More Than A Job

The life of a News Photographer is a unique one. One that can usual goes around in circles if you manage to do this long enough. Go to one place to shoot a scene and a few years later you will experience total recall of what happened that day. The same could be said for people. We met a lot of them while roaming around in a news unit with cameras ready to go at a moment’s notice. But it’s the people that we get attached to when we first meet them that have lasting impressions on us. It’s those events that affect our friends that can put emotional implants on our psyche. That’s what happened to my friend Rick Portier, known as The Turdpolisher in the photographer circles. Yesterday it seemed like another rash of random madness where we were hoping for a quiet lead in to the holiday weekend. It was anything but.

He got me into this whole blogging thing but sometimes you have to when to take a step back and let someone better tell of his experience to an awful event. After reading say a prayer for that family, that neighborhood, and the Polisher. They’ll appreciate it.

Free SWAG

There are certain perks to being a photographer. You get to see things that most aren’t privileged to. You are the first one called when it time to cover some ribbon cutting ceremony that starts in ten minutes on the other side of town. You get to go on week long road trips that involved a billion satellite shots for the rest of the network. Wait a minute this is sounds real depressing. But there are times when a chance meeting or a rare occurrence can net you some nice swag. Whether it’s a free meal at some election party where the race is over after the 1st half hour or a trip to whatever bowl game you get sent to cover. Actually got a nice bag from the National Championship Game in 2007.
Or in this case, Christmas has come early for Rick Portier, know to all as the Turdpolisher. He was doing a story on Mike the Tiger’s birthday when he just so happen to met the creator of the most famous product in Louisiana History, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. Alright maybe not the most famous but certainly one of the more significant products in preventing a number of cases of swamp ass. I’ll have to let the Ol’ Polisher fill you in on that one. Nevertheless a momentous occasion because it isn’t often that the members of the photographer nation get stuff hand delivered to them in the newsroom. Well besides the wish list known as the assignment sheet. So, what’s in the box? What in the box?
Looks like a cap, a nice t-shirt, and a fine assortment of products from the makers of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. Remember Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, if can handle photographers it can handle everyone.

Now that is some cool swag, did you know?

Mystery of the Modern Historical Wiki

Normally when the Ways & Means to Make Television Interesting Committee is summoned to the Capitol there are going to long days in our future. After all we’re the committee that keeps everyone on their best behavior. However when the unusual, the weird, and the quirky decides to stroll through the halls of the rotunda then action must take place. There was no question that members of the Government Street & Highland Road districts would dwell into this latest mystery. And to think this is before we are called back into session, did you know?

T.U.R.D.polishing

In our business our objective to capture the attention of the viewer at home. We look to draw out some reaction to the events that influence our day to day lives. Some stories tell themselves. Others require a little digging through pages and pages of files then asking those involved how did this happen. Then there are some of the off the wall stories that leave you scratching your head. The ones where you ask yourself, “Did that just happen”? That is when we look to the services of the one only Rick Portier. Part time writer, full time journalist, and leader of the Tactical Urban Response Division, or as we like to call T.U.R.D. Never one to shy away from getting his hands, and lens, dirty to venture in the depths of the unknown to bring back the who, where, why, and what in the world are you doing of a story. His humble beginnings are what legends in journalism are made of and his stories are ones that will certainly be the topic of conversation at water coolers across the area.

Nation Uprising

What was once unimaginable is now inevitable. A franchise littered with horrific memories is about to rewrite the history books. In less than 24 hours the most watched sporting event on the planet will play host to the New Orleans Saints. A team with a fan base dying to forgive all of the past transgressions of wallow and misery for the sake of being crowned World Champion. Bottom line the fans here are going nuts over this causing the asylum to go into overdrive. In turn crews from the Raggedy were sent for a week long excursion to the 305 to document the historic exploits of the Who Dat Nation. While the rest of us had to hold down the home front of the ripple effect of the game winning field goal that sent the state into frenzy. Did I mention this is also in the first week of sweeps with Carnival season getting into full swing? However there was one burning question who would I be rooting for? It’s no secret that I don’t follow the Black and Gold. But I do respect what they are doing. Uniting people no matter race or color to stand united behind all of success they have delivered so far. After seeing the tears of joy from some of my friends, I hope the Saints pull this off. Besides, the Turdpolisher isn’t giving me much choice.
Oh well you know where is frozen over, might as well see this thing through. Might go throw a snowball at El Diablo, did you know?