Tag: photography

The RNC: Day 2

On By VickieIn Current Events, photography, politics, Writing3 Comments

“The streets are very quiet.”

The text from my photographer friend came in at 10:30 AM.

Neither of us had heard any word or could find any information about anything going on during Day 2 of the RNC. But surely there was something, right?

Before I got here, I had assume I would take public transportation to the convention area, thinking having a car would be a serious hinderance. But since I found an empty parking lot that cost $10 for the day, I figured I could park there again.

I got to downtown at about noon. And dang. My parking lot now had a sign out front: $30 event parking. I didn’t want to do that. I drove around the block to find a place to pull over to look on my phone for parkiing, but lucky me! I found a 10 hour parking meter that would cost $5. Bingo!

The area was completely deserted.

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Election 2024: traveling to the RNC and the DNC

On By VickieIn Current Events, photography, politics, WritingLeave a comment

What started as a single exercise to get me out of my comfort zone has grown into a regular gig photographing protests here in Chicago. Over the past two years, I have improved my skills dramatically, I have found the courage to photograph people unapologetically, I have claimed the authority to record what is going on out in the streets, I have befriended a handful of photographers who are doing the same thing as I am, and I have learned a LOT about people, politics, and propaganda.

We are about to embark on what is likely to be a crazy timeline to be living through (as if the past four + years haven’t already been insane!) as we count down the days to the 2024 presidential election.

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Photographing the Turmoil: Palestinian Rallies

On By VickieIn Current Events, politicsLeave a comment

There are plenty of mainstream news stories that spark debates here in Chicago. And then there are the niche issues that small groups of people feel passionate about and protest to bring attention to them (and hopefully media coverage).

My city apartment sits in the perfect spot to catch a large majority of these protests. Some groups gather at the small Jane Byrne Park in front of the Water Tower (two blocks from me) to protest causes such as animal cruelty, a Tibetan uprising, Russian war crimes. Larger ones usually meet in the Federal Plaza, Daley Plaza, or Wrigley Square. Other demonstrations are targeted at specific businesses: anti-fur at Louis Vuitton or fossil fuels at Chase Bank.

Protesters march up and down Michigan. They march around the Loop

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Thoughts on the Cover of My New Book: Clara’s Journal

On By VickieIn Clara's Journal, Current Events, politics, WritingLeave a comment

Clara’s Journal: And the Story of Two Pandemics explores a year in the life of Clara Mae Horen, an 18-year-old living in Cresbard, South Dakota, in 1918, at the beginning of one of the world’s deadliest pandemics. And Clara is my grandaunt (the sister of my paternal grandfather)!

One of the pleasures of studying Clara’s journal has been learning how different life was 100 years ago, but maybe even more importantly, another has been discovering the similarities we have with a 1918 teenager and with a 1918 country coping with a pandemic.

Now how to convey that in a cover?

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