in her age group 55 to 59. The World Championships is a huge accomplishment and she definitely deserves my unabashed respect. She is truly amazing. Way to go kid.

East Valley Tribune annouces closure

As many of you know my former employer The East Valley Tribune announced last week they are shutting the doors Dec. 31, 2009. The Tribune in one form or another has been in the East Valley since 1891.

I hear so many people speculating on why the industry is failing. Most people blame the internet. I just smile and nod my head. In a way everyone is right. The changes are a culmination of many events that have finally come to fruition. The loses are just too deep. Personally the news of the Tribune shutting down isn't a surprise but it still saddens me none the less.