Archive for February, 2011
The Rose and the King February 25th, 2011
In a game that featured MVP caliber players Derrick Rose, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James it was Luol Deng that delivered a dagger to the Heat tonight. It was Deng’s three-pointer gave the Bulls the lead with 16 seconds to play and LeBron was taking his talents back to South Beach tonight.
2/24/11 Chicago,IL Joakim Noah (13) of the Chicago Bulls and LeBron James (6) dunks against the Miami Heat at the United Center in Chicago on Feb. 24, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media 2/24/11 Chicago,IL LeBron James (6) of the Miami Heat dunks the ball versus the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago on Feb. 24, 2011. The Bulls won 93-89 over the Heat. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/24/11 Chicago,IL Kyle Korver (26) of the Chicago Bulls wrestles for the ball with Dwyane Wade (3) of the Miami Heat at the United Center in Chicago on Feb. 24, 2011. The Bulls won 93-89 over the Heat. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/24/11 Chicago,IL Luol Deng (9) of the Chicago Bulls makes a leaping basket after beating LeBron James (6) of the Miami Heat at the United Center in Chicago on Feb. 24, 2011. The Bulls won 93-89 over the Heat. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media 2/24/11 Chicago,IL Derrick Rose (1) of the Chicago Bulls reacts after making a basket to put the Bulls up in the 4th quarter against the Miami Heat at the United Center in Chicago on Feb. 24, 2011. The Bulls won 93-89 over the Heat. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
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3 Ring Cicrus February 21st, 2011
Over two days, 29.5 hours, 6,470 clicks, 31.89 gigs, 341 miles, all for 106 photos uploaded to the Sun-Times. Throw in a few more than a few $2 tall-boys, two midnight pizzas, and you got IHSA Wrestling State Finals by the numbers. My fellow S-T shooter, Michael R. Schmidt and I had a blast, and got most of the 84 kids that were requested of us to photograph for all the Sun-Times papers.
I’m not such a big fan of wrestling, but there are always some great faces.
2/19/11 Champaign,IL Fenwick's coaches Jerry, right, and Chris Ruffino watch Matt Garelli wrestles Jordan Northrup of Macheseny Park in the Class 3A 103-pound lb. championship at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 19, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media 2/19/11 Champaign,IL Fenwick's Matt Garelli jumps into the arms of his coach Jerry Ruffino after beating Jordan Northrup of Macheseny Park in the Class 3A 103-pound lb. championship at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 19, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/19/11 Champaign,IL Reed-Custer's Trent Lyons wrestles Jake Snow of Newman Central Catholic in the Class 1A 112-pound lb. championship at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 19, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
Derek Elmore of Harlem reacts after beating Mech Spraggins, of Bellville West, in the IHSA class 3A 119-lb class.
2/19/11 Champaign,IL Stevenson's head coach Shane Cook lifts up his assistant coach Josh Hjorth after their wrestler Danny Sabatello beat Eddie Klimara of Providence Catholic in the Class 3A 125-pound lb. championship at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 19, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/19/11 Champaign,IL Montini's Stephen Robertson, right, lays on the mat after being beat by Joey Kielbasa of Crystal Lake Central in the Class 2A 152-pound lb. championship at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 19, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/19/11 Champaign,IL Glenbard North's Joey Gosinski celebrates after beating Drew Bates of Lyons Township in the Class 3A 130-pound lb. championship at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 19, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
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the underdog February 19th, 2011
Granite City’s Jake Gregerson nearly won a state championship as a freshman. He was 46-2 coming into today’s state quarterfinal as a senior. One of the best wrestlers in the state.
I was photographing the mat across from this match, just an ordinary quarterfinal. With seconds remaining in the match Mundelein’s Payton Cruz pinned Gergerson, who was regarded as a favorite to win the 135-pound class. In an instant the entire arena became focused on this one match. One of six going simultaneously. Head coach Tom Buenik, who was himself a state champion twenty years ago and assistant coach Frank Torres went crazy. The entire arena erupted for Cruz. It was worth the now 18-hour day. More fun tomorrow.
2/18/11 Champaign,IL Mundelein's head coach Tom Buenik, center, and assistant coach Frank Torres leap for joy as after their wrestler Payton Cruz pins Granite City's Jake Gregerson in the final seconds of the second period in the Class 3A 135-pound lb. weight class quarterfinal bout at the IHSA State Wrestling Championships at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Feb. 18, 2011. Gregerson (46-2) was a top wrestler in the state. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
Here’s the entire sequence.
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Picturing Picture People February 12th, 2011
If you’ve ever been around musicians when they get together, they jam. Photo people are exactly the same. We instinctively just start making frames.
Last Saturday was an Illinois Press Photographer’s Association photo night. The day started with a field trip to see the Vivian Maier show. The hottest unknown street photographer of the year. And you know the art world loves work that no one else knows about.
So how do you warm up after looking at photos and wandering Chicago in the cold? Yea, Billy Goat Tavern.
It was pretty sweet wandering, drinking, and clicking with some fun folks. Brian Valentin, Char & Tim Galloway, Joel Wintermantle, and Colin McAuliffe. Good times.
2/5/11 Chicago,IL Tim and Char Galloway on the Green Line in Chicago on Feb. 5, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/5/11 Chicago,IL Char Galloway sits at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago on Feb. 5, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/5/11 Chicago,IL A lens and mugs of beer at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago on Feb. 5, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/5/11 Chicago,IL Tim Galloway at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago on Feb. 8, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/5/11 Chicago,IL Brian Valentin at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago on Feb. 5, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/5/11 Chicago,IL Tim Galloway, left, and Brian Valentin at the Rocking Horse in Chicago on Feb. 5, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
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My friday nights February 12th, 2011
I’m tellin’ ya it was nice to be inside. In the past two days as I’ve shot assignments outside in single digit temps. One where the subject showed up almost an hour late. Sitting down in my Crazy Creek canoe chair with two cameras and some action happening was like a vacation.
2/11/11 Park Ridge,IL Waukegan's Dennocchio Pierce (34) fights Maine South's Casey Bruce (22) for a loose ball in Park Ridge on Feb. 11, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/11/11 Park Ridge,IL Waukegan's Dennocchio Pierce (34) dunks the ball on a fast break versus Maine South in Park Ridge on Feb. 11, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/11/11 Park Ridge,IL Maine South's Casey Bruce (22) out jumps Waukegan's Kyle Williams (32) for the ball in Park Ridge on Feb. 11, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media 2/11/11 Park Ridge,IL Maine South's Tony Albano (3) drives for a layup to be rejected and fouled by Waukegan's Devonte Taylor (21) in Park Ridge on Feb. 11, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
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Mt. Oak Park February 12th, 2011
Just when you thought snow features were finally behind you, they pull you back in. All I wanted to do was use the fax machine at the office, and I ended up with some stupid snow photos.
There’s an enormous pile of snow in an empty lot next to the parking garage of our Oak Park office. It has even become a contest on one paper’s site. Driving in circles I could hear them. Teenage girls having fun. I knew they were on the pile. By the time I could park the car and get to the edge of the garage only two were left crossing Oak Park’s newest attraction. They were runners from OPRF, and when I finally got down the stairs to plead for ID’s they were running north. And I really had to get my fax sent.
We most likely wouldn’t have run the photo anyway. Editors have an aversion getting angry letters, and they have enough copy to read anyhow.
2/11/11 Oak Park,IL Two unidentified girls climb on the large snow pile at the north east corner of Lake Street and Forrest Avenue in Oak Park on Feb. 11, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
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Snow Cat February 8th, 2011
Sebastian and I were hanging out in the snow. He loves it.
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You can’t publish an excuse – Snownami edition February 3rd, 2011
I was ready. Everything pointed to one of the largest snow storms in the city’s history. Laying in bed the night before with maps plotting my route through my assigned towns. Researching the best sledding hills, the big parks, the places to catch packed commuter trains. I was texting excitedly with other photographers as the 50mph winds were rattling our windows. I thought by parking in the garage not on the street I’d have less digging time.
By 7 A.M. things looked bad. My car was stuck in the garage, for days possibly. No cabs were coming. No cars moved off my block until after 2 P.M. Everyone was stuck everywhere. I wasn’t making it to my assigned zone.
“You can’t publish an excuse.” That was drilled into my head in my first Photojournalism class by John H. White. The only option was to use your feet. Get moving, walk, shoot. The Sun-Times had plenty of folks downtown so I make the trek into Oak Park. The first loop was a 3 mile, 3 hour hike to the Eisenhower Expressway and back. Before I could get a ride I had made a second voyage, about 6 miles total. Snow skis would have helped. The places I planned to stop, warm up and transmit from were all closed.
There’s a lot about shooting in a blizzard you don’t expect/remember. Even after wrapping your gear in plastic bags/gaffer’s tape you still have to clean off the viewfinder often and even if you can see every breath you exhale fogs up your camera. Auto focus will catch the snow, but you can’t see anyway. There’s no such thing as gloves that allow you good mobility with small dials. Everything becomes wet so cleaning off your lens is something you do with the dry patch left on your shirt. No matter what your mother taught you, you have to walk in the middle of the street.
My face is wind burnt, my legs are super sore, and today I have to get to the communities we couldn’t yesterday. It was an amazing day. I loved every second of it. These photos are from my first 3 hours. More to come if I can some down time.
2/2/11 Oak Park,IL Malakai Naber, 8, plays with his neighbors in Rehm Park after a major snowstorm in Oak Park on Feb. 2, 2011. The Blizzard is third-largest storm in Chicagoâs history and some areas already have more than 20 inches of accumulation. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/2/11 Oak Park,IL Pedestrians walk down East Avenue after a major snowstorm in Oak Park on Feb. 2, 2011. The Blizzard is third-largest storm in Chicagoâs history and some areas already have more than 20 inches of accumulation. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/2/11 Oak Park,IL Pedestrians walk down Roosevelt Road at East Avenue after a major snowstorm in Oak Park on Feb. 2, 2011. The Blizzard is third-largest storm in Chicagoâs history and some areas already have more than 20 inches of accumulation. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/2/11 Oak Park,IL A snow covered car on the 1200 block of South East Avenue in the morning in Berwyn after a major snowstorm on Feb. 2, 2011. The Blizzard is third-largest storm in Chicagoâs history and some areas already have more than 20 inches of accumulation. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/2/11 Oak Park,IL Pedestrians walk down East Avenue after a major snowstorm in Oak Park on Feb. 2, 2011. The Blizzard is third-largest storm in Chicagoâs history and some areas already have more than 20 inches of accumulation. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
2/2/11 Oak Park,IL One lane of traffic moved slowly on the Eisenhower Expressway during the normal rush hour after a major snowstorm in Oak Park on Feb. 2, 2011. The Blizzard is third-largest storm in Chicagoâs history and some areas already have more than 20 inches of accumulation. | Rob Hart~Sun Times Media
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