In Class Assignment

Despite sub-freezing temperatures, children at the AS Childcare center at Western Washington University take their recess outside. This three-year-old student said she has been drinking lots of cocoa - "with a candy cane!" - to stay warm. Ursula Remaklus, 25, says the playground was too dangerous so instead the children play in snowy grass close to the Center.

Assignment 6: Feature Photo

This week, our assignment was to take a cut-line-only photo (one without an accompanying story) or make a photo illustration. Through a series of connections, on Monday I heard about the monthly "Vaudvillingham" show the Bellingham Circus Guild was having that very night, so I decided I could probably find a feature photo there. A friend was kind enough to give me a ride, although he couldn't attend, and it saved me from having to scrounge on campus for an interesting moment.

From the many hilarious and astounding acts, I chose an image of Lesley Nystrom and Patsy Mallett performing a sexualized parody of "Under the Sea," in some pretty amazing themed dresses.

Many of the acts were pretty racy, as the 10 PM show claimed, and highly entertaining. I think the Circus Guild found another regular attendee. Vaudvillingham is on the 15th of every month at the Circus Guild's studio on Kentucky and Iron street. Shows are at 8 and 10 PM, with a $5-10 recommended donation.

Here are just some of the other talented performers and shots in color of the outfits:

Assignment 5: Capturing Motion

This weeks assignment is "controlling motion." I walked downtown with no luck, so I headed back to campus with visions of action at the recreation center around 3PM yesterday. Unfortunately, all I saw was a soccer team warming up and I wasn’t keen on waiting around for the game to get moving. I kept walking, until I heard drum beats floating out of Red Square. It’s common for musicians to play in the nice acoustics of the space, but I found a whole group playing today. There seemed to be three or four core players, with pedestrians stopping to play and sing.

In my photo, Aaron Konsuer, 18, Kwabena Amoah-Forson, 20, and Jimmy Austin, 19, play together in Red Square for their weekly "wailing Wednesday." I chose a long shutter speed to show the action, at f/22.