Crowd Braves the Rain for Festivities, Fireworks

The annual Gainesville night of music, pyrotechnics and fun to start the July 4 holiday made a successful -- albeit rain-delayed -- return this past Saturday night with Fanfares & Fireworks at Flavet Field at the University of Florida.

Participants gather to watch the fireworks display during the Fanfare and Fireworks Independence day celebration at the University of Florida's Flavet Field on Saturday, July 3, 2010.

A participant dressed as Uncle Sam sends a text as others take shelter from the rain during the Fanfare and Fireworks Independence day celebration at the University of Florida's Flavet Field.

Hunter Annin, 7, watches sparks fly from her sprinkler during the Fanfare and Fireworks Independence day celebration at the University of Florida's Flavet Field.

Jeff Wright, left, and Yugala Meier, right, protect themselves from the evening rain as they watch the Gainesville Community Band perform during the Fanfare and Fireworks Independence day celebration at the University of Florida's Flavet Field.

Fanfare and Fireworks Independence day celebration at the University of Florida's Flavet Field on Saturday, July 3, 2010.

Leads Bring No Breakthrough in Teen's Slaying

200 people come together to honor Sebastian Ochsenius

Teen's life and work remembered at vigil

The family of slain 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius, bottom left, are surrounded by a crowd of more than 200 people who came out to support the family and remember the life of Ochsenius during a candlelight vigil at Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Florida on Friday, July 2, 2010.

Family members of Sebastian Ochsenius gather with supporters for a candlelight vigil in Sebastian's honor at Buchholz High School.

Whitney Myatt, left, and Carolina Ochsenius, 17, right, share an emotional moment as they watch a slideshow of memories of the the slain 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius during a candlelight vigil for Sebastian at Buchholz High School.

Olivia Turpening, 16, left, is consoled by Adam Nolan, 15, right, during a candlelight vigil for slain 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius at Buchholz High School.

MariaJose Ochsenius is consoled by her brother Boris Ochsenius, Jr., left, during a candlelight vigil for their brother Sebastian Ochsenius at Buchholz High School.

Jefferson Young, left, and Nicki Morris, 17, embrace as they watch a slideshow of pictures of the slain 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius during a candlelight vigil at Buchholz High School.

Miranda Thomas, 15, gazes at her candle as she shares her memories of the slain 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius during a candlelight vigil at Buchholz High School.

Several students wore custom made t-shirts with the phase, "Sebastian gone but never forgotten," during a candlelight vigil for slain 16-year-old Sebastian Ochsenius at Buchholz High School.

A Look Back At 2009: Sports Edition pt.2

High School Sports

Here are a few sports shots of local high school athletes and games during the year. Buchholz 1st baseman Alex Graham prepares to return a catch during baseball practice at Buchholz High School.

Keystone Heights first baseman Chase Julius tries to out Williston High's D.J. King during the second inning at Keystone High School. Keystone High took the win over Williston High during the bottom of the seventh inning at Keystone High School.

Williston's Isaac Floyd goes up to block a lay-up by P.K. Yonge's Devin Wilson defender Carl Brown during the fourth quarter at Williston High School. Williston defeated P.K. Yonge 55-50.

Bartram Trail's Mik Monachino heavily guards Eastside High's Tekerya Davis during the final minutes of the fourth quarter as Bartram Trail defeats Eastside High 77-54 during the girl regional semi-finals at Eastside High School.

Oak Hall first baseman Dylan Wright looses possession of the ball to out Providence runner Matt Flakus during the bottom of the fifth inning at Oak Hall's Roger Maris Field. Providence defeated Oak Hall 14-3.

Eastside High tight end Rodney Mills runs a 53-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the homecoming game against Ocala Vanguard at Citizens Field. Eastside went on to lose their homecoming game.

From left, Clayton Cutshall, 9, Trey Sanchez, 9, and Jonathan Murphy, 9, races to chase down a fly ball during the Gator Baseball Youth Daycamp at McKethan Stadium

A Look Back At 2009: Sports Edition pt.1

A to Z's

At the Sun, we have sports feature called "A to Z" on high school athletes who according to their coaches, are the top athletes on their team during the season. These athletes are asked a question from A to Z These are a few sports portraits I really liked that I shot in 2009.

Known as one of the fastest athletes in the state, Eastside High School senior sprinter John Little at the University of Florida Pressly Stadium. The concept behind this was to create the look that he is here but gone.....FAST!! The second photo is a shot from the first track meet I ever shot. Little is the one in the center. He won the race.

Santa Fe High School junior guard C.J. Wakeley at the Santa Fe High gymnasium. C.J. was really hesitant to sit "Above The Rim" but I finally got him up there......but it took 2 coaches & 3 teammates to get him down. I have fun doing these lol.

Eastside High girls basketball point guard Umekie DeBose at the Eastside High School gymnasium. I chose this portrait because of the composition between the Umekie, the basketball and the Eastside Ram logo in the background all in focus. The basketball makes the ram appear to have basketball on the mind.

A Look Back At 2009 pt. 2

Cirque Du Soleil: Saltimbanco

I've always wanted to go to a Cirque Du Soleil show. I still do. They just so happen to come to Gainesville for a performance at the University of Florida. It was AMAZING!! Unfortunately, as a newspaper photographer you can only shoot a short period of time. Not the whole show. These are photos of members of the house troupe taking the stage. I got the chance to photograph them twice though: the rehearsal and the performance. The rehearsal was very limited to newspapers and to me a tad bit boring. The show was definitely worth it. Gotta get to Vegas soon.

Remembering WWII
In Gainesville, veterans of war or highly praised during the year for their service to the United States military. Whether you served on the frontline of any war or played an homeland role in helping people in the armed forces in anyway. I appreciate those people. My grandfather served in the WWII and I never got a chance to meet him because he died when my mother was young. I got the chance to go to veterans display at a local bookstore and the stories were interesting. I never meet a veterans that doesn't have a few stories to tell. These are a few photos from the display.


A St. Louis Star-News newspaper front page that states "War Declared" dated back to Monday, December 8, 1941 sits on display during the Patriotic and Historical Alliance of North Central Florida WWII veterans display at the NW 13th Street Books-A-Million bookstore in Gainesville.

During the event Tim Bryant, left, shares a moment with Col. Phillip Newman, a World War II veteran and director of World War II Heroes: "Walking History" school visitation program. "It seems like a different time back then. You gotta remember them," said Bryant.

Col. Phillip Newman points to a map where he was stationed in North Africa in 1944.

Ms Jackie's Pain

Grace "Jackie" Garrison looks through debris in what was her living room for any of the families belongings after an old oak tree fell through Garrison's home located in Alachua, Florida. Grace "Jackie" Garrison look on to listen to her Pastor Adrian Weeks, left, of St. Matthew Baptist Church as Weeks discusses temporary living arrangements for Garrison and her family.

A Look Back At 2009

Semi-Truck vs Bicycle

On a rainy afternoon after making a delivery, FedEx truck driver Erick Haufge, right, ran over a 6-year-old Kimball Wiles Elementary student at Tower Square at the intersecton of Archer and Tower roads. Alachua County sheriff's Deputy Becky Butscher, left, investigates the semi-vs-bicyclist accident in which FedEx truck driver Erick Hauge, was highly helpful with the accident and explained the intersection is difficult to see around. The kid was drug a short distance before Hauge realized what had happened and immediately stopped the truck. The kid was rushed to the hospital and was fine without any major injuries. Law enforcement got together to get a new bike for the boy but the sad part is shortly after giving the kid the bicycle, they found out he stole the bike the was hit on. MAN!!

The Massage Chain
In attempt to break Guinness World Record, area massage students with the Florida School of Massage invited students and members of the community to receive free massages at University House apartment complex. Maggie Hunter receives a neck massage by Rachel Moore, a recent graduate of the Florida School of Massage, while trying to break the Guinness World Record for "longest massage chain," a title currently held by the United Kingdom with 430 participants. Massage student Cavan Mair, center, a recent graduate of the Florida School of Massage, gives a massage to Santa Fe College student Jessica Fasig as participants wait on their free massage. It was a good event even though it began to ran. Students toughed it out and made the most out of the day. The current title holder is the United Kingdom with 430 participants, Florida School of Massage students had less than 300 participants. Good music and good times. Wish I could have received a massage.

Wounded Warrior
I decided to a blog to look back at some amazing stories I have photographed as a photojournalist at The Gainesville Sun newspaper here in Gainesville, FL. One story a few months back, is a retired Army captain by the name of Johnathan Pruden. I met with him at Gainesville Prosthetics. His story is about Pruden loosing his leg in the war while serving his country. After having his leg amputated, months in the hospital and 20 surgeries, Pruden came to Gainesville Prosthetics to pick up a brand new Carbon Graphite socket prosthetic leg with a flex foot that will allow him to walk and run. The leg wasn't one of those fancy ones you see athletes use to run in the Special Olympics, but it was made out of material used on NASA Space Shuttles. That's cool right?

Dr. Paul Prusakowski, a certified prosthetist/orthotist, uses a torque wrench to align the new prosthetic leg for Retired Army captain Johnathan Pruden at Prusakowski's orthotics and prosthetic care clinic, Gainesville Prosthetics. Pruden know works as the Area Outreach Coordinator for the Wounded Warrior Project, a project that helps wounded service members and their families as they recover and transition back into civilian life.

Science Fair Night: Focus on Physical Science

I was assigned a science fair at an elementary school one day. I was like you gotta be kidding me!! I was literally thinking what possibly could elementary school kids do for a science fair that was so damn interesting. Talk a bout dreading shooting this one. I pulled up to the elementary school and literally sat in my car for 5 to 10mins. trying to motivate myself to get something interesting. As I walked up, I saw a sign directing me to Science Fair Night: Focus on Physical Science at Talbot Elementary School. I walked into the schools cafeteria and inside to my surprised were 100 White cardboard presentation boards we all, especially myself, used for projects in elementary and middle school I know I put almost no thought into making look interesting enough to present, lined up on cafeteria tables. I didn't know what to expect.

I walked around for a bit and saw a video of this kid who made a Hover Craft.........A HOVER CRAFT!!!! My first thought was the Hover Board from the classic movie Back to the Future: Part II, one of the most AWESOMENESS movies Ever Made!! Everybody wished they had that board....even though it was pink. Anyway, 10 year old Addison Foli took participants to the basketball court near the schools playground to demonstrate his hover craft made using a tarp, duct tap, cardboard and a powerful leaf blower. The photo features kindergardener Jordan Rodriquez, 5, runs around Foli during his science fair demonstration. Addison Foli built the hover craft with no brakes or steering powered by a leaf blower. The hover craft went up to speeds of at least 5mph.

Students and their parents gather as 4th grader Steven Goodman, 10, prepares for the launching of her Water Model Rocket she built as her science fair project. She took it really serious too. But it was an actual water rocket that she built for The Water Model Rocket Division of the Science Education Communication in Math Enrichment program (SECME) at Talbot Elementary School. You gotta give KiDS credit these days. They are learning more than we every did. Try helping them with they homework. They have you sitting their pondering the answer for 15mins while they stair at you like you stupid. Not that that has ever happened to me before. Just joking!! But no they are alot smarter than we think.