the region...

Andrew Nelles and I worked today with some volunteers who were sand bagging a levee on the Missouri side of the Mississippi river.  I didn't shoot much today, instead I found myself helping shlepp sandbags up and down the levee as others filled them.  The race to stop rising water continues in a few hours...until then here are a few...

-mj

on the road again...

This time I packed light...bare necessities...camera gear, extra pair of shorts, sandals and laptop.  Myself and a close friend of mine, Andrew Nelles,  headed out today to cover the Illinois/Iowa/Missouri flood region.  After a long 5+ hour drive we made it to Quincy, Ill. 

-mj

some free time...

Edward has been working at carnivals for the past 38 years.  He currently operates the Be A Guitar Hero game.  

Jerry has been working at the carnival for the past 10 years.  He currently operates the Win Big Prizes game.

Ashley has been working at carnivals for the past 5 years.  She currently operates the Ski Ball game.  

Brittiny has been working with this carnival for 1 month.  She applied for the job because her boyfriend was already working with the carnival.  She currently operates the Pig Race game.  

Wayne has been working at carnivals since he was 15 years old.  He currently operates the BB Gun game

James has been working at carnivals since he was 15 years old.  He currently operates the Balloon Dart game.  

I was finally able to get out today and do some shooting for myself.  It felt great to move around freely, hunting for pictures that could be of whatever I wanted.  I recently moved into the Wicker Park/Humboldt Park area.  This week hosts the annual Puerto Rican Festival in Humboldt Park.  I made my way to the festival which turned out to be a great few hours of picture making and conversation with people that have probably seen it all.  I have always found myself really fascinated with the lifestyle of the "carnival operator," notice how I didn't use "carnie" I have found from past conversations that the term "carnie" is really offensive!  Anyways, here's what I got...

document life

-mj

weekend...

Been swamped with assignments...great thing but no time to write about it...anyways here are some visuals...

-mj

blow your mind...

So I have another really busy weekend starting up in just a few hours.  (I probably should get to bed...)  I decided to fuel up the car tonight rather than spend time in the early morning.  Normally I am in some sort of frantic rush to pump fuel into the car but tonight I wasn't.  When I looked at how much 20 dollars bought me in gas, I was shocked.  With the pump reading just under 5 gallons of gas...I am not sure how much longer any of us American's will be driving!  Will gas prices ever go down significantly?   Washington?   

-mj

 

busy weekend...(part 3)

Here are two pictures from the parade that did get submitted to my editor.

-mj

busy weekend...(part 2)

I covered a Memorial Day parade and service for the The Deerfield Review yesterday.  I really enjoy assignments like these where you really have free range to just document an event with the occasional request for something specific.  Assignments like this are a great time to work a situation from different angles, perspectives, and lenses...always looking for something different.  As some of you might know I have a obsession with flags so whenever I see them, you can count on me to photograph them.  This isn't a picture that I submitted to my editor, but I think it is extremely important that when you are out 'working' (i.e. not shooting personal work) it's good to always be looking for photos that can be personal work.  I have been working on this project about Patriotism for a few years now... and I am always shooting pictures for it.  Not really sure if this picture will make the cut...but I was thinking about the project while working...

take a look at more photos from my series on 'patriotism'

-mj

 

busy weekend...(part 1)

So this weekend was hectic...worked a good amount for Time Out Chicago and Pioneer Press.  Time Out has me shooting at locations around Chicago for a feature piece coming out in June.  One location was inside Guthries Tavern near Wrigley Field.  I went after a Cubs home game expecting to find a mess of people at the bar, and I did.  In this assignment situation I knew communicating with the belligerent Cubs fans after a game would be difficult so I thought the best thing to do would be to just start shooting.  I had made some pictures of this group of guys sharing a few laughs and consuming a few beers...they later asked me who I was shooting for and I gave them the usual response, "Time Out Chicago." After documenting the people inside the bar I decided to shoot some outside pictures of the bar.  Here is a example of the great, fun people that I meet everyday...

-mj

running around

Yesterday was an office day, working on the new site, (www.michaeljarecki.com), editing photos/burning DVD's and invoicing. With these "office" tasks also comes the best part of my day; visiting places like FedEx Kinkos and Walgreens! No, seriously I love FedEx Kinkos!!! So I was on my way back to my apartment and came across this picture. It's great to come across street art and I am sure this cheers up many people who stumble upon Damen Ave...

"always be on the look out"


-mj

sometimes be literal...

Parent and students of Glencoe Central junior high walk through Glencoe, Ill. during a fundraiser for PADS Crisis Services, Walk to End Homelessness on Sunday, May 18, 2008.  

yesterday I was covering a fundraiser walk in Glencoe, Ill.  Being literal with pictures can sometimes work.  Here is one of the pictures from the assignment.  What I think works best in this picture is the strong motion of the frame.  Flows left to right...leading the viewer in and around the picture.  

-mj

  

Reality of Hope Event, Thursday, May 15, 2008

It is important to give back...For the past couple months I have been working with Adoption-Link. Adoption-Link is an adoption agency based out of Chicago that specializes in international adoption. The agency has been focusing on their 4th annual Reality of Hope event. I was asked to meet with some families and make some pictures for the event in an attempt to put a face to adoption, particularly families that have adopted internationally. Chances By Choice is a program of Adoption-Link that is putting a lot of time and energy in to placing HIV infected orphans into families around the United States.

Being able to donate some of my time to be a part of this project is something that I really appreciate. It is not all that often when you work on a project and feel as though you are doing some great thing that is helping SOMEONE! I am by no means saying that my job isn't helping people in some way all the time...but working on a project like this...you get to see this energy immediately spring out of people...all for my camera. This project was a great opportunity to meet some amazing people who strive to make a difference in children's lives domestically and internationally everyday. Here are some pictures of the people I got to photograph...


-mj

Record Release Show - HARPOON

Iron Reminders + Inverted + Harpoon = ?    maybe nothing but loud screaming chaos with a basement full of feedback combined with one ton of sweaty people smashing and bashing into each other...well at least when Harpoon played.  

-mj

  

New York City - Comic Con

It's been a while...traveling...working...moving!  Here is some photos from NYC Comic Con...

-mj