*Syracuse University's Carrier Dome for High School Football State Championship game. Nov. 24-25, 2007.

Putting up one of my remote Nikon D-1X camera bodies 1.5 hours before the start of the Monroe-Woodbury vs. West Genesee HS State Championship Game in Syracuse University's Carrier Dome on Sunday, November 25, 2007. (Photograph by Mike Rice.)
This was an emotional game as the school from our coverage area lost 42-21. I'd photographed them in three other games this season, and took a liking to watching their star players, which is a plus in covering sports to actually know who the key & talented players are. Sent back 24 images (six at halftime for immediate web posting by our sports editor back in the office) of the game and made the front and back pages, and also had 7 images inside to go with the game stories our two sportswriters filed. All in all, it was a good work weekend, and again, even down on the field, kept thinking to myself,
"Go early. Stay late. Get the uniform dirty..."


Hustled up to Syracuse, NY Saturday night after work for the Sunday afternoon state high school championship between Monroe-Woodbury v. West Genesee game. Syracuse is a bear to get to from this part of the state, about a four hour drive. (almost 500 miles of roundtrip driving). Worked in "the Dome" a few times covering HS championship games about 10 years ago when I was a staff photographer over in White Plains at The Journal News. Those were in the 'old days' of shooting film, processing, scanning, and transmitting images from the press workroom in the bowels of the stadium. I've been putting up a remote body all season for football, including Michie Stadium at West Point. I always like this overall view from the stands, and the third camera is usefull for after the game jubilation on the field, etc., after I take it down at halftime. Considering using multiple remotes for the upcoming basketball season, and varying the lens choice and camera placement.
More later. Stay tuned.

*More on travel... (or getting my passport stamped again.)

Insights on international travel & final thoughts on the Mae Sot, Thailand mission.

It's been a hectic week since returning from northern Thailand. Literally had one day off last week after arrival Sunday night into JFK from Bangkok (BKK) and Tokyo Narita (NRT). Back to work on Tuesday morning, including an early 6AM assignment for "Black Friday" shopping story here in the area at the Outlet Center. Ran into some folks there from Carmel, CA who flew in the night before to hit the Chanel Store. Topping that off were the four women from Dublin, Ireland who've flown to New York the last 4 years to do their holiday shopping. And I thought I'd seen just about everything. Managed to fly over the area again too that afternoon to photograph traffic patterns and all that, but by the time we were airborne, there wasn't much traffic on the highways in the area. Another free plane ride. I'll take that anytime...

*More images to come and insights from the work week.

*More from Mae Sot General Hospital. Mae Sot, Thailand. Wednesday Nov. 14, 2007.

Emotional day today here on the mission. We're winding down a bit. Here are a few images.
-Chet.
"Go early. Stay late. Get the uniform dirty..."

*Operating theatre. Mae Sot General Hospital. Mae Sot, Thailand. Nov. 12 - 16, 2007.

*Working now during surgery week in the Mae Sot General Hospital. Week of Nov. 12 - 16, 2007. It is a joy to work in this first class facility, with A/C in the OR's, and all the anemities of a westernized hospital. Plenty of chow in the staff breakroom with of course Thai cuisine. I've worked in some very extreme situations, and it's sometimes been a challenge. During the week, I'll try a few different things photographically and photojournalistically. Also want to do a bit of audio recording for a SoundSlides presentation on Dr. Rafael Gottenger, a Venezuelan plastic surgeon whom I worked with ten years on Operation Smile's World Journey of Hope. He's given me complete access in his OR during surgery, as all the Op Smile surgeons have during a mission. *(Try that back in the States.) Followed the first child he operated on yesterday, so that'll be a nice piece on one child's journey through screening, surgery and recovery in these first days. This is why we've traveled to the mission, as there are feelings, emotions, sounds and special moments that make it all worth while for all us that put so much into volunteering for Operation Smile. -CG.
Here are a few images from the first two days here in operating rooms and wards:


Anesthesiologist Dee Bambrough of Utah prepares his equipment in an operating room at Mae Sot General Hospital in Mae Sot, Thailand on Sunday, November 11, 2007. Surgery begins tomorrow. © Chet Gordon for Operation Smile

Surgery days:

Mae Moei City, Thailand. Saturday Nov. 10, 2007.

*A few images from Saturday in Mae Moei City on the Moei River bordering Myanmar (Burma). Got down to the river early in the morning to visit the local market and interact with Burmese refugees in their shanty town across the river from Myanmar. More later, stay tuned.
"Go early. Stay late. Get the uniform dirty..." -CG

In Mae Sot, Thailand. Nov. 9, 2007

Made it to Mae Sot. Here are a few images and thoughts from screening day at the Mae Sot Hospital. Speaking with a translator, center, and a Thai photographer, right, during patient screening at Mae Sot Hospital as part of Operation Smile's World Journey of Smiles, in northern Thailand on Wednesday, November 9, 2007. Gordon, a longtime volunteer with Operation Smile is in northern Thailand to document the organization's international mission. Operation Smile is the Norfolk, VA based medical organization that performs free cleft lip and palate facial corrective surgery to young adults worldwide.

JFK International Airport. 8:20AM Tuesday, Nov. 6. before 9AM...

OK. Have a while here at JFK American Airlines Terminal 8 to upload a few things, and also add similar images to the paper's blog. Nice train ride into the city last night from home. Got into midtown Manhattan and stayed with colleague Shiho Fukada. (thanks for the great sushi and Cherry Wheat Sam Adams...!) We were out the apt. at 6:45AM, and grabbed a taxi for the quick 35 minute ride through the Mid-Town Tunnel, LIE, Van Wyck Expressway and down to JFK. man, I'm sure glad I don't have to hustle all over the 5 Boroughs anymore like a madman down here anymore... Wasn't bad splitting the cab fare with Shiho, as she's departing from a different terminal, so my half was $25.00. Much easier than the Airport Service Shuttle Bus as I'd thought about. For that, we would've had to get to Grand Central Terminal, wait for the bus, go through the whole routine which isn't fun with luggage, and in the pouring rain. Check in was a breeze with AA's automated self check-in and baggage drop off. Nothing's cheap here, as I was soon reminded of. Powdered eggs and potatoes with coffee: $9.00. 4 packs of DEntyne Ice gum: $2.15ea. I still have two hours before departure and the terminal is getting rather busy now.
More to come, probably from Tokyo's Narita International Airport. tomorrow sometime. I know this 14 hour flight is going to be a bear!

Packing for Thailand mission. Nov. 2007.

Mid-town Manhattan. 'Round midnight.

Having a bite of sushi and Cherry Wheat Sam Adams at colleague Keith Bedford & Shiho Fukada's Manhattan apt. 11 hours before departure for Bangkok. Monday night, November 5, 2007. Photograph by Shiho Fukada.


Packing up digital Nikon gear for the Thailand mission with Operation Smile. My bedroom. Newburgh, NY. Monday afternoon, November 5, 2007.

"Goodbye Old Friend..." November 2007.

*Officially retired a favorite pair of Columbia all-terrain shoes. Footwear was probably 5 years old or so. Overpriced, but well worth the initial cost. These bad boys have been with me through trips to Italy, Jordan, Africa; including Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Senegal. Onboard the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia, Paraguay, & along the West Coast of the US. I learned very early at my first newspaper staff job that there are two things you need to be a working photographer. A good light/flash meter and comfortable shoes. And from Boot Camp at Parris Island: "Take care of your feet and they'll take care of you..."

"Go early. Stay late. Get the uniform dirty..." -CG

*Happy Halloween 2007!

Kicking back at my work station at the newspaper's newroom in Middletown, NY on Halloween, Wednesday, October 31, 2007.