Hot soft light

Keep in Flight – John H. White quotes

Rob Hart — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:39:14 +0000

Oct. 2nd, 1997. My second week in Chicago. Before this date I wanted to be an art photographer. Every day after has been an amazing gift. And I owe John more ‘thank yous’ than I could ever express.

Sitting in class that night at Columbia College was Tamara Bell. These pages are from her journal of the time that she allowed me to photograph and publish. We’ve been friends and colleagues ever since.

The pages are quotations from our teacher, friend, mentor, and co-worker, John H. White. In his 30 plus years teaching photojournalism at Columbia College thousands of lives have been changed. So many young people like myself came in thinking they were going to be Andres Serrano and left wanting to be John. He infects you with the addiction that is documenting the light and life that surrounds you. To always be in the world witnessing and recording. If you’ve sat in that class some of these words will bring you back.

If you need proof watch the crowd from the last PJ Love gathering. Then check this Sun-Times commercial.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“You must have intimacy with light and nature.”
“Stay connected to the people that fuel your journey.”
“We are visual servants.”
“Talent unused loses it’s usefulness.”
“One of the greatest things in life you can do is give.”

Journal of Tamara Bell the words of John H. White photographed by Rob Hart. robhartphoto.com

Year of the Cat – 2011

Rob Hart — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:49:36 +0000

Plenty of my photo friends always post their best images of the year, and they’re usually very, very good. I enjoy seeing what they’ve been seeing the last 12 months. But a few years ago I (2010, 2009,) decided to unleash the fury of my felines unto the world. So here’s my annual year of the cat with Tom, Moe, Sebastian, and Maeby.

The last 12 slides are my 2012 cat calendar. I’ll ship a copy to anyone who wants one.

The song is the classic 60′s hit from Norma Tanega, “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog”

It’s a girl! well, (Callie) Maeby… “there’s a girl in my soup”

Rob Hart — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:12:18 +0000

This summer the wife and I were enjoying some falafel and hummus in the kitchen when we heard a cat howling outside. Before I got out the door my wife had a cute little hungry 4-month-old calico kitten in her arms. Her? We called our neighbor who’s a vet at Pet Vets in Oak Park and after the little kitten got a clean bill of health we decided to foster her and find a good home. We once attempted to foster 3 brother cats from Hurricane Katrina, and they never left, so I was skeptical.

The first weekend we had 6 adults, 2 children, and 4 cats in the house. Because we didn’t want to keep her long term we gave her a temporary name, (Callie) Maeby, like maybe she stays, maybe not. Also named after “Maeby” Fünke. Maeby stayed with a potential family for a weekend, in the end they weren’t ready. So I guess our boys got themselves a lady, and when I say lady I mean the kind of lady that eats out of a garbage pail.

Really this is my wife’s fault for having such a big heart and always wanting to do the right thing for people and animals no matter what inconveniences they come with. People always say their wife is their better half, she’s the better whole. Not that I’m a marriage expert.

So this is the less gross birth announcement.

So how is the little lady getting along with the big boys? She’s kinda a b$*@h.

She is going on her first trip to Detroit for halloween, so I dressed her up as a tiger fan.

Up in the air again

Rob Hart — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:19:21 +0000

Another weekend trip out west. Chicago->Phoenix->SanDiego->Phoenix->Chicago. This is what I saw outside my window.

Up in the air

Rob Hart — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 06:12:05 +0000

Somewhere between Chicago and Denver

Tossing Children

Rob Hart — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 02:11:48 +0000

Brian Morowczynski throws his son, Jack, into the air at the Illinois Press Photographers Barbecue along Lake Michigan.

On my way back from Michigan the wife and I stopped in at the Illinois Press Photographers beach barbeque at the 41st Street Beach. I made a flick of Brian Morowczynski tossing his son, Jack into the air while standing around drinking some Founder’s RyePA and it kinda reminded me of another photo I shot earlier this year of my brother-in-law throwing his daughter, Haley towards the ceiling.

Andrew + Melissa

Rob Hart — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:06:13 +0000

Yesterday our friends Andrew and Melissa got married!!! Here’s a sneak preview.

The fact we budgeted so much time allowed for us to wander the city, and make fun portraits before the storms rolled in. It was a great day and party. Allison Williams shot with me and my wife, Christine, also made photos, fixed the dress, and assisted like a champ. It’s not every wedding that you get invited to an after party on a yacht. Yes, you read that right.

click on the arrows for full screen^^

Plan, patience, execute

Rob Hart — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:41:23 +0000

I was recently speaking to a graduate level photojournalism class at Northwestern University taught by Candice Cusiac, who’s a pretty freaking good teacher, FYI. During the critique I kept saying that situations needed to be “worked more,” and “there’s a good picture in there somewhere, it’s just the one you took isn’t good.”

The mistake I see most with young photographers is they don’t spend nearly enough time making an image.
The more time you spend before making the picture, the better the image is, usually. Watching and waiting is the biggest skill set I use. Just like Peyton Manning reads a defense before he snaps a ball a good photographer is reading the subjects, and trying to predict where to be when the moment you hope happens, does happen.

I photograph a dozen or so graduations a year and at the end, just like in the movies, kids throw their mortar boards into the air. (Although it’s been declining rapidly over growing concerns of injury. Ask any photographer who shoots wide in that situation.) You know what’s going to happen, so I spend some time looking for the person who I think will make a photo. It’s a matter of paying attention. The kid below was so excited after getting his diploma, he was looking it over, smelling it, and giggling. He was more likely then anyone else to do something fun/interesting.

I placed my bet. As the last of the line thinned out I staked out my spot, focused, and waited. I knew exactly how close I wanted to be. Plan, patience, execute. It’s a formula and predictable image for sure. We can’t always make the cool, artsy, photo we want to make. But it tells the story of this graduate and hopefully what it felt like to be leaving everything behind, and have everything in front of you.

Learning to be ready for a photo to happen instead of just reacting to what’s happening, a lesson I didn’t learn for a long time and one I’m glad I finally did.

5/25/11 Elmwood Park,IL Justin Sebastian celebrates by tossing his mortar board into the air at the graduation ceremony at Elmwood Park High School in Elmwood Park on May 25, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/25/11 Elmwood Park,IL Lauren Anderson hugs Kate Zucker after the graduation ceremony at Elmwood Park High School in Elmwood Park on May 25, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

track + field

Rob Hart — Sun, 22 May 2011 17:47:20 +0000

28 hours, 3740 clicks.

Covering the IHSA Girls Track & Field for seven daily papers and fifty-some weekly papers is like working in a really fun/sweaty photo factory. The Sun-Times had myself and two freelancers, who all kinda knew various parts of Chicagoland covering it like a dysfunctional family. “So, St. Charles North is covered by Aurora? Shit, I gotta go shoot that kid.” Then you sprint across the field, and from 50 yards away the girl jumps, misses and is done for the day. “Balls!”

There’s not much time to shoot for yourself when you have to file 150 photos over two days, but I managed to find one image that is the way I see. I was just in love with all the cool flags and markers the pole vaulters used to designate their positions.

Most of the day I was shooting next to ~~Henny Youngman~~ Rick West of the Daily Herald (gallery here) and my homies from VIP.

5/21/11 Charleston,IL The leg of state champion Taylor Kirby (Sr.), Normal (Community West) in 3A pole vault at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/21/11 Charleston,IL Kenwood's Maiya Smith reacts after being disqualified for a false start in the Class 2A 4x400-Meter Relay at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/21/11 Charleston,IL Palatine High School's Sarah McIntosh reacts after winning the Class 3A 1600-Meter Run at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/21/11 Charleston,IL Rich South's DeAsia Garrett wins the Class 2A 4x400-Meter Relay at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/21/11 Charleston,IL Naperville North's Hope Turner in the Class 3A Pole Vault at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media 5/21/11 Charleston,IL Lake Forest High School's Carolina Carmichael in the Class 3A Pole Vault at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/21/11 Charleston,IL Whitney Young's Elisabeth Forte in the Class 3A Long Jump at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

5/21/11 Charleston,IL Burlington Central's Katie Trupp in theClass 2A High Jump in at the 2011 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on May 21, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

winner winner

Rob Hart — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:05:13 +0000

I can honestly say I’ve never been sprayed with champagne at a local election. Check that off the list.

When three trustees were elected to the Oak Park Village Board Joe Langley got pretty excited and opened a bottle of bubbly over my shoulder. You gotta love politics.

4/5/11 Oak Park,IL Joe Langley sprays champagne at the the three winning trustee candidates for Village Board, incumbent Ray Johnson, Robert Tucker and Adam Salzman celebrate at the the Carleton Hotel in Oak Park on April 5, 2011. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media