I've been photographing some up and down one of the major streets in Columbus. A friend of mine happens to tend bar north of here a little bit, so I stopped in and made a portrait of him a few weeks ago.
A few weeks ago I got a call from editor Dave Scull at The New York Times asking if I would work on a story about education and the economy as job losses continue to hit across the board. Even Worthington, Ohio, widely regarded as an upper-middle class Columbus suburb has felt the effects. I was more than happy to take the story, and spent a day at Wilson Hill Elementary School where I primarily focused on Grace Koo's children. Afterwards, I accompanied the family to swimming lessons and then home while they ate dinner.
The Times ended up running the lede image 6 columns on the front of the National section, with two supporting images and a preview image on A1.
Elementary school was interesting- I don't think I've been in one since my younger sister "graduated" from 5th grade...11 years ago I guess? It kind of threw me for a loop when I walked in- it looked like how I remember it, right down to the warm, inviting teachers, but I seemed to have forgotten how small everything is. It was also fun for me to deal with kids cheesing at the camera and trying to get my attention, reminding me of being 8 or 9 and having somebody come into the classroom, watching fellow classmates pester the visitor. I wasn't one of those kids, but it was interesting to see the dichotomy from this angle. Reversing the roles, I suppose.
I had a really great time on this shoot. Grace and her family made the day really fun, and were very welcoming to me. It's always really great to leave an assignment with a big smile, knowing you've done the story and those affected by it the justice they deserve.
If you'd like to read the story, please do so here. I was also pleased to see that the Columbus Dispatch syndicated the story from the Times, knowing that it reached a hyper-local audience as well as the rest of the nation.
I went up to Columbus for the night with friends She Bears and Manor Animals for a show at the Treehouse Tavern. Really strange place, but I had a blast and ended up crashing at my friend Corey's house from Columbus band Monolithic Cloud Parade.
I photographed Dr. Michelle Bisutti in Columbus, Ohio a few weeks ago for a story called The $555,000 Student-Loan Burden.
This is the image that ran cropped in today's edition, and two outtakes.
