Peoria Journal Star

I had a special opportunity on Monday to capture a once-in-a-lifetime moment for a local couple. My assignment was to photograph a local man as he proposed to his girlfriend of three years. Here’s the catch: he did it as she walked off an Air National Guard cargo plane after serving three months in Afghanistan. He hugged, kissed and presented her with a bouquet of flowers before dropping to one knee to pop the question on the tarmac. She said yes. Oftentimes as journalists, we end up covering military funerals and wars themselves so it was refreshing to be on a military base for such a happier occasion. Congratulations to Brock and Heather.

Brock Menold drops to a knee as he proposes to his girlfriend of three years, Sgt. Heather Richards, after she returned from a three month deployment in Afghanistan on Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, at the Illinois Air National Guard base in Peoria. Richards said yes.

Brock Menold, right, kisses Sgt. Heather Richards after Menold proposed to his girlfriend of three years on the tarmac on Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, at the Illinois Air National Guard base in Peoria. Richards, who said yes, just returned from a three month deployment in Afghanistan.

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National Day of Remembrance in Peoria

September 26, 2010

Marion English looks skyward as she tracks the flight path of her balloon as it sails southwest over the Interstate 74 bridge during a launch as part of the National Day of Remembrance on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010, at the RiverPlex. English was on hand to remember her 19-year-old niece Jasmine Brittine who was fatally shot on March 21, 2010.

A message is seen written on a balloon before a launch during the National Day of Remembrance on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010, at the RiverPlex. The day is for grieving families and friends of people who were killed through violence.

Knights of Columbus member at mass

September 26, 2010

A member of the Knights of Columbus walks back to his seat before the start of a Diocesan Anniversary Mass on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception.

Hey! That guy (Rivers Cuomo) took my camera

September 26, 2010

Something pretty cool happened to me Saturday night. And by cool I mean awesome. My assignment on Saturday was to cover Weezer’s performance over at Bradley University for the Peoria Journal Star. I kind of figured I’d be way in the back with a telephoto lens if it’s like most concerts I photograph. That wasn’t the case. I had to run back to my car and get different lenses after the guy at will call said I’d be up in front of the stage (in the buffer as we call it). I ended up shooting everything with a 24 mm lens since I was so close. At one point Rivers Cuomo, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, leans over me and calls for my camera as he’s singing. I handed it over to him and he shot a few shots of the crowd and a couple of me down in the buffer. I grew up listening to Weezer, which made it really cool. Below is the sequence including a couple of his crowd shots (the photo of me should be at the end of the sequence):