GOODBYE MICHIGAN, HELLO AGAIN ALABAMA

                                           Downtown Bay City, MI

I think it was a wise decision to leave Michigan before winter hits hard that part of the world and come back to the warm south, changing the waters of the Saginaw bay in Lake Huron for those of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama.


Saginaw Bay

Saginaw Bay

                                       Tennessee River, Decatur, AL

Now, seriously, I'd have happily finished my internship at the Bay City Times if I hadn't gotten a job in Decatur, AL. It was great to work with the people at the Times. That internship gave me the chance to do a lot of new things, mainly to do video again (I hadn't touched the camera or the editing program since I finished my documentary in February this year). I shot and produced 6 pieces in 3 months (baycitytimes. blip.tv), which is not too bad. I'm grateful to Mike Randolph for that; not only because he gave the time to do it, but also because I learned I great deal from him. Thanks Mike!

Also, I had the opportunity to shoot some things I'd never shot before, like high school football, cross country, swimming, soccer... I at long last started to understand those Friday nights and what a big deal they are in American life. As an European person, I never quite understood all the excitement until I got in the midst of it. But, hey, now that I'm in Alabama, and I'm always doing the night shift, I'm fully into it (pity that those HS stadium lights suck and you've got to use flash if you want the get anything. At least, in Michigan there was daylight until 8 p.m. or so...). I'm going to throw in here some of the pics I took in the last couple of weeks in Bay City.

                                         These little dudes are the Little League State champions.

                                                         Hats off!
                                                                         Diving champ

                                                        Nice light to work with

                                             Winner
                                             Labor Day weekend feature

                                                                             Sisters

                                                        Encircled...

But no doubt my best memories from Bay City are the great moments I spent with my friend, roommate and fellow photo intern Scott Mussell. Oh, those long nights of talking, drinking, philosophizing, listening to the Rolling Stones, watching David Lynch's films, the Big Lebowski... Here's Scott: