Duane Chapman, a biologist at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center holds 5 week-old Bighead carp in the wet lab on July 26, 2010 in Columbia, Mo. | Canon 5D Mark II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 70mm | Exposed 1/125 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 800 (+1/3 EV)

Yesterday I had an opportunity to sit down with Duane Chapman, a research fish biologist with the United States Geological Survey’s Columbia Environmental Research Center.  Chapman took an interest in Asian carp several years ago and has become an expert on their behavior and has been studying some of the environmental requirements for their survival, such as the velocity of the flow of a river needed for their eggs to successful.
(...)
Read the rest of My first encounter with Bighead carp (233 words)

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | 2 comments | Master's Project: Asian Carp, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism

Filleted fish are pushed towards the large garbage disposal in the drain of the fish cleaning station at Salmon-a-Rama on July 18, 2010 in Racine, Wis. | Canon 1D Mark III and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 70mm | Exposed 1/80 sec. @ f/5.6, ISO 400 (0EV)

On Sunday, Salmon-a-Rama wrapped up with angler Roger Hellen taking the grand prize of $10,000 for his 41.5 pound Brown trout caught on Thursday.  It was the final day of the tournament, and I knew that it was a make-or-break day for me as I needed a few more interviews and some different images.  I was tired of hauling all of the lenses that I had been taking with me every day, so in favor of the 70-200mm f/4L IS lens that is my standard telephoto, I borrowed my dad’s 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens–one of only two Canon lens that intentionally diffracts light to create a more compact lens.  (The other is my longest lens, the 400mm f/4 DO IS.)

I’m hoping to put together an audio slideshow of Salmon-a-Rama that could stand alone from, as well as become a part of, my master’s project on Asian carp and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Cleaned and filleted salmon from the "Norwegian Fishing Team," composed of friends Chris Dorsey, Shane Callen, and Pete Brekke, sit at the end of the cleaning station at the close of Salmon-a-Rama. | Canon 5D Mark II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 35mm | Exposed 1/80 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 100 (0EV)

"Need a moment?" Shane Callen, left, Chris Dorsey, middle, and Pete Brekke, right share a moment before the awards ceremony at Salmon-a-Rama on July 18, 2010 in Racine, Wis. The trio called themselves "The Norwegian Fishing Team," and Dorsey took fourth place for "master angler." | Canon 1D Mark III and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 265mm | Exposed 1/250 sec. @ f/5.6, ISO 200 (0EV)

Paul Lohman knocks back a Miller Lite at the conclusion of Salmon-a-Rama on July 18, 2010 in Racine, Wis. Lohman said he has participated in "every Salmon-a-Rama since 1974, and this is the best one ever." | Canon 1D Mark III and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 115mm | Exposed 1/160 sec. @ f/5.6, ISO 400.

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | Comment! | Master's Project: EOS 1D Mark III, EOS 5D Mark II, photojournalism, salmon, sport fishing

Sizing up the competition: Jaron Tylock of Racine, left, and Casey Panyk of Union Grove marvel at some of the top catches on display in the Salmon-a-Rama leader case on July 17, 2010 in Racine, Wis. Among the fish on display is angler Roger Hellen's potentially record-setting 41.5 pound Brown trout caught on Friday. | Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 23mm | Exposed 1/60 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 2000 (0 EV)

On the last full day of the Salmon-a-Rama tournament, I found myself walking around quite a bit in search of subjects.  Most of the anglers who were focusing on fish offshore were in their boats from 5am until 8pm, coming in just before the weigh station closed at nine.  Storms are brewing tonight, putting pressure on the anglers for the last few hours before the close of Salmon-a-Rama at 11am Sunday.

I’ve been going through my photos and video (well, I’m trying my hardest with the video files–my laptop isn’t anywhere the speed of my desktop computer, and its attempts to play the 5D II video files are laughable at best), and I’m attempting to identify holes in the story that could be covered with certain content.

I know that I need another interview or two, although my video interview with co-director of Salmon-a-Rama Craig Bender was very informative.  I would like to have the perspective of a fisherman or two.  I tried tonight, but while photographing and hanging around is fine for some people, recording their voice can be asking too much.  It’s too bad, as they definitely had something to contribute, but there will be opportunities tomorrow.

I do not have a picture of anyone reeling in a fish, and on the one hand I’m nervous about this gap, and on the other I think it’s fair to say that part of the experience of fishing is waiting for a bite on the line.  It’s what people do while waiting that can be the most interesting: the relationships between anglers, be they friends or family.  The other part is the pride in the catch.  So while I don’t have that moment in between those two stages, but  it is my hope the content I do have will compensate for this shortcoming.

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | Comment! | Master's Project: EOS 5D Mark II, photojournalism, sport fishing

Angler Roger Hellen poses with his 41.5 pound Brown trout for Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel photographer Benny Sieu at Salmon-a-Rama on July 16, 2010 in Racine, Wis. The trout, caught that morning, was speculated to be a world record-setting catch. The current record for Brown trout was set last September in the Manistee River of Michigan at 41 pounds, 7 ounces. Hellen's trout, an ounce heavier, is pending review of National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association before it can be declared the world record for this species. | Canon 1D Mark III and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 51mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200 (+1 EV)

Not just any “fish story”

On the morning  of July 16, 2010, Roger Hellen set out in his boat, “Get Hooked,” with his friend Joe Miller.  He came back with what is quite possibly a world record for Brown trout: 41 pounds, 8 ounces.  The fish will likely earn Hellen the grand prize of $10,000  at Salmon-a-Rama, and also stirred up a bit of a media frenzy given the possibility of a new record for Brown trout.  The current record was set only back in September 2009 by an angler in Michigan with a 41 pound, 7 ounce Brown trout.  The catch also beats the Salmon-a-Rama record for largest fish entered in the contest which has stood since 1997.

So far, I’ve met some great people out at Salmon-a-Rama, and I think that the stories I’ve heard will be compelling for the argument that sport fishing is an important part of Lake Michigan–something that could be lost should Asian carp gain access to the Great Lakes.(...)
Read the rest of A world record for Brown trout? (169 words)

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | One comment | Master's Project: Brown trout, EOS 1D Mark III, EOS 5D Mark II, photojournalism, sport fishing

Yellow perch spasm on the table while Jeff Zinuticz, center, a fishery technician for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Craig Bender, left, the co-director of Salmon-a-Rama, measure and weigh angler Joe Staszewski's catch on Thursday, July 15, 2010 in Racine, Wis. After discovering that the perch were not prize-winning, Staszewski said that "they were hitting better before, but now Salmon-a-Rama has come." | Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 16mm | Exposed 1/80 sec. @ f/4, ISO 800 (+1.33 EV)

Last night I had a fairly productive evening at Salmon-a-Rama.  I still need a couple of audio interviews, to gather some ambient sound, and to shoot some video, but I have the feeling it will all come together.

Some of the photos are more visual “notes” that I like the idea of an image, but that a given frame is not enough to push it into the final edit.  I’m hoping to perfect all of these frames before the week is out, although the one above may be tough to beat given that the Yellow perch (“Lake perch”) were still jumpin’ on the table!

Please scroll down for the rest of the photos and, as always, comments and criticism welcome! (...)
Read the rest of Checking in at the Weigh Station (167 words)

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | Comment! | Master's Project: EOS 5D Mark II, photojournalism, pictorial, salmon, sport fishing

Strong wind led to poor fishing conditions at Salmon-a-Rama as heavy waves crashed against the pier on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at the Reefpoint Marina in Racine, Wis. | Canon 5D Mark II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 64mm | Exposed 1/2000 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200 (0 EV).

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | Comment! | Updates: EOS 5D Mark II, landscapes, pictorial

Adults and children alike cool off from the summer heat in the Dr. Laurel Salton Clark Memorial Fountain on July 13, 2010 in Racine, Wis. The fountain, dedicated to the astronaut from Racine who was killed in the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, was recently re-opened to the public after being temporarily closed being in violation of the health code. | Canon 5D Mark II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 57mm | Exposed 1/500 sec. @ f/8, ISO 200 (0 EV)

I was on my way to the boat ramp and piers by the Reefpoint Marina in Racine, Wis. yesterday when I passed by one of the city’s summer hot-spots for the past several years: the Dr. Laurel Salton Clark Memorial Fountain.  The fountain was named in memory of the astronaut who was killed in the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003 who grew up in Racine.

Earlier this summer, the city closed the fountain to the public because its plumbing couldn’t handle the chlorination of the water any longer, and was therefore in violation of health code.  The city went as far as to post a guard in front of the fountain to deter people from cooling off in it, but it was recently brought back up to code–at least in a temporary manner–in time for the summer heat.

There’s one image I liked quite a bit from this afternoon, but I cannot decide on a crop for it!(...)
Read the rest of One image, three versions (116 words)

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | 3 comments | Updates: EOS 5D Mark II, photojournalism, pictorial

Fishing poles rest in one of the official buckets given to registrants of Salmon-a-Rama at Reefpoint Marina, Racine, Wis. The lines of the poles were tied off to beer bottles to alert the fishermen if a fish tugged at the bait. | Canon 1D Mark III and 70-200mm f/4L IS lens @ 89mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/4, ISO 100 (+1 EV)

The largest freshwater fishing tournament in the Great Lakes kicked off on July 10 in Racine, Wis.  One of the great concerns about the possibility of Asian Silver and Bighead carp entering into Lake Michigan is the potential for the destruction of sport fishing due to the radical changes that could happen to the food chain.  The carp are voracious filter-feeders, and could out-compete the fish that serve as “food” for the trout and salmon, and could be the final nail in the coffin for the lake perch.

It wasn’t foremost on the minds of the anglers participating in Salmon-a-Rama, but when I explained the idea of my project, there seemed to be universal concern about the invasive carp, most recently found only six miles from the shoreline of Lake Michigan.  It’s encouraging that this project is relevent even if the environmental outlook for the Great Lakes seems to be discouraging.(...)
Read the rest of The Largest Fishing Tournament on the Great Lakes (171 words)

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | Permalink | Comment! | Master's Project: Asian Carp, EOS 1D Mark III, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism, salmon, sport fishing