Crista Hecht Photography

ReHorse Rescue Needs Help!

2011-02-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

ReHorse Rescue Ranch in Jamestown, CA. is the horse rescue I did my thesis on not too long ago. They just rescued 10 horses in horrible condition, as you can see above. The ranch needs as much help as possible to feed and rehabilitate the horses. Even $1 helps.

If you can do anything to help, please donate at rehorserescue.org or send donations to P.O. Box 494, Jamestown, CA 95237.

The News10 video shows where these horses were living and the conditions they were in.

Please help in any way you can! If you have any questions, let me know.

Cold

2010-11-15T15:14:00.000-08:00

Along for the ride

2010-06-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

I picked up a hitch hiker on my shoe at the ranch the weekend before last. Fuzzy little guy...

Just a little something in between posts :)

Grand Canyon Trip

2010-06-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

Finally, some new photos. For finishing my Masters thesis, my mom took me to the Grand Canyon. It's the first time I've been able to shoot something other than the ranch for a long time. It was definitely nice to do something different.

Montazuma's Castle

Oh hai!

Attempt at star trails at the Grand Canyon. Too small to see here, but the stars are there. This was a 10-ish minute exposure at around 1:30 a.m. Just so happened to be a full moon that night, so it lit up the canyon pretty nicely. Not exactly what I was going for, but this is only the second time I've done star trails..so more practice!

It's been awhile...

2009-12-09T23:41:00.004-08:00

It's been a very long time since I've posted anything. I've been busy with life and working on my thesis for my Masters degree. I'm pretty close to finishing, but it's been a long, exhausting road.

My thesis is on a horse rescue in California. They rescue horses that have been beaten, starved or are in a dangerous environment. There is a big problem with domestic horses right now due to the economy..people can't afford to feed their horses anymore. It's really sad. So, I've been working on this for a few months. When I'm not taking photos, I volunteer at the ranch..13+ hours a day, 7 days a week..doing anything I can to help. These people are by far, the kindest and most generous people I've ever met and worked with. Recently, the ranch has been hit hard by the stresses of the economy. I would urge anyone who is able to donate to the rescue. The only way these horses can survive is through the help of people.

The ranch is called ReHorse Rescue Ranch and you can donate on their website. The website is currently under construction, but you can still donate on the main page.

Here are a few photos..the first two are a recent rescue (my photos). The others are photos by the owner of the ranch.

Charles River Rugby

2009-04-04T19:39:00.005-07:00

I'm so proud of myself for taking this portrait and not needing any help...and in 5 minutes! It may seem easy to you, but I have had a hard time understanding lighting and I'm finally starting..to see the light haha. Ok, bad joke. Anyway, notes are below the photos. I can't decide which I like better..what do you think?

One SB800 off to the left

One SB800 off to the left with gel

Keep Going!

2009-04-04T19:28:00.004-07:00

It's that point in the semester when sleep is not a priority anymore. People keep saying I look so tired..well, I am. But, there's only 4 weeks left! I haven't been posting as much as I'd like, but I finally have some photos that I like that aren't related to photojournalism. I needed to try something new to give myself a break and for some odd reason, I've been really interested in walls. Yes, walls..walls with character. So here are a few:

Grads

2009-03-18T08:49:00.001-07:00

Me and my class. Graduating in 2 months!!!

Photo courtesy Ryan McCune

Taxi Driver

2009-03-04T05:24:00.001-08:00

Probably the only female taxi driver in Boston, or one of the few.

Connie Griffin, 61

It's an eagle! A falcon? No, a hawk!

2009-02-28T23:10:00.004-08:00

Well, no one really knows what it is, but all bets are on an "immature red tailed hawk". And in the middle of the Public Garden!

Who needs sleep when you have photo?

2009-02-24T20:46:00.005-08:00

Haven't had much time for photo..my kind of photography. Hopefully I will have more time soon.

Win!

2009-02-15T20:24:00.003-08:00

Death of Another Computer

2009-02-08T15:59:00.003-08:00

I won't be posting for awhile. Another computer died. Video card failure I suspect, but who knows.

Photographers vs. Bike Messengers

2009-02-06T14:17:00.004-08:00

The impossible photo story is possible, but only if you are ok with getting yelled at, flipped off at, or getting nasty looks. I guess you could call it the war between photographers and bike messengers. Supposedly our professor is on their hit list because he's been sending out students like us to take their photos for the last 10 years.

Not only was I standing on street corners in the financial district waiting to take their photos as they sped by, but so were the other 11 grad students in my class.

Only 3 months til graduation?

2009-02-05T21:31:00.004-08:00

I'm having fun with one of my classes. We're doing a lot of portrait and lighting workshops, which is the area I need the most help in. I never thought I'd like portraiture so much, but now that I'm actually figuring out the lighting on my own, it doesn't seem like such a hard task anymore. All I want to do is take portraits now.

That's it for now..

Portraits

2009-01-27T17:33:00.005-08:00

First try at portraits without the help of another photog. We only had one softbox, a back light and a reflector.. and some of these were only taken with the modeling light because there were about 10 other students shooting at once..only one had the pocket wizards and had to switch off. I'm not putting them all on here. If you want to see the rest, they're on my Flickr.

This one was in my apartment with natural light.

Studio

2009-01-21T19:26:00.002-08:00

Two of my favorites from today. Kim was the best model for the day. This is my first try at studio lighting in 3 years. The last time I did this, it was a disaster. I think I got some ok shots. I really want to learn more and maybe eventually get into commercial photography.

Been Too Long..

2009-01-20T21:09:00.004-08:00

Ok, I've had my break. Now it's back to work. It's gonna be a tough semester, but in 3 short months I'll have a masters and will never have to go to school again. So here's the first photo of the semester..not great, but it worked. A photo of something having to do with inauguration day.

Final Photo Story: Rob's Magic

2008-12-08T19:48:00.024-08:00

October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., waits for customers behind his homemade magic stand at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. Goodman-Schneps, A seventh-grader at Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge, performs on the street in various locations around Harvard Square after school two or three days a week depending on weather. He started practicing magic when he was four years old and began performing on the street in April. "When I was younger, I used to perform in front of my house with my friends," he said. "Some of my friends really like it and some I haven't showed my tricks to." Photo by Crista Hecht.
October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., searches through a drawer behind his magic stand at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He started practicing magic when he was four years old and began performing on the street in April. Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., uses metal rings to perform a magic trick at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He started practicing magic when he was four years old and began performing on the street in April. "I signed myself up for the Society of Young Magicians sometime over the summer," he said. "The organization helps you by having a lot of other people who do magic so they can help you with tricks." Photo by Crista Hecht.
October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., holds a deck of cards while a volunteer picks a card during his magic performance at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He started practicing magic when he was four years old and began performing on the street in April. "When I was younger, I loved to watch the street performers and magic on T.V. so I wanted to learn how to do that stuff," he said. Photo by Crista Hecht.
October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., takes a break to talk to his parents, Matthew Schneps and Randy Goodman, while performing magic at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He must be accompanied by an adult to perform on the street so his parents take time out of their busy schedules to supervise him. "We watched him develop as a performer, as someone developing an art," Goodman said. Photo by Crista Hecht.
October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., holds a deck of cards while Meghan Lynch, 12, of Somerville, chooses a card during his magic performance at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He started practicing magic when he was four years old and began performing on the street in April. Goodman-Schneps has performed in places such as Newbury Street in Boston and Times Square in New York. Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 12, 2008 - Nina Rosenblum, 8, left, and her sister, Victoria, 10, of Greenwich, Mass., react as Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., shows them a card while performing magic at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He started practicing magic when he was four years old and began performing on the street in April. "The best part of doing magic is the people's reaction when someone really likes it, but the worst part is when I have a heckler. They always ge annoying," he said. Photo by Crista Hecht.
October 12, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., waits for customers behind his homemade magic stand at the Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. He uses the tips he makes from performing to buy new supplies for more tricks and also to save for college and other expenses. "Right now, I'm making just enough to spend on new tricks," he said. "Once I have enough supplies, then I'll be able to save a lot more." Photo by Crista Hecht.
November 26, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., waits while his dad, Matthew Schneps, fills out application forms for a license to perform in the subways. His parents must apply for licenses as well because he is a minor and must be supervised while performing. Schneps had to take time off from his busy job as the director of the Science Media Group at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge to apply for the licenses. "Applying for a subway license is harder than getting a driver's license," said Schneps, who failed, after an hour of filling out forms, to bring a piece of mail to show proof of residency, which delayed the process. Photo by Crista Hecht.
November 26, 2008 - Rob Goodman-Schneps, 12, of Cambridge, Mass., practices a magic trick while waiting for his dad, Matthew Schneps, to finish filling out application forms for a license to perform in the subways. His parents must apply for licenses as well because he is a minor and must be supervised while performing. Schneps had to take time off from his busy job as the director of the Science Media Group at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge to apply for the licenses. "Applying for a subway license is harder than getting a driver's license," said Schneps, who failed, after an hour of filling out forms, to bring a piece of mail to show proof of residency, which delayed the process. Photo by Crista Hecht.

Moon Frown

2008-12-01T16:49:00.008-08:00

Road Trip

2008-11-12T09:44:00.007-08:00

My mom came to visit and we went on a weekend roadtrip. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. These are a few photos from the trip. More on my flickr (just click on one of these photos and it will take you directly to my flickr).

Boylston Berserkers Quidditch Practice

2008-11-11T19:27:00.003-08:00

Boylston Berserkers, Emerson College
Quidditch Practice

November 11, 2008 - Members of Boylston Berserkers, an Emerson College Quidditch club, walk from their dorm to Boston Common carrying broomsticks, balls and everything needed to set up the field for practice. Photo by Crista Hecht.

November 11, 2008 - Billy Peloquin, 20, an Emerson College student, scores during Quidditch practice, a game modeled after Harry Potter, at Boston Common with his Emerson College club team, the Boylston Berserkers. "It started really, really underground last year with a bunch of friends on the dorm floor," says Joseph Rechtman, 20, (not pictured) the team captain. Photo by Crista Hecht.

November 11, 2008 - Cody Buesing, 20, an Emerson College student, carries the quaffle while trying to avoid a bludger during Quidditch practice with his team, the Boylston Berserkers, at Boston Common. "We are now officially recognized by Emerson as a club sport," says Joseph Rechtman, (not pictured) the team captain. Photo by Crista Hecht.

November 11, 2008 - Joseph Rechtman, 20, team captain of the Boylston Berserkers, an Emerson College Quidditch club, talks to his teammates after practice. "We're ranked fifth in the world and the highest ranking team in Massachusetts," Rechtman says. Photo by Crista Hecht.

November 11, 2008 - Billy Peloquin, 20, a student at Emerson College, carries broomsticks after his team, the Boylston Berserkers, finishes practicing Quidditch, a game modeled from Harry Potter, at Boston Common. Photo by Crista Hecht.

Election Night in Boston - Obama Event

2008-11-05T23:06:00.004-08:00

Copley Fairmont Plaza Hotel - Obama Event

I should have stayed longer and I wanted to, but 1,300 people in one small ballroom, stress, and exhaustion set in and I still had to edit Soundslides to upload that night. Not to mention I was trapped in the front corner of the ballroom for 30 minutes because it was so packed, which limited my photos I think.

It was fun, I'm not used to focusing so much on faces in crowds and I liked it. At the end of the day, I was glad to remove myself as a photographer for the rest of the night and enjoy watching history..as a regular person with no camera in the comfort of my apartment.

Tech Things and GO VOTE!

2008-10-29T20:49:00.004-07:00

Sometimes, I'm amazed with technology. I just found out in the past two days, I've had page views from New Mexico, New Hampshire, Vermont, Canada, Massachusetts, and Nevada and California (of course). I'm just wondering how people found my blog..let me know. It's just strange to me that 3 months ago, I had no blog and probably not that many people had ever seen my photos. Now I get 20 visits a day from all over the country, which may seem small to you, but that's amazing to me! Anyway, enough with my tech experiences.

One more dog photo.

Tell your friends to vote!

Ashley and Bruce

2008-10-29T03:13:00.003-07:00

Divas Unleased 2008: South End Halloween Pet Parade

October 26, 2008 - Ashley O'Leary, 25, of Beverly, Mass., pets her dog, Bruce, a one-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, before the start of Divas Unleashed 2008, the South End's Annual Halloween Pet Parade in Boston, Mass., an event that donates money to the ASPCA. The half-mile parade started in the South End and ended at Boston Common where judges voted on the best pet halloween costumes. "I came a couple years ago and it was a lot of fun," O'Leary says. "It's for a really good cause."

October 26, 2008 - Iman Balboni, 14, of Beverly, Mass., walks Bruce, a one-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, as Bruce's owner, Ashley O'Leary, 25, of Beverly, right, walks next to them in Divas Unleashed 2008, the South End's Annual Halloween Pet Parade in Boston, Mass., an event that donates money to the ASPCA. The half-mile parade started in the South End and ended at Boston Common where judges voted on the best pet halloween costumes. "I was going to have him say 'Bark for Obama,' but I decided not to make political arguments," O'Leary says.

October 26, 2008 - Ashley O'Leary, 25, of Beverly, Mass., gets ready to reward her dog, Bruce, a one-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, with peanut butter ice cream from J.P. Licks, an ice cream store in Boston, Mass. after finishing Divas Unleashed 2008, the South End's Annual Halloween Pet Parade in Boston, an event that donates money to the ASPCA. The half-mile parade started in the South End and ended at Boston Common where judges voted on the best pet halloween costumes.

October 26, 2008 - Ashley O'Leary, 25, of Beverly, Mass., waits with her dog, Bruce, a one-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, to hear the winners of the costume contest for Divas Unleashed 2008, the South End's Annual Halloween Pet Parade in Boston, Mass., an event that donates money to the ASPCA. The half-mile parade started in the South End and ended at Boston Common where judges voted on the best pet halloween costumes. O'Leary and Bruce won second place for originality with a prize of a one night stay and dinner at InterContinental Hotel in Boston. "It's really important for people to vote and if I can use my dog, so be it," O'Leary says.

October 26, 2008 - Ashley O'Leary, 25, of Beverly, Mass., walks off the stage with her dog, Bruce, a one-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, after Divas Unleashed 2008, the South End's Annual Halloween Pet Parade in Boston, Mass., an event that donates money to the ASPCA. The half-mile parade started in the South End and ended at Boston Common where judges voted on the best pet halloween costumes. O'Leary and Bruce won second place for originality. Their prize was a one night stay and dinner at InterContinental Hotel in Boston.

Sports!

2008-10-28T17:06:00.003-07:00

Just went to lecture by SI photog Bill Frakes. What I learned: I miss shooting sports, I need more gear, and I miss shooting sports! That's not all I learned, but I'm glad I went. Going to these lectures always get me going with photo again and make me want to try harder to be a great photographer.

The Never-Ending Day

2008-10-27T20:33:00.004-07:00

10 a.m. - 10 p.m. walk to dog parade in South End, Boston Common, China Town, Faneuil Hall, water front, Jamaica Plain- Jamaica Pond, then back home. It was fun, but exhausting..and by the end of the day, I couldn't move my arm or shoulder because I carried my equipment all day. But FUN!

Tunnel to the T

Orange line - don't get hit!!

Would you like some ketchup with your hot dog?

Look mom! I can touch my nose with my tongue!

Can burritos really be inspired?

Buildings with holes in the middle don't make sense to me.

Jamaica Pond

2008-10-27T09:37:00.004-07:00

Jamaica Pond and Lantern Festival

Apple Picking

2008-10-22T20:48:00.004-07:00

Going Apple Picking

2008-10-22T18:37:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick photo story I put together for class. Of course, it's not perfect, but it worked for class.

Head of the Charles Regatta

2008-10-21T08:45:00.005-07:00

Michael McGill and Marybeth Weathersby
I'm so happy to have met these people and they made my photo story very worthwhile. I haven't been this excited about photo in a while and I think it has to do with how open and nice they were to me. I will be uploading another part of this later this week. I am also uploading more of these photos to my flickr because I couldn't decide what to use and I like them all. After waking up at 5 a.m. to be at the river at 6 a.m., I chose the first people I saw pull up to the river. I chose the right people..it's the kind of photo story that just makes you feel good for knowing the people. Thank you Marybeth and Michael and congratulations!

October 19, 2008 - Marybeth Weathersby, 58, and her husband, Michael McGill, 73, of Rye, N.H., carry McGill's boat to the dock on the Charles River at Magazine Beach half an hour before the start of the Senior-Veteran Singles Men's race at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass. Weathersby, who has raced before, followed her husband throughout the race on her bike. "My job today is loyal assistant, shoe sherpa, and extra opinions on every subject," says Weathersby. "I just want to be there for him in case anything happens and to support him." Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 19, 2008 - Michael McGill, 73, of Rye, N.H., set up his shoes, water bottle and stroke meter in his Carl Douglas boat just before the Senior-Veteran Singles Men's race during the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass. This was the first time McGill rowed in an event since his back injury last year. He placed ninth out of 27 competitors. "I prepared for the race by rowing just about every day, six days a week, for the last five months," says McGill. "I've been competing for 16 to 20 years." Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 19, 2008 - Marybeth Weathersby, 58, attaches the oars to the boat for her husband, Michael McGill, 73, before the start of the Senior-Veteran Singles Men's race at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass. This was the first time McGill rowed in an event since his back injury last year. He placed ninth out of 27 competitors. "I've been rowing since I was 13 years old off and on, so maybe that's a total of 60 years," says McGill. Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 19, 2008 - Michael McGill, 73, of Rye, NH, rows past the one mile point in the three-mile Senior-Veteran Singles Men's race at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass. This was the first time McGill rowed in an event since his back injury last year. He placed ninth out of 27 competitors. "This regatta is just a very exciting national event and it really is quite exciting to row in it," says McGill. "It really was rough with the headwind and that's why I really never got above." Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 19, 2008 - Marybeth Weathersby, 58, congratulates her husband, Michael McGill, 73, after he rowed in the Senior-Veteran Singles Men's race at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass. This was the first time McGill rowed in an event since his back injury last year. He placed ninth out of 27 competitors.
"I'm so proud of you ducky!" said Weathersby.
"Really?" said McGill.
"Crossing the finish line, it was number one, two, three, four, then six, then 12 - you, so you passed quite a few people," said Weathersby.
Photo by Crista Hecht.

What I'm Working On Right Now

2008-10-13T20:31:00.003-07:00

Rob's Magic

I found Rob at the Oktoberfest doing some magic. This has been the best photo story I've worked on so far. How often do you find a 12-year-old performing magic on the street. Quite the entrepreneur. It was fun, unique and something I'm going to follow up on..maybe even for my final. I'm still editing and working on it, but here's what I've done so far.

Thanks Rob! www.robsstreetmagic.com

Photo Marathon

2008-10-12T20:54:00.006-07:00

Between photo stories on apple picking and Oktoberfest and trying to find the model sail boat club, I still had time for other photos. I feel like I haven't stopped all weekend and I'm definitely feeling it from all the walking..it's time for new shoes.

I feel like I need to get back to art. All this photojournalism is making me crazy. I don't know why there has to be such a division between fine art photo and photojournalism. I think both can be incorporated into each other to some extent. All I know is, I want art back. I need to be more creative.

Photo Story 4: Katie Rosenberg

2008-10-06T20:21:00.009-07:00

October 5, 2008 - Katie Rosenberg, 18, a Boston University freshman from Melbourne, Fla., knits while selling her handmade hats for the first time at the Baked Fresh Festival hosted by the South End Open Market in Boston, Mass. She started knitting hats in March when she was doing a project for her high school in Florida. "I was doing embryonic stem cell research and we had to produce something besides a paper," she says. "I wanted to attach it to knitting, so I made chemo caps for patients going through chemo therapy and donated 15 to 20 hats to a local hospital." Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 5, 2008 - Knitted hats sit on a table for sale at the Baked Fresh Festival hosted by the South End Open Market in Boston, Mass. Katie Rosenberg, 18, a Boston University freshman from Melbourne, Fla., was invited by the South End Open Market staff to sell her handmade products. This was the first time Rosenberg sold her hats at a market. She developed her own design and has worked to perfect it over the last few months. "It takes me about a day to make one hat," she says. "The most I've ever made in one day is three hats, but I basically knitted all day and that was it." Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 5, 2008 - Katie Rosenberg, 18, a Boston University freshman from Melbourne, Fla., collects money from Morgan First, left, while Lauren Michaud, right, gets her money out to pay for a hat at the Baked Fresh Festival hosted by the South End Open Market in Boston, Mass. This was the first time Rosenberg sold her handmade knitted hats. "I was very excited to sell my first hat and to have money," Rosenberg says. "I sold somewhere around 17 or 18 hats and made about $200." Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 5, 2008 - Katie Rosenberg, 18, a Boston University freshman from Melbourne, Fla., pets Bailey, a golden retriever, while his owner, Sam Hoyt, tries on one of the knitted hats that Rosenberg is selling at the Baked Fresh Festival hosted by the South End Open Market in Boston, Mass. Photo by Crista Hecht.

October 6, 2008 - Katie Rosenberg, 18, a Boston University freshman from Melbourne, Fla., does chemistry homework in her dorm room in Boston, Mass. Rosenberg started knitting hats in March when she was doing an embryonic stem cell research project for her high school in Florida. She wants to study Neuroscience and Psychology and work in Alzheimers Research after college. Photo by Crista Hecht.

The Sun Doesn't Shine in Boston

2008-10-05T15:59:00.006-07:00

I'm starting to believe that the sun will never shine in Boston. I'm used to those amazing 300ish days of sunshine in Nevada and the nice blue sky. It's starting to get colder here and I have a feeling I might not get through the winter without getting frostbite once or twice.

I'm going to make an effort to go take photos every weekend..even if it's by myself.

I'd say about 95% of Boston is made of brick. Sometimes it takes on a life of its own.

Is it a fence? What could it be?!
It's the tallest building in New England!

Rebuilding the old? 3 buildings in 1.

Copley Square

This made me smile. I wasn't ready..again! I had just enough time to point my camera in the general direction. Good thing it's small..harder to tell it's not sharp :). The older people walked by the two younger people dancing and the old man stopped and started clapping. He walked away smiling and reached out and touched the woman's shoulder. It was like he was saying that's the way it should be or was...or just that you don't see it very often anymore. I don't know, just made me smile.

Photos always make everything better, even when you're having a bad day.

Photo Story 3: Boston Typewriter Orchestra

2008-09-30T20:49:00.004-07:00

Boston Typewriter Orchestra ...amazing. That's all I can really say.

September 22, 2008 - From left, Richard Maddalo, Jay O'Grady, Alex Holman, Derrik Albertelli, and Giordana Mecagni, members of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, a group that plays music on typewriters, practices around a table in the basement of O'Grady's house. The group's purpose is "a collective endeavor which engages in rhythmic typewriter manipulation combined with elements of performance, comedy and satire," according to Albertelli, the group's leader. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 22, 2008 - Jay O'Grady, left, Alex Holman, middle, and Derrik Albertelli, right, members of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, practice playing typewriters. The group's purpose is "a collective endeavor which engages in rhythmic typewriter manipulation combined with elements of performance, comedy and satire," according to Albertelli. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 22, 2008 - Jay O'Grady, left, a member of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, uses a beer can to make a different sound effect on his typewriter, while Alex Holman, right, plays along. The group uses materials, such as paper, plastic tubes, metal and typewriter parts to make new sounds on a collection of 20 different manual typewriters according to Derrik Albertelli, (not pictured) the group's leader. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 22, 2008 - Alex Holman, a member of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, plays music on a typewriter during a practice session. "I mark the keys that have broken off in red so I know not to use them," Holman says, referring to the 10 keys with red ink on his typewriter. Photo by Crista Hecht.
September 22, 2008 - Alex Holman, a member of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, fixes a broken key after a two-hour practice session. "We usually have at least one minor repair per night," Holman says. "I've had to mod mine six different times because of all the repairs," says Derrik Albertelli, (not pictured) the group's leader. Photo by Crista Hecht.

I know you want to hear it!
www.myspace.com/bostontypewriterorchestra
www.bostontypewriterorchestra.com

What I Miss About Nevada

2008-09-29T21:19:00.002-07:00

the stars
the desert
cool sites ..old barns, ruins, anything historic
open spaces
BBQ
friends
dry weather, but having 4 seasons is good
a big blue sky
the sun
so much to do, so little time
a new place to shoot every day
being surrounded by mountains
horses..wild horses
cool photos
swimming in the truckee
late night photo shoots with friends
the rodeo...and all the events in the fall..rib cook-off, hot air balloons
shooting football and basketball
knowing every photographer in town
free food for media
shooting anything in nevada...again
i miss everything basically..can't wait to get back to my favorite place

this one keeps me smiling

When I came to Boston, I made a point not to upload anything from Nevada (except for the portfolio and the dandelions) to my blog. I deleted my flickr account and just recently started a new one with my new work. I wanted to start fresh. Boston is my chance to learn on my own and grow from my own experiences..a chance to look at things with optimism. Even if my photos aren't great right now, they will be better in the end and I will be too. Although I miss everything about Nevada, I'm trying to make the best of being in Boston. I love Nevada...just needed a change of scenery and faces to get straightened out. Don't worry, I'll be back soon! :)

Boston at Night

2008-09-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

I finally got to shoot some night photos. I have this fascination with the light at night and I haven't shot any night photos in I don't know how many months..many many months.

This is the railroad tracks over the Charles River with the Boston skyline in the background. There's a plane in there too. I didn't bring much equipment because it wasn't going to be a long night. I brought my D300 and a 24-70. I've seen these tracks and new I wanted to shoot here. I forgot a strobe, so I asked Kat to keep firing off her on-camera flash toward the tracks. It worked pretty well. I'll probably go back and try it again with a strobe and maybe on a clear night when the remnants of the hurricane aren't nearby.

Boston skyline and Charles River

BU Bridge with car lights

Cape Cod

2008-09-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

I went to Cape Cod this past weekend with my grandparents. It was good to get away and I'm glad I got the chance to see them. I was hoping to get some good photos and something different from Boston, but the hurricane brought some not-so-nice weather. We were pretty much fogged in the whole time, no sun, loads of rain..but I got one or two ok shots. Anyway, it was good to see family and even though the photos may not have worked out as planned ..I could care less about the photos..as long as I could spend time with the people I love I'm happy with that.

Chatham - at the hotel

Yellow mushroom

Moss

Sometimes I feel like I have to take photos when I go to different places. It's hard to decide whether or not to bring the camera. If I don't, I'm constantly seeing things that could be great photos and then I regret not bringing a camera. If I do, I feel like I should be constantly taking photos. Isn't the point of taking a vacation or getting away to relax and have fun? I always have fun, but I always feel this pressure to take photos. While I enjoy photography, I do need breaks from it, but when I take a break, I feel like I should be taking photos. I guess it comes with the title?

Photo Story 2: Majenta Designs

2008-09-23T09:42:00.003-07:00

This story isn't what I was hoping for, but I'm still learning. I keep telling myself not every story will be perfect - there's always room for improvement. UPDATE: I guess I was being too hard on myself because I just got some really good feedback from my teacher on this story. "Exceptional" was the word.. :)

September 19, 2008 - Jennifer Tang, 24, a second year doctoral program student at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., makes jewelry in her apartment in Cambridge, Mass. Tang started Majenta Designs, her jewelry business, a year ago to help pay for her student loans. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 19, 2008 - Jennifer Tang, 24, a second year doctoral program student at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., makes jewelry in her apartment in Cambridge, Mass. Tang started Majenta Designs, her jewelry business, a year ago to help pay for her student loans. "I always was really into crafting and making things and when I started grad school, it was about paying off loans," Tang says. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 19, 2008 - Jennifer Tang, 24, a second year doctoral program student at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., places finished jewelry in the sun to dry in her apartment in Cambridge, Mass. Tang started Majenta Designs, her jewelry business, a year ago to help pay for her student loans. She makes jewelry, tins, mirrors, pins and other small items to sell on Etsy.com, a Web site where people can sell handmade products. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 19, 2008 - Jennifer Tang, 24, a second year doctoral program student at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., reacts to receiving a new jewelry order online while in her apartment in Cambridge, Mass. Tang started Majenta Designs, her jewelry business, a year ago to help pay for her student loans. "Jewelry's a really competitive field," she says. "I've sold my products throughout the U.S., and in Australia, Indonesia, Belgium, Sweden and Canada. Right now I'm trying to finish a big order for a wedding in Australia." Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 19, 2008 - Jennifer Tang, 24, a second year doctoral program student at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., makes jewelry in her apartment in Cambridge, Mass. Tang started Majenta Designs, her jewelry business, a year ago to help pay for her student loans. "I don't get to see my friends or my boyfriend very often," she says. "There's some days when I intern at Shattuck Hospital from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., go to school from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., then I'm home by 10:30 p.m., I check my mail and Etsy for an hour or two. After that, I'm supposed to be reading, but I procrastinate with Etsy and I have to make jewelry to get orders out on time. I'm also a teacher's assistant at school." Photo by Crista Hecht.

www.majentadesigns.blogspot.com
www.majentadesigns.etsy.com

Obviously, I'm No One

2008-09-19T00:33:00.000-07:00

Funny video about twitter. I don't usually post other things besides photo, but this was too good.

http://www.ihatemornings.com/twittersong/

Old Portfolio

2008-09-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

This is my old portfolio. I really wonder how I got into grad school with this portfolio. Just so you can see where I started from...

FYI

2008-09-17T10:48:00.001-07:00

I will be uploading one or two photo stories every week and some daily stuff in between. I will try to post the technical info if people want to know more about a photo, but most of the photos can go without that info. If you have questions or comments about the photos, please post them and I will respond. This is my attempt to improve in photo every day and comments really help me think about things differently and try new things. Oh, and please don't use the photos without permission (I like to know where they end up too). Thank you!

Photo Story 1: Decorating Memories

2008-09-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

Shantel King, 30, is a cake decorator at Rosie’s Bakery Distribution Center in Brighton, Mass. She started working at the bakery 11 years ago, where she learned how to frost a cake. Now, an assistant to the bakery manager, she handles the orders and shipping for five Rosie’s Bakery locations in Boston, as well as supervises the workers. King makes between 200 and 300 cakes every day, starting at 6:30 a.m. and finishing at 5 p.m. on long days. According to King, her motivation to make people happy through her cake decorating skills has made her job exciting. On September 15, 2008, King had to work all day with the recent news that her grandmother is dying. Shortly after King finished the cake orders for the day, she visited her grandmother in a nursing home, where her family was making arrangements.

September 15, 2008 - Shantel King, 30, a cake decorator at Rosie's Bakery Distribution Center in Brighton, Mass., talks with Courtney Rumasuglia, a coworker, while frosting cakes. King has worked at the bakery for 11 years and makes over 200 cakes every day, which are distributed to five Rosie's Bakery locations in the Boston area. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 15, 2008 - Shantel King, 30, a cake decorator at Rosie's Bakery Distribution Center in Brighton, Mass., pipes "Happy Birthday" onto a cake. King has worked at the bakery for 11 years and makes over 200 cakes every day, which are distributed to five Rosie's Bakery locations in the Boston area. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 15, 2008 - Shantel King, 30, a cake decorator at Rosie's Bakery Distribution Center in Brighton, Mass., places the last cake on the racks to be boxed and shipped. As an assistant to the bakery manager, King has the responsibility of making sure the cakes are presentable and are shipped to the correct locations. Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 15, 2008 - Shantel King, 30, a cake decorator at Rosie's Bakery Distribution Center in Brighton, Mass., reacts to a phone call while taking a short break in the bakery storage room. Before arriving at work, King was informed that her grandmother was dying, so family members called King throughout the day to make arrangements. She left work early to visit her grandmother at a nursing home, saying, "It's going to be different going in there and not having my grandma know who I am for the first time. She's slipping away. You can tell she's not going to be here much longer." Photo by Crista Hecht.

September 15, 2008 - Shantel King, 30, a cake decorator at Rosie's Bakery Distribution Center in Brighton, Mass., cleans up after decorating cakes. "By the end of the day, I'm literally tired, emotionally tired and exhausted. Especially on a long day when your arms are constantly moving and you're on your feet all day," King says. Photo by Crista Hecht.

Just Out of Curiosity

2008-09-13T22:08:00.000-07:00

Does anyone actually read my blog?

Some comments on the photos or anything in general would be much appreciated...if anyone's out there :) haha!

I changed my settings so Google blogs will find it more easily..might take awhile for it to register. (just for you Jake! thanks!...it's on my facebook too)

Top Picks of the Day

2008-09-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

Faneuil Hall

The really really small building (Old State House) compared to the surrounding towering buildings. I kicked myself for not getting the shot of a white bird flying through in between the buildings just seconds before I lifted my camera up.

Just the city.

Really cool, but sad Holocaust Memorial. There are six of these glass towers (each represents a Nazi death camp) that had millions of numbers on them...probably ID numbers...of all the Holocaust victims. There were grates under each tower (you could walk under the towers inside of them) and steam was coming up through the grates. Also, there were little lights under the grates that kept blinking. I'm guessing the steam had something to do with symbolizing the gas chambers.

Boston Adventure Day 2

2008-09-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Finally a sunny day!! We didn't get started til 3 p.m., but it was fun anyway.

Kat and I by the water in between Faneuil Hall and the North End.

Froggies at the Frog Pond in Boston Common. He caught me, but I didn't go down without a fight.

Does anyone know what this means? Let's hope the sidewalk doesn't cave in...

Kat took a photo of me just as a flying squirrel was about to attack me. It was a rough day.

Dance Performance

2008-09-12T22:26:00.000-07:00

Kat had to do a photo story on this dancer, Kira (first photo), and she asked me to come along. I wasn't going to (after all that walking!), but I had to write a story on an event, so I thought I would go and if the story didn't work out, I could always take photos. We were there from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. I ended up being the videographer for Kira's practice before the show, which was fine. So when I wasn't getting stuff for my story, I got to go up on the balcony and shoot anything I wanted from anywhere up top (the balcony surrounds the whole room). I know I could have gotten some better stuff down below, but I was really interested in what I could get above and I've been trying to force myself to do something different every time I shoot. It turned out pretty fun and I got my story out of it, so it all worked out.

The dances were interesting, although some of them were kind of odd, but I don't know much about dancing, so maybe it's just me. The most interesting part was that Kira's partner, Tim, is not a dancer at all - he's a trainer and was a football player. They've been working together for a year just for this one night and he did a good job, but he didn't do much dancing - more lifting than anything. Anyway, I've never shot dancing before so it was good to try it and I hope I got some good photos out of it. This is the first time in 3 months that I've really shot anything, besides earlier today and a little in Hawaii this summer. It feels good to pick up the camera and still feel like I know what I'm doing. No pressure, just fun.

Boston - Around Copley Square

2008-09-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

So Kat and I decided to go on a little photo adventure today and get to know Boston a little. We figured we'd get some ideas for photo stories and just have fun. The day started at 10:30 a.m. and didn't end til 11 p.m. and we walked ALL DAY! First stop: Copley Square Farmer's Market.

This building was right next to the farmer's market. It was super tall and it looked like the side on the right was paper thin. John Hancock Tower - 63 stories high and the tallest building in New England.

The sun wasn't out - it's been kind of dreary the past two weeks because of the hurricanes and just bad weather that I'm not used to yet. If the sun was out, the colors would be brighter, but I tried anyway. I've never seen orange raspberries before so I thought it was interesting.

Just thought this was cute.

Fairytale eggplant! They were so small, but you can't really tell in the photo I guess.

This kid was funny. He sat on each one of the ducks in the Boston Public Garden.

Today was a really good day. I'm glad I got the chance to get out and explore. I'm finally starting to like Boston haha...

Back to Basics and Moving Forward

2008-09-10T09:59:00.001-07:00

I love mediastorm.org. Enough said.

Delayed

2008-08-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the 3 month delay. Bit of a photo slump. But I'm back and will be posting again this week or next.

Drink

2008-05-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

It still needs work, but I'm pretty much starting from nothing and trying to get better every day. It was worth a try.

I shot this in my kitchen with one homemade softbox (still don't have access to light stands or anything..so it took some effort). The other SB800, with blue gel, was snooted (with a bandaid box!) into a glass of water for the background. I still don't know about the blue and red, but oh well. I was going to take out the ice, but I liked the orange-red color.

Dandelion for Danny

2008-05-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

I miss you.

Lack of photos

2008-05-08T01:33:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to completely focus on photo this semester, but I'm graduating in a week and will post as much as possible after that on here and flickr :).