Redlights and Redeyes

newt, mitt, ron, and rick…

February 1, 2012 by chip

I could sit here and write a ton of copy about covering Florida politics. Fact of the matter is, it’s weird, it’s draining, and it’s one of most fun things I get to do in photojournalism. With that, here are some random rectangles from the week of covering Mitt Romney’s win in the Florida Primary with some scraps from the cutting room floor as a bonus. Tweet

Categories: chip litherland, photography, photojournalism industry, photos, politics, The New York Times • Tags: Campaign, Elections, FL, gingrich, GOP Debate, paul, politics, romney, santorum, Tampa, The New York Times

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I-4 or bust

February 1, 2012 by chip

I-4 is an interesting road. Connecting Daytona, Orlando and Tampa, it slices the nub of South Florida right off the map, it provides a vast array of landmarks – strange kitschy theme parks, vasectomy billboards, and rest stop oasis after oasis. It is also fertile ground for voters and an area candidates target every election cycle. The New York Times sent me with a reporter and videographer to tackle I-4 man-on-the street style to try to find folks opinionated about [...]

Categories: in print, photography, photos, politics, promo, The New York Times, theme park • Tags: Chip Litherland, color, daytona beach, economy, Florida, foreclosure, I-4, I-4 corridor, kissimmee, lake buena vista, lakeland, Orlando, plant city, politics, Tampa, Travel

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it’s the aperture, stupid

September 24, 2011 by chip

I am definitely coming up with some pieces of flair for photojournalists on the election trail. It can be a lonely place out there covering politics, running from spray to rope to riser, sending from the floor of some conference room, being surrounded by thousands, but only knowing the 10 other photographers in the pool. All of that, and we have to remain neutral the whole time – without a single piece of flair to adorn our credential laden torso. [...]

Categories: photos, politics, The New York Times • Tags: Chip Litherland, CPAC, debate, Florida, Fox News, Google, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, Newt, Presidential Debate, Republican, Rick Perry, romney, Ron Paul

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that’s how you debate

September 14, 2011 by chip

Suit. Check. Tie. Check. Podium. Check. Stage full of red, white, and blue accents. Check. Talking points. Check. American flag pin. Check. Finger pointing. Check. Riser. Check. Twenty other photographers getting the same shot. Check. I really do love covering politics…there’s that inherent challenge in making something unique that goes beyond what is literally handed to you. You are given a single seat. You sit. You point. You click. Not only are you put in one spot, you’re almost [...]

Categories: photojournalism industry, photos, politics, The New York Times • Tags: bachmann, Chip Litherland, color, debate, florida primary, gingrich, paul, perry, politics, republican presidential debate, romney, Tampa, Tea Party

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spf

June 14, 2011 by chip

Well, it was go to the beach and be the only dude wearing jeans in nearly 100 degree weather day. Life as a Florida photojournalist could be rougher, I guess, but for a simple story about new F.D.A. regulations for the marketing of sunscreen (running in tomorrow’s New York Times) you would think finding someone doing just that would be easier. It was either run around with a telephoto and look like a creep or get up close and run [...]

Categories: photos, The New York Times, travel • Tags: beach bum, bikini, burn, Chip Litherland, f.d.a., fda, Florida, sand, sarasota, siesta beach, spf, sun, sun screen, sunblock, sunscreen, tan, tanning lotion, Travel, vacation

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behind the curtain of cirque

June 8, 2011 by chip

Behind the scenes at Cirque du Soleil? Yes, please. My only complaint wasn’t having more days to shoot. It was visual overload, but even in one full day, the crew literally worked on only a few real seconds of the actual production. There is that much attention to detail. The New York Times sent me to Orlando to meet up with Cirque du Soleil, who took over the old Amway Arena to prepare their newest show, Zarkana, which opens this [...]

Categories: photos, The New York Times • Tags: acting, behind the scenes, Chip Litherland, cirque du soleil, color, new york times, stage, theater, zarkana

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foreclosureda

May 16, 2011 by chip

Assignment: go on tour with realtor and reporter to homes left abandoned in North Port, FL. If anything had “oh-no” written all over it, that did. I’ve been on the “tour-with-realtor” assignments a million times before, not getting into any house, struggling to make pictures at 65 mph. However, the realtor, Shannon Moore, saved the day. She understood exactly what I wanted, and had all the codes and keys to make it happen over a couple hours on an [...]

Categories: photos, random gratuitousness, sprawlscapes, The New York Times • Tags: Chip Litherland, Florida, foreclosure, housing crash, new york times, north port, port charlotte

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history or his story?

May 5, 2011 by chip

At first glance the photo is history. This is the moment in time that will forever be remembered. For what most of what America saw in print, the images were completely false. By now, most have heard the photo of POTUS announcing that Osama bin Laden had been killed was a re-enactment. Still shooters were kept out of the room during the televised address to the nation. Second passed, then President Obama walked right back in and fakes it [...]

Categories: photojournalism industry, photos, politics, The New York Times • Tags: Chip Litherland, ethics, Flickr, Obama, osama bin laden, photojouralism, photoshop, potus, re-enactments, white house

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japan in photos

March 13, 2011 by chip

Wow. No other words can describe the imagery and devastation coming out of Japan right now following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami Friday. Whenever anyone asked where I always wanted to go in the world if I had my choice, the answer has always been Japan. I never got the chance to see it - I hope the Japanese people recover from this sooner than later, but I can’t even imaging the amount of lives lost and destruction in the [...]

Categories: Big Picture, news, photojournalism industry, photos, shout outs, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal • Tags: Chip Litherland, disaster, Earthquake, Japan, photo blogs, photojournalism, tsunami

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maybe she’s born with it

February 24, 2011 by chip

There’s a period of time I like to call Photo Purgatory. It’s the time between when an editor calls and you for an assignment and when you actually get to said assignment. That moment where you find out what it is versus how it was described in the few sentences is essentially Heaven/Hell. This one surprised me. Essentially, I was told that this New York Times shoot was to go to a permanent makeup class at 1pm in Oldsmar, FL. [...]

Categories: photos, The New York Times • Tags: Chip Litherland, color, cosmetics, Florida, John Hashey, makeup, Oldsmar, permanent makeup, school, tattoo, The New York Times

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