Photo Essay: Albany Farmer's Market

Yeng Xiong and Lisa Lor set up their station Wonderful Garden, a local flower shop in Salem Oregon for their fourth year at the Albany Farmer's Market.

Their personally assembled Sweet Pea flowers smell as good as they look.

Their first customers of the day buys a bouquet of peonies for her mother and some fresh snap peas for herself.

As the day progresses and the sun comes out the farmer's market becomes more and more crowded with people looking for fresh summer produce and newly blooming flowers.

As the Albany Farmer's Market comes to an end as Lisa Lor and Yeng Xiong start to pack up whats left of their flowers and take down their station.

Week 8: Sports/Action Photos Dodgeball for Diabestes

Volleyball skills come in handy for Sarah Rudzik to lead her team to victory at the Dodgeball for Diabetes fundraiser.

Five against one.  Joshua Robertson and his team easily eliminate the final player of the opposite team.

After a 3 time winning streak Joshua Robertson's team lost.  This player in particular was devastated.

Neighborhood Shoot: Downtown Albany

Mary Cluskey one of the multiple vendors at Albany Antique Mall; the largest antique shop in Downtown Albany that sells anything from old fashioned cookware to clothes.



Riley's Irish Bar and Grill on 2nd Street, not only serves as a pool hall, but serves as a sports bar as well.  It's authenticity of an Irish pub shows from not only its name but its logo sign complete with four leaf clovers.

Two Rivers Market, on the corner of 2nd and Ferry Street across from the Pix Theater.  One of the best places in Albany to get authentic Mexican food at Taqueria Alonzo's or a hot bowl of clam chowder at the Wine and Deli.

Week 6: Free Shoot

Lauren Sonderman.

 Lauren Sonderman takes a study break from her gargantuan work load during the final stages of her Dental Assistant program.

Lauren Sonderman enjoying the warm weather, which is a rare event during the spring season in Albany, Oregon

Photographer of The Week: Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry was born February 24, 1950 in Pennsylvania.  He went to Penn State, where he originally went there to study Cinematography and Film Making, but got his degree in Theater Arts.  During  college he became interested in photography and worked at the college's newspaper.  After college he went to work for Today's Post in Pennsylvania for two years before quitting and going to India to do freelance work.  After months of traveling he later crossed the border to Pakistan by being smuggled by refugees from Afghanistan right before the invasion of the Soviet Union.  He smuggled roles of film sewn into his clothes and the pictures he had taken were the first images of the conflict shown to the world.  These photos won him the Robert Capa Gold Medal, this would be the first of many awards to come.

He continued to cover armed conflicts included Iran/Iraq, Lebanon Civil War, Cambodian Civil War and Afghan Civil War.  He then became a frequent contributor to the National Geographic.  His main focus when capturing conflicts are the human element.

His most recognizable photo is of "Afghan Girl." Whose identity remained unknown until 2002, when a National Geographic located her. Sharbat Gula was living in a refugee camp in Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.  This picture original graced the cover of National Geographic in 1985.  It is the most recognized photo in National Geographic history and sometimes referred to as "The Afghan Mona Lisa."  This photo is McCurry's claim to fame.




Steve McCurry is universally known as one of the finest photojournalist today.  With nearly 40 awards to his name he has certainly become a commodity in the industry.  His work is known for his extraordinary use of color in his subjects and a background of monochromatic.  He likes to show the world through his photos. Whether its conflicts among nations, sad or happiness in the eyes of his subjects, he shows us the bare naked truth in all of his work.  I have a great respect for this aspect of Steve McCurry, he is my favorite photojournalists of all time and he never seems to disappoint me with his work and I cannot imagine what his next masterpiece will be.  

Student Rally Photos: Week Five

LBCC students supporting the Student Rally for Higher Education at the Capitol in Salem.  Anticipating the decision for stoping the rising cost of tuition at LBCC.

Western Oregon University Students rallying outside the Capitol during the decision regarding lawmakers to provide budget increases for universities and community colleges throughout Oregon and stop the increase of cost of tuition in colleges.

Esther Forbyn, Student Body President at Portland Community Colleges gave a speech at the Rally for Higher Education about the importance of an education and how the continuation of the increase in tuition can hinder a person from obtaining the right to get that education.

Portrait and environmental Shots The Re-Up

Audrey Regan, an amateur photographer and student