Sep 24 2009
Midwest Birding Symposium 2009: Photos of Photographers
I’m just back from the 2009 Midwest Birding Symposium, which was without doubt one of the best organized and coordinated events of its kind, ever. I kept pretty busy, giving a presentation on the uses of digital technology in birding, successfully chasing a Kirtland’s Warbler that turned up nearby, burning the midnight karaoke oil, and so on. I took very few photos, except for a series of quick, informal portraits that I’m presenting here.
Bill Thompson III (aka Bill of the Birds) asked me to take on a rather deadline-intensive project: collecting photos from a bevy of volunteer photographers that were dispatched to all corners of the festival and organizing them on the spot into a presentation that would serve as a pleasant recap and farewell at the close of the festival Sunday morning.
As a result, I didn’t get as much sleep as I would have liked between Saturday evening, when I received well over 1300 images, and Sunday morning, when I showed just under 380 in 25 minutes. Mind you, I’m not complaining–events like this are built on sleep deprivation and I had surely among the lightest burden of any of those who helped out.
As the photographers gave me their memory cards, I downloaded their pictures to my laptop. Meanwhile, I took each photographer out to the front of Hoover Auditorium and shot a quick series of portraits of him or her in ambient light. I used the photos as a list of visual credits at the end of the presentation.
I think these photos are a reminder of one of the most basic pleasures of photography: the chance to regard the face of a fellow human at leisure. I know many people are uncomfortable being photographed, photographers often especially (and paradoxically) so, so I try really hard to present them in ways that are flattering, yet still accurate. I think they all look great. Well, Geoff Heeter is kind of in his own category, but that’s no surprise. ;-)
Here they are, in alphabetical order.
Dana Bollin
Ernie Cornelius
Geoff Heeter
Ethan Kistler
Judy Kolo-Rose
Loopy Lewis
Bernie Master
Ric McArthur
Liz McQuaid
Deb Neidert
Renee Tressler
Of course, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to all the photographers and to the MBS staff that helped coordinate. I’m also sorry that I let Sherrie Duris get away before I got a photo of her. Looking forward to seeing you all in 2011!
What a neat idea…and Geoff Heeter is such a cheese.
Fantastic photos of great people.
Good idea to do this.
Well, very well, done.
Jefe:
You did us all proud with your digital image mash-up at the MBS.
Thanks for applying your immense talents so generously to the event. It wouldn’t have been the same without you!
Thanks, bro.
BT3
Nice to have the photos of photographers, Jeff–who, as I know, have thousands of images of everything on this planet–and very few of themselves!
Nicely done.
And a pleasure to see you in Lakeside–
I think when you’re taking a portrait, the subject’s feelings about the photographer shine through. If these portraits are warm and inviting, it’s a reflection of you. Just another of the myriad things you could do for a living if you decided to.
What a man! I was amazed at the show you put together. I now wished I edited my photos before I gave them to you to help you out a bit.
Next time!
Thanks!
Jeff, I like how you captured smiling eyes. They’re inviting… Very cool people, for sure.
Mary (way late with a comment, as usual)