New Roanoke Blog Post:

Go here: http://samowens.samexhibit.com/nokeliving

Currently trying out new web formats for my blogging.

Spring Has Sprung

The 25th Annual Arnold Sports Festival

I was fortunate enough to be invited to photograph the 25th annual Arnold (yes…Arnold Schwarzenegger) Sports Festival held in Columbus, Ohio every year. (Big shout out to Joel Hawksley and Dave Emery for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the madness) The Arnold Sports Fest hosts over 40 different sports with over 18,000 athletes from classic body building to gymnastics to pole dancing (which will be added into next year’s event schedule) and everything in between. The fest lasted from Thursday, Feb. 28, to late sunday afternoon, March 3. Classic Productions and Ohio U. brought a big team together, including a picture editor, shooters, and card runners to produce images of every sport and all the behind-the-scenes action at the Arnold. The weekend was a whirlwind, and I am not sure I have ever shot as many photos at one event as I have this past weekend (Over 9,000 images…yikes…). Part of my overshooting was probably due to being so overwhelmed by everything and everyone around me. I definitely learned more about my shooting process, the good, the bad and the ugly parts of it, haha. Our creative team made over 45,000 images to edit and sort through. My fellow shooters: Alex Goodlett, Susannah Kay, Rob Hardin  and Erin Corneliussen. Our lovely card runners/assistants: Logan Riely and Julia Moss  Our picture editor: Joel Hawksley  and his awesome assistant Emily Garred  (Thanks for all the help Joel and Emily our weekend would not have run as smoothly without you both).

Here are some photos I liked from the weekend:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you lovers (of people, places, things and life in general) out there.

Reminding myself not to just shoot with my iPhone/Hipstamatic anymore. Gotta start carrying my camera around with me on a regular basis again.

Photos taken at Athens Flower Shop off of East State Street in Athens, Ohio.

Trying to Get Back in the Swing of Things

Back in Athens. In the thick of Spring Semester. It’s been a whirlwind since the day classes started. My first semester (I miss you Quarters), my first home in Athens (Goodbye dorm life), two new jobs, morning classes (tough for a night owl).  I haven’t been shooting nearly as much as I would like. Going from shooting anywhere from 1-3 assignments on a daily basis while I was interning at a newspaper to juggling assignments with my class schedule has been a huge challenge. I am hoping to change my lack of shutter clicking throughout the next few weeks.

Here are a few images from the annual Polar Bear Plunge I shot this past weekend, Feb. 9, held at Lake Snowden in Albany, Ohio:

Bearded Lady; Loralen Morgan of Athens, Ohio.

Images from my phone during my daily walks around campus. All shot with Hipstamatic. I have missed the Athens brick, and having almost everything I need within walking distance (even if I am not partial to walking around in the cold):

Walking home from work.

First snow fall of the semester.

Habitat for Humanity Women’s Coalition Build

Flora, my dancing flower on my car dashboard, during sunrise.

View from the second floor of Ellis Hall.

A view of President Roderick McDavis’ house from the 7th floor stacks in Alden Library. 

Salzburg, Austria.

I was lucky enough to spend a week or so in oh so beautiful Salzburg, Austria, ringing in the new year. My short visit quickly made me want to learn German and move back as soon as possible. The landscape is breathtaking and the culture is fascinating. I participated in the Salzburg Global Seminar’s annual Winter Festival, in which I met many lovely new faces and got to spend more quality time with a few I already knew. A huge shout out to my awesome mom for helping me find the funds to be able to attend it. I am so grateful for all travel opportunities I have had and look forward to many more in the future!

Seeing Mount Untersberg every time I walked outside to make my way over to breakfast, dinner, or other seminar activities at the Schloss Leopoldskron was a treat:

A view of Salzburg from the Fortress Hohensalzburg, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe:

Some photos from my iPhone because I can’t resist using it, even when overseas with no cell service:

Wrapping Up In Evansville

My last day at the Evansville Courier & Press has finally arrived. I am not sure how 14 weeks came and went so fast. The past couple weeks I have been getting asked the same questions from almost everyone I talk to: “Are you happy it’s over? Sad? Do you enjoy working for a newspaper? How was your experience overall?” At this point my feelings are too hard to put into words. Bittersweet feelings ooze out of me everyday. I am very sad to leave, but excited to explore other places and see family and friends again. I am happy to report there was not one day I came home from work feeling unfulfilled, which is a truly extraordinary feeling. I worked alongside some very talented editors and photographers. I am so grateful for all the experiences I had over the past three months or so. I have fallen in love with many new people and places. I have grown so much more in that time frame than ever before, but I still have much more growing to do. Here’s to hoping there are many other exciting opportunities coming my way!

Here are some photos from my last few weeks. Enjoy!

As always these images are copyrighted by me, Sam Owens, and The Evansville Courier & Press.

Retired Major General Eric Schwenker, who served in the army for 39 years, smiles as he talks to a fellow veteran on deck of the USS-LST 325, docked in Evansville, Sunday, November 11, 2012. Schwenker and other veterans attended the free Veterans Day breakfast held on board the ship.

Columbus East High School receiver JT Voelker (17) intercepts the ball as Reitz High School player Jordan Summers (5) falls underneath his feet during the regional playoff game held at the Reitz Bowl Saturday, November 10, 2012. The Columbus East Olympians beat the Reitz Panthers 35-21.

Reitz High School senior Michael Hammonds (65) embraces his girlfriend Kelsie Dorste after a regional playoff loss against Columbus East High School Saturday, November 10, 2012. The Reitz Panthers lost to the Columbus East Olympians 35-21.

Steve Mohler plays one last song on the guitar before Bluegrass Jam Night ends late Thursday night, November 15, 2012.

Musicians of all kinds jam together during Bluegrass Jam Night at Becca’s Lil Taste of Home restaurant in Boonville, Ind., Thursday night, November 15, 2012. Bluegrass Jam Night is held the third Thursday of every month. The next one will tentatively be held Thursday, December 20, in the same location.

Jazmine Hale, 4, spins her small orange flag beside the Evansville Boom Squad Color Guard as they practice before the Downtown Holiday Parade in Evansville Sunday, November 18, 2012.

Parade spectators sit along North Main Street to take in the sights during the Downtown Holiday Parade Sunday, November 18, 2012.

Michael Newman, 6, waves an American flag as he sits on his stepbrother Kyle Bass’ shoulders while they watch the Downtown Holiday parade on North Main Street in Evansville, Sunday, November 18, 2012.

Pickles, a member of the Evansville River City Clowns, waves to some kids watching the parade as she hula-hoops along the Downtown Holiday Parade route Sunday, November 18, 2012.

The Fassio family does tricks with their family dogs during the “Amazing Assemblage of Animal Antics” act at the Hadi Shrine Circus in the Ford Center Thanksgiving day, Thursday, November 22, 2012.

The End is Near.

Only twenty more days until my internship at the Evansville Courier & Press is over. Bittersweet feelings have been growing in the pit of my stomach with each passing day. I will be very sad to see it end, but there are many awesome things to look forward to in the next few months. It feels like I just rolled into town for the first time a few days ago. Time needs to slow down.

© 2012 Sam Owens/ The Evansville Courier & Press

Cyrus Mull, a third-grade student from Bethel Christian School in Princeton, Ind., looks at a classmate through his magnifying glass before they head outside for a nature walk at Audubon State Park in Henderson, KY, Thursday, October 25, 2012. The students enjoyed the warm, sunny weather by going on a nature walk, by eating lunch outside, and by completing a scavenger hunt.

*This photo may not be the most interesting, but I was so excited to have the chance to meet the singer/songwriter/social activist Harry Belfonte. What a cool cat.* Shawnte Gaston, a student from the University of Southern Indiana, right, excitedly embraces Harry Belafonte, left, as they pose for a picture together after a quick question and answer session in the Locust Room at The Centre before his speech on diversity Thursday evening, October 18, 2012.

Braxton Bishop, 6, smiles from ear to ear after one of the Evansville firefighters allowed him to wear a real firefighter helmet, while sitting in one of the Evansville Fire Department trucks at the Public Safety fair held at the Evansville Fire Department’s headquarters in Evansville, Sunday, October 21, 2012.

Chris Hodgson, 4, hugs and quickly makes friends with the Ohio Valley Search and Rescue dog Maggie, 8, during the Public Safety Fair at the Evansville Fire Department’s headquarters in Evansville, Sunday, October 21, 2012. The Ohio Valley Search and Rescue crew brought three of their trained rescue dogs and some equipment for the community to see.

Anthony Melvin, right, tries to put ice skates on his son, Emery Melvin, 4, outside the ice rink at the Ford Center in Evansville, during the Ford Center’s one-year anniversary celebration Sunday, November 4, 2012. For the first time in Ford Center history the public was allowed to ice skate on the Evansville IceMen hockey rink.

University of Evansville guard Troy Taylor (5) attempts a shot despite impaired vision brought on by University of Illinois Springfield defender Dylan Mosack (32) during the exhibition game at the Ford Center in Evansville, Saturday, November 3, 2012. The UE Purple Aces controlled the court throughout the whole game with a final score of 79-54.

Halloween Cuties

Yesterday I set-up a photo booth to capture cute costumes at Bethel Temple Community Church in Evansville, during their 12th annual “Trunk or Treat” event. My set-up was very simple: two White Lightening lights with two umbrellas and two light stands angled on each side and a black paper backdrop. I know my set-up was not complex, and my idea certainly isn’t an original; However, I have always wanted to do something like this for the hell of it. I had Halloween off (my weekends while interning are Tuesdays and Wednesdays) so I thought why not take pictures of cute kids? I took a bunch, which are now located on a slideshow at the Evansville Courier & Press Website. Here are some of my favorites:

Romyiez Calvin, 1, Smurf.

Roycia Calvin, 9-months-old, Puppy.

Harrison Yoder, 1, Dinosaur.

Isabella Adam, 6, Princess.

Nicholas Hill, 9, Ninja.

Nya Noblin, 6, Batwoman and Ayden Harris, 1, Halloween Cat.

Cameron, 16-months-old, puppy.

Addison, 5, and Brynlee, 3-months-old, Leopard and Giraffe.

Jaquoia, 6, Minni Mouse

Brandon, UK Wildcat.

Angel Gilham, 5, Witch.

Logan Coleman, 4, Captain America.

Tre’Veah Pam, Cinderella.

Jorden Hogan, 4, Gorilla.

Jadyn Copeland, 4, Police Officer.

Christian, 6, Ghoul.

Clara, 3, Princess Cinderella.

Katelyn Martinez and Elizabeth Martinez, Mermaid sisters.

Kyra Metcalf, 8, magician.

Gabbi and Gage Warner, 14 weeks old, “Two Peas in a Pod.”

EC&P Update #3

Just another update from my internship at the Evansville Courier & Press. Loving it more every day. I am starting to get a grasp of being able to function completely on my own at home and at work. I got to shoot some really cool assignments the past week or so. The next step is pushing myself to find a story to work on. 6 more weeks!

© 2012 Sam Owens/The Evansville Courier & Press

Crew members on the USS LST 325 push away from the shoreline after unloading two military vehicles from the ship before docking in Evansville, Thursday, October 4, 2012. The ship has been away from Evansville since September 15, when it set out on the Cumberland River Cruise stopping in Nashville and Clarksville to give tours. The crew was supposed to arrive at the Evansville Port on October 2, but the ship got stuck in Lake Barkley near Kuttawa, Ky., which delayed their arrival.

Betty Voelker embraces her husband, Jim, as they walk off of the docked USS LST 325 in Evansville, Thursday, October 4, 2012. The ship has been away from Evansville since September 15, when it set out on the Cumberland River Cruise stopping in Nashville and Clarksville, Tenn., to give tours.

The frames below are from the 91st Annual West Side Nut Club Fall Festival that is held on West Franklin Street in Evansville, the first full week of October.

A full day of rain didn’t keep people away from the opening day of the 91^st annual West Side Nut Club Fall Festival, Monday, October 1, 2012.

Maria Hermann yells at people walking by to “try our Oreo cookie balls,” while wearing a hot dog suit in support of her University of Southern Indiana sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha’s, food booth at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival in Evansville, Ind., Monday, October 1, 2012.

Images from the Pet Parade:

Wyatt Trumpower, 9, from right, holds Stanley, a wiener dog dressed as a hot dog, while riding with Emily Jarvis, 10, and Kyrsten Williams, 10, back, in their homemade hot dog stand during the annual Pet Parade at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival Saturday morning, October 6, 2012.

Ellie Tankersley and her grandparents’ dog, Lucy,  at the Fall Festival Pet Parade Saturday, October 6, 2012.

 Madison Emge, 6, holds on to her cowboy hat and the wagon handle holding two of the family chickens in their parade float as judges decide the winners of the annual Pet Parade at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival Saturday morning, October 6, 2012. The Emge family has six other chickens at home.

A sixteen month old, C.J. Boardman sits on his mom, Amy Boardman’s shoulders as they wait for the Pet Parade to start at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival Saturday morning, October 6, 2012. The Boardmans were apart of a large superhero float with friends that won 1st place in the “Group with Pet” category.

Brylee Becher, right, playfully fights with her brother, Landon, as she hangs upside down on their dad, Johah’s, back during the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival Pet Parade judging Saturday, October 6, 2012. The Becher family coordinated a huge superhero trailer with other friends resulting in a 1^st place win in the “Group with Pet” category.

A man takes a smoke break after making hundreds of “Kraut Balls” outside of the Germania Mannerchor food booth at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Girls at the North High School Marching Band Invitational Saturday, September 22, 2012.

Below: A frame from the Evansville Half Marathon I shot early Sunday morning. It was fun, but an absolutely freezing morning. Nothing like waking up at 5:30 a.m. to chase a bunch of runners that make you feel out of shape.