Not Their Best Night

Last night was not a good night for the GOP. I was stationed at the Venetian, where local Republicans gathered to watch the election results come in on Fox News Channel. It was not a happy place by the end of the night. Never mind my own political leanings, it's never fun to watch people become upset and weep, and it's never easy to photograph. Most people were gracious and lovely to me last night, even though I work for the "liberal media" and was photographing them during their worst moment. I thank them for that.

The Lone Photographer

I enjoy being the only photographer at an event. I feel more free. I don't have to worry about what the other guys are getting. It's a time when I can really be myself as a photographer. I'm weird like that. Last month me and a reporter attended a National POW/MIA Day Ceremony at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Las Vegas. There was one television station there, but they got called away for breaking news before the ceremony began. I had the whole place to myself.

Come as You Are

For over four hours last Friday, I walked the streets of the Arts District with my cameras. I was hunting for not one thing, but the many little things that make up the monthly arts event First Friday. This month was First Friday's 10th anniversary. I find it hard to define the event, and therefore it's not easy to capture in less than a few photographs. There are gallery openings, a lively street fair, a food truck festival, and an arts and crafts fair. Performing artists, musicians, dancers and zombies also occupy the streets, shops, bars and galleries. It's a family scene, a drinking scene and an angsty teen scene. But most of all, it's a come as you are kind of scene that defies categorization. That's what I love most about First Friday.

Portraits of the 47 Percent

This is what the 47% look like.

I still love using my cheap little 50 1.4 lens for portraits. Just give me some window light and shallow depth of field, and I'm good to go.

These portraits were made for a J. Patrick Coolican column that ran last week, coinciding with Mitt Romney's campaign stop in Las Vegas.

From left is Ronald Gladstone, Zulma Pleitez and Pam Ford.

A Dog Gym

Johnny Tocco's Boxing Gym is the epitome of old school. It's gritty inside. It smells like 50 years of sweat. They don't use the air conditioner. Not because they don't have one, but because the fighters like it hot. I don't usually favor black and white photos for myself. I usually love the colors of the world. But for Tocco's I had to go black and white.

Please check out Kristen Peterson's Las Vegas Weekly story and see the photos in color here.