by Brad Puet | Feb 13, 2015 | Stories
It’s no secret that I’m a huge Seattle Seahawks fan. Have been for many, many years.
Just so happens that last year and this year we’ve been able to get to the Super Bowl. Last year was a lot more successful as far as taking the championship home. This year, although not as fruitful, showed more of how much heart this team has developed.
That’s not what this article is about though.
I’m writing to talk more about the community of people and fans that have either fallen in love recently or have been in love with this team since its inception. No, I’m not going to talk about true fans or fair weather fans, or even bandwagon fans. I’m going to talk about the pride that this team and its recent success have resurrected in the sports fans in the Pacific Northwest.
Briefly, let me talk about the culture of the fan in the Pacific Northwest as far as its sports is concerned. Before the Seahawks, Seattle has claimed a few world championships.
The 1979 Seattle Supersonics had taken home an NBA world championship. It was the only one it brought home. It came close but thanks to the Denver Nuggets and the Chicago Bulls, our basketball team was able to bring it back. And then in 2008, our team was stolen from us. Yes I said stolen. To learn more about that you should watch the Sonicsgate documentary. It’s truly eyeopening.
Our WNBA team, the Seattle Storm, brought home its first of two championships. This team is our most successful to date. These awesome athletes brought home a championship in 2002 and 2010.
The Seattle Sounders, our futbol or soccer team, has brought home 4 US Open Cups.
The only major athletic team to not bring home a championship yet (and I believe that we have a squad that can do it now) is the Seattle Mariners. Since 1977, the team has endured many a heartbreak. I won’t get into the details of those heartbreaks but truthfully, up until the Seahawk’s championship win in 2013, the Mariners probably best describe and define the fans and fandom of this region.
It’s hard to believe in good things happening for Seattle sports. Many times you’ll listen to the radio or talk to a Seattle sports fan and you will hear hesitation in giving full belief on some of the good things that may happen. Maybe a good cliche’ would be, “Close but no cigar.” Or another would be, “Cold day in hell.” Well, you get the point. Until that the championship in 2013, that was the Seattle sports fans storyline.
This Seattle Seahawks team has changed that feeling. For the most part, the fans or as we call ourselves the “12s”, are starting to believe that curse, that grey cloud over or city’s sports teams, has been lifted. The 2013 team has proven that. Even with the loss this year in the Super Bowl, you already hear the talks of being champions in 2015. The national take on us and our team: we are now the villains. That’s a good thing. Why? When you win, everyone who isn’t in line with you and have their own team to root for, believe you are the worst thing that has happened to them and their team. Our team is now…that team. Our fans can be or are…those fans.
My take is that the 12s can be mentioned in the same breath as the fans from the Green Bay Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the San Francisco 49ers…really any other team that has gained success and has maintained that success, you will find some passionate, die hard, go home or die trying fandom. That’s a beautiful thing.
Like many other fan communities, the 12s take it past just the idea of football. They take the road of charity and philantrophy and organize on behalf of the Seahawk fan community.
When you walk around our region and you are wearing the team colors you will be be given the “Go Hawks!” similar to the greetings in Hawaii with “Aloha.” It’s a token that carries that pride far past the football field. In some crazy way, you can say it’s starting to become a way of life. The crazy fans from New York, Boston, LA, Chicago and all the other crazy sports organizations have them. Well now, Seattle has it’s own also.
That fear of failure has been lifted for the time being and should be for a long while. The Seahawks are the organization to get its due from its fans. The Mariners, the Reign, the Sounders, and when the Sonics come back, will have a fan base that now believes. That’s a scary and beautiful thing.
I speak for my 6 year old son, myself, my friends…shoot…the 12s when I say, I’m excited for Seattle and our sports teams. I hope all other parts of our region (political etc) takes heed. When you start believing, you will get some really great results.
Go Hawks!
by Brad Puet | Dec 5, 2014 | Stories
Photo Credit: Eduardo Soteras Jalil/Comet-ME
The submission deadline for the 2014 Activist Awards has beenextended to Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 11:59 PM PST. If you are a photographer who has collaborated with a nonprofit organization, we encourage you to apply. Read the submission guidelines and submit your work now: photophilanthropy.org/award
2014 Activist Awards Jury
We are very excited to announce the Jury for the 2014 Activist Awards. This year’s judges represent some of the top photojournalists and photo editors working in the field. The jury will convene in February 2015 to choose a winner in both the professional and emerging categories.
Alice Gabriner is the International Photo Editor at TIME magazine, a position she held previously from 2003-2009. Prior to rejoining TIME, Gabriner was a Senior Photo Editor at National Geographic magazine, and before that, she was the Deputy Director of Photography in the Obama White House. During her tenure at TIME from 1999-2009, she led the photo department during the 2008-2009 campaign, election and inauguration of President Barack Obama and oversaw the magazine’s award winning coverage of the Iraq War. |
Balazs Gardi is a freelance photographer most well known for documenting the everyday lives of diverse communities in great need, traveling to the corners of the earth following inspiring stories. His worldwide independent expedition exploring the far-reaching consequences of the global water crisis has recently evolved into Azdarya, an online magazine solely dedicated to water. |
Neil Harris is a Senior Photo Editor at WIRED, responsible for all photography on WIRED.com. Previously he was a photo editor at Fortune and Time magazines, and CNNMoney.com. Neil has also worked as a photography instructor at the Columbia Journalism School, and at the International Center of Photography. He lives with his wife and daughter in Oakland.
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Teru Kuwayama is a photojournalist from New York. His work for the past decade has focused on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kashmir. He works with the Instagram Community Team. In 2004, while working in Iraq, he launched Lightstalkers, a global, online community of photographers and unconventional travelers. He received a 2010 Knight News Challenge Award to launch Basetrack, an online social media project that chronicled the deployment of a US Marine battalion in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. He is a 2012-2014 TED Senior Fellow. |
Stephen Mayes for over twenty-five years has managed the work and careers of top-level photographers and artists in areas as diverse as art, fashion, photojournalism and commercial photography. As creative director, CEO and ambassador for the medium of photography, he has written successful business plans and reshaped operations for American, Asian and European imaging companies. Often described as a “futurist” Stephen has broadcast, taught and written extensively about the ethics and practice of photography. |
by Brad Puet | Nov 12, 2014 | Stories
The Terry O’Neill
Photography Award 2014
Calling Brave, Brilliant Photographers
ANALOGUE – DIGITAL – MOBILE
All formats and all nationalities welcome.
The Terry O’Neill Award is one of the world’s most respected and leading photography prizes. It attracts thousands of entries every year from around the globe. Our distinguished judges offer a unique opportunity to showcase your talent to titans of the industry, many of whom operate in the commercial world and commission work.
Visit the website for more details!
PRIZES
Coverage in The Guardian newspaper and online
£6500 in cash prizes
• Overall winner: £3000 plus 50% of The Guardian image syndication fees
• First runner up: £2000
• Second runner up: £1000
• Mobile format winner: £500
Exhibition of winner and finalists images at The Strand Gallery, John Adams Street, London WC2, free to the public
ENTRIES
1 – 5 images: £12.50 (£6 Students)
6 – 10 images: £25.00 (£12 Students)
CLOSING DATE
30 November 2014
CRITERIA
All images must have been shot between 30 November 2013 and 30 November 2014
Submit Your Entries Here
by Brad Puet | Sep 14, 2014 | 1000 Words, Stories
Welcome to 1000 Words Showcase for Windows Phone via the Windows Phone Experience Flickr group.
This group has many great artists and photographers and along with many mobile photography communities is rich in story.
Grryo has asked these great photographers to help curate this showcase and are very happy that they agreed. Please put your hands together for Aman, Sony, and Jean Brice. Their bios and contacts are below.
We hope to showcase the great diversity and beauty of the work shown to continue to inspire other mobile (connected) photographers/ artists within our community. 1000 Words is titled under the premise that “a photograph says a 1000 words.” Grryo believes that mobile photographers/ artists tell stories through the photographs/ images and art that represents their families, their environment, themselves. This is important because of the level of communication that is portrayed in imaging today. We look forward to you and your art. We thank you for your contribution to the mobile photography/ arts community.
If you are a Windows Phone photographer please feel free to contribute to the Flickr group.
Hot Air Balloon by Antti Tassberg
Nokia Lumia 1020
I was on my way to a near by lake to capture some sunsets when I spotted a balloon grossing the lake very close to me. To get a better view I quickly run to another location but I was late. The balloon was already too far for a wide angle lens of my mobile. Luckily an another ball flew the same route soon after the first one. I had time to plan the composition and capture a few shots before it too was too far.
Only very moderate editing has been done. Clarity and vibrance has been slightly added.
Mobile phone used for this shot
Post processing tools.
Lightroom
Flickr // 500px // Twitter // Ipernity
Good Morning Saigon by David HKM
Nokia Lumia 1020
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City – HCMC) is a city full of photographic opportunities. There’s so much going on all over HCMC that it’s hard to know where to focus your attention at times. But I’m so passionate about street photography a lot.
Because HCMC is such a densely populated city and very mixed use in regards to residential/work/dining/entertainment all being lumped together in the same areas, it’s sometimes difficult to know what is what. An example is in this photo. A lot of newspapers and magazines is put down on the alleyways right at the city downtown.
Processced with VSCO Cam
Twitter // Flickr
Whitestone Bridge , NY by Rob
Nokia Lumia 925
first time crossing this bridge in the passenger seat . it’s like i was crossing it for the first time . i didnt have to pay attention to the road.
Post processing tools: Nokia creative studio
Flickr // Instagram
Moments of Cat Lion by Pedro Bilac
NOKIA Lumia 1520
Post processing tools: Creative Studio 6.0 + PS Express WP
Flickr // Instagram
Thinking Far by Andrei Mihal
Nokia Lumia 1520.
I was coming back home from a hard day, with a lot of things on my mind. The subway arrived and I remember I said to myself: “Just my luck, traveling on the old wagons”. As I was watching the near wagon I saw this man thinking far away. I was an impressive scene because you could see a of mix emotions on his face, the result of many things hanging from his soul. I just took my phone, shoot and promised to myself never complain about traveling with an old subway train.
Used Fhotoroom to add the BW filter.
Instagram // Facebook // Twitter
It’s a dogs life! Surfers Paradise by Tony Coney
Nokia Lumia 1020
The east coast of Australia, one of the most precious beaches in the world. Located on the glitter strip of the Gold Coast.
Every Morning around 6am I did my morning walk down the beach as the sun rises up. On this particular morning as the sun warmed the air it caused a natural affect of beach spray. It looks like fog but its natural water vapour in the air warming as it crosses the land.
As I walked closer to Surfers Paradise I came across a wondering dog in search for some company. I followed him for some time until he spotted a seagull and darted into the coastal bushland.
I took this photo on my Nokia Lumia 1020. I used the auto settings on the Nokia Camera Beta App. Most of my photos are shot just using the auto settings. I rarely need to change setting unless I am taking close-up which I then use the manual macro settings.
Instagram // Twitter // Flickr
Foggy Sunset over Norris Dam by Tad Reeves
Nokia Lumia 920
This was taken at Norris Dam, just north of Knoxville, Tennessee. I had just finished a group mountain bike ride with my co-workers in the sweltering heat, when suddenly a cold-ish wind blew through and ended up whipping this bizarre, thick mist on the lake. The sunset trying to peer through it all made for an absolutely surreal scene.
I applied just a touch of sharpening in the phone to bring out the sun rays a bit, but otherwise it’s right out of my Lumia 920.
Flickr // Website // Twitter
Untitled by Trọng Khanh Nguyễn
Nokia Lumia 520
I like to see everything from above it to the little. I’ve taken two steps and pairing them with photoshop.
Facebook // Flickr
Shooting the Rapids by Massis Sirapian
Nokia Lumia 1020
The story of the picture is that I spend most of my summer holidays in Finland, to see my family-in-law (and also because Finland is a great country!).
We go to North Karelia and there is a very famous spot for rodeo kayaking and shooting the rapids: Ruunaa.
We had shot the rapids a couple of years ago, but this year, I wanted to test my special gear, attaching ND filters to the 1020. But when I saw this boat arriving towards the bridge from where I was capturing the rapids, I quickly dropped the ND filters to shoot them, handheld.
I used Nokia Camera (I only shoot RAW), underexposed a bit, and used tap to focus.
I processed the DNG in Darktable (I use Linux on my desktop PC, and darktable is a GPL equivalent of Lightroom).
And that’s it 🙂
Flickr // Twitter
Family Stroll by Christophe Brutel
Nokia Lumia 1020
I went that day to one of the two local lakes to execute one more shot in my#365withLumia1020 project. The sky and reflections were beautiful as usual, and I was actually focusing on the sky, the boats ashore and tree silhouettes when I noticed the ducks slowing coming in my field of view in what seemed to be the perfect setting. I just had to press the shutter button, post process and here is the result.
Post processing: RAW file processed in Lightroom 5.5
Twitter
———-
Curators
Aman G., Germany
Twitter // Flickr // Tumblr // 500px // Mobile Photography Blog
Born in Ethiopia, escaped from a civil war as a child in the end ‘70. Grew up in Germany… loved the Nokia N95 8GB with its fantastic Image quality back then, but my real mobile photography obsession began late december 2012, when i bought the Lumia 920. I shoot to freeze the moment, …addicted in details. There’s no real concept behind my photos… i see the moment and love the fact to have my weapon in my pocket to catch that moment…. Any where… any time.
Sony Arouje, India
Flickr // Tumblr site of my Lumia 920 photos // Instagram // Twitter // Facebook
By profession I am a Software Architect working in Banglore, India. I am very passionate about photography. I started clicking from 2007 when I bought my Nikon DSLR camera. I never explored mobile photography until I bought the Nokia Lumia 920, it got an awesome camera. I realize the power of mobile photography and I kept my DSLR aside and started shooting in my Lumia 920. I love street photography and majority of my photos are from the streets of Bangalore.
by Brad Puet | Jun 25, 2014 | Brad Puet, Stories
The Departure
It was her.
Fleshed out – singed onto
cresting waves and backs of turtles
Wenatchee and Kalakala
Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, and Chief Sealth
like San Pedro, Jerome, and New York City
The metaphor upon wings
she took on as her shield
her heart beats lashed out
onto the unlikely
canvases of skin.
Elders have traveled these waters for centuries.
Elders have danced with the Seattle skyline for centuries/
The little children chasing their shadows upon the history
of the districts they will soon inherit
her pulse is deafening
she, well
she is an adjective of life.
A simple description left to complete the imaginations of her children
she writes them out, pen to pad, screaming lead onto sidewalk heavens
scribbled and etched
And these waters have cracks on the crevices she said
Canvasses of poetry wrote life she said
From each smile to every fallen tear, i watched them fight for peace
That first time
And it was beautiful
Shouts shuddered the unhidden blanks of space
even reaching the darkest of memories
Fondled each thought into circulation
she became the word
and I was unsure of the bullet each noun and verb
she had committed too
And she shouldn’t have anything to worry about
Because of her
We will always just listen
She spit spat drip drops of justice that rewrote bible hymnals and amended bylaws
She said “They will run this world with just their innocence
They will run this world with just their poetry”
And we claimed our existence in this infinite time continuum
While the walls were tagged heavily with FAT markers and spray cans that
they told us not play with
And the irony is we didn’t listen.
She told us not to
So we poets became the voice of unheard and forgotten ancestors
Scriptures that were embedded in the thralls of history
In the hallways of our rich and native stories
She helped us give composition to the faceless movement thru poetry
Independence not vengeance she said
Monstrous redemption not silence she said
Fingers strewn tightly grasping the earth,
Sweat, embossed upon the backs of those who left, and came back
Whose tear drenched, blood drenched linen are
Written gloriously upon mother earth
Its salty texture it became
The texture you feel off of an immigrants sun-scarred skin
The texture you feel when wiping your eyes of the tears she said not to shed
You can be whatever you want she said
And we are because of you.
And we are because of you, i shout this believing in our beauty, the undying love for shedding leaves in hopes to become something even more beautiful so this change we held in for centuries fearful of letting it be known that it was destiny’s calling to release these
Pent up
Need to
Be free
Reach out, share truth, believe
You are, it is, redeem
Be it, be that, teach me
Teach you, teach me,
Teach you, be free
So together we beat words into equations
Matrices turn matriarch
Matriarch live equality
She sent shudders down our spine
With each breath she gave
She loved thoroughly without anything less than pure conviction
And hindsight lessons of
Love and hate of
Heart and mind of
Meaning and shallow aesthetics
You see she fought off of the bones of history
You see she fought off of wanting and needing truth
You see she became the truth once given the chance
So together let us
notice the roots off of the trees, gnarled, exposed to the elements, and watch as it
hugs deeply sincerely,
as we all cling for dear life,
grabbing hope and love
and the blue and green earth, our beautiful earth
like us
we will always remain struggling and fighting to stay alive
while we wait for
the departure.
Rest in Power Yuri.
*For Yuri Kochiyama, May 19, 1921 – June 1, 2014
———————
Yuri Kochiyama was born Mary Yuriko Nakahara in 1921 and raised in San Pedro, California, in a small working-class neighborhood. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, the life of Yuri’s family took a turn for the worse. Her father, a first-generation Japanese immigrant, was arrested by the FBI. When President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Executive Order 9066 ordering the removal of persons of Japanese descent from “strategic areas,” Yuri and her family were sent to an internment camp in Jerome, Arkansas. Due to these events, Yuri started seeing the parallels between the treatment of African Americans in Jim Crow South and the incarceration of Japanese Americans in remote internment camps during World War II. Subsequently she decided to devote her life to struggles against racial injustice.
In 1946, Yuri married Bill Kochiyama, a veteran of the 442nd Regiment. The couple moved to New York City where her political activism would flourish. They had two girls and four boys; most of them would become actively involved in black liberation struggles, the anti-war movement, and the Asian-American movement. In 1960 the family moved to a low-income housing project in Harlem. Yuri and her family invited many civil rights activists, such as the Freedom Riders, to their home gatherings. They also became members of the Harlem Parents Committee, a grassroots organization fighting for safer streets and integrated education. In 1963, Yuri met Malcolm X and they cultivated a friendship that would strongly influence Yuri’s political career. Yuri had been listening to Malcolm’s speech when he was assassinated while speaking to the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) members. Yuri’s keen interest in equality and justice led her to work for the sake of political prisoners in the U.S. and other parts of the world in her later years. Yuri was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for her tireless struggles against imperialism and racism.
Yuri Kochiyama died on June 1, 2014 in Berkeley, California. She was 93. (Blackpast.org)
