Backstage Nerves
For a while now I have been shooting part time for a local newspaper which takes me all over the place (mostly locally) to shoot various stories. I really enjoy the freedom being out of the ‘office’ and challenges that come with the variety that is inherent in this type of work. I will attempt to post a some images here every couple of days to keep things up to date and also to showcase my work as a work in progress. Constructive criticism welcome! Thanks and stay tuned….
A high school theature student studies his lines one last time behind the curtains before returning back on stage. 4-14-10
Color
On assignment in January I took a walk through the woods on a frosty morning. Everything seemed to be slowed down by the winter freeze, thus giving us time to reflect. These are a few of the experiments in color to combat my S.A.D.
Images of 2009
As yet another year inevitably comes and goes its a good time to take a few moments to reflect on the experiences of the previous 12 months. I felt very fortunate to be able to travel and see many new places throughout the year – including working at the X Games in Aspen, CO, shooting my first wedding in May, traveling to France and the Congo in July, and most recently working the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, CO. But the thing I will probably remember the most from 2009 will most likely be the many inspiring people I had the privilege to meet. One in particular is a man named Deolo from the Democratic Rep. of Congo in Central Africa. Nathaniel Miles and I got the chance to meet and interview him for a project for the orphan sponsorship program and quickly felt impacted by his presence. Ten members of his family (6 brothers, 2 sisters, and both parents) have fallen from AIDS and as the last remaining member, his job now is to fight against the spread of the virus with a divine purpose. It’s hard to imagine a harder job as to work against the spread of AIDS in Africa – but after meeting Deolo, I can see his passion for the people of Africa and I am inspired that the drive and determination of one man can make a difference. Here are a few images of the people Ill never forget and the amazing places that I may never see again.
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Images of 2009
When Things Come Full Circle
It’s hard sometimes in the media business when you are doing project after project to keep up with how progress is coming for your past clients and to really see just how much what you did is having it’s impact in the long run. It’s always encouraging to hear that your work is being appreciated or has had the desired outcome …or better yet has led something bigger and better as the result.
My very first independent video project out of college was for a small group of people in central Nebraska wanting to celebrate and memorialize the firefighters of Nebraska as well as a venue to teach children fire safety and prevention. The video was to be sent out to every district in Nebraska in order to build funds for a Nebraska Firefighters Memorial and Museum. That was four years ago and this summer it finally happened – it finally opened!
So it was very cool to go to the grand opening ceremony and see what had become of the little rough around the edges video from four years ago to a great building that means so much to many Nebraskans. Here are a few images: *note: the image below was published in the Jan/Feb issue of Nebraska Life Magazine*
Congo Rover
Not much time (or battery power) to write much at this point. We are now in Tandala about 75 K from Gemena. I can share some images from the past week though. Enjoy! 
Hot & Humid with a chance of Malaria
Sleeping with a mosquito net really isn’t that bad…after a while you kind of get used to it. I like to think of it as the iron curtain between the elements and me – even though there are holes in it the size of a fist. Yesterday a bat (presumably a fruit bat) just flew into our room while the door was open. After a few aerial laps around our heads it decided to jet back out the open door again. I’m loving this kind of wild!
We have been here for just about long enough to adjust to the heat and humidity (which is also, strangely, something I don’t mind) and walking around at night in darkness. Also it’s always a challenge adjusting to the language barrier – but I’m learning something everyday – aka learning how to say the same 5 words over and over to try to get your meaning across. My French is terrible (terreeebley) …and my Lingala is worse but the beauty of having a camera is that sometimes words aren’t necessary when a smile and a bonjour is more than enough to make a friend – I’m finding that the Congolese people are extremely gracious, fun, and all around happy people surrounded by hardships we Americans find hard to even imagine. A good lesson in in being content!
Im also learning about what all the programs that take care of the less fortunate people in one of the most unfortunate countries. We here to cover the GlobalFingerprints and TouchGlobal programs as well as the Elikya Village Project and are busy getting still and video images to take back to the U.S. We have been getting some great footage to eventually put together some really great and hopefully powerful material. From meeting the sponsored orphans and hearing them tell their stories, to touring the busy Elikya site and seeing the foundations for an amazing future – this is absolutely inspiring. Its the Congolese people enabling and creating opportunity for other Congolese people that really is great about these ministries.
Crossing the Congo
Same window, Same continent, Two very different worlds – Sahara Dessert/Congo Rain forest
There may not be as many days longer than the first day we crossed the boarder into Congo yesterday. This was the day to traverse across the center of Africa by land and by water from Bangui in the Central African Republic south 125 miles to Gemena, Democratic Republic of Congo would take 16 hours.
It started with an early morning in Bangui, had what is starting to become the morning ritual 3 pots of coffee, then piling cautiously yet happily into two dugout canoes skimming along the Ubangui River that runs as the boarder between the two countries and officially started our journey across the Congo. All of the 10 of our team with our hand luggage (the larger luggage pieces went in earlier canoes) made the trip across the open water to the other side to meet our trucks for the next (and many times more challenging) land portion of the trip.
We landed on the beach and walked up to the Congolese immigration ’shack’ and checked in our passports. We had our first meal of goat and rice and we hit the road. The older gentlemen and ladies grouped into the Land Cruiser – Nate and I jumped gleefully (and willingly) into the 5 ton 10 wheeled massively huge Tonka truck with all the luggage, and around 8 other Congolese men and two women who were coming to a pastor’s conference in Gemena with us. It was really great to join these men and women on this journey and to really felt like we were holding our own ….for the first 5 hours ….but the next five hours, is a different story.
If you have ever wondered what holding onto a steal re-bar for 10 hours feels like, try rubbing your hands with sand paper while trying not to be flung 15 feet to the ground off of a 5 ton bull. What a welcome to Africa! ha. After 5 hours we stopped in a village called Bao for some food and rest- just long enough for our hands to stop burning and our heads to stop bouncing. The food was a good mix of meats, fruits and veges (2nd meal of goat, bananas, rice and spinach) and we were off on the bumpy road again – but first we added a few more people to the back to join us – just to make it comphy.
Then nightfall came and there was nothing to look at other than what could be seen from our single headlight. No one really talked – in English or Lingala – and we were alone to our thoughts. I wondered what they were
thinkin
g about – if they were having the same thoughts I was having (good Lord, when will we get there??) …or if they have done this trip so many times that it’s second nature for them. The problem was we couldn’t talk with the language barrier and even if we could the engine of the giant truck would drowned it out. So I guess it was a good time for all of us to ponder about the past, think about the present and wonder about the future – whatever nationality we where.
We finally rolled into the compound around 12:30a.m. from a journey that began at 8:30 that morning – if this is how this trip will begin, Im excited to see whats next!
Dont drive in Paris at night! ….ok, do it!
On our way to Africa we got the chance to spend a few days in Paris (…I know, a rough layover right?) A great place to relax if you can find a seat (amongst all the tourists) and an absolutely amazing place to photograph (if you can get away from the tourists) We met up with my friend Faouza’s brother and sister who are the most welcoming hosts we could have asked for. We had multiple personal tour guides who showed Nate, Dave, and I around one of the most beautiful cities. With such a great and romantic history I was excited to walk the same streets of Nepoleon and the famous beheaded Marie Antoinette.
What really shocked me was the enormous size of the buildings. I didnt know you needed a building the size of a 17th century Pentagon to house some artwork – but if you are housing some of the most beloved artwork of all time…whose to say you cant. And that is the French way really, they will just because they can. For now, I think I will too…
I did get the exciting chance to drive around downtown for a night out seeing the Eiffel Tour lit up. I love driving in new cities for the excitement. Im sure it was just as enjoyable for the other people in the car! …and lets just say we made it home alive! Haha.
But for the last few days we were nothing more than tourists so here are a few goodies….
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Staind
All week I have been shooting video the Buckle this week during their national manager’s meetings. Clothing brand Affliction sponsored the main event – a private show by the band Staind. Affliciton managed to snag them fresh off a European tour and they seemed pretty exhausted but put on a pretty decent show (or at least the light show was pretty decent) for the 500 or so guests, managers, and Buckle staff. Check more shots here: www.mikenyff.com/photography/event/on-stage/
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Bonnaroo Or Bust
After a 9hr drive, a few days of set up in the dust – the official kickoff of Bonnaroo ‘09 is now on! A New Orleans style parade with circus twist marked the start of the weekend. It took all day to get the 80,000(ish) fans into the festival grounds and the bands hit the stages. Portugal. The Man (from Alaska), Chairlift and MURS were a few acts of note. All very different in musical style which is one thing I like about this festival. I like being surprised by seeing/hearing a good band I wasn’t expecting!
Day one is in the books and it will go down as a very wet and soggy one. Even around 11:30pm there were tornado warnings for the camping city of tents near Manchester, Tennessee. An exciting first day to say the least. Cant wait to see what today might bring… UPDATE: Check out all the photos from all four days here: http://www.mikenyff.com/photography/event/bonnaroo/
Soggy Walk
On a lonely soggy day last week my pal Zach an I decided to brave the cold wind and rain and go for a photo walk. It turned out to be more of a photo drive (b/c it really was cold) but it was fun to get out shooting none-the-less. The black and white images I especially enjoyed because they look extra gloomy with the soggy weather.
We came across a few spots I had never seen before, which is kind of surprising considering I have lived in this relatively small town most of my life. How many times do you drive over an overpass but ever walk under it? How many times have you seen the underside of the lamp posts that light your way when you’re driving home late at night? The underbelly of where we live might not be the most glamorous or inviting (at first) but with just a little closer look, it’s just as intriguing as the topside.
One particular location there was a small house directly under the overpass with a billboard literally inches from the back door of the house. I was impressed anyone could be happy living there …assuming they indeed are happy people. I’ll be thinking of a good way to photograph that spot in the future.
Just goes to show you never know what you’ll find under the overpass 
A auto repair shop near the tracks completely covered top to bottom with sheet metal and a repaired roof sitting on barrels.
I ♡ ILovePhotoBlogs.com!
This weekend it was announced that I was one of the winners of the photoblog contest on ILovePhotoBlogs.com. The February giveaway sponsored by Uprinting.com gave away a 18×24 Rolled Canvas Print of your choice, and two 250 postcard printing vouchers – I was the lucky one to get the canvas print!
ILovePhotoBlogs.com started as a project to capture as many photographers as possible in one location and has evolved into a feed where hundreds of photographers around the world find interesting thought provoking work. I found the ILovePhotoBlogs’ contest on twitter and always try to get in one contest or another once a week. Looks like it finally paid off today
So….which photo do YOU think I should print off? Leave a comment and let me know!
Published.
This is gonna be a big month!
Not only am I launching this site/blog, showing my first prints on display, but I am also having TWO photo assignments published in two separate magazines! Wow what a crazy month!
Click on the covers to learn more about the publications. And find my photos in my ‘Assignments’ portfolio page under Group Magazine and Nebraska Life Magazine respectively. Thanks!
Photography on Display
Esthetica Salon in Kearney, Ne will showcasing some of my printed work and photography portfolio for the entire month of March 2009. This is my first public showing. The images are not from a theme or job- they are my personal images that tell the story of my life and travels so far. I would love to tell you about them because they all have a story and they mean a lot to me! Go check it out if you’re in town…
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Kearney Media Group
Kearney Media Group aims to be a local network of photographers, video producers, web designers, graphic designers, writers and anyone looking for a creative community here in good ole’ central Nebraska. It’s really for anyone who wants to do something creative in Kearney but doesn’t feel like there is anyone to help out there or any resources to bring your vision into reality.
This group will hopefully be a space where people can look to each other for jobs, projects, or creative/technical input. If your a student you may need input on a project or help with some gear…a professional may need an assistant for a specific job but cant pay so a student or hobbiest may work out best. I know from experience that UNK and other schools around the area dont really give you real word experiences in those fields (i.e. working for MONEY and real clients…) So this could be a good opportunity….
Feel free to invite any of your friends who you ‘d think would be a benefit to the group. Lets try to keep this to media people so we can keep things better focused on our needs as a group.
Here we will post meet ups to see who in the area has similar aspirations of doing something creative. Meet and greet, hang out, discuss possible future creative projects, see who’s has the gear you want, and network for future work/fun!
The Big Update. (originally posted 7/19/07)
Welp, this is the official update to get everyone in the know, so you will know.
First of all, you if you are reading this you’re probably curious as to my where abouts in the last few months and where I am now this very second. Those, my friends, are fairly easy questions to answer, but perhaps a more complex one would be where I WILL be in the next few months. I will make an attempt to clear the perpetual fog that surrounds my future to give you all some idea of what is to come.
At this very second I am at work. Not really working very hard mind you but I at least made it here on time and right now it’s pretty slow. This place is called the Nebraska Television Network (NTV) and I am an assistant producer and photojournalist with hopes of being behind the camera full time. I basically edit, arrange, and cue all the tapes used in the news broadcast and sometimes shoot footage too. Im sitting at the computer in the corner looking at a photo collage of Brad Pitt on some woman’s desk and drinking filtered coffee (like a good caffeinated employee.)
In addition to tape hustling I also work nights at the Developmental Services of Nebraska (DSN) with mostly young adults with developmental disabilities living in group homes in Kearney. My full time status consists of three nights and one morning a week plus a few shifts here and there.
I have also been involved in starting a media production business called Focal Point Media. Myself, along with Mr. Ismael Torres, do all aspects of promotion, marketing, design, and best of all, video production. It’s still all on a small time scale mind you…just for now! Ismael is very motivated and has a good sense of marketing and public relations and I (of course) am the creative genius behind all things digital….go ahead and take my word for it. Since FP Media dived into the frenzy that is the media business in February, we have been busy with projects spanning from various video ventures, to posters, and billboards with an infinite amount of new jobs spawning in the mind of Ismael.
Perhaps the best news I can think of at the moment is that I recently moved BACK with the parents, whom I might add ,invited me to move back into the room that once housed my brother, then me, and now a few years later myself again. I was living close to downtown in a large house made larger with a “entrepreneurial” landlord who is continually adding apartments for more tenants. It was a glorious heap of decks, doors, and unknown planks of cheep 2X4’s sticking out of various parts of the exterior…and I don’t miss it.
The reason for moving is not complicated – I needed to save money.
Saving money, other than working, will be my main objective for the next few months. The world is too big and there are too many things I want to see to stay in one comfortable place. My passion is being out in the wild…the unknown, and not knowing (or caring) where I’ll be sleeping tomorrow.
I still would like to go back to school, I still would like to own my own house and car, and I still would like to pursue a career but at any point in the next 20 years Ill be able to have those luxuries. Right now, my network is on roam.
So there is the update. I will be uploading new pictures and video here soon so come back!
Peace and Love, –Mike
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