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• Buglers in short supply

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  Coy Klepper plays a ceremonial bugle at the end of the Veteran's Day Ceremony at the Veteran's Memorial Park on Fort Henry Drive Nov. 11.
  (ISO 400, Aperture F2.8, Shutter Speed 1/1250s at 200mm)
  
  While asking Commander Gerald Cardwell of American Legion Post 3 for information on Klepper, he made sure that I took note that Klepper was not actually playing the bugle at the end of the ceremony. Instead, it was a pre-recorded version of Taps inserted on a device in the bugle. They call these a ceremonial bugle.
  
  The number of buglers are apparently diminishing and it is getting harder and harder to find someone who can perform a live version of Taps.
  
  An article that Cardwell later sent to me through e-mail published in USA Today states,
  
  "Since January, live buglers have played taps at about 19% of funerals that included military honors, according to data from Mark Ward, senior program manager for funeral honors at the Pentagon. Ceremonial bugles have been used at 71% of the services and a CD recording was used at 10%. Day says he founded Bugles Across America shortly after Congress passed a law in 2000 allowing recordings of taps to be played if no bugler can be found."
  
  You can read more here:
  
  http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-11-11-buglers_N.htm?obref=obinsite&POE=click-refer

• In honor of Friday the 13th..

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I bring you an eclectic mix of magazines at a bookstore. If you need a magazine on Vampires, Books-A-Million is the place to be.

• Friday Night Football

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  (ISO 1600, Aperture F3.5, Shutter Speed 1/60s at 16mm)
  
  Stephanie Mullins, #25, of Clintwood High School waits outside in the gym for her teammates in the locker room before Friday's game against J.I. Burton. Mullins is the only girl on the football team and is a wide receiver.
  

• While Walking...

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  (ISO 400, Aperture F2.8, Shutter Speed 1/160s at 16mm)
  
  All the rain we received last week really brought out the color in the leaves. While waiting for a feature shot to materialize, I hung out at Warriors Path State Park and found this awesome display of color and saturation.

• Pets can get you through the rough times

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  
  
  Every Monday I visit the Kingsport Animal Shelter at 2141 Idle Hour Road (off Stone Drive) to photograph our Pet of the Week. Usually the amount of animals in the shelter, especially new litters of kittens and puppies, decrease as winter nears. Summertime is pretty much the peak when the shelter is overloaded with lost or new born animals. Mother Nature takes its course and the numbers seem to level off by fall.
  
  However I was surprised to find that as we head into the winter season, there are still LOADS of furry ones in there. There might be several reasons: the economy, spay or neutering, lack of interest.
  
  Consider adopting a pet. They can get you through those rough moments. These critters can offer unwavering love and companionship too, something that an object can't give. And on top of it all, you'll save another shelter animal and have a friend for life!
  
  There is an initial adoption fee that ranges anywhere from $30-95, depending on what sex and size the animal is and also if they have already been spayed or neutered.
  
  Kingsport Animal Shelter
  423-247-1671
  2141 Idle Hour Road (off Stone Drive)
  Hours: Mon-Sat 12:30-5p.m., closed on Sundays

• Need some culture?

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  Michael Ripper, artist in downtown Kingsport and owner of Ripper Arts Studio and Gallery on Market Street, works on a commissioned piece of art through Urban Synergy to beautify the downtown area on a building at 115 Market Street. Ripper specializes in furniture woodworking and pottery and shares a studio across the street with artist and wife Talina Ripper and painter Cindy Saadeh. The building pictured is on sale as a restaurant or retail business space. You can call Urban Synergy at 423-367-3184 or log on to urbansynergy.net. (ISO 400, Aperture F/7.1, Shutter Speed 1/320s at 16mm)
  
  
  While at a shoot for Kidspo a couple weeks ago, local artist Suzanne Barrett Justis gave me the lowdown on an exciting new event coming to downtown Kingsport. If you haven't already heard about this in our recent issue of Go Tri-Cities, here is the information one more time. I am so excited that the Arts Council of Greater Kingsport has formed this for local artists and fans of fine art and culture!
  
  First Annual Arts Council Arts Crawl
  September 24, 5-8p.m., Cost: $30
  Pick up your Arts Crawl ticket at the State Theatre, 155 Broad Street
  Buy tickets online at www.KingsportARTS.org or call the Arts Council of Greater Kingsport at 423-392-8420.
  
  Includes: Hors D'oeuvres created by downtown restaurants, Wine and a tour of art galleries all in downtown Kingsport!!
  
  Here is more information:
  http://www.kingsportarts.org/arts_awards.php

• We Remember

  By Erica Yoon

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Andrew Johnson, a 12th grader at Cherokee High School and a member of the Junior ROTC, holds an American flag that was later raised on the football field before the game against Volunteer HS last Friday, September 11, 2009. Johnson stated that the flag he held was flown over Iraq. (ISO 400, Aperture F3.2, Shutter Speed 1/320s at 35mm)
  
  9/11/01. I was studying at school in Boston at the time and walked into my journalism class. My professor waited for us to settle into our seats and he waited probably about five more minutes before even looking up from his desk. He was quiet. A small portable radio with the antenna raised stood on his desk.
  
  I remember that day as a long and confusing one. Students standing around infront of TV's, classes later cancelled. My sister at the time worked in Times Square, albeit mid-town and away from ground zero but still in Manhattan. What was normally a 20-minute train ride to work became a 3-hour trek home on foot across bridges with thousands of other stranded people.
  
  Later that day I was in downtown Boston. Looking back, probably not the best place to be at the time. The last few people we saw were locking and closing up their businesses and at one point we were the only people in the square. Then a truck arrived and a man started to unload afternoon special edition Boston Globe newspapers in the middle of what seemed like a deserted city for blocks.
  
  Just a week before, I had made a trip home and back on a flight from New York to Boston. I remember on that flight, looking out of the window after the take off and watching the incredible New York skyline down below me. It was such a clear day.
  
  We remember. We remember all the victims, victims' families and those that have sacrificed for our country.

• Publishing War Casualties?

  By Erica Yoon

  So the answer to my last blog post was none other than Neal's Shoe Shop on Sullivan Street. 87-year old Charles Neal decided to retire this past year after 67 years of service to the Kingsport area. He was kind enough to share the last part of his days at the shop with me. An amazing man all around. Unfortunately this trade is few and far between these days.
  
  In the news recently, AP Photographer Julie Jacobson submitted a photograph to the wire service of a soldier, Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard, 21, mortally wounded during combat in Afghanistan. After much discussion within their organization, the photograph was distributed and then published in 20 newspapers across the country. This image has sparked a debate widely because the US media generally does not publish photos of war casualties.
  
  As a cautionary warning, both these websites contain the photograph.
  
  Here is the link to AP's website with Julie's journal entries of the account: http://www.ap.org/fallen_marine/jacobson.html (Image is linked below and a statement from AP for reasons to publishing the image.)
  
  Here is the blog entry from The New York Times:
  http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/behind-13/
  
  Do you think they were justified to publish the image?

• Live! From the Photo Room!

  By Erica Yoon

  Can you guess where this photo was taken? I'll give you a hint: a longtime establishment in downtown Kingsport that specialized in refurbishing an item to wear... (too easy?) Unfortunately, it is now closed but it had a run that left a legacy. I'll post the answer on my next entry.
  
  And if it wasn't obvious enough, that's me behind the camera. I had to think of a catchy blog title for my first entry, so I mustered some inspiration and tweaked Dave Ongie's blog title a bit. (I'll have to thank him later).
  
  Anyway, as the blog name reveals, these posts will be everything and anything photo-related. What fascinates me as a photographer is learning the thought-processes behind a picture and WHY it was taken. Most pictures posted here will probably be ones that didn't make the paper, some offbeat moments, discussions about interesting new geeky photo technology and more. I will also try to post the technical jargon that goes along with each photo (f/stop, aperture, ISO).
  
  In addition, I'd love to hear from YOU, the reader. If there is something that you happen to come across that you feel would be an interesting story visually, drop me an e-mail anytime. There is always something to photograph out there!
  
  Till then, welcome to my photographic journey!