Like many young photographers I often look to the veterans of our craft, seeking advice, candid feedback, and new inspiration.
A few years ago I had the pleasure of exploring an incredible collection of images that truly spoke to me as a photojournalist.
As I scrolled through the beautifully engaging imagery, I knew immediately that this photographer was someone whom I could only hope to be lucky enough to learn from one day.
That photographer was Ami Vitale.
A few weeks ago, as I geared up for my second year on Black Team, I decided to take a peek at the ever-impressive list mentors and presenters on tap for the 23rd Annual Eddie Adams Barnstorm.
As I scanned through the extensive list of photography legends from all eras, I stared in disbelief at my computer screen.
Ami Vitale was on that list.
Upon arriving to the Farm, I was assigned to the transportation team.
Typically, working as a driver for the workshop entails picking up VIP’s in Manhattan and driving them to Jeffersonville, NY, for the workshop.
This year, however, was a little different.
I didn’t have any runs to the city scheduled on the 2nd day of the workshop, which freed me up for an incredible opportunity I could only have dreamed of.
Vitale’s team of students was short on vehicles and needed help in order to get to the different locations for their photo shoots… and I was the gal for the job!
I then spent the rest of the day, rolling through the picturesque, country hills of upstate New York in my white, rented mini-van with Vitale riding shotgun.
It was truly a surreal experience and an invaluable opportunity to build a relationship with an award-winning photographer who I had admired for years.
This unforgettable day in my young photography career is just one example of the spirit of this incredible workshop and doors it can open for eager, young shooters.
People who have never experienced magic of the Eddie Adams Workshop may think that the students are the only people affected by the workshop each year.
I can confidently say, from first-hand experience, that for the past two years that I have had the privilege to work at this amazing workshop, my path as a photojournalist has been forever transformed.
Showing posts with label Black Team. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Team. Show all posts
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The House
The bulk of this Eddie Adams Workshop takes place in the barn of the 64-acre farm, but if EAW had a heart it would be the red floored kitchen of the farmhouse where Eddie would entertain his close friends and guest speakers. Eddie’s extended workshop family continues to meet in the cozy room to laugh and trade memories. As people are adopted into the family, they’re welcomed as if they’ve always sat at the photo covered table.
The photos on that table represent 23 years of hard working, hard playing volunteers who come up for one weekend in October to give 100 students the experience of a lifetime.
As Pulitzer Prize winning photographers like Nick Ut and Michael Williamson come through the door, Najat and Roxy Naba are ready to serve Lebanese Labne and fresh mint snacks they made from scratch, and if timed right, you might get to taste Nick’s specially brewed Vietnamese coffee.
Photography is the one commonality between each person who comes through the door, and while other topics are brought up, the conversation always returns to Eddie’s passion; photography.
“This place was meant to be full of people,” said Alyssa Adams, executive producer of the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Alyssa reflects, in stark contrast to the rest of the year when the residence is an ordinary farmhouse in the Catskills, “It’s quiet, the pond is very serene, you feel like you’re floating on top of the world when you’re here. In the summer the farm feels like it’s waiting for the workshop.”
But during this cold week in October, the bonfire blazes, Bruiser the Boxer eagerly waits for scraps to fall and the community of photographers gathers in the heart of the home to continue Eddie’s tradition.
“This place was meant to be full of people,” said Alyssa Adams, executive producer of the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Alyssa reflects, in stark contrast to the rest of the year when the residence is an ordinary farmhouse in the Catskills, “It’s quiet, the pond is very serene, you feel like you’re floating on top of the world when you’re here. In the summer the farm feels like it’s waiting for the workshop.”
But during this cold week in October, the bonfire blazes, Bruiser the Boxer eagerly waits for scraps to fall and the community of photographers gathers in the heart of EAW to continue Eddie’s tradition and will for years to come.
The photos on that table represent 23 years of hard working, hard playing volunteers who come up for one weekend in October to give 100 students the experience of a lifetime.
As Pulitzer Prize winning photographers like Nick Ut and Michael Williamson come through the door, Najat and Roxy Naba are ready to serve Lebanese Labne and fresh mint snacks they made from scratch, and if timed right, you might get to taste Nick’s specially brewed Vietnamese coffee.
Photography is the one commonality between each person who comes through the door, and while other topics are brought up, the conversation always returns to Eddie’s passion; photography.
“This place was meant to be full of people,” said Alyssa Adams, executive producer of the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Alyssa reflects, in stark contrast to the rest of the year when the residence is an ordinary farmhouse in the Catskills, “It’s quiet, the pond is very serene, you feel like you’re floating on top of the world when you’re here. In the summer the farm feels like it’s waiting for the workshop.”
But during this cold week in October, the bonfire blazes, Bruiser the Boxer eagerly waits for scraps to fall and the community of photographers gathers in the heart of the home to continue Eddie’s tradition.
“This place was meant to be full of people,” said Alyssa Adams, executive producer of the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Alyssa reflects, in stark contrast to the rest of the year when the residence is an ordinary farmhouse in the Catskills, “It’s quiet, the pond is very serene, you feel like you’re floating on top of the world when you’re here. In the summer the farm feels like it’s waiting for the workshop.”
But during this cold week in October, the bonfire blazes, Bruiser the Boxer eagerly waits for scraps to fall and the community of photographers gathers in the heart of EAW to continue Eddie’s tradition and will for years to come.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The calm before the Barnstorm
In anticipation of the arrival of 100 young shooters hand-picked for Barn Storm XXIII, more than 45 members of Black Team left the comfort of their daily lives throughout the country and headed to the gentle rolling hills of Jeffersonville, NY, to volunteer countless labor-intensive hours on the grounds of the Eddie Adams Farm, ensuring the 2010 workshop will be a unforgettable experience for the students.
While preparation for the workshop is a year-round effort by many, the real hands-on ‘dirty’ work is done by the close-knit
support staff, known as the Black Team, in the days, hours, and minutes before a big yellow school bus filled with the eager photography students slowly rolls up to the gravel driveway on Friday, officially starting of the 23rd annual Eddie Adams Workshop.
Most members of Black Team donned rubber boots and plastic slickers in the early days of prep work, in order to work through several chilly days of steady rain that turned the lush lawn of the farm into a soggy, muddy swamp.
“With the weather in the Catskills it’s always a challenge and this year was no exception,” said Mark Kettenhofen, the Black Team Leader for the past 12 years and a Professional Market Technical Representative for Nikon. “We had constant rain for almost the whole week prior to the workshop which delayed much of the work that needed to be done, however, Black Team stepped up like they always do.”
On Wednesday, the hard-working crew awoke to the slow rise of the warm sun, drying out the farm grounds and the waterlogged team. The break in the weather incited a flurry of activity throughout the property in a collaborative effort to finish dozens of chores and seemingly barely enough time to complete all the tasks ahead.
Today the farm is really taking shape and the platform for this transformative workshop has emerged. Freshly cut grass clippings were raked into infinite piles and hauled away, hay bales, potted flowers and pumpkins adorn the gravel driveway, the barn walls are lined with large-scale, framed photos from preceding workshops, and team leaders huddle in their work spaces, finalizing plans for the students’ photo shoots.
And as the Black Team continues to wrap up last minute details around the farm, they reflect upon their motivation for all of their hard work… 'We’re here for a hundred reasons, and they arrive this afternoon.'
While preparation for the workshop is a year-round effort by many, the real hands-on ‘dirty’ work is done by the close-knit
support staff, known as the Black Team, in the days, hours, and minutes before a big yellow school bus filled with the eager photography students slowly rolls up to the gravel driveway on Friday, officially starting of the 23rd annual Eddie Adams Workshop.Most members of Black Team donned rubber boots and plastic slickers in the early days of prep work, in order to work through several chilly days of steady rain that turned the lush lawn of the farm into a soggy, muddy swamp.
“With the weather in the Catskills it’s always a challenge and this year was no exception,” said Mark Kettenhofen, the Black Team Leader for the past 12 years and a Professional Market Technical Representative for Nikon. “We had constant rain for almost the whole week prior to the workshop which delayed much of the work that needed to be done, however, Black Team stepped up like they always do.”
On Wednesday, the hard-working crew awoke to the slow rise of the warm sun, drying out the farm grounds and the waterlogged team. The break in the weather incited a flurry of activity throughout the property in a collaborative effort to finish dozens of chores and seemingly barely enough time to complete all the tasks ahead.
Today the farm is really taking shape and the platform for this transformative workshop has emerged. Freshly cut grass clippings were raked into infinite piles and hauled away, hay bales, potted flowers and pumpkins adorn the gravel driveway, the barn walls are lined with large-scale, framed photos from preceding workshops, and team leaders huddle in their work spaces, finalizing plans for the students’ photo shoots.
And as the Black Team continues to wrap up last minute details around the farm, they reflect upon their motivation for all of their hard work… 'We’re here for a hundred reasons, and they arrive this afternoon.'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)