I slowly switched my cameras from one shoulder to the next and tried not to drop them as I donned a gown. Then I swirled my hair into a net and pulled cloth booties over my shoes. Finally, I secured a mask around my face, looping elastic around each ear. I was about to enter a sterile room where lab technicians prepared excess donor breast milk to benefit infants in need all over the world. (Click that link there to read the full article.) I was on assignment for the local section of the Denver Post. I would cover two more stories by day’s end. Not an uncommon day in the life of a newspaper photographer.
It’s been quite a while since I have shared a selection of recent photos that I’ve made while touring around the Denver metro area. As such, it seemed I was rather overdue on pulling together an edit from the past few months of editorial coverage. So here you are at long last. (OK, I just checked, and except for the 2014 Year in Review post I shared in December, I haven’t put together one of these edits in nearly a full year. Yikes!)
Sha Ronda Wilson, a lab technician, processes donor milk at Mothers’ Milk Bank on July 15, 2015, in Arvada, Colorado. Mothers’ Milk Bank, a nonprofit that collects and distributes excess donor milk, moved to Arvada in June. It has been in operation for 31 years and is aiming to provide 1 million ounces of donor milk by 2017.
Baby cows check out a food trough at Moore Farm on May 7, 2015, in Arvada, Colorado. The city of Arvada acquired Moore Farm in 2003. The historic property, still maintained as a working farm, this year partnered with the Jefferson County 4-H program.
A classic car sits in the shop at Old School Garage on June 12, 2015, in Northglenn, Colorado. Kevin McShane opened Old School Garage in October 2014.
Ron Mitchell chats with a customer at Winston Hill’s Ribs & Stuff on May 29, 2015, in Centennial, Colorado. Mitchell opened the barbecue restaurant 24 years ago.
Michael Colella throws a golf disc at hole eight of the disc golf course at Conifer Community Park on June 10, 2015, in Conifer, Colorado. Jefferson County Open Space acquired Conifer Community Park at Beaver Ranch in 2001. The park management nonprofit is working with Jeffco to procure a grant and draft a master plan for the park so it can better serve the local community. The park offers activities including camping sites, rental cabins, disc golf, hiking trails, zip lines, and more.
Karen Seed, farm manager for Sister Gardens, looks through herbs available at the farm stand on West 52nd Avenue on July 16, 2015, in Denver, Colorado. The Denver Sustainable Neighborhood program is in its second year. Local neighborhoods apply to be part of the program to help make their area more sustainable. The Chaffee Park/Regis neighborhood offers a farm stand, with produce harvested from the Sister Gardens.
Adam Florez holds his son, Aiden, 3, up to the ice cream case at Notz Landing while his nephew, Romero Barragan, 5, peers in at the flavors on June 25, 2015, in Golden, Colorado. A number of amenities at Heritage Square will be closing at the end of the year, including shops at the Victorian Village, the Alpine Slide, and more.
Thistles dot a field at the Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve on July 8, 2015, in Greenwood Village, Colorado. The preserve, nearly 60 acres in size, sits just off the High Line Canal and offers visitors trails and ponds to explore.
Rayna, a three-year-old German shepherd, sits on a trail at the Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve with her owner, Rhonda Buder, on July 8, 2015, in Greenwood Village, Colorado. The preserve, nearly 60 acres in size, sits just off the High Line Canal and offers visitors trails and ponds to explore.
Gilberto Rubio, a cake decorator, works on a wedding cake at Three Tomatoes Catering on July 2, 2015, in Denver, Colorado. Three Tomatoes Catering has been operating for 38 years.
Reed Sundine, a volunteer engineer, pulls a train into the station at Tiny Town & Railroad on May 26, 2015, in Jefferson County, Colorado. Tiny Town & Railroad originally opened in 1915, and will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
A dish of crab claws with a shaved fennel and arugula salad prepared at Union on June 18, 2015, in Castle Rock, Colorado. Union opened in February 2005 and offers modern American fare.
Caitlyn Imfeld, 15, reads a photography book at Book Cranny Books & Gifts on June 26, 2015, in Arvada, Colorado. Book Cranny has been offering used books and gifts since 2009.
Josiah Cardenas, 7, closes his eyes as Jose Ramos brushes powder on his head at the Barber Shop on July 16, 2015, in Aurora, Colorado. Jose Ramos has run the Barber Shop for four years.
It can be a rather strange life to lead, this existence of a photojournalist/wedding photographer/lifestyle shooter/coffee drinking addict. It’s always unpredictable and you always feel uncertain about what your next day, week, year will look like. But when you focus on just doing the work, just making the picture and meeting the people and respecting the fact that they have entrusted you with their story, it’s all worth it.
More to come later, my lovelies.