Micah Walter

Volvos: They are still kinda boxy, but still very good!

Today’s assignment was the result of a simple pitch and a nice news hook. I had pitched to my client the idea of shooting the DC Auto Show. It happens every year and is usually covered in Detroit, as that is where the news seems more important. But, sometimes timing works in my favor. Just this week Ford Motor Company decided to announce some serious cutbacks and layoffs. This news item combined with their VP presenting some new models made the assignment fly.

Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Company, Anne Stevens (C), poses with Ford executives Sue Cischke (L) and Nancy Gioia (R) during a press conference at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, January 25, 2006. Ford, facing a deepening financial crisis, on Monday unveiled a long-awaited restructuring that calls for the shuttering of 14 plants and slashing of 25 percent of its North American payroll.

I shot the presser and did my best to stay away from the horrible backlight coming form the giant TV screen. Afterwards I checked out Volvo (of course) and had fun playing with my new lens. I’m not quite ready to make a full review yet, as I am still experimenting with it and would like to put it through some more situations, but so far it is great.

For the most part, the extra wide angle is just a joy to have back. It opens so many creative possibilities. I just hope I don’t abuse it!

Well, Sunday finally came and it was time to return home after a really nice vacation in Puerto Rico. We left the airport after sitting on the runway for about an hour and landed at Dulles around 8:45. I have to say; the weather in Puerto Rico was quickly missed as we were forced to change into warmer clothes at the baggage claim before making our way to the long term parking lot.

On arrival at a parking lot somewhere between Dulles and Puerto Rico we found our car battery dead in the below freezing temperatures. After a AAA jumpstart we made it home and went right to sleep.

Nine o’clock came quickly and like a child on Christmas I headed down to the apartment office and picked up my new Canon EOS 10-22mm EFS lens.

I bought this lens to add some extra wide angle to my 20D, and so far I am very happy. The equivalent 35mm or full-frame focal length on my 20D would be 16-35, and though the lens wont work on cameras that have larger sensors I decided it would be the perfect addition for me while I was using the 20D.

So, it really wouldn’t be fair to write a review about the lens at this point as I have taken maybe a only few frames since I opened the box this morning. I will save the detailed field test report for another date, but at first glance, the lens seems to be just right for my needs. It has a similar construction to my 17-35 f/2.8 in that the zoom mechanism is internal (which means the lens doesn’t telescope), it uses the same size filter as all of my other lenses, and seems to have a decent build quality.

The slower f-stop (f/3.5-4.5) made me very hesitant to buy this lens as I will be using it mainly for journalism, but I decided to give it try. I always have the 17-35 with it’s f/2.8 available, so I’m not worried.

So far my initial reaction is “I finally have my wide angle!!”

More to come.

Today’s assignment was given to me Sunday evening. My client called at the last minute and asked me if I had a White house hard pass. This credential, which I don’t yet have, allows you to get in for White House coverage without the usual twenty-four hour notice.

After some shuffling around of photographers it was decided that I would help out with coverage of the Alito confirmation hearings. The plan was for me to show up on the hill at about 10am for security sweeps.

Seven am came and my assignment editor called telling me to get down to Georgetown hospital as quick as possible. Cheney was in the hospital. After a chaotic process of getting out of bed and convincing Kendra to come along with me so I could take her to work, we were on the road. Just before we hopped onto I-66 (less than a mile from home) my editor called back and told us that Cheney had already left. Back to the original plan.

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito is sworn in during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, Monday, Jan. 9, 2006.

Judge Samuel Alito absorbed hours of criticism from Senate Democrats at close quarters Monday, then pledged at his confirmation hearings to do what the law requires “in every single case” if approved for the Supreme Court.

So, I dropped Kendra off at work and headed to the Capitol for a day of waiting; and a day of waiting it was. Eighteen Senators, ten minute opening statements each, and Alito finally was asked to raise his right hand and swear to tell the truth.

I had been assigned to shoot from a high vantage point in one of the video galleries and enjoyed noticing the unusually high number of remote cameras, one of which was positioned right next to my head. At one point I had placed a lens on the bench in front of me. A photographer from AP who had set up a remote camera fired off a couple rounds to get my attention, and signaled for me to move it over. Remote camera-shutter Morse code I guess.

The day ended just after Alito held up his right hand and I was on my way home and off to Puerto Rico with Kendra! Via con dios till the 15th!