Photojournalism, Creativity
Ben Brewer
YOUR PHONE IS RUINING YOUR MEMORY

The science is out there: Your cell phone is ruining your memory… but don’t worry, thinking like a photojournalist when you take pictures can change all that.

YOUR PHONE IS RUINING YOUR MEMORY
Creativity
Ben Brewer
MYELINATION + BREAKING YOUR BAD CREATIVE HABITS
Photojournalism, Equipment
Ben Brewer
DO MY PIXELS DECEIVE ME?

What happens when a portable image-making machine meets advanced artificial intelligence and computation? An ethical mess.

Creativity, Equipment
Ben Brewer
COMPARE AND DESPAIR
COMPARE AND DESPAIR
Equipment, Photojournalism
Ben Brewer
GETTING SOME "CLARITY" ON PHOTOSHOP

Buckle up Photoshop CC users, this is going to be a bumpy ride.

GETTING SOME "CLARITY" ON PHOTOSHOP

On Assignment

DEGREES OF HAPPINESS

I've been to and photographed a lot of graduation ceremonies over the years. High school, college, graduate school, etc. And nine times out of ten, you know what you're getting into — the standard fare of optimistic speeches, "grip and grin" diploma photos, and posing in the cap and gown for family — But earlier this month, my photography brought me to a special graduation unlike any I've attended.

I was contracted by the UW-Madison Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA) to help document the graduation recognition ceremony for a unique group of students, participants in pipeline and recruitment programs such as Posse, First Wave, CEO, PEOPLE, and more. Many of these students are the first in their family to attend or graduate from college. Some never even thought of gaining a college degree as an option. And, to put it simply, the energy, emotion, and positivity at the ceremony was truly something special to be a part of. 

As the college had already hired photographers to capture the granting of diplomas and other necessary (but inspiring) imagery, I was free to move throughout Shannon Hall and find moments of happiness and emotion from graduates, parents, speakers, and more. Here are just some of those photos:

After experiencing this ceremony, I've got some much deeper thoughts about mindset and thought process going into assignments. But that's an important topic for another day, another post... Stay tuned.

 

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Striking Developments

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This past week, I was given the opportunity to work on another fascinating assignment with the New York Times and reporter Julie Bosman in covering the on-going strike between management and employees of the Kohler company outside Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

KOHLER, WI — DECEMBER 9, 2015: Jeff Radtke, a 28 year veteran in the Kohler Pottery department looks down the picket line outside the Kohler facility, Tuesday, December 8, 2015.

I was able to spend the better part of a day walking along the picket line, capturing the scene and learning more about their stories, motivations, and emotions.

Most of all, perhaps, I was struck by the particular demographic most common amongst the strikers:

28 years of work at Kohler. 36 years of work at Kohler. 42 years of work at Kohler.

These were employees that had truly dedicated their lives to the company. More interesting still is the fact that the proposed changes to the Kohler pay scale — one of the root causes for the strike— affects a proportionally small minority of these veteran employees.

KOHLER, WI — DECEMBER 9, 2015: UAW Local 833 employees strike outside the Kohler manufacturing facility, Tuesday, December 8, 2015. Around 2,100 Kohler employees and union members are currently maintaining a 24/7 picket line outside the plant.

Worker after worker Julie and I spoke to reiterated similar points: We’re doing this for the ones just starting out, the youngest ones at the company, the ones hit the hardest, and the ones with the least means to weather the change.

KOHLER, WI — DECEMBER 9, 2015: Dale Mand, a Kohler employee of 43 years in the Engine plant, looks on at other Local UAW 833 strikers outside the Kohler facility, Tuesday, December 8, 2015. Around 2,100 Kohler employees and union members are currently maintaining a 24/7 picket line outside the plant.

The level of camaraderie and support from one employee to another at Kohler truly was a sight to behold. Sounds like the ball is in your court, Kohler.

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SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN

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Well, what an interesting couple of weeks it’s been here in Madison…

It all kicked off after a “drafting error” showed the true intentions of Governor Scott Walker — instituting massive budget cuts of $300M to the University of Wisconsin system over the next two years. Needless to say, students, professors and community members were less than thrilled. A systematic dismantling of the UW System and “Wisconsin Idea” prompted numerous on-campus Q&A sessions and rallies in opposition to the proposed budget.

Unrest only grew this week.

Mere days after the proposed cuts were made public did more unexpected news arrive. Despite earlier claims that it would be a “distraction,” Wisconsin legislators announced their plan to make Wisconsin the 25th “right-to-work” state, another attempt to reduce the influence of unions only a few short years after Wisconsin Act 10 was passed, breaking down the rights of public sector unions and collective bargaining power.

As a fairly new resident to Wisconsin, I’m utterly struck by the complete and utter disconnect between our politicians and the people they purport to represent. Is it a fundamental issue of constituents voting against their own best interests? An uninformed electorate? A continuous cycle of politicians who promise to do one thing, then do the opposite? I honestly don’t know.

MADISON, WI — FEBRUARY 24: Employees inside the Wisconsin State Capitol show a message of support and solidarity from their window looking over the worker and labor union opposition rally just outside. Workers and labor unions rallied in opposition to a right-to-work bill being discussed in the state legislature. 

And as I look across the border to my home state of Minnesota, I wonder how those running Wisconsin can honestly see our neighbor’s successes yet denounce their methods.

(And just a pro tip here, it’s likely not in your best interests to compare your constituency to a murderous and barbaric terrorist organization…)

Obviously, I’m exceptionally grateful to have this amazing chance to cover what’s happening in (what’s now) my state for the New York Times recently. I just wish I had better news and more human stories to be reporting — not a divided populace, disingenuous governing body, and a stumbling economy. 

A STROLL THROUGH "LITTLE NORWAY"

The placard outside the property reads: “Where the Past is our Present to You.”

Kitschy? I suppose, a little bit. Isolated? You bet. But…majestic?

BLUE MOUNDS—November 7, 2014: Rear-facing side of “Little Norway”.

I can’t say I was prepared for that one myself either. But I’ll be damned if I didn’t really enjoy the opportunity last week to photograph “Little Norway” in Blue Mounds, WI — about a half-hour drive from downtown Madison — for the “What You Get” section of the New York Times. This particular installment displayed real estate currently selling for $1.9M, featuring two other houses — one in Miami Beach, and another along the Maine coast.

Once I was able to get used to the stark (yet ‘museum-ey’) restored Norwegian homestead buildings (eight, in total) that dot the landscape of the property, I really started to enjoy “Little Norway” even more. Walking around the property inside and out with the owner, Scott Winner, I was able to feel the character of “Little Norway.” The house itself: gorgeous hardwood everywhere. The grounds: perfectly serene on this chilly Fall afternoon. And perhaps most important of all: There be dragons… 

BLUE MOUNDS—November 7, 2014: The view of the Norway Building, with dragon-adorned roof and modeled after a 12th Century Norwegian Church or “stavkirke” at “Little Norway”.

BLUE MOUNDS—November 7, 2014: The view of the Norway Building, with dragon-adorned roof and modeled after a 12th Century Norwegian Church or “stavkirke” at “Little Norway”.

I’d take this property over the other two listed in the article any day of the week. Not that I’ll be buying any multi-million dollar properties anytime soon, however…

All in all, I had a wonderful time being able to use my (albeit limited) real estate photography skills (big shout-out and thanks to Aaron Schumm for giving me a chance to practice that a lot last summer!) Hard to believe I’m now being a five-time contributor to the New York Times. Craziness. Here’s hoping the work keeps heating up as the temps keep dropping.

DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS

It gets so easy to get complacent when photographing weddings—hitting all the “standard” shots. But that gets old. When you just document what's happening, you're not really seeing anything.