Yesterday I photographed the deployment of approximately 150 Marines and Sailors with the USMC 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment as they left for a seven-month deployment to al Asad, Iraq.  As often happens, the page designers don’t always run the photographs I feel best tell the story visually, so I’m posting my two favorite photographs from this assignment.  

I don’t recall ever photographing a deployment–all my previous assignments have been Army Soldiers or Marines returning home.  What I did see and feel was an immediate thickness in the air.  Sadness and grief were all around me.  I saw lovers holding each other tight.  Three and four-year-old children swinging from their father’s arms without a clue of the gravity of the situation.  Genuine moments–precious moments ticking away–between a soldier and the one he loves.  I wanted to be as tasteful and discreet as possible without interrupting these moments, so I found my photograph in a car window.

All in all, it was day and night from the returning parties I’ve covered a number of times before.  But despite the sadness and morale of the loved ones being left behind, the Marines were in high spirits–some even laughed light-heartedly and joked amongst each other.  But it really hit me hard when the buses were loaded up, and the Marines opened the windows to wave goodbye and blow kisses.  The harsh reality of it is, that some may be waving and blowing kisses to their loved ones for the last time.  It’s sad, and it’s pessimistic, but it is the consequence of war.  This hit me really hard, and tears started to well up in my eyes after I made this last frame.

Baseball is one of those sports where sometimes the action can be sparse at best.  Luckily during today’s final game between Hawaii and Coastal Carolina, I managed to grab a couple of shots I was actually HAPPY with–meaning no play at second, no pitcher shot, and no shaking hands after a scoring a run.  Haven’t done that in a loooooooooooooooooooonngg time.  Enjoy!

Hawaii's Landon Hernandez misses the plate while being tagged by Coastal Carolina catcher Jose Iglesias in the bottom of the fourth inning of a college baseball game between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the Hawaii Rainbows, Saturday, March 28, 2009 at Les Murakami Stadium. Hawaii held on to win 4-3 and captured the series after a disappointing game one earlier in the week. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

Hawaii thirdbaseman Vinnie Catricala breaks his sunglasses off a line drive double from Coastal Carolina's Taylor Motter in the top of the eight inning of a college baseball game between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the Hawaii Rainbows, Saturday, March 28, 2009 at Les Murakami Stadium. Hawaii held on to win 4-3 and captured the series after a disappointing game one earlier in the week. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

This past Monday, I photographed the Project DisFUNKshion fashion at Windward Mall.  As always is the case, I was pressed for time, as I had a baseball game to shoot immediately after in Aiea.  A nice setup, metering of lights, and location scout is always a luxury I seldom ever have, so I compensated by using both ambient and speedlites to shoot my portraits.  The three models, Nalani, Marc, and Mandy, were wonderful to work with and very cooperative.  Here’s three shots to illustrate the variety of approaches when shooting a fashion assignment such as this.

LIT:

Mandy McGarry, left, and Nalani Ravelo wear spring fashion by Wet Seal, photographed Monday, March 16, 2009 at Windward Mall, part of the 2009 DisFunkShion show. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN, EF 15 f2.8 fisheye, 580EX speedlite x 2, triggered with a Canon ST-E2 wireless transmitter. Exposure mode: Manual, ISO 50, 1/250 @ f8.0, daylight whitebalance.

AMBIENT:

Mandy McGarry wears spring fashion by Hot Topic, photographed Monday, March 16, 2009 at Windward Mall, part of the 2009 DisFunkShion show. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark II, EF 24-70 f2.8L at 50mm, Exposure mode: Manual, ISO 50, 1/200 @ f2.8, Daylight whitebalance.

MIX OF BOTH:

Marc McGarry wears spring fashion by Hot Topic, photographed Monday, March 16, 2009 at Windward Mall, part of the 2009 DisFunkShion show. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN, EF 16-35 f2.8L at 16mm, 580EX speedlite triggered with ST-E2, Exposure mode: Manual, ISO 50, 1/250 @f5.0, Daylight whitebalance.

Mixing it up allows the page designers plenty of variety, much like preparing a multi-course meal.  Situationally, shooting in the crowded mall is always a challenge.  Everyone is watching as you work.  Using the lights to isolate the subject eliminates the cluttered mall background.  For a few of the shots, I was looking for an urban look to match the clothing the models were wearing–that was as easy as wandering outside, around the corner, and into the service entrance alley!  After about 50 minutes of solid shooting and 6 different outfit changes, it was off to baseball.

Volunteers Randy Kawamoto, left, and Keith Sakoda are silhouetted in the smoke and morning sun as they flip a rack of hulihuli chicken during the Taste of Hongwanji Bazaar, Sunday, March 15, 2009 at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin in Nuuanu. Along with the hulihuli chicken, the bazaar featured Osaka Tako Balls and KC Waffle Dogs. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

I went to the Honpa Hongwanji’s food bazaar on Sunday and thought it was spot news!  Turns out, it was the smoke from the hulihuli chicken.  I had just thought about the position of the morning sun and assessed the surroundings when these two gentlemen started flipping the chickens over, one grill at a time.  Perfect timing!  A different take on hulihuli!

For those who aren’t aware yet, I’m a Tweeter now, so you all can follow me on assignment:

http://twitter.com/jammaquino

@jammaquino

Kamehameha's Chaz Bajet reacts after winning the 2009 Hawaiian Airlines HHSAA Boys Division I State Basketball Championship game between the Kamehameha Warriors and the Kahuku Red Raiders, Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Blaisdell Center Arena. Kamehameha won 47-45. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). With a long shot such as this, you can work to get several different compositional elements to give the picture a story--in this case, celebration and dejection in one frame.

Another long shot, isolating the emotion. Kahuku's Red Raiders hold their second place trophy after the 2009 Hawaiian Airlines HHSAA Boys Division I State Basketball Championship game between the Kamehameha Warriors and the Kahuku Red Raiders, Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Blaisdell Center Arena. Kamehameha won 47-45. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

And wide:

The Kailua Surfriders pile on in celebration after winning the 2009 Hawaiian Airlines HHSAA Boys Division II State Basketball Championship game between the Castle Knights and the Kailua Surfriders, Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Blaisdell Center Arena. Kailua won, capturing the 2009 Division II Boys Basketball title. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

The Kamehameha Warriors raise the championship trophy after winning the 2009 Hawaiian Airlines HHSAA Boys Division I State Basketball Championship game between the Kamehameha Warriors and the Kahuku Red Raiders, Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Blaisdell Center Arena. Kamehameha won 47-45. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Kamehameha's best jube came right after the game clock expired, which is why shooting long landed my best shots from this particular game.

Sometimes going wide and rushing in there gets me absolutely nothing, too.  It’s really a toss-up decision that I make right then and there.  I always have to be ready.

When hunting for wild art, usually we get in our car and drive to a particular area we have in mind.  For myself, I let curiosity be my GPS and just go where I think I’d go if I wasn’t working–be it a park or beach or vista point.  Often times, this produces a fruitful slice-of-life feature that I can file.  This past Friday, I drove for miles and miles and miles (sing The Who song along with me here)…miles and miles and miles.  To no avail!  I went through Kailua, Kaneohe, as far as Punaluu.  Crossed the Likelike, drove around Nuuanu, Makiki, Kakaako.  Nothing.  I haven’t had a day like this in a while, but let me assure you, days like this are part of the everyday challenges we have as photojournalists.  Another challenge?  Failing light. 

Like it or not, every minute passed is a minute less of sunlight.  I like to be optimistic and say every minute less of sunlight is a minute closer to achieving the golden silhouettes than can be made at the “golden hour.”  Now keep in mind that silhouettes can be cliché and quite boring if used frequently, so one must use their OWN VISION to make it interesting.  And so, with panic at my looming deadline and failing sunlight, I came away with this graphically appealing image Friday.  Have a great Sunday morning!

A woman pauses to admire the sunset as she is silhouetted through one of the three archways of the War Memorial Natatorium Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 in Waikiki. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 70-200 f2.8L @ 200mm, Manual exposure, ISO 160, 1/640 @ f11, daylight whitebalance

This past Sunday, I covered the Civil Union fiasco at the State Capitol.  A LOT of people, a LOT of red, so I figured I’d show you two of my faves from that assignment–one in color, and one in black and white.  Of course, for the newspaper, we always have to look for color, but as an individual visual journalist, I always like to look for both.  I liken it to the days when I was shooting film–one camera was loaded with color negative film, the other, Tri-X b/w.  It keeps assignments fresh when keeping this philosophy in mind.

COLOR:

I thought it was interesting that the portable toilets were also a noticeable RED like the hundreds of people who came out to support the rally against HB 444.

B/W:

Protesters cast shadows on the pavement along Beretania Street during a rally, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 at the State Capitol in protest of House Bill 444 against civil unions in Hawaii. The grit of black and white on a high-contrast image like this adds to the impact. With so many highlights and RED in many of my images from this assignment, I thought this was a fresh alternative. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

Sometimes–actually, let me rephrase that–OFTEN times, we have to make a portrait of someone with the following set of challenges:

-the subject is short on time

-I’m short on time

-the meeting place usually has little to no conduciveness to creative backgrounds or scenery

-the meeting place is a poorly lit gymnasium

-the subject has other things on their mind than providing you with a good photograph

-the meeting place is a poorly lit gymnasium

and lastly

-the meeting place is a poorly lit gymnasium

For all of my sports portraits, I almost always use strobes to light my subject.  It provides depth, dramatic contrast, and total control over the vision I have in my head.  By strobes, I mean just the regular flashes that you can attach to the camera…

..the TRICK is getting those flashes OFF camera.  For this portrait of Kaimuki pointguard David Taulung, I used just two Nikon SB-28 flashes fired with Pocket Wizard slaves to make him pop.

Using strobes off camera and even shooting INTO the camera provides for interesting effect and dramatic lighting, especially when juxtaposed with a peak action subject. Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 24-70 2.8L at 50mm, Exposure mode: Manual, ISO 100, 1/250 @f7.1, 2-Nikon SB-28 flashes, far one set to 1/4 power, close one set to 1/2 power with an umbrella, fired with Pocket Wizards

A mini motorcycle adds a sense of ironic scale to the Queen Mary 2 in the background, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009 at Sand Island Park. The Queen Mary 2, one of the largest cruiseliners in existence, made a stop in Honolulu as part of her voyage around the world. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

I had been assigned to shoot the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship yesterday, and I thought it’d be a good angle to shoot from Sand Island.  But what I came across was even more amusing–a pocket bike, was just parked on a concrete block, and the owner of the bike was fishing off the breakwater.  Hmm, huge ship, little bike–in one frame–how fun!

Spent Valentine’s Day shooting 5 hours of soccer, and was it exciting!  The first game, the Division II Championship between Kapaa and Hawaii Prep Academy, had some decent action, but my favorite frame from that game came afterwards–another testament that not all sports photographs have to be of peak action.  Emotion is equally if not more important.

Kapaa boys head coach Kevin Cram is doused with water by his players after winning the HHSAA Boys Division II State Soccer Championship game against Hawaii Prep Academy, 3-1, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park in Waipahu. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN, EF 16-35f2.8 at 16mm, Manual exposure, ISO 1600, 1/250 @f4.5, 4200K whitebalance.

Sometimes getting doused along with the coach gets you interesting waterspots on the lens that add to make a more picturesque photo.  That’s what happened above.  So on to the second game, the Division I game between Iolani and Mililani.  Again, I shot a lot of the game from above, as I mentioned in a previous post.  It also made me turn into a popsicle by the end of the night! 

This series of frames shows how much I use the motordrive. I rarely squeeze full automatic, and am very selective about shooting, despite being "digital" and not "wasting film." My philosophy is, the more shots on the card, the more you have to edit, and with this particular game running well past 9:30 pm--uh-uh. No way. Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400 f2.8, manual exposure, ISO 2500, 1/800 @ f2.8, 4200K whitebalance.

I had even better luck than the day before from up in the stands, and came away with this cool frame.

Mililani goal keeper Preston Miyashiro blocks a goal attempt by Iolani's Jordon Lee during second-half action of the HHSAA Boys Division I State Soccer Championship game between the Iolani Raiders and the Mililani Trojans, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park in Waipahu. Iolani won 5-2. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400 f2.8, Manual exposure, ISO 2500, 1/800 @ 2.8, 4200K Whitebalance.

Because of the tightness of the focal length, I was just panning with Iolani’s Jordon Lee, and then out of no where, Mililani’s Preston Miyashiro jumps into the frame to grab the ball!  Talk about surprise!  If you notice, the goal keeper is slightly blurred, even at 1/800 of a second.

I then moved down to field level as the time was winding down to get ready for jube and to capture some different action.

Mililani's Duke Batungbacal, left, and Iolani's Reid Sakamoto go for the header during second-half action of the HHSAA Boys Division I State Soccer Championship game between the Iolani Raiders and the Mililani Trojans, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park in Waipahu. Iolani won 5-2. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400f2.8, Manual exposure, ISO 2500, 1/800 @ 2.8, 4200K Whitebalance.

Mililani's Corey Nakagawa, top, and Iolani's Trevor Farm collide during second-half action of the HHSAA Boys Division I State Soccer Championship game between the Iolani Raiders and the Mililani Trojans, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park in Waipahu. Iolani won 5-2. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400f2.8, Manual exposure, ISO 2500, 1/1000 @ f2.8, 4200K whitebalance.

It had become apparent that Iolani’s Nick Goo was the spotlight of the game, having scored two key goals, so as the game clock wound down, I tracked him with the 400 mm lens and came up with a different jube photo.

Iolani's Nick Goo raises a finger in celebration after winning the HHSAA Boys Division I State Soccer Championship game between the Iolani Raiders and the Mililani Trojans, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park in Waipahu. Iolani won 5-2. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

Using long telephoto lenses like the 400 and even 300 mm wide open lends for some spectacular blur effect with subjects in the fore or background.  That’s what I did for the frame above, since Iolani’s color is red, I thought it’d be a nice, different approach, and a way to tell Goo’s story of the game.