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Pictures for Radio: The end of an era

DRock — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:03:23 +0000

This year I spent the election season working for Minnesota Public Radio and following the DFL candidates, particularly 18-term U.S. Representative Jim Oberstar. The representative for Minnesota's 8th congressional district was as close to a sure thing in politics when it comes to getting reelected. He was also one of the most powerful members of Congress while chairing the House Transportation Committee. That chairmanship brought millions and millions of dollars to Minnesota infrastructure projects. Until this year, Oberstar had never garnered less than 59% of the vote, but this might have been the worst political climate for Democrats since he was first elected to the house in 1974.

Out of nowhere came a Republican upstart named Chip Cravaack. A retired Naval officer and Northwest Airlines pilot, Cravaack seized on Oberstar's votes for the bailout and health care reform and voters' discontent about the economy and made this a race unlike anything this part of Minnesota had ever seen. In the weeks before the election, the gap in the polls closed and race became a dead heat. A contentious debate in Duluth on October 19th revealed just how heated this race had become when supporters for both Cravaack and Oberstar often drowned out the candidates themselves with heckling and boos.

Then election day came. I was tasked to cover Oberstar's election party. People there were pretty enthusiastic and hopeful. Oberstar led for a vast majority of the night until about 2 a.m. when the polls tightened and lead switched back and forth. At 4 a.m., the Minnesota Secretary of State's office declared the race for Cravaack. There wasn't much going on at Oberstar's party considering he had left at 11 p.m. and at 230 a.m. when I left there were only 20 people left in the room--18 of which were media, one campaign manager who said he was not going to give a speech and one supporter who was asleep.

The next day Oberstar gave a moving concession speech where he refused to apologize for any of his votes, listed his favorite accomplishments and then thanked friends, family members and supporters before quietly slipping away. It was the end of an era for northern Minnesota.

Congressman Jim Oberstar speaks to a crowd of supporters Thursday evening at the Miners Memorial Building in Virginia, Minn.

Representative Tom Rukavina gets in a few fiery words before United States Congressman Jim Oberstar takes the mic during a DFL rally Thursday evening at the Miners Memorial Building in Virginia, Minn. On the right is United States Senator Amy Klobuchar.

District eight congressional candidate Chip Cravaack (2nd from left) listens to Congressman Jim Oberstar (2nd from right) talk about proposed cap-and-trade regulations Tuesday morning during a debate at the DECC auditorium in Duluth, Minn.

Chip Cravaack debates Congressman Jim Oberstar at the DECC auditorium in Duluth, Minn.

Claude Washington checks out the scene at the Jim Oberstar election party Tuesday evening at the Holiday Inn in Duluth, Minn. Washington's facepaint was part of a celebration of Mexico's Day of the Dead.

United States representative Jim Oberstar (left) and friend Kris Ridgewell (right) watch the first results come in for Oberstar's race against Chip Cravaack Tuesday evening at the Holiday Inn in Duluth, Minn.

From left: Scott Yeazle, Carrie Edwards, Cathy Schuyler and Claire Kirch watch election results come in on a television setup at the Jim Oberstar election party Tuesday evening at the Holiday Inn in Duluth, Minn.

United States representative Jim Oberstar (right) and his wife Jean Oberstar (left) talk to a crowd of supporters Tuesday evening at the Holiday Inn in Duluth, Minn. as election results continue to come in.

At 12:41 in the morning, Kelvin Covington was one of the last Jim Oberstar supporters awaiting results Wednesday morning at the Holiday Inn in Duluth, Minn.

Surrounded by friends, family and supporters, United States representative Jim Oberstar speaks to the media Wednesday afternoon at the Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building in Duluth, Minn.

United States representative Jim Oberstar begins to tear up while speaking to the media after being defeated by Republican challenger Chip Cravaack Wednesday afternoon at the Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building in Duluth, Minn.

United States representative Jim Oberstar hugs his wife Jean after speaking to media Wednesday afternoon at the Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building in Duluth, Minn. Oberstar had just been defeated by Republican challenger Chip Cravaack.

United States representative Jim Oberstar leaves the Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building in Duluth, Minn. after speaking to the media Wednesday afternoon. Oberstar had just been defeated by Republican challenger Chip Cravaack.

Hey you guys!! Holy Mary Mother of God, Look at that… the tall ships are coming!!!

DRock — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:19:35 +0000

A couple of weekends ago, an armada of tall ships descended upon Duluth for the Tall Ships Duluth festival. I photographed their arrival for the Duluth News Tribune and Minnesota Public Radio. Throughout their time here, I could not stop thinking of various "Goonies" phrases. The two that came to mind the most were Sloth's infamous "Hey you guys!!!" and the Sheriff remarking "Holy Mary Mother of God, Look at that..." at the end of the movie when One-Eyed Willie's ship finally finds the open sea.

The event was a big deal for the city. Two years ago, three tall ships came to Duluth and so did an estimated 125,000 people to see them. Many waited hours in line to get a tour and if you weren't in line by 10 a.m., chances are you weren't getting on the ship. At one point, the line to tour the ships stretched over a mile. The problem was much less of an issue this year since there were nine ships instead of three.

During their five days in Duluth, they were the talk of the town. Whether it was the traffic, the crowds in Canal Park or the constant reminders of one of cinema's greatest movies of all time in the Goonies, the tall ships left an impression on everyone.

The U.S. Brig Niagara sails through the Duluth ship canal toward the Aerial Lift Bridge during the start of the Tall Ships Duluth festival.

James Smith reaches for some oil to apply to the Pride of Baltimore's mast while the entire crew performed general maintenance on the ship ahead of Duluth, Minnesota's tall ships festival. The ship was docked at Loon's Foot Landing in Superior, Wisc.

Chief Mate Alan Morse sands near the bow of the Pride of Baltimore II while it was docked at Loon's Foot Landing in Superior, Wisc.

People get out their cameras and photograph the Pride of Baltimore II as it sails through the Duluth ship canal toward the Aerial LIft Bridge.

The U.S. Brig Niagara approaches the Aerial Lift Bridge through the Duluth ship canal during the start of the Tall Ships Duluth festival.

People line the roof of the Paulucci Building before the start of the Tall Ships Duluth festival.

The U.S. Brig Niagara approaches the Duluth ship canal on its way toward the Aerial Lift Bridge during the start of the Tall Ships Duluth festival.

Helicopters fly by the U.S. Brig Niagara during its entry under the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minn.

The HMS Bounty sails under the Aerial Lift Bridge during the start of the Tall Ships Duluth festival. The HMS Bounty was in the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead's Man Chest."

Lili Carranza (left) uses her brother Jack Carranza (right) as a prop for taking a photo of the approaching HMS Bounty as it neared the Aerial Lift Bridge during the start of the Tall Ships Duluth festival.

Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge can be seen behind the sails and masts of the U.S. Brig Niagara during the Tall Ships Duluth festival in Duluth, Minn.

Pictures for Radio: A fishy week

DRock — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:31:06 +0000

It's been a busy few weeks here. The wedding season is ramping up and I've been chasing fish all over the state for Minnesota Public Radio. I'm really enjoying doing work for MPR as it keeps me doing a lot of work similar to what I did when I was at the Duluth News Tribune. Don't get me wrong, I love shooting weddings, but photojournalism is what got me into photography and I love being in on the action so it's fun to be back in that role again.

Two Fridays ago, I was in Bemidji as Native Americans waged a protest agains the state of Minnesota restricting their off-reservation fishing rights. It's a long-standing feud and culminated that Friday with the Natives dropping fishing nets into Lake Bemidji a day before the fishing opener in violation of state law and DNR policy. The DNR showed up, cut and confiscated the nets, which led to a lot of rallying, angry rhetoric and the promise of court battles and more protests.

A week later I was back to some familiar territory. When I was working for the Duluth News Tribune, I went down to the base of the Fond du Lac dam on the St. Louis River in far west Duluth as DNR biologists and officers worked to rehabilitate the sturgeon population in the western end of the Lake Superior watershed. After a winter where hundreds of huge boulders were strategically placed in the stream around the base of the dam to promote sturgeon spawning, the plan appears to be attracting new sturgeon and I really hoped this was the year I actually got to see one of these prehistoric fish. I was not to be disappointed. Before lunch, they had captured, scanned and tagged more than 10 fish varying in weights up to 50+ pounds and lengths near five feet. Fully grown, these fish can grow to be 100+ pounds, over six feet long and can live 150+ years. Despite all this, they didn't seem to get smarter with age as DNR officers were able to scoop them out of the water with relative ease. The project is ongoing and the DNR has yet to find any sign of spawning, but the sturgeon are just reaching reproductive age so that moment may come at any time.

A link to the story can be found here while MPR's audio piece can be heard below...

The first nine images deal with the sturgeon assignment while the last six deal with the protest in Bemidji.

Nick Frohnauer surveys the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam for sturgeon in Duluth, Minn. Frohnauer is the Minnesota DNR's assistant area supervisor.

Nick Frohnauer (left) points toward the position of a sturgeon while Josh Blankenheim (right) looks for a way to net the fish while surveying the St. Louis River in front of the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn. Blankenheim is a Minnesota DNR fishery specialist.

Josh Blankenheim scoops a fish out of the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn

A sturgeon awaits testing inside the net of Minnesota DNR fishery specialist Josh Blankenheim along the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn.

Josh Blankenheim (left) and Nick Frohnauer (right) survey the St. Louis River in front of the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn.

Josh Blankenheim (left) scans a sturgeon for a marker while the fish is held by Nick Frohnauer (right) along the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn. The two would measure, weigh and scan the fish to see if they had already been tagged. If they had already been tagged, the scanner would find the tag and record information, but if no tag was found, they would tag the fish before releasing it back into the river.

A sturgeon is held down while being scanned for a tag along the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn. The Minnesota DNR was checking up on the sturgeon population near the dam while efforts continue to restock this area and western Lake Superior with sturgeon.

Nick Frohnauer (left) and Josh Blankenheim (right) prepare to weigh a sturgeon that was capture in the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn.

Josh Blankenheim (left) surveys the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam for sturgeon in Duluth, Minn.

Josh Blankenheim (left) and John Lindgren (right) work to restrain a sturgeon while scanning it for a tag along the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam in Duluth, Minn. This particular sturgeon was nearly five feet long and weighed almost 50 pounds. Lindgren is a Minnesota DNR biologist.

Luther Aadland (right), river ecologist with the Minnesota DNR, scuba dives in the St. Louis River near the Fond du Lac dam looking for signs of sturgeon spawning in Duluth, Minn.

And now for the Bemidji Fishing Protest Images...

Aaron White Sr. (2nd from left, hat on) gets into his boat with a little help from Sandy Nichols (left) at the Lake Bemidji waterfront park in Bemidji, Minn. The two were going out to drop fishing nets to demonstrate their off-reservation fishing rights in protest against the state of Minnesota.

Sandy Nichols (left), Aaron White Jr. (front) and Aaron White Sr. (back, red shirt) survey Lake Bemidji waterfront park after White Sr. and Nichols came ashore after dropping fishing nets to demonstrate their off-reservation fishing rights in protest against the state of Minnesota in Bemidji, Minn.

American Indian Movement member Keith Loussier of the Red Lake Nation has Dennis Banks, founder of the American Indian Movement, reflected in his sunglasses while Banks speaks before getting in a canoe to drop fishing nets in a demonstration of their his off-reservation fishing rights in protest against the state of Minnesota in Bemidji, Minn.

Aaron White Sr. (left) and Tuffy Isham (left) are confronted by a Minnesota conservation officer over fishing nets White Sr. dropped into Lake Bemidji during a protest over off-reservation fishing rights.

Aaron White Sr. (2nd from left) points to a Minnesota conservation officer after the officer cut his fishing lines in Lake Bemidji. White Sr. was joined by Tuffy Isham (far right) in a protest over off-reservation fishing rights.

Aaron White Sr. holds up a net that he says was cut by a Minnesota conservation officer in Lake Bemidji during a protest over off-reservation fishing rights in Bemidji, Minn.

Pictures for Radio: Wolves from the air

DRock — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:06:52 +0000

One of the cool things about being a photographer is that one day you could be sitting in your office editing wrestling photos and the next up in the air shooting packs of wolves from a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources aircraft. That's just what happened this last week.

Minnesota Public Radio contacted me to shoot pictures of a Wisconsin DNR pilot who tracks radio-collared wolves for a story about continuing efforts to get wolves delisted from federal protection. Farmers and hunters have been complaining for a few years now that the wolf population in this part of the country is starting to get out of hand and this year saw a record number of wolves (16) killed and those were only the ones that were found so that number is just a fraction of how many were probably killed. This sounded like a cool assignment, but I was worried we would only see one wolf at a time or that the woods would be so dense that it would be impossible to see them from up in the sky. I was so wrong on both accounts.

Now I'd be lying if I said I didn't have the wolfpack scene from "The Hangover" playing over and over again in my head. I just love that movie. Anyway, back to my story. The wolves have a radio collar attached to them and the pilot, Phil Miller, used a GPS tracking system that beeps when the airplane gets closer to the animals. When the beeping really picks up, it's time to start looking on the ground for the animal, which can be tough when the woods are thick. The first animal, a lone wolf, took about five minutes to find. We located him sitting just off to the side of a deer stand. It was too thick to photograph so we moved onto the next group.

This was the first of two packs we would see on the day and it would be the biggest. We flew a few minutes before the GPS started beeping again. We saw one wolf then another and another and another and this kept going until it stopped at 11. This was the pack I was hoping would be out in the middle of a lake or out in the open, but they still remained in fairly dense forest. The third and fourth pictures are from this pack and the fourth one demonstrates just how hard it was at times to find these animals if you weren't already locked onto their location.

So after circling them for 10 minutes shooting pictures and freezing the face of Minnesota Public Radio reporter Bob Kelleher from my need to open the window of the plane to shoot pictures, we decided to move on. This third radio-collared animal was supposed to be part of a group of nine wolves. And with this, my hopes and dreams for the assignment came true as we came upon a beaver pond and five of the wolves were walking and lounging around in the middle. No trees to obstruct, no bushes to get in the way. It was a perfect setting and with fresh snow, the tracks the wolves made were quite visible as well, which just added to the photos. We spent about 15 minutes circling these guys before we left to track two more radio-collared animals. After that, I took some pictures of Bob at the controls before watching the last radio-collared wolf trot along a snowmobile path.

I had never seen a wolf in the wild and after reading what one did to a woman's dog in Ely, I don't think I'd want to either. You can find out what happened to that woman's dog by clicking here and reading Minnesota Public Radio's story about the flight and efforts to delist the wolves. I hope you have as good a time looking at these pictures as I did taking them. One thing for all you people out there that I learned from this trip... Dramamine will knock you out. I thought I might need some because of all the banking, spinning and twisting the pilot needed to do to get a good look at the wolves, but I didn't get sick and all it did was make me nod off in the middle of conversations with Mr. Kelleher on the way back. Sorry Bob! Anyway, on to the photos!

Not always fun and games

DRock — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:23:55 +0000

The last two days have found me shooting two very different types of assignments. Yesterday I was hiking all over some gorgeous trails overlooking Lake Superior and today I found myself shooting an armed standoff just a few blocks from my apartment. Two very different assignments. When I was a full-time journalist, these two events could be a microcosm of how many of my days went. Some days would see me shooting ballet and then I'd be off to shoot skateboarders. The next day I could be photographing a star football player and then have to leave to shoot people smoking in a bar for a story on an upcoming smoking ban. That was what made the job awesome--you didn't know what to expect every day you came to work.

In a way, nothing has changed. I had no idea this morning that I'd get a call to cover a standoff, but I did and I'm glad I did. It was fun to see many of my old colleagues who had braved freezing cold nights with me covering other standoffs or had passed me on the sidelines at a soccer game. Today, I got to revisit those days for about five hours as a man suspected in an early morning murder in west Duluth was holed up in a house just a few blocks from where I live.

I got there around 10am and soon after they were sending in the armored personnel carrier and so I thought things were going to go down quickly. I was wrong. The police talked throughout the morning and afternoon with the suspect over the phone. Around 1pm, law enforcement officers pushed all the spectators and the media back about a block from the scene. Lucky for me, I brought my 300mm f/2.8 and 1.4x extender to the scene, which gave me a pretty decent focal length for where I was shooting from. This was a residential neighborhood so there were a ton of obstructions between my location and the scene. There was a very small opening where I could see the action, but it required me getting down on my stomach and shooting with the 300mm lens positioned on top of my camera. At that point, it was wait and wait and wait...

Fortunately for everyone, around 3pm the suspect surrendered peacefully and everyone left in one piece. Two days. Two very different assignments.

Law enforcement officers approach the house where a suspect in a west Duluth murder was holed up.

Law enforcement officers jump off an armored personal carrier after arriving in front of a house where a suspect in a west Duluth murder was holed up.

The suspect is taken into custody.

Cheryl White, the mother of the suspect, looks toward the squad car where law enforcement took her son after a long standoff ended.