Bicycling around Washington DC
She waited for the light to turn, the setting sun casting a long shadow in front of her.
Nineteen seconds, eighteen seconds, seventeen seconds….
The crosswalk light counted down the time left before plodding pedestrians would start annoying drivers. She usually ran through low-trafficked intersections like this when she was on her bike. Something told her to wait out this light.
Thirteen seconds, twelve seconds, eleven seconds….
No oncoming cars. No people. Just a lone bicyclist heading north. Even from this distance it was easy to see he rode a bike with ridiculously large handlebars, the kind that should have pink streamers flowing out of them. He looked like he belonged at the beach: no helmet, open shirt, flip flops. She wondered what he cradled in his right arm. Dinner? Books?
Five seconds, four seconds….
She looked at him. He looked at her. They locked eyes and smiled.
One second….
American University journalism students blog about….me
One of the things I love almost as much as creating stories, taking pictures and shooting video is teaching. As one of my professor friends says, teaching is not only a way to impart knowledge but a way for a piece of you to live on in your students – and in the world – after you’re gone. A good teacher and his or her lessons will stay with you forever.
This is all just a long-winded and slightly sentimental way for me to say that I had a blast teaching photojournalism and Photoshop basics today at American University’s School of Communication journalism boot camp for new journalism grad students. All three dozen students are required to blog about each day of boot camp like it’s a news story, which means there are pictures and more pictures (a funny one here) and video and word stories and bits of written stories about….me.
I felt so weird being on the other side of the camera/video camera/microphone (though it’s not the first time.) Right at the start of class there was this funny, paparazzi-like moment when seven or eight students stood up almost in unison to take pictures of me talking. My first thought was: whoa! My second thought was: at least they’re standing up instead of sitting down to take this picture! And now, having seen the pictures and the video of me talking, my third thought is: I need to improve my posture. Ha!
Anyway, the students were all fantastic. They asked a ton of good questions, especially about photojournalism ethics. The few students I had the chance to talk with one-on-one are thoughtful and hopeful about the stories they’ll be telling during grad school. I’m heartened to see so many eager people entering the profession, especially at such a difficult time in the industry. I hope I’ll run into them all again someday.
Urban gardening in DC
I knew I had to meet Ed Bruske, a pretty well-known urban gardener here in Washington DC, when I read a short bio of him that said he was “in the process of turning his front yard into an edible landscape.” An edible landscape! Just what would that look like in the middle of the city?
This morning I had the pleasure of finding out. Since 2005, Ed has raised vegetables, herbs and flowers in his front yard. This summer’s crop includes beans, tomatoes, garlic, okra and kale. “You can grow just about anything in the city and that may come as a surprise to people,” he said. “The vegetables and fruits that we grow don’t know where they are. They don’t really care. As long as they’re getting enough sun and enough nutrients out of the soil, they’re perfectly happy.” Neighbors haven’t always been happy about his mini farm in the city (“embarrassing” and a “feeding ground” for rats are just two descriptions posted by a commenter on Ed’s blog in 2007). But he said sentiment has recently been more positive, especially since Michelle Obama planted a White House garden.
Ed said his garden was the catalyst for a lifestyle change for him, his wife and his nine-year-old daughter. The family recycles or composts almost everything. Ed even collects his neighbors’ grass clippings and fallen leaves for the compost pile. In one week the family sometimes doesn’t throw away enough refuse to fill a kitchen-size trash bag. “We’re deeply involved and conscious now of where the things that we consume go and changed our lifestyle accordingly.”
The garden and the lifestyle changes that have come with it remind Ed of his childhood in the suburbs of Chicago, where his father tended rhubarbs, strawberries and tomatoes in their backyard. “I have those actual memories of being a kid with a salt shaker, sitting in the tomato patch, eating tomatoes fresh off the vine. Those memories were kind of vivid to me and this [the garden] kind of brought it back.”
(An aside for the photographers/videographers out there reading this: Earlier in the morning, I was just pulling my cameras out of my bag and missed a shot of Ed eating tomatoes fresh off his own vines. He didn’t do it again the whole time I followed him before our formal interview. Then Ed told me this vignette about being a kid and eating tomatoes and I was even more bummed I missed the tomato shot. I only hoped it would happen again. In my last ten minutes with Ed, I shadowed him around the compost pile and through the garden and you can imagine how thrilled I felt when he reached out and ate a couple small tomatoes off his vine. This time I was ready with my video camera. The lesson? Patience, patience, patience; humans are repetitive beings. Especially when tasty tomatoes are involved.)
What a great morning! I’m definitely not a green thumb but I feel inspired to try growing a plant or two at home. A big thanks to Ed for sharing his time, his garden and his knowledge with me.
Some one like you
Some one like you makes the heart seem the lighter,
Some one like you makes the day’s work worth while,
Some one like you makes the sun shine the brighter,
Some one like you makes a sigh half a smile.
-from the poem “Some One Like You” by James W. Foley
Women Photojournalists of Washington (WPOW)
I’m treasurer of this pretty awesome and inspiring group called the Women Photojournalists of Washington. We held our quarterly membership meeting this past Sunday.
Top picture: Jenna Isaacson Pfueller listens to our panelists talk about balancing work and family.
Middle picture: Our speakers were (left to right) Karen Kasmauski, Juana Arias, Mary Calvert, Annie Griffiths Belt, Aude Guerrucci and Barbara Salisbury.
Bottom picture: Our meetings are fun!
Flying!
Just another day in DC: here I am flying over 9th & H St. this morning. (Photograph by Leslie Sargent)
Leslie and I had a FANTASTIC time at Trapeze School today! I felt like I was back in my competitive gymnast days. Our 10-person class started with a 15-minute primer on how to hold the metal bar and the importance of listening to directions. Then, just like that, we were climbing up to the 23-foot high trapeze platform one at a time to swing and flip. The scariest part was leaning off the platform to grab the bar. An instructor held on to my safety belt while I reached for the bar. Then he said, “Ready….hep!” and I jumped off. Wheeeee! I’m not sure what I’m doing in the picture above: either getting ready to pull my legs up so I can hang or getting ready to do a back flip dismount. I regret that I didn’t bring one of my professional cameras. Next time I will. Yes, I’m going back!
(Photographs below, from top: Leslie reaching for the bar, me after being caught, the catcher.)
Helping the helpless
Project Bangladesh from Laura Elizabeth Pohl on Vimeo.
This is a video I filmed and created from my February trip with Project Bangladesh. Watching this reminds me of the great people I met, the wonderful things I learned and the interesting experiences I had on this trip. (You can see some past posts about Bangladesh here, here and here.
Jen and Josh – married!
While photographing Jen and Josh’s small wedding near the Jefferson Memorial yesterday, I have to admit I teared up a bit. From the moment these two chatted at a work happy hour last summer, they wanted to spend every moment together, listening to each other and learning more about each other. Jen’s independence, energy and athleticism appealed to Josh. Josh, meanwhile, came as a complete surprise to Jen; I think she might have described him as coming out of left field. Their love is palpable.
After the ceremony, Jen, Josh and I cruised around downtown DC in a 1963 Bentley – a sweet ride for sure – taking pictures in front of the Washington Monument and the Capitol. (The last picture in this blog post, the one of them leaning against the car, is one of my favorites from the day.) They just couldn’t stop laughing and smiling at each other! Every once in a while some tourist or passerby would start humming the Wedding March, which of course caused more laughter and smiling.
Jen and Josh held their reception dinner at the Tabard Inn, near Dupont Circle. Let me tell you this place is a photographer’s dream. It’s elegant with beautiful colors, interesting decorations and tons of natural light. The staff is friendly and accommodating. From now on I’ll be recommending the Tabard to brides and grooms looking for a cozy reception site.
Thanks for letting me be part of your day, Jen and Josh. Have fun in Italy and talk to you when you’re back!
Memorial Day at Arlington Cemetery
Mike Lefcheck (right), a Marine veteran from Michigan and head of the 40&8 Voiture 1153, comes to Arlington Cemetery every year to give away American flags on Memorial Day. He hoped that this year, he and his fellow 40&8 members would be able to hand out more than the 10,000 flags they passed out last Memorial Day.
Waiting for Obama to arrive for a speech at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Perfect
DC has been incredibly beautiful these past two days, deliciously warm and sparkly and clear, like life is perfect.
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio, was once an industrial boomtown, but since factories started closing in the 1960s and 1970s, the city has been in decline. This abandoned house is in the ninth emptiest neighborhood in the United States. My co-workers warned me not to walk around these areas, but I felt safe on this street because every single house was empty. It was eerily quiet and sad.
Just something amusing I saw in Dayton’s Oregon District: fraternal twins.
A penny saved is a penny earned
Tonight I continued working on my story about Leslie, the woman who collects change she finds on the street. After more than two years of doing this, she’s got her search method down pat.
- Walk near parking meters, street curbs and bus stops; people are likely to drop change there and not have time to pick it up.
- When scanning dirt, look for something perfectly round since “nothing in nature is perfectly round,” she says.
- Be willing to step out in traffic but remember to watch for oncoming cars.
As a photographer I consider myself a fairly observant and aware person but I’m telling you, Leslie has hawk eyes. There were times she’d yelp in delight over spying a penny and I wouldn’t see it until she held it in her hand. Clearly, this is an acquired skill.
Leslie’s intake this evening: 32 cents. Plus, I found a penny, too! I have to admit I was pretty excited.
Happy birthday, Mom!
Mom….my most loyal blog reader, the only person who calls to check if I’m eating more than cereal for dinner, the one who worries (or gets annoyed) if I don’t answer my cell phone on the first ring, the woman who instilled in me a moral conviction and an adventurous attitude….happy birthday!
I’m speaking at Georgetown U. tonight!
The Friendship Bridge spans the Yalu River from Dandong, China, to Sinuiju, North Korea
Just a friendly reminder that I’ll be speaking at Georgetown University tonight as part of the panel “Crossing Over: A Dialogue with North Korean Defectors.” I’ll kick off the event with my photo essay on North Korean refugees adjusting to life in South Korea, a project I completed with a Fulbright grant. Hope to see you tonight!
WHEN: Thursday, April 30, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
WHERE: Georgetown University, Car Barn Building, 3520 Prospect St NW, 4th Floor Student Lounge
COST: Free!
New York in the dark
Last week I had a wonderful time in New York, but who doesn’t? I caught up with friends, ate great food and got inspired at F5. More about that later. For now, here are some pictures from my visit.
“Ladies” – the Roseland Ballroom
Tulips in Columbus Circle
Times Square ice cream
Public art
What do you talk about with cab drivers?
I rarely take cabs, but when I do, it’s usually because I’m loaded down with camera and video equipment. Inevitably, the cab driver asks me if I’m a photographer, which leads to him (and it’s always a him) asking me about what lens he should be using or what went wrong when he took this one picture or “please explain again about the inverse relationship between the f-stop number and the amount of light coming into the camera.” (This last one was from a cab driver a few weeks ago).
I love these conversations! In a small way, these men let me inside their lives. I learn something about them that other passengers – at least, those passengers not lugging around a tripod and lighting gear and cameras – might never know. I help these men learn a little bit more about photography, which I love, of course! And I get reminded that everyone has lives and interests outside of work; sometimes this is hard to remember since what we do for money tends to define who we are in society.
Today I waited and waited in the cold rain for a cab to take me from near my office in downtown DC up to American University, where I was slated to talk about and help students edit multimedia projects. (Thanks for having me, Angie!) Finally, an empty cab pulled up to the curb. At first the driver mistook my tripod, in its black bag, for a violin. Once we established I work as a photographer and videographer, his eyes lit up. “I’m working on a project with all my old VHS videos,” he said with a slight Caribbean accent. He launched into the story of his latest endeavor: digitizing his collection, stripping the sound from his many videos and replacing the sound with music.
We talked about software options. I finally recommended Final Cut Express. He said the price seemed reasonable and the tools seemed powerful. I wanted to ask him about the videos and why he’s undertaking this huge project but I didn’t get the chance. We arrived at my destination. “Good luck with the videos!” I said as I climbed out of the cab and scrambled to gather my stuff in the rain. “Thanks for your help!” he called back. I hope his project works out.
I’ll be speaking at Georgetown U. about North Korean defectors
I’m excited and honored to be part of a Georgetown University panel discussion on Thursday, April 30, about North Korea and North Korean defectors.
Of course North Korea is in the news right now – as it often is – due to its long-range missile tests. Other popular news stories concern its nuclear weapons posturing, Kim Jong-Il, the mass games and defectors crossing the North Korean border to China. One topic that gets lost amidst all these more sensational stories is what happens to people who leave North Korea, hide in China for a bit and then come to South Korea? What are these peoples’ lives like? Now’s your chance to find out.
I’ll open the discussion at 6:30 pm with my photo essay on two North Korean women adjusting to life in Seoul. Then Kim Young-il and Han Young-jin, two defectors, will talk about their lives and take questions from the audience. This is sure to be an incredibly interesting evening, so come on out. We’ll be at 3520 Prospect St. NW in the Carbarn Building, 4th floor student lounge. For more information, check out this flyer or just leave a comment here.
Blossoming
It’s spring in DC, which means one thing: cherry blossoms! Seems half the East Coast descended upon the city today to walk amongst these beautiful pink flowers. My mom and dad came up for a visit from Virginia, and the three of us braved the 30 mph winds and the huge crowds, though looking at these pictures you might think we had the whole place to ourselves! My dad said he felt like he was walking through snowdrifts except all the snow was permanently suspended above us. It was gorgeous!
Ummm….I won!
I’m not a bragger but I have to share the good news! The photograph above will be exhibited at the Newseum along with 99 other winning pictures from the Fotobama photography contest. It will also be published in a book later this year. I’m excited!
I made this picture right after the “We Are One” concert, which was the Saturday Sunday before Inauguration Day. For just a moment, several people in the crowd turned to stare at the snipers on top of the Old Executive Office Building at 17th St. and E St.
I like this picture, yet I have to admit I’m not sure why the judges picked it over the other two photographs I entered in the contest. This has pleasing light. A subtle moment. A curiosity factor, for sure. Maybe I’ll understand better when I attend the opening reception in early May. Perhaps this picture works well with the other winning pictures to tell the story of President Obama’s election and inauguration?
Anyway….yippeee! And don’t let me forget a big THANKS to Allison for helping me edit my contest entry!
Pennies from heaven
How many times have you seen a penny or a dime on the ground and not picked it up? If you’re like me, probably hundreds of times, which means we’ve passed up hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars in free money during our lifetimes!
Leslie, an awesome woman I met when she modeled for a photo shoot I recently did, never passes up a penny. In fact, she tells me she can see them stuck at the bottom of street grates (more about that in a minute), melted into summer streets and buried in dirt. In December 2006, Leslie made a New Year’s resolution to pick up all the change she found lying around. She collected $76.80 in found money in 2007, $148.48 in 2008 and she’s up to $28.33 for 2009. She’s got friends and family giving her their found money for the penny project, as she calls it; sometimes they even text her when they find change in the street: QUARTER! When she tells strangers about her project, they remember; one man she met at a business conference recently mailed her a penny he found.
“This has changed the way I live my life,” she said. “When I’m going somewhere, I can take the bus…or I can walk and probably find pennies. To me, the application to real life is, how many small good things in your life are you overlooking?”
I love this attitude about life! Which is why I’ve started a story on Leslie and her pennies. She wants to use the money she collects to start a non-profit organization that teaches financial literacy to kids or helps military veterans (she’s a West Point graduate). We’re going to hang out again soon so I can witness her eagle eye for loose change. She told me she once crouched over a shallow street grate, chopsticks in hand, to fish out $1.83 she saw in there.
(P.S. The cat picture at the end has nothing do with this story. I just like the photograph!)
Tweeting on Twitter
No idea what my blog post title means? Then skim through this and check out my friend Kelly‘s flirtation with tweeting. Like her, I follow certain people on Twitter. It’s fun! But I’m not yet convinced it’s for me. Do I really have anything that interesting and pithy to say to the world several times a day? As I recall, this is actually the way I felt about Facebook. Until I joined last year and suddenly found myself planted in front of my laptop at all hours of the day and night, reading long-ago friends’ status updates and their friends’ friends wall posts and their friends’ friends’ 25 random thoughts. I never knew I had so much free time…
(Above: That's me photographing while snowshoeing through a snowstorm. Picture by