calendar 2011

I made a calendar of some favorite nature, travel and abstract images from 2010. Enjoy and happy 2011!

January
View from a hot air balloon, sunrise.

February
Ski jumpers.

March
Foggy night at the Chicago lakefront.

April
Bicycles, Verona, Italy.

May
Cafe Lula's, Logan Square, Chicago.

June
The Wiener Circle, Chicago.

July
County Fair, Anywhere, USA.

August
Plant at Lake Michigan, Petoskey, Michigan.

September
Castle, Bolzano, Italy.

October
View from hot air balloon.

November
Modern Art Museum, Munich, Germany.

December
The Dolomite Mountains, Italy.

a night at the united center

Chicago Blackhawks vs. the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, Dec. 30, in Chicago. Thanks to the kind photographers who helped me navigate my way around the United Center. Here is the night as I saw it.

National anthem.

Patrick Sharp (center) scores the first goal of the game.

Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (and formerly Blackhawks goalie) during the game.

A fight breaks out.

Sharks defeated the Blackhawks, 5-3.

a surprise welcome

I was just finishing up a business assignment at a consignment shop last Wednesday when I got a text from the boss alerting me to a surprise welcome home. After a hurry-up-and-wait to get to the home of the welcomees, I was happy with the reactions and shots I got.

Kelly Lott, center, is taken aback by her homecoming welcome Wednesday afternoon at her family's home in Algonquin as fiance Jon Barstow and sister Stacy Lott watch. Lott and Barstow, on leave until Jan. 11, returned home from the Navy after beeing overseas since November of 2009.

december assignments

December has flown by. This is a photo from an assignment on fitness boot camps offered at work.

A feature on a local chess club and the exciting game of chess, which I got for Christmas and aim to get better at...

A holiday event announcing the plans for a new hospital to be built in Huntley.

A business feature on a new physical therapy center that opened in McHenry.

Michelle Grimes talks to husband Sean Grimes Monday evening while preparing dinner at their home in McHenry. A Marine Corps veteran, Sean was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder three months after returning from Iraq. Symptoms include nightmares, sleepwalking, and uneasyness.

'tis the season for basketball

Time for basketball season... boys, girls, tournaments, games... nice to stay warm shooting a sport for these winter months!

A heartbreaker of a game- Johnsburg teammates react to their 60-58 loss to Buffalo Grove in the last 3 seconds of the game with a break away lay-up.

merry christmas!

soldiers come home

Reporter Amber Krosel and I covered a soldier homecoming Sunday evening as the
U.S. Army’s 485th Engineer Company, 1st Platoon, Rockford, and the 2nd and 3rd Platoon, Fort Sheridan, came home after a year away. Also of note, filing a story, photos, and a video remotely from Amber's car can be done with the gracious help of free Panera wi-fi. Dream news team!

Tatiana Bailey, of Crystal Lake, shares a moment with husband Jeff at his homecoming celebration held at Hampshire High School on Sunday evening. Friends and family welcomed home the U.S. Army’s 485th Engineer Company, 1st Platoon, Rockford, and the 2nd and 3rd Platoon, Fort Sheridan.

the tree is lit

I photographed the tree lighting ceremony at Daley Plaza Nov. 24, on a wet and chilly evening, with bad traffic making for a slow commute. After parking close to a red line stop I hopped on the El and made it down to Daley Plaza with 10 minutes to spare. I even got to photograph ANOTHER member of the Cusack clan! Joan Cusack introduced Mayor Daley for his last tree lighting ceremony as mayor. 

Fireworks explode in the sky downtown Chicago after the lighting of the Christmas tree from McHenry at Daley Plaza on Wednesday evening. Mayor Daley, actress Joan Cusack, and property owners John and Pat Colomer helped introduce the event.

Tree propery owners John and Pat Colomer of McHenry wait to light the tree as the After School Opera sings at the Christmas tree lighting at Daley Plaza in Chicago on Wednesday evening.

top basketball players

I recently photographed the top ten high school boys and girls basketball players to keep an eye on this season. I used the old press room at the newspaper's office as a backdrop. Here are some favorites.

more from above

Some more photos from my hot air balloon ride a few weeks ago.

Here is me. Lucky to have my 3rd ride in a hot air balloon!