Sunday, December 28, 2008

Winter is here

In case you hadn't noticed.

A pedestrian trudges up Pearl Street as the snow began to fall on Friday afternoon at the beginning of the first heavy snow storm of the season. Photo by Matthew Healey

Friday, November 21, 2008

Mister Donovan

Brookline resident Brendan Donovan who is working on a historical novel set in Brookline salutes a passer-by off camera while having his photo taken in front of the Landmark building on Saturday November 15, 2008.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Rugby

This is what I teased a few posts back. Finally have the slideshow done. Have a look and let me know what you think. If you want to see it on it's own page the link is here: Rugby Slideshow


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Pumpkin weigh off

Went to a giant pumpkin weigh off today in Warren, RI. Not giant as in lots of people, but giant as in, giant frickin pumpkins. It's one of the bigger weigh-offs in the 'sport' of giant pumpkin growing. It was pretty cool. Here are some pics.










Friday, October 10, 2008

Friday, October 3, 2008

Friday Night Lights

I ended up going with Christine to a Friday night football game in Westport a few weeks back. I wasn't working, just had nothing else to do. I brought a camera and just my short lenses and had some fun.







James Nachtwey's latest project

On the TB crisis. Very intense stuff.

http://www.xdrtb.org/

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Summer is winding down..

....that means traffic jams on the local roads from 2:30 onward because of school...but on the plus side, I no longer have to pay for parking at some of the surf spots I go to. I think the latter makes up for it.

So here are some pics from the past few weeks.

First one is from a fundraiser concert featuring Buddy Guy and George Thorogood amongst others.

Second one is a Red Sox game last week. Don't see Big Papi sliding too often. This was on a double that he hit.

Third one is from a pro soccer match. I was sent to cover Beckham but also get game action. I have never shot professional soccer and I have to say, it was pretty fun. Good action, and surprisingly A LOT of contact. They don't allow too much of that in the high school soccer games I have covered so it certainly added a nice element.

Lastly a feature photo from Boston shot on Labor Day. I have talked about feature photos before. They are when you are tasked with going out and finding something on your own. In this case I was asked to get something that said warm weather and a day off. I already got a shot of someone doing something outside with their shirt off but wanted to shoot some more. So I drove around and passed the North End in Boston. The North End is known as the Italian section of the city, and it still is but like everywhere it is also becoming more and more gentrified. Anyway, I noticed a sign for a feast that was going on, so I found a parking space and started looking for it. This was one of the smaller feasts in honor of Saint Lucia. Just two groups roving around the narrow streets, one of them an Italian brass band, and the other a band and a group carrying around a statue of Saint Lucy. The residents come out and attatch money to the statue as it is marched around. It is essentially a way to raise funds for charity/organizations (I believe). Anyway, I struck out for most of my attempts at capturing the event, then I saw this woman hanging out of her window, so I started chatting with her and managed to get the photo below. She was really sweet, and I was happy to have made a decent photo.



Fans cheer as George Thorogood takes the stage at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts on August 17, 2008.


Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz (34), right, slides into second base past Chicago White Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera (18) on a double in the fifth inning at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on August 29, 2008.


Los Angeles Galaxy defender Greg Vanney (L) goes up for a header with New England Revolution defender Pat Phelan in the first half of the game on August 30, 2008 at Gillette Stadium.

Life long North End resident Anna Onessimo and her dog 'Tizzy' look out the window of her Margaret Street home after the Saint Lucia statue passed by for the Feast of Saint Lucia on September1, 2008.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

No comments...just some photos

I hope you like.

John (last name withheld) who is a homeless veteran, stands for a photo on Court Street in Boston on July 3, 2008. John has been staying at the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans but will soon be moving into his own apartment with the help of rental vouchers.


David Ortiz who is in the designated hitter spot on the Pawtucket Red Sox sits in the dugout underneath the autograph requests dropped by fans before the game against the Toledo Mudhens on July 17, 2008 at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.


Lowell Spinners Ryan Dent (R) signs an autograph for 9-year-old Aaron Milgram of Framingham before the Spinners took on the Hudson Valley Renegades on August 9, 2008 at Fenway Park as part of the Futures at Fenway double header. The Spinners defeated the Renegades 4-3 in twelve innings of play.


Farmland in Elgin, Ontario.


Vacation, Ontario.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Obama and Hillary

Some scenes from Unity, New Hampshire last week.


On the bus to Unity, NH


The line of people waiting for the bus to take them from the Twin State Speedway to Unity, NH


The scene.


The hug/wave.


The speaking.


The listening.


The looking.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Is there anybody..... out there?


I haven't forgotten about this thing just yet, it's just that I have just been busy lately so I haven't added any pictures. But the wait is now over. I am putting up a few from the last few months. As you can see by where the pics were taken, I have been doing a lot of driving lately. Good for Exxon/Mobil, not so good for my bottom line. Yeesh, it's getting ugly out there. But I am just trying to keep my head down and keep working as much as I can handle.

I am sure there are some amusing stories that I could put in here, but nothing comes to mind at this moment. I did get to shoot a little bit of the Celtics as they marched towards their world championship. That was fun, some good basketball. I also got to watch the celebration after the Celtics won first hand. That was a long night. Well thats all I can think of right now. Enjoy the photos and let me know what you think.


West Roxbury, Mass - Kite enthusiast Bill (last name not given) holds up his totem warrior kite while trying to get it airborne during the Boston Kite Festival at Millennium Park on Saturday June 7, 2008.


Randolph, Mass. - Graduating senior of Media Communications Technology High Moravia Mascary (L) has a seat while waiting for the graduation ceremony to begin as classmate Shekinah James (R) readies herself at Lantana Function Hall in Randolph on Friday June 6, 2008


LOWELL, MA - June 14, 2008: Boston College High School player Cody Morgan warms up in the on deck circle during the Division 1 State Championship game against Westfield at LeLacheur Park.


Downtown Boston is reflected in the Larry O'Brien championship trophy as it is hoisted by Boston Celtics player Kevin Garnett during a parade with the rest of the World Champion Celtics team through downtown Boston, Massachusetts on June 19, 2008.


Amilcar Guevara, 13 of Chelsea pops his head out of the water while swimming at the newly opened Vietnam Veterans Memorial Pool on June 20, 2008.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Send in......the clowns.....

I have been meaning to put this first pic up here for awhile. This one was from a fundraiser pancake breakfast in one of the towns I work in frequently. The moment I walked in to what was a pretty busy pancake breakfast my eye is drawn to a clown just hanging out 'backstage' (actually just in a little nook off to the side in the cafeteria). Window light streaming in from the side. Fantastic. I start working it, get some okay pics. Go take a look around, get some people handing out some nice looking breakfast food. Go back and there is a different clown in the same spot. This one is drinking some coffee watching an older gentleman doing magic tricks for the kids. Start working it again. The result is below. They actually ran this pic too, which just made me oh so happy. Not only that but it was posted on the bulletin board at the office as the photo of the week. So I am not alone in my love for lonely clowns.

Actually all but the last photo are for the same group of papers. The second photo was from a neat story about a group of special needs students who attended an enhanced version of the Big Apple Circus.

Third photo was a story about parents building an outdoor skating rink on a basketball court this past winter.

Fourth photo was a health fair. Just nice light.

Last photo, I forget where that was. I kid, I kid. That was Fenway last week. Nice light.

Hope you enjoy, feel free to drop me a comment.


Richard Rausch (R) AKA 'Doo Dad' the Aleppo Clown takes a break from performing and Bill Landan of the Rotary Club in Brookline perform magic tricks during the Pancake Breakfast at Brookline High School on Saturday April 5, 2008.



Mark Riley signs an interpretation for the speaking portions of the Big Apple Circus during a special performance called Circus of the Senses held in Boston on City Hall Plaza on Thursday April 3, 2008. The performance offered a chance for children with sensory impairments from across Boston to enjoy the show.



Volunteer Dan Kaseta carries a bag of sand that is used to shore up the boards of the outdoor skating rink that he and others built on the basketball courts next to the Wellesley Recreation center on Saturday January 12, 2008.



Massage therapist Joan E. Howard (R) gives a massage to Katie Reed Executive Director of Allston Village Main Streets during Wellness Resolution a fundraiser for the Accelerated Cure Project for multiple sclerosis on Sunday January 13, 2008 at Rock City Body in Allston.



Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Bucholz warms up before the game against the Texas Rangers on Saturday April 19, 2008 at Fenway Park.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Small world

So a recent comment from an old friend on the blog has inspired me to post a fairly interesting story, in my mind anyway. I had a Patriots game to shoot for UPI back in December. A winter storm moved in that Saturday night before the game. I woke up early Sunday morning and sure enough the roads were really bad. So I headed to my car and was out the driveway by 9 am. The roads had not been plowed but I have all wheel drive so I put it to good use. It took about an hour and a half to get to the stadium. The highways were a mess but the Subaru handled it all pretty well.

So I get to the stadium parking lot find a spot and start getting ready. The weather had not subsided. It was sleeting and snowing and raining. Time to bust out the foul weather gear. Waterproof insulated pants, insulated waterproof boots, rain coat, and several layers. For the camera and lenses, well they make rain gear, but I am still using large trash bags with some tape and strategically placed rubber bands. Hey that rain gear costs big bucks. Anyway I get all geared up at my car and start to make the trek to the stadium.

I check in at media will call with no problems and make my way to the media filing center. Unfortunately I was redirected to the field because the players were hanging out in the hallway that leads to the media room. Not a big deal, it happens all the time, but I was just hoping to stay dry. So I head out to the field to walk around to the media room. As I am doing so I am confronted by a large truck clearing off the sideline. So I walk further out onto the turf to go around the truck. That was my mistake.

Okay, I should mention one of the other reasons why I wanted to get there early. The Patriots were playing the New York Jets. For some, reason enough to be excited. But for me it is because I went to college with Eric Mangini the head coach of the Jets. I played football with him. I lined up against him almost every day in practice my freshman year. He was a senior at the time, and played defensive line, I was an offensive lineman. I even hung out with him a fair bit in college. I wasn't a good friend of his by any means, but I figured he would remember me. And I thought the only time I could maybe get near him was during pre game as the teams warmed up.

The turf, was covered by a green tarp. The tarp in turn was covered in slush and ice and snow, making it really really slippery. I took one step and both of my feet just slid out from under me. Cue the slow motion machine and like a cartoon I just slammed completely flat on my back. At the same exact time the tail end of my 300mm lens, which weighs 7 pounds and was draped over my shoulder, nailed me in the forehead. For some reason the thing that stands out in my mind when it happened was laying on the ground for a split second and hearing the Jets players burst out laughing at me. So it probably looked pretty funny. Almost immediately some security people from the stadium as well as a firefighterrushed over to help me get up. I stood up and my legs buckled. This was a new feeling for me. I don't think in all my years of playing contact sports that I had been knocked out, or on the verge of being knocked out. I didn't like it. The firefighter said something to the effect of "Whoa there buddy, why don't we take you over and you can have a seat."

I followed his advice. I spent the next hour chatting with the EMT's and said firefighter. Oh and also with the roving insurance person at the stadium who took all my info. I had a nice lump on my head and was getting dizzy. The firefighter eventually suggested that I take a trip to the hospital but I declined. I decided to try and shoot the game. It went alright, I was a bit out of it. I tried not to run too much on the sideline but I wasn't as careful as I probably should have been.

So the Patriots beat the Jets and it was time for the post game handshake between the coaches. I am hustling to get in position and the next thing I know I get shoved by a security guard (Belichick was right behind me) and I am face to face with the same guy I used to play against every day in college, except now I was surrounded by national tv and print media, security, and 50,000 fans.

It was one of the strangest moments in my three year career as a photojournalist.




Follow up. The fall gave me a concussion. I was having dizzy spells for almost two weeks. Good fun.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Big Up....date

Well nothing really new here. Have today off and have a little down time so here are some pictures from the past couple weeks.

I did have a story up here, but I realized it sounded whiny so it is gone. Summary, guy upset I was taking his photo, wouldn't let me explain, he walked away in a huff blah blah blah. Just another Sunday afternoon.

Tom "TD" Dougherty serves up a pint while tending bar at the Corrib Pub on Thursday February 28, 2008 during a fundraiser for West Roxbury Main Streets.


The Prudential Tower which was sporting a new blue light color scheme looms over the Massachusetts Turnpike on Wednesday March 5, 2008
I put this one in here cause it's all artsy and moody and stuff. And because I used to love taking shots like this before I was getting paid to do it, and now, I am getting paid to do it. Good stuff.


BOURNE, MA - March 6, 2008: Pembroke senior Nick Healey (R) watches the action while classmate Jim Hutchinson (L) cheers as their hockey team plays against Scituate in the Division 3 South semi final game at Gallo Arena.


Itai Stein, left, of Sharon sorts peanut butter by the date at the Jewish Family and Children's Services 'Family Table' food pantry on Sunday March 9, 2008.


Veronika Shulman (R) playing the part of 'Little Red Ridinghood' and string bass player Philip Dirske both rehearse for the Franklin Olin Players performance of Into the Woods on Thursday February 28, 2008 at Babson College.


George Parelli takes a phone call from former Pleasant Cafe waitress Charlotte Welch while at his retirement party at the Cafe on Washington Street on Sunday February 17, 2008. George worked at the Pleasant Cafe for seventy years.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Still here....for now

Waiting for Mitt.......

Q: What do Mitt Romney, Gloria Steinem, and Paris Hilton all have in common?

A: They all have great hair.......and for some reason they all managed to find themselves in front of my lens in a 24 hour period.
This job really makes me laugh sometimes. I would post photos of each, but really who cares. Here is a random sampling of photos I like.


(020408 Boston, MA)Boston University sophomore goalie Brett Bennett watches the puck after it bounced off of his facemask in the third period against Boston College in game two of the 2008 Beanpot on Monday February 4, 2008 at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) (L) listens in as former candidate Mitt Romney (R) announces his endorsement of McCain inside the Mitt Romney campaign headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts on Feburary 14, 2008.


(022208 Boston, MA) Mickey Farmusa of the North End sits down while guarding dresses collected for her great niece Marissa Carli, not pictured, during the annual Filene's Basement Bridal Gown event at the Hynes Convention Center on Thursday February 22, 2008. Farmusa was first in line for the event and had been there since 3 AM.


Old friends of George Parelli, from left, Bill Reilly his wife Jean Reilly both of Roslindale and Charles Anastasia of West Roxbury tell stories in a corner booth of the Pleasant Cafe on Washington Street on Sunday February 17, 2008. The trio who have known George for over fifty years were at the Cafe to celebrate George's retirement after working there for seventy years.

Plenty more where that came from but that is just a few that I enjoyed. I have just been approved to submit to a new stock photography website run by PhotoShelter. It's called the PhotoShelter Collection. I hope to have a lot of stuff up there in the near future so have a look:
http://psc.photoshelter.com/user/matthealey