Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Rites of Life: Turning 21



Go to www.theritesoflife.blogspot.com to see an audio slideshow and read Liz's story.

Here is the 4th installment to our rites of life series on turning 21 years old. Not to too much surprise this article created a huge stink in Lynchburg.

As my collegue Liz Barry puts it:

The fourth story in Rites of Life explores what it means to turn 21 — on a personal and cultural level. It documents a young man’s 21st birthday — from that first drink at a local bar to sharing a shot of Jose Cuervo with grandpa at the big family dinner. The story also explores the young man’s gradual road to independence after high school and the responsibilites that come with being an adult.

Click the link above to read the story and check out the really awesome audio slideshow by my partner in crime, Kim Raff, News & Advance staff photographer.

I’ve already gotten some feedback, positive and negative, on the story. One woman called me to say that the story was a “disgrace” to the News & Advance. She followed with a backhanded compliment — “You’re a good writer, so why don’t you write about more positive things in our community.”

Other people liked the story. Some see themselves in the eager 21-year-old whose birthday celebration I document. Some say they have gained a better understanding of the big deal behind the big 2-1.

Christian Hip Hop



This is a project I worked on for some time. Although I'm not really into this kind of music it was very intresting to learn about the struggles of this culture. Above is a picture of a rapper rapping at a summer camp for kids.

Click on this link to see an audio slideshow

Some random pictures from the last couple of weeks

Hey Folks these are some random pictures I haven't had a chance to post yet...




This is from the night of shooting fireworks...



Really cool bluegrass festival at the Sedalia Center.



A technique I've always wanted to try but never had the chance to do. Jason Farris is a local author who, a few months ago, published a collection of short horror and psychological thriller-style stories called "The Apparition and Other Tales of the Supernatural."