Wedding

About two weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing my friends Carrie and Justin on their big day. The wedding took place on a golf course in Shellsburg, Iowa which is located a few minutes outside of Cedar Rapids. The weather could not have been more perfect and everything was beautiful. It was a long day of shooting but it was all worth it. So, congratulations Carrie and Justin and I wish you the best! Below are some of my favorite photos from preparations to the reception. 

Calm before the Storm

Well, it has been fairly slow the past week or so at the paper though that will be changing quickly since fall sports and the state fair start next week. So, before things get too crazy around here I wanted to share some of my favorite shots from the past week or so.

I have been working in Grand Island, NE for a little over a week now and here are a few of my favorite shots from this week.
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William Dittmer, left, and his fiancé Jackie Sprenkle, right, both of Hastings, embrace as soldiers from Troop A of the 1-134th Cavalry Squadron prepare to load the busses following a send-off parade through Hastings on Friday. The solders will join other members of the 1-134th Cavalry Squadron on Saturday in Lincoln for a send-off ceremony before deploying for an Afghanistan mission

Jacob Fosket, of Grand Island, holds his 2-year-old daughter, Aubree Fosket, while he waits to board a bus along with other soldiers from Troop A of the 1-134th Cavalry Squadron in Hastings on Friday. The solders will join other members of the 1-134th Cavalry Squadron on Saturday in Lincoln for a send-off ceremony before deploying for an Afghanistan mission

Allen McDowell, of the team Bad Intentions, prepares to throw the football in the football skills competition during the Grand Island Games at Grand Island Senior High's Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Olympic-style event is sponsored by Grand Island Hy-Vee and is held throughout Grand Island.

Don Mays, left, and Betsy Miranda, right, from the team CM underdogs, cheer as the last member of their team crosses the finish line of the obstacle course during the Grand Island Games at Grand Island Senior High's Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

A competitor races towards the finish line as he completes the obstacle course during the Grand Island Games at Grand Island Senior High's Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

 All Photos Copyright The Independent

New Beginning

A few weeks after returning to Louisiana from shooting the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, I am back in Nebraska but this time I am here to stay. I am now working as the staff photographer for The Grand Island Independent in Grand Island, Neb. I have been here for less than a week and I have shot some fun assignments. Here are a few of my favorite shots from my first couple of photo assignments.

(above) Hannah Benson, left, jumps into the air next to Allie Conklin, right, after the two guessed the correct answer during a team building game at an Ultimate Image Show Choir rehearsal on Thursday during the show choir's week long camp at Grand Island Senior High School.

(above) Tuba players practice in a hallway of the school at Grand Island Senior High School during their band camp. 

Breanna Casares, a senior, tosses her flag as she and other members of the the Grand Island Senior High School colorguard rehearse a portion of the marching band show during band camp at the high school on Tuesday.

Students participate in team building game at an Ultimate Image Show Choir rehearsal on Thursday during the show choir's week long camp at Grand Island Senior High School.

ALL PHOTOS © The Independent

CWS

A lot has happened in the past few weeks. I shot more baseball games in the past few weeks than I have all year, spent nearly 40 hours and 2,000 miles driving in my car between Louisiana and Omaha, Nebraska and accepted a staff photographer position at a newspaper in Grand Island, Neb!

This was my second year shooting the College World Series and this year was definitely not like last year. Its sad that this was the final year in Roseblatt Stadium, it really is a unique place. It seems as if mother nature was dictating the games most of the time with rain delays, lightning delays, days of extreme heat and then perfect weather for the final series. Though, the lightning did make for nice photos. Here are just a couple of my favorite images from the two weeks in Omaha.

Bittersweet Ending to Another Season

While this blog is primarily dedicated to showcasing the photos from interesting assignments and personal projects I shoot, I wanted to share some images from Dutchtown High School's winterguard season. The guard isn't just a group of kids I photographed for an assignment, but a group I spend a lot of time with as one of their instructors and choreographers. For the past three months we have spent many hours working on the winterguard show, which incorporated dance along with spinning rifle, sabre and flag. Only four out of the fifteen members on the winterguard had been on the guard longer than one season and three of them had never spun a flag, rifle, or sabre before December. They attended five different competitions around Louisiana, including two where they took first place in their class. We had many ups and downs, but I am extremely proud of what the group accomplished even though the outcome at Championships on Saturday was not exactly what we had hoped for. So here are some photos from another successful winterguard season that seems to have come and gone far too quickly.

(above) The guard practices leaps to the floor while spinning swing flag during rehearsal at the high school.

(above) The guard practices pointing their toes during a dance technique rehearsal.

(above) The guard practices the opening dance choreography to their show in a hallway outside the official warm-up area prior to performing. This was the first competition of the season.

Instructor Amy Triche laughs as she leads the guard in stretches prior to going into warm-up.

all photos © Crystal LoGiudice