Miscellaneous - James Brosher Photography

On the road

James Brosher — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:30 +0000

In the midst of a 13-hour road trip from Wyoming to Indiana on Tuesday, boredom set in. This happened despite my best efforts to keep myself occupied with a iPod playlist of the entire Beatles discography. (Might have sung along to most of the 226 songs – naturally excluding “Revolution 9” – between North Platte, Neb. and my hotel in Peru, Ill.) At a certain point midway through Nebraska, I decided to play around with my new favorite Android camera phone app: Vignette. Here are a couple random camera phone musings from my 895-mile journey:

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Patriotism

James Brosher — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:00:08 +0000

In my relatively short career, it seems I have photographed a lot of moments of patriotism. From funerals to football games to parades, patriotism is everywhere in the United States. We are a people extremely proud of our nation in good times and bad. Patriotism is the only thing that can bring a rambunctious crowd of 17,000 at a college basketball game to a dead silence. Patriotism is what compels young me to fight – and die – in foreign wars as volunteers. Patriotism is what binds us. Happy Independence Day, especially to those who serve.

Master Gunnery Sgt. John Lund, a member of the Marine honor guard, listens to a memorial ceremony for Sgt. Jeremy McQueary on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, at The Seasons Lodge and Conference Center in Nashville, Ind. Lund, a veteran of the Vietnam War, Gulf War and Iraqi War, folded a flag in McQueary's ceremony. McQueary, 27, was killed in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan on Feb. 18. (James Brosher/Bloomington Herald-Times)

The American Flag is reflected off the helmet of a member of the color guard before a football game between IU and Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Iowa City, Iowa. (James Brosher/Indiana Daily Student)

Phi Beta Phi rider Caroline Brown, middle, watches an American flag wave during the playing of the National Anthem before the start of the Women's Little 500 on Friday, April 23, 2010, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. (James Brosher/Bloomington Herald-Times)

Reenactors make their way down a road at Pioneer Farms on Saturday, July 3, 2010. Saturday was Independence Day on the Prairie. (James Brosher/Austin American-Statesman)

Ross Spencer, from Kumbarilla, Australia, puts a rifle back onto a gun rack after a shoot during the Hell on Wheels shooting competition on Friday, July 1, 2011, at the Cheyenne Regulators Range west of Cheyenne. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune-Eagle)

Iowa's Zach McCool (25) watches as a singer performs the National Anthem despite a sudden heavy rain shower before a game against Indiana on Friday, April 16, 2010, at Sembower Field. The game was postponed until Saturday due to rain and thunderstorms in the area. (James Brosher/Bloomington Herald-Times)

U.S Marine re-enactors portray the famous Iwo Jima flag raising after re-enactments of of D-Day and Pacific Theater landings on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at Tiscornia Beach in St. Joseph, Mich. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)

Karl Schmidt, a World War II veteran and Marine who served in the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945, holds a piece of cake as one of the oldest Marines in attendance at a Semper Fi Fish Fry on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010, at Kelleher's Irish Pub. The event featured a formal Marine cake cutting ceremony in which guests of honor, the oldest Marine and youngest Marine receive pieces of cake cut by a Mameluke sword. (James Brosher/Peoria Journal Star)

Andrew "Buddy" Blair, a Korean War veteran, salutes the flag during a ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War at the Texas Korean War Veterans Memorial on Friday, June 25, 2010. (James Brosher/Austin American-Statesman)

Michael Allen, age 6, looks back at the crowd assembled for the Tarrytown Fourth of July parade as he rides in his father's 1972 Buick Skylark Gran Sport on Saturday, July 3, 2010. (James Brosher/Austin American-Statesman)

An American flag blows in the wind and rain during a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 30, 2011, at Beth El Cemetery in Cheyenne. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune-Eagle)

Rick Smith waves to participants in the Tarrytown Fourth of July Parade from the sidewalk in front of his home on Saturday, July 3, 2010. (James Brosher/Austin American-Statesman)

Patriot Guard member Mike Purcell speaks to a fellow member before the start of a memorial service for Marine Sgt. Jeremy McQueary on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, outside The Seasons Lodge and Conference Center in Nashville, Ind. McQueary, 27, was killed in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan on Feb. 18. (James Brosher/Bloomington Herald-Times)

A man looks back at the singer as she performs the National Anthem before the start of an anti-abortion rally on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2010, in Riverfront Park in East Peoria. (James Brosher/Peoria Journal Star)

Andrew "Buddy" Blair, a Korean War veteran, rolls up the American flag after a ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War at the Texas Korean War Veterans Memorial on Friday, June 25, 2010. (James Brosher/Austin American-Statesman)

Clarence Porter, a member of the Forty and Eight Club, walks down a cemetery road after a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 30, 2011, at Beth El Cemetery in Cheyenne. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune-Eagle)

Terry Hicks, of Galsburg, Ill., salutes as taps are played to honor former East Peoria High School students who have been killed in the military during patriotic night ceremonies before a East Peoria-Washington football game on Friday, Sept. 10, 2010, in East Peoria. Hicks served with the Army in Vietnam. (James Brosher/Peoria Journal Star)

An American flag flutters in the wind at Pioneer Farms on Saturday, July 3, 2010. Saturday was Independence Day on the Prairie. (James Brosher/Austin American-Statesman)

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Just the details: scenes from a car show

James Brosher — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:00:14 +0000

After work on Tuesday evening, I stopped by the local McDonald’s to check out some cars at the local Classic Chevy club’s monthly cruise night. I practically grew up in the back of my dad’s 1957 Chevy Bel Air so old cars have always interested me. I got my feet wet in photography by shooting snapshots of cars at car shows as a child. Two things really caught my eye as I walked through the parking lot: emblems and colors. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a show and since my last encounter with classics, I’ve developed a better eye for details and colors so I was naturally fascinated by what I saw in front of me.

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Christmas snapshots

James Brosher — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:36:54 +0000

The older I get, the more I enjoy the holidays. So it has been especially difficult this year since I was forced to work Thanksgiving, Christmas and this Saturday on New Year’s Day. Such is the life of the intern I guess. Somehow I managed to make it home a couple days before Christmas to have an early celebration of sorts with my mom’s side of the family. It was great to see all my cousins that I don’t often get to see. As usual, I had my camera on hand and took a few shots.

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Light

James Brosher — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:00:59 +0000

Sometimes bad light can be incredible light. Seeing the light is an invaluable part of the job. Whether it is a high school gym or bright sunlight, photographers must be able to expose for the light. One common attribute in the portfolios of great photographers is an eye for the light. Whenever I’m on an assignment, I pay extremely close attention to light. One thing I always look for is contrast. Brightly-illuminated subjects in a dark space can really add an element of drama in a photo. This is something I look for at every assignment I photograph. Here are a few examples from the past year:

Master Gunnery Sgt. John Lund, a member of the Marine honor guard, listens to a memorial ceremony for Sgt. Jeremy McQueary on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, at The Seasons Lodge and Conference Center in Nashville, Ind. Lund, a veteran of the Vietnam War, Gulf War and Iraqi War, folded a flag in McQueary’s ceremony. McQueary, 27, was killed in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan on Feb. 18.

Indiana coach Tom Crean waits for player introductions to begin before a game on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010, at Assembly Hall.

Round Rock Express pitcher Jordan Lyles, age 19, throws to a Sacramento batter during his first minor league start at Dell Diamond on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010. Lyles is one of the Astro’s top prospects.

Black Key Bulls rider Ren-Jay Shei makes his way through turn three during Little 500 Individual Time Trials on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. The Little 500 is an annual bicycle race pitting top student teams against each other in a 33-team field.

St. Francis players watch as a teammate connects with a pitch during a game against Indiana on Friday, March 26, 2010, at Sembower Field in Bloomington, Ind. Indiana won 7-3.

The Explosion of the Minds bassist Mercedes Salazar sits in the corner of a recording studio with her bass guitar as she waits for her group to start a recording session during Rock Camp USA at the Austin School of Music on Wednesday, July 21, 2010.

Leland Smith, a local painter, works on a piece under a canopy as a drizzling rain mists the area during SoCo First Thursday on Thursday, July 1, 2010, along South Congress Avenue. “I gave it up for 20 years,” Smith said of his work, but says he is painting again after the hiatus.

Dale Flatt, an organizer with Save Austin’s Cemeteries, walks through an older area of Oakwood Cemetery on Wednesday, June 23, 2010. Flatt, a Austin firefighter, works to preserve and restore old headstones and grave sites through the organization.

A man shields his eyes from the sun as he watches a minor league baseball game between Round Rock and Omaha at Dell Diamond in Round Rock on Monday, June 21, 2010. The two were some of the only fans to sit looking into the sun on the first base side before sundown.

Yuri Kelly performs a dance at the Round Rock Juneteenth Festival on Friday, June 18, 2010. Friday night performances and a talent show were a prelude to Saturday’s parade and festival.

Levee Town guitarist Brandon Hudspeth talks to the crowd after his band finished their set on Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at the Illinois Blues Festival on the Riverfront.

Sophia Jefferson performs a gospel song during the Gospel Jubilee on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010, at the Riverside Community Church. The program, sponsored by the Peoria Area Community Events, featured local musicians and speakers.

Yoga instructor Anna Gieselman leads a group in a stretch during a donation-based class on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010, at Casa de Luz. The classes are part of Community Yoga, which collects donations and uses the proceeds to teach yoga to underprivileged citizens who can’t afford the classes.

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First month in the books

James Brosher — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:33:30 +0000

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.

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.

Brothers Matthew Williams, left, age 5, and Keaton Williams, age 3, share a few laughs as they ride motorcycles and honk the horns on a ride on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010, at the Fall Festival in Elmwood, Ill.

Amy Caulkins plays with her daughter, Mackenzie, age 1, before taking the stage during a baby contest on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010, at the Fall Festival in Elmwood, Ill. This is the first year for the baby contest at the festival.

Levee Town guitarist Brandon Hudspeth talks to the crowd after his band finished their set on Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at the Illinois Blues Festival on the Riverfront.

Missouri linebacker Andrew Gachkar (6) knocks a pass away from Illinois wide receiver A.J. Jenkins (8) as Jenkins crosses the middle on a slant route during a game on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

Missouri tight end Michael Egnew catches a wide open touchdown during a game on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

A runner in the Class 1A race struggles as she tries to pick up the pace approaching the finish line during the Woodruff Cross Country on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, in Detweiller Park.

Bradley's Christian Meza (22) plays the ball into the box as SMU keeper Craig Hill, left, tries to stop the advance during a game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2010, at Shea Stadium in Peoria. Meza advanced the ball past the keeper and scored Bradley's only goal on the play as the Braves lost 3-1.

Luke Merrill blows some smoke out of the way so he can find his ribs to baste them during a ribs cookoff on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, in Peoria Heights. The annual event pits a few friends against each other for bragging rights and a grilling fork.

Jim Patterson looks out his driverside window to see as he uses a truck to mash down mud on the track on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, at Peoria Speedway. Rain throughout the day made the track too sloppy for racing, forcing some drivers to use their pick ups to help dry and smooth out the track.

A man looks back at the singer as she performs the National Anthem before the start of an anti-abortion rally on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2010, in Riverfront Park in East Peoria.

Peoria Notre Dame cheerleader Cassie Frow, right, reads "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens during halftime in a game against Quincy Notre Dame on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010, in Peoria. Frow was reading for a quiz on Friday morning.

Dunlap quarterback Logan Schrader (10) tries to grab the football as it bounces away from him after being hit by Washington's Dan Massengill (46) and Zach Little (88) during a game on Friday, Sept. 17, 2010, in Washington.

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.

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My embarrassing photo moment

James Brosher — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 06:04:57 +0000

Watching a YouTube video of a wedding photographer backpedal into a fountain the other day reminded me of one of my most embarrassing moments. A couple years ago Barack Obama made a surprise visit to the Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University. At one point I got in front of him in the infield of the track, about 8 feet away from him and backpedaled to get him in the frame with a long 70-200 lens. I didn’t realize there was a chair directly behind me and – yep you guessed it – I went down. Even better: I have a shot of him pointing at the chair (second frame down). I guess I can tell my grandchildren that as a journalist I stood toe to toe with Obama … before falling over a chair in front of him. I recovered and got a couple decent shots out of the day (last two shots).

Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., watches pace laps with Indiana University Student Foundation director Jenny Bruffey, right, before the start of the women's Little 500 bicycle race on Friday, April 11, 2008, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Obama walked around the track and greeted each team before the race.

Fans take pictures of presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., before the start of the Women's Little 500 bicycle race Friday, April 11, 2008, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Obama made a surprise visit to town and stayed for the opening laps of the race.

Let’s hear about your most embarrassing photography moment. Write in using the comment form below:

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Holga truck

James Brosher — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:16:12 +0000

Right now I’m in the process of scanning my Holga negatives, including shots from five rolls I shot in Europe. Here’s a frame that I posted earlier on the blog, except it’s now in full resolution and scanned properly:

Holga truck

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A new perspective

James Brosher — Fri, 14 May 2010 21:29:48 +0000

One week from now, I’ll be in Salzburg, Austria. I’ll be there on vacation with my parents as part of a post-graduation/35th wedding anniversary trip. Although I’ll technically be a tourist, I’m hoping to make some images that are not typical of tourists, but are more photojournalistic in nature. This week, I took a look back on some of my photos from a 2007 trip I made to Europe when I studied abroad in Austria. I was definitely in tourist mode, but on second edit I found a few decent images from the trip:

Salzburg, Austria

Graz, Austria

East Berlin, Germany

Venice, Italy

Berchtesgaden, Germany

Berlin, Germany

Steiermark in Austria

Berchtesgaden, Germany

Budapest, Hungary

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