Super Evil Brian

Halloween in the weird city

AUSTIN — I made a last-minute decision to visit my friend in Austin moments before I left San Antonio, possibly for Halloween or maybe just for no reason.

On the way up, I realized I left my DSLR at home, which is a strange thing for me to do. Or not do. I had the Fed 2 rangefinder with me as I always do.

So what?

If I had the money, I would buy the real Leicas I’ve been drooling over for a decade or more. But, that’s another story and it’s not the point here.

Eventually I made my way downtown, riding my bike through the quiet, darkened streets of the Austin night. I followed bike route 47 most of the hour and half it takes to get downtown from my friend’s house.

It might be less since I actually know they way and don’t have to stop to check the bike map and turn around.

I found my way to the east side of 6th Street, which was blocked off to allow revelers to mill about and have a good Halloween. The costumes were awesome, as I sort of expected in Austin.

[more will come later, and a few photos. Stay tuned … ]

Final presentations of the workshop

SAN ANTONIO — We’re watching a presentation culminating the week’s work at the workshop.

Some of us had to contribute to a blog with writing and at least one photo. I posted twice in addition to the writing here and photos on Flickr.

The video and broadcasters made a series of short films, some of which were hilarious, especially the ones Jevon Smith was in.

This presentation is much more entertaining than the dry presentations from earlier. This is almost fun.

I think the day and week and workshop are winding down for the week.

Last day of the workshop

SAN ANTONIO — The participants gathered together for the last morning of the 2009 Communications Workshop, San Antonio, today.

During the week, the members of the workshop were divided by job title for the purposes of training. Or maybe social reasons - I’m not sure.

This morning we had presentations about something I can’t remember and one about aerial photography. Both were mind-numbingly boring. I have no idea what was said or if I had to know any of it. I was impressed with how boring the aerial photography presentation was. It seems like it could be a pretty cool thing … but, this was crazy.

We had two or three of those presentations, with breaks thrown in to help us wake up.

Many people went out to the patio to socialize. Some sat in the sun, some in the shade. Some stayed inside.

After lunch, we’re in the midst of some sort of question and answer period with a 4-person panel of chief master sergeants, for some reason. It’s part of the dog and pony show.

Nod and smile and drink the Kool-Aid.

Thursday afternoon

SAN ANTONIO — Today we had training on the software backbone of the Air Force Web sites and writing critiques.

The Air Force uses a system to manage all of the data on al of the Web sites. It’s connected together, forming an enormous database of photos, articles, videos and other media.

I’m very familiar with it since I use it every day, but not everyone has their hands in it. Also, some people do more with videos than I do or maybe have other projects, whereas I don’t have much experience with that.

We all have something to learn here.

Now we’re waiting for some sort of round table discussion on something. In the mean time, we’re supposed to be working on the workshop blog.

I believe we’re done after the round table thing, at least for tonight anyway.

Tonight I need to upload some photos so I can add them here.

Hours later, from my hideout

SAN ANTONIO — Hours later in my new refuge north of downtown, Starbuck’s, I have a moment to ponder the day’s activities.

In the morning, we had more media training — wait, I think I already wrote this hours ago. So much for being current, or even remembering what I wrote.

After lunch, we had photojournalism stuff, which is my forte. I pursue writing to support photography. We had presentations and later went out to shoot photos, which I thoroughly enjoyed. After a presentation from TJ Lock - the same one he gave during the DoD photo workshop in DINFOS this past June - we were sent out with an assignment and a short deadline.

They gave us the assignment of shooting “Working on the streets of San Antonio,” or something like that. We had to shoot people working downtown.

I set out from the hotel by foot, walking through UTSA which is almost across the street. I saw some workers taking down the sort of canopy one sees over a booth at a fair or concert. I thought maybe they would be a good subject but it was sort of dull and they were nearly finished.

I pressed onward, toward Houston Street. I passed the intersection near the hospital where I greeted the combat controllers during their ruck march - it was my third time meeting them that day, starting at 4:30 that morning.

I walked around Main Plaza, down Commerce Street and around in some circles. I saw stairs to the Riverwalk, and still with no plan, I descended to the river. I walked past a restaurant where the host was standing outside. I walked past, stopped and turned around to ask if I can take some photos, explaining the assignment.

He directed me to some waiters inside, which didn’t seem quite right. I thanked him and kept going.

A few places further on, I found my new best pal Omar Garza, the host of Waxy O’Connor’s Irish Pub. His job is to get people into the restaurant, but it’s more than that.

He greets passers by with a friendly zeal uncommon in most of the other places on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. He enjoys his job, speaking with people. Omar’s wife works across the street and he said she waves to him once in a while.

Omar directed one man to a certain Italian restaurant instead of another.

Although the man didn’t know which of the two local Italian restaurants he was supposed to meet his party, Omar did.

He said people only ask about the one, and not the other because it’s not all that great.

We were given two hours for the assignment, roughly. Our deadline was about 5 back at the hotel.

At first I thought I would have trouble — I couldn’t think of who or what to shoot or where to go. My main plan was to avoid the Riverwalk, thinking it would be just cliche and full of the other 39 people in the “journalist” section of the workshop.

Once I ignored my plan and remembered to forget to over-think it, I did alright. I had to put aside the personal issues which have been weighing me down and focus on the assignment, no pun intended.

I walked up to Omar and started bullshitting with him. I took a few photos, talked more, shot more photos. Before I knew it I had 140-something pictures and it was time to head back. I thanked him and was on my way.

Back at the hotel, we had some sort of critique, which I normally don’t do.

We talked about my photos, what I shot and how. We talked about what else I could have done. He complained about my slow computer (I’m used to people complaining about my slow and broken gear, but no one ever has a solution) and gave me a little shit for the camera. He wasn’t that bad about it, they were worse at the photography workshop. No one who actually buys their own gear ever gives me a hard time, they just look at the photos.

After more 15 years or so of shooting - including a lot of professional work - I still can learn. I can still improve, still do better, still find a new angle. And that, is a good feeling. The day I learned all I can learn, with nothing new to discover, is the day I fall over dead.

I think some people couldn’t complete the assignment. I don’t know why, we had plenty of time. All I did was just walk up to Omar, who was actually the second person I approached, and said, “hi.”

I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring. I don’t have the schedule in front of me. But I’m in a good frame of mind and ready for anything.

Humpday in the Workshop

SAN ANTONIO — Today is the same as yesterday, so far.

We had a community relations presentation earlier, with some discussions after. We broke into groups and sat around tables pool-side discussing “Air Force Week” and related community relations events.

I think we have more media training in a moment. They’re setting up cushy chairs, TV camera and some lights.

Crap.

OK, more later.

I may have learned something

SAN ANTONIO — Moments ago we finished our media training, which consisted of mock interviews and critiquing the interviews. The idea was to have people pretending they were from the same public affairs shop coaching each other before a nationally-televised interview.

I found out I can write, edit, and especially do photography, but I’m not as great with television.

I stay calm and don’t ramble, in strong contrast to my usual conversational style of speaking. However, my weakness is in being interviewed and having the proper stuff I’m supposed to have.

I mean the command messages, which sound something like “the important thing to remember is … ” or similar.

We’re almost finished for the day.