Irene Rojas Media • Blog
My adventures as a multimedia producer
22nd Annual Swamp Romp at Wolf Trap
You can find the video here.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people in elaborate get-ups are usually pretty passionate about the topic at hand. Hence, they make great interview subjects.
This was my first video for Wolf Trap. Last weekend, I shot the 22nd annual Louisiana Swamp Romp. Based on what I heard at Swamp Romp, I bought Trombone Shorty’s album “Backatown” a few days later. I’d never done that before but he was amazing.
NPR interviews The Go-Go’s at Wolf Trap
NPR's Rachel Martin, left, interviews Belinda Carlisle, center, and Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's at Wolf Trap on June 10, 2011. Martin is a correspondent for "Weekend Edition."
Correspondents from NPR’s “Weekend Edition” stopped by Wolf Trap on Friday to interview members of The Go-Go’s before their concert. Graham asked me to take some photos for the Wolf Trap blog. By the way, Wiedlin’s shirt said, “Taller than Yoda, I am.” Awesome.
Correspondents from NPR's "Weekend Edition" interview Belinda Carlisle, center, and Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's at Wolf Trap on June 10, 2011.
Shiny.
Drum set before sound check for The Go-Go's performance at Wolf Trap on June 10, 2011.
“A Prairie Home Companion”
Garrison Keillor and Andra Suchy sing among audience members before the live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" at Wolf Trap on May 28, 2011.
In case you didn’t know yet, I’m the multimedia intern at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. I was asked to photograph “A Prairie Home Companion” last minute when it came to Wolf Trap. I’d never seen the show live before, so that was fun. Before the start of the live broadcast, Keillor and Suchy walked among the crowd, singing a duet. They ended up back on stage right before the broadcast started.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.
Heather Masse, Nicky Mehta and Ruth Moody (l-r) of The Wailin' Jennys were musical guests on a live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" at Wolf Trap on May 28, 2011.
A mother and son wave flags before a live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" at Wolf Trap on May 28, 2011. The performance was on Memorial Day weekend.
“Derby Girls Don’t Cry”
I spent the past week at the National Press Photographer Association’s Multimedia Immersion workshop in Syracuse, NY. The event started on Tuesday, when we had a series of lectures. In the afternoon, we chose our topics out of a box. This was a big difference from the only other workshop I had attended, Truth with a Camera 2006. Back then, TWAC was held in Norfolk, VA, and we had to arrive with story ideas. I liked the Immersion way better, since it allowed us more time to focus on the lectures and actually shooting.
Time… there was not enough of it. We started shooting Wednesday afternoon and continued on Thursday. During those two days, I got maybe 7 hours of sleep. Many long nights… I thought my days of being in academic buildings at 2am were behind me. Guess not.
On the very first day, Richard Koci Hernandez spoke about how this was one of the few times in our careers when we had permission to fail. His point was that most people who made a mistake during this workshop almost never made that mistake again later. Well, I made one of those mistakes. I forgot my nice headphones on the second day of shooting and had to use different headphones which didn’t block noise as well. Somewhere along the line, I forgot which audio input I was supposed to be monitoring and switched from the lav mic to the shotgun mic. The shotgun mic picked up a lot of background noise during a very important part of an interview. Frustrated as I was, on the way home from Syracuse I stopped by a Staples and bought a bunch of colored labels. When I got home, I color-coded all my audio cables and mic inputs. Now, there should be no question about which input I need to monitor at certain times. I learned that lesson the hard way.
I had some great coaches. Bruce Strong was the Final Cut guy and Liz Baylen was there for pep talks and interview advice. Those were two things I mentioned I wanted help with, and I got quite a bit.
On a different note, the roller derby women were awesome to work with. I worked with the Assault City Roller Derby team. One of them even came to the final presentation at the end of the week. As mentioned in the video, roller derby is one of the few full-contact sports for women. Those are some tough chicks. The title of the video, “Derby Girls Don’t Cry,” comes from when a crying injured roller derby player looked at me later and asked shyly, “Did you get video of me crying? Derby girls don’t cry.” I didn’t want the video to just be about roller derby. As I told the players, I didn’t want the video to be like a Wikipedia page. If that’s the information I wanted to give people, then I would just send them there. I originally started with the thoughts of the injuries as war wounds, but eventually the piece became about where roller derby fits into female culture.
This is the video I submitted at the end, except I removed the Immersion opening video. It looked like the background in the closing Immersion video. I removed it since it made me dizzy.
“Bye Bye Birdie” at West Potomac
Danielle Briosos, left, and Emily Sedlak, right, apply makeup before a preview performance of West Potomac's spring musical show "Bye Bye Birdie" on May 4, 2011.
Last week West Potomac opened its spring musical show, “Bye Bye Birdie.” I didn’t know the dress rehearsal was on Tuesday, so I ended up going to a preview performance on Wednesday. I wasn’t allowed to shoot stage shots, since it was an actual performance, but I’m a happy camper backstage anyways.
Students hurriedly attach lights to a set piece before a preview performance of West Potomac's spring musical show "Bye Bye Birdie" on May 4, 2011.
I do wonder why the lights were being added so last-minute. Anyways, it’s a musical, with singing and dancing. Don’t want to strain anything!
Actresses do neck stretches on stage while the crew tests the lights before a preview performance of West Potomac's spring musical show "Bye Bye Birdie" on May 4, 2011.
Kat Royka, center, and Michaela Berkon, right, talk to Julia Carney, right, while she makes a sign prop before a preview performance of West Potomac's spring musical show "Bye Bye Birdie" on May 4, 2011.
Little moments like this quiet high-five are why I love photography…
Katie Skinner, left, and Jon Poole, right, quietly high-five each other while director Frank Pasqualino addresses the cast and crew of West Potomac's spring musical show "Bye Bye Birdie" on May 4, 2011.
7th Annual Hospital Bed Race in Annandale
In one of the preliminary heats, the Hapmudo Martial Arts Studio raced against the Washington Flyer Taxi team during the 7th Annual Hospital Bed Race on May 7, 2011.
On Saturday I photographed the 7th Annual Hospital Bed Race benefiting Special Olympics Virginia in Annandale. Hospital bed racing, where have you been all my life? Then I remembered it started seven years ago, so right before I spent six and a half years in college and grad school. The idea of decorating things and racing them might not be novel, but it sure is fun when everyone’s in the spirit.
As you can see in the photo above, a hook and ladder truck served as the start and finish line. I asked if I could go up there for pictures (like the firefighter watching from the basket), but my request was rejected. I expected that. I was, however, allowed to get on top of the fire truck for a higher view.
Hong Shik-Kim stood atop the Korean-American Association of Virginia team bed for their lap during the 7th Annual Hospital Bed Race on May 7, 2011.
“Washington Crossing the Delaware,” anyone? The Korean-American Association of Virginia team won the award for the most entertaining team, by the way. Twenty-three teams were registered to run in eight heats. From there, the top three quickest teams were called back into the final heat. While the judges reviewed the times, the students from Hapmudo Martial Arts Studio put on a demonstration.
Members of the Hapmudo Martial Arts Studio performed while judges reviewed lap times and determined the order of the final heat during the 7th Annual Hospital Bed Race on May 7, 2011.
Synchronized, oh yeah! Based on lap times, the final heat consisted of teams from Giant, Silverado, and Gerry Connolly sponsored by Beanetics.
The team from Silverado finished first in the final heat of the 7th Annual Hospital Bed Race on May 7, 2011. A team from Silverado restaurant also won the year before last.
Past the finish line (hospital beds don’t stop on a dime)…
Rep. Gerry Connolly, left, jokes with Florianne Efantis, center, and Chessy Dintruff, right, from the Silverado team after winning the 7th Annual Hospital Bed Race on May 7, 2011. Efantis just learned that Connolly would be speaking at her convocation ceremony at Northern Virginia Community College.
More photos from the morning after the break.
Mt. Vernon Farmers Market
Gilbert McCutcheon, left, takes a strawberry to sample at the insistence of Jesus Ocho, right, at the Laurel Grove Farms tent at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market on May 4, 2011.
The first Mt. Vernon Farmers Market of the season was on Wednesday outside the Sherwood Regional Library. The day started out rainy and dreary. It got nicer… as the market was winding down of course. But these people are farmers. A little rain isn’t going to stop them from selling their tasty tasty wares. I thought it was pretty cool that the products had to be grown within 125 miles of Fairfax County.
Aubrey King listens to a customer while unpacking tomatoes at the Twin Springs Fruit Farm tent at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market on May 4, 2011.
With suggestions from owner Lily Castaño, left, Betsy Rogers, center, with son Johnny, samples salsas, while Lila Rogers, right, eats a tortilla chip at the Salsa Las Glorias tent at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market on May 4, 2011.
Mmmm… samples.
Apple samples went quickly after being put out at the Twin Springs Fruit Farm tent at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market on May 4, 2011.
Open House at Mt. Vernon Antique Center
Guests look at furniture in the Modernicus store during the spring open house of the Mt. Vernon Antique Center on April 30, 2011. Modernicus specializes in vintage and mid-century furnishings.
I liked the row of chairs up in the balcony.
Drew Smith, front, and Laura Stone review a desk at the Modernicus store during the spring open house of the Mt. Vernon Antique Center on April 30, 2011.
Lou Turnipseed measures a glass table at the spring open house of the Mt. Vernon Antique Center on April 30, 2011. She and her husband live in North Carolina and come through the Northern Virginia area every four-six weeks.
West Springfield at West Potomac Boys Lacrosse
West Potomac senior Sulaiman Atwater, right, takes the ball down the field while being chased by West Springfield senior Michael Skaff during the West Springfield at West Potomac varsity boys lacrosse game on April 25, 2011.
This was my first time ever shooting lacrosse. It was definitely a challenge. I think I prefer sports where I can easily see the ball… at the very least, it makes it easier to know where to shoot or who even has the ball. I sure could’ve used a much longer lens too.
West Potomac players Musie Seyoum and Atlee Hershner stop West Springfield senior Jake Flewellyn from shooting during the West Springfield at West Potomac varsity boys lacrosse game on April 25, 2011. Despite a second half surge by the home team, West Springfield won 17-7.
Easter Sunday Petting Zoo
This past Sunday, the Washington Community Church had pony rides and a petting zoo as part of its Easter Sunday activities. People came out after church and it was kind of fun to watch these very nicely dressed kids getting pony rides and petting llamas. This was for a stand-alone gallery for Patch. I thought the following photo worked well as an opening scene setter. I hope the cross in the background get it a sense of season. The animals were from the Leesburg Animal Park. In other news, shooting under the shade of trees is hard. You can expose correctly for one part of the picture, but you also have to accept the sunny areas will be much brighter.
The Washington Community Church hosted pony rides and a petting zoo as part of its Easter Sunday activities for the public on the property of church members Michel and Lyndl Joseph on April 24, 2011.
Benjamin Knapp, left, and Blake Berry, right, brush a lamb at a petting zoo hosted by the Washington Community Church as part of its Easter Sunday activities on April 24, 2011.
Tess Race reacts to a bunny's soft fur while hugging it at a petting zoo hosted by the Washington Community Church as part of its Easter Sunday activities on April 24, 2011.
It was a very fluffy bunny. In the next photo, I actually didn’t notice that you could see the girl touching the duckling’s foot until I was editing. It was a pleasant surprise. I really like her brother’s body language.
Steve Edwards, left, holds a duckling while daughter Maddie Edwards pets its foot and son Parker Edwards waits to pet it during a petting zoo hosted by the Washington Community Church on April 24, 2011.
Surrounded by farm animals, Farah Kenney, center, ponders which one to pet during a petting zoo hosted by the Washington Community Church as part of its Easter Sunday activities on April 24, 2011.
