JC Ridley's Photo Blog

We've Moved!

2010-08-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Shula Bowl VIII

2009-12-06T00:29:00.004-05:00

FAU head coach Howard Schnellenberger gets a Gatorade shower courtesy of defensive lineman Josh Savidge after the Owls defeated the FIU Golden Panthers 28-21 at FIU Stadium in Miami last night.

The Shula Bowl is annual game between FAU and FIU which began in 2002. The game's winner receives a traveling trophy, named the Don Shula Award, for one year. The game and trophy are named after former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, to whom each school's first head coach has previous ties. Schnellenberger was an assistant under Shula in the 1970s and FIU's former head coach Don Strock was a player under Shula in the 1970s and 1980s.

Creamsicles

2009-11-06T13:50:00.001-05:00

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be wearing their original uniforms for the first time since the 1996 season during their next game on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

Often called "Creamsicles" by fans due to their resembleance to a confectionery treat of the same name, the bright orange jerseys with the winking pirate nicknamed "Bucco Bruce" on the helmet take you back to a day when the 'Bucs were a laughingstock on the field.

They had just two winning seasons in the orange jerseys. Since switching to pewter and red in 1997, they've had eight winning campaigns and a Super Bowl Championship.

After this season's 0-7 start, some would say the team's timing is impeccible.

Cortez Gent

2009-11-02T07:40:00.005-05:00

Florida Atlantic's Cortez Gent tries to reel in a pass one handed during the Owls' 27-20 loss to MIddle Tennessee State on Saturday.

FAU Volleyball

2009-10-27T11:30:00.006-04:00

The future of the FAU Volleyball program poses last week during the team's photo day at FAU Arena.

From the Vault - Kurt Warner

2009-10-19T11:38:00.004-04:00

Kurt Warner completed 32 of 41 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns for Arizona during the Cardinals 27-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks yesterday. In addition to the solid performance, Warner, who now has 30,032 career passing yards, tied Dan Marino as the fastest quarterback to reach the 30,000-yard passing mark - both accomplished the feat in 114 games.

The performance reminded me of a shot I made of Warner in a 2003 pre-season game against the Bills in Buffalo, while Warner was with the St. Louis Rams. The golden hour light was reflecting off the glass covering the suites in Ralph Wilson Stadium, providing a real nice fill.

Tamara Kesser

2009-10-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

Louisiana-Lafayette's Brooke Perry can't out jump Florida Atlantic's Tamara Kesser for the header during the Ragin' Cajins' 2-0 victory over the Owls yesterday in Boca Raton.

2010 Miami Hurricanes Men's Basketball

2009-10-05T06:01:00.001-04:00

The shot above is from last Thursday's shoot with the 2010 Miami Hurricanes Men's Basketball Team, posing for a photo slated to be included in this season's media guide. My gentle tweak in Photoshop is shown here, but the original will most likely appear in the guide.

"The Harmon Hop"

2009-09-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

FAU tight end Jason Harmon leaps over a Louisiana-Monroe defender during the Owls 27-25 defeat to the Warhawks at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday.

From the Vault - Joe Sakic

2009-09-24T07:00:00.003-04:00

Joe Sakic, who played 20 seasons with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise, retired over the summer. Sakic, shown here with the Nordiques, won two Stanley Cups and appeared in 13 NHL All-Star Games.

Writer Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote of the recently retired center, "Don't expect Joe Sakic to pull a Brett Favre, come out of retirement and rejoin the Avalanche — actually, to really pull a Favre, he'd have to join the Red Wings."

Lorenzo Migliavacca

2009-09-21T04:00:00.001-04:00

Nova Southeastern's Lorenzo Migliavacca makes a save during the Sharks 7-0 loss to #5 ranked Lynn University last Friday in Boca Raton, Florida.

Forget Health Insurance: Fantasy Sports Insurance?

2009-09-17T00:01:00.006-04:00

Need disability insurance? Not for yourself, silly fool.... for your fantasy team! FantasySportsInsurance.com is a new service for Fantasy Sports owners.

"FSI is player disability coverage that will protect your fantasy league investment from a “season changing” loss as a result of an injury to a key player(s) This insurance policy will allow you to re-coup the cost of your league investment and continue with your season, lessening the disappointment and aggravation of losing your top fantasy player(s)," according to their website.

The photo above is of BYU's Itula Mili blowing out his knee during the 1996 WAC Championship Game. Despite the injury, Mili was a sixth-round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks in 1997. Mili played in only seven games his second year, 1998, and spent most of the next three seasons behind Christian Fauria. In 2003 Mili set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end with 46. Overall, the Hawaiian-born Mili caught 163 passes for 1,739 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Seahawks before being released in 2007.

If Mili's injury happened to Antonio Gates or Jason Witten, would your fantasy investment be covered?

Eye Ball

2009-09-14T00:01:00.001-04:00

Howard University's Matt Marshall has his eye one the ball as FAU's Darnell King defends during the Owls' 1-0 victory over the Bison Friday night in Boca Raton.

Ex-UM pitcher Luke DeBold fighting cancer

2009-09-11T04:54:00.002-04:00

Former Hurricanes' pitcher Luke Debold is undergoing his fifth round of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with a primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumor with metastases in the lungs in March, 2008. On Saturday, November 21, 2009 the friends of Luke DeBold will be hosting a benefit near Luke's home in Indiana just outside of the Chicagoland area. For more information or to make a donation please visit this link.

2010 Miami Hurricanes Women's Golf

2009-09-04T04:00:00.001-04:00

The 2010 Miami Hurricanes Women's Golf team poses at the club entrance of the Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club in Coral Gables, Florida yesterday.

Jim Fragos Memorial to be Held Sunday

2009-09-01T16:53:00.003-04:00

In Honor of
1st Petty Officer James Fragos
Motor Machinist Mate
United States Navy LST 889 WWII
a.k.a "Big Jim" UM Super Fan

2/21/26 - 8/21/2009
University of Miami Alumni booster and SUPER FAN
In the memory of an Amazing Man, Super dad and UM super Fan it's only
fitting we schedule Super Festive event in his memory...
* Sunday September 6th, 2009
* 11:00am to 7:00pm
* Location: 2120 NE 207 street Miami, Florida 33179
* Mood - Festive and Happy to shared time and space with such a great
person
* BBQ, Food and Refreshments served
* Super Casual, UM fan attire or any way you want to come

If you have any other friends that new and cared about Jim please let them know so they can join in with us. The more the merrier!

UM Hall of Famer Tim James Serving in Iraq

2009-08-31T08:38:00.003-04:00

No matter what side of the political spectrum you reside, you should read the story written by Dan LeBatard about former Hurricanes and Heat star Tim James, who is serving our country in Iraq with the US Army.

Lane Carico

2009-08-28T21:07:00.005-04:00

University of Miami outside hitter Lane Carico blasts a shot past a Florida Gulf Coast defender during the Hurricanes' season opening 3-0 victory over the Eagles in Coral Gables on Friday.

NFL Preseason Leaves Much to be Desired

2009-08-27T13:23:00.008-04:00

PSL’s (Personal Seat Licenses) are a relatively new premium fee, often enacted when a new stadium is built, which is required before fans can buy season tickets. In the NFL, PSL’s have existed for years in another form: the NFL Preseason.

If you want to buy season tickets for an NFL season, you have to buy all ten home games. Only eight of those are games that count in the standings. The other two are preseason games.

In those games, you are paying full price to see the starters in street clothes and the competition for the last five or so roster spots. If your team has more spots up for grabs then you are going to have a long season, and quite possibly a home game that has been moved to London. But that’s a entirely different rant for another time.

All you need to know about preseason football is that the Detroit Lions were 4-0 in August last year. Not exactly the harbinger of things to come.

Forget baggage fees, fuel surcharges, and health insurance. The NFL preseason is one of the largest rip-offs around.

Cash for Clunkers Extended in Minnesota

2009-08-25T04:00:00.002-04:00

While the national "Cash for Clunkers" program ended last night, it could continue for Vikings fans through December. Unlike the national program which has invigorated auto sales, the Minnesota version could see losses continue to mount. Fans will realize their rebate in January, retaining money which would have been spent on playoff tickets.

#1 'Canes Fan Jim Fragos Passes Away

2009-08-23T20:14:00.004-04:00

Hurricanes' fan "Big Jim" Fragos died Friday in his sleep from heart disease. Jim was a faithful follower of the Hurricanes Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Rowing and Swimming programs.

Above, Jim is pictured with Audra Cohen, the 2007 NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Champion.

I can still hear his voice, "hey JC, come here, I need a picture!"

New Photography Book Pays Tribute to The Orange Bowl

2009-08-21T04:00:00.004-04:00

Friend and "former comrade," photojournalist Scott B. Smith, has amassed an astounding collection of photographs that record the vitality and history of this storied stadium in his new book, The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey (published by AuthorHouse).

“The Orange Bowl. To a kid growing up in Miami, getting a ticket to a game there was awesome. Sneak in? Never. (It was quite easy…)” Smith writes. “I recall like it was last week, walking up those oh-so-steep ramps and still see the light blue air against the night sky. The field of dark green grass. The enormity of the place. Blue air, you ask? Remember – everyone smoked in the ’50s. It was a night game. Hey, I was nine.”

The Orange Bowl Stadium was put to rest in the spring of 2008, but not before Smith captured the Miami landmark from every possible angle, taking time to find every architectural detail from the seats, the ground and even in aerial shots. In The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey, Smith records his own experience at The Orange Bowl, over the course of his early life and through his career.

As a child, Smith enjoyed football games with his parents and godparents, tailgating and being a “water boy” and ball boy for the University of Miami Hurricanes. In later years he returned as a sports photographer to shoot for CaneSport and Huskers Illustrated, but in 2008 he revisited The Orange Bowl for the last time, before its demolition, as an architectural photographer who could appreciate the classic, functional design of a stadium of a bygone era. “The book is not about football so much, but a visual memory for the scores of fans who may not have realized the last game attended would be their final time in the stadium,” Smith writes.

In a stunning collection of images from a true fan, The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey offers a piece of history and a glimpse into fond memories of the stadium that readers of all ages can appreciate and remember for many years to come.

Scott & I worked for a local well known sports photographer in the early 90's, thus the "comrade" statement. I can vouch for his fearless approach to aerial photography.

Order the book here and view some of Scott's Orange Bowl photos here.

'Canes Keeper Beats Cancer

2009-08-20T11:07:00.003-04:00

Miami Hurricanes Goalkeeper Austen Everett is back on the field after battling Non-Hodgkins lymphoma last summer after a football-sized mass was found next to her stomach. Read the MSNBC story here.

2009 Miami Hurricanes Volleyball

2009-08-19T04:00:00.001-04:00

The 2009 Miami Hurricanes Volleyball team poses during their photo day last week at the Knight Center in Coral Gables.

Our Own "Rudy"

2009-08-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Dave Hyde's column in the Sun-Sentinel told the story of Chris Hayes, a walk-on for the University of Miami Football team who had his "Rudy" moment during a game against Wake Forest last season.

Chris' moment came the day after his father's funeral, who had committed suicide earlier in the week.

Ever wonder why you see those "U Family" slogans around? This is one reason why.

Have you ever wondered why I have a suicide prevention ad on my blog? Suicide touches many more families than you can imagine, mine included.

You can read the article here.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

2009-08-14T21:55:00.004-04:00

Sebastian is! Sebastian the Ibis watches a classic 'Canes-'Noles matchup while shopping at Allcanes (formerly Allsports) in Coral Gables earlier today.

Hurricanes Photo Day

2009-08-11T12:45:00.004-04:00

You can meet the 2009 Miami Hurricanes via these slideshows above and below. These images were taken during last Saturday's photo day in Coral Gables.

The first slideshow contains groups and the team photo, the last slideshow contains images of this season's incoming freshmen.

Visit www.caneshooter.com for these and many, many more Hurricanes images.

2009 Miami Hurricanes Women's Soccer

2009-08-10T10:33:00.008-04:00

Leigh Van Lear, Brittany Bucknor and Nichole Chandler of the Miami Hurricanes Women's Soccer team pose during photo day last week. View the complete take in the slideshow below:

Football in Paradise

2009-08-06T04:00:00.003-04:00

After a season of "Reaching Higher," FAU Football has returned to using the "Football in Paradise" theme.

For this year's media guide, we hauled the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Champion trophy, and the New Orleans Bowl and Motor City Bowl trophies out to the beach in Boca Raton.

What recruit wouldn't be impressed with this combination?

From the Vault

2009-08-03T10:24:00.003-04:00

Charlton Jimerson of the Miami Hurricanes stands under an aptly named billboard during the 2001 College World Series in which he earned MVP honors.

Jimerson overcame a turbulent childhood while growing up in Heyward, California to earn an academic scholarship at the University of Miami and earned a spot on the baseball roster as a walk on in 1999.

Jimerson went on to the Houston Astros organization and in 2006 while pinch-hitting for Roger Clemens homered on the very first pitch of his first major league at-bat.

He is currently playing for the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League.

The New Frugality, Indeed

2009-07-30T04:00:00.003-04:00

This Time Magazine cover from last April is ironic in more ways than one.

The stock photo of a jar of coins was licensed from iStockphoto to illustrate the headline, "The New Frugality." Apparently, Time's interpretation of "New Frugality" started with the budget for the cover art.

Normally, a stock photo used on a cover of a magazine with Time's large circulation would garner about $3000.

Robert Lam, the contributor to iStockphoto who shot the image, received $30.

That's THIRTY dollars. 1% of the normal rate. And he's happy about it. So happy, in fact, he wants to buy a back issue and have it framed.

So in the end, he lost money. Great business model, schmuck.

By the way, he wasn't even given a cutline. iStockphoto received it.

Oooh, the irony!

RIP - Spring Training in South Florida

2009-07-23T10:11:00.011-04:00

Yesterday the Baltimore Orioles reached agreement with Sarasota city and county commissioners on a 30-year deal to move the club's spring training games to Ed Smith Stadium.

The announcement means the likely end to 47 year old Ft. Lauderdale Stadium, which hosted the New York Yankees from 1962-95, and the Orioles from 1996-2009.

The Orioles and the city had reached an agreement to refurbish the aging ballpark back in 2007, but the FAA, who owns the land on which both the park and neighboring Lockhart Stadium sit, demanded an increase in annual payment to the agency to nearly $1.3 million.

The news means that Florida Atlantic University will not be under as much pressure to build their proposed on campus football stadium. The football team has played their home games at Lockhart Stadium since 2003. Lockhart was to be razed to make room for the proposed refurbished Orioles complex.

In the 1980's, the Orioles called Bobby Maduro Stadium in Miami home. The Yankees were at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium, the Braves and Expos at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium and the Rangers were at Pompano Beach Municipal Stadium. The Cleveland Indians were to occupy a stadium in Homestead until Hurricane Andrew nearly destroyed it in 1992.

They are all gone now.

The closest spring training home to South Floridians is now in Jupiter, where the Marlins and Cardinals train and play at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Sun-Sentinel has a photo gallery of the stadium throughout the years here.

UPDATE: I'm getting challenged by some of you about Jupiter not being part of South Florida. Technically, Jupiter is GEOGRAPHICALLY part of South Florida as it lies just a couple of miles inside the Palm Beach County line, and Palm Brach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties are considered South Florida but it's not CULTURALLY part of it.

Darryl Sharpton

2009-07-20T09:52:00.005-04:00

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Darryl Sharpton teaches a member of the Pembroke Pines Optimist Bengals proper techniques during a camp at the Pembroke Pines Recreation Center fields last Friday. Former 'Canes Earl Little and Jon Beason were PPO Bengals while growing up in the area.

From the Vault

2009-07-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

The late Steve McNair, here in happier times before a 2004 Titans game against the Dolphins. McNair was found murdered on July 4th.

Caneshooter.com Relaunches

2009-07-15T04:00:00.000-04:00

The new version of Caneshooter.com, my Miami Hurricanes photo archive, debuted last week. The archive is now hosted by Zenfolio, who offers customers a simpler interface and high quality printing by Mpix. Low resolution digital downloads are also available for use in your personal web pages and projects, or as screen savers. Users can launch slideshows and make galleries of their favorite photos. Over 7,000 edited images of football baseball and basketball are now online. I will be adding volleyball and soccer soon, and other sports will follow throughout the year. I will also add more images of vintage football, baseball and basketball over time.

Caneshooter.com was founded in March 2000, and on the morning of the spring football game the next month the site showcased the 'Canes unveiling of their new uniforms. The site received 10,000 visits, and 250,000 page views that weekend alone.

A.J. Highsmith: Then & Now

2009-07-09T04:00:00.004-04:00

You never know what you might find in your archive. Hurricanes football incoming freshmen reported to campus last week, and getting their head shots taken was the first stop on their tour of the Hecht Athletic Center.

When A.J. Highsmith sat for his shot, it reminded me of a time 17 years ago, when his father, Alonzo, hired me to shoot A.J.'s first birthday party:

Randy Shannon

2009-07-06T04:00:00.003-04:00

Last month I had a few minutes with Miami Hurricanes head coach Randy Shannon in the studio. I applied a bit of a Business Week-ish retro look to the image and here is the result.

The End of an Era

2009-07-03T04:00:00.002-04:00

Last January, on Inauguration Day, an era came to a close.

No, I'm not speaking of the changing of the guard in Washington D.C.

Instead, I'm referring to pro sports ownership in South Florida.

Wayne Huizinga finalized a deal on that day to sell another 45% of the Miami Dolphins to real estate tycoon Stephen Ross. Ross had acquired 50% of the team from Huizinga last year.

Huizenga has sold his last majority ownership in a South Florida sports franchise. In the 1990s, Huizenga owned three teams: the Dolphins, Marlins and Panthers. Huizenga brought both baseball and hockey to South Florida when Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League granted him expansion franchises.

The future for the Dolphins is bright after Huizinga cut his losses and brought in Bill Parcells to clean house. The team went from 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 last season. The other two franchises continue to flounder. The Panthers haven't made the playoffs since 2000, and the Marlins, even with a World Series win in 2003, can't draw fans. Both franchises had been mentioned in relocation rumors over the years, the Marlins to Portland, Charlotte or Las Vegas, and the Panthers to Canada. While the Marlins will break ground on a new stadium on the old Orange Bowl site soon, the Panthers were sold in a package where the most valuable piece in the deal might be for the management rights to the building they play in, the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise.

Owlpix.com Relaunches

2009-07-01T04:00:00.001-04:00

The new version of Owlpix.com, my Florida Atlantic Owls photo archive, debuted last week. The archive is now hosted by Zenfolio, who offers customer control of cropping and high quality printing by Mpix. Low resolution digital downloads are also available for use in your personal web pages and projects, or as screen savers. Over 34,000 images, nearly my entire FAU archive, are now online. From track to football, every sport is now available for print or download.

From the Vault

2009-06-29T01:58:00.005-04:00

Above is a pre-game portrait of then St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner from a pre-season game against the Buffalo Bills in 2003. The twilight starting time provided some golden hour light on the Rams end of the field during warm ups, nicely reflected off the luxury box glass. Empty blue seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo provided the nice background.

Jack McClinton Drafted by San Antonio

2009-06-26T09:27:00.006-04:00

Former Hurricanes great Jack McClinton was selected in the 2nd round (51st overall) by the San Antonio Spurs in last night's NBA Draft.

The above photo is from last year's photo day at the BankUnited Center. My normal arena setup was used (Speedtrons in the catwalks) with an additional fill light on the floor. I utilized one of the huge black curtains the arena uses for ambience with smaller events, and did my usual grunge-style post production work in photoshop.

A limited edition autographed 16x20 print of this photo is available here.

Smug Mugs

2009-06-15T10:04:00.004-04:00

Former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Andre King gets smug for his mug shot back before the 2000 season.

From the Vault

2009-06-08T20:16:00.005-04:00

Defensive tackle Mark Smith of the Arizona Cardinals goes airborne trying to catch running back Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions during their 1998 game in the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.

From the Vault

2009-06-01T10:49:00.004-04:00

The late Reggie White of the Green Bay Packers has the support of at least one fan as he appears from the tunnel at Lambeau Field during a game back in 1997.

Can't Spell THUG without "The U"? Think Again

2009-05-29T04:00:00.000-04:00

The Hurricanes dramatic rise to national prominence under Howard Schnellenberger in the early 1980's stunned the college football world, but continued success under Jimmy Johnson-led teams with the military fatigues and the phone card fraud made us the target of haters across the nation. In the early 90's, the famous line "God made Notre Dame #1, but Miami made them #2" was a popular one in Coral Gables, but in South Bend, it was "Catholics vs Convicts." In Iowa, we were met with "Farmers vs Felons" t-shirts. Then a Pell Grant scandal and probation in the mid 90's solidified the reputation. The distinctive orange and green "U" adorning our helmets, which lent itself to slogans like "U Gotta Believe" and "U Is Great," became "Thug U" to outsiders.

While most fans ride the ESPN-fueled "Thug U" bandwagon, like the fashionable Yellow Jacket faithful above, others take the extreme route, like the Maryland family below, perfectly timing their fashion statement for the first game after Bryan Pata's murder three years ago. I'll take any of our players chances in life over THAT kid's future, any day of the week.

As we enter the Randy Shannon era, the stigma should be in decline, as the Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles have dominated the police blotter of late. In fact, 23 Gators football players under Urban Meyer's tenure have tangled with the law, while one lone 'Cane has under Shannon. That one 'Cane is now an ex-'Cane, transferring after last season. Dave Hyde's column in yesterday's Sun-Sentinel notes the astonishing irony.

Then there are some 'Canes fans who embrace the image, like the clown shown below, but I think the majority of UM Alumni and 'Canes fans, whether or not they've ever been to a game, have a better view of "The U" and the football team and what it has achieved. It's time for everyone, no matter who they cheer for, to get past this stereotype.

From the Vault

2009-05-26T08:36:00.003-04:00

Warren Sapp of the Oakland Raiders gives this photographer a look during a game against the Dolphins in 2007.

Lauderdale Lou Says Goodbye

2009-05-22T12:19:00.002-04:00

Since I'm under the weather today, I'll just direct you to the Sun-Sentinel photo blog, where Lou Toman says goodbye after 53 (yes, fifty three) years at the paper.

From the Vault

2009-05-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

Summer is near, and my schedule is slowly crawling to a halt. To fill the "Shot of the Week" slot, I'll dive into the electronic archives (actually nearly 5TB's of hard drives) to pass the time until the football photo days of August arrive.

This week's vault find is from January 15, 2000. Dan Marino stands dejectedly on the sideline after being pulled in the 3rd quarter of the Dolphins 62-7 loss to Jacksonville in the divisional playoffs. It was Marino's last ever game.

Fish Out of Water

2009-05-15T04:00:00.008-04:00

Last Friday I set up my garage studio in anticipation of shooting my son and his girlfriend before they headed out to their senior prom. Both of them posed enthusiastically in the studio and the backyard, and I promptly did an edit and sent a few to my neighborhood Walgreens to have on hand for any eager relatives.

Upon arriving at the Walgreens lab I was informed they wouldn't print my studio shot, as they "don't print professional photos," according to the robo-clerk manning the counter.

They had no problem printing the back yard shot, but not the one with a background. Seems like someone with a thread of wisdom would have noticed the similarities in the files, but that would have required an employee with active brainwaves. Walgreens has apparently waived this requirement for employment.

While I appreciate they want to protect photographer's copyrights (read: cover their ass) common sense would dictate reviewing the rest of the print order and noticing the same subjects appearing outside the studio as well as in, and the time stamps on the files being mere minutes apart.

Years ago I had a similar problem with Eckerds (now CVS), as I needed a couple of quick 8x10's and they bungled the job. The manager on duty exclaimed "well we're not a professional lab" to which I quickly agreed.

In the end, there were a lot of fish swimming in the wrong pond. The largest was me, for going to an amateur lab like Walgreens.

Shot of the Week

2009-05-11T03:00:00.001-04:00

Scott Lawson of the Miami Hurricanes dives unsuccessfully for a ground ball during the 'Canes 5-2 loss to Bethune Cookman on Sunday. The 'Canes fell to 32-18 on the season after dropping two of three to the Wildcats. Like the ball in the above photo, the season is getting away from the 'Canes, as the prospects of hosting a regional narrow with every loss.

I Dream in Infrared

2009-05-08T06:00:00.002-04:00

One result of infrared photography is the effect of what one photographer calls 'tattoo popping' on darker skinned players. Some players have tattoos with colors that blend into their skin. Infrared light interacts differently than visible light with skin and tattoo coloring, giving the ink a much higher contrast in comparison to the skin.

Jack McClinton of the Miami Hurricanes shows off his tatoo during a photo shoot a few years ago.

Jimmy Graham

2009-05-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

Miami Hurricanes play-by-play announcer Joe Zagacki surprises Jimmy Graham with a football helmet at the Men's Basketball banquet last Thursday. Graham, whose basketball eligibility has expired, is joining the football team this fall.

The Red Tide

2009-05-01T06:00:00.006-04:00

This is not a false alarm
This is not a test
Nowhere we can fly away
Nowhere we can rest
The party is disrupted by
An uninvited guest

For still photographers, the "uninvited guest" mentioned above by the band Rush in their song "Red Tide" is the RedONE camera.

What kind of camera is the RedONE? Click here to go to the Esquire site for a sneak preview of what it did for them.

Greg Williams, the photographer who shot the images/video footage with the RedONE for Esquire, says using the camcorder to capture Fox added spontaneity to the shoot.

"It allowed her to act," Williams says on Esquire.com. "She could run scenes without being reminded by the sound of a shutter every four seconds that I was taking a picture. As in still photography, a lot of it is capturing unexpected moments. This takes that one step further."

However, the significance here is a major magazine has just used a frame grab, instead of a still image, for a cover.

While on the surface it appears this camera would be an amazing tool for still shooters, the reality is it means the death of many of our careers. Capturing the "defining moment," a skill used my many great still photographers over the years, will become automatic. In sports and event photography, HD video resolution will soon be sufficient enough for high quality frame grabs. The networks will become the Getty's and AP's of today.

The Esquire cover next month will be a historic turning point in photography, as frame grabs from video good enough for publication are possible, and soon to be routine.

Torretta Elected to College Football Hall of Fame

2009-04-30T15:18:00.006-04:00

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame today announced former Hurricanes great Gino Torretta as one of the 2009 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) Class of inductees, which includes the names of 15 other First Team All-America players and two legendary coaches.

Below is Torretta's bio from the National Football Foundation's press release:

A key factor in many of Miami's national championship- contending teams, Gino Torretta became one of the most decorated players in college football history, claiming unanimous First Team All-America honors, the Heisman Trophy, Davey O'Brien, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, Maxwell and Walter Camp awards in 1992.

As a freshman on the 1989 National Championship team, Torretta posted a 3-1 record as a starter while filling in for injured quarterback Craig Erickson. As a junior, Torretta led the Hurricanes to the 1991 National Championship game and was named the Big East Player of the Year. During his senior season in 1992, Torretta once again led Miami to the National Championship game and a Big East Championship. Torretta again took home Big East Player of the Year as well as the 1992 Tanqueray World Amateur Athlete of the Year. He currently holds the conference record for lowest career percentage of interceptions (1.94), passing yards in a single-game (485) and longest passing play (99) yards, also an NCAA record. Torretta led Miami to a 26-2 record as a starter and was part of Miami's NCAA record 58-game home winning streak.

Torretta was drafted in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. The quarterback played five seasons in the NFL and spent time with the Vikings, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts.

Founder, President and CEO of Touchdown Radio Productions, Torretta currently resides in the Miami area. He is also the vice president for Institutional Sales with Gabelli Asset Management.

Shot(s) of the Week

2009-04-27T06:00:00.003-04:00

Today's Shot of the Week is the one frame I was able to capture from Edgerrin James' 12 second long acceptance speech at last Thursday's University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner. However, James' induction video contains many of my shots from his days as a Hurricane, and can be viewed below:

One More Hurdle (Updated)

2009-04-26T21:04:00.010-04:00

Despite the experts predictions, mine included, Frantz Joseph did not become FAU's first draft pick this weekend. 256 names were called and Joseph's wasn't amongst those selected.

It might actually be a good thing. Current and former players like Tony Romo, Adewale Ogunleye, Wes Welker, Adam Vinateri, Willie Parker, Antonio Gates, Priest Holmes, Rod Smith, Kurt Warner, Jeff Garcia and Warren Moon would agree. None of them were drafted by a NFL team before eventually starring in the league.

While players drafted in the late rounds make more money short term, they can't pick the team that would provide their best opportunity at making a roster. What's called a "priority free agent” often is approached by multiple teams.

16 teams watched Joseph at FAU's "pro day" last month. One of those teams will give him a shot.

UPDATE: Frantz has signed with the Oakland Raiders.

Higher Still

2009-04-24T14:51:00.005-04:00

Meet Frantz Joseph, FAU's soon to be first ever NFL draft pick. Frantz and his family's story will be the subject of ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Sunday at 8am with various repeats.

My dedicated readers have already met Frantz. Last fall I shot Frantz for a feature story in the late Unrestricted Magazine. The shot above was one of the many outtakes. He was also on the cover of last year's FAU Football media guide.

Shot of the Week

2009-04-20T04:00:00.000-04:00

The Miami Hurricanes' Murielle Ahoure sprints to the finish during the 100 meter trials at the ACC Track & Field Championships in Coral Gables on Friday. The next day Ahoure would go on to win the conference championship in both the 100 & 200 meter events.

Old School - Slides

2009-04-17T04:00:00.003-04:00

Recently I was discussing the evolution of photography with a student, mentioning I used to shoot slide film. The student said, "slides? What are those?"

Photography has evolved tremendously in the past 15 years. Everything from capturing images, processing, editing and publishing has changed. In this occasional series, I'll revisit photographic topics that have vanished in the digital age.

Reversal film is a type of photographic film that produces a positive image on a transparent base. A slide is an individual transparency (one frame or exposure) mounted in a cardboard or plastic housing which can be used in a slide projector. Slides were also the preferred format for many publishers, due to its high reproduction quality.

During a typical NFL game I would shoot 40-50 rolls of film, then have it processed at a professional lab upon my return to South Florida. The next day would typically be spent retrieving the slides from the lab and then editing them on a light table or light box like the one shown below. The "selects" would be identified, sleeved and FedEx-ed to the NFL office in Los Angeles.

Do you think the advent of digital technology has lightened the workload? Think again. Every frame I shoot still gets edited and scrutinized, now its on a computer screen instead of a light table.

I actually miss using slide film. Looking at slides from an NFL game on a light table was like opening a pack of baseball cards as a kid. It was the highlight of my week during the fall.

Shot of the Week

2009-04-13T04:25:00.003-04:00

Kasey Kluge of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University tries to recover after falling completely in the water during the 3000 meter women's steeplechase event at the Miami Elite in Coral Gables last Saturday. See a slideshow of the fall here.

Screaming In Digital

2009-04-10T04:22:00.001-04:00

The entrance to Alex Rodriguez Park shines in this HDR image from last Saturday night. Seven different exposures were merged using Photomatix to create this image. Exposures were taken in seven one stop increments varying from 1/15th of a second to four seconds at f4 at an ISO of 200.

Shot of the Week

2009-04-06T04:00:00.000-04:00

Scott Lawson of the Miami Hurricanes signals himself "safe" after stealing second base during the 'Canes 6-4 victory over Florida State on Saturday night.

Another Day in Paradise

2009-04-03T04:00:00.001-04:00

Last Tuesday I jam packed three assignments into a 7 hour period. Only in Paradise could a photographer attempt such a feat on the last day in March. Well, it was almost Paradise, until Mother Nature decided differently.

My day started at 8am at Shula's Golf Club in Miami Lakes, where client Lynn University's women's golf team was competing in the Barry Invitational. Above: Maha Haddioui tees off from the 3rd on Shula's Congressional Course.

Then it was on to Ft. Lauderdale Stadium, the spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles, who were facing the St. Louis Cardinals. I arrived earlier than normal to try to get something different. Above: Chris Duncan poses briefly in the Cardinals dugout.

After a couple of innings I left for not so sunny Boca Raton, where a previous rainout forced that day's rescheduled doubleheader onto my schedule. Mother Nature again intervened, as the game was called in the top of the third inning due to lightning. Above: Amber Havnar winds up in the rain.

Shot of the Week

2009-03-30T04:00:00.000-04:00

Robert Vogel of Miami has his customized artificial leg signed by linebacker Darryl Sharpton of the Miami Hurricanes prior to Canesfest at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale last Saturday.

More of the Same From FAU's Student Section

2009-03-27T04:00:00.005-04:00

Last year I blogged about Miami Hurricanes Baseball's appearance in Boca Raton and the behavior of some of the Owls' students. Wednesday's game between the two schools produced very similar results.

Once again, early in the game, a few students turned their taunting into a racially-tinged affair. Last year, 'Canes first baseman Yonder Alonso had to endure slurs about his Cuban heritage. This time, 'Canes first baseman Vickash Ramjit was the target. Ironically, Ramjit, from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, led the 'Canes to a 13-6 victory with three hits and three RBI.

Then their attention turned to Miami first base coach Joe Mercadante and 'Canes players who found their way to first base. "Queer," "faggot," and "pussy" were a few of the printable but objectionable words overheard from the Student Owls.

Then one student started using an air horn, causing an umpire to delay the game. When a FAU representative came down looking for the culprits, I pointed them out.

Now I was the target.

As I pointed out the two who were making the racial comments, an third called me a "fucking idiot" in front of a cop.

Oooh, the irony.

He was quickly dispatched to the parking lot.

After an inning of constant chirping in my direction by other students, and seeing that one of the two culprits was allowed back in to join the fray, I decided to leave.

No fewer than eight students felt the need to follow me to my car, some of whom reminded me every few seconds that I was an "asshole."

A message is read before every athletic event. It reads: "Florida Atlantic University, the Sun Belt Conference, and the NCAA promote good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. We request your cooperation by supporting the participants and the officials in a positive manner. Profanity, racial or sexist comments or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition. We thank you for your cooperation."

Clearly, quite a few people in Boca missed the message.

Smug Mugs

2009-03-20T05:00:00.001-04:00

Sarah Wagenfuhr of the Chicago Red Stars goofs off during the Women's Professional Soccer team's Photo Day on Wednesday in Sunrise, Florida.

Shot of the Week

2009-03-16T19:06:00.003-04:00

Loressa and Anderson Nguyen pose on the beach at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne after their wedding ceremony last night.

Shot of the Week

2009-03-11T08:53:00.002-04:00

Running back Graig Cooper and linebacker Sean Spence knock heads during practice on Saturday morning. The Miami Hurricanes spring football practice schedule continues through March 28.

Through My Eyes

2009-03-04T09:47:00.010-05:00

Welcome to all the Thrillist.com readers visiting today, you're just in time for a new series called "Through My Eyes." In this series I'll describe what equipment and/or techniques I used to get a certain shot.

For this shot, I set up a Nikon D300 with a Nikon 12-24 f4 DX wide angle lens on a Bogen Manfrotto 709B mini tripod with a Manfrotto 482 ball head. With a Nikon MC-30 remote trigger release and a Pocket Wizard radio to trigger my strobe lights in the catwalk, I place the setup in front of me on the end of the floor and wait for a defining moment.

Now with all this being said, you could go several games without getting a good frame. Many times a particular referee may tend to stay a bit more outside, ruining the view, or the game action may not provide a moment to capture.

Shot of the Week

2009-03-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

FAU's Anthony Mesa makes a diving catch during the Owls' win over Stony Brook University on Saturday.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #32

2009-02-25T05:00:00.002-05:00

This is the last "Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic" of the series. While I'm retiring the thread, I still may spin it off into its own separate blog sometime in the future.

Shot of the Week

2009-02-23T05:00:00.001-05:00

Miami Hurricanes head baseball coach Jim Morris poses with the game ball from his 1200th career victory on Saturday.

Opening Night

2009-02-21T09:04:00.006-05:00

The Hurricanes Baseball team opened the newly rechristened Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field last night in front of a sell-out crowd of 3000. The eventful night saw Aubrey Huff's induction into the Hurricane Sports Hall of Fame, Head coach Jim Morris' 1200th career victory, and the opening of the new modern press box above the grandstand.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #31

2009-02-18T23:19:00.000-05:00

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #30

2009-02-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

National Letter of Intent Day

2009-02-05T09:02:00.012-05:00

Yesterday's National Letter of Intent Day saw the 'Canes land their usual crop of blue chip talent. Many of this year's recruits were early signees or from outside of South Florida, so I only covered two for Canesport: Lamar Miller at Miami Killian High School and Kayvon Webster from Miami Pace High School.

With Miller, there was no doubt. Well dressed with a Miami tie and hat, Miller was intent on becoming a 'Cane.

Webster however, chose to dramatize his moment for the cameras. Dressed with a USF hoodie and a Miami tie on the outside, Webster sat down with two of his classmates and placed Miami and USF hat in front of him on the table. Walker then flipped the Miami hat behind him, put on the USF hat and then tucked in his Miami tie.

I've seen recruits bail on their oral commitments before: Jonathan Colon and Donte Thompson both come to mind. But in both cases they bolted for Gainesville, not Tampa. Who were they, you say? My point exactly.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #29

2009-02-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #28

2009-01-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shot of the Day

2009-01-25T12:01:00.004-05:00

Florida Atlantic's Emma Rossiter eyes a volley against Miami yesterday in Coral Gables.

Shot of the Day

2009-01-23T12:43:00.003-05:00

Claudia Wasilewski, a junior on the Miami Hurricanes Women's Tennis team, poses for me during our marketing poster shoot yesterday.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #27

2009-01-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shot of the Day

2009-01-20T06:00:00.003-05:00

The Hurricanes Rowing Team jumps for joy in 70 degree weather on Miami Beach yesterday morning.

2009 Barry University Men's Tennis

2009-01-19T13:55:00.004-05:00

The Barry University Men's Tennis team poses during last Friday's Photo Day in Miami Shores.

Jimmy Graham

2009-01-15T00:47:00.004-05:00

The 'Canes Jimmy Graham celebrates after Miami's 62-60 come from behind victory over the Maryland Terrapins last night.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #26

2009-01-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shoot the Moon

2009-01-10T20:17:00.004-05:00

Tonight, Jan. 10th, the biggest full Moon of 2009 is outside and in full view here is South Florida.

Perigee full moons come along once or twice a year. Tonight's perigee moon is about 16 hours from the month's full moon. On January 30, 2010, the perigee and full moons will be just 2 hours apart.

The moon's orbit is an ellipse, so when it is at its closest approach to earth, or perigee, the moon comes much closer to the Earth than at its apogee, or greatest distance, so it appears about 14% wider and 30% brighter than normal.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #25

2009-01-07T05:00:00.001-05:00

Mike Jarvis

2009-01-06T12:47:00.004-05:00

Head coach Mike Jarvis of Florida Atlantic gives a befuddled glare to a referee during the Owls 85-69 loss to Miami last night.

Lets Play Shoot Two!

2009-01-03T22:11:00.007-05:00

In the spirit of Cubs great Ernie Banks, on New Year's Day I worked two bowl games, starting my day at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, and finishing at the FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami.

The drive between the two venues was 213 miles and it took 2 hours and 57 minutes with a little help with my lead foot and light holiday traffic on Florida's Turnpike.

Combined I shot 3500 frames for the entire day.

TOP PHOTO: Knowshon Moreno of the Georgia Bulldogs is tackled by Kendall Davis-Clark of the Michigan State Spartans at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Georgia defeated "Moo U" 24-12.

BOTTOM PHOTO: Tyrod Taylor of the Virginia Tech Hokies beats the Cincinnati Bearcats defense to the endzone during their 20-7 victory at the FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #24

2008-12-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

Screaming in Digital

2008-12-30T23:37:00.004-05:00

This shot of the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables was taken tonight using three exposures merged with Photomatix software.

Screaming in Digital

2008-12-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

Above is a shot of the fountain at the University of Miami at dawn during this past fall's homecoming week. I merged four different exposures using Photomatix software and tone mapped the results.

I just purchased a license for Photomatix and have been searching the archives for sequences of images to process using the software. It usually provides a different result than Photoshop, and it is easier to use.

Screaming In Digital - Holiday Edition

2008-12-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

This residence on Ramblewood Drive in Coral Springs displays its holiday spirit in HDR on a rainy Christmas Eve.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #23

2008-12-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shot of the Day

2008-12-22T00:14:00.005-05:00

K.C. Rivers of the Clemson Tigers beats the 'Canes Jimmy Graham to the basket during Clemson's 91-72 victory last night at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #22

2008-12-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shot of the Day

2008-12-11T18:05:00.002-05:00

The 'Canes Women's Tennis team posed with attitude for me this past Tuesday in Coral Gables.

Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic #21

2008-12-10T05:00:00.004-05:00

It's been way too long! The Gratuitous Cheerleader Pic is back after a long hiatus, and I have them cued up to run every Wednesday for the next 26 weeks!

Shot of the Day

2008-12-09T18:45:00.005-05:00

The Hurricanes Women's Golf team posed for several shots this morning at Riveria Country Club in Coral Gables.

Tripleheader

2008-12-06T11:50:00.006-05:00

My day started around 10:30am with a phone call from the Florida Panthers wondering if I could fill in for someone to shoot a portrait of Gregory Campbell in my classic "grunge" style. After locating a dirty white brick wall in the back of a rink at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs, we posed Campbell for the above frame...

Then it was up to Boca Raton for the FAU football team photo scheduled at 2pm. While the assistant coaches and a handful of players were missing (many of those who showed were wearing flip flops), we went ahead and shot it anyways at around 2:45...

Then it was down to Coral Gables for the Indiana @ Miami Women's basketball portion of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. I shot some overheads around the bench area and came up with the image above.