The vision: An action interview with Lisa Rainsberger. She is the last American to win the Boston Marathon and 25 years later she is going back to run the course to mark the anniversary.
Creative vision often turns into extra effort for those who step up to make that vision happen. In this case it was physical effort for photojournalist Gene Cotton. A lot of comments were made on how good the moving interview looked. This still shot shows the intensity of the person shooting the interview.
For most of the interview Gene shot from the back of an SUV rolling at a runners pace. Then he opted to hop out, often running backwards to get the shots he wanted. Perhaps this picture offers a glimpse at how a pro makes great TV.
What’s up with the yellow cap during an interview? I’m wearing it for the same reason the interview subject is wearing a yellow jacket. Bees see yellow as a friendly color. (They don’t like dark colors.) At least that’s what beekeeper John Hartley told me.
We did our interview on shrinking bee populations standing next to active beehives. After numerous bees landing on my head and face John could see me getting nervous. He calmly walked over and put the yellow hat on my head. It worked.
This Rocky Mountain dweller is watching the hubbub about all the snow hitting much of the east coast. The President called it Snowmageddon. What’s portrayed as a crisis there, in Colorado we call life as usual.
Only this year life has been short on snow, so it is with envy I look at White Washington and say “Wish it was here.” Storms this year have dumped plenty of snow in the mountains. At the base along the front range, storms have left only small amounts. Where’s our blizzard? Perhaps March or April will produce.
Not just below freezing this week, it has been below zero. That kind of weather makes the news and those of us who report the news get to spend the day out in the cold and then do live shots after the sun goes down when it is even colder. A lot of people commented after the fact that I looked really cold. My reply: “I was cold, really cold” Standing still, you start shivering; your mind says talk, but your frozen jaw causes you to slur and stumble. After spending hours, day after day, out in cold that cuts through any insulation you are wearing, there is a pay-off. You are draind, so you sleep really well.
A long board and a paddle is apparently a great way to head out on the ocean and cruise while getting some exercise. Surfing is still on my list of things to try. It’s a little tough since it requires an ocean and waves and I live in the Rockies. So when I met up with Steve McBride who was at a trade show showing off his “land paddling” equipment. I once again said “Oh Yah” when he asked if I wanted to give it a try.
Big Bill on the Big Kahuna
His business is called Kahuna Creations. They build long-board skate boards. They also build land paddles a patent pending way to propel yourself called the big stick.
Due to numerous broken bones and many stitches, growing up my mother decided her boys better not have skateboards. With this mind I was a little concerned hopping on for an attempt at land paddling. Turns out a long board has more stability and perhaps my experience skiing, wake-boarding and canoing may have helped. After a few shaky feet, it felt good–really good. If you get the chance, you gotta give it a try.
Attach spikes, a harness, put on a hard hat, throw a strap around a utility pole and climb to the top, electric lineman make it look easy. It’s harder than it looks.
Next up: Pole Dancing?
Out interviewing lineman, they said do you want to give it a try. Oh yah! That’s the correct answer for most things if someone asks to let you try something not many people get to do.
How did it go? On the way up I didn’t plant a spike hard enough but avoided a fall (also slivers). Truth is, coming down was harder. Down just felt akward.
Bill slow and lacking coordination. The lineman move vertically like the average person moves on a sidewalk.
Rather than running shoes I should have put on skates. Colorado weather takes even the locals by surprise.
I’ve been known to go running quite a bit. Last Saturday, despite below freezing temperatures I chose to go out for an early morning run. Five miles or so in, a mist joined the freezing temperatures. A combination for a thin sheet of ice on pavement.
Heading home I slid a few times which made conditions very clear. Turns out caution wasn’t enough. Striding into a handicap ramp at an intersection I was down before I could react. When I came to my senses, I was on my back in the middle of the road. Looking to oncoming traffic, there was a car a half block away, also on icy pavement. The reaction: panic, then roll to get out of the way. One in the gutter, I got to my feet. Not my proudest moment.
I’m sure it was quite a sight. Yea! (sarcasm) There were witnesses. The passenger in the on-coming car was hanging out the window kindly asking if I was okay. All I could do was duck my head and sheepishly say, “Yes. Thanks for asking.”
What’s up with the yellow cap during an interview? I’m wearing it for the same reason the interview subject is wearing a yellow jacket. Bees see yellow as a friendly color. (They don’t like dark colors.) At least that’s what beekeeper John Hartley told me.
Not just below freezing this week, it has been below zero. That kind of weather makes the news and those of us who report the news get to spend the day out in the cold and then do live shots after the sun goes down when it is even colder. A lot of people commented after the fact that I looked really cold. My reply: “I was cold, really cold” Standing still, you start shivering; your mind says talk, but your frozen jaw causes you to slur and stumble. 
After spending hours, day after day, out in cold that cuts through any insulation you are wearing, there is a pay-off. You are draind, so you sleep really well.
