PHOTO OF THE WEEK
-- Don Leach
We always try to match a photo with a story for our front page
packages. This time it was a story about a new city ordinance aimed at
restricting skateboarders. The intention of the story was to show
opposing arguments the issue would likely raise at the Newport Beach City
Council meeting.
Getting a photo to illustrate this put me in tough spot. To find
skateboarders in general is one thing, but once I found them, I had to
show them abiding by the law and I had to explain how I was going to use
them in the photo.
I was having a lucky week. I started at Newport Pier and saw nothing.
I then walked south to try my luck. From a distance I saw a guy on a
board goofing off, minding his own business. I moved into position.
Using a 400 mm lens, I crouched and took some shots, purposely making
it a silhouette. When Pierre Andre noticed me, he didn’t seem to mind. I
kept shooting and he kept doing tricks. I was getting the perfect photo
for the story, while getting an artsy shot at same time.
I approached Andre, talked with him, told him about the story. He was
a former pro skateboarder and was pleased I “chose” him for a picture.
One of the most satisfying parts photojournalism is having an idea and
finding it in the field when you need it most, under deadline.
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