27th January 2010

Past, Present and Eternity

Wisconsin

© 2007 Todd S. Klassy

A wild weed braves the cold in pasture outside of Blanchardville, Wisconsin.

Late at night while driving I often find myself tuning the AM dial to help keep me awake. Scratchy AM signals seem better suited to keeping my eye lids open in the wee hours of the morning. Then again, I think anyone would fall asleep while listening to Barry Manilow and The Carpenters; music that often graces early morning airwaves on the other band.

One of the hallmarks of early morning AM radio is a syndicated show called Coast to Coast AM. Every night host George Noory covers a wide range of peculiar subjects including the occult, UFOs, intricate government conspiracies, and other equally strange topics. More than anything Coast to Coast AM is good for a laugh. The crazier the guests, the better I keep my car on the road.

The 16th century prophet Nostradamus is another common topic of conversation. Nostradamus is famous for publishing a collection of prophecies, which are said to have predicted such historic events as the French Revolution, rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler, the Great London Fire, both world wars, and the Apollo moon landing. All you need is an active imagination, a bit of retroactive clairvoyance, and squinted eyes and you too may draw similar conclusions when reading his works.

But why should Nostradamus and the kooks on Coast to Coast AM have all the fun? With a new decade in front of me I thought it would be fun to look deep into a crystal ball to see how clairvoyant I can be.

So, with the help of a trusty Magic 8-Ball I have carried with me from job-to-job over the years and a hat crafted from the finest aluminum foil, I give you my prophecies and predictions for the next ten years:

1.) The recession will continue for another four to five years. Soon everyone will call it “The Great Recession.” Unemployment will hover between 8 and 10%, but eventually the recession will ease, mostly with the help of prospering small businesses. MOST LIKELY.

2.) The U.S. will experience a grassroots revolution with an emphasis on frugality, minimalism, and self-reliance. Both the public and private sectors will focus on creating, manufacturing, selling, and buying locally; not globally. YES.

3.) By its own choosing, the U.S. will become much more isolated from the rest of the world, but will still compete with China economically and politically. China may also unsuccessfully attempt to reunify with Taiwan, but I’m not 100% certain of that. REPLY HAZY, TRY AGAIN.

4.) The public will learn Osama Bin Laden was captured years ago. Fearing the spectacle of a public trial and/or turning him into a martyr by executing him, the U.S. will stuff him into a super-secret, heavily guarded “hole” in some far away place where he slowly grows old and dies from kidney failure. AS I SEE IT, YES.

5.) Large office buildings will become a relic of the past. Companies will reorganize and nonessential employees, a large percentage of the American workforce, will work from home. Businesses will no longer invest in expensive office buildings, employees will no longer need to commute to work, and the government will need to build fewer roads. A bubble in the commercial real estate market will stagnate the world economy even further. YES, DEFINITELY.

6.) Concern over global warming will ease as attention will turn toward repairing the damaged world economy. Scientists will reveal the Earth’s increase in temperature was a result of normal cyclical behavior and gamma rays emitting from deep space. Our economy will move away from its dependency on oil nonetheless and we will slowly convert to alternative fuels. A worldwide shortage of fresh water will become the new cause célèbre during the 2010s. IT IS DECIDEDLY SO.

7.) Before the end of the decade, the U.S. will find relative peace with much of the Middle East as the democratic movement in Iran gains traction and a new Iraq succeeds with much U.S. involvement. The U.S. will also renew diplomatic ties with Iran. MY REPLY IS YES.

8.) Chrysler Corporation will fail, General Motors will become a shell of its former self, but Ford Motor Corporation will survive the current crisis in the automotive industry and largely prosper. The U.S. will lead the world in the production of high-tech components used in all automobiles, including fuel cells, advanced navigation systems, and electronics. MY SOURCES SAY YES.

9.) Newspapers will die. Periodicals covering niche topics, smaller rural newspapers, the Sunday newspaper, and magazines all have a fighting chance, but for the most part the daily broadsheet will vanish from the landscape of America. OUTLOOK NOT SO GOOD for the newspaper industry.

10.) Also disappearing in the 20th century? Fax machines, telephone directories printed on paper, catalogs, compact discs, landline phones, answering machines, stereo or computer components requiring wires, and the television as we know it today. WITHOUT A DOUBT.

11.) The United States Postal Service (USPS) is doomed. No, it will not go away completely, but it will lose much more money than it takes in. Will the U.S. government do the right thing and sell it to FedEx or UPS before it is too late? DON’T COUNT ON IT.

12.) The Green Bay Packers will defeat the Houston Texans in Super Bowl LII. It will be the Packers’ fourth Super Bowl victory and their 13th NFL championship. Green Bay Packers wide receiver Terrance Toliver will be named MVP. The Packers will return to the Super Bowl again in 2019 (the 100th anniversary of the Packers), but lose to the Los Angeles Jaguars in Super Bowl LIV. IT IS CERTAIN.

13.) Pete Carmichael, Jr. will be named the Green Bay Packers head coach and his offensive coordinator will be a man named Joe Lombardi; the grandson of legendary Packers head coach Vince Lombardi. OUTLOOK GOOD.

14.) Brett Favre’s jersey will be retired in 2014 during an awkward ceremony at Lambeau Field. He will return again in 2016 after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but Favre will not return to Green Bay again for many years thereafter. SIGNS POINT TO YES.

15.) A major seismic or volcanic event will occur in the American northwest and yours truly will be there to photograph it. YOU MAY RELY ON IT.

Coast to Coast AMCoast to Coast AM

20th January 2010

I’m a Packers Fan, Not a Favre Fan

Wisconsin

© 2008 Todd S. Klassy

A fan takes a photograph at training camp for the Green Bay Packers.

I know. This is an odd place to be proselytize about professional football. But given I have so many friends bitching about this topic over the last week, I thought I would use this forum to explain my opinion on the matter. If you are a photographer who really doesn’t care what happens to the Green Bay Packers and/or Brett Favre, please read no further and accept my apologies.

My father often waxed poetic about Vince Lombardi and the five world championship teams he coached in Green Bay. Until Favre achieved fame no one compared to the likes of his heroes; Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Paul Hornung, Willie Wood, Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, and Jim Taylor. My generation instead was forced to endure Anthony Dilweg, Vince Ferragamo, Brent Fullwood, Charles Martin, Harlan Huckleby, and Tony Mandarich. Two-and-a-half decades passed after Lombardi’s teams brought joy to Titletown. And I had experienced none of it. In the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, it was tough being a Packers fan.

Then came Favre, one of the most exciting players to wear green and gold in a long time. Yes, he was prone to forcing passes. Yes, he occasionally threw interceptions. And yes, he was too emotional at times. Yet Favre, whom my brother and I dubbed “the best throwing linebacker in the league,” was obviously destined to become a great quarterback; our great quarterback. Finally, I could witness greatness on my home town team. It was a thrill.

I watched Super Bowl XXXI at home alone because I was too nervous. No way could I be seen in  public watching the most important sporting event of my life in my neurotic state. I was offered tickets to see the game in person, but turned them down. Until I was married, I never missed a single Brett Favre pass. I rejoiced every time Favre came from behind to lead the Packers to a victory, lamented every loss, cried when his father died, grew concerned when he publicly admitted his addictions, and felt horrible when his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Brett Favre’s life was so much like a Greek tragedy. If I only knew.

Hub Arkush, the Publisher and Editor of Pro Football Weekly and former announcer for the Chicago Bears once said Favre was the “greatest player in the history of the NFL.” That is very high praise. Arkush, a self-proclaimed Chicago Bears fan who didn’t waste many opportunities to make fun of the rival Packers, believed Favre was better than every quarterback before him (i.e. Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Joe Montana, Dan Marino) and every other player, too (i.e. Don Hutson, Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Dick Butkus). While it is hard for me to believe anyone can compare Favre to Unitas in today’s pass-happy league, it was an impressive statement nonetheless.

Favre then began the annual ritual of publicly contemplating retirement. At first it seemed serious. Then it happened every year. Off-season after off-season he kept the Packers front office hanging and his fans wondering. It began to look like he was feeding his ego and only needing to feel relevant. Favre played like a child on the field, but he began acting like one off the field, too. Then, in a very tearful moment, he said goodbye. Sadly, the end of an era was over.

We all know what happened next. The Green Bay Packers and their fans moved on. Then out of nowhere Favre announced he would ‘unretire’. There is no need to rehash the painful drama that ensued and followed Favre from Hattiesburg to Green Bay to New York and ultimately to Minneapolis. Seeing Favre in a New York Jets uniform was odd, but seeing him in a Minnesota Vikings uniform was a tragedy.

Who was I supposed to side with in all of this? Teddy Thompson, an arrogant former NFL player himself who is paid to manage difficult personalities, and the Green Bay Packers? Or Brett Favre, the only legendary player I have ever seen play for the Green Bay Packers? First a brief history lesson.

According to the book The History of the Green Bay Packers by Larry Names, in 1932 George Halas and the Chicago Bears approached Curly Lambeau and the Green Bay Packers for a loan. If the Packers had not loaned that money to the Bears it is entirely possible the Bears would not exist today. That’s right, the hay seeds from Green Bay are responsible for saving its arch rival to the south from extinction. If you doubt me, remember that the National Football League (NFL), like the rest of the nation, was then in the midst of The Great Depression. Franchises all over the country in the upstart professional football league were folding like cheap chairs.

Then starting in the late 1940s and until 1960 the Packers played exhibition games in a sorry little cow town on the other side of the state in the hopes of keeping professional football “relevant” there. That same cow town had two previous NFL franchises, but each of them failed. The name of that cow town? Minneapolis. In fact Minnesota had four previous NFL franchises (i.e. Minneapolis Marines, Minneapolis Red Jackets, Duluth Kelleys, and Duluth Eskimos). Each of them failed. In the 1960s, when the NFL was planning its expansion, it was Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers front office who helped convince the NFL to locate an expansion franchise in Minnesota instead of sunny, southern California despite the state’s losing record with pro football teams. Without efforts to convince the league Minnesota deserved another chance it is entirely possible the Minnesota Vikings would have never existed. And without those early exhibition games they may have met the same fate as the Minnesota North Stars (now the Dallas Stars) and the Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers).

Fast forward to today. The Packers are consistently one of the most watched NFL teams on television, which is the lifeblood of NFL revenues. They have also sold out every home game dating back to 1957 and are today one of the more profitable franchises in the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings, on the other hand, are one of the poorest. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Minnesota Viking receive $15 million to $20 million in subsidies every year from profitable franchises such as the Green Bay Packers…without which money it is doubtful they would be as successful this season, especially if they didn’t have the money to sign Favre.

Over the years the Green Bay Packers have survived two ugly attempts by George Halas to kill the franchise, two mergers with other leagues (AAFC and AFL) that almost left the Packers the “odd man out,” someone who claimed to own the franchise and planned to move it to Los Angeles, several collective bargaining agreements, a couple of very nasty law suits, a 1-11-1 season, The Great Depression, a horrible coach who traded the team’s future away in the 1970s for a washed-up quarterback (which took decades to recover from), and now this…a very nasty divorce with an insolent cry baby who not once, not twice, not three times, BUT SIX TIMES threatened to retire.

The Green Bay Packers have won more NFL championships than any other team; 11 prior to the arrival of Favre and just one with Favre (which equals the likes of Trent Dilfer, Jim McMahon, and Jeff Hostetler). Also, 19 Packers were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame before Favre, and one who played with Favre…Reggie White. He too was in part responsible for bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay following the 1996 season; not to mention all of the other players and coaches who were part of that team and also responsible for that magical season.

So if you were a Green Bay Packers fan before Favre and now find yourself rooting for the Minnesota Vikings with Favre, remember this…you weren’t much of a Packers fan to begin with. Go ahead, root for the paid mercenary who makes tens millions of dollars every season playing for a franchise the Packers subsidize every season and a team that might not exist if it were not for the Packers. Me, I will stand tall with the franchise that survived through the years, despite all of the odds, and became the most successful and storied franchise in NFL history…in a city whose entire population would fit in the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium. And it all happened long before anyone even knew how to pronounce Brett Favre’s name.

Did you ever think the Packers, and its community of owners, and its legion of fans did more to help Favre than he ever did for the Green Bay Packers? They lined his pockets so he could pay for his mansion and platoon of lawn tractors. They plucked him from Atlanta where he was nothing more than a boozehound, womanizer, and third string quarterback (at best). They trained him, supported him, and stood by him despite all of his alcoholism, pill-popping, insubordination, and interceptions. Sure, he probably would have made it somewhere else, but would he have become a legend anywhere else? And to say the Packers would not have been successful without him is naive. You forget the Packers also once had Mark Brunnell, Matt Hassleback, and Kurt Warner, not to mention a crafty general manager who rebuilt the Green Bay Packers not because of Favre, but in spite of him.

So if you want to throw your allegiance behind a multimillionaire who once had his own private locker room in Green Bay, an ego the size of Mississippi, and as much loyalty as Benedict Arnold, by all means, root for Brett Favre and the purple and gold. But remember one thing, we know who you are, and getting back on our band wagon will not be as easy as it was stepping off.

Go Packers!

18th January 2010

Already Missing Wisconsin

Travel

© 2008 Todd S. Klassy

A large tree stands watch over a snowy scene outside of Monroe, Wisconsin. This is one of those benefits of what I call "drive by shooting." Driving aimlessly along quite country roads can result in some rather spectacular scenes.

I will be leaving later today for a week-long trip to Casper, Wyoming. It may soon be my base of operations for the foreseeable future. It will be a long drive, but I plan on also stopping in the Badlands of South Dakota along the way.

Casper is the gateway to the rugged Old West. Located in the eastern plains of Wyoming, it is the second largest city in Wyoming; about the size of Janesville, Wisconsin. Unlike Janesville, there aren’t many cities or villages beyond Casper’s wall. The landscape is stark, but beautiful, and it is centrally between some of the most beautiful places in America…Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Devil’s Tower, Black Hills, and the Rocky Mountains.

I see this trip as a prelude to my ultimate departure from Wisconsin soon. It will be the start of a new chapter in my life and an opportunity to be closer to the beauty of the western United States. I am excited to head west, but I have also grown a bit nostalgic for the home state I love.

Aside from the obvious (i.e. friends and family), there are many aspects of Wisconsin I will miss. I began thinking about these last night as I played some board games with friends. Having traveled much before, it is easy for me to see the things that many Wisconsinites take for granted. Woven into our everyday life, the Wisconsin culture and identity is very unique.

While I know the western U.S. has much to offer, here are some of the things I will miss most. They are positively Wisconsin:

  • Red barns dotting the plush rural landscape.
  • Summer nights on the Memorial Union Terrace.
  • Cheese & sausage platters.
  • Playing euchre and sheepshead with the guys.
  • The shake of the day.
  • Friday night fish fries.
  • Green Bay Packers roster moves leading the nightly news.
  • Roadside vegetable stands.
  • State Street.
  • Cheap beer.
  • Madison’s beatniks.
  • Santiago Calatrava’s Milwaukee Art Museum.
  • Fried cheese curds.
  • County fairs.
  • Happy holsteins grazing in open pastures.
  • Mom’s home cooking.
  • Silos.
  • Madison politics.
  • Large oak trees (see above).
  • Kalberwurst.
  • The first big, wet snow storm of the year.
  • Dane County Farmers’ Market.
  • UW Badgers football.
  • Dining at The Glarner Stube in New Glarus and Imperial Garden in Madison.
  • Driving through the fields on the family farm.
  • Landjaegers.
  • Madison Magazine.
  • Bo Ryan’s UW men’s basketball team.
  • New Glarus beer.
  • Farmers talking about the weather.
  • Tailgating in Madison before University of Wisconsin football games.
  • Vibrant, small towns.
  • Autumn leaves.
  • New Glarus Bakery.
  • Supper clubs.

So yes, soon my journey begins.

17th January 2010

Common dSLR Questions for Newbies

Gear,Learning

© 2005 Todd S. Klassy

My nephew makes an angel in the freshly fallen snow at a park in Madison, Wisconsin.

At any given moment of any given day there are thousands of new photographers tweeting on Twitter about photography. Many ask interesting questions, but many more ask the same questions over and over again. More often than not they are the same questions I had when I first made my foray into photography.

I am by no means an expert, but through a lot of trial and a whole lot of error I have come to learn a few things along the way. And if people ask the same questions over and over again on someplace like Twitter, I’m pretty sure many more ponder the same questions in private.

1.) What’s the best book to read for someone purchasing their first dSLR?

Simple question; easier answer. The most valuable book (by far) is the owner’s manual. Too many new dSLR owners fail to read the owner’s manual. They think they can start-up and use their new dSLR right out of the box just as they would a new stereo component or TV. dSLRs are much more complicated and have so many more features to offer than other electronics. And failing to grasp all of your camera’s functions will severely limit yourself as a photographer. Even the pros read their manuals from cover-to-cover…repeatedly.

If you spent hundreds (perhaps thousands) of dollars on a new dSLR and always use the “automatic” mode you probably should have never purchased a dSLR in the first place. dSLRs are designed for ultimate creative control. And understanding the creative controls of your camera is fundamental in making good photographs. If you aren’t interested in knowing all your dSLR can do for you, you might be better off sticking to a simple point-and-shoot camera.

Once you are done reading the owner’s manual, read it again…and again…and again. Only after that should you begin thinking about graduating to a good photography book. And when you do, read “Understanding Exposure” by Bryan Peterson. Trust me.

2.) I have $600 and want a new dSLR. What’s the best dSLR I can buy?

Fail. This is the worst possible question a new dSLR buyer can ask. Why? Because if you do, you have it all backwards. Your first question should be, “What will I photograph?” When you know the answer to that question you can then start building your complete dSLR system around your actual needs.

When preparing your budget plan on spending at least 30% on at least one quality lens. Generally digital cameras become old and obsolete after only three or four years of service. Technology gets dated, features are updated, and shutters fail. A lens, on the other hand, is crucial component in the machinery of a camera and they can last a lifetime. More to the point, a good lens can has much greater impact on image quality than a camera. A kit lens is to photography what a pair of rabbit ears is to high-definition (HD) television.

dSLRs generally do all of the basics the same. Yes, some do those basics better than others, but your lens impacts clarity, sharpness, color, autofocus speed, the softness of the background blur, depth of field, and oh so much more.

If you plan on photographing portraits, you will want a “fast” lens. A “fast” lens has a very large maximum aperture or f-stop (i.e. f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0). Kit lenses, which are often bundled with entry level cameras, are never fast (i.e. f/3.5, f/4.0, f/5.6). If you want to photograph landscapes, you will probably want a wide-angle lens (i.e. 10mm to 35mm, depending on the camera’s sensor and crop factor). Kit lenses are seldom very wide. If you want to photograph wildlife or sports, kits lens rarely have a very “long” focal length (i.e. 200mm or greater) and they seldom focus fast. A kit lens, by design, is the lowest common denominator…not bad, but not particularly good at anything.

3.) Should I buy Canon, Nikon, Sony, or Olympus?

It depends.

All of these companies make fine dSLR cameras, but Canon and Nikon have been doing it much longer than Sony and Olympus. Because of that fact alone I often encourage people to stick to Canon or Nikon. Canon and Nikon also offer a wider range of lenses, accessories, and resources.

When it comes down to Canon or Nikon, consider what other people close to you are using. If a majority of them use one brand or the other, it is wise to buy that same brand. Doing so will enable to you to swap components and share information. That said, it is no secret I am a huge fan of Canon’s products. After purchasing dozens of lenses and many different camera bodies, I have yet to find a reason to use anything else.

4.) What accessories should I buy for my new dSLR?

There are so many different accessories on the market. Don’t be duped into buying crap you don’t need. Believe me, many of them are a colossal waste of money. Some of them, however, are absolutely necessary. I generally encourage new photographers to buy one (or two) extra batteries, more than two memory cards, a good camera bag, a Giottos Rocket Blower, lens pen, remote shutter release, polarizer filter, lens cloth, and a solid tripod. Everything else can wait until you get to know your camera better.

Steer clear of UV filters unless you are absolutely paranoid about protecting the leading element (i.e. glass) of your lens. Personally, I hate them. I have much better results without them. I ask you, “Why would you want to put a cheap piece of glass on the front of your finely tuned and precisely engineered lens?” Also, it is not uncommon for light to bounce around between the UV filter and the front element of a lens, which adversely affects your images. If quality photographs are important, it is my advice to skip the UV filter.

5.) How can I become a better photographer?

The internet is full of information for novices. Read up! Also join a photo sharing site such as Flickr. Participate in some forums, post your photographs, and solicit comments. Generally the more popular your photographs are on Flickr, the better you are doing as a photographer. Positive (and negative) critique helps to hone your skills. Also strive to read one new photography book each month. Go on photo walks with other photographers. Find a mentor; a more experienced photographer who is willing to share his techniques and what he or she has already learned. And lastly, take a lot of photographs. Bracket everything, take notes, and practice, practice, practice.

14th January 2010

My Photography Goals for 2010

Gear,Learning,Travel

Four round bales of hay adorn a snowy hilltop outside of New Glarus, Wisconsin.

It’s no secret to those who know me that I haven’t been very busy taking photographs in 2009. Through a series of setbacks and a variety of distractions I failed to come anywhere close to the number of photographs I created in previous years. In 2010 that will change.

I sat down today to establish some firm/fixed goals for myself in 2010 as they pertain to photography. With a bit of self-motivation and the grace of God I should be able to accomplish them. Then again, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Here is my attempt to memorialize my goals for 2010:

1.) Embark on my trip out west.

2.) Starting on February 1, 2010 take one remarkable photograph once a day for entire year (yes, that’s 365 photographs).

3.) Update my blog at least once every other day.

4.) Update the Todd Klassy Photography page on Facebook as often as my blog is updated.

5.) Publish tweets to my Twitter account every day and add 5 new contacts every day.

6.) Publish a video or vlog to my YouTube account once every week at 7:00 PM CST on Sunday evenings beginning on February 7, 2010.

7.) Add the following necessary photography gear (Canon EF 500mm f/4L lens, Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L lens, Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens, Canon EOS 1D Mark IV camera, and Canon PowerShot G11 camera w/underwater housing).

8.) Acquire portable studio lighting.

9.) Sell prints at no less than 2 art shows.

10.) Have prints in one gallery showing in Wisconsin and one outside of Wisconsin.

11.) Conduct on-location photography workshops in Denver, Chicago, and/or Jackson Hole, WY.

12.) Release a 2011 Wisconsin, Madison, and Wyoming calendar.

13.) Break stock photography contract with Getty.

14.) Thoroughly photograph Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons National Park in the winter, spring, and summer.

15.) Learn the intricacies of digital infrared black & white photography.

16.) Master artificial lighting, including my portable studio lighting.

17.) Embark on my ’36′ project, whereas I carry only one camera with enough memory for only 36 exposures every other day in hopes of teaching myself how doing so made film photographers better photographers.

18.) Never be without my camera.

19.) Read a new photography book once a month.

20.) Schedule a photo shoot once a week with models. Work on my portraiture skills.

21.) Improve my digital darkroom skills.

22.) Investigate large format film photography.

23.) Get published in at least five nationally renown publications.

24.) Begin writing my book.

25.) Learn the necessary skills to survive on the road in the wild (i.e. camping, hiking, motorcycle & automotive repair, emergency survival, etc.).

26.) Learn how to shoot HD video with my camera(s). Also, learn how to edit video.

27.) Update my web page before the end of the year.

28.) Be able to generate a sustainable income for myself based solely on photography (regardless of how meager it may actually be).

29.) Establish an effective process for stock photography sales.

30.) Perfect my online sales process for print orders.

That’s a long list; I know. But I’m serious about this commitment. Let’s see where this voyage takes us.