Juxtaposition

One of the most exciting aspects of working as a photojournalist is the fact that every assignment you have is different.  Sometimes they are exceptionally different.  For example showing up at a fancy gala for a celebrity photo after just leaving a murder scene that was only a two miles away.  At the gala, people are laughing, having fun, drinking, eating all while looking their best.  At the crime scene you are sometimes dealing relatives of the victim who are literally having the worst day of their life.  It can be strange and can take some getting used to and you have to learn how to wear different hats.


Back in July I had one of those days.  Was sent to a candlelight vigil for two murder victims and then directly over to a private concert featuring scantily clad 20 somethings downing free rum all night.

Boston, MA - A card written in memory of Hyde Park murder victim Billie Marie Kee is amongst other gifts at a memorial in front of the apartment building where Kee was found as seen during a vigil on Saturday July 30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Boston, MA - Tanisha Dupree of Boston, light candles for Hyde Park murder victim Kevin 'Smiley' Thomas at a makeshift memorial on the front steps of the apartment building where Thomas was found, as part of a candlelight vigil on Saturday July 30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey during a vigil on Saturday July 30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Boston, MA - Friends of Hyde Park murder victim Kevin 'Smiley' Thomas, hold hands in prayer as part of a candlelight vigil on Saturday July 30, 2011 in front of the apartment Thomas was found in.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Boston, MA - Friends of Hyde Park murder victim Kevin 'Smiley' Thomas, from left Robyn Chaney of Boston, Valerie Simpson of Boston, Lisa Dupree of Boston and Tanisha Dupree of Boston, light candles at a makeshift memorial on the front steps of the apartment building where Thomas was found, as part of a candlelight vigil on Saturday July 30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

 

Quincy, MA - A couple dances before Ciara performs at a private concert as part of the Station Invasion presented by Malibu Rum at Oyster Bar on Saturday July30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Quincy, MA - Two women wait on the dance floor before Ciara performed at a private concert as part of the Station Invasion presented by Malibu Rum at Oyster Bar on Saturday July30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Quincy, MA - Fans take photos as Ciara performs at a private concert as part of the Station Invasion presented by Malibu Rum at Oyster Bar on Saturday July30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Quincy, MA - A couple dances before Ciara performs at a private concert as part of the Station Invasion presented by Malibu Rum at Oyster Bar on Saturday July30, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Everything is fine

Been slacking on the blog so here is a pic from last month.

Boston, MA - WCVB Anchor Liz Brunner looks up towards the roof as she rappels down the side of the Hyatt Regency for the Special Olympics Over The Edge fundraiser on Friday July 22, 2011.   Photo by Matthew Healey

Bringing it back

I have spent countless hours lately taking the hundreds of DVD's I have of my old images and dumping said images onto a networked hard drive.  It's tedious, but it has been eye opening.  It has been interesting to watch my shooting evolve over the years.  I have dug up a lot of older images that I forgot about or that I just never got around to posting on the blog so I am going to share some of them on here.

Needham, MA: Rabbinical student Shmuel "Shmuly" Davidoff (L) helps Chaim Lipszyc with his clown costume during a Purim celebration held by the The Chabad Jewish Center at the Village Club on Sunday February 28, 2010.  Photo by Matthew Healey

NOTE - That kid in the background, who's name I didn't catch, was running in circles at absolute full speed.  It was awesome.  I think sugar was involved.

Needham, MA: Sorry don't have names for this one.  It was taken at a holiday celebration on the Needham town common.  These kids were looking into this gated flood light that had a weird green tinge to it.  If I was one of those kids then I would have been dropping bugs onto the light to see what happens.  Photo by Matthew Healey.

Watertown, MA: Ruby Baboian (R) gets choked up after seeing the Waltham American Legion Band stop to play in front of her house as friends Mary Alemian (C) and Anahid Tumberian applaud during the Memorial Day Parade along Mount Auburn Street on Monday May, 25 2009.  Baboian's husband Jacob (not pictured) used to play in the band but he is physically no longer able to and was inside the house.  Photo by Matthew Healey

Just a sweet moment that I totally happened upon.  These three women were really excited about the parade and well I loved Anahid's choice of head wear.  But the story was about the band.

Thanks for looking and as always comments and critiques are welcome.  Oh and if anyone out there reading this has any good suggestions on photo database management software that is affordable (read: free) then let me know.  PhotoMechanic is wonderful but too slow when working off of a server.  I have toyed around with Picassa from google but it doesn't play well with networked drives either.

Grab Shot

As in, grab the camera and take a shot cause that plane is going to pass by in a second and that light is really cool.  This while I was heading into a store to pick up my dinner while working in Boston.

It's been a pretty miserable winter here in New England.  Almost every outdoor assignment is accompanied by winter light.  Flat.  Dull.  Gray.  So I got excited when I noticed the buildings of the South End lighting up with the warm glow of that magic hour light.  Here is hoping it is a sign of more to come.  I am getting a hankering for some lens flare.

New Look

I just did a quick redesign of the old blog and thought now that I did all this work I should post something.  Take a look and let me know if it works for you.  

So here is a photo from a news story I worked on for The Boston Herald. A reporter and I had to follow up on a stabbing that happened the night before in a housing project in Boston. This woman was neighbors with the victim and the suspect and heard the whole thing through her walls.

Boston, MA - Guerlande Merisier gestures towards the apartment of Cherry Clinton on February 26, 2010.  Clinton has been charged with the stabbing death of an unnamed victim in her apartment the night before.   Photo by Matthew Healey

I am also working on a project and hope to have a few select photos up here and on my website in the next few weeks.  I will keep you posted.  And be sure to check my site http://www.matthealey.com for my full portfolio and contact information.  

Winter is here, in case you didn't notice

Just put together a slideshow of a few photos I have shot in the past couple months.  Some sports some storm coverage.  Have a look.


Matthew Healey Blog Update 021011 - Images by Matthew Healey

It's over now..

The Patriots season that is.  It was fun to shoot them as always.  I was able to see some great games and some pretty marginal games.   I just went back and looked at some of my photos from the season and put together a slideshow.

Hope you enjoy.

Oh, I suggest you click on that little icon in the bottom of the slideshow next to the word 'Share' to make it full screen.  Oh you can share it too, if you want.




Patriots 2010-2011 - Images by Matthew Healey

Sorry, no cheerleaders this time

I just had a few rolls of 120 film developed and wanted to share. Yes film, yes big film. No I can't develop my own, and I feel shame for that. But the good folks at Hunt's Photo did a pretty darn good job and they don't charge you an arm and a leg.

The first photo is from a Holga. A cheap plastic camera that shoots 120 film. The lens is terrible, you can't really focus it, and the shutter and aperture are always f11 at 1/100th second. With practice, you can get some nice stuff from a Holga. Or in my case, with luck. This is one of the only ones that came out, and I really dig it. Shot on 1600 film last year I think.

The second two come from the same roll on a real working TLR (twin lens reflex) camera.  Has shutter and aperture controls.  And it works great.  The first shot was taken outside a rally for President Barack Obama at a high school in Nashua, New Hampshire.  I ended up losing the names of the women.  They knew they weren't getting into the school but were still hoping to see the president.

The last one is from the NHL 2010 Bridgestone Winter Classic at Fenway Park between the Flyers and the Bruins.  I wish I had more interesting stuff from there but I did have a game to shoot.

Let me know what you think.

Boston, MA - 2009???: Boston Red Sox shortstop Dustin Pedroia takes the field during a game at Fenway Park.  Photo by Matthew Healey.

Nashua, NH - Februrary, 2 2010: Two women stand on a curb in front of Nashua North High School in the hopes of seeing President Barack Obama.  Photo by Matthew Healey

Boston, MA - January 1, 2010: The Boston skyline looms over Fenway Park as the Boston Bruins take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic at Fenway Park.  Photo by Matthew Healey.