Irene Rojas Media • Blog
My adventures as a multimedia producer
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.
Fort Hunt Warriors Rugby
Chris Tadie, Oduro Agyei-Boateng, Dale Roach, C.J. Sumpter, Josh Wood, Andrew West, and Darien Pickett (left-right) chase a ball during practice of the Fort Hunt Warriors, a U-19 high school rugby team, at Bucknell Manor Park on April 21, 2011. Many players come from West Potomac and Mount Vernon High Schools.
The past week was spring break for Fairfax County schools. This meant no high school sports over at West Potomac. But that didn’t mean no sports anywhere. The Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association held its annual spring break rugby clinics. I actually went to the general one first but the coach suggested I check out the high school boys practice instead, since it would have more people (and therefore, more visual opportunities). As an added bonus, most of the kids are from either West Potomac or Mt. Vernon High Schools, so they were still in the Huntington-Belle Haven coverage area.
I was at William & Mary when I last shot any form of rugby… I graduated in 2008. So it had been a while. It was also very sunny since the practice was from 4-6pm. It’s always hard shooting at an aperture that deals with strong sun but doesn’t completely hide details in shadows, without using fill flash.
Connor Collett, center, watches as he throws the ball in while Dale Roach, left, and Zach Prinzbach, right, fight for the ball in the air during practice of the Fort Hunt Warriors, a high school rugby team, at Bucknell Manor Park on April 21, 2011. Though the Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Assocation has been running youth rugby programs for six years, this is the first year they have fielded a boys high school team.
Connor Collett, right, makes a tackle on Josh Wood, center, as Darien Pickett, left, arrives to finish the tackle during practice for the Fort Hunt Warriors, a high school rugby team, at Bucknell Manor Park on April 21, 2011.
Zach Prinzbach, left, prepares to catch the ball thrown from Dale Roach, right, during a drill excercise at practice for the Fort Hunt Warriors, a high school rugby team, at Bucknell Manor Park on April 21, 2011.
Spring Garden Market at River Farm
Lily Adkins, left, pushes a make-shift cart with her familys purchases during the Spring Garden Market at River Farm on April 15, 2011.
On Friday I went to the second day of the Spring Garden Market at River Farm. Located on the banks of the Potomac River, River Farm once belonged to George Washington and is now the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society. I only had time to go around mid-day, hence the strong sun. I really didn’t want to use fill flash, so I used ISO200, set the aperture around f4.5-f5 and cranked up the shutter.
Organizers expected about 20 local and regional vendors for the Spring Garden Market at River Farm on April 15, 2011.
Margie Lloyd, center, helps Nancy Raley, right, inspect a tamukeyama (Japanese maple) tree at the Cedar Creek Gardens booth during the Spring Garden Market at River Farm on April 15, 2011.
It’s not quite Audrey Jr., but it’s a carnivorous plant and it’s neat.
Carnivorous plants, such as these pitcher plants and fly traps, are sold as natural pest-killers at the Carnivorous Plant Nursery booth at the Spring Garden Market at River Farm on April 15, 2011.
Carol Siegel, left, listens as Bill Boone, right, explains the root system of a hellebores plant at the Spring Garden Market at River Farm on April 15, 2011. Boone operates Chesapeake Landscape and Design.
TC Williams at West Potomac Boys Tennis
West Potomac senior Drew Sanders hits a forehand during warm-up before the T.C. Williams at West Potomac varsity boys tennis match on April 13, 2011. Despite losing four singles matches, including Sanders, West Potomac dominated in doubles and won 5-4 overall.
Unlike with the girls match a few weeks ago, I was only allowed inside the fence during the warm-up. I don’t know if that’s a safety or policy thing, but it meant I had to shoot as much as possible during the warm-up. I still shot a little from outside the fence during the actual matches, but not surprisingly, the shots were wider because I was further away.
West Potomac senior Davis Gaddy serves during his singles match at the T.C. Williams at West Potomac varsity boys tennis match on April 13, 2011. Gaddy won his singles match at the third spot.
Woodlawn Stables Horse Show
Karly Clayton, left, soothes Coquette before a schooling show at Woodlawn Stables on April 9, 2011.
Saturday morning I went to my first horse show (also called a schooling show) at Woodlawn Stables. While I really like how all the photos came out, these five are my favorites.
Lulu Wheeler, the show's judge, observes as horses and riders enter the ring for the schooling show at Woodlawn Plantations on April 9, 2011.
Karly Clayton jumps a hurdle during a schooling show at Woodlawn Stables on April 9, 2011.
Joan Mitchell, far right, presents Sam Halo, left, and Obie with a fifth-place ribbon for the "Ride a buck" event at a schooling show at Woodlawn Stables on April 9, 2011.
Drummer looks out his stall at Woodlawn Stables on April 9, 2011.
27th Annual Parkway Classic
Nothing like waking up at 5:30am to cover a race. It’s important to keep warm in the cool morning temps. These women did it by sitting back-to-back.
Dolores Grenier, left, laughs at a joke from Andrea Dollar, right, before the start of the 27th annual Parkway Classic at the Mt. Vernon estate on April 10, 2011.
As a former high school tennis player, I have a special place in my heart of bagels… especially when they come in bulk bags. I wish I’d asked how many bagels they had ordered.
Joe Buchy gets a bagel from a bulk bag before the start of the 27th annual Parkway Classic at the Mt. Vernon estate on April 10, 2011.
Somebody wasn’t following directions.
Rick Coe, foreground, leads runners in warm-up excercises before the start of the 27th annual Parkway Classic at the Mt. Vernon estate in April 10, 2011.
Seven thousand runners were registered in the 27th annual Parkway Classic, which started at the Mt. Vernon estate on April 10, 2011. Runners had the option of a 10-mile or 5K course.
The course of the 27th annual Parkway Classic started at the Mt. Vernon estate, headed through the George Washington Memorial Parkway and finished in Old Town, Alexandria, on April 10, 2011.
