St. Paddy’s Day Parade 2010! (3.20.10)

welcome to one of the biggest events of the year for Jackson, MS!

the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade was started way back in the long ago times of 1982 by Malcolm White, co-owner of Hal and Mal’s and current head of the Mississippi Arts Commission.

since that year, it’s only gotten bigger and better.  from Sweet Potato Queens to Rude Boys, many Krewes march in it every year.

and every year, all the money for the entry fees goes to the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children.

this year, a new Krewe made an appearance…

a motley collection of Jackson Creatives, from the head honchos of the  Jackson Free Press, to artists and models and photographers and singer/songwriters and graphic designers and fashion stylists and anyone else crazy enough to throw on something green and walk the walk with us.

MC’d by Josh Hailey (of Josh Hailey Studios), the TOO LIVE KREWE took to the streets!

Madness?!

NO!

THIS!

IS!

JACKSON!

“Sense” Photoshoot (8.30.09)

so, back in august of last year i was invited (or did i ask? see, this is why i shouldn’t wait so long to make these posts. i start to forget the little details) but, however it happened, i found myself being the set photographer for a short film called “Sense” that was written and being directed by my friend Beth Kander.

(and she’ll also be starring in a short called “Shock” that’s being written and directed by Chris Spears and produced by Nina Parikh and will be premiering at this year’s Crossroads Film Festival on April 17th.)

anyway, back to “Sense” 😉

i think being on the set of anything being filmed is one of the best examples of controlled chaos and hurry up and wait i know.  make-up, getting the camera angles you want, making sure the sound sounds right, getting the set quiet, yelling “action!”, getting the shot, yelling “cut!”, repeat until you get it done.

i dig it

“Sense” was filmed inside and outside of Fondren Corner.

First Lady Michelle Obama @ Brinkley Middle School (3.3.10)

so i noticed, early last week, that First Lady Michelle Obama was going to be coming to Jackson, MS as part of her Let’s Move campaign.  She was going to be visiting two of our local schools with Gov. Haley Barbour and his wife Marsha Barbour (who’s really been the main one spearheading a healthier mississippi with her Let’s Go Walkin’ Mississippi campaign)

i remember thinking “wow, sure would be great to get a chance to photograph her. ah well, not even sure how to make that happen” and i went back to doing whatever it was i was doing.  jump to the next day and i’m dropping off some photos to lacey up at the JFP and i notice a print out of the same news article i read lying on a desk and i mention “yeah, the First Lady is coming to jackson” and lacey says (and i’m paraphrasing here) “yeah, we’re trying to see if we can get in to see her.  oh, would you be free wednesday to shoot some photos for us of her if we can arrange it?”

“uh, yes.”

“ok, i’ll email you the details.”

and that is how i found myself up at Brinkley Middle School at 9am (had to get there early to be pre-screened by the Secret Service) watching the controlled chaos unfold as i waited (with all the other press people) to see/photograph the First Lady.