James Brosher Photography

Portfolio website for James Brosher, a Bloomington, Indiana based editorial and wedding photographer specializing in action, documentary, and portrait images.

Archived Content

West Peoria’s favorite trash collector

As a photojournalist, you get to experience and photograph a wide variety of things on a daily basis. Today was no different as I shadowed West Peoria’s trash collector, Jeff Reagan. Reagan is well known and liked by the community. In fact, he’s liked so much so that the mayor is trying to resign with Waste Management (the company Reagan works for) just to keep him as the local trash collector.

West Peoria garbage collector Jeff Reagan, left, shares a laugh with local customer Ron Eckstein as Reagan works his shift on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010. "He's probably the best garbage man we've ever had," Eckstein said of Reagan. "Don't tell him that"
West Peoria garbage collector Jeff Reagan, left, shares a laugh with local customer Ron Eckstein as Reagan works his shift on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010. "He's probably the best garbage man we've ever had," Eckstein said of Reagan. "Don't tell him that"
West Peoria garbage collector Jeff Reagan hops off his truck at a stop to collect the garbage on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010. Reagan has worked the job for 13 years, and he is well liked amongst the neighborhoods in West Peoria where he collects trash.
West Peoria garbage collector Jeff Reagan hops off his truck at a stop to collect the garbage on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010. Reagan has worked the job for 13 years, and he is well liked amongst the neighborhoods in West Peoria where he collects trash.

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At the speedway with Todd Bennett

I spent part of my Saturday evening out at Peoria Speedway photographing Todd Bennett, a local racer who is doing well in the points and has a growing local fan base. The photos are for a profile story that’s running about him sometime soon. I love shooting out at local race tracks because it’s a very unique slice of American culture. The drivers and fans are a blue collar, roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-stuff-done type of folks who are incredibly friendly and nice. For anyone looking for a good story, I would recommending heading out to the local speedway on a Saturday night. I guarantee you’ll find some interesting people with interesting stories.

Todd Bennett reaches inside his race car before hopping in to take a few laps around the track on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.
Todd Bennett reaches inside his race car before hopping in to take a few laps around the track on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.
Todd Bennett leans against the front fender of his Super Late Model class race car before taking the car out onto the track for a few laps on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.
Todd Bennett leans against the front fender of his Super Late Model class race car before taking the car out onto the track for a few laps on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway.

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First month in the books

It’s hard to believe I’ve already been here in Peoria one month. Time has flied because it only feels like my first or second week since I’m still figuring out the newspaper’s work flow. When it comes to my work, I’m my own worst critic. I’m brutal and harsh because I badly want to improve in a highly competitive industry. I’m ticked if I hit a single since I’m forever swinging for the fences. Sometimes I have to step back and take a look at a group of work as a whole as a sort of self reality check. Here are a few of my favorite frames from my first month interning in Peoria:

Ongina reacts as a man stuffs money down her bra during a drag performance of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, at the Peoria Pride Festival on the Riverfront.
Ongina reacts as a man stuffs money down her bra during a drag performance of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, at the Peoria Pride Festival on the Riverfront.
Jared Oest, age 6, navigates his bicycle through a large puddle of deep water with his brother, not pictured, on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, in a parking lot at Midwest Central High School in Manito, Ill. Several streets and parking lots in the village were flooded following a severe thunderstorm that pounded the area with high winds and heavy rain on Thursday afternoon.
Jared Oest, age 6, navigates his bicycle through a large puddle of deep water with his brother, not pictured, on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, in a parking lot at Midwest Central High School in Manito, Ill. Several streets and parking lots in the village were flooded following a severe thunderstorm that pounded the area with high winds and heavy rain on Thursday afternoon.

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