Air Force Graduation

Last wednesday I got the chance to photograph my first United States Air Force Academy graduation. With the lead up of a week of graduation activities I was excited for the day, although after a week of rain I was nervous with my assigment of being on the roof of the press box, photographing graduation and the air show from that vantage point. Bright and early on May 27th at 5:30am I looked out my window greeted by a cloudless sky. It couldn't have been a more perfet day weather wise and I made some images I really liked, let me know what you think.
All photos property of USAFA Photos DenMar Services/ J. Rachel Spencer

Back in Colorado

I’ve made it back to Colorado. While I was biking with friends in the mountains around Breckenridge last summer I said that at some point I’d make it back to the Rockies and make Colorado my home. At that point I didn’t think it would be this quick, but it’s a welcome surprise! I’ve been bad about keeping up with my blog lately with graduating, moving first to Cedar Rapids Iowa and then very rapidly out to Colorado Springs, then being busy with finding a place to live and getting moved in. Now that the dust has finally settled I’m realizing it’s been months since I updated this and I really have no excuse and should immediately fix that issue.

Anyway, I think a brief explanation of where I’ve been is in order so here goes. I graduated at the end of winter quarter in March from Ohio University. A week before I left I was offered a six month internship with the Cedar Rapids Gazette in Cedar Rapids Iowa. I then left for a week of spring break/ graduation trip to San Francisco and Sacramento with my mom and grandmother. After getting back to Ohio I spent a day in Athens packing then drove out to Cedar Rapids. While I was at school I found out that a job had opened up at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs as a photographer and that I was being considered. I started work in Cedar Rapids that Thursday only to find out I got the job in the Springs. I stayed in Cedar Rapids for two weeks then moved to the Springs where I have been ever since.

Here’s some stuff from the past few weeks hiking in Garden of the Gods and driving up Pikes Peak- enjoy!

Some thoughts on audio

I’ve been thinking about Colorado lately. I was listening to my iTunes on shuffle and a song came on that threw me back to the Springs. I was listening to a lot of Sugarland’s Enjoy the Ride while I was working out there this past summer, and for me some music can just instantly transport me back. I can smell the air, hear the trees, feel the wind and the sun.

I like to think about that when I’m editing audio for my projects. I think good audio should do just what certain songs do for me, take you to the place they’re telling you about.

Recently I got to do an audio project on An Da Union a group from Inner Mongolia which does throat singing, which is one of the most unique sounds I've ever heard. I’d love to hear what you think.

Caring For Aggie

Caring For Aggie from J. Rachel Spencer on Vimeo.

This was my first attempt at video fall quarter for my final photo class at Ohio University. I was introduced to Aggie after talking with The Appalachian Community Visiting Nurses Association about doing a project with them. I was interested in showing the relationships the nurses have with their clients and asked if they had anyone in mind who would be good for a video piece. They told me about Aggie. She lives in Albany, Ohio with two of her sisters, and although she has almost lost all mobility she's still just as sharp as she ever was. Before I even met her, Milena, my friend at the ACVNA described visiting her house as going to see the Golden Girls, and she was right. She and her sisters would banter back and forth giving each other a hard time every chance they got. It was a pleasure to get to document a little piece of her life.

As far as the technical aspect goes I'm still working on video. I definitely need to use a tripod more. More to come later.

Passonate Art Works

I'm working on a project on Passion Works, a studio where artists with and without developmental disabilities make and sell collaborated work. I've shot there before and I'm always interested in meeting new people there. As Wendy, the artist in residence there told me in an interview, the artists there with developmental disabilities are unlike any other people you will meet, they don't judge you, they don't gossip, they are simply genuine people. Check back in awhile for the final project!

Athens ice storm

Driving back to Columbus in the snow just after the ice storm in Athens

School was actually cancelled. After years of complaining about how Ohio reacts to weather, this, at least for the morning was actually deserved. While there really wasn't that much snow around, there was a good inch of ice covering everything in Athens. Not having class for the day allowed for time to sleep in till noon, watch at least 3 movies, and of course, head uptown to take a few pictures.

College Green covered in snow and ice


The top of Jeff Hill looking toward uptown


Sledding on Jeff Hill


Trees on College Green




not the best example of photojournalism, but here's what it looked like on the way out of Athens on 33 west

Finishing School

After four years of preparation it is almost time for me to go out into the real world and get a job. This is not a promising idea in the current job market, but regardless of the state of the economy my graduation date is drawing ever nearer. I've kept myself busy in the past months surviving my last photo class at Ohio University, which while being the most challenging course I've ever gone through ended up forcing me to remember and use all the skills I've acquired while here and also showed me what I need to work on in the next three months. I'll post some of the work I did during that class and some more recent things soon! Good Luck to all of you out there preparing to enter the work world!