Nash, Amaré Rally Suns

When the Suns were down by more than 20 points at the half I was pretty sure they had lost the game - boy was I wrong. "The Suns outscored the Nuggets 81-47 in the second half for their largest scoring half since 1994. Stoudemire and Nash combined for more second-half points (48) than Denver had."

"Phoenix made its greatest comeback for victory at home in franchise history, rallying from a 22-point deficit to rock US Airways Center with a rollicking rally and a 132-117 victory against Denver."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0331suns.html

(captions: first photo) spt-suns0401 150213 -- 03/31/08 -- Sun's Shaquille O'Neal (cq) posts up against Denver's Marcus Camby (cq) during the second half Monday night at U.S. Airways Center. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

LPGA Safeway International

The LPGA Safeway International in Gold Canyon, Arizona was played this weekend. The course is beautiful - supposed to be one of the nicest LPGA tournaments on tour. All the top players were here, including # 1 in the world Lorena Ochoa and #2 Annika Sorenstam. Cheryl Evans and I were assigned to shoot the first 3 rounds (Thursday, Friday, Satuday). Here are some of my favorites - mostly in chronological order.


(second photo in above slideshow.) spt-safeway0328 151233 -- 03/27/08 -- Patricia Sorano (cq) of Chandler waves a mexican flag as Mexican national and last years champion Lorena Ochoa (cq) birdies the 18th hole Thursday at the LPGA Safeway International in Gold Canyon. Ochoa finished her first round seven shots under par and in second place. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Here are some related links:
http://img.azcentral.com/sports/golf/articles/0327lpgaupdate.html
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/golf/articles/0330lpgaON.html
http://www.azcentral.com/commphotos/azcentral/5503/13/19/

Western Kentucky in Phoenix

Western Kentucky has made it to the sweet 16 in this years NCAA national tournament and will play UCLA at US Airways arena in Phoenix Thursday.


It's not very often I have a video assignment that has to be shot and edited in the same day - this one was shot in the mid afternoon and had to be ready for tomorrow's front page - it will refer to the video. The most challenging part was that I did not have a media credential for the games - so they wouldn't let me in with all the gear (the reporter had to shoulder the large camera bag and my two cameras) and I wasn't allowed onto the floor. And unfortunately, now that I watch it from home I notice a few glitches that i wish weren't there... but i guess i'm learning. good luck WKU - I had UCLA out of my bracket last round.

Diehard WKU fans

ncaaregional0327 -- 03/26/08 -- When asked whether they believed WKU could make it to the final-four of the NCAA Tournament Jane Jones (cq), left, quickly responded, "Of course!" while Ray (cq) seemed a little more hesitant. The Jones' are from Bowling Green, Kentucky and made the trip with the team for Thursday's matchup against UCLA in Phoenix. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Higher Learning at Trapeze U

Trapeze University recently opened in Gilbert, Arizona and Melissa Covarrubias shows us what its like.

Mature Workers

liv-matureworkers0327 151133-- 03/20/08 -- Registered nurse Florence Polk, 71 of Fountain Hills, tends to 2 1/2 month old Nicole Samantha of Chandler in the NICU of Scottsdale Heathcare-Shea Hospital Thursday evening in the Scottsdale Healthcare Shea hospital. Polk works the night shift three days a week. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Related story: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0326matureworkers0327.html

Glendale Avenue

Glendale city council is planning redevelopment along Glendale Avenue - Barber & Beauty Styling and Hal's Radiator Service, both located on the avenue, were contacted for me to show the current work and businesses on the avenue.


(captions of fourth photo in above slideshow) 03/19/08 -- Hal's Radiator Service employee Arturo Solis of Glendale reaches his right hand inside a client's engine to clean and flush the radiator Wednesday afternoon in Glendale. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Golden Buddha

fd-goldenbuddha 151028 -- 03/16/08 -- Prep cook Jiji Shao (cq) checks on the steamed food in the Golden Buddha kitchen Sunday in Phoenix. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Spring Family Celebration 2008

(5th photo in slideshow above) st-spring 150762 -- 03/15/08 -- Five-year-old Devlin Sarratt (cq) of Queen Creek blows bubbles at a kids learning station Saturday at Queen Creek's annual Spring Family Celebration at Desert Mountain Park. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic


st-spring 150762 -- 03/15/08 -- Seven-year-old Will Perry (cq) of Queen Creek slips while rock climbing Saturday at Queen Creek's annual Spring Family Celebration at Desert Mountain Park. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic


st-spring 150762 -- 03/15/08 -- Nine-year-old Wolfgang Kassa (cq), right, and seven-year-old Kade Rodriguez (cq), both of Queen Creek, joust each other Saturday at Queen Creek's annual Spring Family Celebration at Desert Mountain Park. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Dog orphanage

dogfolo0316 151088 -- 03/15/08 -- Stacey Somero (cq) of Apache Junction plays with Rhea (cq), a chihuahua she recently took in from Tucson, as the morning sky reflects off their front window. Somero provides short term care for rescue dogs who will then find new owners. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

dogfolo0316 151088 -- 03/15/08 -- Stacey Somero (cq) of Apache Junction plays with Drew (cq) her chihuahua as he enjoys the morning sun. Somero recently took in three chihuahuas from Tucson; she provides short term care for rescue dogs who will then find new owners. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic
Read more about the abusive lifestlye these chihuahuas came from: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0312dogs-seized0312-ON.html

Gas prices affecting local biz

gr-gas 150983 -- 03/12/08 -- Debbie Kadlee (cq) of Gilbert-owned Majestic Charter & Transportation, LLC goes through her routine of filling out her driver's log before filling up her 47-passenger bus Wednesday morning at Love's Travel Stop in Chandler. Diesel gas was $3.82 per gallon. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic


gr-gas 150983 -- 03/12/08 -- Debbie Kadlee (cq) of Gilbert-owned Majestic Charter & Transportation, LLC fills up her 47-passenger bus Wednesday morning at Love's Travel Stop in Chandler. Diesel gas was $3.82 per gallon. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Racing for Mayor in Mesa

MesaElex0312 150890 -- 03/11/08 -- Mesa mayoral candidate Rex Griswold (cq) reacts to seeing the first results appear on the television along side his wife Mary Ellen (cq) Tuesday night in Mesa. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Ostrich Races

The Chandler Ostrich Festival was a lot of fun this weekend. My wife, Rachel, was my assistant on Friday as I was shooting both video and stills and I only have 2 hands. We had a good time, though we didn't get to ride any of the rides or enjoy much of the festivities. While I was filming I saw the opportunity for 2 stories instead of just 1 and even though I knew that would mean more work, I thought it would make for better stories since we try to keep our stories pretty short and concise - 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

i had the most fun when i was in the stall next to the Ostrich Handler as he harnessed the ostriches before the races. To be honest, I was kinda nervous the ostriches were going to peck my eye out - they are very intimidating birds that like to hiss and approach you with their looong necks. The races were pretty crazy too.


After Friday nights video shooting I ended up getting assigned to go back on Saturday to capture the festival with stills for Sunday's paper - fun times.

Here are some of the stills:

Chandler Ostrich Festival

This is a second video I made from this weekends Ostrich Festival - more of a general overview of the festival itself.


And here are some of the stills:

The Chandler Six

cr-chandlerbase0312 150940 -- 03/10/08 -- From left: Mike Handel (cq), Tim Barraza (cq), Michael Morales (cq), Jose Bracamonte (cq), Ryan Davis (cq), and Jordan Oliva (cq) are all seniors on Chandler High's baseball team. They have played on the same teams for the past 10 years and this may be their last as a group. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

ASU golfer - Braxton Marquez

sr-marquez0318 150941 -- 03/10/08 -- ASU sophomore golfer Braxton Marquez (cq) of Scottsdale watches his bunker shot roll inches from the hole during practice Monday at Karsten Golf Course in Tempe. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Lice Lady

liv-liceladies0318 150906 -- 03/09/08 -- Michele Earl checks a clients hair for lice eggs by using a comb out and detangler spray. Earl has between four and 10 customers a week. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Related story: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0318liceladies0318.html

2008 PDGA - The Memorial

03/06/08 -- Nick Rapp (cq) of Illinois throws his disc across a lake towards the 14th basket Thursday afternoon at the 2008 PDGA tour event at Vista del Camino Park in Scottsdale. Brian Rossi of California, Steve Brinster of New Jersey, and Luke Butch of Las Vegas competed in the same group Thursday. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

FIRST Robotics Competition

(2nd picture in above slide show) phx-robot0308-wild art 150852 -- 03/06/08 -- Eric Ament (cq), right, of Westwood High School, practices Thursday for the Arizona Regional FIRST Robotics Competition that will be held Saturday at the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. --Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

For more information: http://azfirst.org

Peek into the Phoenix Zoo

Assignment #2 since Gannett video training was another combined project with my partner Ed. We got to spend last Friday morning at the Phoenix Zoo. I'm pretty satisfied with our video - I just wish there had been more animals out and about. I feel like I'm getting fairly comfortable with Avid as this project needed 6 audio and 2 video channels.

This weekend I get to cover the Ostrich Festival - should be fun!!

Survivor Day at the Ballpark

(3rd photo in slideshow) swv-beam0305 150742 -- 03/02/08 -- Three year cancer survivor Margaret Broadus (cq) of Chandler signs a steel beam that will be in the new Cancer Treatment Centers of America facility in Goodyear as part of "Survivor Day at the Ballpark" (cq) Sunday at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa. --Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

NEW: Feathered Dinosaurs Exhibit

dinosaurs0301 150722 -- 03/01/08 -- Jane Hall (cq) of Mesa holds her five-year-old son Logen (cq) at the new Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight exhibit at the Arizona Museum of Natural History Saturday in Mesa. The exhibit runs until September 28th.--Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic


dinosaurs0301 150722 -- 03/01/08 -- Six-year-old Jimmy Muff of Chicago gets a closer look at Caudipteryx in Ultraviolet Light (cq) at the new Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight exhibit at the Arizona Museum of Natural History Saturday in Mesa. The exhibit runs until September 28th.--Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

Azcentral's 5A soccer POYs

My third assignment Saturday was a portrait shoot for an article on the men's and women's soccer player of the year in the 5A division. The location and time of day were arranged by the reporter (a cliff side overlooking phoenix at about 230 pm - not the best time of day for a portrait but it worked pretty well) so I arrived 20 minutes early to scope out the location. The photo request wanted portraits of the players w/ the city skyline in the back, and though they weren't the most creative, they worked. In the paper they laid them on the page facing each other like below.


Left: spt-hs5Apoysocc0303 150746 -- 03/01/08 -- The Arizona Republic's Big School Soccer Player of the Year: Pinnacle High's Kyle Ciliento (cq), who became the state's all-time leader in goals with 160. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic
Right: spt-hs5Apoysocc0303 150746 -- 03/01/08 -- The Arizona Republic's Big School Girls Soccer Player of the Year: Corona del Sol's Brittany Cole (cq) had 22 goals and 19 assists despite being the focal point of every opposing defense. -- Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/The Arizona Republic

After completing what was asked of me, I took some other portraits trying to tell more of the story. To me, the big story was that Kyle had set a state record for 160 goals during his high school career. His senior year I believe he scored 60 goals and had some 37 assists - pretty impressive. Shooting him from below and having him look into the light I feel gave him a 'king of the mountain' feel.

Inside Modified

Modified Arts is a music and art venue in downtown Phoenix. Ed and I were assigned to cover the venue for our first assignment since video training last week. We learned a lot - especially how to deal with technical camera issues. The piece is no emmy award winner - some parts are shaky and others are out of focus, but i think it gives a good feel for the place. Enjoy.