Last couple days of college

Furs, Furs, Furs

Art and Todd LaBellman, managers of LaBelle Furs, helped Wendy two years ago with her custom made fur coat. LaBelle Furs, a family-owned business in Orlando since 1919, houses almost 5,000 pieces of fur in their cold storage. It is kept at 46 degrees and 50% humidity.



I shot this with my camera attached to a twin lens reflex. This is the first assignment I've ever tried that with. Not sure I'll do it again, I wasn't thrilled with the results. Sometimes it doesn't work out, guess it is just part of the game.

Not Pants...

"Freaky Toes"

The cat has seven toes on his two front paws. Thank you Mr. Hemingway.

Rolling my ankle...

I rolled my ankle on Sunday playing floor hockey, and Tuesday I shot a football feature on crutches. Not as difficult as I thought, and not so much a balancing act as previously thought. I managed with two bodies, some gear around my waist, and one crutch.
I worked with good friend Woody Wommack on a feature for the Naples Daily News about Central Florida football player Cory Hogue, who is recovering from compartment syndrome in both his legs. The scars from the lifesaving surgery were very visible.

A weekend with "Frenchy" and drama students

"Frenchy," as his friends call him, or properly called Olivier is a French foreign exchange students living with his host parents in Avalon Park. From Paris, he is taking classes at Timber Creek High and is part of the drama program there.



If you want see how close people can get to each other try spending a weekend with high school thespians. These students truly love what they do and love each other. Truth in that is the relationship Olivier has built with his best friend Rami over the past school year.


Olivier, acting as a hobo, enters the stage as his best friend Rami, upstairs, acts as the lead role in "Little Shop of Horrors."

Noticing other's relationships didn't stop there. Chelsey and Derek are in a long-distance relationship. Talk about affection. Derek lives in Missouri, Chelsey in Florida. They hadn't seen each other in three months.



Backstage at a high school production is an interesting place. You see all type of excitement...and crazy dancing



Olivier is a very large part of many people's lives at Timber Creek, and he hasn't even been there for two semesters. Everyone else has been at Timber Creek for up to four years. Olivier is the subject of piece I'll be producing over the next week.

Chicken and Waffles

This past Monday I finally ate a restaurant in downtown Atlanta I've been trying to get to for four years! Gladys Knights' Chicken and Waffles has been on my list since hearing of it from a friend during the National Scholastic Press Association national conference in 2005. I've driven through Atlanta at least eight times since then and Monday was the first time I actually was able to stop and indulge in the deliciousness of chicken and syrup covered waffles. It was worth the wait, yet I hope I don't have to wait another four years for more.



I was able to spend the rest of the week with my dad in our house in northern Georgia. The good eats continued there. We ate fried apple pie with vanilla ice cream under the portrait of the animal we eat for the main course. Ah, Rib Country.

Trimmers and a mohawk

On Monday night Angela volunteered to shave Dan's head, but not before leaving a mohawk for a quick photo session. Great idea Ang!

African Hair Braiding

This past Saturday I did a photo package about an African hair braid artist who came to the United States from the West African country of Senegal. According to Leeka, hair braiding originated in Africa. Although "in Sengal this isn't a full time job," Leeka said.

Back from Buffalo

Yesterday I got back to Orlando after spending four days in Buffalo with Amy and her family. It didn't snow over the four days I was there until the last 12 hours. Since I have a fascination with nature and a curiosity over wintry weather I went for a walk down the block when the snow started to fall. When we woke up in the morning to leave there were sixish inches on the ground. I am back in Florida's summery winter, and miss Buffalo. To make up for it I am walking around in my new Buffalo Sabres pajama pants and Sabres tee.