garrett hubbard storytelling

Video Inspiration from Nikon's new flagship

2012-01-06T11:13:00.005-05:00

Nikon announced their new flagship camera at midnight last night. The Nikon D4, available in February for a mere $6000. Here is an inspiring video by the super talented sports photographer Cory Rich. Photographer who learned video and learned it well. Welcome to the future.

Check out some of the images from the new camera from the talented and affable Joe McNally.

From homelessness to hometown title fight

2011-12-08T15:42:00.006-05:00

The Peterson brothers rise from homelessness to professional boxers thanks to their head trainer Barry Hunter (center). Photo by Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Tears, sweat, and love. But it was mostly love that propelled Lamont Peterson to the upcoming World Championship title fight this Saturday at the Convention Center in D.C. I met the Peterson brothers Monday night and took this portrait as well as made a quick video story. Watch to my story video here or read more about their story here.

The Earth you've never seen before

2011-11-16T11:27:00.002-05:00

NASA utilized a Nikon D3s and two wide angle lenses for this. The whole kit would retail for less than $10,000. The least expensive part of the International Space Station I'm sure.

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

I am speechless.

Let it snow before the tricks and treats

2011-10-29T15:10:00.007-04:00

Rain, sleet, and then snow. Oh my!

Snow among the fall colors. A rare sight for the D.C. area.

A male Cardinal defends his grub from a voracious but oh-so-sweet Titmouse.

On Assignment: Shooting the The iPhone 4S launch with an iPhone

2011-10-14T12:54:00.003-04:00

The launch of this phone was not nearly as groundbreaking as the launch of the original iPhone. But the people still came early, waiting in the rain, and some slept outside of the Reston, VA Apple store just to be first in line. I was not one of those people, but I did tell a little story about it with my iPhone 4 for USA TODAY. I had so much fun shooting it with my iPhone. It was like shooting an assignment with prime lens because the iPhone camera doesn't have an optical zoom. I could talk more about the gear I used in conjunction with my iPhone 4 in another post if there is interest.

So, how many Apple devices do you own?

Photo tips from G: Stopping time in slow motion

2011-10-01T20:36:00.008-04:00

You've probably heard it said that photography is life captured in a blink of an eye or that photographs are a moment frozen in time. Well, it's time to defrost some moments and add a new dimension to your photographs. A slow shutter speed, or shutter drag, is one of the many tools in my proverbial photo tool box and I want you to add it to yours. I like to use this to illustrate motion and energy in a photograph. Here are a few examples of a slow shutter and how I did it.

1. The long shutter

Level of difficulty 3 (on a scale of 1 - 10)

I shot this at a county fair when I lived in Naples, Fl back in 2006. It's of one of those spinning swing sets that gets disassembled and reassembled at every stop across the country by semi-disgruntled carnival folk.

How: Put it on a tripod (or other stable device. I often set my camera on the ground and use a combination of my wallet and cell phone to prop up the lens. You are taking photos, I hereby give you artistic license to be creative in your tripod substitutes! ) Next, set your exposure for a few seconds or more. Most cameras go up to 30 seconds before you must use the "bulb" feature. Or just put the camera on the shutter priority setting which is Tv for Canon and S for Nikon.

Tech spec's:Canon 1D Mark II. ISO: 50. Aperture: 22. Shutter: 5 seconds.

2. The panning slow shutter
Level of difficulty 5 (on a scale of 1 - 10)

I shot this earlier this year at Nate and Samantha's wedding in Cabo San Lucas and I love this moment. It forces you to stop and feel Samantha's joy.

How: Set your shutter speed slow enough to catch movement but not too slow that everything blurs. Your ideal shutter speed is directly related to the speed of your subject. If you're shooting motor sports you might get some nice motion blur in the background and your subject sharp as high as 1/80th of a second. If you want to do the same for a slug in your garden, well, lets just say that would be a much much slower (longer) shutter to show motion. Like over one or two seconds which would be almost impossible to hand hold. In general, you can set your camera around 1/20th for people walking to get this motion blur. Then just pan with the subject as steadily as possible and take a few frames. There is a lower probability that you will get anything sharp so take a few in the moment.
Tech spec's:Canon 5D Mark II. ISO: 160. Aperture: 13. Shutter: 1/13 of a second.

3. The pan shutter drag + flash
Level of difficulty 8 (on a scale of 1 - 10)

This is the most advanced of the three. It takes the steadiness of the pan shutter drag and then adds the technical know-how of great flash photography. Mr. Miyagi had me doing a lot of wax-on and wax-offs to master this one.

How: Set the shutter speed to around 1/4-1/20 of a second with your camera's shutter priority mode. Next, make sure your exposure without the flash is more than 1 1/3 stops underexposed around your subjects (use your exposure compensation button). This way your flash freezes the action and keeps your subjects sharp while allowing the background to blur. Then set your flash on second-curtain and set its exposure compensation based on the brightness of the ambient light. I do all of this with my flash on TTL. In this photo my flash was on my camera and pointed at the ceiling with my fill card extended. For the above photo I knew the foreground/background was dark so I set my exposure compensation for -1 1/3 stops. Then I told my flash to expose for about -1/3 or -2/3 because a camera will try and light up the whole room thus overexposing the subjects in the foreground. Like I said, this one isn't quite as easy and just takes some practice.

Tech spec's:
Canon 5D. ISO 1600. Aperture: 2.8. Shutter 1/10 of a second

Go have fun, try this out and let me know if you get this to work. Your feedback is encouraged. Good luck out there shooters!

Gettin' real at Whole Foods

2011-09-14T14:13:00.007-04:00

Early this week, one million people (yes, 1 with six zero's behind it) jumped on the Living Social coupon to get $20 in groceries from Whole Foods for only $10. I saw this all over facebook and social media. See the deal here I'm predicting chaos, mass panic, and prius battles to ensue in the Whole Foods parking lot. Looks like the guy who made this video is a rapping prophet because he called this long before the deal came out.

For all of you photo geeks, yes, this video was shot with a HD DSLR.

Yosemite through Nat Geo's lens

2011-08-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Just a little visual inspiration for those of you trapped inside today. The visuals here are epic. The team that did this video does amazing work. Enjoy!

On Assignment from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

A photo shoot with Emmy nominated actress Sofia Vergara

2011-08-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

My eyes are now wide open and I see the light. The fashion world is a crazy place! A few weeks ago I went up to New York City to do a behind the scenes video of USA Weekend's cover shoot of Sofia Vergara. She's the super funny comedian/actress who is on ABC's Modern Family. I've never seen the show, but it does have 17 Emmy nominations this year. So it's got to be good, right?

However, everything isn't peaches and cream for Vergara--at least on the day of our shoot. I think she was way over-scheduled and overworked and wasn't quite as personable or approachable as as she appears to be on TV. That said, I might be a little crabby if I had five different people telling me my schedule, what to wear, how to pose, etc, etc. Oh the life of stardom sure is tough!

The future of wedding storytelling.

2011-08-16T13:13:00.008-04:00

As a visual storyteller I want you to feel connected to every story that I tell, just as if you were there. I've been thinking about how to better do this for my wedding clients and I was reminded of what a friend of mine, who is a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist, said "I don't care how I reach you, only that I do." This means embracing new tools beyond the still photograph and look at what is on the leading edge of storytelling for photojournalists. This means motion, sound, and most importantly this means story. So I've combined the poignancy of the still image and the intimacy of video to tell Jeremy and Meghan's wedding story. I see this as the future for all who consider themselves a wedding storyteller. I'm ready for the future and I'm loving it.

Jeremy & Meghan's Wedding Story

Happy Birthday my love

2011-08-04T12:08:00.004-04:00

Today is my bride's birthday. I did a few special things to serve her including breakfast in bed. Oh, and a fun gift!

Pecan french toast with chicken sausage and strawberries by chef G.

A fashionable gift for my wife. She loved them. The best part is that someone else in the world in need of shoes will also get a pair. Tom's Shoes 1 for 1 program is a business model that blesses others. Love it!

Courage to admire: Medal of Honor

2011-07-13T11:37:00.008-04:00

President Obama awards Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. The ceremony was held in the White House. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry's story of courage and selflessness is awesome. It involves picking up a live grenade to save the lives of two of his fellow soldiers. I encourage you to check out more of the story here.

The ceremony was opened and closed in prayer. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry claps in recognition of the sacrifice made by his fellow Army Rangers during the battle in 2008 that cost him his right hand. The hand he used to throw back the live grenade was destroyed in the explosion and has been replaced by a prosthetic with the names of his fallen brothers engraved on it. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Tips from G: Take your lens cap and chuck it

2011-06-30T21:00:00.000-04:00

This is what separates the women from the girls, the men from the boys, the roosters from the chicks (?) Seriously. It's that important and I'm that passionate about it.

A cause you can care about (finally)
If I see someone with a nice camera and they are walking around with their lens cap on it's safe to say that they have more money than experience. I found a perfect image to illustrate the point.

Case in point: This gentlemen (Eric Clapton?) is holding a Leica with you guessed it--a lens cap on the lens. Photo from the HighlanderImages in a blog post about the bloggers pet-peeves.

Yes yes yes, I know the lens cap is there to protect the front element of your lens but how many photos have you made with that lens cap on? More importantly, how many moments have you missed with it on? This is the heart of my argument. The power behind a photograph lies in a moment. One small point in time that embodies what it felt like for the people in that image. A small point in time so poignant that we feel something too when we look at it. But how long does it take to get a lens cap off? I know it doesn't take much time, but I guarantee you it takes long enough to miss a moment. A moment that may last only 1/8000th of a second. Are you ready for that?

Livin' on the edge
Just do it! Take that cap off. Yes, you may have paid 100 - 2200 dollars for that precious lens so just protect it already with a clear filter and keep the lens cap in your camera bag. Spend a little bit more money for some "insurance" in the form of a filter. UV is the standard out there. Get one as clear as you can. You can spend as little as $50 for a big 77mm filter or as much as $150 on a B+W (the Mercedes of filters) clear filter. I have a lot of the latter. I recently started buying Nikon's Neutral Clear filter from Jeff Snyder at Adorama. Nikon's filter is inexpensive, clear (adds no color cast), and yes I know it's not UV, but your camera's sensor likely has a UV filter on it. Some of you have lenses with hoods on them, so that will help protect your lens from impacts too. And if you do scratch your front element a little bit, no worries. It will likely hurt the resale value more than the image quality. It's the rear element that you've really got to protect. FWIW I've broken 2 filters in the past nine-years. The only times I use my lens cap is when I'm transporting the lenses un-attached to the camera body or if I am storing the lens.

The bottom line
If you've skipped my diatribe above and gone straight to this practical nugget then I commend you for being efficient in one breath and with another I say go read so you understand why being prepared for a photograph is so important. It's the "why" questions in life that are important. The "how" questions will only get you so far. So take that lens cap off and let your clear filter in front protect your lens and capture the beautiful moments in life.

Sometimes I ride my bike

2011-06-29T17:06:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I get to ride my bike. Sometimes I get to ride my bike with friends. Ryan is one such friend. Sometimes I rock the HD GoPro camera and mount it various places during my ride. Sometimes the camera catches a crash. This is one such time. Enjoy!

Riding bikes with Ryan from Garett Hubbard on Vimeo.

Visual Goodness: Good vibrations

2011-06-27T10:50:00.004-04:00

A little visual inspiration a la Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Well actually, it's from the Phantom HD Gold camera capturing vibrations at 1000 frames per second. More on the project and camera here.

New perspectives to capture life always pull me in. See a few macro examples from my blog. Example 1 and example 2

Royal Wedding: The big day

2011-04-29T16:58:00.005-04:00

London was electric today. I cannot think of another way to say what it was like. One-million people were expected to descend on London today. However, one of my favorite parts of the whole week was the ceremony. I've been to a lot of weddings in my life and I absolutely loved their vows, readings, and words from the pulpit? I was reminded of the vows I made before God when I married my wife. Oh, and the songs from the choir were beautiful. BBC posted some of it, check out the transcript here. I admit that I teared up a little bit while I was photographing the thousands watching the wedding in Green Park which is right next door to Buckingham Palace. I focused my time on a little video story giving our readers a chance to experience the wedding through the eyes of some Americans and of course the Brits. I took one or two stills as well. What a day!

Audrey Joy, left, and Alyse Macqueh, both 16 and of France try to catch a glimpse of the royal couple in front of Buckingham Palace after the royal wedding ceremony. They came with face decorations with the initials of the royal couple as well as a miniature wedding cake. Some might call it a cupcake. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Royal Wedding: Camping it up in royal style

2011-04-28T18:24:00.002-04:00

Campers from all over the world gather to celebrate the Royal wedding from outside the city in Clapham Common. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Read the story here.

Royal Wedding: The Brits and their hats

2011-04-28T17:57:00.007-04:00

Louis Mariette, a bespoke hat couture (read: fancy!) designer in his London studio with a hat inspired by the Lilac-Breasted Roller, the National bird of Botswana--where Mariette grew up. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Check out the story and video here

Check out more of his work on his website

Royal Wedding: Take a walk on the royal side

2011-04-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

Take a walk on the royal side with the Prince William and Kate walking tour through London and learn about the history and details of the upcoming wedding. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Royal Wedding: Jane Seymour is reporting for the Yank's

2011-04-28T06:00:00.005-04:00

British born actress Jane Seymour will be offering her insights on the royal wedding for us Americans for Entertainment Tonight. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Check out the story here

"I love the smell of diamonds in the morning" says Jane Seymour on the set for Entertainment Tonight outside of Westminster Abbey, the location of the royal wedding ceremony. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Royal Wedding: Everyone loves a wedding. Especially if it's a royal one!

2011-04-27T18:32:00.005-04:00

Will and Kate. It's all people can talk about here in London this week. I'm here telling some stories, getting the inside scoop on the Royal family while simultaneously trying not to feed our addiction to celebrity. Enjoy.

A woman hails a horse drawn carriage in front of Westminster Abbey, the church where Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry on Friday morning. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Gulf oil spill one year later

2011-04-19T12:38:00.008-04:00

Sam Slavich is a fourth-generation Croatian oysterman and that legacy will end when he retires. His son is not interested in following in his footsteps. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

It's hard for me to believe that it's been a year since the tragic Deep Water Horizon platform explosion and the oil spill that followed. It seems like photos of oiled pelicans and the underwater video feed of the lead were all over our news just yesterday. So what is really happening now? I connected with one of my friends Rick Jervis, a colleague great reporter who works for USA TODAY, to ask him that question. This is what I learned on my trip to New Orleans early April.

Read the USA TODAY story here. As it turns out April 20 is also the date of the tragic Columbine school shooting rampage and one day after the Oklahoma City bombing. An ugly time of the year it seems--save Easter which is glorious.

Sam Slavich and his crew are one of but a few oyster boats that still fish after the spill. A year ago Sam would see dozens of fellow oystermen on their boats, but now only a few boats remain to fish. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Sam's oyester culling hammer. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Sam's brother Anthony Slavich takes a smoke during after a five-hour shift. The third in the crew is also a veteran and a former oyster boat owner. He said he could no longer make payments after the oil spill because of the fishing moratorium. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Anthony having his coffee and a smoke before dawn. Each morning begins at 5:30 a.m. and after a 90-minute boat ride through the marshes they make their way to their oyster leases where the drag (fish) for the entire day. Garrett Hubbard / USA TODAY

Wounded Veterans choosing amputation

2011-04-13T12:04:00.009-04:00

"WASHINGTON — Army 1st Sgt. William "Mike" Leonard found himself mourning the left leg that he had agonized for months about keeping. It was in December, just weeks before he would have doctors cut it off. " -Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY. Read the rest of the story here.

I had no idea wounded soldiers were electing amputation over rehabilitation. Great story by Zoroya and I'm glad I got to work on it with him. USA TODAY put the story on the front page, with the bottom photo in color.

1st Sgt. Mike Leonard lost his right leg from an IED blast in Afghanistan. Seated squats with is a regular part of his physical therapy. By Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

He later chose to have his left leg amputated he was dissatisfied with his rehabilitation efforts. By Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

1st Sgt. Mike Leonard works with his Physical Therapy Technician Spc. Nick Peterson at Walter Reed hospital. By Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Meeting the President with a high five

2011-04-11T16:27:00.007-04:00

Obama had bigger hands than I had expected.

Last Monday I had the privilege of making a visit the Oval Office to meet President Obama. I was invited because I won first place in the 2011 Eyes of History contest through the White House News Photographers Association (WHNPA.org). About 25 photojournalists, video journalists, and video editors were honored for their first-place finishes in their perspective categories. My award was for how I see & capture light—seriously. We as photographers take light really seriously. Remember my previous post which included my confession of being a light snob? In these types of photography competitions they reward light-snobbery with visits to shake hands with The President. Check out my winning entry http://bcove.me/aohtlky6

This was my first time in the Oval Office and definitely my first time shaking hands with The President. Some of us were cool and collected going in as this was commonplace for them, and others were nervous which included an admonition of sweaty hands. I got to see my friends from NPR, The Washington Post, as well as make a new friend at The Baltimore Sun.

Meeting President Obama with a high-five from Garett Hubbard on Vimeo.

Here is a breakdown of my video of in the White House
Scene 1: Our fearless WHNPA leaders organized us in alphabetical order in the White House briefing room
Scene 2: Waiting in the halls outside of the Oval Office
Scene 3: Walking in to shake Obama’s hand
Scene 4: After our group photo we presented Obama with a gift (Referent: Shirtless Obama photo)
Scene 5: Exit stage right to the White House rose garden and back into the White House briefing room

But back to shaking Obama’s hand. They were the kind of hands you would associate with a generous man or a man who is very gentle and much taller. On my way out of the Oval Office Obama said “I’ll never forget our time together” and we all laughed. I then tried to move closer to The President so I could ask him something. Once I got close enough I asked “Mr. President, do you give high fives?” Without hesitation he put his hand up and said “yeah” and I high fived the President of The United States. A few others next to me did the same and President Obama said “and fist-bumps too!”

What a fun experience! Coolest first-prize award ever.

Tips from G: It's ALL about the DIRECTION of the light!

2011-03-31T22:39:00.009-04:00

Hello, my name is Garrett and I am a light snob.

(This is the part where everyone says "hello Garrett" in a monotone chorus)

I start with a confession because sometimes it seems like the light controls me. Have you ever heard a photographer say "that light was awesome" or "I'm waiting until the light is better" or possibly "let's shoot it at golden hour"? Well, if you've ever hung out with me then the answer is a resounding YES! I am always thinking about light. Whether that be while I am telling a wedding story or if I'm out on a walk with my wife and want to grab a quick photo. Why are we as photographers so fixated on light? Well, because this art is ALL about it. The word "photography" in the Greek comes from photo which means light, and graphy which means draw. So when we take photos we are literally drawing with light. Or as I prefer to say, "writing with light." If you're at all like me, you want to tell stories with your photographs. Light is one of the most important tools to tell these stories.

I'll bet you can guess which time of day this photo of Jeremy and Meghan was taken. If you said "sunset" then you'd be close, if you said "sunrise" then you'd be correct. Surprised that it can be difficult to tell the difference?

Believe it or not there are six qualities of light that define the way light appears to your eye. I'm not going to bore you with all of them but I do want to focus in on one today and that is "direction." The direction means exactly what you would expect it to mean. What is the angle of the light source as it hits the subject. The shadows can be the bread crumbs that lead you back toward the light source. Is the light coming from above? Think 2 p.m. on a sunny day. Is it coming from the side? Think sunrise or sunset. Is it coming from the camera? Think on-camera flash. Is the light coming from everywhere? Think overcast day. Is it coming from below? Think, well, I'm not sure about that one. But it could and has happened! In the studio at least.

One direction is not inherently better than the other because each one says something different. However, light coming from the side is generally much more pleasing, like during a sunset (there are a few other qualities of light in play here, but I'll save that for another time). This is precisely why you will almost never see me photograph outside in the middle of the day. If it were up to me, I would do my sunny day outdoor shooting on the following schedule.
30 minutes before sunrise to 90-minutes afterward.

Eat breakfast

Look at my photos and see what else I want to capture

Eat lunch

Siesta

Afternoon tea

90-minutes before sunset to the 30-minutes afterward

When the sun is low on the horizon during sunrise and sunset you can choose to illuminate the whole face, part of a face (see Jeremy & Meghan's photo above), or use shadows to create a silhouette. Here are a few examples of me taking advantage of the direction of the almost horizontal light while shooting during sunrise and sunset.

Nate shortly before he gets married in Cabo San Lucas. This is about 90 minutes before sunset. I utilized this sideways light and caught him in a shaft of light which is why everything else behind him is dark.

TIP: If you don't have manual control, you'll need to know how to adjust your exposure compensation on your camera for this. You'll want to adjust it -1 or maybe even -1 2/3.

TIP EXPLAINED: Otherwise your camera will be fooled by all the dark area and brighten the exposure. Overexposure is a bad thing! Shooting digital is a lot like shooting Provia or Velvia. Errr, slide film. You shoot for the highlights. This means you don't want to overexpose and you let the shadows fall where they will. Whether they be dark or completely black, often I don't care because keeping the whites to have detail is so important for digital images.

Early morning light with Jeremy and Meghan. Notice how Meghan's face is completely illuminated and Jeremy has some nice Rembrandt lighting.

TIP: When shooting during sunrise or sunset and set your digital camera's white balance to "daylight." Which is usually a shining sun icon. This will force your camera to capture the colors as they truly are. I'll have to discuss "COLOR" later. It is also one of this six qualities of light.

TIP EXPLAINED: Most digital camera's default to Auto White Balance or "AWB" and adjust the color of the light for you. The problem with most camera's auto white balance calculations is that they suck the life out of your photo. The camera senses that warmness, and golden goodness, and freaks out (Yes. Panic in your camera. It's a terrible thing for your camera's computer to go through. OK, that whole last section was a joke) because there is so much yellow. It then compensates and usually adds some blue so the light is nice and white. So stop letting your camera determine the color for you in this situation because it's tired of panicking and you want the warm color!

The light kissing just the top part of Samantha's face moments before sunset. Now that is sideways light!

Start paying attention to the direction of your light and watch your photos improve. In the second installment of the "It's ALL about the light DIRECTION" we'll look at the potentially terrifying "back-lit" situation and how to avoid it and then overcome it.

Be careful though. If you stick with me on these lighting tips you could become like me and be a slave to the light! Case in point: I've become such a light snob that I don't even like talking to someone when they is extremely back-lit or the incandescent canister lights above them are creating deep shadows over their eyes. I just can't shut it off! Help!

Courtside at March Madness: Man behind the mascot

2011-03-29T12:49:00.006-04:00

I've had a blast covering some of March Madness and spending a few days with Mike Nuzzo, the man behind the mask of Roc, the Pittsburgh Panther's team mascot. The photo below got some nice play on the cover of the Sports section when the Erik Brady's masterfully written story ran on March 22. Sorry for the delay!

Catheryn makes some adjustments to Roc's costume during game two of the NCAA playoffs at the Verizon Center March 19, 2011. Butler beat Pittsburgh in the last moments of the game after a series of controversial calls by the referees. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

I had so much fun telling this story and getting to know Mike, his mother who is the cheer coach, and some of the cheer team. Really a great group of people so dedicated to cheer, their team, and their school. Mike is a great guy, huge Pitt sports fan, dedicated, and a smart dude too. He's in the nursing program at Pitt. This guy is going places.

Did I mention that I was court-side for both games? As in kneeling on the floor. Ouch! That wood is hard on the knees for what it's worth. I need to do take a cue from my colleague at Jack Gruber at USA TODAY and bring a padded chair and earplugs. I'd be happy to share more about the how's of this story if anyone is interested. Check out my video story "Man behind the mascot" which I edited on last Monday.

The most maddening thing about this NCAA tourney has been the continuous Butler upsets and, well, of course my attempt to park anywhere near the Verizon center during the first round. I had to tip a guy $15 just to get in a garage three blocks away! But back to Butler. Who would have thought they would be in the final four?

Matt Howard, (54) after he scores the winning basket against Old Dominion with one-tenth of a second left on the clock in round one of the NCAA playoffs at the Verizon Center March 17, 2011. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Old Dominion in round one against Butler. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

The team bands make the games so much more fun! A Uconn band member waiting for their team to play in round 2 of the NCAA playoffs. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Any predictions for a national champion? Will Butler go all the way?

Politics and clicks: Photographing The Hill

2011-03-29T06:31:00.000-04:00

Anxious testimony, indignant recoils, and false bravado could only mean one thing--politics on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This is a peak into the life of what it's like being a photographer on "The Hill." I don't go there a lot, but Every time I do, it is a little like this. Lots of waiting, lots of time spent on my knees, and lots of great photographers like Chip Somodevilla and Melina Mara to admire and learn from.

The Well: Covering Capitol Hill from Chris Gregory on Vimeo.

Photographs this big* can change the world? (*not actual size)

2011-03-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Graffito photo art display from Palestine © JR.

I just saw this TED talk and thought you would be inspired by it also. A photographer friend (read: brilliant) of mine, Jeremy Cowart shared this and it showed up on my twitter feed. If you are new to TED talks, prepare to be impressed. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spotlighting "ideas worth spreading" that can help our world.

This 2011 TED winner from France started making what I would call photography graffiti to help change the world. We're talking 20-foot graffiti prints in Palestine, vinyl prints that serve as roofs in the slums of Kibera, Kenya and more. He spoke about the power of story and how the people he's met all over the world told him "please, make our story travel with you." It somehow sounded better with his French accent. He also said, "Art can change the way we see the world. The fact that art cannot change things makes it a neutral place for exchanges and discussions and then enables you to change the world.” LOVE IT! Watch his TED talk presentation (which includes a few profanities) and get inspired!

Graffito photo art display from Kibera, Kenya © JR.

Inspired?
Can art turn the world inside out?
Discuss...

I am grateful to have met Bob.

2011-03-05T15:51:00.006-05:00

Have you ever met someone who just wanted to help you? I have. His name is Bob.

Last year I met Bob Carey. I had come to Texas to be a faculty speaker at the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference. From the moment I met him he began to encourage me. It started in the Stockyards in Ft. Worth, Texas during the student workshop for the conference. Unbeknownst to me, he was observing me working with my students for the day. He approached me and told me he loved how I was working with and challenging the students to focus on storytelling. Then he invited me to be a faculty speaker at one of his conferences. Now, at that time, Bob was the President of the National Press Photographers Association. Needless to say I was quite honored and accepted his invitation almost immediately. We soon began to swap stories about photojournalism, changing storytelling technology, and about life. Four-months later I was teaching three classes at NPPA's annual Convergence conference in Charleston, SC. Now, one year later I'm hanging out with Bob again at the SWPJC in Texas. I am grateful to have met Bob.

Bob Carey and myself reflected in a window at the Stockyards in Ft. Worth, Texas. © Garrett Hubbard 2011

A spur from Texas to go back to the blog

2011-03-04T21:59:00.011-05:00

I just went to one of my favorite photography conferences of the year and was challenged by the Photoshop guru of the world* Scott Kelby to blog. So, I'm back to share some of my favorite photos, stories, and tips with you all!

The new cowboy on the block. Meet Rory. He came to be a cowboy and drive longhorn steer at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. © Garrett Hubbard 2011

Have you ever been to a conference where cowboys cracked their whips and the longhorn steer mozy'd on down the street? Anyone have any conference highlights/horror stories.

---
*Photoshop guru of the world is my title because well, he's been the #1 technology teacher for the past six years. I also had the opportunity to guest blog for Scott last July.

Life happens without photos sometimes

2010-11-13T11:40:00.003-05:00

Please forgive my 10-week holiday from sharing stories with you all. I've lived a lot of life since my last post including:
-Telling two wedding stories
-One engagement session
-A commercial video storytelling project for the CEO of a local company
-For USA TODAY:
-A story about stink bugs
-Interviewed the CEO of Rosetta Stone
-Interviewed NFL Superbowl champ & Pro Football Hall of fame inductee
-Interviewed people in Clarendon about the baby boomer generation
-and others that I'm surely forgetting.

Today, I'm preparing to tell the story of two lives coming together to be one. I'm really excited about this wedding story which will be held at Dahlgren Chapel at Georgetown University, and continuing on to The Newseum in D.C.

All really great stories and great people to share them with. However, I must confess that I've buried the headline here. In early October I proposed to my love. She said yes! :))))))))

A day in the life as a photojournalist: Hostages in Silver Spring, MD

2010-09-01T22:17:00.006-04:00

I watched the equity markets rally today, had a Thai salad in the cafeteria and I thought I had a normal day at the office on my hands. Then I started seeing parts of my city on Live TV throughout the TV banks in the newsroom at USA TODAY. Hostages in my hometown. Scary stuff. Normalcy gone. I emailed our director of video and director of photography to see if they wanted me to go. nothing. so I packed up a few of my items. waited a few more minutes, then went over to the news photo desk and Kate was all about it. I told her I didn't have any glass (photographers speak for lenses) over 400mm. She said she'd get me into the pool locker and get me some gear. I must admit it's pretty fun walking in and saying "I'd like one of these, and these, oh, yes, and one of those. Especially when the these and those includes a 600mm lens with a $7500 price tag.

Turns out this guy who took three people hostage at the Discovery Networks HQ in Silver Spring, MD has been arrested on-site in the past. Evidently he cared deeply about the environment and deceived himself about how he should act upon his convictions. There are a lot more details about his past protests throwing cash in the air and even his manifesto. I'm not going to go into all of that and give him the pedestal to share his disturbing ideas. What I will share is a photo from the day. And I only took a few photos really. I arrived just in time for the 5 p.m. presser (new photographers speak for press conference) only to learn that they shot and killed the guy 12 minutes earlier. bittersweet news in my opinion. I'm so thankful no innocent people were hurt but also saddened that this guy had so isolated himself from his family, community, that he found it OK to behave this way. Deception always starts subtly. Read more of the story on USATODAY.com here.
Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger confirms that police took out James Lee just before 5 p.m. and the three hostages are safe at the Discovery building in Silver Spring, MD. P.S. Don't call it a press conference if you're not going to answer any of the news media's questions! :) Photo by Garrett Hubbard ©USA TODAY 2010

I was hoping for a few more journalists, TV crews, and photojournalists on site :)

Five years later: Music & Hurricane Katrina

2010-08-31T16:49:00.004-04:00

I had the opportunity to work with a lot of talented people at my office on a large interactive project. It includes panoramas, post-storm photos overlayed with current photos, storm graphics, and videos. I contributed to the effort by telling some stories about the gulf coast and what is happening in New Orleans five years after Hurricane Katrina. Set the stage by checking out the introduction to the project here.

Here is a link to one of the stories I told. Check out street performers and musicians redefining modern Jazz like Trombone Shorty as they try to keep the New Orleans music scene thriving. Check out the video here.

A screen shot from my video about rhythm returning to New Orleans.

The best camera

2010-08-07T11:31:00.006-04:00

Have you ever wondered which camera is the absolute best? The adverts will happily help you make that decision. People on various photography websites can suggest how to best drop $10,000 on a few lenses. Your friends might also tell you that Nikon is better than Canon. Well, I'm here to settle the matter for you. As a former Nikon shooter, now Canon shooter I want you to know that the best camera is the one you have with you. It's really that simple.

Cumulus clouds over Louisiana August 6, 2010. Taken with my nearly 3 Megapixel camera on my iPhone. © Garrett Hubbard 2010.

One of my photography professors and now friend, Greg Cooper from Brooks Institute of Photography taught me this profound and simple truth. My camera's F-stop, Shutter speed, and ISO are unknown and it doesn't really matter. Go out and take some photographs you love with the camera you have.

Photojournalism: More than a photograph

2010-07-21T11:23:00.005-04:00

A warm welcome for all of those who are coming to my site via Scott Kelby.

I was given a quite an opportunity to share my heart for visual storytelling and photojournalism when I was asked to be one of the weekly guest bloggers for Photoshop guru, trainer, and accomplished author Scott Kelby. I want to give a huge "thank you" to Brad Moore who works on Kelby's team for the generous invitation & honor to share anything my little heart desired about photography on such a well read blog.

For my friends, clients, and regulars, I hope you enjoy the blog post which gives a big-picture look at my thoughts on the power of relationship and the ability for photojournalism to impact lives.

Hello prickly: from the archives

2010-07-06T00:46:00.006-04:00

The Christmas Cactus in bloom on my mom's porch in CA on Christmas Eve 2007.

I "re-found" this photo today and I'm enjoying it all over again and marveling at God's creativity. I was preparing some images for some prints I want to make for my home-studio, so maybe you'll see this one on my wall shortly!

Fathers for life

2010-06-17T21:10:00.013-04:00

If this video is not playing smoothly, try a smaller version of the video here

This is likely the most important story I've had the opportunity to tell with USA TODAY. I am so thankful that John Walton from Awana told me about the Returning Hearts Celebration while we were at the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference in March of this year. As soon as he started telling me about the transformation in the lives of the inmates I was hooked. I came back to USA TODAY and pitched the story to the paper and I was able to spend three days at Angola prison in Louisiana and witness the reunion of these men with their children. Many many thanks to Lyndon Azcuna and the whole team at Awana for helping me meet such strong men of faith and conviction. I am so thankful to Randy, Keith, Kyle, and Edward for sharing their story of how their lives were changed by knowing Jesus. Most importantly I want to thank my father, who loved me, guided me, and set a great example for me by living a life of integrity.

Here is a link to the story + Photo Gallery

An Engagement: David & Lyndsi part 2

2010-06-14T23:36:00.004-04:00

I know I told you I'd put these up a long while ago. So sorry for the delay. I've been quite occupied with telling some awesome wedding stories and living life.

Surprise on The Hill

2010-04-22T22:00:00.003-04:00

It was so gorgeous outside for my shoot today for World Vision & Genesis Photos on Capitol Hill.
A seemingly normal day until you-know-who showed up : )

Simmons jumped on the chance to sing to the oldies--'America the Beautiful'--when he saw this choir group on the steps of the Capitol.

In all seriousness, Simmons had such a great attitude and so much charisma--contageous actually. He helped support the Fit Kids Act which just passed yesterday and was up here to celebrate and continue to raise awareness about the importance of exercise and healthy living.

An Engagement: David & Lyndsi part 1

2010-04-19T22:54:00.004-04:00

I confess! I've been hanging onto these totally fun engagement photos for a while now. I want to share David & Lyndsi's photos with you. I had a great time with them and I am so pleased with how they came out. Many thanks to David & Lyndsi for an awesome engagement session in the District.

stay tuned for part II : )

A community is divided by the coal mining company

2010-04-12T03:04:00.004-04:00

Wow, talk about a catch-22. I hope you understand their lives and their story better having watched this. I just finished this @ 3 a.m. and I'm finally pleased with how this story unfolds.

West Virginia Candlelight vigil

2010-04-07T23:17:00.001-04:00

West Virginia community hopes and prays

2010-04-07T20:23:00.003-04:00

I've been in West Virginia for 24 hrs now and it's tough being here. There could still be miners alive but the chances are slim. It's tough being here. Off to a prayer vigil...

A White House Easter

2010-04-05T13:13:00.007-04:00

What a beautiful day for this year's White House Easter Egg Roll. Would you believe that there were 30,000 people in attendance with people from all 50 states? Yes, crazy I know. Enjoy the photos!

An Engagement: Greg & Ginnie in the snow part II

2010-03-27T16:23:00.009-04:00

I really enjoy capturing fun memories like these! With these engagement photos, and with all of my photographs, I hope you see their personality, their love, and their joy and feel what it's like to be them for just a moment. And if you do see them for who they really are then I have "hit this one out of the park" so to speak.
My clients invite me into their lives to tell their story--quite possibly the most important scene of their life story and then capture it for them. I like being trusted to the beginning of such a memorable chapter in their story so that it never fades or is forgotten but instead is celebrated as as it really was.

What this blizzard looked like from space. Thanks Nasa!

Along the way we met this pup who was also so excited to see us that she almost forgot to shake the patch of snow off of her nose.

Me loving the early morning light + snow above my knees!

Comin' down the pike

2010-03-26T00:13:00.003-04:00

Some fun engagement photographs are on the way courtesy of the most excellent David & Lyndsi. We had a fun engagement shoot Sunday evening. Stay tuned...

D.C. Afterglow

2010-03-21T23:17:00.007-04:00

The city is aglow one the night of a historic health care vote. Lord be in the House of Congress tonight. Photo taken @ 7:51 p.m. Sunday March 21, 2010.

A Haitian homecoming

2010-03-19T22:00:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful day to celebrate the homecoming of a beautiful ship. I imagine that when the people of Haiti saw this vessel in their port they saw light, restoration, and hope.The USNS Comfort returns to the Port of Baltimore after spending over a month on a medical mission to Haiti in response to the devastating Earthquake in early 2010. The vessel passes through the gateway to the port of Baltimore under the Francis Scott Key bridge. returns from many weeks in Haiti. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY © 2010

Docking Pilot Kevin Gugliotta, from the Association of Maryland Pilots boards the the USS Comfort (italicized) returns to the Port of Baltimore after a medical mission to Haiti in response to the devastating Earthquake in early 2010. Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY © 2010.

No other news outlet had these photos. I would like to thank the port of Baltimore for getting me out on a boat to photograph this beautiful homecoming.

There be cowboys in Texas

2010-03-06T21:06:00.006-05:00

Jerry has been working full-time as a cowboy to preserve the traditions of the Texas of old. I've been here in Forth Worth, TX at the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference and I'm lovin' it! © Garrett Hubbard 2010

Olympics 2010: Olympic rings time-lapse

2010-03-01T03:40:00.000-05:00

Olympics 2010: Trash to treasure

2010-02-27T00:42:00.004-05:00

Cory was fun to hang out with. His art is original and elegant. I can't wait to see where his work takes him. Fuhr's speed skater is on display at the Richmond Oval (speed skating center) for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Olympics 2010: Best hair at the games

2010-02-26T01:23:00.009-05:00

Voted best hair by me.
Errol Kerr, sole member of the Jamaican ski team placed ninth in Ski cross at the 2010 Olympics. Pictured here with Coach Eric "homey" Holmer, left, and J.D. Hoss, spokesperson for the Jamaican ski team. © Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Olympics 2010: They Fray live at Whistler

2010-02-24T01:10:00.005-05:00

So tonight I walked out of the Whistler Media House and The Fray was playing next to the medal courtyard.

Olympics 2010: Vancouver Today

2010-02-23T16:20:00.002-05:00

Every day for the past 12 days we've been putting together a daily web newscast from Vancouver. It's been quite a few late nights for me (3 a.m.) and even later for the person who edits the whole show together to be live on our site by 7 a.m. Eastern. We have two USA TODAY reporters anchoring the show. I've been contributing video story packages, video from press conferences, helping edit parts of the show, and trying to keep the highest level of quality possible. Now I didn't come to USA TODAY to do more TV-style news work but this is pretty good given it's mainly 3 people behind the scenes every night making it happen on a shoe-string budget. Check it out.

Olympics 2010: Street performers cashing in on the Olympics

2010-02-21T17:27:00.009-05:00

Who knew that a funny guy in green undies on a 10-foot unicycle juggling machetes could garner such a crowd--and inspire me to tell the story of the buskers. I stumbled upon this story while taking the bus to the press center a few nights ago. These street performers were a hoot and so much fun to hang out with and interview. I shot the whole story in about 75 minutes near Robson square in downtown Vancouver. Here is a direct link to my video.

Olympics 2010: My interview with silver medalist Hannah Teter

2010-02-21T17:22:00.002-05:00

Here is a direct link to my video. Many thanks to the talented Rhyne Piggot, a fellow video journalist at USA TODAY, for editing this package together for me!

Olympics 2010: Apolo arrives

2010-02-21T05:31:00.005-05:00

Apolo Anton Ohno becomes the most decorated winter Olympian from the USA after his bronze medal finish in the men's short-track 1000 meters Saturday at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, B.C. by Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Olympics 2010: Gold medalist Seth Wescott

2010-02-17T17:23:00.004-05:00

I got to do a quick little interview of my own with two-time gold medalist Seth Wescott. He now holds all the gold medals for snowboard cross since it's introduction to the Olympics games four years ago in Torino. I did this quick little intro after I shot the interview by USA TODAY's Reid Cherner in our studio in the heart of Vancouver.

Taken during the filming of the interview with Wescott from within our Vancouver Today studio.

Olympics 2010: China's figure skating upset

2010-02-16T22:14:00.005-05:00

Qing Pang and Jian Tong of China perform a near flawless long-form couples routine earning them the silver medal Monday night in Vancouver, BC. China won both gold and silver with the bronze going to Germany. It was the first time since 1964 that Russia did not take home the gold in this event.

Olympics 2010: An interview & fist bump with Hannah

2010-02-15T16:25:00.008-05:00

Hannah Kearney and her gold medal at the USA House in Vancouver. By Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

I had the opportunity to be the first person to interview USA's first gold medalist, Hannah Kearney, after the awards ceremony Sunday evening at the USA House in downtown Vancouver. She was super cool! I showed up early and was first in line ahead of other news outlets for a one-on-one interview with our freestyle moguls champ. I got set up 30-minutes in advance (b/c you don't ever want to keep anyone waiting especially with a PR person moving things along for the athlete) and the first thing I did when I saw her was give her an enthusiastic congratulations and held out my fist hoping she would return with a fist-bump. She did, and with a big smile too. Here are some of my favorite excerpts from my four-minute interview with this fun girl. Keep in mind she said she hadn't slept the night before. I guess winning the gold medal is exciting? : )

As with all my stories--weddings & USA TODAY work, my goal is for the person's personality and feelings to come through. The best stuff is at the beginning! Enjoy.

Vancouver Valentines 2010

2010-02-14T16:25:00.006-05:00

Happy Valentines from Vancouver. Here are two little love stories from Vancouver. No captions necessary. Enjoy.

Let the games begin. Vancouver 2010

2010-02-12T10:30:00.013-05:00

The 2010 Winter Olympics are upon us. I got tell a video story about the torch relay as it got closer and closer to Vancouver. Olympic fever meets Canadian pride!

An Engagement: Greg & Ginnie in the snow part 1

2010-02-07T16:48:00.005-05:00

Two-years ago I don’t think Greg & Ginnie could have imagined that they would be trouncing through two-feet of fresh snow after one of the biggest blizzards to hit Washington D.C. In recent years—oh and that they would be engaged to be married too (really important part of the story)! I hope you enjoy some of the memories we made on Sunday and experience their joy and just how much fun they really are. Stay tuned for more snowy engagement photos.

Greg & Ginnie have already gotten to see their photos online and are ecstatic! I would venture as far to say that they would agree that the cold & wet snow was worth it. That’s what I like to hear!

Here’s a peak at what it looked like out there in video.

Bring the calm: Winter blizzard 2010

2010-02-06T12:42:00.008-05:00

A few sights and thoughts from the comfort of my home in the middle of the largest snowstorm/blizzard or "snowmageddon" as we are calling it after all the news media hype.

My neighbor walks above what used to be our parking spots. It looks like we have gotten 22-inches as of 11 a.m. Saturday February 6, 2010. That bit of red is my neighbors kayak peeking out from on top of his car. © Garrett Hubbard

The snow comes and continues to wrap my world in a quietness that I love. Maybe it's the slowdown of life that I long for which is in short supply in D.C. and often in my life as well. You see our city is consumed by the busyness because we have this seemingly unquenchable thirst for achievement and success. Sometimes, I can't seem to help myself and find that I become a little like my surroundings. For example, I will be at home for four days in the month of February and the rest of the days I will be on the road on assignments. That makes living life and loving my friends and community a bit more difficult. Over the past two-and-a-half years in D.C. I've taken great steps to cut down on the projects I take on to make sure that I live my life without regrets. I've chosen to work less, earn less, and give more. This has brought a contentment, peace, and joy to my life and I'm looking forward to living 2010 in the same way. Thankfully my schedule in February is the exception more than the rule.

Before you mourn my loss of the month of February, please realize that the tears I wipe away may seem like crocodile tears to you since it is the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver that takes me away. I'll be sharing more Olympic related photos soon.

The view from my back deck. Correction, this is the view from inside my warm house looking over my back deck as of 11 a.m. Saturday February 6, 2010. © Garrett Hubbard

Ice Skating & Hot Chocolate

2010-01-21T19:37:00.004-05:00

Ice skating along the National Mall under the watchful eye of the National Archives almost makes winter worth it in my book. The weather went above 50 degrees and that was my cue to give another shot at this whole ice-skating thing. We only had to wait about 45 minutes for space to open up and a new session to begin. Very fun and very painless--given it was my second time ice skating in my life. I highly recommend it.

So what are the chances that the random stranger you request take a photo is a professional photographer? Well, on Monday you're odds were pretty good at the ice rink in the National Sculpture gardens in D.C. National Archives in the background. by Garrett © 2009

White House interview

2010-01-13T00:09:00.008-05:00

I made my first visit to the White House on Wednesday January 6, 2010 and I didn't even get a fist bump from Obama. On the flip-side I did get to meet National Security Adviser General James Jones in his West Wing office. I was there to capture a very important & exclusive interview with notconducted by Susan Page, our Washington D.C. Bureau Chief & all around brilliant reporter for USA TODAY. I wasn't afforded the opportunity for any creative visual storytelling but that's how it goes sometimes. Turns out it was a really good move to have me there as Jones talked about how the American people might be "shocked" by the reports the White House would release the next day regarding the attempted Christmas Day flight bombing attempt. Producers from The Today Show called our office late that evening telling us they wanted to run my footage.

Bummer: I had to cancel my date with my lovely lady to get the footage to the networks.

Bonus: Over eight-million people saw excerpts from my interview on TV that day. 19 million people heard reference to our USA TODAY cover story. Here is a clip of one such airing of my footage. Begins 20 seconds in.

"No more canceled dates with my lady" I declared in a briefing of my own at the White House press briefing room January 6, 2010. The press was speechless for the first time ever. Photo by the excellent H. Darr Beiser/USA TODAY © 2010

"Read my lips. Garrett is not to miss his date with his girlfriend. This is a matter of national security and the President is deeply concerned about this matter" General James Jones said during his interview with USA TODAY at the White House Wednesday January 6, 2010.
Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY © 2010

I was so eager to conclude the interview that I walked away from my video camera while it was rolling to make this photo.
Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY © 2010

West side of the White House on the way towards the press briefing room (on right)
Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY © 2010

NOTE: This is a lighthearted look at a very serious issue.

Congratulations Christina & Cris! Engagement photo contest winners.

2010-01-11T09:21:00.008-05:00

The votes are in and we have a winning photo. Congratulations Christina & Cris! This photo from their engagement session in September was the photo that you voted as your favorite. Thank you to everyone who voted! This contest brought more people to my blog than ever before. Many thanks to my friends at Bridal Bubbly and District Weddings for bringing in some more voters. I want give a special thank you to thank all of my clients from 2009 for trusting me to capture and tell such a special scene of their lives.

I have already sent the winning couple their $50 Pictage gift certificate and I hope it is a huge blessing for them. Maybe we'll hear some reaction from them shortly : )

What's next:
1) It looks like I need to update the Engagement page on my website to include this photo that everyone liked so much.
2) Start planning for a Wedding photo contest for my clients. So keep your eyes out for that contest. I would like to do a really special prize for that one. If you have any ideas for prizes please drop me a line.

Engagement photo contest: THE FINALISTS

2010-01-07T22:57:00.019-05:00

The pictures have been shared, agonized over, the votes have been cast and the finalists have been selected. Now it's time to choose the grand prize winner. Many thanks to all of you who voted, to the fantastic wedding planners at District Weddings and Engaging Affairs for posting our contest on their blogs, and most importantly to my awesome clients. I have enjoyed reading all your comments and learning what you like the most! Without further ado, here are the four finalists you voted on over the past four days.

Vote for your favorite photograph by clicking on the "Comment" text below photograph 4 & be sure to identify yourself. You may also comment on my note on my Facebook page. Cast your vote by Sunday evening at midnight eastern and the couple with the winning photograph will get a $50 Pictage gift certificate they can use toward archival prints, books, albums, or whatever their heart desires. To my four great couples below, you all are beautiful. Thank you for inviting me into your lives to tell your story! Good luck!

Meghan & Jeremy with the cherry blossoms at the tidal basin. Married July 25, 2009.
More of their engagement photos here.

Michelle & Brandon on the national mall with the Capitol building. Married May 23, 2009.
More of their engagement photos here.

3

Elyse & Matt on the national mall with the Washington monument. Married September 19, 2009. More of their engagement photos here.

4

Christina & Cris along the tidal basin near the Potomic river. To be married in 2010.
More of their engagement photos here.

Photographers note: I will excuse myself from voting on the finalists : )

Engagement photo contest: Christina & Cris

2010-01-07T00:30:00.003-05:00

Engagement photo contest day 4: Christina & Cris
Please vote for your favorite photo by clicking on "Comments" below the photos. Your vote can help this couple win a $50 gift certificate! Be sure to come back and vote for the finalists on Friday! See entire rules for the contest here

Please vote for your favorite photo by clicking on "Comments" below. Simply type the photo # and your name. Explanations & reasons encouraged!

THE FACTS:
Engagement shoot on September 18, 2009. I remember asking Cris if we could meet super early while the light was still nice and I told him I thought we should meet no later than 6:30 a.m.--on a weekday. He said they were all about it! And that's what I love about my clients! They almost always trust my creative vision enough to sacrifice for stuff like this! Even waking up at 5 a.m. for photography. So I previsualized a photo like #1 knowing that if I shot it on my daylight settings (WB for all the photography buffs out there) then the sky would be really blue because of the very high (K) color temperature of the light. Little did I know it would be so foggy! That's okay because photography is all about problem solving. I've shot under every condition there is in my years as a photojournalist, so there are no surprises! I feel like the fog added to the feel of the photos and allowed us to shoot a little longer with nice soft light as the sun rose. Then it was off to nice breakfast together and then we all went our separate ways to work! Just another day in the life of a wedding storyteller :)
Married: To be announced and scheduled for Atlanta, GA I believe. Super fun couple, but I think you can gather that from their photos!

Engagement photo contest: Elyse & Matt

2010-01-06T00:30:00.002-05:00

Engagement photo contest day 3: Elyse & Matt
Please vote for your favorite photo by clicking on "Comments" below the photos. Your vote can help this couple win a $50 gift certificate! Be sure to come back and vote for the finalists on Friday! See entire rules for the contest here

THE FACTS:
Engagement shoot on May 2, 2009 on the National Mall
Married September 19, 2009 in San Diego, Ca. These two make me smile. Unfortunately I was not able to photograph their wedding because I was already invited to tell Kelly & Jon's wedding here in DC. They too make me smile--a lot. As it turns out I was booked for Jon & Kelly's wedding some three years ago when I photographed the wedding of Jon's younger sister, Melissa. I love hearing him tell the story of how he decided I was to be his wedding photographer before he even started dating Kelly. Jon tells me that it was later on in Melissa's wedding day after he had seen me work hard for Melissa, interact with her friends and family, and then he saw the wedding photos on the reception slide show. He tells me he knew right then and there that I would be his wedding photographer if/when he got married--and he told me so. A man true to his word for sure!

Engagement photo contest: Michelle & Brandon

2010-01-05T00:30:00.003-05:00

Engagement photo contest day 2: Michelle & Brandon
Please vote for your favorite photo by clicking on "Comments" below the photos. Your vote can help this couple win a $50 gift certificate! Be sure to come back and vote for the finalists on Friday! See entire rules for the contest here

THE FACTS:
Engagement shoot on April 4, 2009 (peak of Cherry Blossoms in DC)
Married May 23, 2009 in the DC area surrounded by friends and family at an estate. The dance floor was in a super fun barn on the property. Loved it!

Engagement photo contest: Meghan & Jeremy

2010-01-04T00:00:00.004-05:00

Engagement photo contest day 1: Meghan & Jeremy.
Please vote for your favorite photo by leaving a comment below. Click on a photo to see it larger. Your vote can help this couple win a $50 gift certificate! Be sure to come back and vote for the finalists on Friday! See entire rules for the contest here

Example Ballot cast by posting comment below.
"
photo # 2 is my favorite. I can feel their excitement!
-Garrett
"

THE FACTS:
Engagement shoot on April 4, 2009 (peak of Cherry Blossoms in DC)
Married July 25, 2009 in Erie, PA. Super fun wedding + awesome rehearsal dinner on the beach complete with bonfire, drums, and dancing! I'm so looking forward to showing off their story in a first-ever HD multimedia package presentation.

Photo contest! Engagements from 2009

2010-01-02T15:13:00.013-05:00

Matt & Elyse near the capitol building on the national mall May 7, 2009.
They married September 19, 2009 in San Diego, Ca.
Photo by Garrett Hubbard © 2009

It's the holidays and everybody is getting engaged! In light of such exciting and celebratory times I thought I would post some of my favorite engagement photos from 2009 on my blog and invite you to vote on your favorites!

I need your help to find a winner among my clients & friends! My final post will consist of the most popular photos as chosen by you. The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate for prints, albums and any other product their hearts' desire from Pictage. Simply vote each day by posting a comment on that post directly below the photos (not on this post) or via the note on my Facebook page. Stay tuned, this daily series will begin on Monday January 4 with the last post coming on Thursday. The top photograph from each day will be posted on Friday. The final four photos will be posted on Friday. Voting for the winner will commence on Friday and end 8 p.m. EST Sunday evening. The winner of the $50 gift certificate will be posted and announced on Monday January 11.

If you all really enjoy this then I will do something similar for the wedding stories I told for my clients in 2009.

HINTS TO WIN: Rally your friends & family via facebook, email, text, and maybe an old fashioned phone call.

Here is a link to some of my past engagement sessions already on my blog.

*In hopes to avoid voting confusion, hanging chad's and such please be sure to leave your name on your vote.

Merry Christmas from Washington D.C.

2009-12-26T00:20:00.003-05:00

To be married: Jeff & Katherine

2009-12-25T23:46:00.008-05:00

On Christmas Eve, 2009. It happened. Jeff proposed. Katherine said yes. Garrett got really excited for them! End of story. OK, not really. Well, not at all. Their story has great beginnings. Let me back up a little and share why I'm so excited to celebrate their engagement.

The awesome couple shortly after Jeff proposed and Katherine
said yes on Christmas Eve, 2009. Photo courtesy of the betrothed.

Jeff is my closest friend in D.C. He was also one of my first friends in D.C. In May of 2007 I moved to D.C. and into the house in which he lived. We quickly became friends with a multitude of shared interests--not the least of which might be our like sense of humor. We shared a lot of good times including playing ultimate frisbee with friends, discussing a scripture from The Bible, watching bollywood films over butter chicken at the local kabob spot, runing on our three-mile loop around Shirlington, wondering if his well used rice-cooker would ever quit, praying at our small group Bible study, concerts at the 9:30 club, and semi-regular trips to the Dairy Queen at Bailey's Crossroads.

Jeff and I prepare our first ever turkey for other friends
who didn't have family in the area on Thanksgiving Day 2007.

In June 2008 I moved out to my town-home in Reston and I lost Jeff as a roommate. Thankfully a few months later he moved out to Reston and our antics and baboon-type behavior continued (see the fox video on my facebook page).

Come fall of 2008 Jeff signed up to go serve with some friends from our church on a medical missions trip to Kenya. Now you must know that I wouldn't trust Jeff with neosporin and a bandaid, but I do trust him wholeheartedly to love and serve the poor, the orphaned, and the widow in the name of Jesus. We both share this desire which is one of the other reasons why we are such good friends. So, guess who else went to serve on that trip in December 2008? You guessed it, Katherine--the Katherine.

I have really have enjoyed watching their friendship grow since he asked her out early in 2009. Many nights when Katherine was over I heard lots of laughter eminating from the room they were in--not to mention lots of amazing leftovers from the meals Kat would make for Jeff. As they continued to put the other before themselves I saw their love grow. In July my friend Heidi and I even made a little wager over when he would propose.

Sometime in late fall Jeff started talking about a ring. In early December Jeff went to Katherine's dad for his blessing. He said yes.

Here is a video of Jeff attempting to figure
out this whole ring box deal shortly before
proposing to his wife-to-be.

So December 24, 2009 Jeff proposed at Katherine's house. According to Jeff's master plan, his family & Katherine's dad mysteriously appeared on the scene and celebrated with them. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall in that room! I'm so excited for you Jeff and Katherine. The toast I gave you as we rang in the new year still stands and bears repeating that you may be encouraged by what God has and is doing in your lives.

The Lord bless and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine upon your and be gracious to you.
The Lord turn his face toward you and grant you peace.
I'm so excited with you Jeff and Katherine! All I got to say now is Heidi, pony-up! I'm looking forward to that delicious Bubble Tea!

If you have Jeff & Kat stories you want to add, please feel free to share them by adding a comment below.

Stories for Christmas

2009-12-25T22:40:00.009-05:00

Every Christmas season seems to bring a rush of album & product orders. Hey, I would want to show off my wedding story to my friends and family too! And that's what I love about photography--no, that's what I love about photojournalism--it gives me this platform to share a story because the photo itself is a story, layered with a beginning, middle, and an end. Chalked full of emotion and details that immerses the person encountering the photograph in a narrative. Sometimes the photo is just the starting point of the story my clients want to share with their families. Other times, the photo says more than words alone could speak. I pray that my clients were able to celebrate their weddings on a whole new level because of these albums, these photographs, and their stories.

Food fight in the white

2009-12-22T11:56:00.006-05:00

My bird feeders have been quite busy with all the snow on the ground. This post is for my mom who loves the birds. This photo also made it on our record-breaking East Coast snowstorm photo gallery on USA TODAY. A male Red-Bellied Woodpecker and a Blue Jay try to claim the remaining suet cake (food) in the middle of a large snowstorm that dropped around 20-inches of snow in the Washington, D.C. area. Photo by Garrett Hubbard © 2009.

A decde remembered

2009-12-21T11:56:00.006-05:00

Screen-shot from the video of me sharing about the
stories I've worked on that have impacted me the most.

As part of USA TODAY's decade in review all of us staff photojournalists were given the opportunity to share some of our work and thoughts on the biggest news stories of the decade. I also got to share a little bit more about myself and my purpose in storytelling. Click on the picture above or follow this link to view our decade in review.

Dispatch from Choma, Zambia

2009-12-02T15:35:00.003-05:00

Would love to share more about the importance of school uniforms, and parent's difficult choices between food and their child's education. However, I've got to get to bed. Our first full day out in the community orphan trusts where we will be bringing the equivalent of a Thanksgiving feast for 200 people. I pray that celebrate the love and hope of we have in Christ with them tomorrow!

Destination Africa

2009-11-29T13:18:00.004-05:00

The gear--well most of it--I need to make a mini documentary in Zambia. Volunteerring my time with some orphans and vulnerable children along with seven great people from my church. See you all mid-December.

a Sunday: Creation on a macro level

2009-11-20T11:20:00.005-05:00

a Sunday from Garett Hubbard on Vimeo.

You never know what beauty you might find until you stop and listen.

Passing fall

2009-11-19T18:09:00.004-05:00

Colors change, leaves fall, and the rains come.

Saturday morning greeted me with some moisture. Defiantly, I searched for beauty and found beauty.

Winter, I'm not ready just yet :)

Kiss me

2009-11-14T16:21:00.007-05:00

The sun sprinkled itself upon all of us that day, but I think she wanted it the most. This is one of my favorite photos I've taken this year. I'll be silent as to let your heart articulate.

"Kiss me"
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
© Garrett Hubbard 2009

Chicago's 2020 Olympic bid begins with street photography

2009-11-06T00:30:00.008-05:00

The International Olympic Committee recently gave the 2016 Olympic bid to Rio de Janeiro. Even an in-person appeal by the Obama's couldn't sway the IOC to give the nod to Chicago. Well Chicago, here I am in your loving arms once again. I think this is the fourth or fifth time for 2009 but I cannot remember, I'm losing track. I do know, however, that I was here one year ago to the day for election night. In light of all the time I've spent in Chicago recently, I thought I'd start my own fight for the 2020 summer games. Here's my ever so humble and ever so sardonic beginnings of my ad campaign (all photos taken Nov 5, 2009).

Photographers note: I don't know if any of the below captions are funny and/or worth reading. It's late and my what wits I have went to sleep hours ago.

In Chicago, everyone sees the best in themselves. Particularly so when we put them in front of the "skinny" squeeze mirror.

Yep, no caption for this one. I just really wanted to put it up. I like the quality & direction of light with the graphic elements. I'll ask the ad team to make it work : )

In Chicago, we have created a proving ground for every soccer-mom in their SUV with our rough terrain. Also ideal for cycling criteriums. Guaranteed to get some crashes worthy of YouTube.

In Chicago, our urban development is green-centric. Condominium's and weeds happily co-exist.

In Chicago, we build very tall emerald green brick walls. Why? Because we can.

In Chicago, our buildings are already golden, err amber, yes, that's it. One caveat, only at night.

An Invitation: Speaking to influence the storytellers

2009-10-29T15:50:00.011-04:00

I recently received quite a unique invitation. I was asked to be a faculty lecturer at the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference held near Dallas, TX in March 2010. I will be on faculty for the workshop on Friday as well as give a lecture to around 150 photojournalists during the three-day conference.

I attended this conference in 2004 and 2005 and was totally encouraged by the faculty, challenged by the portfolio critiques, and most importantly made friends around the country which I still have today. I'm really looking forward to seeing Gary, Louis, Chris, and the list continues!

What an honor to share the lectern with the outstanding freelance photographer Dave Black (who was on faculty when I was starting my career in 2oo5 as well as my new friend and humanitarian documentary photographer Esther Havens. I am so looking forward to the opportunity to speak into the lives of visual storytellers who "believe photojournalism is a calling and the act of bearing witness to be important." - SWPJC home page

Doggy day care

2009-10-14T17:56:00.006-04:00

Children are to child care as dogs are to doggy day care at Dogtopia. This is what I learned on a story I told for USA TODAY about entrepreneur Amy Nichols, founder & CEO of Dogtopia. After a few hours there, I realized that these dogs were pampered and cared for more like people's children than dogs--thus the thesis of my video and the idea that I would use to construct the whole piece. Enjoy :)

read the story here
see the photo gallery of some doggy clients here

empty frames

2009-10-04T22:42:00.009-04:00

"Slow down everyone you're moving too fast, frames can't catch you when you're movin' like that" - Jack Johnson, F-Stop Blues

Early morning light on the Federal triangle buildings in Washington, D.C. Saturday October 3, 2009.

I really enjoy Jack Johnson's music and find him to be a gifted communicator. His music reminds me to relax in this high-paced, high-output area we call Northern Virginia. The simple lyrics quoted in the song above reminds me that if I don't slow down and cease on a weekly basis then I might be left with empty frames. I'm thankful for my friends who remind me to get up and get out of my house and help me slow down and fill even a frame or two.

P.S. Thanks also for the indelible memories that happened outside of this frame : )

To be known on my birthday

2009-09-16T18:00:00.006-04:00

Friends & family (my sweet mom) came from near and far to celebrate my birthday this year. Thanks for making this birthday a memorable one friends. Of course the photo booth was in effect : )

To those cruel people who silly-stringed me & petey-the-pineapple, your time will come!

Francessca & Jimmy sneak peak

2009-09-10T18:08:00.005-04:00

Okay, so if you already follow the fabulous Bridal Bubbly wedding planner blog then Francessca & Jimmy's wedding photos are sooo last week. So for the rest of you I do have some of my photos from their wedding story to share with you that are on their blog. Many thanks to the most wonderful wedding planner Amy with Engaging Affairs for introducing Francessca to me and my wedding storytelling. I'm so looking forward to working with Amy again. She prepared the way and really enabled me to make these photographs of which I am proud. I will be posting more of these wedding photographs once they are all done!

See more of this wedding story via Amy's blog post here. Enjoy!

24 Hours in the ER: The front lines of health care

2009-09-08T10:32:00.010-04:00

This adorable little girl was attacked by her babysitters dog and was receiving treatment while I was there. She appears sporadically in the first chapter of the video series. © Garrett Hubbard 2009/USA TODAY

I recently spent 15-hours in the ER.

Fear not, I did not arrive by helicopter or ambulance this time, instead I walked in with my own two feet around 6 a.m. one day late August to work on a story at the University of Virgina Medical Center. That day on the front lines of our health care system was eye opening. I had the opportunity to shadow some really passionate doctors, nurses, and residents as well as experience life and nearly death.

See the videos here
See the photos here
Read the story here

At USA TODAY we wanted to take a look at the health care system through the lens of the ER by spending 24 hours straight in it. Five reporters, three editors, and two visual journalists like myself took on this task. I teamed up with my friend who also happens to be one of my favorite visual journalists at the paper, Thad Allender to tell the story visually with photographs and video. We took many photographs, each shot around five-hours of footage during our long shifts, asked a lot of people to wear wireless microphones, interviewed a lot people, saw the helicopter medivac (PEGASUS) deliver many people, and wwer reminded how precious & fragile life is. The final product was a front page story that ran today with lots of photos inside on pages 4 & 5, a video series with four chapters, and an online photo gallery.

Evidence of summer

2009-08-14T18:53:00.002-04:00

Please forgive the lack of new posts, I've been occupied.

30 compact flash cards full of wedding stories downloaded in 48 hrs time. This screen capture is proof that summer is here! It has been my privilege to be invited into my clients lives to tell their beautiful wedding stories.

Photographing the stars: Hugh & Rose

2009-07-28T15:29:00.013-04:00

28 photographs and 1 video in 15-minutes all in a day's work. I photographed some actors for the first time a few weeks ago. My portraits of actors Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy ran in the Life section of USA TODAY in today's edition. Many thanks to our photo intern Truth Leem, I couldn not have done it without her! The two star in a film called Adam from Fox Seearchlight Pictures which opens nation wide August 7.

Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne costar in the upcoming indie film "Adam." The movie is about Adam (Dancy), a lonely man with Asperger's Syndrome, who develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth (Byrne). Photo by Garrett Hubbard/USA TODAY

Here I am trying to convince Hugh to take the camera, hold it out in front of him and record himself talking about the movie & what it's like traveling around the country promoting their new film. He did wonderfully and Rose poppped in with some fun tidbits mid-stream much to my surprise. Photo by Truth Leem/USA TODAY

Here is the link to the video that Hugh Dancy shot right after the 10-minute photo shoot I did with them. Do you want to know the best part about this video? I didn't even shoot it : ) I just mic'd him up, set up the camera and handed it to him giving him complete control and freedom to do whatever he wished.

Hugh and Rose laugh at the video they just made of themselves from the back of my camera. They did it in one take--most impressive! photo by Truth Leem/USA TODAY

Kevin & Kim's wedding slideshow

2009-07-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

D.C. train crash. A tragedy in my backyard

2009-06-23T01:12:00.005-04:00

Nine people died today--nine.
70 injured.
2 metro commuter train cars collided.
5 p.m. during rush hour--it happened on the red line.

I was there--I think. Capturing video of the rescue efforts as people were being pulled from the wreckage and wheeled into ambulances after being trapped for hours before fire fighters and the jaws-of-life rescued them. I was there--or was I? I was doing my job. I was meeting people, getting their reactions, trying to get access to see the wreckage, backpedaling down a hill as Mayor Fenty made his way to the scene. I was hiding behind my camera. Alas, I have no camera. Now I sit in my home-studio in my quiet suburb in my quieter neighborhood. A world away from the low-income area of northeast D.C. where a collision killed, where rescue crews are still working, and where some D.C. residents are still wondering if their loved ones were on that train. I was there--or was I hiding behind my camera the whole time? As if I could use my camera as a shield. As if it could somehow protect me from the reality that nine lost their lives on an ordinary Monday afternoon. Well, the camera is down--what will protect me from reality now?

Nothing--which will be a good thing. Some of my story below, in video form.

Refocussing the American Dream

2009-06-16T17:33:00.005-04:00

Have a taste of Little India in Chicago! See my slide show movie here. This story I worked on about how the American Dream affects immigrants ran in today's paper--on the front page actually--right on the fold. I got to tell a story of two business owners who are struggling in this recession. I found their life stories quite inspiring and interesting. Maybe you will too. One an immigrant from Mexico, and the other a daughter of Immigrants.

When the storm approaches

2009-06-09T17:30:00.003-04:00

God is big. We are small.

We have had a lot of rain lately and some pretty serious storms. This is a photograph I took outside of my house at 5:00 p.m. and 39 seconds eastern. Putting up a video of the fast-moving clouds on my facebook right now.

Kevin & Kim's Naval wedding preview

2009-06-07T01:33:00.002-04:00

Here are a few of my preliminary favorites form the wedding story I told for Kevin & Kim today at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. What a fun day!

Golden Age Games

2009-06-05T10:09:00.003-04:00

I've spent the past four days covering a really rewarding story down in Birmingham, Alabama. Veterans from all over the country are competing at the annual National Veterans Golden Age Games. Staying active and games like these have helped many aging veterans enjoy a higher quality of life and health. Kudos to our Department of Veterans Affairs for doing this for the past 23 years.

Brandon and Michelle slideshow

2009-05-29T23:56:00.010-04:00

I just put together a slideshow on my website for Brandon & Michelle's wedding. You can view it below, or see it a little bit bigger on my webiste. Just add your own sound track, sit back, and enjoy! For all you guests out there and anyone else who just wants to see more, all of their photographs can be viewed here on Pictage.

Frontline Silver Spring campus launch

2009-05-25T21:13:00.001-04:00

Last night our church launched a new campus location in Silver Spring, MD. Here are some photographs I took from the celebration. Enjoy!