28 August 2011

*On Covering Hurricanes "K-I-M..." (Katrina, Irene, Mitch.)

NEWBURGH, NY. A woman examines debris onshore near The River Rose, and original paddle-wheel boat moored along the flooded Hudson River waterfront in Newburgh, NY on Sunday, August 28, 2011. Hurricane Irene knocked out power from South Carolina to Maine, and parts of New York State saw more than a foot of rain. © Chet Gordon/THE IMAGE WORKS

TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS. A young boy pauses near a car covered with debris along the bank of the Rio Choluteca (Choluteca River) under the El Chile Bridge in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on Saturday, November 7, 1998. Hurricane Mitch left upwards of 11,000 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and the rest of Central America. Floods and mudslides have leveled houses, buried villages and washed out major roadways and bridges, cutting off the northern and southern regions of Honduras. © Chet Gordon/THE IMAGE WORKS

NEW ORLEANS, LA. Destroyed homes in the Lower 9th. Ward of New Orleans, LA on Wednesday, June 28, 2006. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf states 10 months ago. © Chet Gordon / THE IMAGE WORKS

Venturing around town this afternoon to make a few images of the rising Hudson River (top image) and early damage caused by Hurricane Irene, got me thinking of my past work at Hurricanes Katrina in June 2006 along the Gulf Coast and Mitch, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras back in 1998. Clearly Mitch was the most destructive of all hurricanes that I've seen to this day. Katrina's numbers were devastating just as equally, but more so in terms of displaced, uprooted survivors, and sheer property damage in the Gulf States. And Irene these last few days...? I think the jury is still out on this one. Following are a few more archived images to sort of serve as a reminder of what severe hurricane damage looks like and the unforgivable destructive forces they bring... ~cg.

(3) MITCH. Tegucigalpa, Honduras. November 1998.

KATRINA. New Orleans, LA June 2006.

KATRINA. Gulfport, Mississippi. June 2006.

(2) KATRINA. Biloxi, Mississippi. June 2006.

(2) IRENE. Newburgh, NY. August 2011.

20 August 2011

"Africa Calling..."


Lamu, Kenya. May 2006

Kibera slum. Nairobi, Kenya. Nov. 2002

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. December 2005

Empangeni, South Africa. September 2006

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. December 2005

Senegal. October 2006

Nairobi, Kenya. February 2004

15 August 2011

13 August 2011

ARMY Football. "You Can Feel It..." West Point, NY 13•Aug.•11

Army starting quarterback Trent Steelman (#8) throws to a receiver during drills prior to their team scrimmage in Michie Stadium at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY on Saturday, August 13, 2011. The Army Black Knights open the 2011 season on Sept. 3rd. at Northern Illinois and their home opener is Sept. 10th. against San Diego State. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Ok, I'm going to go out on a limb here after shooting today's scrimmage with this year's Army football team. Something I never, ever do - at least not in a public forum. I try real hard to not become "a homer"; rooting for the home team you're covering. It's always been best for me to not get too attached to local teams and athletes, because when they come up short, it hurts and can sometimes effect your work. Certainly can't have that in this day and age. But this summer there already seems to be somewhat of a buzz in the air down at the United States Military Academy. I got a slight hint of it last week while covering practice in their indoor facility. Players like starting QB Trent Steelman, FB Jared Hassin, and WR Davyd Brooks (from right here in Newburgh, BTW) have a little more bounce in their step. What we used to call "Snap & Pop" in the Marine Corps. Steelman's passes are little tighter (top & left), Brooks' pass routes (bottom) are crisp and exact, and fullback Hassin (right) has become a bona fide punishing runner out of the backfield. Newcomer FB Larry Dixon (a freshman I believe) is built like a armored vehicle and he looks like he's going to be leaving a few stunned tacklers in his wake too. Slotback Jon Crucitti (below at right) is also a baseball player who can reliably "deliver the mail" as well. Along with Ray Maples, they should have a solid backfield. There's a new backup QB, Angel Santiago (left), who looks short in stature, but I'm sure he's got the goods or head coach Rich Ellerson wouldn't have him out there running the second team offense already. In what will be my fifth year of covering ARMY football down at Michie Stadium and on the road, this team may have the makings of something nice this season. We'll see how they look after a few more practices I'll probably be assigned to before the season starts in three weeks. It also feels really, really good to be working on the warm turf field of a mid-August afternoon in a Div. I college stadium, shooting with long glass (300mm + 1.4 & 2X tele-extenders), multiple cameras, and making good sports images again. Stay tuned. ~cg.

Army receiver Davyd Brooks (#13) dives but cannot make the reception on a Trent Steelman pass during drills prior to their team scrimmage in Michie Stadium at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY on Saturday, August 13, 2011. The Army Black Knights open the 2011 season on Sept. 3rd. at Northern Illinois and their home opener is Sept. 10th. against San Diego State. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

12 August 2011

September 11th. - Ten Years On... Highland Falls, NY 11•Aug.•11

Detail of a 7 foot, 1,500lb. I - Beam section from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, after it arrived at the Village Green in Highland Falls, NY on Thursday, August 11, 2011. The beam will be formally dedicated during a ceremony on September 11th. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record


09 August 2011

ARMY Football Practice. (In August, no less...) 9•Aug.•11

It's August. It's been unbearably hot and sticky with high humidity here in the Northeast the last few weeks; so that must mean it's time to start covering Army Football down at West Point again. Gearing up for my fifth season of coverage down at the Academy. Here's a quick take on today's practice... ~cg.

Army starting quarterback Trent Steelman (#8) on the field during practice in the Foley Athletic Center at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY on Tuesday, August 9, 2011. The Army Black Knights open their 2011 season on Sept. 3rd. at Northern Illinois, followed by their home opener on Sept. 10th. against San Diego State. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record


03 August 2011

"Going Yard..." Minor League Baseball. Wappingers Falls, NY. 2•Aug.•11

After returning from vacation Monday night, it was nice to be assigned again to cover our local Minor League team, The Hudson Valley Renegades last night. (Tuesday). The assignment called for only shooting images of a few key players, as we're only running a Sunday story. So it's a chance for me to sort of relax and enjoy the game for a few innings, and make a few feature type images as well. I like the opportunity to make these sort of "B - roll" images, even at the ballpark. Been doing it my whole career... ~cg.