It starts off with the fun part, going somewhere and taking pictures. That's the only thing about doing the Photojournalism job I really enjoy. A big upper, for me.
I'm throwing this wagon wheel photo in here because it's part of the ups and downs of photojournalism, too.
You go round and round in this business while you're having those ups and downs. And every once in awhile you get smacked, right on the head with one of those wooden spokes. It's good. It keeps you on your toes.
Those wagon wheels are on the front of the Gold Hall Cafe, a really cool place to visit, in my hometown.
Well, I shot photos at this place and at two other locations over a period of about a year. All three locations have caves. So, I decided I'd do a cave article.
Then comes the research end of the photojournalism business. If you're going to tell a story with your pictures you want to do it right.
On a blog, you might get away with some mistakes or half-baked truths. I see it everyday and people get away with it, more than likely, because nobody really reads the stuff !
To get my photos and writings published, I try to use what I consider the "Gold Standard". That'd be something you see published in a magazine like National Geographic. They hold the "Gold Standard" as far as I'm concerned. People called fact checkers do stuff, like, check the facts.
You don't ever want to get caught submitting your photojournalistic stuff to some place that has fact checkers who may catch you telling a lie. Lie on your own blog, if you want to, it's one of your options. Freedom of speech, I guess you could call it.
After I get my photos ready and do all the research the really hard part of the job comes next.
That would be the writing and the typing, the part of photojournalism I do worst. But, I do the best I can at it. I type with one finger, one from each hand if I'm in a hurry and not smoking or drinking coffee. So, usually, any mistakes I make typing aren't from typing too fast. Most times I catch a typo and backspace before the digital ink dries. Sometimes the Spell Check Dude catches my mistakes. Other times I ignore him because he doesn't understand half the language I use anyway.
This Cave Article, I was submitting to CNNGO. They have published my photos and writing before. I know, they use the "Gold Standard" and they fact check and all. You know who owns CNN? Ted Turner owns the whole operation. So, I wanted to make sure I give them nothing but the truth. You don't want to get caught making mistakes around the Turner Network, for sure.
Now, if he walked in the room right now, I probably wouldn't recognize the guy. But, Tina Turner, I'd know her, anywhere. She could really sing and dance and was pretty shapely for an old lady.
I kinda got the idea for my Laugh and Dance bit from watching her back when they had rental videos. Has anybody seen her lately? I always thought she was a superstar. Hope she didn't get fat.
OK, back on track, now. Everything was researched, typed, photos processed and the editor at CNNGO says "It a go".
I got a deadline. I'm feeling an up coming on. It's a great feeling. This photojournalism isn't so bad once you start seeing the hard work all coming together and getting published.
After you submit everything, though, you have to be patient. You will wait awhile before it's time to celebrate. Fact checkers are going to check the facts, editors may want to edit and there might even be a whole pile of more important stuff that has to get published before yours does. You wait.
Today my wait was over. My Okinawa Caves Story hit print at CNNGO. That's the big "UP" and you just can't beat it. There's no better feeling a Photojournalist can get. WU HU HU !
The first thing you do is get a big head. I run around and tell everybody, "Look it's UP"!
My head was too big. It must have gotten too much air, or oxygen. The wagon wheels were spinning too fast. I was about to get smacked in the head with a wooden spoke. And I did.
There was a mistake in the publication. That's a big DOWN. There was a typo in a contact phone number. That stupid Spell Check Dude didn't catch it. I had to contact the editor. I made the mistake and sent in a bogus phone number. This could be the end of my photojournalism career. They could have Tina Turner come over here and dance on my deflated head in her high heels. You can't get much more down than that. That was just minutes after that Big-UP-High !
Well, between contacting the editor, sending emails, internet going up and down right along with my ego and verifying telephone numbers and contact information all day long, it's done. Everything is corrected and even newer links added to the article. Time for me to do some laughing and dancing, again.
Now, I wonder if all photojournalists have ups and downs like I do, or is it just something Irish ?
Yesterday, even though I was in a good mood after recovering some long lost and much needed wedding photos, I went and ranted on a few social networks about the cost of apples in Japan.
It all started when I saw these Bushel Baskets full of apples, somewhere in Ontario, Canada.
When I saw all those apples it reminded me of how much I used to love eating them. See, I did some apple picking back in the old days. There's nothing tastier than an apple picked right off the tree unless, maybe you want to wash it and chill it in the fridge for a little while. But, I kinda liked eating them while I was supposed to be picking up in the tree, where nobody could see me. Things always seem to taste even better when they're free. Fringe benefits, I guess you could call it.
Now, in Japan one good-sized apple costs somewhere in the neighborhood of around US $3.00, that's criminal if you ask me. I wouldn't think of stealing one and I refuse to pay that kind of money for an apple.
It's some sort of a conspiracy. The MAC Computer guys may even be involved in it. I don't know who's behind this one. That gal, Eve who got Adam kicked outa the garden, still dead, right?
I'm not sure why anybody would want to charge outrageous prices for a fruit that'll just rot if they don't sell it but, I ain't fallin' for it. I've been boycotting them for years. If I find myself unable to contain the urge to eat apples, I'll plant a tree and grab my own fruit off it whenever I feel like.
This morning I got mail from Australia. Since the flooding down there, they have to pay twice as much as I would for an apple in Japan. Over $6.00 for a freakin' fresh apple; it's a conspiracy !
When I decided to rant about the cost of apples, and what I now believe to be a worldwide conspiracy, I ran across the street to the grocery store. Even took ten bucks outa the till and was gonna buy an apple, take a picture of it and post it here, so you could see the price tag.
Well, I'm showing you the Big Apple in Okinawa, instead. It's the only photo I have right now.
The gal tending the little Mom and Pop grocery store didn't have any red apples. There was a bag with three little green apples on the shelf. They were smaller than the size of a tennis ball. I figured, what the heck, I have ten bucks, I'll see if it's enough to buy the whole bag of them.
There wasn't a price on the bag. So, I ask the gal "How much are these apples?" She didn't know. The truck that delivers the fruit and vegetables would be arriving shortly. If I'd come back later we would know how much the apples cost today. So, you get the Big Apple in Okinawa.
The last time I checked, apple farmers and pickers weren't getting filthy rich and riding around in stretch limos, Eve was dead and gone and the price of apples just keeps rising. CONSPIRACY!
This is a photo taken at an Okinawan Wedding back in February 2008 and that's what I'm Yah Hu Huing about today. This morning I found two CDs, that contain of all my daughter's wedding photos, sitting on the kitchen table. I'm talking about over a gigabyte, over 300 wedding pictures that have been missing, hiding in a black hole somewhere, for the past two years. My pictures !
The son-in-law, the guy giving the speech and making the wife and daughter cry, must have dropped by the house and delivered the wedding photos last night. I've been needing them desperately for the past year, if not longer. I have articles to do and need those photos.
The guy in the tuxedo, that'd be me. I really do get dressed up, sometimes, shoes, socks, silly little bow tie and all. I leave my flipflops in the car so I can change on the way home.
While the women are sniffling at the mushy speech being made, you know what the old man is thinking, right? Well, I'll tell you, just in case you don't think like I do. I was thinking something like "Would you please, hurry up and get done so I can go sit down and drink my beer before the shelflife expires."
Now, I'm no wedding photographer but, I do take wedding pictures for important people like members of the family, even when I get stuck dressing up like a clown and wearing flowers.
Of course, to shoot a photo like this, with me in it, I have to give my camera to an assistant. In this case, it was the only other Irishman in the building. I knew he wouldn't run off with my camera while there was still beer sitting on the tables. He really did a fine job taking pictures. Thanks, Mario.
A wedding in Okinawa is a big event and it's one like I've never seen before, anywhere on earth.
What I do after developing all my photos is burn them to CDs or DVDs and give them to the newlyweds. The professional wedding photographer, who makes megabucks, gets the wedding photos to them sometime within the next few months. Mine are done within a few days.
But, I don't want people photos clogging up my photo collection, I need room for wildlife and festivals. So, after I give the bride and groom their wedding pictures, I DELETE EVERYTHING.
Fast forward to 12 grandkids later. I feel like Archie Bunker with that guy, Meathead, only worse. I have a bunch of sons and son-in-laws. They all get their wedding photos on CDs or DVDs.
After I promise someone like POCKET CULTURES I'll submit an article about an Okinawa Wedding, ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOBODY HAS THE FREAKIN' PICTURES I TOOK !
That all changed for the better today. Yah Hu Hu a Son-in Law Came Thru. Standby for more...
My Place was invaded by Party Rabbits last night. The people of Okinawa, Japan are taking this Year of the Rabbit seriously. I didn't get out of the office with my camera before they showed up. In case you haven't heard, my office is in a Karaoke Bar. I usually escape before the place opens on weekends. The name of the place is My Place. Here are the photos in the order I shot them.
The Party Animal Rabbit. The girl who started it all, the instant she stepped through the door.
The Attack Rabbit. There's one in every crowd. This guy had to be the ferocious animal rabbit.
The Peace Rabbit. Japanese girls are wired to give the peace sign whenever they see a camera.
The Look at Me, I'm a Cute Little Bunny Wabbit Rabbit struck a pose with her rabbit feet curled.
Last, but not least, was the "I Should be a Professional Model Someday Rabbit. Dontcha think ?"
There were other crazy rabbit photos taken last night but authorization was not given by The Boss Rabbit to have her photo posted.
And the Rabbit With The Three Day Hangover won't appear, either because I have an important mission to accomplish today.
It's what you might call, "A grab the cameras, tripod, backpack, and get outa town before the Boss Rabbit wakes up kinda day".
This Year of the Rabbit is really catching on. Have you noticed any Party Rabbits invading your town, yet?
RELATED POST: YEAR OF THE RABBIT 2011
This Monday January 10, 2011 will be a National Holiday in Japan. Sejin No Hi (Coming of Age Day) is a big event in Japanese culture. It is to celebrate turning the ripe old age of Twenty !
In Japan 20 year-olds are considered adults. That means they can drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, sign contracts and vote in elections. It's a big deal so, everybody gets dressed up for the event.
Years ago, boys came of age at 15 and the girls at 13. The boys would get a haircut for the event. And, the girls would paint their teeth BLACK !
Well, times have changed for the better, I think.
Since 1876 the laws have been modified in Japan. You have to be 20 years old to be considered an adult and girls don't wear blackened teeth anymore. They wear pretty kimonos for Coming of Age Day and they don't have to be be so ugly.
The photo above was taken in September of 2008. To give you an idea how serious folks are about preparing for Sejin No Hi, this gal was getting fitted for a kimono months in advance. The event doesn't take place until the second week of January.
Knowing she was a minor at the time, I couldn't legally take her picture without the consent of her adult, legal guadian. So, I went over to her mother, sitting in a chair watching her daughter getting all decked out in this kimono.
I spoke to her in the Okinawan dialect and got her laughing. I told her she had pretty eyes, hah !
Not only did she sign a release, she gave me permission to have the photo published, too.
So, that's what I did at BootsNall Travel Articles.
You can read more about Coming of Age Day in Japan in the JAPAN UPDATE if you like. I have to clean my cameras and practice stretching the truth, a bit, in Japanese so I can get more photos of pretty young girls in their kimonos !
Is there anything like the Coming of Age Day in Japan in your culture ?
